Sermon Discussion Guide

Sermon: Authentic Community

Text: Ecclesiastes 4:1-12

Introduction

The reality is that the world we live in is broken, sinful, and unjust. The answer is not to develop some easier answers to the difficulties in our lives. Instead we are called to depend upon God and upon the people around us to stand through the times of trials. In this message, PC speaks on the pitfalls or obstacles against authentic community.

Discussion Questions

1. Think of a movie, TV show, or book that tells about a group of unlikely individuals coming together for a common purpose (sports, etc.). What were some of the obstacles they had to overcome in working together? How were they able to succeed?

2.  Read Ecclesiastes 4:4. What are some examples of this that you see around you? What drives you to work, produce, and succeed? Why?

3. The thing about blind spots is that you can’t see them. Do you think they are constant things in your life or do they change? Who have been helping you identify your blind spots? Who have you helped with their blind spots?

4.  According to this passage in Ecclesiastes, the four things that stand in the way of true relationship and authentic community are: Jealousy, Laziness, Dissatisfaction, Busyness. Share some of the struggles you might have had with these issues. What are some ways that the group can help with overcoming these obstacles?

5.  Read Ecclesiastes 4:12. What is one step you can take this week in community to overcome some of your personal obstacles towards community?

Moving Forward

When things get tough, we may tend to retreat back into ourselves. When we are hurt, we want to put up walls around us and isolate ourselves for others. We become afraid being further hurt or disappointed. However, that’s not necessarily the best solution. Instead, it is exactly during those times that we need people and community around us. And as we participate in the community, we are able to overcome the hardships through standing together with our brothers and sisters.

Meditate

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! – Ecclesiastes 4:10

Spiritual Transformation

In  Finding the Flow: A Guide For Leading Small Groups and Gatherings by Tara Miller and Jenn Pepper, the authors emphasize the point that even though we desire spiritual growth and transformation for our community group, its actually not something that is up to us. God is the author of transformation. We cannot, by following certain steps of doing the right thing, bring about transformation in our own life or the lives of others. The most we can do is simply be open to it. To put ourselves—and our groups—in the best position possible for God to do his work. 

Here are 10 observations that the authors make in regards to spiritual growth and transformation. See if you agree or disagree:

1.   Real change is up to God, but what we do matters.

2.   Crisis can cause transformation, but it’s not up to us to cause crisis.

3.   There’s no substitute for experience, but we can learn from the experiences of others.

4.   Part of transformation is just showing up and part of it is being truly present.

5.   Big life changes can create an opening for transformation, but sometimes a sudden insight can have greater impact.

6.   Transformation can be prompted by being challenged when we need it, but also by being shown love and mercy when we don’t deserve it.

7.   Transformational potential lies in both boldness and in humility.

8.   Spiritual growth is a matter of actively searching for it and simply receiving it.

9.   Spiritual transformation means beginning to trust God even more than we trust ourselves.

10. God changes us from the inside out. We change our behavior from the outside in.

For myself, observation #10 really hits home. We are so use to just focusing on behavior modification rather than real change. This is because that all we can do. But God is the author of real change that occurs deep within our hearts.

What a Missional Community Group is NOT:

An MCG is not simply a small group.  Small Groups are, by definition, community-typically hovering around 5 - 6 people.  And no matter what people say, they really don’t grow and multiply, simply due to how they’re named.  Small Groups tend to be purely inward-focused.

An MCG is not simply a bible study.  Bible studies involved community, mid-sized, and even larger groups (like a Sunday school class) that focus on gaining knowledge about the bible – which is pretty important.  But what is usually missing from a typical bible study is that there is no push for application.

 An MCG is not simply a support group.  Support groups exist for people to share their problems with others who have the same problems, so you know you’re not alone.  Support groups do encourage each other and keep each other accountable and are there to pick you up when you fall down, but again, they are very inward-focused.

An MCG is not simply a social activist group.  Activist groups are concerned with doing things for the betterment of people and society, which is fine.  But working hard for reform or helping people with no gospel motivation doesn’t meet the deep needs people and society has, and just ends up being a Band-Aid.

An MCG is not simply a weekly fellowship meeting.  People get together weekly all the time for friendship and fun.  That’s why there are community sports leagues, bars, coffee shops, and clubs.  Again, the pulse behind it seems to be “the community for me” rather than “me for the community”.

An MCG is not simply any of these things.  Because truly, a healthy MCG will encompass ALL of these things…and more!  The reason is because the ultimate message and motivation of a MCG is the gospel.  And the gospel is designed to both reach in and reach out.

In short, An MCG is a group of believers living life together in order to glorify God, love each other with the gospel, and love the world with the gospel.