http://bible.com/events/671648
 All Together New: Give

Acts 2:42-47

The first biblical rule of community: It’s not about you.
Love is the act of laying down one’s life. (John 15:13)
The model of Jesus is to regard others first. (Philippians 2:3)
Since he laid down his life for us, we are to lay our lives down for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16)

The call to community is a call TO GIVE.

Romans 12:9-13
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 
10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 
11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 
12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 
13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Consider Paul’s words in light of the call to community is a call to GIVE. 

Love is sincere (Romans 12:9) 
Be devoted (Romans 12:10) 
We honor one another (Romans 12:10) 
We give to those in need (Romans 12:13) 
We practice hospitality (Romans 12:13) 

THE GREAT SHIFT….
A mindset of WHAT DO I NEED…to a mindset of WHAT CAN I GIVE. 
A mindset of ME…to a mindset of US. 

It is entirely possible that community is less about WHAT YOU WILL GET OUT and more about WHAT YOU WILL GIVE.

“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. 
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; 
where there is injury, pardon; 
where there is doubt, faith; 
where there is despair, hope; 
where there is darkness, light; 
where there is sadness, joy. 
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; 
to be understood as to understand; 
to be loved as to love; 
For it is in giving that we receive; 
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; 
it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.”
-St. Francis of Assisi

Community is the fruit of our capacity to make the interests of others more 
important than our own.
-Henri Nouwen

http://bible.com/events/666831
Youversion – August 11 

All Together New: Gather 

Acts 2:42-47 
 The Greek word for “fellowship” is KOINONIA, meaning deep commitment and communion.  

It’s also found in 1 John 1:3 
“what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

Our three week series is centered around a call to community and we have never needed community more than we do today.  
    – [ ] We live in a world that has never been more connected, yet never felt more isolated 
    – [ ] A recent study shows nearly half of all Americans report feeling alone 
    – [ ] As many as 43% of adults say that they lack true meaningful relationships 

The call to community is a call to GATHER

Hebrews 10:23-25
Gathering sustains us….
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

There is always the temptation to quit, but in community we are able to persevere. 

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
African Proverb

Gathering moves us….
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” Hebrews 10:24 

Spurring one another on….
We are compelled  
We are pushed 
We are urged 
We are pointed
We are redirected
We are moved 

Gathering encourages us 
“not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 

Isolation and discouragement are always connected.  

“The God we meet in solitude is always the God who calls us to community.” 
Henri Nouwen 

http://bible.com/events/662934

August 4 – Best Week Ever 

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

John 13:3-5 NIV

Jesus had all the power and authority (He was from God and He was returning to God), yet He chose to serve. 

Jesus took an object that was common place (towel and basin) and made it holy.  

John 13:12-17 NIV

John 13:34-35 NIV

Jesus doesn’t ask us to serve one another, He commands it! 

We cannot claim to know Jesus and claim to be His followers and not obey His command to love one another. 

http://bible.com/events/659804
Youversion – July 28 
“Go: The Impact”

Acts 4:8-13 
Acts 4:29-31
ORDINARY PEOPLE 

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men”….Acts 4:13 

The call to “Go” is for all 

THROUGH GOD’S POWER

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13) 

We “Go” not in our power and authority, but because of His power at work in us.

FOR GOD’S PURPOSE 

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:29-30 ‭NIV‬‬

We “Go” not to live out our purpose, but to live out God’s purpose for us. 

Acts 4:32-35‭‭
In the midst of experiencing the supernatural power of God, the believers never loss site of the physical needs of those around them. 

There is no conflict between meeting the spiritual needs of others and meeting the tangible needs.  

ORDINARY PEOPLE…THROUGH GOD’S POWER…FOR GOD’S PURPOSE

http://bible.com/events/655676

Go: The Cost

Key Thematic Questions:
> What is the cost of following Christ?
> What is the cost of GOING?

Pastor Adrian from Part 2 of the series: “It impossible to please God, without complete surrender.”

> Think about the events in Stephen’s story that you’ve seen before.

Acts 6:7-15

Acts 7:1-2a

Acts 7:51-60

The message of Stephen’s martyrdom is that sacrifice didn’t end with Jesus. It was and should be a hallmark of His church.

> Jesus paid the ultimate price for us.
> Stephen paid the ultimate price for Jesus.

Luke 14:25-33

Consider:
> Not only is the Lord asking your life of you. If you are believer, you’ve already agreed to give it.
> In fact, it is likely that today, somewhere, someone will pay the ultimate price.
> To lay down’s one life isn’t strange or foreign, since we are made in His image. We know it is what real love is all about.

To count the cost, to be willing to pay, is to love as God loves.