Shownotes Transcript
SERMON NOTES (click arrow to the right to open)Main Idea: Community is a Gift: The Gift of Belonging, The Gift of Each Other, The Gift of LoveJesus modeled the Gift of Community in the Trinity - He is One with the Father and the Holy Spirit - He invited us in and He prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one.Dietrich Bonhoeffer said "The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength."Sermon Notes: Community with each other is essential to following Jesus and experiencing the fullness of God, it must be Christ centered, we must help one another follow Jesus while being safe in who we are and who we are not with each other and while navigating the challenges of life.Even though you may be surrounded by many people, community is more than just the physical proximity to others. It means sharing joys with one another, relying on one another in times of need. It means really loving and caring for one another despite differences, strengths, and weaknesses. Really loving and caring for one another means creating a safe place for people to be who they are, listening and speaking in truth and in love. We must recognize the value of each other, and understand that we are poorer in isolation and so much richer in community with one another.Application Questions: 1. In what type of communities do you feel you are a part? Church? School? Sports? Work? Neighborhood?2. If you experienced something joyous, would you think of sharing it with your members of your community? Why or why not?3. If you were in need of something, do you believe you could ask for help? Why or why not?4. How much time would you estimate you spend with your family in a week? Do you participate with them in deeper conversations or just superficial topics? 5. How much time would you estimate you spend with friends in a week? Are these really good friends or just acquaintances, or do you have some of both?6. Are you normally the one to initiate get together with friends, or do you typically wait for others to invite you?7. If you know you have the strength and love of Jesus with you, would you reach out and deepen friendships with others? Could you be the one to initiate deeper conversations?8. Do you feel you have very little time to develop deeper relationships with others? Is there something in your daily or weekly routine that you could give up so that you would have time to develop deeper relationships with others in your communities? If so, what are some of those things?