Call to worship:
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.Psalm 146:1-7
Gathering Video
Questions for reflection:
How does success create problems? In the early church, what’s the nature of it and what do they do about it?
What does the idealized church look like to you? Does it line up with scripture?
What is Christ’s criteria for community?
What does it mean to be both redeemed and on the mend?
Corporate Prayer:
Our Father in Heaven,
We thank you for your story that centers on Your Son. Would You empower us by Your Spirit to live as witnesses to Your kingdom in every sphere of life. May we trust and serve you as we look to show your love this week.
In the name of Christ we pray, amen.If you are able to support the church financially, we invite you to give securely by clicking the button below:
Notes//Quotes//Slides:
Acts 6:1-15 - Sawyer
Title: Growing Pains
“Success, while desirable, can paradoxically create new challenges. This can manifest as increased pressure, difficulty managing growth, and strained relationships with those who haven't achieved the same level of success. Understanding these potential downsides is crucial for navigating the complexities of success and maintaining long-term well-being.”
- Google AI
“The devil’s next attack was the cleverest of the three. Having failed to overcome the church by either persecution or corruption, he now tried distraction. If he could preoccupy the apostles with social administration, which though essential was not their calling, they would neglect their God-given responsibilities to pray and to preach, and so leave the church without any defense against false doctrine.”
- John Stott
“Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than they love the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community.”
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
“One of the apologetics against the church is that the rhetoric often doesn’t live up to the reality.”
- Leo Schuester
1-4 If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.
(Philippians 2:1-8 The Message)
Questions:
1. Do I love the community or my dream of the community?
2. Have I experienced hurt in the community?
3. Who actually is the architect of my dream community?