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WEEK 2 SERMON DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR GROUPS

September 22, 2024

Activate

Introduction:

Christian community is an important part of our lives. Jesus gathered disciples around Himself to create community, and the early Church spent much of its time in community together. Having a community of other believers around us benefits us and our faith in many different ways. This week, we explore why our Christian community is so important!

Bottom line: To follow Jesus is to live in community.

Something To Talk About:

God did not create us to do life alone, so if you currently do not have a Christian community around you or are a new Christian just starting to grow in your faith, here are things to be wary of:

  1. We mistake connectivity for community: Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” The writer of Hebrews is convinced that being part of the Church implies being more than a spectator.  He encourages all believers to be active participants. And being a participant goes beyond just getting connected. It means we think of others naturally and actively studying and caring for the people around us to care for their souls properly. Nothing happens unless we prioritize our time and resources by getting involved. The pastor will spend many hours working on a way for the gospel to come alive each week. Hopefully, many more people will consider ways to stimulate you and encourage you to love Christ and obey Him more. The writer of Hebrews believes that we are better off thinking of others when we attend church. In fact, he believes that if we are faithful at preparing, practicing, pursuing, prioritizing, and picking each other up, we will be faithful to Christ and active participants in what Christ is doing through local churches everywhere.
  2. We mistake chemistry for community: Feeling loved and included by others is a natural desire we all have. We want the love, security, and fellowship that comes from a genuine connection to others. We want that person we can call day or night when we need to talk; we want that person to hit the mall or farmer’s market with or to sit with at Church. We want Godly friends to encourage us in our faith and to be someone God can use to speak into our lives. We were created to be in community with one another, to support one another, and bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). We need to be careful when seeking out community and be sure that we aren’t simply looking for chemistry. Chemistry makes workplace teams cooperate better and thus more effective. The benefits of having good chemistry at the workplace include increased productivity and satisfaction in work teams. There is nothing wrong with chemistry in the community, but real connections are very important. Life is not about your accomplishments or acquisitions, your popularity or prestige. It’s about connections—how well you love. Followers of Christ have a mandate from God to be intentional about what we do for Him and for His glory. That means that sometimes we must speak truth into their lives.

Discussion Questions:

  1. “Community” can be a bit of a Christian buzzword. a. What makes it great and worth it when you think about biblical community?
  2. What are some of the benefits of community? What are some of the risks?
  3. What is “fellowship?” How is it distinct from socializing?
  4. Read Proverbs 18:24. What person embodies this verse for you? Who is a friend God has blessed you with who’s closer than a brother?
  5. Community happens organically or accidentally. b. Community isn’t necessary. c. I’m too busy for the community. d. Community doesn’t require real commitment. Your thoughts?
  6. What kind of fellowship or community do you want God to help you experience and express in your life? What will you do to accomplish that?
  7. How has Jesus used community to help you grow and mature in your walk with Him? (Feel free to help each other remember these times.)
  8. Have you ever been hurt in the community? If so, how does this affect your struggle with community now?
  9. What are the advantages to walking through life with people different from you in personality, past experiences, interests, etc.?
  10. What can you take away from this message and share with others in your life?

Take one thing home with you:

We all need people and places to belong. But to get there, we don’t have to travel the superhighways of connection and do whatever it takes to get noticed. In Scripture, we see Jesus going to the people, places, and parties most religious people would avoid. He spent time with people who were nothing like Him—yet these people loved Him. Why? Because when Jesus looked at them, He didn’t see the things they’d done or what had been said about them. When Jesus looked at them, He saw family. He saw human beings made in the image of God.

When Jesus looks at you, He doesn’t see the labels that have been placed on you. He sees you. He notices you. He understands you. And He’s inviting you to live in God’s family. Whether you’re new to church, new to Northstar, or have been attending Northstar for a while, we want you to find a place where you can feel supported, encouraged, and loved.

Discover Your Purpose Class 101 is to help you understand the foundation of Northstar Church and help you get connected to our church family. If you decide that this church is the right fit for you, then you can learn about the next steps to take to get more involved in Northstar’s mission and purpose.