2. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community It’s an Acquired Taste "There might be something short of a regular-season atmosphere at the Green Bay Packers' mini-camp this week, but that doesn't mean these days are ineffectual. In fact, for rookies and other young players, they could hardly mean more. Roster spots will be won and lost in training camp....Come training camp, a Donald Driver will be able to afford a few dropped balls. A Carl Ford will not." - Jason Ballamy

3. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community It’s an Acquired Taste Tim StuberJoey Dozier

4. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community It’s an Acquired Taste

5. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community It’s an Acquired Taste Romans 8:9-17 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (v. 9b)

7. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community It’s an Acquired Taste

9. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community It’s an Acquired Taste

11. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community It’s an Acquired Taste Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' - Matthew 7:21-23

12. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community It’s an Acquired Taste The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. - Isaiah 29:13

13. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit Romans 8:9-17 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (v. 9b)

14. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community Romans 8:9-17 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. (v. 9a) The Community of the Indwelling Spirit

15. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit

16. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit Cat StevensYusuf Islam

17. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…. - Ephesians 1:13-14

18. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit

19. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit

20. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit Nicolas D. Kristof “God must be feeling dizzy, listening to American evangelicals pray for help in converting Muslims from their vile faith while Muslims appeal for assistance in stomping out bloodthirsty Christian infidel invaders.”

21. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit Nicolas D. Kristof …[Franklin Graham] clearly subscribes to that essential human conceit that God is on the pew beside us, a member of our own sect. As Spinoza noted, "If a triangle could speak, it would say... that God is eminently triangular."

22. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit Why Would We Want Christian Community to Be Defined by the Indwelling Spirit? 1.Identity and Security in Our Relationship with God.

23. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit

24. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community Romans 8:9-17 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." (v. 15) The Community of the Indwelling Spirit

25. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit Why Would We Want Christian Community to Be Defined by the Indwelling Spirit? 1.Gives Identity and Security in Our Relationship with God. 2.Makes Christian Community a Fact

26. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community Romans 8:9-17 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (v. 16) The Community of the Indwelling Spirit

27. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit Why Would We Want Christian Community to Be Defined by the Indwelling Spirit? 1.Gives Identity and Security in Our Relationship with God. 2.Makes Christian Community a Fact 3.Gives Motivation, Power for Christian Community

28. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit "...At the very beginning of Christian fellowship there is engendered an invisible, often unconscious, life-and-death contest....From the first moment when a man meets another person he is looking for a strategic position he can assume and hold over against that person." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

29. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit "If my sinfulness appears to me to be in any way smaller or less detestable in comparison with the sins of others, I am still not recognizing my sinfulness at all." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together

30. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community Romans 8:9-17 9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. 12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. (v. 13) The Community of the Indwelling Spirit

31. Life Together - Discovering Christian Community The Community of the Indwelling Spirit Summary Outline 1.Wrong Ways to Define Christian Community a)By Institution b)By Family c)By Voluntary Participation 2.Right Way to Define Christian Community: By the Indwelling Holy Spirit 3.Spirit’s Benefits to Christian Community a)Identity and Security b)Reality of Christian Community c)Power to Want and Build Christian Community