Christ-Shaped Community
Authentic Followers, Authentic Communities • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewsThe church is a Christ-shaped community.
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
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Emotion
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Language
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Social
Introduction
Introduction
It began as inspiration from this book
Show image of book Grapefruit
Hit single which has inspired countless numbers
Played after tragedies to give people hope
PLayed in Paris in the streets in 2015 after a terrorist attack
World Church asked to use it
Devoted to Reflect
Devoted to Reflect
The church was devoted
The first action that jumps off the page in this passage is that they “devoted” themselves
What is it that we devote ourselves to? Football, Baseball, Sewing, TV crime shows, our phones, our image, our pride
“unremitting attention” - the relationship between the believers and their practices. It’s not a loose one; it’s not a relationship that holds these things at bay as potentially harmful (to social standing, to “sane” people); rather this is a tight relationship
Here, the church devoted itself to four major areas:
apostle’s teaching (Scripture)
fellowship (not just 2 or 3 cookies gathered together); common life base on our bond in Christ
breaking of bread; communion but also common meals
prayer
Jesus had a close relationship to these during his life as well (light touch - hit this harder in point 3)
The church loved ()
How did this cash itself out? They were a living example of love
is often used at weddings, and I’m afraid that by using it there we’re coloring it with only one color
It’s actually a passage on how the church lives together as one though many
The church reflected their Lord
Once again, we can go back and see the life of Jesus in all of these
devoted to Scripture, fellowship, breaking of bread, prayer
living example of the love of God
The church wasn’t inventing something new, they were reflecting the new life they saw in Christ
Living Today
Living Today
Does it work?/As Seen on TV
John Lennon’s Imagine - can imagine it for about a second; so will this work?
The church is a foretaste of the coming kingdom - it is not the perfect kingdom yet; while we strive for that kingdom, we can’t idolize perfection but we also can’t be lazy
The church is a foretaste of the coming kingdom - it is not the perfect kingdom yetDevotion to Christ will require a re-organization of our life around Christ, not a fitting in of Christ around our lifeAs we uncover areas where we need to be sanctified and work through it as an authentic community, then we will more and more resemble the grace of Christ
Devotion to Christ will require a re-organization of our life around Christ, not a fitting in of Christ around our life
As we uncover areas where we need to be sanctified and work through it as an authentic community, then we will more and more resemble the grace of Christ
Tending Relationships
The quality of our relationships is important, and the church in Acts helps us to benchmark
Every church thinks its friendly; most are. Is the church devoted to one another, gathering with one another, caring for one another as the first church did? Are we the envy of non-believers?
Emperor Julian (360-363); pagan revival; resources to Galatia, “For it is disgraceful when no Jew is a beggar and the impious Galileans [the name given by Julian to Christians] support our poor in addition to their own; everyone is able to see that our coreligionists are in want of aid from us.”
Cultivate the love of Christ for one another
Reaching Out
So what can we do? If we don’t reflect our Lord, do we really think of him as Lord?
Invite someone new to dinner; get to know people
If there’s an urge to talk about, talk to instead
Embody
Let me suggest that you pray about this first; is there someone on your heart?
It will be uncomfortable for a while!