Community – God’s Design for Helping People
I Peter 2:9-10 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
This summer we have had many projects around the church. We are getting ready for company and making changes for our growing church and school.
• New carpeting has been installed in the church and school offices and Hanson room. All offices and classrooms have been freshly painted.
• A wall was removed to make a larger classroom for the school and church.
• Two offices were created out of one.
• The church sign has been repainted.
• A new fence was installed at the church parsonage
• The church lawn irrigation system has been upgraded.
• Tan bark was added to the playground
• New lighting installed in several classrooms
Thanks to all who assisted in the various projects. We do all these things to better carry out our mission of “Bringing people to Jesus, loving, equipping, and sending them out to make more and better disciples.” Our goal is to be a community of caring people.
Community is God’s design for helping people.
Why did God create the heavens and the earth? God is all sufficient and needs nothing, yet God created the universe and all that dwells in it.
The very nature of God seems to be “community.” After God created the universe, the sun, moon and earth, oceans, plants and animals, God saw that all His creation was good, but He did not stop there. Genesis 1:26-27, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Man was created in the image of God to talk to his creator and make choices and express love and enjoy fellowship with his creator.
God first created Adam and said in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
In the beginning God created “community.”
I. Community provides a way for people to not be alone in the world.
When God looked at his creation and at Adam a lone human being, he said, “It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)
Most people if they are honest admit that they want to feel needed by someone else. There is a basic need to love and be loved. There are a few who may say, “I’m okay. I don’t need anyone. I’m on cruise control.
There is a story of a young man who believed that buying his first car would be the epitome of all his dreams. He worked hard and saved his money and finally the day arrived when he was able to purchase his dream machine. It was a van--beautiful, loaded, and luxurious--as good as they come. It was the result of perfect engineering and design. The young man had every right to expect a great deal from this mechanical marvel, and he drove it off the lot with pride and the aura of a man who knows that destiny and determination have conspired to bring about the perfect union.
The next day, however, the beautiful new van came back to the lot on a tow-truck. It was bent and battered, obviously un-drive-able. Shortly thereafter the livid owner stormed into the salesman’s office, demanding not only a complete refund, but also threatening to sue for medical damages.
"What happened?" asked the startled salesman.
"I bought your van," sputtered the young man, "and I drove it out to the interstate to give it a test run. I set the cruise control, went to the back to make a cup of coffee, and it ran off the road!"
Even those who have their lives on cruise control can crash.
Our American culture gives honor and praise to rugged individuals like the Rambos who take on an army by themselves. The fact is even the Lone Ranger had a side-kick named Tonto.
God created a helpmate for Adam. A single person finds community in a small group. People don’t enjoy being alone all the time. Some of the time is okay but not all the time. Go to Starbucks or Barnes and Noble and you’ll see people hanging out in little groups.
Community provides a way for people to not be alone in the world.
When God commented on the creation of Adam he said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” God was saying from the beginning that human beings were created for community. We were created to communicate, to give and take, to love and be loved, to serve and be served.
My desire for the Willow Vale Church is that it is a loving and caring community - - A place to develop wholesome relationships; a place to give and take, to love and be loved, to serve and be served.
A sense of community is missing in a Christian’s life if they say they don’t need the local church. Where is community for the person that says he/she “get church” on television or prayer through dial-a-prayer.
# Little Sandra was five years old. She was a smart little girl and involved in Sunday School and children’s choir. Her parents were the ones who made the bread for Communion every month. They made big, thick, home baked bread. Making bread was one way they served the church. Sunday morning Sandra noticed the bread piled up on the kitchen table. She excitedly said, “Oh is it community today?” She got the words “community” and “communion” mixed up.
In the church of Jesus Christ it is “Community” every Sunday.
The Apostle Peter talks about community in I Peter 2: 9-10, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
For 40 years the children of Israel were wandering in the wilderness. God called them out of bondage and led them into the promised land of Israel, a place where they became their own nation, a people of God.
The local church is a community designed by God to provide a place for you to belong and not be alone.
II. Community provides support in times of need.
Romans 12:5,10 Paul talks about unity in the Body of Christ. He says: “So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Many of you have found support from the local church in times of need.
Ken Jones told the Sunday evening study group that when Lois, his first wife, died he was supported by this church with meals and friendship. Hospice leaders asked him if he needed anything and he told them that his church was providing for all his needs.
Psalm 142:4 is one of the saddest verses in the Bible. It says, “No one cared for my soul.”
A caring community can be one other person, a small group or a larger group. Ecclesiastes 4:10 says, “If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity (woe to) the man who falls and has no one to help him up.”
God’s design is for everyone to become part of a community. God doesn’t want anyone to fall down and not have someone near to help him up.
Carollyn and I experienced community recently. When we had our grandchildren visiting for a couple weeks, different people brought in dishes of food. In fact we had two refrigerators filled with food items.
In the community of the local church we receive mutual support. We encourage one another. # A Reader’s Digest article told about trees whose root systems touch. When the roots of trees touch, there is a substance present that reduces competition between them. In fact the fungus helps link the roots of different trees, even different species of trees. A whole forest can be linked together underground. If one tree has access to water and another tree to nutrients and a third to sunlight, all the trees share with each other through the root system.
Our common faith in Jesus and the power of His resurrection links us together as part of the Body of Christ.
The New Testament teaches the “Priesthood” of all believers. We are Priests one to another. The early church was a lay movement. Every Christian was involved in ministry. The Apostles were not the only ones that knew how to pray. The prayer of pastors is no greater than your prayers. We are all priests to each other. We encourage one another and serve and minister to each other.
Community is God’s design for helping people. Community provides a way for people to not be alone in the world. Community provides support in times of need.
III. Community provides wise counsel.
Proverbs 11:14 – “For lack of guidance a nation falls but many advisors make victory sure.”
Psalm 133:1 – “How good and pleasant it is for brothers to live in unity.”
A community is made up of people of different personalities and backgrounds. To be a true community there is present one common truth – all in the community care for each other. When one person in the group suffers, they all suffer and when one rejoices, they all rejoice.
In a true community everyone practices the “one anothers of scripture.”
“Serve one another” service is given in love and not for selfish
gain. You serve even when you get nothing in return. When
you truly love one another, minor irritations are overlooked.
Without love there are confrontations over the most
insignificant little things. Love bears long and is patient and
kind. (Ephesians 4:2) “Be completely humble and gentle; be
patient bearing with one another in love.”
“Bear one anothers burdens” (Galatians 6:2)To bear burdens
you have to get to know people. You develop a relationship
where you know the needs of the other person and do your
best to meet that person’s needs.
“Encourage one another” You add value to a person when
you find something to affirm them about. You can show some
kind of appreciation to everyone you meet. When you
encourage others you gain their respect. When you have their
respect you can develop a positive relationship. (I
Thess.5:11) “Therefore encourage one another and build
each other up.”
The early church was a dynamic force because the church was made up of a caring community where love overflowed. Gentile and Jewish unbelievers could reject the preaching of the apostles as simply another “teaching” among many, but they found it much more difficult to reject the fellowship of love evident in the relationships among the believers in the early church. The mutual love the world saw in believers and the concern they had for one another left those in the pagan secular world drooling with envy. What the message could not do, the demonstration of love could do.
At the end of September we are launching “40 Days of Community.” Our goal is to have everyone in the church enjoying the fellowship in a small group. In a small group you find wisdom as each person shares his/her story and experiences. You might think you have nothing to add to a group. You do. You have had experiences and learning that are unique to you and others need to hear what you have to say.
A Community provides a way for people to not be alone in the world. A community provides support in times of need. A community provides wise counsel. And
IV. Community provides Intentional accountability
Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another.”
Remember a “community” can be made up of two or three people, a small group of 10 or 12 people, or a congregation.
The best group size was modeled by Jesus – he chose 12. A group that grows beyond 12 often loses the small group dynamics. In a small group you can hold each other accountable.
If you are serious and want to grow spiritually you need two regular critical events in your life - corporate worship and participation in a small group. Small spiritual life groups are not getting together to gripe and complain about life’s problems. You will pray about common concerns. But the main focus is intentional accountability, to be more like Jesus and to carry out the mission of Jesus. Small groups need outwardly focused projects to keep from becoming ingrown. Fellowship is great, but too much fellowship is not healthy. Ingrown fellowship is “koinitess.” Like an overactive thyroid is not healthy, so fellowship for fellowship sake is not healthy. “Forty Days of Community” will guide each home group to take on some community project.
To your group you can have the attitude that says: “I want to be a godly man. I want to be a godly woman. I invite you into my life and I want you to hold me to the truth. I want you to coach me. I want you to confront me. I want you to cheer me on. I want you to tell me what I am doing right and what I am doing wrong. Show me how I can do better. You pray for me and love me and I will do the same for you.
With that kind of attitude I guarantee spiritual health and growth.
Sunday, September 25th we are launching our fall outreach campaign, “Forty Days of Community.” During the fall campaign we will focus on five areas of living out God’s purpose in our community.
We can only fully live out God’s purposes in community because:
WE REACH OUT BETTER TOGETHER:
We want to show God’s love to others and develop a heart for the world, because we were made for a mission.
WE FELLOWSHIP BETTER TOGETHER:
Belonging to a community connects us with other believers to experience real fellowship, because we were formed for God’s family.
WE GROW BETTER TOGETHER:
Together we cultivate our spiritual maturity and godly character, because we were created to become like Christ.
WE SERVE BETTER TOGETHER:
We contribute back to community by using our talents in ministry because we were shaped for serving God.
WE WORSHIP BETTER TOGETHER:
Worshipping together centers our lives on God, not ourselves, helping us to live a lifestyle of worship for the glory of God, because we were planned for God’s pleasure.
During the campaign there will be home groups and Christian Life classes meeting to go through a study book covering the five areas.
Here are several suggestions for you to consider as you become a participant in our “40 Days of Community” venture.
Commit Your Time. Carve out time for a weekly home group meeting or a group meeting here at the church where childcare will be provided. There is also child care at the Hogue home group meeting. We have 110 adults and youth and 40 children active in the life of the Willow Vale church. Our goal is to have 110 involved in the various groups. Sign up today so we can be sure we have a study book for you. The book has 40 daily devotions and the study guide for the small group meetings.
Take an honest inventory. Ask yourself the hard questions. Where am I right now in my relationship with the Lord? Have I grown cold? Have I become indifferent? Have I drifted in my relationship with God? Take an honest inventory and set aside time.
Pray earnestly. Nothing will remove obstacles and spiritual roadblocks like prayer. Pray alone and with your ministry team for God’s blessing on the ministries of the Willow Vale Church.
Several years ago Carollyn and I visited the largest church in the world – “The World Gospel Church” in Seoul Korea.” The church has over 700,000 members and services all day long on Sunday in their 25,000 seat auditorium.
The church years ago purchased a mountain that they developed into “Prayer Mountain.” Carollyn and I took a free bus ride to Prayer Mountain and were amazed at the development. As you walk along a path you see scattered all over the mountain concrete bunkers, thousands of them. The little bunkers are about 3 feet wide and five feet long. As you walk along you hear people singing and prayer and crying out to God. Prayer goes on there 24 hours a day seven days a week. There are approximately 3,000 people scattered across the mountain praying every day. Is it any wonder that God has blessed that church?
I invite you to commit your time, take an inventory and pray.
Deuteronomy 4:7 “What other nation is so great as to have their God near them the way the Lord our God is near to us whenever we pray to him.”
Let’s pray. Ask God to show you how together we can us become a “Community” -- a community of God’s people bringing people to Jesus, loving, equipping and sending them out to make more and better disciples.”
