How Did We All Get Here?
[The following was delivered at a CGL Summit on January 5, 2025.]
As our church is a couple weeks away from being 10 years old, I want us to reflect back a bit and remember how we got here. I want to go back and tell the story not of our church, but of the individual stories we all have, that are unique but have common benchmarks because of God’s grace to us. So I want us to go back to before we knew Jesus to be who we now know him to be; our Lord, Savior, and Treasure. At one point:
You were dead in sin.
Ephesians 2:1–3,
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
There’s no exceptions here. All of us, dead in our sin, had darkened hearts actively against God. We were “…following the prince…” by doing what he does: following our own selfish ambitions, minimizing the work of God, denying your need for grace and rescue, justifying yourself and your actions.
And all this made us guilty before God, without excuse.
All of our hearts, left to themselves, have the capacity for great evil.
“But God” acted on our behalf.
Ephesians 2:4–5,
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…“
Colossians 1:13–14,
“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
1 Thessalonians 5:9,
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
This may have happened at a young age where it is harder to discern life before and life after, or it may have been sudden and clear at a later age — but what happed is fundamentally the same, and is a miracle in either instance… a resurrected heart!
God delivered us, who were imprisoned by our own sin, where the only way out was rescue. He forgave us and redeemed us from our sin. He placed us in the kingdom of his Son.
And by this we came alive.
Matthew 13:44–46,
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
God loves you enough to make you alive. Our desire for him, and our ability to see his worth is a gift from him. We would not have that on our own. How precious it is to have his unmerited love, his unchangeable smile on us in the final sense.
Would you give Jesus up for anything? Not if we are thinking rightly.
Psalm 84:10,
“For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
To a new life and a new purpose.
2 Peter 1:3–7,
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.”
He has granted us all we need for abundant life, fruitfulness, and godliness in this life. We have become partakers of God’s divine nature through his Spirit. He has not saved us and left us. He is transforming us, changing us, completing us.
We grow in understanding of the value of the treasure in the field and how all of life is orientated around it. And this means we are different than the world around us: Our priorities are different, our affections are different, and our motivations are different. And thanks be to God that they are! These are the new things of life, not our old ways of death.
And joined a church to be committed to it.
1 Peter 2:9–10,
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
While these things were taking place, they were likely taking place in tandem with God’s people, and largely because of God’s people.
God has shown you the blessing of his blood-bought family, and the importance of the local church. So at some point you gained an understanding of the value of membership to a local church, and being part of a community covenanted together under Jesus.
He has given us a family to help us grow from children to adults. A spiritual family where we belong, because we no longer belong to this world and the kingdom of darkness. We are now strangers and exiles to earthly, temporal kingdoms.
And as a part of this local church, joined a Community Group.
Acts 2:42–47,
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
In this group:
You learned more about the Bible and Jesus.
You prayed alongside other brothers and sisters.
You served, and helped, and encouraged one another.
You’ve eaten with one another, shared laughs, and probably tears.
You’ve walked through highs and lows of life.
You made the decision to follow Jesus regardless of the cost, with the support and strength of your community around you.
You’ve been kept back from doing something foolish, or drifting off into isolation and living in the dark.
You’ve confessed sin and been reminded of God’s grace and goodness.
Maybe you have been loved and accepted in ways you have never experienced before, and you have seen that even in the loss of worldly families or relationships — for Christ’s sake. We receive 100 fold and inherit eternal life (Matt 19:29).
These groups are a significant part in our understanding of what it means to live like a Christian, seeking to obey all Jesus has commanded us. We see the way others live out their faith and that informs our understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, for good or for ill. So, the ways that these groups live as disciples is of vital importance.
And through all these things, like in Act 2, the Lord has added to our numbers — from about 2 groups to start, to 25 groups as it is today. Groups that organize and bless probably 375 adults at our church (and a hundred or more kids!)
This has happened as we have devoted ourselves to God’s Word, regularly gathering together to worship him each Sunday. And then knowing, serving, praying for, and loving one another during the week. While we gather in homes around God’s Word in study or reflection on the sermon.
I’m going to assume this has been largely a positive experience. Never without challenges and effort needed, but was largely a blessing on your life — at least enough that you got to where you are now.
Which led to a desire to lead a group.
Either by taking over a group that you were a part of, or by launching out to start a new one — you desired to lead a group. For some of you, this was a month ago. For others, this was 10 years ago at our church, or 20 years or more if counting other churches.
We all were dead in sin; but God acted on our behalf; and by this we became alive; to a new life and a new purpose; and joined a church to be committed to it; and as a part of this local church, joined a community group; which led to a desire to lead a group.
We all:
Were dead in sin
But God acted on our behalf
And by this we became alive
To a new life and a new purpose
And joined a church to be committed to it
And as a part of this local church, joined a community group
Which led to a desire to lead a group.
Think back to when that was. I will give us time to do this. You may have been single back then, which is good to remember how God has met you in different ways in different life stages and seasons. When you look back, (however far) reflect on these 3 questions:
How was your life impacted by deep Christian fellowship?
What made you first want to lead a group?
What did you desire for your group when you first started?
