Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction: Community in Crisis

Have congregation turn to

We’re walking through our current series which is taking through our mission / vision as a church.

We exist to glorify God by making disciples through gospel-centered worship, gospel-centered community, gospel-centered service, and gospel-centered multiplication.

The first half really describes why we exist, the second half describes how we accomplish it.

Connect in Worship, Grow in Community, Serve Each Other, Go and Multiply

Illust – Cheers – “Where Everyone Knows Your Name.”, Friends

History of loss of community in West (Putnam)

According to sociologist Robert Putnam community engagement in America has been in decline for the last half century.

People are just not as involved in the community or in community groups like they used to.

There are many reasons for this change some of which are:

Family and social structure

Transportation and mobility

Electronic entertainment

Physical structures

It’s not helped by the fact that in America, we celebrate independence:

- It has it’s own holiday

- freedom = independence

- we have private property

- personal rights

Sociologists recognize this lack of community engagement is not a good thing.

They recognize that isolation among people is bad for a society.

Every time and culture has found places for community.

Today we have an additional hurdle to community:

Real vs. Imitation Community

In imitation community we offer a painted, veiled picture of ourselves.

In imitation community we offer a painted, veiled picture of ourselves

Time and openness are necessary for real community to happen.

Don’t you wish there was a place where everyone knew your name?

Definition of Community

A place where you know and are known.

This is a feature of what God intended for his church and it is what we see in the early church.

Acts 2:42-47

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people.

And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

“The new converts didn’t merely add Christianity to their already busy lives, but devoted themselves to their Christian experience.

V 42 is a compact description of Christian discipleship.”

D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary

This is not just a sermon on small groups or Sunday schools it goes much deeper than that

If we are going to be a church that promotes and lives out gospel-centered community we must understand 4 things:

Community existed before people.

God exists in community.

Gen

Although this may not be a statement of community but rather a use of the “royal plural pronouns.”

Take a look at:

Matthew 28:19

You belong in community.

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .You belong in community.

Also,

We, plainly see throughout Scripture that:

john

God is one.

The Father is God.

Jesus is God.

Spirit is God.

All three coexist at the same time.

Community existed long before people were on the scene.

This is important because it started with God - the idea of community is not a human convention.

We get our definition and, through the gospel, our redefinition of relationship and belonging from God.

You belong in community.

llust - some of you remember high school.

Walking uphill both ways, doing math without calculators, etc. Remember the dreaded lunch table.

you had the jocks, the geeks, the drama nerds.

Before school our main community was our family and despite what your brother said you always belonged.

School was the first time we needed to find where we belong.

For some of you it was a painful time - where will you belong?

This is because you belong in community - you were made for community.

Belonging is a yearning of every soul because it was woven into the fabric of every soul.

Gen 2:

We were made to first be in community with God, and then in community with others.

Sin destroyed both but the gospel can fix both.

This longing for belonging is not unique to you or me.

It’s not unique to Americans.

Everyone is looking for a place to belong.

It’s one of life’s greatest questions - “Where do I belong?”

If you remember from Ephesians that Jesus through the gospel fixes broken community with God and each other, and reconciles back to God and each other.

The gospel community in the church MUST be a place where people feel they can find belonging through Jesus.

Unfortunately, many view the church like the high school lunch table - applying labels to people before they ever walk in.

If you’re here today and you don’t know Jesus, you are welcome here.

As we as a church gather in different ways - different gospel communities - flocks, men’s groups, women’s groups, etc. - would someone who does not know Jesus feel like they could belong?

Defeaters of Community

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

Now for the believer, the question is not whether or not you will be a part of the community of believers (because you are in Christ), the question is whether you will live interdependently in the community (as God intended) or independently apart from the community.

Sin

Community is not for you.

Illustr - “Survivor” (in it for ourselves) vs. Hurricane cleanup (community for each other and a vision/purpose)

True community is not for your consumption, it is for your participation.

Many times the church is described as a family and family is not a spectator sport!

Illust - Dickinson Domains

“. . .

Community as a gift of God’s grace for the purpose of exalting the Son and making him known.

In other words, community is not about us; it is about God.

Community is an instrument of worship, a weapon against sin, and a tool for evangelism — all for the exaltation of Jesus.”

Brad House

Nowhere in Scripture do you see a verse that says, “Gather together and have others tend to your needs and desires.”

Instead: