#Adulting | “Grace Happens in Community ” Sermon

Impact Church London Podcast

ADULTING IN GRACE HAPPENS IN COMMUNITY

..The bulk of Scripture was written to a community… At least nine of Paul’s epistles in the New Testament were addressed specifically to a church community.
Ever since creation, everything that lives exist in an elaborate network of relationship.

Plant For Example:
-Rooted in soil
-reaches for sunlight
-requires insects for pollination
-Requires the wind to spread seeds

“What Good Is a Tree?”
that explained that when the roots of trees touch, there is a substance present that reduces competition.
In fact, this unknown fungus helps link roots of different trees…even of dissimilar species. A whole forest may be linked together. If one tree has access to water, another to nutrients, and a third to sunlight, the trees have the means to share with one another

Woodwide web
When we think of fungus… we think of mushrooms, but they are the fruit of an underground network, that transfer water nitrogen, minerals etc.

There is a linchpin in tree fungi networks are hub trees “mother trees”
-They have the most fungal connections Their roots grow deeper for water sources to pass on to sapling trees.
-they can detect ill health and distress signals and send them the needed nutrients

In like manner god has created us for connection
-we cannot experience healthy growth in isolation
-we cannot reproduce in isolation

..The bulk of Scripture was written to a community… At least nine of Paul’s epistles in the New Testament were addressed specifically to a church community.
-one body
-one loaf
-one father
-one savior
-one spirit
-one fellowship

1Peter 2:5 You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Eph. 4:16 From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Three things Connection Promotes:
-Community
-mentoring
-ministry

Connection promotes community
“Loneliness is not synonymous with chosen isolation or solitude. Rather loneliness is defined by people’s levels of satisfaction with their connectedness, or perceived social isolation.” Rokach

Without connection, there is no unity, and the church cannot function effectively.

CONNECTED WITH CHRIST!

Romans 6:5 “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

Planted- Sumphutos- once in bible, strongest word for union, born together, joint origin.
Community with God/ Community with one another.

CONNECTED WITH OTHERS!
Ephesians 4:16 (tpt) “For His body has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one.

Connection promotes mentoring relationship

Each part of the body must “do its work” for the whole body to grow and mature. Every member’s contribution is essential for spiritual progress and health.

Mentoring is MTC:
-Modelling- life with Christ and your life with others
-Transformative- moving values into practices
-Capacity Development- identify gifts and talents and turning them into strengths
“It is better to train ten people than to do the work of ten people. But it is harder.”Moody

Why, because mentoring means:
-being real
-being honest
-being vulnerable
-being sacrificial
Mentoring can be:
-formal or informal
-spiritual
-vocational
-situational
-one on one
-groups

Connection promotes ministering relationship
Genuine care strengthens bonds and reflects Christ’s love.

Proverbs 11:25 He who waters will himself be watered.”

“Our surest road to our own happiness is to seek the good of our fellow.” -Spurgeon
Mentoring relationships are intentional about development.
Ministering relationships are intentional about love and care.
-encouraging
-bearing burdens
-praying for one another
-sharing with one another
-doing good to one another
-healing
-delivering
-looking to the needs of one another.

“The experience of authentic community is one of the purposes God intends to be fulfilled by the church. The writings of Scripture lead one to conclude that God intends the church, not to be one more bolt on the wheel of activity in our lives, but the very hub at the center of one’s life.”
-Author Randy Frazee

He gathers us out of all nations and tongues. He gathers us out of all races. He gathers us young and old: that is the genius of church.

Adulting in Grace happens in Community because community gives you the opportunity to:
-Listen
-Share
-To Grow in your understanding of God’s love and grace
-To Grow in your ability to extend god’s grace