Factors of a Flourishing Community

Series: Flourish

Summary

Factors of a Flourishing Community

Pastor Aaron Sutherland

God doesn’t just want us to flourish as individuals, God wants us to find our place in a flourishing community. This message will explore the factors that make God’s community so special.

What factors allow a faith community to flourish?

I. A FLOURISHING COMMUNITY CARRIES THE WEAK

MARK 2:1-4

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.

We engage in Christian community because all of us will come to a day when we can’t get to Jesus on our own.

Jesus calls us to engage our strength for our community today, knowing that one day our community will engage its strength for us in our weakness.

II. A FLOURISHING COMMUNITY CORRECTS THE RELIGIOUS

MARK 2:5-12A

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.

Religion will always care more about its seat for the show than it does for healing of the sinner.

Religion may fool me, but it will never fool Jesus.

If we can witness a miracle in what is seen, we can begin to believe for miracles in what is unseen.

Jesus does the physical work to prove we can trust him in the spiritual work.

Religion tries to manipulate the spiritual to gain the physical, but Jesus uses the physical to prove he can transform the spiritual.

III. A FLOURISHING COMMUNITY CONNECTS IN PRAISE

MARK 2:12B

This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Discussion Questions:

1. How have you experienced the support of a Jesus-centered community amidst a season of weakness?

2. What elements of Christian religion in our world do you see actually working against genuine Christian community?

3. Have you ever experienced a corporate expression of worship that allowed you to experience Jesus in a new way? If so, describe that experience.

Speaker: Aaron Sutherland

February 5, 2023

Aaron Sutherland

Lead Pastor

Factors of a Flourishing Community

Series: Flourish

Summary