03.16.2025 | Community Components

“Community Components”

Acts 2:41 (NLT) Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

The Believers Form a Community

Acts 2:42-47 (NLT) All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 

And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

1.      Community is Being Family

We value Community and Family – We are a family; we need a family—Small Group Ministry.  Developing Godly families; walking in the “one another’s” of the Word.  (Acts 2:46)

Eph. 2:19 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.

Think about family… goal is not to do something, but to be with them

2.      Community is Giving Before Getting

“God wants us to contribute rather than consume.  When all of culture says, “Fill yourself,” God tells us to fill others.  He created us to be givers.  Rather than focusing on our desires, we are called to focus on the needs of others.” - Craig Groschel

Mtt. 10:39 (NLT) If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

Community is Where Pride Comes to Die

Lisa Harper. 98 % of imperatives in the New Testaments are in the context of community.

Mark 2:2-5 (NIV) They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

3.      Community is Authenticity

“God meets us where we are. Not where we pretend to be.” - Ian Simmons

James 5:16a (NLT) Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

Small groups are trapped in the paradox of hunger for intimacy (“it’s not good to be alone”) and the fear of intimacy (“they sewed fig leaves to cover themselves”).

- Gareth Icenogle

Because the mask robs us of being known, it also robs us of knowing we are loved

Rom. 12:9-21 (NLT) Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good

Rom. 12:15-16 (NLT) Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

“You are most shaped like me when you wear someone else’s joy or someone else’s pain. I have made you for that!”  - Lisa Harper

58% feel that no one even knows them well

Acts 2:46 (NLT) They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity.

Questions for discussion/reflection:

1.      Do you usually think of community as something that you do, like a task?  Why or why not?

2.      Share some messages from our culture about “getting for yourself”

3.      How may close friends that truly know you do you think you have?

4.      How many would help carry your “mat” (the brokenness in your life) to Jesus?

5.      How many friends would you say you are currently helping carry?

6.      Do you find yourself “pretending” behind a mask in your interactions with community?  Why?

7.      What can you share this week to take off the mask and practice authenticity with a safe friend or community group?