WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.480 --> 00:00:04.440 The Bible says that to be a follower of Christ 2 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:09.439 means to be a member of his family and a 3 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:14.400 member of his body. Following Jesus is far more than 4 00:00:14.599 --> 00:00:18.480 just believing. It's not enough just to believe in Jesus. 5 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:23.519 The Bible says, we're not just believers. We're belongers. We 6 00:00:23.640 --> 00:00:26.839 are to belong in the family of God, which is 7 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:31.000 called the Church. And once we belong, then we become 8 00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:34.799 so we believe, then we belong, and then we become 9 00:00:35.159 --> 00:00:37.119 all that God wants for us to be in the 10 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:40.799 first place. Now, the Bible says this, there on your outline, Romans, 11 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:45.079 Chapter twelve, verse five. Let's read it aloud together. In Christ, 12 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:49.759 we who are many, form one body, and each member 13 00:00:50.119 --> 00:00:53.320 belongs to all the others. Now circle the word belong. 14 00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:57.280 The Bible says that if you're a follower of Jesus, 15 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:00.280 you don't just belong to God. You don't just belong 16 00:01:00.359 --> 00:01:03.759 to Jesus. You belong to me, and I belong to you, 17 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:07.040 and we belong to each other, and you belong to 18 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:11.359 every other believer. You're in the family. Now, You're in 19 00:01:11.400 --> 00:01:15.840 God's family. Now. It's interesting that in the Bible, two 20 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:18.200 of the descriptions of the church are the church is 21 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:21.359 a body and the church is a family. The church 22 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:23.439 is the body of Christ, and the Church is the 23 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:27.239 family of God. And in both of those cases, membership 24 00:01:28.359 --> 00:01:31.560 means something. In fact, the word English word member that 25 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:36.159 we use for membership actually comes from the Bible, and 26 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.120 the word membership has far more to do with life 27 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:42.200 than simply like a you know, wear a hat or 28 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:45.680 secret signal, or say the past word or handshake. Membership 29 00:01:45.719 --> 00:01:47.439 means far more than you just put your name on 30 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:51.319 a role. It means you're vitally connected. The Bible says 31 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:55.000 your hand is a member of your body. If it's disconnected, 32 00:01:55.079 --> 00:01:58.319 it shrivels and died. The Bible says your ears are 33 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:01.560 members of your body. If you cut off your ears, 34 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:05.159 they're worthless. They have no value at all if they're 35 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:08.479 detached from the body. If you cut off your legs, 36 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:11.639 your knees, your feet, they are members of your body. 37 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:15.639 And if you cut it off, a disconnected foot is worthless. 38 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.000 It has no value. It shrivels and die. You will 39 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:23.240 shrivel and die spiritually if you're not connected to the 40 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:25.879 body of Christ. And in the same way, you're a 41 00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:28.120 part of a family, and the Bible says that we 42 00:02:28.199 --> 00:02:32.240 have family responsibilities to each other. In fact, look at 43 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:35.680 the next verse. They're on your outline. The Bible says 44 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:39.319 in Galatians chapter six, let us do good to all people, 45 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:44.840 especially those who belong in the family of believers. Now, 46 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:47.159 notice it says we're to do good to everybody. You 47 00:02:47.240 --> 00:02:50.919 can't mistreat anybody, you can't hate anybody, you can't show 48 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:54.199 disrespect for anybody. Not going to be a follower of Jesus. 49 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:56.560 The Bible says, it's the follower of Jesus. I am 50 00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:02.240 commanded to love everyone, to respect everyone, and to be 51 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:06.280 kind and loving to all people, regardless of who they are, 52 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:08.680 what they believe, their lifestyle, what they do to me, 53 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:11.560 I am to return love for them. So let us 54 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:15.039 do good to all people. But he says, especially those 55 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:17.759 who belong to the family a believer in us. Again 56 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:20.919 circle the word belong. In both cases, you belong. You 57 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:23.199 belong as a member of the body of Christ, and 58 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:27.199 you belong as a member of the family of God. Now, 59 00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:30.120 this is a very different understanding of a church than 60 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:32.719 most people have. If you ask most people what do 61 00:03:32.759 --> 00:03:34.879 you think of when you say church? They think of 62 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:39.800 a building a building, or they think of it as 63 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:43.680 an event, and church is something you see on a corner, 64 00:03:44.039 --> 00:03:47.800 or church is something you go to to attend. The 65 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:49.840 Bible says that's not a church at all. Church is 66 00:03:49.879 --> 00:03:54.039 neither an event nor a building. Church is a relationship. 67 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:57.159 It is a family. It is the family of God. 68 00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:00.199 In fact, it's going to outlast your physical family. In fact, 69 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:02.840 it's going to outlast everything on earth. The Bible says 70 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:06.120 God created the entire world because he wanted in the universe, 71 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:10.879 because he wanted a family. You cannot be what God 72 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:14.719 wants you to be. You cannot follow Jesus. You cannot 73 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:17.439 follow Jesus without being connected to his family. And the 74 00:04:17.480 --> 00:04:21.360 Bible calls this membership being a member. In fact, if 75 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:23.839 you say, well, I believe in Jesus, but I don't belong, 76 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:27.519 then there's a word for you, your spiritual orphan. You 77 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:31.040 don't have a family, you are a spiritual orphan. Now, 78 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:35.079 our model for our small groups is are the small 79 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:36.920 groups of the Book of Acts. Let me read this 80 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:40.040 to you. In Acts, chapter two, it tells us the 81 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:42.279 story of the first day of the Church and what 82 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:46.360 happened afterwards. Verse forty one, it says, those who accepted 83 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:50.759 Peter's message. This is on the day of Pentecost, accepted 84 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:54.959 his message, were baptized, and about three thousand were added 85 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:59.480 that day to the church. Imagine baptizing three thousand people 86 00:04:59.480 --> 00:05:03.199 in one day. That's pretty good. Then, it says, then 87 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:07.959 they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, and to the fellowship, 88 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:11.600 and to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. And 89 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:15.720 everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous 90 00:05:15.720 --> 00:05:18.519 signs were done by the apostles, and all the believers 91 00:05:18.680 --> 00:05:22.399 shared everything together and had everything in common. They'd even 92 00:05:22.439 --> 00:05:25.040 sell their possessions and good and give to anyone when 93 00:05:25.040 --> 00:05:29.079 they had a need. And every day they continued to 94 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:33.959 meet together in the temple courts, and they also broke 95 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:37.879 bread in their homes and ate together with glad and 96 00:05:37.959 --> 00:05:42.360 sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all 97 00:05:42.439 --> 00:05:45.680 the people. And as a result, it says, the Lord 98 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:49.040 added to their number daily. The church grew every day 99 00:05:49.519 --> 00:05:52.920 the people who were being saved. Now, if you're not 100 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:55.720 in a group right now, these seven things I'm going 101 00:05:55.800 --> 00:05:58.839 to give you just real quickly as we close, are 102 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:02.399 what you're missing. If you're in a group, I want 103 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:04.759 you to use these seven signs of a healthy group 104 00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:08.079 to evaluate your own group. Okay, here's what they did. 105 00:06:08.279 --> 00:06:12.439 Number one, they studied the Bible. That's the first sign 106 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:16.560 of a healthy group. They studied the Bible together. In 107 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:20.439 verse forty two, it says they devoted themselves to the 108 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:25.480 apostles teaching. Now, what is the apostles teaching? It's this, 109 00:06:26.839 --> 00:06:37.000 It's the Bible. The New Testament was written by the apostles. Paul, John, Peter, Mark, James. 110 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:43.000 These were apostles that wrote the New Testament. And obviously 111 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:44.959 they didn't have the Bible at that time. It wasn't 112 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:47.519 found into a book. But they were studying what we 113 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:52.079 study today now. Evidently, what the apostles were teaching on 114 00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:56.079 the weekends at the temple courts, they were reviewing during 115 00:06:56.120 --> 00:06:59.879 the week in the house to house. Second thing they did. 116 00:07:00.120 --> 00:07:04.759 It says they fellowshiped and they ate together in their 117 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:08.839 small groups in the house house. They fellowshiped and ate together. 118 00:07:10.279 --> 00:07:13.720 In verse forty two, it says they devoted themselves to 119 00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:17.439 the fellowship. Now, I've already talked about this why it's 120 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:20.800 important for us to build relationships, but There's only one 121 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:24.600 way you're going to build fellowship, and that is through frequency. 122 00:07:24.680 --> 00:07:28.040 If your group only meets every other week, if you 123 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:30.199 miss it one time, it means you haven't seen him 124 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:34.199 for a month. You can't have fellowship like that. You 125 00:07:34.360 --> 00:07:37.639 have to meet every week. If you only meet every 126 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:39.439 other week, if you miss a week, that's a month 127 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:43.560 you go without that small group fellowship. So we need 128 00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:46.240 to have frequency in our fellowship. And then notice it 129 00:07:46.279 --> 00:07:51.120 says in verse forty six, they ate together with glad, 130 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:54.199 and sincere hearts, aren't you glad? That's a part of 131 00:07:54.240 --> 00:08:03.279 small groups, all right. Food is a tool of fellowship. Amen, Amen, 132 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:06.920 How many of you have grown closer to other people 133 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:09.920 through fellowship meals? Got to see your hands? All right? 134 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:15.439 How many have grown fatter through fellowship meals? It's interesting 135 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:18.560 if you study the ministry of Jesus, you'll find that 136 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:22.920 almost every time Jesus taught, they were either walking or eating. 137 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:27.600 Walking or eating. Why because when people are walking or 138 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:31.560 when people are eating, they're relaxed, and that way communication 139 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:34.679 can get through. Their barriers aren't up there, they're not defensive. 140 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:39.120 In fact, a lot of Jesus' major teaching he taught 141 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:44.120 while they were eating dinner. That's a good thing. Okay. 142 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:50.279 So I'm going to give you a requirement from your pastor. 143 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:54.200 You must eat at your small group. I know that'll 144 00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:57.000 really be hard for some of you. But it says 145 00:08:57.159 --> 00:09:00.720 they ate with glad and sincere hearts. Be happy when 146 00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:04.639 you eat, and you eat it sincerely, because that's what 147 00:09:04.679 --> 00:09:08.320 they did in the New Testament. And they fellowshiped around food. 148 00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:14.840 Number three, they shared communion. They shared communion together in 149 00:09:14.919 --> 00:09:17.799 their homes. They took the Lord's supper. It says they 150 00:09:17.879 --> 00:09:23.039 devoted themselves to the breaking of bread. That's talking about communion. 151 00:09:23.080 --> 00:09:26.279 It's talking about the Lord's Supper. In the New Testament, 152 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:30.559 they took the Lord's supper in homes. They broke bread 153 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:34.320 in the homes. Not a single time in the Bible 154 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:38.159 did they have Mass in the morning at worship. Not once. 155 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:41.240 I don't know if you noticed this, know this, but 156 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.559 there were no church buildings for the first three hundred 157 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:47.320 years of the church. For three hundred years there were 158 00:09:47.320 --> 00:09:51.879 no church buildings. They either used a synagogue if they 159 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:54.919 were Jewish, or they met in homes or just out 160 00:09:54.960 --> 00:09:57.519 under a park. There were no church buildings. I've been 161 00:09:57.559 --> 00:10:01.559 in the oldest standing church build and still standing, which 162 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:04.919 is in Syria. It's about three ten AD. That's one 163 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:09.200 of the oldest examples of a church actually built. So 164 00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:12.679 the idea of having communion in the morning, by the way, 165 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:15.840 it was called the Lord's supper, not the Lord's breakfast. 166 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:21.240 Why because it was done in the evening. It wasn't 167 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:25.480 done as a morning a mess. And if you go 168 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:28.440 to First Corinthians eleven, and we try to do everything 169 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:32.120 here by the Bible. In First Corinthians eleven, it tells 170 00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:35.039 us that one of the purposes of communion is to 171 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:40.200 promote openness to God and openness to each other. That's 172 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:45.039 why it's called communion, openness to God and openness to 173 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:47.799 each other. You cannot be open to other people in 174 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:51.399 a crowd of three thousand people. You just can't do 175 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:53.960 it because you don't know them. You can't be open 176 00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:57.320 with people you don't know. That's why communion is best 177 00:10:57.320 --> 00:11:00.799 served in a small group fellowship where you know the 178 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:05.679 people and you can share the struggles, the prayers, the needs, 179 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:09.120 the hurts, the encouragements that we all need. In that 180 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:13.759 sense of openness, they shared communion Number four. They prayed 181 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:17.879 for each other in the small groups, it says they 182 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:21.279 devoted themselves to prayer. Now, I don't have to tell 183 00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:24.440 you about the power of group prayer. I have heard 184 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:27.879 story after story after story after story of small groups 185 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:31.759 praying for people in crisis and seeing amazing things happen, 186 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:34.120 in miracles and all kinds of things. But you know 187 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:36.679 as well as I do, that when you're stressed out, 188 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:40.080 it helps to have other people praying for you when 189 00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:43.120 you can't pray for yourself. Sometimes you go through a 190 00:11:43.159 --> 00:11:45.919 tough time you don't even know what to pray. God, 191 00:11:45.960 --> 00:11:48.960 I'm so stressed out, I'm so tired, I'm so broken, 192 00:11:49.080 --> 00:11:52.000 I'm so grieving. I can't even pray. That's when you 193 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:54.720 need people to pray for you. You need people to 194 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:57.720 believe God for you. You need people to have faith 195 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:01.120 for you to pull you through that time. Because there 196 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:04.759 are times in your life you're a blubbering mess and 197 00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:07.279 you don't even know what to pray. You're so depressed, 198 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:10.960 you're so discouraged, you're so angry, you're so mad, you're 199 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:14.440 so worried. You don't even know what to pray. And 200 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:18.080 that's why we need each other to pray for each other. 201 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:19.879 And when you're going through a tough time, you should 202 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:22.840 never have to carry your major burdens by yourself. We 203 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:25.960 were meant to help each other. The Bible says it's 204 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:29.879 not good for men to be alone. God hates loneliness. 205 00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:32.279 Whether you ever get married or not. You need a 206 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:36.919 spiritual family which provides the one another's the comfort and 207 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:41.120 praying for each other. Number five. The fifth thing they 208 00:12:41.159 --> 00:12:43.840 did as a mark of a healthy small group is 209 00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:47.759 they helped each other in practical ways, and so we 210 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:51.120 judge ourselves in this way. They helped each other in 211 00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:56.559 practical ways. It says they gave to anyone as he 212 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:59.639 had a need, and that's what small groups are supposed 213 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:02.279 to do. You need to borrow a lone lawnmower, here, 214 00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:05.279 borrow my lawnmower. You need a babysitter, Let me help 215 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:08.639 babysit for you. You need a job reference, Let me 216 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:12.879 write a recommendation for you. Whatever you need. You need 217 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:15.279 help making it through a tough time. Let me bring 218 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:19.399 some meals over while your wife is sick, or your 219 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:24.279 husband is sick, or whatever. It's the body helping each other. Now, 220 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:26.840 what I'm just telling you about friends is the exact 221 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:31.559 opposite of the American way. The American way is to 222 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:37.000 centralize care. The Christian way is to decentralize it and 223 00:13:37.080 --> 00:13:41.759 make it as personal and grassroots as possible. Whenever Americans 224 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:45.080 have a crisis like in Haiti, our typical reaction is, 225 00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:48.919 let's organize it, and let's get a central control. And 226 00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:52.039 for instance, let's start a soup kitchen and wait for 227 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:54.679 people to come and get the soup. And let's start 228 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:57.519 a food pantry and wait for people to come and 229 00:13:57.559 --> 00:14:00.279 get the food. And let's start of this and for 230 00:14:00.320 --> 00:14:02.919 people to come and get it to the centralized fight. Now, 231 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:06.639 that's better than nothing, but it's not the best way 232 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:09.960 because a lot of people are too embarrassed to go 233 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:13.799 to the central location. It's much better to have a 234 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:16.720 small group take care of the people in that small group. 235 00:14:17.799 --> 00:14:20.759 You need a meal, will get your meal. You need help, 236 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:23.360 will help you out. You need a ride to the airport, 237 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:26.279 We'll get your ride to the airport. And it is 238 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:31.279 decentralized and more personal through the small groups. That's why, 239 00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:50.120 because they are the natural organization of the body. Hi, 240 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:53.519 this is Rick, and thanks for joining me today. You 241 00:14:53.559 --> 00:14:55.759 know this month on Daily Hope, we're offering to send 242 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:58.840 you a special copy of my book called The Purpose 243 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:01.679 of Christmas. I wrote this book to help you come 244 00:15:01.720 --> 00:15:04.639 to a deeper understanding of God's love for you by 245 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:08.120 explaining the three purposes of Christmas that we're announced by 246 00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:11.440 the Angel at the birth of Jesus. The Angel announced 247 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:14.080 the time of celebration. I bring you good news of 248 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:17.600 great joy, salvation for unto you is born this day 249 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:20.080 in the City of David, a savior who is Christ 250 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:24.240 the Lord, and reconciliation, Peace on earth, goodwill toward men. 251 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:28.559 Daily Hope is a one hundred percent listener supported ministry. 252 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:30.600 So if you can help us continue to spread the 253 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:34.039 good news through this broadcast, I'd appreciate any gift that 254 00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:37.679 you can send. I'll send you the hardback edition of 255 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:41.200 this book, The Purpose of Christmas does our special thank 256 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:52.200 you for your gift to support the Daily Hope ministry. 257 00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:57.200 The American way is to centralize care. The Christian way 258 00:15:57.360 --> 00:16:00.600 is to decentralize it and make it as personal and 259 00:16:00.679 --> 00:16:05.279 grassroots as possible. Number six, The sixth thing that they 260 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:09.879 did a small group is they worshiped together. They worshiped together. 261 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:12.879 In fact, the Bible says that as they met in 262 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:17.759 their house to house homes. It says they praised God 263 00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:22.720 and they enjoyed favor of all the people. You know, 264 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:24.960 I'll be honest with you, I can't tell you the 265 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:27.840 number of times the group I've been in right now, 266 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:29.440 as I think I told you, I've been in at 267 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:33.240 five or six years, this current small group. I can't 268 00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:35.519 tell you the number of times when at the end 269 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:37.720 of the day I was so tired and so worn 270 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:40.639 out from work and so tired of listening to people's 271 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:44.200 problems and dealing with people in real need, that I 272 00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:46.000 just go. I don't have anything in me. I don't 273 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:48.840 want to go to a small group. I was just 274 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:52.519 too tired to go. But I go. You know, I've 275 00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:54.960 made a commitment and I'm going to go. And so 276 00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:57.399 I would make that commitment and I would show up, 277 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:00.399 even no matter how tired I was. While we were 278 00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:04.279 at a small group, through the worship time, my heart 279 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:10.160 was renewed, my emotions were restored, my tank was refilled, 280 00:17:10.759 --> 00:17:15.759 my love was reinvigorated. When I left, I was going. Man, 281 00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:20.480 I'm sure glad I went, because before I was a 282 00:17:20.519 --> 00:17:23.400 basket case. I've seen too many people I've dealt with 283 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:25.680 too many problems I've got, I'm too tired, I got 284 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:27.680 too many things on my agenda, got too much to 285 00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:30.240 do tomorrow, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. But I 286 00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:33.359 go to a small group, and it is in worship 287 00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:37.440 we get emotionally recharged. And it is in fellowship we 288 00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:40.480 get spiritually strengthened. And it is in looking at the 289 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:43.640 Word of God we get rejuvenated. And it is all 290 00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:46.319 the things that a small group's designed to do. It's 291 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:50.960 for your benefit. It's for your benefit to keep you going. 292 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:53.279 You got a fire going, You got a coal in 293 00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:55.240 that fire, it's all hot. You take the coal off 294 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:57.640 set of by itself, it grows cold. And the only 295 00:17:57.640 --> 00:17:59.200 way that coal is going to get hot is get 296 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:01.400 it back in the fire. And the fire is the 297 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:05.640 small group, and that will keep you going. Number seven. 298 00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:07.880 The seventh thing they did in a small group is 299 00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:12.880 they invited others to church. They told people about Jesus, 300 00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:17.119 they brought people to Christ. They were an outreach group. 301 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:21.160 Every one of the small groups in the New Testament 302 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:24.559 time in the Church of Jerusalem, we're focused on outreach, 303 00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:28.400 on helping reach people who didn't know the Lord yet, 304 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:32.039 and they helped each other bring people to Christ, and 305 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:36.079 the Bible says this every day. The number in their 306 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:41.200 group continued to grow as the Lord added those who 307 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:44.400 were being saved. Now circle the word every day. Notice 308 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:46.799 the church is growing, not just on weekends, it's growing 309 00:18:46.839 --> 00:18:51.559 every day. Why because the groups are meeting every day. Now, 310 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:56.400 the proof of a healthy small group, how do you 311 00:18:56.400 --> 00:19:00.359 know when your small group is mature? You start having babies. 312 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:04.519 The proof of physical maturity is the ability to reproduce. 313 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:06.599 When you go through puberty and you can have a 314 00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:09.039 baby as a man or a woman, you're now mature. 315 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:12.640 The proof of spiritual maturity in your small group is 316 00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:16.559 your small group is birth to other small groups, you 317 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:19.759 have baby small groups. Now, there's a couple of ways 318 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:22.000 you can do this. You can take your group that's 319 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:24.359 been together a year or two year, maybe even longer, 320 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:26.519 and you can divide it up and to two or 321 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:28.519 three groups. Say we're going to start three new groups 322 00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:32.039 out of our small group. Why because people need the 323 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:35.240 Lord and you can. You can divide it up that way, 324 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:38.000 and you know if you're by the way, if your 325 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:44.119 group has more than ten people, you're pregnant. Okay, you're pregnant. 326 00:19:44.680 --> 00:19:47.799 Why because you get more than about eight people in 327 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:51.400 a small group, it's no longer a small group. Because 328 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:54.440 more than eight people, studies have shown somebody stops talking 329 00:19:55.240 --> 00:19:58.200 and they become a little wallflower, and the larger group 330 00:19:58.279 --> 00:20:00.880 gets the more two or three people dominate the group. 331 00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:04.480 And that's not what we want. We want everybody participating 332 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:07.880 in small groups. Small is better. Best sized group is 333 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:10.960 maybe six people, maybe eight people. You don't really have 334 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:13.319 to have a big group six or eight people. That way, 335 00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:17.279 I can't have relationships with forty two people, but I 336 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:20.599 have them with six. I'm have them with four, I 337 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:24.680 have them maybe with eight. But you know, if you've 338 00:20:24.680 --> 00:20:27.759 got more than that, you need to consider dividing your 339 00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:30.319 group and multiplying and having a baby. Or you can 340 00:20:30.359 --> 00:20:33.160 send out your best, just like the church at Antioch 341 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:35.319 did where they took Paul and Barnabas said, you guys 342 00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:37.440 go out and start in new groups. You go out 343 00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:40.559 and start new churches, things like that. Let me close 344 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:45.759 by praying for you, Would you bow your heads, Father, 345 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.480 and I pray for my flock, and I pray it'll 346 00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:53.720 be an easier year for them, for those Lord who 347 00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:57.319 are trying to climb out of debt. May they find 348 00:20:57.960 --> 00:21:01.839 financial freedom this year. For those of them who are 349 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:04.920 trying to make ends meet and they're struggling because they're 350 00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:08.480 out of work right now, Lord, would you provide a job. 351 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:11.640 Would you open the doors that they could get full 352 00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:16.720 employment again quickly? Father? For those who are trying to 353 00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:21.440 climb out of a health crisis, those who are facing difficulty, 354 00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:24.720 May this year be a year of health for them. 355 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:28.480 May they find new strength, new vigor. May they be 356 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:33.400 stronger than any year in the past. Father. For those 357 00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:37.079 in our church family who are struggling with relational problems 358 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:40.400 and been through conflict. There's some here who are separated 359 00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:43.599 from their husband or their wife, or there's some who 360 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:46.400 are in the middle of a divorce, some who've lost 361 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:50.480 a loved one, some who are having major crisis in 362 00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:54.720 their home. Would you bring peace in their heart and 363 00:21:54.839 --> 00:21:59.640 harmony in their relationships? Bless them with changes of heart 364 00:21:59.680 --> 00:22:03.880 and mind, that there would be reconciliation and love and 365 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:08.920 new future and new hope. Lord. For those who've always 366 00:22:09.319 --> 00:22:11.599 had that dream, may this be the year that they 367 00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:15.279 scale everest. May this be the year that they reach 368 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:18.400 their peak, that they go after the height. May this 369 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:22.240 be the year that they take that chance and start 370 00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:26.000 the climb. But I pray in all of this that 371 00:22:26.039 --> 00:22:29.279 we won't do it alone, but that every person in 372 00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:32.079 our church family will be a part of a temple 373 00:22:32.119 --> 00:22:35.079 court and a house to house, be a part of 374 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:40.240 large group worship and small group fellowship. And we pray 375 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:57.440 this in Jesus' name. Amen. Friends, if you're having trouble 376 00:22:57.440 --> 00:23:01.240 staying consistent in your Bible study and quiet, one thing 377 00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:04.680 you can do is have the Daily Hope devotional and 378 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:08.400 podcast emailed to you every single day. Did you know 379 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:12.240 that now each devotional, each daily devotional gives you a 380 00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:16.119 Bible verse and both a written and an audio teaching 381 00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:19.799 about that verse. Now I mention this because that's exactly 382 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:23.519 what one of my listeners has done. Marla wrote me, 383 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.680 and she says that getting Daily Hope devotionals have helped 384 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:29.799 deepen her relationship with the Lord and helped her be 385 00:23:29.880 --> 00:23:34.119 more consistent. Marla writes this, Hello, Pastor Rick, I've been 386 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:36.000 a Christian all my life, but I felt lost for 387 00:23:36.039 --> 00:23:39.640 the past few years. But a friend of mine told 388 00:23:39.640 --> 00:23:42.960 me about your Daily Hope emails, and I've been getting 389 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:46.119 them for about a month now. I read them every morning, 390 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:49.920 and my meditation and prayer practices have become more regular 391 00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:53.839 and definitely more meaningful. My relationship to God has grown 392 00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:58.400 because of you and the Daily Hope ministry. I now 393 00:23:58.440 --> 00:24:00.960 listen to your podcast every day on my way to 394 00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:05.400 or from work, and I love it. They have really 395 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:08.039 helped me as a mother, as a wife, as a boss, 396 00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:11.160 and as a friend. So I'm going to share them 397 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:15.039 with my oldest daughter, who's nineteen. She's trying to find 398 00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:17.759 friends and find her way in college. So thank you, 399 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:22.240 thank you, thank you well, thank you, Marla, thank you 400 00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:25.920 for writing. I'm so encouraged to hear how God uses 401 00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:29.359