MADE FOR COMMUNITY

MADE FOR COMMUNITY
GEN.1:26-27

“MORE THAN ANY BEFORE US … AN AMERICAN TODAY BELIEVES, ‘I MUST WRITE THE SCRIPT OF MY OWN LIFE: THE THOUGHT THAT SUCH A SCRIPT MUST BE SUBORDINATE TO THE GRAND NARRATIVE OF THE BIBLE IS A FOREIGN ONE. STILL MORE ALARMING IS THE IDEA THAT THIS SURRENDER OF OUR PERSONAL STORY TO GOD’S STORY MUST BE MEDIATED BY A COMMUNITY OF FALLEN PEOPLE WHO WE, FRANKLY DON’T WANT GETTING IN OUR WAY AND MEDDLING WITH OUT HOPES AND DREAMS.”
TOD BOLSINGER, IT TAKES A CHURCH TO RAISE A CHRISTIAN

THE CONTEXT OF COMMUNITY:

   COMMUNITY IS BIBLICAL,

   COMMUNITY IS NATURAL,

   COMMUNITY MAKES US BETTER, ECC.4:9 

   COMMUNITY IS ESSENTIAL, 


THE CASE FOR COMMUNITY:

   GOD MADE US FOR COMMUNITY, GEN.1:26-27; 2:18, 19-20

      FROM CREATION TO COMMUNITY …    

      FROM ISOLATION TO COMMUNITY …

         “LET US MAKE MAN”

         “NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE”

         “THERE WAS NOT FOUND A HELPER”

      LESSON: BEING IN ISOLATION IS GOOD FOR INTIMACY WITH GOD BUT CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE FOR EVERYTHING ELSE

   “IN EACH OF MY FRIENDS THERE IS SOMETHING THAT ONLY SOME OTHER FRIEND CAN FULLY BRING OUT. BY MYSELF I AM NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO CALL THE WHOLE MAN INTO ACTIVITY, I WANT OTHER LIGHTS THAN MY OWN TO SHOW ALL OF HIS FACETS.”
C.S. LEWIS


   COMMUNITY IS NOT EASY, GEN.3,7

      COMMUNITY IS FILLED WITH SINNERS …

“THE CHURCH IS MADE UP OF NATURAL ENEMIES. WHAT BINDS US TOGETHER IS NOT COMMON EDUCATION, COMMON RACE, COMMON INCOME LEVELS, COMMON POLITICS, COMMON NATIONALITY, COMMON ACCENTS, COMMON JOBS, OR ANYTHING ELSE OF THAT SORT. CHRISTIANS COME TOGETHER … BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL BEEN SAVED BY JESUS CHRIST AND OWE HIM A COMMON ALLEGIANCE … THEY ARE A BAND OF NATURAL ENEMIES WHO LOVE ONE ANOTHER FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST.”
D.A. CARSON

      COMMUNITY HAS TO BE LIVED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF GRACE … 
      GEN.3:21

“YOU CAN’T KNOW GOD, CHANGE DEEPLY, OR CHANGE THE WORLD APART FROM COMMUNITY.”
TIM KELLER


   COMMUNITY MUST BE AUTHENTIC, GEN.3:12-13

      COMMUNITY DEMANDS THE REAL US …

         HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW THE SPECIFIC AREAS OF YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU ARE SUSCEPTIBLE?

         HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW THE RESPONCIBILITIES THAT TEND TO OVERWHELM YOU?

         HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW THE IDOLS THAT ENTICE YOU?

         HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW THE SECRETS OF YOUR PAST THAT STILL HAUNT YOU?

         HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW THE REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT DOUBT THE GOODNESS AND POWER OF GOD?

         POINT: HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU LET IN?