Deep & Wide
Community
Deep & Wide
*Todd Blansit*
September 19, 2021
Believers grow like trees, deep and wide.
We must grow on our own in discipleship, and we also grow in community.
Christian community is a big deal. It’s important for our spiritual growth, and it’s not an optional part of the Christian life.
Hebrews 10.23-25
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
John 13.34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Psalm 133.1
1 How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
After following Jesus, we are still sinful. That means people are complicated, relationships are messy, and because of our own baggage it’s typically easier to just remain in isolation and to avoid community.
Even if people are messy and complicated, that’s even more the reason to love them, because while the world would walk away from those people, Christians should draw near to those people.
**1 John 1.5-7
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
The light of Jesus pushes us towards fellowship and holiness.#
Romans 12.4-8
4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,
5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;
7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach;
8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Our uniqueness is what makes us beautiful.
When we all step into our rolls the body of Christ is an amazing thing!
Acts 2.42-47
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Joining a life group is one of the most powerful decisions a follower of Jesus could make!
True Biblical community is the thing holding many followers of Jesus back from walking in their full potential!
“I Raised My Hand …”
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