Connecting: study for August 3.

Connecting

The Discipline in Focus

Christian community exists when believers connect with each other in authentic and loving ways that encourage growth in Christ. When we discipline ourselves to connect with other believers by engaging in transparent relationships with those in our local church we are bringing glory and honor to our God and putting ourselves in a position to grow and help others grow in Christ.

In a culture where self-reliance, self-worth, self-esteem, and self-fulfillment are considered to be the most desirable personal characteristics, connecting with others in the local church, where mutual submission, accountability, and inter-dependence are the way of life, seems foreign and even counter-productive. We are told to "exhort one another daily . . . lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin" (Hebrews 3:13). That is why Paul said to the church at Rome that they, being "full of all goodness, filled with all knowledge," were to "admonish one another" (Romans 15:14). And that is why, in the familiar passage in Hebrews chapter 10, we are told to "consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." These passages all speak of the fellowship of the church as a preventative measure—a means of restraining one another from sin.

Never in the New Testament are Christians told to "tough it out" on their own. On the contrary, for the person who thinks he can do that, in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, Paul gives a number of Old Testament examples of failure—of sin that led to destruction. Then, in verses 11-12, he says that "all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition . . . . Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. "

We are not called to live the Christian life apart from the protection of the church. The fellowship of a group of committed believers is vital to our spiritual health and to our endurance in the faith. The church, in the midst of this "crooked and perverse generation, " is just as important for our survival as the ark was to Noah and his family; they simply would not have survived without it.

Believers are commanded to diligently care for one another—to "do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10). "Love one another," Jesus says, "as I have loved you," giving a command for Christians to love other Christians (John 13:34). The writer of Hebrews exhorts Christians to "consider one another in order to stir up love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24). Jesus said that the greatest commandment is love—to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. "There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:30-31). When Paul referred to the commandment to love our neighbor, he concluded by saying, "Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:10). And when Jesus gave His disciples "a new commandment," it was that they should love one another as He loved them (John 13:34-35).

So it seems to us that our highest purpose—the one that encompasses and encourages all of the others—is the purpose of love. That is our supreme mission. And how are we to accomplish that mission? Are we supposed to be innovative? Should we strike out on our own initiative? Or do we have instructions to guide us in fulfilling our purpose? Have we been given a context in which love will be learned, taught, and lived according to God's design?

The New Testament speaks of the church as the context where biblical love should be given and experienced in its highest form. And most biblical references to the church are to the local church. When the New Testament writers speak of love, they use language that brings to mind unity among members and reliance upon one another. Nowhere do we find language that would encourage or affirm individuality.

You, as a Christian, were designed and created by God, not for a life of individuality and self-will, but to fill a niche in the spiritual building called the church. Connecting with other believers in our local church family is crucial to our growth in godliness. Community is our context for change.

Scripture
Hebrews 10:24-25, 1 Timothy 3:14-15, Colossians 3:15-16.

Getting Connected
We belong together, not apart. God is not a bachelor who lives alone. He is a holy community of three. And we glorify Him most when we are in a community connecting with other believers and being transformed into Christlikeness. Here are some practical things we can do to discipline ourselves to connect with other believers in a meaningful and God-centered way:
1. Commit to coming to Connect and Wow and looking to give and encourage others rather than looking to receive and be encouraged by others.
2. Choose a “one another” from the Bible (love one another, serve one another, pray for one another, forgive one another, see one another as more important than yourself etc…) and practice living one particular “one another” every day for a week.
3. Ask someone to tell you their story. Listen to them as deeply as you can. Get to know someone more than just their myspace or facebook description.
4. If you have something against another person go to that person and make peace with them. Meditate on Romans 12:18.
5. Get involved with your connect group. Call them and talk to them about life. Hang out with each other outside church.
6. Practice all the biblical “one anothers”.

Respond
1. What do you like and dislike about living life independently from others?
2. How do you respond to the words: dependent, independent, and interdependent?
3. What has your experience been like inside the Christian community?
4. How much importance do you place on meeting together with other believers?
5. Has there been a time in your life when the body of Christ (family of God) has encouraged you or gotten you through a difficult time?
6. What gifts to you think you bring to the body of Christ? Are you practicing those gifts at church?
7. On a scale of 1-10 how self-absorbed are you? How committed are you to serving others with no thought of how it benefits you?
8. How can you practice showing love to others this week? What can you do to stay connected to the body of Christ?
9. Is there a group of people who really knows you and cares about you? What is that like for you?
10. What kind of group relationships did Jesus value? Can you imagine Jesus spending his life on the cell phone and facebook, rushing to meetings, and never having time to hang out with people?
11. Who is holding you accountable in your growth in Christ? Who are you holding accountable?
12. How cliqueish are you? Are you the type to be closed off to others or open to love all people?
13. Who are the people that you trust? Who are the people that trust you? Who are you doing life with and are they pointing you towards Christ?