What is a "Life Group?" | Week 2 | Better Together
The value we place on something often determines the price we are willing to pay for it!
What is a “Life Group”?
A place where you “Do Life” with others in a Small Group Setting
· A gathering of people
· Life Groups are the place to relate and connect around biblical principles and prayer.
· You can count on these things when you join a Life Group…You will always receive The Word of God and Prayer and the leading of the Holy Spirit. There will always be food. It’s always fun and most of all it will strengthen your faith!
Where does the concept come from?
41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. 43 Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as anyone had a need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-47 (HCSB)
What does it take to live in Biblical Community?
1. It takes a little Time...
Social Media platforms welcome more than 1 Million new people per DAY around the world.
65% of the world’s eligible population now has a presence on Social Media.
The average time spent on just “Social Media Platforms” are now over 2 hours per day, per user .
Busy has become a euphemism for productivity!
“In The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness”-Tim Chester
“Do you regularly work thirty minutes a day longer than your contracted hours?”
“Do you check work e-mails and phone messages at home?”
“Has anyone ever said to you, ‘I didn’t want to trouble you because I know how busy you are’?”
“Do your family or friends complain about not getting time with you?”
“If tomorrow evening were unexpectedly freed up, would you use it to do work or household
chores?”
“Do you often feel tired during the day or do you find your neck and shoulders aching?”
“Do you often exceed the speed limit while driving?”
“Do you make use of any flexible working arrangements offered by your employers?”
“Do you pray with your children regularly?”
“Do you have enough time to pray?”
“Do you have a hobby in which you are actively involved?”
“Do you eat together as a family or household at least once…a week?”
How to gainTime
Redeem it
15 Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:15-18 (NIV)
“If our many efforts in life are to have any redeeming value, then they must contribute in some way to God’s agenda, that is, to preserving the things that He values.” (Gail Burnett. Wisdom at Work. Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1997.)
Redirect it
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT2)
Refocus it
“While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening towhat He said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord,don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.” The Lordanswered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.””
Luke 10:38-42 (HCSB)
Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…
Philippians 1:27a (HCSB)
2. It takes a little Effort
Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; but increase comes by the strength of an ox.
Proverbs 14:4 (NIV)
The Value of living in Biblical Community
1. Context…
West/Contemporary – Telling
East/First Century – Showing and Telling
“Biblical Journal-Focus”…The word the Bible uses for “Disciple” is mathetes, which means “learner.”
Edward Sri explains, To follow a rabbi … meant being so close the rabbi’s life that you were covered “in the dust of his daily activity.” It meant sharing life with him and taking part in the rabbi’s whole way of life. A disciple might accompany a rabbi on all his daily routines: prayer, study, debating other rabbis, giving to the poor, burying the dead, going to court, etc. A rabbi’s life was meant to be a living example of someone shaped by God’s Word. Disciples, therefore, studied not just the “text” of Scripture but also the “text” of the rabbi’s life.
2. Calling…
A. We see who we currently are.
Regularly overestimated his abilities:
Often misunderstood – Mat 16:22
Lacking in forgiveness – Mat 18:21
Lacking in trust – Mat 14:30
Denied Christ three times – Mat 26:75
B. We see who we are called to be.
John 21:15-17(NIV)
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
Acts 2:14 (NIV)