The 5 Around You Sermon

The 5 Around You

I’m feeling fired up this evening church! I just believe that the Spirit is moving in our church and in Boulder. There’s a struggle in the early days to celebrate the little things. There are so many areas that we’re working on improving and the grind of trying to grow and reach more people, that too often we don’t take time to slow down and celebrate.

Can I take a second before we dive into the message and celebrate a few things? God has given us a fantastic place to meet and worship. It’s incredibly difficult to find a venue that has both childcare space and parking, and in this space, we have both! AMEN! (“Sooo Goood!”)

We’ve also seen many people find genuine friendships and start to dive deep in community. This has been a HUGE blessing for us. This past week we celebrated 1 year in Boulder. We absolutely could not do it without the support, encouragement, and love we feel from the local church and amazing friends and family.

We’ve seen people saved and baptized! C’mon!!! There’s no greater joy for me than to see someone say YES to following Jesus. He is the answer, our hope, joy, foundation, and our purpose. We celebrate every soul and we long for the day where we see a long line of people waiting on baptism. Our prayer is that we would see 100 baptisms in the first year of Pinewood Church! Can we pray and believe that together?

I love it when we have a conversation. Feel free to give me a shout back of any kind. I just got back from a conference and their go-to’s were “Wow!” and “Sooo good!”. Ha! I’m not picky, a simple Amen or Hallelujah would be just fine too!

Let’s dive into the message!

Title:We’re continuing our series of talks called Your Best Life. Tonight’s message is titled The 5 Around You.

Intro:Story of Adam at Middle School Camp

Big Idea:Your Best Life is not found in what you do, but who you belong to. (Long Pause)

Passage:Daniel‪3:13-18CSB

“Then in a furious rage Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So, these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire — and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question. If the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”

Background:

Main Points: Characteristics of a Faithful Friend (A Faithful Friend…)

1. Builds Your Faith

a. Show me your 5 closest friends and I’ll show you the next 5 years of your life.

i. You are the sum total of your closest relationships.

ii. “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33

1. You become like those closest to you. Think about that. You’re being influenced more than you would like to admit.

iii. “The one who walks with the wise will be wise, but a companion of fools with suffer harm.” – Proverbs 13:20

b. Convictions come from God, but faithfulness to those convictions comes through Godly and faithful friends

i. “Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” -Hebrews 10:23-25

ii. The beginning of a faithful life is found in the accountability of faithful friends.

iii. Accountability is simply men and women holding each other accountable to the convictions they hold from God.

iv. Friends aren’t meant to make us better, they are meant to keep us faithful.

v. Application: Crew in College

1. Year 1 – lonely but searching

2. Year 2 – found it and building

3. Year 3 – growing and flourishing

4. Year 4 – family

2. Restores Your Spirit

a. Shutting out the local body and saying, “I can make it alone” “Stay out of my life, I answer to God alone” is a fool’s errand and can lead to isolation, depression, and ultimately destruction.

i. “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” - Galatians 6:1-2

ii. We are a family that is called to bear each other’s burdens, love each other through every season, and restore each other back to health.

iii. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” - James 5:16

b. Illust: Are you letting people in?

i. Core, Community, Crowd -> Vulnerability, Intentionality, Accountability. What is your level? Or % for each?

ii. “Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.” - Hebrews 3:12-13

c. “You’ll always be as sick as your secrets” - Chris Hodges

d. “You cannot heal that which you hide.” - Rich Wilkerson Jr.

e. “Confession to Jesus brings heavenly healing, confession to man brings earthly healing.” Rich Wilkerson Jr.

3. Protects Your Calling

a. You were never meant to live life alone.

b. You are most vulnerable when you are alone. Notice in the parable of the lost sheep that the shepherd left the 99 to retrieve the 1. Jesus knows that you are most vulnerable to the enemy when you are alone and isolated.

i. “Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8

ii. The devil is looking to steal, kill, and destroy you, and he knows that the best way to do that is to get you isolated and alone.

iii. Illust: Standing on a chair (living my best life)

1. It’s much easier to get pulled down than to pull up.

2. It’s much harder to get pulled down with a crew.

c. “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Walking Points:

1. Start or Join a Crew

a. Crews consist of both smaller gender specific groups that hold each other accountable to core convictions and co-ed groups that meet all over the city to meet and build community and to study God’s Word.

b. The best you is found in a crew!There is an invitation to participate in the bigger vision for Pinewood Church. It’s our vision to see hundreds of crews all over this city. It’s not rocket science. You don’t have to be a trained expert. You don’t have to be a super Christian.

c. God is not looking for the able, but the available.He’s not looking for the skilled or prophetic, He can use you where you are, in the season that you are in, and with the people that you know to start something that could change and transform this city for God’s glory!

2. Show Up

a. Consistency builds community. You cannot show up once or twice and expect there to be instant lifelong relationships.

b. Show up, be present, and keep showing up. You’ll be surprised at the power in showing up.

c. You don’t find community, you build it. - Unknown

3. Lean In

a. By leaning in, I mean, ask real questions. Tell me about your life, dreams, story, past, hurts, hobbies! Lean in and listen.

b. Leaning in does not mean dominate. Leaning is a posture of learning and listening. Let’s be a people that listens well and leans in to the harder questions that most people glance or glaze over!

c. The formula for “Lean in” is intentional + Vulnerable = Trust Worthy. Let’s lean in and be a people that can be trusted with people’s deepest hurts and secrets.