Good morning. My name is Riley if I haven’t met you before, and this morning we come to the third week in our series “Better Together” looking at how God has called us into authentic, gospel centred community with one another. We’re calling them LIFE groups and today we’re considering Spiritual Practices.
There’s a sense that small groups have a horizontal dimension which is all about community and communion with one another – both those who are apart of the church and those who are not – (if you missed the past two weeks sermons you can grab them online), but there’s also a vertical dimension which is about meeting with God and being transformed by his word and presence – together.
In the context of small groups, our relational connectedness is not and cannot be separated from our walk with God, rather they are held together, overlapping as we share life and faith in authentic relationships together.
If you have your Bibles with you turn to Acts 2:42-47 as we look to our key text for this series.
Acts 2:42-47 (NLT) 42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
Today our key words are SPIRITUAL PRACTICES 42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.