Week 4 - COMMUNITY

May 3

WORSHIP

What can you/we praise or thank God for? (You could sing this or pray this to the Lord.)
What do you/we need to repent of? (This can be a time of silent or public confession.)
Let’s celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
Read 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (NIV):
16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
How does the Lord’s Supper unify us?
As you pass out the bread and cups, say, “The body of Christ, given for you” and “The blood of Christ, shed for you.”
Ask someone to thank the Lord for His sacrifice on the cross and the forgiveness of our sins.
Then eat the bread and drink the cup.

Review

Let’s keep working through the four key relationships and crucial priorities of a follower of Jesus and a church family. We’ve looked at:

WORSHIP - Our Relationship to Jesus

Devote yourselves to praying, praising and prioritizing Jesus in everything

DISCOVERY - Our Relationship to the Bible

Devote yourselves to taking in and living out God’s Word

Today, let’s look at:

COMMUNITY - Our Relationship to Each Other

DISCOVERY

Check In

How did your “I will …” statement from last week go?
How did your sharing goal from last week go?

Dig In

Ask God to speak to you as you read His Word.

Philemon 1-25 (NLT)
1 This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
I am writing to Philemon, our beloved co-worker, 2 and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your house.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
4 I always thank my God when I pray for you, Philemon, 5 because I keep hearing about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. 6 And I am praying that you will put into action the generosity that comes from your faith as you understand and experience all the good things we have in Christ. 7 Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people.
8 That is why I am boldly asking a favor of you. I could demand it in the name of Christ because it is the right thing for you to do. 9 But because of our love, I prefer simply to ask you. Consider this as a request from me—Paul, an old man and now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus.
10 I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. 11 Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us (note the name Onesimus means “useful”). 12 I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.
13 I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced. 15 It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. 16 He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord.
17 So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18 If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19 I, PAUL, WRITE THIS WITH MY OWN HAND: I WILL REPAY IT. AND I WON’T MENTION THAT YOU OWE ME YOUR VERY SOUL!
20 Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord’s sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ.
21 I am confident as I write this letter that you will do what I ask and even more! 22 One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. 24 So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.
25 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Have someone retell the passage in their own words.
What stands out to you in this passage?
What does this passage say about God (The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit)?
What does this passage say about people, including ourselves?
What does this passage say about the life God invites us to live?

Digging Deeper

A few notes may help …
- Onesimus had been Philemon’s slave. It seems that Onesimus ran away and possibly stole from his master. Under Roman law this was punishable by death.
- Onesimus somehow met Paul in prison and through Paul became a follower of Jesus.
- It’s likely that Paul sent Onesimus back to Colossae with Paul’s communal letter to the Colossian church and this personal letter to Philemon.
What does this passage say about community in the early church?
What does this passage say about leadership in the early church?

“MicroChurches are so much more than just meetings. They’re extended spiritual families. Gather with your brothers and sisters for worship, Bible discovery, community and mission.”

Reflect On

For the sake of time, or more importantly, to encourage deeper sharing, you could divide up into groups of 2 to answer the following questions.
Ask these pairs to connect with each other midweek to see how their “I will …” statements and sharing goals are coming along and how they can continue to support and pray for each other.

What truth have you discovered from today’s Bible passage(s) and conversation?
What would stop you from believing and obeying this truth?

Live Out

How will you live out this truth this coming week? Finish this statement: “I will ….”
Who else needs to hear this truth? How could you share it with them?

Being Family

What challenge are you facing?
- Take turns sharing your challenges.
- After each person shares have them sit on a chair in the middle of the room so others can gather around to lay hands on them and pray for them.
- Encourage people to speak words of encouragement and read Scripture to each person. Allow the Holy Spirit to use the group to minister to each other.

Pairs, take note of each other’s challenge and at your midweek check-in see how each other’s challenge is coming along and how you can continue to support and pray for each other.

For Later

Here are some ideas for community that your MicroChurch could try at a later time:

Join other MicroChurches for a combined gathering (Collective Gathering).
Go to a park and have a cookout. Celebrate a graduation. Organize a progressive dinner.
Pay for the unexpected and financially devastating car repair of someone from your MicroChurch.
Connect the dots between your gatherings by doing life together. Do lunch. Set up a WhatsApp group chat to share prayer requests and updates.

In Summary

The church’s first three key relationships and crucial priorities are: