Ever Ancient, Ever New – Week 4
Ever Ancient Ever New: Community – Drawing Bigger Circles
Acts 2:42 +
October 26th
Our “built in” insecurities and our “broken in” experiences close us off and harden us to being loved and loving others. The friendship door can only be unlocked from the inside.
5 Pillars of the Ancient Church
1. Doctrine 2. Formation 3. Worship 4. Community 5. Mission
Doctrine, Formation & Worship = Fresh Starts.
Community = Great Friends.
Mission = Real Purpose.
Have you ever wanted a fresh start? Freshness is attractive.
Is your friendship circle complete and healthy? Great friends are attractive.
Have you ever asked, ‘Why am I here”? Living with Real Purpose is attractive.
Great friends = small circle.
Community = bigger circle.
A Great Community Makes Great Friends.
The Greek word most translated community in the NT is koinonia.
koinonia is best expressed as active participation in a common life.
Acts 2:41-47 (NIV) 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship [koinonia], to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Devotion is the act of being present.
They were present for the Apostles teaching.
They were present for fellowship (koinonia).
They were present for “breaking bread”.
They were present for prayer.
A standard definition of community is shared interests or location.
A Gospel community centers on a shared experience, a shared identity and a shared mission.
2 reasons why this circle continued to get bigger
#1. This “devotion” wasn’t behind closed doors – it was all out in the open.
Peter’s sermon… in the public square.
People’s acceptance and baptism… in the public square.
The apostles teaching… Temple Courts.
2 reasons why this circle continued to get bigger
#2 The Gospel message is a unifying, healing and liberating message.
2 Corinthians 3:17 “17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
Galatians 3:26-29 (NIV) 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
2 things to overcome in order to draw the big circle of community.
#1 Overcome personal insecurity: I won’t be accepted. I don’t belong. I don’t have anything to offer.
#2 Overcome pride: I can do “life” on my own. “You” have nothing I want or need.
Are you having trouble finding your small circle? Draw your big circle first, the small one will draw itself. Get devoted, be present.
A Great Community Makes Great Friends.