… as Christ’s Disciples

… the context in which we most naturally grow and express our faith as believers in Jesus Christ. … a loving, biblically-grounded community of faith is a safe nest for the nurture and development of young Christians and emerging leaders.

a multi-national congregation. … a multi-national congregation. … a multi-cultural congregation. … a multi-generational congregation. … a scattered church geographically. … a local church with a high mobility and transience. People come and go frequently. People stay for just a short time.

 We have to work harder at building community.  We must be more intentional.  The payoff is that… when we overcome these challenges…, it will be very clear that God is our God!

 We easily become isolated.  We may become lonely.  We can become fearful.  We may become easy targets for temptation.  Our perspective may lack balance and become dangerously skewed. “Alone I have seen many wonderful things, none of which are true!” - African proverb

 We can become suspicious.  We need to have others speak into our lives… to be challenged  about the way we think.  about the way we live.  about the way we work.  From time to time we need to hear warnings, corrections and rebukes.  Often, when we gather as groups, the Lord speaks truth to us that we all need to hear.

“There are certain people… who enable us to be as we have never been before.” - Edward Farrell

 Who coaches you?  Who stretches your mind?  Who listens to and encourages your dreams?  Who will protect you?  Who are those who share your tears?  Who rebukes you?  Who plays with you?  Who is it that seeks after God with you?

What does God’s Word say about why we should choose to live life together?

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” - John 17:20-23

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35

How many times does He need to tell us? “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13: Three times?

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. - Romans 13: 8 Four times?

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.” - 1 Peter 1:22 Would five be sufficient?

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” - 1 Peter 3:8 Or perhaps six?

“And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.” - 2 John 1:5 Would seven be enough!

Just to be sure we get the message that we need to love one another, in one short book, First John, the Lord delivers the message five more times!

“For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” - 1 John 3:11 “And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.” - 1 John 3:23

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” - 1 John 4:7 “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” - 1 John 4:11 “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” - 1 John 4:12

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” - Hebrews 10:24-25

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

“The authorities’ greatest mistake was to keep us together, for together our determination was reinforced. We supported each other and gained strength from each other.” “The authorities’ greatest mistake was to keep us together, for together our determination was reinforced. We supported each other and gained strength from each other.” - Nelson Mandela

There are multiple opportunities to do life together as Danube International Church.  to worship together Sunday morning service (10:30-12:00AM) Danube PM here on Saturday evenings monthly As families during devotions In small groups

 to pray together At the platform on Sundays before the service begins DIC Elder prayer on Mondays at noon at CRU-Budaőrs At the Gibson’s in Tőrőkbalint each Wednesday evening at 7:00 As friends, couples and families In small groups

 to serve together On worship teams On Elder and Deacon Boards Among Senior citizens in Diósd regularly At the orphanage in Velence at Christmas time During missions & outreach opportunities As small groups

 to grow together Adult Sunday School Children’s Sunday School DIC Youth group As families In small groups

 to share life together over a meal DIC African Fellowship DIC Body Life events DIC Youth group As families In small groups

Small groups provide an excellent opportunity for each of us to enjoy community.

In small groups, we seize the moment…  to share life with one another  to reflect the love of Christ for one another  to develop relationships of trust in environments of grace  to express and develop skills and spiritual gifts  to have on-going exposure to the truth of God’s Word  to pray for one another

As you leave the auditorium today, you’ll receive a list of the current and upcoming small group opportunities offered through Danube International Church and those who attend our fellowship. If one of these opportunities doesn’t fit you, make a suggestion or start a group.

Get in touch with Todd Hiltibran, our elder responsible for body life, or Helen Vaughan, our small groups coordinator, for further information or if you have any questions. You can find their contact information in the church bulletin each week.

 The Lord intends for us to do life together as Christ’s disciples, in fact He demands it.  We grow best when we’re rubbing shoulders and living life-on-life with others.  We need to have others speak into our lives… to be challenged about the way we think, live and work. We need to hear warnings, corrections and rebukes from time to time.  “There are certain people… who enable us to be as we have never been before.”