09 Oct Power Up | Part 5 “The Power of Community” | All Locations

Announcements:

UPCOMING EVENTS: GO TO WATERSCHURCH.ORG/EVENTS TO REGISTER

APOLLO BEACH ONLY:

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD: PICK UP YOUR BOX, GO ONLINE TO PAY YOUR $10 DONATION AND PRINT YOUR LABEL: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/

MUST BE BACK BY NOVEMBER 6!

FINANCIAL PEACE (FPU): 9/15/22

DISCOVER ISRAEL (INFO ABOUT THE ISRAEL TRIP): ZOOM MEETING 10/19/22

NA/WOONIE ONLY:

NOT TOO LATE TO REGISTER FOR TRUNK OR TREAT EXTRAVAGANZA!  GREAT OPP FOR OUTREACH IN NA AND WOONSOCKET ON 10/22/22.  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

NA/WOONIE/SOCO

OPERATION THANKSGIVING: WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING MONETARY DONATIONS FOR THANKSGIVING BOXES.  $50 WILL FEED A FAMILY WITH A BOX OF FOOD AND GIFT CARD.  GO TO WATERSCHURCH.ORG/GIVE AND SELECT OPERATION THANKSGIVING 2022 FROM THE DROP DOWN MENU.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD: PICK UP YOUR BOX, GO ONLINE TO PAY YOUR $10 DONATION AND PRINT YOUR LABEL: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/

MUST BE BACK BY NOVEMBER 6!

DISCOVER ISRAEL: INFO ON TRIP TO ISRAEL – 10/16

All announcements and the Waters Event Calendar can be found at:  waterschurch.guide

Alpha: New ministry – conversation style Small Group called Alpha that Mehdi and April will be leading.It is for seekers, those on the fence about faith, or disenfranchised from faith.It is to reach lost people. Join the conversation today @ waterschurch.org/alpha

Below, click the link for  ‘Last Days’ – The Book of Revelation Daily in 15 minute segments each day over the next 5 weeks:

https://waterschurch.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1316059

All announcements and the Waters Event Calendar can be found at:  waterschurch.org/events

Alpha: New ministry – conversation style Small Group called Alpha that Mehdi and April will be leading.It is for seekers, those on the fence about faith, or disenfranchised from faith.It is to reach lost people.  Join the conversation today @ waterschurch.org/alpha

Location Text Alerts:

North Attleboro		Text “subscribe” to 508 695-1300
Norwood		Text “subscribe” to 781 762-3357
Apollo Beach		Text “subscribe” to 813 642-6979
Woonsocket		Text “subscribe” to 833 241-4837
Southcoast		Text “subscribe” to 508 809-3490
Waters ELC NA		Text “subscribe” to 774 643-6322

 

Pastor Tim has 3 podcasts: The Deep End, the Deep Dive Bible Study on Romans, and 10 questions with Tim only available on timhatchlive./live  Be sure to like and subscribe to the channel to be notified of each new podcast.

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Key Verse: Mark 1, 3 & Matthew 5:14-16

Life Groups are the heartbeat of our church.  We often say: ‘Circles are better than rows’.  The ‘row’ is the front door but there is a whole house to explore.  On Sunday, we experience just the foyer but we want to direct people to the family room.  In those areas where we face each other, we grow together as we love one another.  That was the model of Jesus’s Church.

Acts 2:42 (ESV)

Acts 2 is the birthday of the Church.  There is a pandemic of loneliness and isolation happening in our country.  Eighty percent of men between the ages of 25 and 35 consider themselves constantly lonely.  Today, we have a ‘live for yourself’ mentality that has been touted for decades. Our young men are far more lonely, depressed, and isolated than ever before.  We need to fight for the community of God, we need to get back to community.

Q. How has your life been shaped by life groups (How have the encouraged you, molded you into who you are etc.)?

This is an pportunity for the group to share with first timers to your group the benefits of community.

1. The FIRST THING Jesus did was START a GROUP.

Mark 1:16–18 (ESV)

The first thing Jesus does is start a small group and here was born the first life group with Andrew and Simon.  If Jesus needed a small group, so do we. 

This group found IDENTITY in Jesus. 

When we get around Christ followers we are learning from others how to follow Christ. We are learning from those that are already doing it. We cannot be powerful Christians if we are not around people who love Jesus

Q. How has what you know about who you are in Christ been strengthened because life group?

(Leader –  for anyone who is new to groups or coming back to group after having been away for awhile):

Q. What areas of your walk with Christ might be lacking because you have not been in community?

Luke 6:13 (ESV)

Jesus gave them identity when he named them.  He was sending them out.   We won’t act like Christians if we only hang with those who are not Christians.  Christians remind us who we are.

This group got OPPORTUNITY for MINISTRY.

Matthew 10:1 (ESV)

This is where their opportunities were born.  We learn through community.  We can learn skills and trades by being in community.  We will become in 5 years the summation of our closest friends. 

This group became Jesus’ FRIENDS. 

We don’t start out as friends.

John 15:15 (ESV)

It took three years before Jesus called them friend. It takes time and trials to develop friends.  It takes testing and time for deep friendships.

This group also MINISTERED to Jesus Himself.

Those in Jesus’s group were not just ministered  to but it was reciprocated back to Jesus.

Matthew 26:37–38 (ESV)

The God of heaven and earth is asking the very people He made to pray for Him.  In becoming fully a human being, Jesus needed somebody and if He needed people so do we. 

Q. What are some ways you are ministered to by others in the group?

2. Jesus’ LIFE GROUP was DELIBERATELY DIVERSE.

This is a hurdle for Christians to get in group.  They may think ‘they are not like me’ but if everyone were like us we may not like them. 

Mark 3:13–19 (ESV)

The twelve he brings together are really different people .  He calls those together the people he wanted but they were all different: a tax collector, a doubter, a connector, a zealot, etc.  We need people different from us, we need to learn to listen to each other.

Q. By what criteria do you choose your friends?

OR

Q. What qualities do you think are important in a friend?

Proverbs 27:17 (ESV)

3. Jesus’ LIFE GROUP was CALLED to SHINE in DIFFERENT ways.

John 1:4-5 (ESV); Matthew 5:14-16

He is the light of the world.  He also calls us to follow Him, to place our faith in the Light of the world.

We have to come out of our hiding place.  God wants to show us off, to be seen.  We all have something to offer.  There is something in us so we bring light to others. If we are Christians we have to shine, we have the light in us.

Ephesians 5:8-10 (ESV); Philippians 2:14 (ESV); John 8:12 (ESV)

Genesis 1:14–18 (ESV)

We are the light of the world, God has put his light in us.  There are different kinds of lights for different kinds of purposes.  He fills the kingdom of Jesus with different kinds of lights which is a spiritual picture of how God works in His Church.  Just like in the physical world there are different lights for different purposes, so to in the Church there are different kinds of lights for different purposes.  

Christians are like different kinds of light.  Each kind of light is balanced out by another kind of light.

1. Comfort/Soft light bulb – They are the first to bring you a casserole when you have a baby, mourn for you when you have loss, and they listen well.

2. The FIREY Bulb – They cast out demons and speak in tongues.  They are always on fire for God.  They pray constantly for people to get right with God.

3. Party light Bulb – They throw a party for everything. They don’t call it fellowship they just enjoy a good party.   They don’t like spiritual conversations.

4. The Antique Light Bulb – These are older Chrisitans who love to sing songs written a long time ago.  They love hymns. They remind us of where the Church came from.

5. The Appliance Light Bulb – These bulbs can withstand 500 degree ovens and 30 degree freezers.  These people can survive under extreme conditions.   They get through dark and hard times. 

6. The Flash Light – These people are always searching out the lost.  They hunger to reach people for Jesus and are on a constant mission.  They will witness to anyone and everyone. 

7. The Desk Light  – They are studiers, thinkers.  They are overjoyed with Greek word studies.  They memorize the word and make sure others are rooted in truth.

8. The Work Light – They put their hands to the plow for the Kingdom.  They fix the church up after people leave, they love Church work days and they love to beautify the building for God’s people.  They are ushers and greeters.

9. The Florescent Light – They are always talking about the end times.  They are always reading and trying to figure out who the anti-Christ is and  keep others awake and alert.  They are always getting us ready for the return of Jesus.  They can see sin from 50 yards out.

God created different lights for different seasons.  Some people are all alone, not in community, and are missing out on someone firing them up, someone throwing a party.  They don’t learn to suffer well, are not ready for the return of Christ, or do not have a heart for the lost.  We need each other.

Psalm 68:6 (ESV)

Fun exercise:

Leader: go around the room and ask your members to pick a person in your group and match a bulb/light or combination of lights to them.  Have them explain why they think that person is that particular light and ask the person if they agree.

1 Peter 4:8–10 (ESV)

We find power in community.  

Sermon in a Sentence:

When I PLUG IN to the COMMUNITY of Jesus, I BENEFIT from the DIVERSE GIFTS God has established in His FAMILY.

Challenge for Leaders: find an apprentice to lead a life group

Challenge for group: encourage people in church to join a life group (maybe these are people you serve with who are not in one etc).