PART 2

Introduction

Introduction• Planting precedes Flourishing.

Introduction• Planting precedes Flourishing.• Being Fruitful is the natural result of Being

Planted.

IntroductionPs. 92:12-14 (NIV)The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.

Introduction

Introduction

PLANTED into COMMUNITY

Community

Community• God Himself thinks Community.

Community• God Himself thinks Community.• Community appears 85 times in OT

Community• God Himself thinks Community.• Community appears 85 times in OT• Community = Church in the NT

Max Lucado•“Questions can make hermits out of us, driving us into hiding. Yet the cave has no answers. Christ distributes courage through community; he dissipates doubts through fellowship. He never deposits all knowledge in one person but distributes pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to many. When you interlock your understanding with mine, and we share our discoveries, when we mix, mingle, confess and pray, Christ speaks.”

Community

CommunityChanged Lives happen in Community

CommunityChanged Lives happen in Community•David and his mighty men in Cave Adullam (1 Sam 22).

CommunityChanged Lives happen in Community•David and his mighty men in Cave Adullam (1 Sam 22).•Jesus and his disciples.

CommunityPlanted into Community:

CommunityPlanted into Community:•Life Groups

CommunityPlanted into Community:•Life Groups•Serving

LIFE GROUPS

Life Groups

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Hebrews 10:24-25And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Sharing lives together

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Sharing lives together Encouraging each other

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Sharing lives together Encouraging each other Serving each other

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Forgiving each other

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Forgiving each other Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Admonishing each other

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Admonishing each other Colossians 3:16

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Life Groups• Designed for relationships

Submitting to each other

Life Groups• Designed for relationships• Designed for application of truth

Life Groups• Designed for relationships• Designed for application of truth• Designed for discipleship

Life Groups• Designed for relationships• Designed for application of truth• Designed for discipleship

3Is – Include, Invest, Invite

Life Groups• Designed for relationships• Designed for application of truth• Designed for discipleship

3Is – Include, Invest, Invite 3Bs – Believe, Belong, Become

Life GroupsFrancis Shaffer •“Our relationship with each other is the criteria that the world uses to judge if our message is truthful, Christian community is the final apologetics.”

What’s NEXT?

What’s NEXT?1. If already part of a Life Group

What’s NEXT?1. If already part of a Life Group• Thank and Appreciate your Life Group Leader.

What’s NEXT?1. If already part of a Life Group• Thank and Appreciate your Life Group Leader. • Take up a role in your Life Group – organizing,

serving, hosting etc.

What’s NEXT?1. If already part of a Life Group• 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in The Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.

What’s NEXT?1. If already part of a Life Group• Hebrews 13:17

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

What’s NEXT?2. If yet to be part of Life Group

What’s NEXT?2. If yet to be part of Life Group• Visit a Life Group this few weeks.

What’s NEXT?2. If yet to be part of Life Group• Visit a Life Group this few weeks. • Be engaged for a season to be planted.

John 13:31-35•When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

John 13:31-35•“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

PART 2