Building A Community (10.02.2005)

IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY
Why do we need to talk about “community” to begin with?

• We already are one. (Ephesians 2:19-22) As believers, we are brothers and sisters in the family of Christ. But simply being called a community is not enough. We must know what it takes to function as a community in order to live up to our name.

• It’s the vision of The Real Deal. (2 Timothy 2:15) We want to be the "real deal" not only in our individual walks with Christ, but also as a group of believers. We need to know what a Christian community looks like if that's our goal as a class.

• We each have different expectations. (Philippians 2:1-4) We each have experiences from various communities -- some good, some bad. To ensure that we are focused on what God expects of a community -- and not on our own desires -- we need to know what He has to say.

LOOKING AT GOD'S WORD
Read the following passages. How can the element of community presented in the passage be lived out in The Real Deal?

• Psalm 100, John 4:24 -- Joyful Worship
• Ezekiel 34:1-16 -- Caring for Others, Healing
• Colossians 4:5-6, Philemon -- Speaking Wisdom, Reaching Out To Others
• 1 Corinthians 12 -- Using Our Gifts
• Matthew 18:15-20 -- Accountability, Confrontation
• Matthew 25:31-46 -- Service
• Luke 10:1-20 -- Evangelism, Organization, Leadership
• Nehemiah 9:1-5, James 5:13-20 -- Confession (to God and to others)
• John 13:34-35, John 15:12-13 -- Love

PRAYING GOD'S WORD
Use the following passages to pray God’s Word back to Him, either on your own or with others:

• May the members of The Real Deal be devoted to one another in brotherly love. May we honor one another above ourselves. (Romans 12:10)

• May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give The Real Deal a spirit of unity among ourselves as we follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we each accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted each one of us, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:5-7)

• Consequently, the members of The Real Deal are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him, The Real Deal, too, is being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

• If The Real Deal has any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded as a class, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:1-4)

QUESTION / APPLICATION:
We started the class by sharing our answers to the following questions. Since not everybody had a chance to share, here's your chance!

• What was/is the best community of which you were/are a member?
• What made it so great?