Class Lesson November 19, 2023

 

Community with Believers

John 13:1-20, 31-35

Jesus Christ offers us a radically different understanding of what it means to be a part of a Christian community. Christian community is more than church attendance once a week. Christian community is more than a causal association with other people who have the same beliefs as you. Deeper means that we are moving away from the minimum expectations, and we are embracing our longing for belonging. We acknowledge our need for personal accountability and relationships that provide true spiritual care for our souls. We need each other.

Deeper means we don’t just want to go to church. 

Deeper means that we want to be the church.

As Upstate Church goes deeper over the next two years, a connection to Christ and a commitment to His mission will need to be accompanied by a healthy and biblical church community. In other words, the Deeper Initiative is focused on producing a spiritually mature and healthy church. This is important because as we reach new people we want to strive to continually become the kind of Christian community that the Bible describes. We want to be a Christian community that is marked by a radical commitment to loving and serving one another. This sounds great in theory, but we must be willing to be the church who does this in practice. This radical community starts in groups. This radical community starts with you as a leader. This radical community starts with the people in your group loving and serving one another. Groups are more important in our church than ever before as we strive to achieve biblical Christian community! 

Opening Questions: 

Studies show that the average Christian church attender goes to church 1.8 times per month. Even more people just attend on Sunday morning and have no other Involvement outside of that. Do you think this is an acceptable commitment level for the Christian Community? 

What is the best example of Christian community that you have ever seen? 

Has there been a time in your life where that church held you up when you were in tough times?

John 13:1-20, 31-35

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ 7 Jesus answered him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.’ 8 Peter said to him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.’ 9 Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ 10 Jesus said to him, ‘The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.’ 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’ 12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” 

31 “When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

1. True Christian community is defined by __________   ___________ to one 

    another even if it’s uncomfortable or awkward. 

2. True Christian community is guided by a new commandment: 

     _______________________________________. 

Discussion