February 21 - 40 Days of Community -It’s
better together
Our Lenten theme this year is 40 Days
of Community - We need each other because “It’s Better Together”. I hope during this sermon series to deepen
your understanding of how the Lord uses other people - especially those in your
church family - for your good and for your growth. I think you’ll also see how God can use you
to bless others.
The goal is first to increase the
sense of community within our church - to strengthen the bond of love among
us. Second, to reach
out in love to those around us - to share the love of Christ with others. Thus, to fulfill Jesus words: They will know that you are my followers by
your love for one an other.
The bible says we were designed to be
in community with others - formed for fellowship. That’s why Jesus called people to follow Him
and join a group of disciples. On the other hand, community doesn’t just happen
automatically.
You must learn to be
considerate of one another, cultivating a life in common. 1 Corinthians 1:10
Note that fellowship is something we
must learn how to do. It must be
intentionally cultivated. Real community
takes us beyond simply socializing and into studying together and serving
together, then at times even suffering together - sharing one an other’s
burdens. That means being committed to
each other as an expression of our commitment to Christ.
Why doesn’t community - fellowship -
come naturally? Why does the bible say
we have to work at it – to cultivate it?
The answer to that question comes from
today’s gospel.
At the beginning of his ministry,
Jesus spent forty days in the Wilderness, fasting and praying,
to get ready for his upcoming ministry. While there, the tempter, knowing Jesus
is weak and hungry after days of fasting, says:
“If you’re the Son of God, you don’t need to fast and pray. If you’re hungry, feed your stomach. Use your
divine power to gratify yourself. Just command this stone to turn into a loaf
of bread.”
Jesus had been purposely abstaining
from food and praying alone to prepare himself for the years of ministry that
stood before him. But instead of that
life lives for others, using his wisdom and power for others, the tempter says
first take care of your self – put yourself first.
That’s the problem. It is human nature
to think of ourselves first. We
naturally do what is in our best interest, sometimes with out any regard for
how it affects others.
But to build community - to live in
fellowship with one another - we have to think of others.
“Look out for one an
other’s interest, not just your own.”
Philippians 2:4
If you want a counter
culture verse that’s it. In
Christ-like love is an action, a way
of behaving, a commitment.
And it doesn’t come naturally. It has to be cultivated, even learned,
because the most natural thing is to sing “I’ll do it my way”.
Have you ever seen these Neighborhood
Watch signs on a street? That’s a sign
of community. It says we watch out for
each other here.
But my question is not is anybody
watching out for your stuff. It’s is
anybody watching out for your soul. Your
soul is a whole lot more important than your stuff. Is there anybody in your life who helps you
stay on track spiritually - encourages you in your spiritual life? Is there anybody who loves you enough to say,
“I'm not going to let you get discouraged. I'm not going to let you drop out. I'm not going to let you get tired. I'm here with you.”
“Keep being concerned
about each other as the Lord’s followers should.” Hebrews 13:1
We should care about each other. We’re God’s family. As brothers and sisters I help you stay on
track and you help me stay on track. It
says, “keep being concerned.” That means not just once. Be vigilant – keep caring.
The tempter tried a second time:
“Hey, J. C., forget about following
the plans of your heavenly Father. Stop submitting as a son. I’m in charge here. Instead bow to me and
grab some glory for yourself.”
Temptations come in countless
forms. But no matter how it comes, the
goal is always the same: to pull you away from a life that gives glory to
God in exchange for gratifying ourselves.
Jesus replied: “Worship the Lord
only and serve Him”
Instead, the tempter says walk through
life taking care of number one - just serving yourself,
not God. And if the tempter can get you
to do it often enough, he can get you off Jesus’ team all together.
“Let us not give up the habit of meeting
together - Notice it’s a habit. It’s
something you do all the time. - Let us not give up the habit of meeting
together, as some are doing. Instead let
us encourage one another.” Hebrews
10:25
Encourage each other by meeting
together for worship, fellowship and service.
We need to learn how to love like Jesus – so we need a place where we
can practice love His love. We need to
be with other people who are also trying to do the same thing, so we can learn
from one another. We need to be
connected to others who obey Jesus command to “Worship the Lord and serve Him”.
I need other people to grow in Christ
– to grow into following His way. Why?
Because the Christian life
is really about relationships not about achievement. God is love and He wants me to learn to love
Him and to love others. And I learn that
in community with other believers.
In discussing the body of Christ, his metaphor for the church, Paul
wrote:
“As each part of the body does
its work, it helps the other parts grow.
So Christ’s whole body is healthy and growing and full
of love.”
God wants us to be healthy and growing as
individuals, and as a congregation, by being full of His love.
Still a third time the tempter
appeared:
“Why do you trust all God’s
plans? Jump from these heights and see
if he has your best interests at heart.
He’ll send his angels to catch you.” – Make God serve you.
“Don’t test the Lord your God.”
The Lord does not serve us; rather we
are commanded to serve him. God’s plan for us as followers of Jesus is that we should be connected to
other believers in a community, and together serve the Lord.
Maybe you’ve bought into a myth that
says that the key to happiness is independence. – if
I’m totally self-sufficient, then I will be happy. But God says that the key to happiness is not
independence but inter-dependence. We
need community, because God wired you to go through life not as a solitary
individual but in community.
There are situations that nobody
should ever have to go through alone.
You’re going to have loved ones
die. You’re going to go through
tragedy. You’re going to get bad news.
You need other people in your life.
The time is now to build the safety
net, the network of supporters, of friends.
Get it in place now because at some point the tragedy is going to
happen. You don’t know when. The time to prepare is now.
What is God’s safety net? It is a group of other believers who are
committed to you.
“You should be like one big family full of
sympathy toward each other.” 1 Peter 3:8
In a time of need, when someone prays,
asking the Lord’s help, often he responds by sending another believer to stand
by them Sometimes he send me - sometimes
he sends you. Together we are God’s
safety net for each other.
Our theme, 40 Days of Community,
reminds us of what our church can be - a place of love and fellowship and
community - a place where we learn and serve together, and thus grow together.
It’s better together because we need
other believers to walk with us, work with us, watch over us, encourage us,
weep with us and wait with us - to be our safety net in our walk with the Lord.
To be that kind of community, we have to work at it – stay connected and
cultivate our common life.
Every time we get the
chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to
us in the community of faith.
Galatians 6:10