AFTER THE SERMON-THE CHURCH Is Essential
We hope today’s message was encouraging and helpful. Take a moment to process and discuss what God may be trying to say to everyone in your home or in your community group. If no one is with you, have a personal conversation with God, He is with you.
Scripture: Luke 5:1-11
(Other scriptures referenced: Ephesians 1:21-23; Matthew 9:35-38)
(If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read or paraphrase through some of the provided scripture to catch everyone up!)
Overview:
During an interesting week for the church, Pastor Ryan preached about the importance of knowing our true identity as THE CHURCH. When Jesus started THE CHURCH he began it by building people, not a building. Pastor Ryan shared how he grieves that we are not together as the body should be since Jesus started a community of believers known as THE CHURCH. Pastor Ryan challenged us to look at the bigger picture, that while we are not in the building the church hasn’t shut down. God has been using us like a net, “cast out on the other side of the boat.” The message challenged us to not stop being the church, to make sure we keep the 1.5 hour service on Sunday’s in proper perspective. We heard God’s heart come out of this message to be THE CHURCH that is all in, 100% of the time!
Takeaways:
Jesus began to build the church with people and then told the church to go reach people. Not one brick was needed.
God has helped us to see how essential we are for one another so we would not take it for granted ever again.
The church is not losing and the church is not defeated, the church is being refined and repurposed.
God wants us to know that if we let our definition of the church be contained into 1% of our week then we have stopped flowing with God, we’ve stopped ourselves.
The mission hasn’t stopped, it just looks different.
PTL: Pray. Talk about Jesus. Love our neighbors.
We cry of injustices but when injustice is standing in front of us in the shape of a hurting soul or a needy neighbor, our arms are short, our hands are closed, our mouths are silent.
This week someone banged on a door in China, it was the government taking Christians to jail for practicing their faith in a home. If we ever get there...what will we be caught doing? I hope we’ll get caught being the church way before we go to church.
Discussion:
What stuck out to you from today’s message and why?
Have you felt the depletion, the lack of being with other believers? How has it made you feel?
Pastor Ryan wasn’t downplaying the importance of Sunday morning, so what was he trying to get across with Luke 5:1-11?
What are the dangers of defining Sunday morning services as the epitome of the church? What damage can that do?
What’s the bigger picture of THE CHURCH? What can we do to keep ourselves from getting stuck in the church is 1.5 hour mode?
While we wait to return to worship together there is much we can do, what PTL ideas do you have?
Challenge:
BE THE CHURCH this week by practicing PTL. Check up one someone from the church on the phone or through a video call. Look through our community groups to practice being together during the week www.calvarydover.org/communitygroups
Pray:
Let’s pray that our hearts to worship together and our hearts for the mission of reaching our community will come together. Pray we’ll be an all in Church 100% of the time! Pray for the variety of areas that have affected our community and world through this season.
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you find ways to apply it this week!