life together - discovering christian community the community that shares life together jacob...
TRANSCRIPT
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Jacob Roggeveen
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Problem #1: Isolation
“I’m lonely.”
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Problem #1: Isolation
“I’m lonely.”
“I don’t have time for anyone.”
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity !
- Psalm 133:1
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Problem #2: Independence
“Nobody needs me.”
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Problem #2: Independence
“I don’t need anybody.”
“Nobody needs me.”
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Problem #3: Individualism
“Nobody cares about
my dreams.”
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Problem #3: Individualism
“I live my life to pursue my dreams.”
“Nobody cares about
my dreams.”
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
- Philippians 2:2
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Gang Statistics:
• 40% of U.S. police departments report gang activity in their communities.
(This includes urban, suburban, and rural communities.)
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Gang Statistics:
• 92 % of police departments reporting gang activity say it first began after 1980.
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Why Youth Say They Join Gangs:
• gives them lots of friends• is like a family • gives a sense of belonging• gets them respect• gives them mutual protection• gives them a way to make money• helps them attack their enemies
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
COMMUNITY =
Shared Time
Shared Respon- sibility
Shared Purpose
The Community That Shares Life Together
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
- Acts 2:42
Shared Purpose:
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts…
- Acts 2:46
Shared Purpose:
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
- Acts 2:44-45
Shared Responsibility:
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
All the believers were together.- Acts 2:44
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.
- Acts 2:46
Shared Time:
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were being done by the apostles.
- Acts 2:43
Witness to the World:
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
…enjoying the favor of all the people.
- Acts 2:47
Witness to the World:
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
•“They devoted themselves.…” (v. 42) •“All the believers were together…” (v. 44)•“Selling their possessions.…” (v. 45)•“They continued to meet together…” (v. 46)•“They broke bread in their homes and ate together.” (v. 46)
The Church is Its People:
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
My Role in Community:
• give up some of my individualism (shared purpose)
• become less independent and more interdependent
(shared responsibility)• spend more time with my Christian family (shared time)
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
John Winthrop
We must entertain each other in brotherly affection. We must be willing to abridge ourselves of our superfluities, for the supply of other's necessities.
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
John Winthrop
We must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience and liberality. We must delight in each other; make other's conditions our own; rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together,
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
John Winthrop
always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, as members of the same body. So shall we keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
John Winthrop
The Lord will be our God, and delight to dwell among us, as his own people, and will command a blessing upon us in all our ways. So that we shall see much more of his wisdom, power, goodness and truth, than formerly we have been acquainted with....
Life Together - Discovering Christian Community
The Community That Shares Life Together
John Winthrop
For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.