We come to a famously ideal picture of the early church. Everyone had "Everything in Common" (Acts 2:42-47). Virtually every Christian denomination sees this passage as a model for what church life should be. And yet, so few of us seem to experience that. What are we missing? Well, for starters, the rest of Acts - the church struggles and fights... but we shall get there in the coming weeks. For now, what can we learn from this incredible picture? What are the hallmarks of the New Testament church? And what are the dangers of idealizing church? As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said: (paraphrasing) "often your dream of the Christian community is what prevents you from experiencing Christian community."

Discussion Questions

Share about a time where you had real, authentic community in your life. What were the people in this community like? What were some characteristics of the environment of this community? How did others lift you up? How did your community show up for each other not just in the good times, but in the difficult times too?

Do you have a friend in your life that you can trust with hard things? Has there been a time where this friend challenged you with something you really needed to hear? Was it easy or difficult to be open to what this friend had to say?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:14-21. Why is it important that we celebrate the beautiful diversity of the church body? How have you seen the beauty of people’s different giftings play out in your life?

Talk about some of the strengths of your community group. What things do you do well as a group? What areas could your group grow in? Spend time praying together that the Lord would continue to grow and strengthen your group for His glory and that you would be a light to those around you!

Read Ephesians 2:8-10. Remind yourself of the wonderful news of the Gospel- you did nothing to earn the amazing grace you’ve been given, yet Christ loved you so much that He died to save you from your sin! What are some practical ways this week you can “nail” the good news of the Gospel into your life? How can you encourage a friend this week in their walk with Jesus? Is there someone the Lord is calling you to share the Good News with?

What was one thing you really needed to hear from this week’s sermon?