Community - Missional Community.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Alright, thanks for being here. You can have a seat. My name is Steve. I am one of the pastors here at the village [0:05] Um just want to welcome you this morning [0:07] I just want to want to say happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers that are here [0:11] I have a mother and I have a wife who happens to be a mother too. So uh, so I uh, [0:17] I’m indebted to uh to a couple of women in my life because because now my my wife [0:22] I’m called her husband, but it’s almost like she has two kids. I mean, let’s be honest here husbands

[0:28] It’s you know, we’re just we’re just big boys and you know, wives still have to take care of us [0:33] But if you’re here and you’re a mom, I just I just really want to uh, thank you for for what you’re doing [0:39] Mother’s Day is an interesting holiday because because for some people it brings great joy [0:44] Because you know your family gathers around and like makes much of mom and it’s like hey mom [0:49] Thank you so much and and but for others of other women out there [0:53] It’s not such a great day because uh, there are there are some women who

[0:56] Who don’t have any children and would love to have children or can’t have children or or have had children pass away [1:02] So so I I want us to realize that today is a great day to rejoice, but it’s also a great day to comfort [1:10] So so if you know someone who who this day does bring bring pain and bring bad memories be there for them [1:19] Preach the gospel to them, you know, because we we don’t find [1:22] our [1:24] security or our worth

[1:27] In the things of this life in in motherhood or fatherhood [1:31] The fact that i’m a father isn’t what I find my worth in the fact that i’m a father isn’t what I find my value [1:37] In or the fact that i’m a husband [1:40] My worth and my value is completely made up of who jesus is [1:46] And the work that he did on the cross and and what we’re just saying about the fact [1:50] That he became a human being which is the greatest miracle in in the scope of humanity in the scope of history

[1:57] The greatest miracle of all time is the fact that god actually [2:01] Became a human being to save us to redeem us to to really save us from the sin that we willfully did in [2:08] Rebelling against him and instead of pouring his hot fiery wrath on us instead he came [2:15] He lived he perfected humanity because he was perfect completely sinless and then he died and took our sin onto himself [2:23] So if today is a day of pain for you, I want you to rest in the fact [2:28] That jesus is your security. Jesus is your salvation. Jesus is your great worth in this life

[2:37] And for for those of you out here that are moms, please don’t find your security in your family [2:42] You know because that’s one of the greatest idols I think in the united states is is the family [2:47] And what we must do is use today to make much of jesus [2:50] Because he’s our great god and king. He’s where we find our worth not in anything else [2:55] But I am thankful for my mother. I’ve got to i’ve got to make fun of her because she’s in here [3:01] Um, you know if my mother wasn’t in here today, I may not pick on her

[3:05] But since she is i’m gonna just take a moment to to look back [3:10] Through my life and and recall some of my my fondest memories of mom [3:16] I was a big boy [3:18] I’m still I still am you know I haven’t really gotten much smaller. I’ve only increased in [3:22] size through the years um in height and width [3:26] But but when I was young and if you’re in here and you’re you were a guy who uh who you know

[3:32] Struggled with the twinkie disorder the fact that you love them so much [3:36] You may have have you know had some waste issues I did I always always did [3:42] And so very early in life. I knew there was a difference when I was like 10 and 11 [3:47] And I would go to the children’s section and no longer could I find anything? [3:52] And and so so my mom she she just had such tact and such diplomacy [3:58] I just recall I think it was it was legots back then over on a

[4:02] With intern pike of looking for for a pair of pants to wear to school [4:07] And my mom in not finding a size that would fit a big boy [4:11] Uh as as I want to recall that I was named back then um she she looked up and with love in her eyes

[4:19] Yelled out [4:20] Excuse me [4:23] Is there any husky sizes over here gonna need a 36 husky [4:29] Any husky sized pants? [4:32] And I remember in that moment realizing I cannot trust my own mother [4:38] To save me from embarrassment and so for years I struggled with pain. Thank you so much mom

[4:44] the the the the counseling that i’ve had to go through from those moments [4:49] A lot of redemption i’ve experienced and and the great thing is is I don’t find my worth in the size of my pants [4:55] But instead I find it in jesus [4:57] And actually that’s the greatest thing that my that my mother ever taught me [5:01] And that’s why i’m really indebted to my mom is she taught me to make much of jesus. So thanks mom. Happy mother’s day [5:08] uh

[5:08] Acts chapter two if you have your scriptures this morning go ahead and open to axe chapter two last week and for the past several weeks [5:14] We’ve been talking about [5:17] uh [5:17] The the core values here at the village who we are as a church [5:21] How do we define what we value what we believe and we’ve been going through this series called core [5:26] And so we started with redemption and then we moved on to mission

[5:30] And then we have moved on since and we’ve been talking about community [5:33] And we found that our redemption is completely in the work of jesus and then jesus takes us and he transforms us [5:39] He gives us his spirit and then he gives us a mission to take out into the world jesus said [5:44] That he came to seek and to save that which was lost and he came and he redeemed mankind [5:49] But then as he left he gave us his mission [5:52] And he said go now you go seek and save that which was lost be my witnesses go make

[5:57] Disciples and he told us to go to the whole world making disciples [6:01] Baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit teaching them to observe [6:05] All that jesus commanded us to observe and then he gives us this grace this great cap end and he says [6:11] Behold i’m with you always [6:13] To the end of the age jesus is with us [6:16] He’s given us his spirit and then what mission does is mission drives us into community

[6:21] And last week we laid a lot of of of foundationary last week [6:26] We we laid the tracks for which the train of this week is going to ride on last week [6:30] We talked about the fact that god himself exists in community [6:34] And we talked a little bit about the trinity the three in one god the father god the son and god the holy spirit [6:41] And the fact that god exists in three persons, but completely united as one god [6:49] And the fact that god exists in community

[6:53] And the fact that when he created man, you saw adam and he said [6:57] It’s not good for man to be alone because god had been creating and he says it is good and it was good [7:01] I mean god was making it the perfect god the creator of the universe is making it when he makes things it tends to be [7:07] Good and so he says it’s good. It’s good [7:09] It’s good [7:09] Then the trinity gets together and says let us make man in our image genesis 126 says

[7:16] So he creates adam and then he looks at adam and he says it’s not good for man to be alone [7:20] Because as individuals [7:22] We do not reflect the image of god and the purpose of humanity what sets us apart from creation [7:29] Is that god breathed his life into us? [7:32] He gave us his image, but then standing alone adam did not reflect the image of god because he was an individual [7:39] Adam was not in community. So out of adam

[7:43] God creates eve and then he looks and he says these two shall become one [7:49] Flesh because only in unity do we reflect the image of god properly [7:54] Okay, so you have the two becoming one you have this unity you have humans created in community and then it was good [8:02] But you know soon thereafter, uh, we chose to sin. We willfully rebelled against god [8:08] community broken [8:10] Our our union with god the community that we shared with him was broken

[8:13] And then immediately the community between humans was broken and we’ve been struggling ever since you read through scripture [8:20] Or you just live one day on earth and you can see that we have got some problems in relationship with other people [8:27] And I think our our sinful nature. I think our depravity is most obviously shown in the way that we relate with one another [8:34] Because man, we are selfish [8:37] You know, I if you if you’re honest, which most of us aren’t [8:41] You know when you get married you really struggle to become one flesh

[8:46] You know you go before the preacher and the preacher tells you now these two shall be one flesh and it’s like, you know [8:52] Go and you know be united in marriage and we leave the church and it’s great and then you get on the honeymoon [8:58] And you know you forget your wallet in the room or something or just just anything can happen [9:03] And immediately these two shall not be one, you know [9:06] Immediately the husband blames the wife and the wife starts crying [9:09] And I don’t know if you had a honeymoon like that

[9:11] But that was one of my experiences on my honeymoon was when I I realized how selfish and imperfect that was because when I get embarrassed [9:18] 36 husky when I get embarrassed

[9:23] Thanks mom when I get embarrassed I immediately [9:26] Retreat into this blame thing when it’s like it’s not my fault [9:29] I’ve got to find someone else to blame because that’s what adam and eve did and i’m just carrying on the great and sinful tradition [9:36] So immediately i’m like, oh why has my wife done this to me? [9:40] Oh wretched man that she is [9:42] And you know and I never take personal responsibility and that’s where sin finds itself

[9:47] And a lot of you husbands out there are like well, I would never do that honey. Aren’t you glad and she’s thinking [9:52] She’s like, oh, yes, you would and you have and you probably did this morning [9:57] you know, uh [9:59] But we struggle [10:01] In our relationships, we struggle with each other. But here’s the big key with god is that god in existing in perfect relationship [10:10] When the gospel comes effective into our lives when the gospel comes and we actually believe the gospel of jesus christ

[10:18] When we willfully understand that we have sinned against god [10:21] But that he has held his own son accountable for that and that jesus died for that [10:26] And the rose again to new life when we understand that that changes the scope of our lives [10:32] And that should change the scope of our relationships, but often it doesn’t [10:37] Because we take salvation we take the gospel and we apply it to our lives [10:45] And then quite frankly usually it never leaves there

[10:51] But when we went through the book of galatians notice how the gospel when it gives us god [10:56] And when we get the life of god when jesus comes alive in us and brings us to life from our death of sin [11:04] The book of galatians gives us these fruits of the holy spirit and it shows us that god not only works himself into our lives [11:11] But he works himself out of our lives [11:14] All right in acts chapter two [11:16] We’re gonna see

[11:18] the church come alive [11:20] We’re gonna see the first people who believed in the gospel of jesus [11:24] We’re gonna see what took place when the holy spirit actually came in acts chapter one [11:30] Jesus is recorded as ascending into heaven. I like matthew chapter 28 [11:33] It’s told a little bit differently luke records it saying that jesus looked at them and said go [11:39] You’ll be my witnesses in jerusalem and judaea and then samaria into the ends of the earth

[11:43] But he tells him he says first [11:47] Go back to jerusalem [11:49] They’re in galilee and he says go back to jerusalem [11:52] And wait for the coming of the holy spirit [11:55] And he says and my spirit will come to you. He says go pray and wait then go [12:01] with the mission of jesus

[12:04] So what happens is is they go back and there’s about 120 of them and they go back [12:08] To the room where the last supper had taken place and they stay there for about 10 days [12:13] And then the festival of pentacost which is an old testament festival is taking place [12:17] And the only thing significant about the festival of pentacost is is that it’s a big party in jerusalem right there [12:22] So there are people from all over the world gathered in pentacost. Okay, and they’re all in jerusalem [12:28] And so all of the disciples of jesus the 11 minus judas who had killed himself and then um the other about

[12:35] 111 people or I can’t add so it’s about 120 total [12:39] They’re gathered and they’re praying and then it says suddenly [12:44] The spirit came upon them [12:46] All right, and the scripture is very descriptive about this event. It says the spirit came upon them [12:51] They started making utterances [12:53] They started speaking in tongues, which they did not understand and and so the gospel is coming alive

[12:58] The holy spirit is now this is a transitional moment in the history of the world [13:03] Not only the church but the history of all mankind the holy spirit comes upon people and what happens next is amazing [13:09] Peter stands up and it says he’s in the midst of the crowds in jerusalem, and he preaches the gospel [13:16] And in acts chapter 2 what we really have is the first real presentation of the gospel by someone other than jesus [13:24] But what has happened is is jesus like just like he said in the book of john he says I must leave [13:30] So that someone greater than I can come

[13:34] He says i’ll send him. He’ll be the great comfort. He’ll be the great guide [13:37] And so jesus ascends into heaven and 10 days later [13:40] He sends the holy spirit and the holy spirit baptizes those 120 people and the gospel is proclaimed to all the people gathered in pentacost [13:48] In an x chapter 2 verse 41 we’re going to pick up there

[13:54] In 41

[13:57] It says so those who received his word were baptized [14:02] And there were added that day about three [14:05] thousand souls [14:07] It’s pretty pretty significant all right because a week or excuse me about 50 days earlier

[14:15] Many of these people had yelled to crucify him [14:19] But jesus they’d wanted jesus dead now peter is preaching to them and he preaches the gospel of jesus and he actually says [14:26] This jesus whom you killed [14:29] Is the savior of humanity he will redeem us from our sins so we can live life for god [14:34] And about 3 000 people believed it they baptized 3 000 people that day and the church of jesus christ is born [14:41] The holy spirit fills his church

[14:45] All right what i want to focus on right now though is verse 42 [14:50] And they devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching [14:54] And the fellowship to the breaking of bread [14:57] and the prayers [15:00] So between verses 41 and 42 [15:03] All right in this blank space that we have something very significant has taken place what has taken place is that in the lives of these

[15:11] 3 000 people [15:13] Transformation has taken place [15:15] All right because you understand before this [15:18] Their jews gathered for a festival [15:21] to celebrate [15:23] An old testament festival which is a something that is to a precursor for the coming of the messiah

[15:30] These people don’t believe that the messiah has come [15:34] Well, the messiah is jesus jesus had already come jesus had already done the great work of salvation [15:40] He’s already brought the kingdom to earth through his death burial and resurrection and these people do not believe that but then in verse 41

[15:48] Peter has preached it and they’re like, oh, okay [15:51] Well, we believe that god has taken the scales of sin off their ass. They believe in jesus [15:56] They’re redeemed through his sacrifice the work of redemption has taken place [16:01] And between verses 41 and 42 they make this giant leap from redemption to mission [16:10] Transformation has taken place because in verse 41 they have simple belief [16:16] But then in verse 42 it says and they devoted

[16:20] themselves

[16:23] It’s wildly significant because what are they devoting themselves to they’re devoting themselves to whatever god wants for them [16:32] through jesus [16:34] What happens between verse 41 and verse 42? [16:38] Is that god through the gospel now creates a community?

[16:45] God does a mighty work and now these people are gathered [16:49] So different than what we have right now because they do not have church buildings. There was no first baptist church of jerusalem [16:57] There’s the old testament temple where they go to worship a god. They don’t know has just been with them [17:03] Jesus was god and he is god [17:05] And so they come together they devote themselves to the apostle’s teaching to the fellowship to the breaking of bread and to prayers [17:12] And the gospel has now created a community

[17:17] Of people gathered around the truth of the gospel [17:22] So we see this mighty conversion take place in their lives between 41 and 42, but what have they been converted to?

[17:32] Well, they’ve been converted by the gospel to the gospel [17:37] The gospel is this great force that not only does the work of conversion in our lives, but what it converts us to is itself [17:45] Because what is the gospel or better yet? Who is the gospel? [17:51] The gospel is god [17:54] When god converts us to himself when he redeems us from our sins when he does the great work of transformation in our lives [18:02] He’s converting him. He’s converting us

[18:05] To himself so that we now serve him [18:09] And what is the service that god asks for? [18:13] The gospel says now your life is to be lived through the gospel the mission of jesus go make disciples of all nations [18:22] Acts chapter 1 verse 8. He summarizes again. He says go be my witnesses [18:26] Jesus has come and he has brought redemption [18:29] But the thing that we get lost at is there’s this journey between 41 and 42 that many of us don’t want to take or don’t know to take

[18:38] because between [18:39] Redemption and that devotion we have to ask ourselves. What are we devoted to? [18:45] Are we devoted to reading a book? Are we devoted to hanging out with each other and having fellowship? Are we devoted to prayer?

[18:53] Yes, but what motivates that why does it earn us keep with god? [18:59] Does it earn us salvation? Absolutely not [19:03] Jesus is our redemption. Jesus is our salvation. Our salvation is surely made through jesus who is the foundation [19:10] of that [19:12] So why are they devoting themselves? [19:16] To the apostle’s doctrine. Why are they devoting themselves to fellowship? Why are they devoting themselves to all of these other things?

[19:24] Because what the gospel does in creating a community is that it humbles us [19:29] To submit to the gospel the truth of the gospel is so great and so mighty that we are humbled to devote ourselves [19:38] to the very [19:39] Nature of what the gospel does and that is redemption [19:43] We’re devoted to living a life of redemption being redeemed from our sins to a life that is given to us in god

[19:52] Here’s the big thing about when the gospel creates a community [19:56] What kind of community is it creating? [19:59] Notice in verse 42 [20:01] When he says the apostle’s teaching [20:03] Sometimes what we do is is we we boil this section of verses down and we say okay [20:08] If you want to grow as a christian you need to do these four things

[20:12] You need to read your bible [20:13] You need to have fellowship with other people [20:16] You need to break bread with other people and you need to pray and that’s how you’ll grow as a believer [20:21] I don’t think that’s the idea that this verse is putting across at all [20:27] The idea that this verse is putting across is this great community that god is building through the gospel through the truth of jesus christ [20:35] Jesus has told 120 people now you stay together go pray and i’ll send the holy spirit

[20:43] And then they rise up together. They’ve received the holy spirit [20:47] They pray then 3000 people are saved and those 3000 people come into fellowship build a community around the gospel [20:54] And notice what you cannot have if you’re devoting yourself to the teaching of another person

[21:02] What you cannot have [21:05] Without fellowship what you cannot have without breaking bread and praying with other people [21:13] You cannot have an individualistic idea of what the gospel is going to do in your life in that mentality [21:19] It’s creating a community [21:22] around itself [21:25] You see they humble themselves under the authority

[21:29] Of the apostles so the apostles are teaching them [21:34] Out of that teaching comes the second word that’s really significant. It’s fellowship [21:40] But we’ve kind of boiled that down in the church to really being something that’s quite meaningless to us [21:46] I mean we even say give someone the right hand of fellowship [21:50] All right [21:51] If I were to come out into the crowd right now and I were to give you the right hand of fellowship if you’ve never

[21:55] Been to church before that makes no sense to you [21:57] Don’t worry about it. It shouldn’t make sense to you because it doesn’t make sense at all [22:00] You go down and I shake your hand and I give I extend you the right hand of fellowship and I shake your hand [22:06] I’m a hey brother. How are you today? [22:07] And then for some reason hulk hogan came right there and then I shake hand and i’m like hey [22:12] This is the right hand of fellowship, but then I turn around and I walk away

[22:15] Did any fellowship take place between the two of us? [22:18] I just shook his hand [22:20] That’s not the idea that’s being put across here [22:24] See some of you think that coming here today and sitting in this crowd and listening to me talk up here for a while [22:29] Is fellowship you’re experiencing fellowship [22:32] Now it can start this way

[22:34] But if this is where it stays you’ve not experienced fellowship because that word in the greek is koinonia [22:40] All right [22:40] And what’s significant about that word is it meant something completely different fellowship meant something completely different than than it means now [22:47] All right, the proper meaning of this can really be found more in the word participation [22:52] All right [22:53] It’s a joint participation for the purpose of something in the original greek. That’s what fellowship is you are

[23:01] Bonded together by something for something [23:06] That’s what the gospel is doing it binds us together under the truth [23:11] The gospel gathers a people around the truth of jesus [23:15] And then we teach each other how to live the life of jesus and then we participate together [23:21] And the actions that the gospel brings forth in our lives [23:26] so community produces

[23:29] gospel participation [23:32] Community produces this great thing that takes place between us to where we can participate in the gospel together [23:39] If you look at the way ed stetzer talks about this a lot [23:42] He’s a pastor down in ashville [23:44] He talks about this a lot the way our churches are designed [23:46] It does not lean us to understanding what gospel participation is all about

[23:51] But i’m not going to change it because I don’t have a better idea than what we’re doing right now [23:55] What the gospel does is it creates this great participation around the gospel because who is the centerpiece of the gospel? [24:01] Jesus but who’s the centerpiece of the church right now? [24:05] me [24:07] Quite frankly [24:08] I’m elevated above you i’m on stage i’m preaching to you

[24:12] You guys are in a crowd where you’re staring at the back of each other’s head and i’m in front of you

[24:18] So you are not experiencing gospel participation right now you’re experiencing gospel spectation your spectators [24:25] And the work of the gospel is supposedly taking place on stage right now [24:29] But when the gospel is working effectively, you know, what works it works in the crowd [24:34] Works in you [24:35] There’s nothing special about me [24:38] The gospel has simply worked in my life

[24:40] And so i’m trying to teach you like the apostles taught them how to live for the gospel [24:44] But when the gospel actually takes root in your life, the participation of the gospel is out here [24:50] We have to come together for the purpose of the gospel [24:57] In [24:57] Ephesians chapter 1 verse 22 there’s a very significant verse in understanding this mentality [25:03] In ephesians chapter 1 we see and he put all things under his feet and gave him his head over all things to the church

[25:10] Which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all [25:16] Notice what verse 23 says right there

[25:20] He is the head over all things to the church. [25:23] Verse 22 ends that Jesus is the head of the church. [25:26] Verse 23 is very significant in understanding your place in the message of redemption in [25:31] the work of the gospel, which is His body, then hone in on these next few words, the [25:37] fullness of Him.

[25:41] God has designed His gospel in such a way that those who are redeemed by the work of [25:48] Jesus now become the fullness of Jesus. [25:54] I have no idea why God would do this, but God in His sovereignty, in His message of [26:00] redemption to mankind, in the story that He is writing throughout all of history, He [26:04] has designed the gospel to when it takes root in our lives, when we believe that Jesus [26:11] has taken our sins away from us, when He has died for our sins, He has risen from the dead

[26:15] to give us new life. [26:16] When we believe that, we are joined together like we talked about baptism last week. [26:22] We are baptized into the original community, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy [26:25] Spirit. [26:25] We are baptized into that. [26:27] We take part in the church of this ordinance.

[26:31] When we join together with the church, we become the fullness of Christ. [26:37] And we cannot do that on our own.

[26:40] When you divorce yourself away from the community that God builds through the gospel, you cannot [26:48] become the person the gospel wants you to be. [26:51] You can’t do it. [26:53] It is only through community that the gospel can take root in your life. [26:58] Because when you leave community, you leave the very thing that God is building and that [27:05] God has designed to become His fullness that He fills through redemption.

[27:13] Because it is not like we add anything to God because notice the way the verse ends. [27:17] We are the fullness of Him who fills all in all. [27:21] So who does the work of redemption? [27:22] Jesus. [27:23] Who completes the mission and is the sureness of the mission? [27:26] Jesus.

[27:27] So who creates the church? [27:29] Jesus. [27:30] So who fills the church? [27:32] Jesus. [27:32] Who is the church? [27:34] Us.

[27:34] So Jesus fills us and guess what? [27:37] Through us He fills Himself. [27:40] So Jesus finds His greatest glory when His people whom He redeems comes together under [27:48] the banner of the gospel.

[27:52] Because quite often what we have is we get saved and then we have this disjointed idea [27:59] about what gospel living is and quite often we see that it is the apostles teaching. [28:03] So here take a Bible. [28:05] You want to grow? [28:06] Here take a Bible. [28:07] Go read it.

[28:08] You want to grow? [28:09] Go pray. [28:11] And so what we do is we have no idea what any of this is about and we take it and we [28:15] go home and by ourselves we spend our weeks and we spend months sometimes reading and [28:20] reading and reading and reading and we read it and it just doesn’t make any sense to [28:24] us and we are like I don’t understand what this is even about.

[28:27] And so after a while we get really tired of it and we don’t understand God. [28:31] We don’t understand how Jesus becoming man works. [28:34] We don’t understand what the fruits of the spirit are. [28:36] We don’t understand the supernatural thing that the Holy Spirit does in our lives. [28:40] We don’t understand how to pray because we start praying and then after a while we are [28:43] thinking what is for dinner or we try to do it before breakfast and we are like what is

[28:46] for breakfast? [28:47] I wish I had a cup of coffee. [28:48] Well I wonder how long it is going to take me to get to work today. [28:50] And so we pray and none of that makes sense and we don’t know how to pray and we are [28:54] like nothing is happening so then we just quit. [28:57] And we say obviously something is wrong with me because I can’t grow.

[29:04] The problem is you are all alone trying to do something, trying to become something that [29:13] God does not want you to do or God never plans you to do by yourself.

[29:20] God never meant for His church to be filled with a bunch of lone rangers out there trying [29:28] to learn how to live for Him all by themselves.

[29:33] But that is how we want to live so many times. [29:38] Because our sinful nature says separate, separate. [29:42] If you bring people into your life it is going to be a big mess. [29:45] You don’t need that mess.

[29:49] Because here is what we do.

[29:54] We see the gospel and we see the work that God does in our lives and this is how life [29:58] is to the normal American. [30:00] I am going to really stereotype all of us right now. [30:03] This is the way we live. [30:05] Life is full of responsibilities. [30:07] Life is full of responsibilities.

[30:09] So what we do is we start juggling our responsibilities. [30:12] Start juggling them around. [30:14] We have work. [30:16] If you are an adult you may have a wife, you may have a husband, you may have kids. [30:21] So you are juggling these things all around trying to fit them in your life. [30:25] You have all those meals to prepare every day.

[30:27] You have all these responsibilities. [30:28] You have some hobbies you want to throw in there. [30:30] So you are juggling your life around. [30:32] Whatever your title is at work with that you have to juggle that. [30:34] If you have kids in your life that is a huge juggling ball right there. [30:38] It is like adding a bowling ball in with some baseballs where you are juggling this all around.

[30:42] So you are juggling your life all around. [30:46] Trying to make sense in the midst of chaos. [30:49] And then when bad things happen that adds something else even harder to juggle in. [30:53] So you believe the gospel. [30:54] You are like, Jesus offers me salvation. [30:58] But here is what you do.

[31:00] It is quite often the way that we have designed discipleship in the churches. [31:03] We give you more stuff to juggle.

[31:06] So now juggle your Bible. [31:09] You have to read your Bible every day. [31:11] Alright, juggling the Bible. [31:12] You need to pray too. [31:14] You add prayer in there and you start juggling prayer. [31:16] You need to go to church.

[31:17] You need to get into a small group. [31:20] You start juggling that. [31:21] You need to start volunteering somewhere. [31:25] So that goes into all of the work that you are doing. [31:29] Now you have ten more things to juggle. [31:32] So what the gospel has actually done in your life brought more burdens.

[31:38] Brought more responsibilities.

[31:41] And pretty soon you are exhausted.

[31:45] You are more tired than you have ever been in your life.

[31:49] But then after a while, [31:53] because you have been doing all of this juggling by yourself, [31:55] you have been throwing it all up in the air by yourself, [31:57] what happens? [31:59] Well something has come up. [32:01] I might get a promotion at work.

[32:03] Or I have lost my job. [32:04] And so I have got to spend a lot of time going out looking for jobs. [32:08] I didn’t have time to read my bible today. [32:11] So that goes aside. [32:12] And then prayer goes aside. [32:13] I don’t have time for all of this.

[32:14] Don’t you know how much I have to work? [32:15] The average person, especially if you are an adult, [32:19] does not work 40 hours a week anymore. [32:21] Now it is 50 and 60 hours a week. [32:23] And on top of that you have to pull all of these other things in there. [32:26] So you are still juggling.

[32:27] And after a while, get rid of the bible. [32:28] I have to get rid of prayer. [32:29] I just didn’t have time. [32:31] Alright, I have to quit the church band. [32:32] I don’t have time for that anymore. [32:34] I have to quit the nursery.

[32:35] I have to quit set up and tear down. [32:37] I have to quit all of this stuff. [32:38] I don’t have time for all of this. [32:40] I am losing my mind. [32:42] Before you even know it, you are down to the last thing that shows [32:46] that you believe the gospel in your life.

[32:48] Going to church on Sundays.

[32:52] What if you work a retail job?

[32:56] What if you used to work for YouCrops? [32:58] Now Martin’s. [32:59] Now you have to work on Sundays.

[33:01] Pretty soon Sundays are coming. [33:02] And that is that equation too.

[33:05] So now you are just back to what life used to be.

[33:10] And this is how we have been operating as the church for a very very long time. [33:16] I don’t think it is news to you, but it doesn’t work.

[33:21] It works for me because this is my job. [33:24] I am very honest with you. [33:26] My job is this church.

[33:31] But yours isn’t.

[33:34] So what do we do? [33:36] What is the answer?

[33:40] The answer is the life that the gospel is trying to create. [33:44] Understand. [33:45] All those things that you are juggling, [33:48] they are involved in the transformation that God wants to do in your life. [33:51] God does not just transform your morality. [33:55] I don’t think I can say that enough.

[33:57] Because this is what we believe about what the gospel does in our lives. [34:01] I used to be a sinner, now I believe I am a sinner. [34:02] I believe the gospel, God has transformed that, but He didn’t touch anything else. [34:05] I still have the rest of the stuff I have to do. [34:07] No, God transforms everything.

[34:11] God now becomes the purpose for every single thing in your life. [34:16] So this community that God is building of people that believe the gospel, [34:21] it is not simply one more burden that God is adding into your life. [34:25] What it becomes is instead of a life of juggling. [34:30] Because who is doing all the juggling? [34:32] You are.

[34:34] So who is that life built around? [34:37] You.

[34:41] See the problem in that diagram of juggling isn’t the things.

[34:46] The problem is the person.

[34:50] The problem is the understanding of what we have of the gospel. [34:54] Because the gospel is not something else in our life. [34:56] The gospel transforms you. [34:59] And the gospel takes over you.

[35:04] Romans chapter 8 talks about it. [35:05] We used to walk in the flesh, but now we walk in the spirit. [35:08] Galatians chapter 2 talks about it. [35:10] I am crucified with Christ. [35:11] I am dead now in Jesus. [35:13] Yet I live, but not I, but Jesus now lives in me.

[35:16] So the gospel transforms you. [35:18] Life should cease to be this great juggling activity. [35:23] And now it becomes more like a wheel.

[35:27] Where the center of your existence, the center of your security, the center of your worth, [35:33] the center of everything is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. [35:39] And the gospel creates a community around you. [35:43] A community centered on the gospel. [35:46] And everything else in your life is a spoke on the wheel that the gospel is the center of. [35:53] Your job is a spoke, your family is a spoke, school is a spoke, your children are a spoke.

[35:59] Everything that comes out of that is a spoke. [36:02] Even the things that you do in the church are a spoke. [36:07] Because the wheel does not find its sturdiness in the spokes. [36:13] They help to hold it together. [36:14] But if you take the center piece of that wheel away, all the spokes just start flailing all over the place. [36:21] And the wheel flies off.

[36:24] So what you need is the sureness of the gospel. [36:28] You need to find your worth in the gospel. [36:31] Everything in your life needs to be redefined through the gospel. [36:36] The reason the devotion that these people had in Acts 2, 42 worked is because between 41 and 42 they found their worth. [36:44] They found their life’s value. [36:45] They found their life’s purpose.

[36:47] In the gospel of Jesus Christ. [36:50] And the gospel created a community. [36:53] And then the church emerges out of gospel community.

[37:00] It’s not just any type of community here. [37:02] It’s gospel community. [37:04] Because any type of community other than gospel community is eventually going to find its purpose in itself. [37:10] It’s going to become self-seeking, self-promoting, and it’s going to become a hurtful thing to the people who are involved in it.

[37:20] When you look in Ephesians 1 verse 22, when you look at that verse and actually see the truth of it, where do you find your purpose?

[37:33] Where do you find your value? [37:35] Because the thing that you value the most is what’s turning that wheel. [37:41] That is your life. [37:43] And if it’s not the gospel, it’s not going to produce a gospel community. [37:49] It’s not going to produce a gospel life. [37:50] So the church is not going to emerge out of it.

[37:53] In Acts 2, 42, when they commit themselves to this participation in the gospel that the apostles are teaching them, what emerges out of it is this unity. [38:04] Remember last week in John 17 when Jesus prayed that his people would be one as he is one with the Father? [38:10] When he prays that the mission would drive them out into the world to gather people to believe the gospel and gather them into the community, [38:18] that they would be one?

[38:22] That’s what the apostles are teaching. [38:24] When they say the breaking of bread, in Jewish culture that’s so vastly important because that’s the deepest type of togetherness that they had.

[38:35] It’s a place where they now belong at a table. [38:39] And they are now fully accepted with one another. [38:44] Nothing can keep them apart. [38:47] Because they are together under the banner of the gospel. [38:53] And when the church emerges out of that gospel community, when the church of Jesus Christ comes, [39:01] because what they have done is they have said, yes we believe the gospel.

[39:04] And Jesus is building the gospel through the teaching of the apostles. [39:06] So they submit themselves, they humble themselves to the teaching of the apostles. [39:11] And they say, what does God want from us? Please teach us. [39:14] And we still have that in the scriptures. [39:17] And so they are being taught. And so now they are accepted. [39:21] And they come together.

[39:23] And then they pray and they say, God work. [39:25] God do these things. God use us for the gospel. [39:29] That’s what it means when they say the prayers. [39:31] They did not gather together and say, well alright it’s that time of the day again. [39:35] Anybody got any prayer requests? Oh I got one. [39:38] My aunt Susie, her nose is running.

[39:41] Could you please pray for her?

[39:45] That’s not the type of prayer we are talking about here.

[39:48] We are talking about they would come together like they did right before the Holy Spirit came. [39:54] And they would seek God. [39:56] And they would say, God the most important thing to us is the gospel. [40:00] Please work the gospel through our lives for the sake of the world. [40:05] So that your name could be known. [40:08] And so they are living their lives and their prayers are taking hold.

[40:13] And then God works through community. [40:18] God does not work through an individual for the sake of the individual. [40:25] Alright. Read through the whole scripture. [40:28] When God works through a person, it’s for the benefit of his mission. [40:34] Through his community.

[40:37] If you are wondering why isn’t God working through my life, where is God in my life?

[40:46] Are you in a gospel community?

[40:51] If you can’t find God in your life, have you divorced yourself away from that which God works through, which is his church?

[41:02] Look in verse 43.

[41:07] It says,

[41:37] They led to their number day by day those who were being saved.

[41:45] There’s a couple of things that I want you to notice that God did through this first gospel community. [41:51] Because God has formed a true gospel community. [41:54] If I could just get those up there real quick.

[41:58] God brings all unity, generosity, worship, joy, favor, and then finally mission.

[42:08] Verse 42, they leave those up there. [42:10] Verse 42, it says, [42:12] And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to this fellowship, this community, this participation in the gospel. [42:18] The breaking of bread and the prayers and all came upon every soul. [42:22] Notice this all that came upon their souls. [42:25] Because if you go through the book of Acts, what you see is you see the apostles begin to do the work of God.

[42:31] As soon as chapter 3 starts, Peter and John are going to the temple to pray. [42:38] And they see a lame man. The lame man is healed. [42:41] Great miracles start taking place. [42:44] So that they can see that these men actually do come from God. [42:47] God does these great miracles. [42:49] But all came upon them.

[42:52] That word awe is so important because that’s how we get, you know, in our vernacular it’s awesome. [42:58] But it’s this experience of awe when you are just wowed at the things that are taking place around you. [43:04] When was the last time you were in awe of something that God did in your life? [43:10] When was the last time you were in awe of something that God did through the church of Jesus? [43:15] When was the last time that took place in your life? [43:20] For many of us we have gone years or some of us have never even seen it.

[43:27] We are struggling to be a gospel community because we don’t know how. [43:30] We’ve never had that. [43:31] We’ve never experienced this togetherness in the gospel. [43:35] This great unity. What are they united under? [43:37] They are united under the banner of the gospel of Jesus. [43:41] This great generosity.

[43:42] It says, and they distributed all that they had to anyone who had a need. [43:45] And some of us want to say, well, is that a type of communism because I want to keep my stuff. [43:49] No, it’s not. [43:51] What it is, is the gospel worked in their lives and they stopped finding value in their possessions and in their jobs. [43:56] And in how much great wealth they could heap up for themselves. [43:59] And instead they said, how can I use my possessions for the work of the gospel in this world?

[44:05] How can I use all that God has blessed me with to help people? [44:09] The book of Acts records that very wealthy men would sell all their land and give of their money to the purpose of the gospel. [44:17] And sometimes that would mean feeding the hungry, clothing the poor. [44:21] And sometimes it would mean financing Paul’s missionary journeys.

[44:25] It wasn’t that they couldn’t have anything or it’s a sin to have things. [44:28] What it was, is now they were finding their sense of security not in finances but in Jesus. [44:34] And they were saying, how can I use all that I have for the sake of the gospel?

[44:40] And then what comes out of an attitude when you completely humble yourself? [44:43] When you completely join together with people?

[44:47] Worship.

[44:49] And joy.

[44:52] They had this great worship that they couldn’t have apart from one another. [44:56] They had this great joy that they couldn’t have apart from one another. [44:59] Not because there was something special between the two of them. [45:02] I know a lot of guys are like, oh Steve you’re getting really gushy here. [45:05] No, I’m not going to come together and get real intimate here. I’m a dude. [45:08] That’s not what I’m talking about.

[45:10] I’m talking about this great sense that God is working among us that no one can deny.

[45:19] And then it says they had favor in culture.

[45:24] One of my prayers is that the village church would have favor in the culture of Midlothian.

[45:30] That God would do a work in this church that was not a hindrance to the culture. [45:35] Rather the culture would look at us and say something is going on in there and it’s good. [45:42] Because they’re helping people. [45:44] Because they’re involved in the community.

[45:47] And some of those things are hard to do right now. [45:50] But if we would unite together as one under the banner of the gospel, what could God do through us?

[46:00] The lives of the people in Midlothian. [46:03] What could God do through us if we said yes God. [46:07] We want to be a community joined together under the banner of the gospel. [46:11] Because finally what happens is God works mission. [46:15] In verse 47 he ends. [46:21] And it says, and the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

[46:29] Community produces a missional culture.

[46:35] So I called this talk missional community.

[46:39] Because what they gathered together and the reason that they did all of those things. [46:43] Because they found their security in Jesus. [46:45] But because God loved them through the gospel. [46:48] They committed to the work of the gospel. [46:51] And what happened is that they gathered together and they said we want to be one in the gospel. [46:57] And what happened is that it created a missional culture.

[47:01] Because what happens when you have this understanding that our life is like a wheel. [47:06] And the gospel community that we’re involved in is the center. [47:09] And everything else comes out of that gospel community. [47:12] It changes the way we look at work. [47:14] And so now when we go to work we’re a missionary to that work place.

[47:19] And God uses us to redeem people in that work place. [47:24] We’re a missionary to school. [47:25] We’re a missionary to our families.

[47:30] My son, I better be the greatest missionary my son ever knows in his life.

[47:36] See I’m not there for the purpose of that thing. [47:39] I’m there for the purpose of the gospel. [47:40] And what happens is, is when we’re sending each other out into the culture. [47:45] When God is adding to our number. [47:47] Because God just doesn’t bring people and all of a sudden they show up and they’re like I don’t even know where I am. [47:51] No, what happens is that we are the laborers out there bringing the harvest in.

[47:57] And we go out into the culture. [47:59] And it’s not some great event that is going to bring salvation. [48:02] And it’s going to grow the church of Jesus Christ. [48:04] It’s when we actually say, yes I believe the gospel. [48:08] I want to take part in the work of the gospel. [48:10] I am all in.

[48:12] We’re going to join together. [48:13] We’re going to strategize. [48:14] We’re going to figure this out. [48:15] How can I best go out into my life and be like Jesus was in the culture. [48:22] And I engage them. [48:24] And then I bring them in.

[48:25] And the community grows and the community flourishes. [48:27] But then what happens is, is when we start sending people out. [48:33] Sometimes we send them out and we say, actually don’t come back. [48:37] And it’s not because we don’t like them. [48:39] But it’s because we’re saying, you go out and you start another gospel community.

[48:47] And so what happens is, is more churches start getting planted. [48:50] More gospel communities start rising up. [48:53] More missional culture is formed. [48:55] And so what we have now is wheels all over the place connected to that gospel community. [49:01] Working for the sake of the world, knowing the gospel. [49:05] But it starts right here.

[49:08] It starts with you and it starts with me. [49:11] It starts with us putting away all the things that motivate us not to live for the gospel. [49:18] And it starts with us actually taking the time to believe the gospel to work in our lives. [49:25] The world is changed through transformed lives that come together around the gospel.

[49:33] It’s changed when you stop giving reasons for not wanting to be in real community with other people. [49:38] And you say, I need community so I can grow. [49:43] Because you’re excusing yourself away from the work that God wants to do in your life. [49:47] You cannot work the gospel in your life alone. [49:50] You cannot do it. [49:52] Stop trying.

[49:54] Stop divorcing yourself away from the people of the church. [49:58] And saying, well I’m just different. [50:00] I’m going to grow on my own. [50:01] You can’t do it. [50:03] Come together and humble yourself. [50:07] And join together with us.

[50:08] Because I have to do that a lot. [50:11] I have to humble myself to get in community. [50:13] Because if you don’t like other people, you’re a lot like me. [50:18] That’s something that I have to be redeemed from and I have to repent from all the time. [50:20] Because I need you guys. [50:23] I’m in a community group.

[50:24] I need those guys on Monday nights. [50:27] I need them to help me live for the gospel. [50:30] You need to get into a community group. [50:34] You need it desperately.

[50:38] Because I know that if I need it, you need it. [50:40] Because you’re just as sinful as I am. [50:42] And if you’re saying you don’t need it, you’re saying you’re not sinful. [50:44] And if you’re not sinful, why did you need Jesus?

[50:50] We need to form a gospel community here.

[50:55] Because you’re desperate for it. [50:57] And everyone out there is desperate for it. [50:59] Because the work that God is going to do in your life is going to be evident.

[51:04] Through what happens when we put life on life. [51:06] When we stop telling people, we’ll go read your Bible and pray. [51:09] And instead we sit down with each other and we put life on life. [51:13] And we pray together. [51:14] We read the scriptures together. [51:16] And we go out and we say, you go live for the gospel today.

[51:19] But then you got to come back because we got to get filled up again.

[51:27] Missional community produces missional lives.

[51:31] If you want to live for the mission of Jesus, you can’t do it without community. [51:34] Like we said last week, without community, mission fails. [51:37] Let me tell you, some of you have started to experience that. [51:40] And it’s been amazing to watch. [51:42] But some of us are a little more hesitant.

[51:46] Because some of us have a lot of stuff we’re holding on to. [51:48] Because we like this juggling for some reason.

[51:53] And we’re going to be able to do that. [51:53] Jesus said, come to me, you who are weary, and I will give you rest.

[52:03] Because love is his burden. [52:06] And what did he do on the cross? [52:09] He took all those obstacles onto himself. [52:11] And he took our burdens off of us and put it onto himself. [52:14] But some of you are trying to grab a hold of it still.

[52:20] Jesus took your burdens. Just believe it. [52:23] Because when you don’t believe it, you don’t believe the gospel.

[52:26] Some of you need to believe the gospel. [52:29] Some of you think you believe, but you don’t.

[52:33] I’ll be very honest about that. [52:35] Some of you are struggling to experience mission and community because you’ve never been redeemed. [52:41] Because you frankly don’t know Jesus.

[52:45] And you need to experience redemption.

[52:48] You’ve got all the burden and all the guilt of this life. [52:50] And you’re doing all this juggling. [52:51] When Jesus is saying, come to me and give it to me. [52:54] And I’ll give you life, I’ll give you mission, I’ll give you community.

[52:59] God wants to redeem you. [53:03] One of the ways that we participate in the gospel together is through communion.

[53:10] This is gospel participation. [53:11] Because it’s something we can’t do by ourselves. [53:14] You can’t do communion by yourself. [53:16] Because what communion is, communion is participating in the gospel. [53:19] We proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. [53:24] If you’re by yourself, who are you proclaiming it to?

[53:27] Yourself? [53:29] God said proclaim it to others.

[53:32] So what we have here is we have the bread and the juice. [53:36] The bread represents Jesus’ broken body. [53:38] The juice represents his shed blood. [53:40] Him taking our sin onto himself. [53:44] Taking our sin away from us. [53:46] Taking the pain and anguish of sin through his broken body and shed blood.

[53:49] And then we take it to ourselves. [53:52] We take the bread, we take it in the juice, and we take his life into ours. [53:56] Not literally, it’s symbolic.

[53:59] But what we do is we come together and when we take communion, [54:03] we proclaim the gospel to each other. [54:05] We proclaim the great expiation and imputation of Jesus. [54:09] Where he takes our sin away and gives us his life. [54:12] And it symbolizes us taking his life into our own. [54:18] And what we’re going to do right now is we’re going to proclaim it to each other.

[54:22] Because what you’re proclaiming right now is your belief in the gospel. [54:26] So if you don’t believe the gospel this morning, please don’t come to the table.

[54:33] But if you do come to this table this morning, [54:36] understand that you’re coming to break bread with people in the church. [54:39] And you’re also breaking bread with God.

[54:43] You can’t earn your place at this table. [54:45] You can’t do enough. [54:48] You can’t be moral enough. [54:50] You can’t be helpful enough. [54:53] Only Jesus can earn your place at this table. [54:57] And he already has.

[55:00] But you must trust in his sacrifice, in his broken body, in his shed blood, [55:06] and in his resurrection to have his salvation.

[55:11] So if you believe the gospel, come freely. [55:13] Take communion.

[55:16] You can believe it today.

[55:19] I’m just going to ask you to step back and talk to me for a few minutes.

[55:24] But you just need Jesus. [55:26] And you belong. [55:27] Let’s pray. [55:29] Father, we come before you this morning. [55:32] We thank you for your gospel.

[55:35] God, you have made us belong to each other.

[55:40] God, we praise you.

[55:43] God, we thank you.

[55:46] Amen. [55:46] He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God. [55:55] May we experience your new life today. [55:58] In the name of Jesus, I pray. [55:59] Amen.