The Power for Generational Community

I want to play an intro video—and before I do---

You need to stand up for a second, stretch, prepare yourself mentally.

just know that we have a lot of creative people on staff here.

and this video highlights what is coming up on Wed. in January and also introduces our series in January.

If you are online, just a word of warning. We have to mute the audio for a brief moment because of copyright laws; however, still watch—because you will get the gist of it it. It is short. If you are in person, you get the blessing of hearing the full effect.

(be seated, let’s watch)

It’s hard to follow that...

Shout out to Michael Baer for writing those lyrics...

and Nicole Dynes for filming and editing the video...

so did you catch what he said?

for the next 3 Wednesday nights in January...

we are having soup there it is…

the program goes from 7-8 in the fellowship hall, but we highly encourage you to come between 6 - 7 to eat together. Eating can be such a powerful time of connecting together.

and then from 7-8 our time together will be focused on the idea of how do we become an inter-generational church.

you may say why are you doing this? besides the opportunity to make an awesome rap video...

here’s why...

We are definitely multi-generational…meaning we have lots of generations represented…but are we inter-generational…meaning are we a community that is inter-dependent and enmeshed and truly one-anothering between and among the generations…and showing the world that we are followers of Jesus by our love for one another?? Are we?

You may say- isn’t talking about the differences in generations—can’t that be divisive and explosive?

possibly yet—but

Well our goal is:

not to be divisive, not to debate or divide but to talk courageously, respectfully and lovingly about these things...

our goal is to connect the generations through food, dialogue, with a seeking to understand mentality and empathy—looking at the challenges of multiple generations, but also the rich opportunities we have.

from our dialogue and discussion (there will be lots of discussion)—we hope to spark or have a ripple effect in our generations, our church family community, possibly even ministries, small groups, relationships that come from this--

and of course we will solve all this on 3 Wednesday nights…we are hopeful it can provide some ripple effects in our congregation...

before I tackle—just fyi--

as part of our Wednesday nights:

there is still handbells if you are part of that or interested in joining at 6pm

still children’s choir (not too late to join) for K - 5th grade at 6:30pm

still are kids’ classes that meet from 7-8pm

youth group—we are actually having you join us—and I hope that our youth, our students feel courage and emboldened for our discussions, too.

and this is the only adult option offered for January, and then in February we will do something different.

so before I pray—can I just explain briefly

the different generations:

The Traditionalists/Builder (born prior to 1945) (if that is you—would you raise your hand) or say hello on FB (over age of 76)

Baby Boomers born 1945 - 1965 (ages 56-75)

Gen X — born 1965 - 1980 (41 - 56)

Gen Y or Millennials born 1981 - 1996/2000 (this is me) (ages 25 - 40)

Gen Z (born 1996 to now) 25 and under

by the way I heard that as a millennial is you are born between 1981 - 1985 you are a geriatric millennial (geriatric means older)

so I want to pray for this opportunity, and our current series for January, focusing on this...

Let’s pray...

pray for soup there it is...

As part of our Soup there it is, on Sundays, in January, I want to look at this theme of Generational Community.

and I want to look at a couple passages that I think will help set the scene...

Turn to Acts 2:42-47--

the book of Acts takes place right after the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry---now that Jesus has lived, died on the cross, rose from the dead, and is reigning at the right hand of the Father…how is the early church affected..

and this passage is right after the Holy Spirit, the 3rd member of the Trinity had been poured out on the Day of Pentecost.

Look at the community life of the early church.

Acts 2:42–47 NIV

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Now, what is your reaction to seeing a passage like this on the early church? IT is inspiring, dynamic, challenging.

What kinds of qualities marked the early church?

They are a learning church. We see them committed to learning the apostle’s teaching from the Word of God; the Gospel.

They are a fellowshipping—community church—it is the word kononia—participating together for a common good.

they are constantly meeting together—both in the temple courts in Jerusalem and in each other’s homes. (public and private meetings)

they are committed to eating together, and the Lord’s Supper. “breaking of bread”

Prayer is hugely important.

It is a supernatural church where signs and wonders are happening. (vs. 43)

It is a generous church—selling…and giving

it is a praising church...

and God is rapidly adding to their #’s.

incredible community—filled with the Holy Spirit.

I started thinking about this passage from an inter-generational perspective...

this would have been multiple generations…all ages...

at this point, did they have a nursery or children’s ministry?

what about youth group? not as we know it.

age based SS or small group? probably not yet...

it’s households, multi-generations...

part of it is because they are early in the church, some may be cultural—but my point is that this vibrant community, would have had multiple generations represented—and God was moving in and through that in a mighty way.

the vision for community here as a church family is awesome—and it wasn’t complicated; they were unified around the Gospel—and the church just exploded so much that it caused persecution a few chapters later...

It is this passage that has inspired countless church plants to happen…because when is a church family is like that—it makes a kingdom impact, God works in mighty ways.

It also makes people ask…why can’t our church be like this? or any current day church be like this...

now, before we answer that

it’s not all roses…in the early church...

they struggled in the early church to be one...

if you read the rest of Acts—as the Gospel went out from Jerusalem—they struggled to have a united church.

In Acts 5—Ananias and Sapphira lie in front of the church community to make themselves look more spiritual than they really are. (God strikes them down!)

Those Christians with Jewish backgrounds clashed with those of non-Jewish backgrounds!! It was tough!

Just read Acts 10 - 15

It is a long struggle to see how did the early church come together, not just generationally, but culturally…it wasn’t easy. it was hard to have one church...

And...

when people tell me “can we be more like the early church?” I say which one? because yes to Acts 2—but read Corinthians—the early church there had so much division going on, and church people suing each other, and sleeping with prostitutes, and getting drunk at communion.

real life community—is hard…for them...

and it’s not easy for us, too.

we struggle—it’s hard to be one--

—in family…if you have 2 or more.

—or a friend…(and that may be people like you)

—in marriage...

—or at work.

If you are a boss or leader at some point, a lot of leadership is trying to keep your people unified and to like each other at some level.

How do we do this when it is so difficult among generations and in life?

where is the power to do this?

Is it even possible to be unified as a multi-generational church.

yes—the NT talks about this.

Look at Ephesians 2. verse 11.

the Apostle Paul talks about how to be a unified church in terms of Jews and Gentiles..

Ephesians 2:11–12 NIV

11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

we almost don’t understand today how difficult it was for these groups—Jews and Gentiles...to get along...

b/c the Jews they had this rich history of having the law of God in the OT; the Gentiles did not...

the Jews had this history of being oppressed by Gentiles (so it was probably hard to trust those who were not Jews)

there’s that weird reference to circumcision—that’s a sign or marker that God gave Abraham and all Jewish men in the OT (it’s weird to us)…but it showed that they were set apart for God. that they would be cut off if they didn’t follow God;

the Gentile’s didn’t have that sign—so they called each other “there goes those uncircumcised” or “circumcised”; those are not nice ways of calling each other that...

we use different labels to call each other different things today...

(examples—money—there’s goes that rich or poor person; race; that’s just old or young)....and while it’s not wrong to notice that and understand it—it is not the only marker that identifies us.

look at verse 13—this section gives the power for true generational community, really any community:

(stand for this!!)

Ephesians 2:13–18 NIV

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

What is the power for generational community—really for all community?

the power is Jesus Christ and the Gospel...

look at verse 13-14 again

Ephesians 2:13–14 NIV

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

What is it about what Jesus has done that can actually make groups like Jews and Gentile one? races one? economic classes one? and generations one?

BTW---

that dividing wall may be a reference to in the Jewish temple courts in Jerusalem—there was a railing that was as far as Gentiles could go in the temple courts. they could not go past that railing—only Jews could. there was a sign there that even prohibited Gentiles from entering there; could result in death.

what is it about what Jesus has done?

but look at verse 15 again

Ephesians 2:15 NIV

15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,

what did Jesus do in the flesh?

he fulfilled the law—he perfectly obeyed it.

in his life he did.

and he fulfilled the law—in his death---in that the law demanded a sacrifice for sins—that was animals in the OT—but Jesus is the greater sacrifice—the perfect one that they all pointed to.

and by Jesus living and dying on our behalf—and rising from the dead—Jesus began a new covenant.

we are no longer under that old covenant system with circumcision, and temple, and priests, and sacrifice—that divided Jews and Gentiles--we are under a new covenant—with Jesus as our king—all with equal access to Jesus Christ.

if that doesn’t make sense—let me say it another....

let me make it as plain as possible—how does the Gospel of Jesus Christ make generational community possible...

The Gospel humbles us.

before there is good news—there is bad news. that all of us before God, our Creator--a holy God, are sinners. that the problem is not the circumcised or the uncircumcised, the old or young, rich or poor..…the problem is right in here. and when you come to grips—that before an awesome God, He is big and you are small; He is holy and you are not…that is the beginning of unity.

because I realize that I need a Savior. I need someone to help me. At the foot of the cross, I am just as much a sinner as anyone else.

my guess is we struggle with this. it’s easy to point out the sins of others and miss your own…it’s easy to see the speck when you miss the log in your own eye.

The Gospel lifts us up.

It says to all-Jews and Gentiles. Circumcised and uncircumcised…old and younger generations...

that all of us are loved by God.

that He sent His Son Jesus Christ so we could be his Son.

that all, no matter what you have done or failed to do, can be forgiven at the cross before God, dearly loved by the God of the universe.

you can’t earn it or work for it. It’s God grace and gift!

so even someone who has done worse things than you—do they have access to God because of Jesus? Yes! Just as much as you.

all have access to God by one Spirit. all b/c of Jesus.

this is why the Gospel is the power of God—the salvation of everyone who believes!

this is why not just non-believers but believers need the Gospel.

and we must preach it to ourselves.

this Gospel gives us the power to forgive—b/c God forgave us.

to understand each other and ourselves

and to actually have power by the Spirit to be new creations in Christ.

when we incorporate the Gospel—look at the rich images now...

Ephesians 2:19–22 NIV

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

we are citizens together in the kingdom of god.

we are members of the same household.

we are a building—with Jesus as the cornerstone.

we as a church family are a place where God’s Spirit dwells.

No other organization has this kind of resource or power for unity.

I was recently talking with someone who is not a believer..and they were commenting on the state of society. division.

but this person was especially concerned about racism and the division of races, and the discussion in our country around it. and wonders how can we actually get along? how can our county actually have unity? and he confessed he did not know the answer.

I don’t believe that our society has the answer....

but believers do—God’s Word. God’s Power does—in the power of the Gospel.

when we live this out...

Opportunities for that come:

1. Acts 2:47 — the Lord was adding to their # daily

Acts 2:47 NIV

47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

2. John 13:34-35

John 13:34–35 NIV

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

let me end with some practical steps:

Practical Steps:

Come Wed. night for soup and discussion....

Listen well… James 1:19

James 1:19 NIV

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

3. Initiate a relationship or conversation with someone else inter-generationally—who is someone of a different generation than you—(at least 15 years older or younger) that you can reach out to, have a meal with, have coffee with, reach out to...

4. all this while incorporating Jesus and the Gospel

Think and respond...

let’s pause—how is God calling you to respond?

Who is someone from a different generation that God is putting on your heart? how can you take a step this week to invite them into your life???