𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠 𝗨𝗣

• Name one person you can’t go a week without seeing. What makes this person special?

• Do you prefer to stay at home or to go out to meet friends? What are some things you consider when deciding between the two?

• Who do you turn to for advice? Why can you trust this person?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘳 𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝗛𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝟭𝟬:𝟮𝟰-𝟮𝟱

(Read also 𝗛𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝟭𝟬:𝟭𝟵-𝟮𝟯)

Though the early church continued to grow, it was not without its challenges. Gathering together was difficult because of the threats of persecution, as well as their personal differences. But in light of God’s design for the church, the disciples were urged to regularly meet each other face-to-face and to live out the gospel together. Even today, with the uncertainties and hindrances we face, we are not meant to walk this life or do God’s mission alone. We can be the Church with fellow believers because Jesus, our 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵, builds us together. In this lesson, let us look at how we can continue to be God’s Church together.

𝟭. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗿 𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀.

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙪𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙧 𝙪𝙥 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 . . . 𝗛𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝟭𝟬:𝟮𝟰

When we care about someone, giving constructive criticism is just as important as positive feedback. Sometimes, just like the spurs on a cowboy’s boots that urge horses to move, this may be uncomfortable or painful. The disciples were exhorted to stir up or spur one another, toward love and good works. This includes challenging and correcting each other to ensure that everything they say and do reflects God’s love. Loving others may mean telling them what they need to hear and pointing them to Christ. The manner by which we stir up others is crucial. As we continue being salt and light, our intention is not to hurt but to challenge and encourage others in their faith journey. How has someone challenged or corrected you in light of God’s love?

𝟮. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.

. . . 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙜𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝗛𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝟭𝟬:𝟮𝟱

Thanks to technology, we have lots of ways to connect to each other. However, meeting in person has one benefit that is crucial for human interaction—being fully present. When we meet online, we can get easily distracted. Imagine if you were to give advice to someone while doing other things at the same time. Your attention will be divided and you may miss out on something God is doing. This is why it’s important that we, as a church, gather together physically. When we meet face-to-face, we get to enjoy God’s presence together. What are some things that you appreciate about physical gatherings that you can’t do online?

𝟯. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.

. . . 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝗛𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝟭𝟬:𝟮𝟱

Meeting together physically helps us to encourage one another as we patiently wait for Christ’s return. Though we may face challenges along the way, we can overcome them together as we continue to live the Christlike life God designed for us. Part of this life is to gather with fellow believers and relationally build each other up. Recall encouragement you’ve given or received. How has this helped you grow?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• Do you have a hard time telling others what they need to hear? In what ways can you overcome this and ensure that you are doing it in love?

• How has someone in your church or spiritual family helped you overcome challenges or mindsets that may hinder you from continually building God’s kingdom with them? How may you continue to address these in light of today’s word?

• Think of one or two people who are in need of encouragement. How can you be a loving example of Christ to them this week?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for sending Jesus, the builder and cornerstone of the Church, and people who love you and will help you grow. Ask God for an open heart and mind to receive feedback from these people.

• Pray that God would lead you to a greater appreciation for meeting fellow believers, especially in physical gatherings.

• Pray for someone who needs to hear about God’s love today. Ask God to strengthen and be with them in times of hardship.