God’s design for our growth in Him includes a commitment to one another in love, fellowship and encouragement. For the church to experience and express this as a whole will require small manageable groups of families, whose relationships can grow deeper beyond the 2 hours of accessibility of a Sunday morning worship service… these are called Life Groups at Grace.
Observations:
- Faith in Jesus and love for the saints are inseparable
- There is a feedback relationship between Christian fellowship and growth
- The evidence of Christian faith through love, works as a contagion of encouragement
Conclusions:
- A Life Group is your first stop in the expression of your faith in your love for others
- A Life Group is your practice field for witnessing
- A Life Group is your fuel station for encouraging one another
Application:
- Invest in one another through our church’s Life Groups as a resource for the growth and encouragement of your faith
Ephesians 1:15-16
“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.”
Colossians 1:3-4
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people.”
Matthew 22:34-40
“Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
James 2:26
“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
Romans 1:11-12
“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”
Hebrews 10:24-25
“And 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.”
Acts 2:42-47
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”