Message Title: Who The Church is Called to Be (Relational)
Sermon Series: Ekklesia | Week 3
Scripture: Romans 12:9-21 NRSV
Bottom Line: Connection. Reversal. Motivation
Other Scripture References:
Hebrews 10:24-25
Group Check in:
How is it with your soul?
Prayer Request? Praises?
Ice Breaker:
What motivates you?
How do you connect best with others?
Overview:
1. Connection:
God meant for us to be connected with each other as a community.
Through our connection, we are to live out our faith together. Grow together.
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 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 10:24–25 NIV
In Christian community, we "rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." In community, we "contribute to the needs of the saints" and "extend hospitality to strangers."
In our connectedness to God and each other, we encourage, comfort, challenge, and support. We rarely do faith together perfectly, but we do make a forever difference in each other's lives.
2. Reversal:
Also known as inversion.
Jesus started this idea of reversal: "The first will be last and the last will be first."
Jesus says do the reversal: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Do the reversal! Honor & treat others with respect and always love one another.
Take delight in honoring each other.
3. Motivation:
Motivation is a decision; it’s a choice.
Paul wrote, “Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.” Those are all things that we can choose to do and to be, even when we don’t feel like them.
Motivation is contagious.
One person, two people, three people…. Zeal, enthusiasm, a giving spirit, joy, patience, perseverance will spread in a group if one, or two, or three people make the decision to be motivated, and those who “just don’t feel like it” will pick it up and carry it, and the warmth and the light will spread.
If we are going to grow in Christ, we must stoke the fire, and endure.
Grace is a gift from God, but we have to take hold of it. We have to embrace and incorporate into our lives for it to have its intended meaning.
Discussion Questions:
What does Paul say our love toward others should be like? (Romans 12:9)
In Romans 12:9-13, Paul talks about new relationships with one another. Make a list of the encouragements found there and which ones impact you the most personally.
What are a few ways you can connect to your neighbor and show unconditional love to them this week?
What is the connection between rejoicing and mourning with others? (Romans 12:15-16)
How can you live a reversal life? What is one way this week you can put the needs of others first before your own?
What image do you get when you think of "outdoing" one another with honor?
Are you known for your excellence in showing respect for others? Are you eager or reluctant to show respect and love to others even when you have been treated poorly?
Do you take delight in honoring others?
How does being humble in the Christian community benefit others?
How are we to act as believers when we are treated badly? (Romans 12:17-18)
Pastor Sean says motivation is contagious. He continued to say that it only takes a couple "tiggers" to drive out the attitudes of "Eeyores." What did he mean when he said this?
Why does connection, reversal, and motivation even matter? How do these 3 words relate to who the church is called to be?
Challenge:
Paul says, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)
Whenever genuine good shows up in the world, God is at work, and evil is overcome. How can we do good this week? How can we be the church that God called us to be?