Community & Discipleship
Enjoying Life Together in Community (Acts. 2:42~47)
We were created for community, and that community is rooted first in worship of God, then in loving his family, and finally in partnering together to fulfill Christ's mission. Real connection with God and with one another brings the deepest joy in life.
We were made for community, because no one is made for isolation
The sermon begins with the longing for friendship and community that is part of being human. Even a popular show like Friends and the CrossFit movement reveal that people are wired to know and be known. Social media, however, can create a false sense of community, because we can know what happens in people's lives without really knowing them. Researchers have found that people who feel truly disconnected face serious harm to their health, so human connection is good medicine for the heart, soul, and mind. Introverts too were created for community, since no one is made for isolation.
We are made for worship, because community begins with God (vv. 42-43, 47)
Enjoying life together begins with our communion with God, because the deepest joys come from our connection to Christ and in his presence is fullness of joy. The believers in Acts 2 devoted themselves to worship, and their praise drew favor from all the people. God himself models community in the Trinity, where Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share a fellowship enjoyed for all eternity, and he invites us into that fellowship through worship. The closer we draw to God, the closer we will naturally draw to one another, as believers who seek first his kingdom find one another. Shared love for Jesus, not merely shared hobbies, makes true biblical community.
We are made for fellowship, because we love God's family (vv. 42, 44-45)
The believers devoted themselves not only to the apostles' teaching but also to fellowship, because true lovers of Jesus love the church that he loves as his bride. Becoming a healthy believer means committing to a local congregation through membership, which is the basic first step into community. Membership must then deepen into friendship, where we share life, meet needs, and eat together, as the believers did when they shared possessions and broke bread in their homes. The deepest level is kinship, loving one another like family by extending and receiving grace for each other's sins and failures. Small groups, one-to-one discipleship, and serving in ministry are practical ways to get into this family.
We are made for partnership, because we finish the mission together (vv. 42, 47)
The word koinonia in Acts 2:42 carries the idea of partnership and participation within a group for a common good, so true fellowship means partnering together for the cause of Christ. The Lord added to their number day by day as they were on mission together, showing that shared mission leads to fruitful growth in the church. Jesus sent out his disciples two by two, because it is both wise and more enjoyable to be on mission with God together. Short-term mission trips form bonds that last, because serving, suffering, and praying together for the nations bring people closer than anything else. Strong community strengthens joy, and joy grows through partnership in Christ's mission.
We fight for one another in the place of prayer
True community also means knowing one another's struggles, because we are in a real battle and we need each other to fight for each other. The pastor asks the congregation to pray for him and for the ministry's justice work, since there is much spiritual warfare. The sermon highlights a long-term missionary family whose youngest son has leukemia, and calls the church to fight for them as family in prayer. Community means knowing when a brother or sister needs prayer and love in their deepest time of need. That is why the church exists, to love God deeply and to love the family of faith deeply.
Apply to Life
- Let us begin each day in God's presence, seeking first his kingdom and finding our deepest joy in him.
- Let us commit to a local congregation through membership and take a step into a small group or one-to-one discipleship.
- Let us move beyond surface connections on social media and be honest with one another about our real lives.
- Let us serve together in ministry and on mission, bringing our friends along with us for the nations.
- Let us fight for one another in prayer, starting today by praying for Eric and his family.
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