3 - Performance
Cadence • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 7 viewsBig Idea: We see rhythm and cadence in all aspects of life, including our fellowship and relationship with others. But the dance, or performance, of relationship and community needs a healthy rhythm just as much as the cosmos and the individual.
Notes
Transcript
SLIDE: Scripture
Galatians 5:25 (NLT)
25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.
VIDEO: Bumper
SLIDE: Title
Introduction
Introduction
Welcome back to week 3 of our 4 week sermon series, Cadence. Cadence is a word we often associate with rhythm. The actual definition of cadence is a modulation in reading aloud as implied by the structure and ordering of words and phrases in written text. And if you remember back to week 1, you’ll know that while this definition describes reading out loud, you can also find cadence in music, creation, and as we talked about last week… Every individual on earth.
Cadence is everywhere. And one of the most important places you’ll find it is in the rhythm of relationships with others.
Today we’re going to take a deeper look at how our individual lives find divine strength and encouragement in the rhythm of fellowship with others. Or said another way, the cadence of community.
Just like the cosmos, or your calendar, there are both healthy and unhealthy rhythms in relationship with others. Thankfully, the bible gives followers of Jesus some very clear instruction about fellowship, community, and relationships. Actually, much of the Old and New Testaments deal with issues of relationship between groups, neighbors, and cultures. So, while this isn’t exactly “breaking news,” thinking about relationships in terms of rhythm and cadence isn’t something we often do.
Let’s get started...
Main Teaching
Main Teaching
Have you ever been to a play or musical? Take the timeless Christmas ballet, The Nutcracker, for example… It’s a beautifully choreographed “dance” between actors and dancers. At times, sweeping in its scope of musicality and movement and intimately precise at others. That’s exactly how the cadence of relationship works in our lives. Sweeping and robust at times, intimate and precise at others.
It’s a dance we all must learn, and like most things in life, some catch on more quickly than others.
The Dance
The Dance
Abigail Brenner M.D.
“Similar to learning and practicing dance steps and moves, the “dance” of relationships, how we engage and interact with another, has its own set of steps, tempo and rhythm that are necessary in order to negotiate the moves between people. Sometimes these steps are verbalized, openly stated so that the people involved understand what is expected of them in the relationship. Sometimes these steps are never discussed, so it’s the actions between people that define what is going on in the relationship.” [1]
If what this author/psychologist is saying is true, then there are certain “rules” and “practices” commonly accepted when dancing or when negotiating a relationship. And when speaking specifically of relationships I generally mean fellowship and community with others. There are acceptable and time-honored practices involved that we either adhere to or not.
Like bringing a gift to a wedding.
Like showing up on time when agreeing to meet with a friend.
Like responding to a text message or voicemail in a timely manner.
These may seem like small things, like inconsequential things, but it’s all the little things that go into the “dance.” In the Nutcracker, it’s every cue, every toe-lift, every note that the orchestra plays...It all works together.
And as we know from Romans 8:28…
“God works all things for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Fellowship is a gift.
Community is a gift.
Rhythm and cadence are gifts that God has woven into our lives.
So, what kind of practices and actions does the Bible prescribe to the fellowship of believers?
Fellowship
Fellowship
We only need to look directly into the beginning of the church to see what their “rhythm” was. Acts 2:42-47 gives us a beautiful picture;
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
When I read this passage, there are so many words and themes that stand out to me; Devotion, teaching, prayer, generosity, praise, and salvation… But I’m curious, what words stand out to you? What practice did the early church have then that sounds appealing to you now? What things do you still see happening in church today?
This passage has long been held as the ideal cadence for Christian community. This is the divine rhythm of fellowship with others...immortalized for us in the hallowed pages of the Bible for every new generation to read afresh.
Curry’s Rhythms -
* Communion is the first Sunday of each month
* Bible Study is every Wednesday at 6:30 PM
* Men’s Group meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM
* Ladies Club meets the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM
* Movie Night is the third Saturday of each month at 6:30 PM
* We have regular missions / outreach projects throughout the year
* Mental Health boxes
* We adopt a family for Thanksgiving and Christmas
* We collect items for Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas
Child
We have a rhythm to our life at Curry’s as our way to stay connected and follow Acts 2:42-47
Now, as much as we think and talk about the specific things we do when we come together it's equally, if not more important, to talk simply about the power of coming together. The passage we just read says that they were gathering together daily. Now on one hand this is very interesting as we consider the daily rhythm in which God created (week 1 sermon) and the daily software that God hard-wired humans with called circadian rhythm (week 2 sermon). While on the other hand it sounds like an impossible ideal to live up to.
Honestly, gathering together daily...How would that even work out?
But instead of thinking about having an actual church service every day, what if you thought more about entering into a time of fellowship with other believers on a daily basis. It could be a coffee date, a phone call, exercising together, Bible study, devotion, book club… these are just a few ideas. I know there are so many others.
SLIDE: Rhythm of Fellowship
The challenge is keeping a healthy rhythm of fellowship in your life even when things get increasingly busy and hectic all around you. There is strength and encouragement in Christian community that you simply won’t find anywhere else.
There’s power when we get together and it looks like the earliest followers of Christ shared fellowship together every single day. And it wasn’t just about sharing time with one another, it was about sharing HIM. Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:20 that, “where two or three gather together in my name, there am I with them.”
SLIDE: Power of Fellowship
Fellowship is powerful because Jesus is there with us and He’s the powerful one. He’s the one who holds the whole thing together. He’s the centerpiece, the cornerstone, the alpha and omega. People may come and go throughout the course of our busy lives, but Jesus is the one we must never forget.
Communion
Communion
When reading the Acts 2 passage you’ll notice that the early church was in the rhythm of sharing meals together. And it would be safe to assume that when sharing meals, they would’ve also shared communion together. And
SLIDE: Communion
Communion is important because communion is where we remember Jesus. Communion is where we commit to remembering HIM whenever we gather together and break bread.
Here are Paul’s words from first Corinthians;
“The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Communion is about remembering Jesus...
His life.
His sacrifice on the cross.
His body, broken for you and me.
His blood, the marker of a new and final covenant between God and man.
His death.
His resurrection.
His promise to return again for His church.
These are realities for the believer that we simply cannot forget. And because communion is implicitly done with others, it follows that we celebrate and remember Jesus together.
Think about it like this; Our common union, the thing that brings believers together all around the world through the millennia, is Jesus Christ. And communion is our opportunity to remember Him, together, every time we gather.
A Christ-honoring and remembering cadence is an incredibly important rhythm to keep in our lives. There are too many distractions and interruptions throughout the day… too many opportunities to push Jesus to the background. And unfortunately, this is exactly what the devil wants from us… to be too busy, too distracted, and too frantic to ever have time to sit down with others and remember Christ together.
The Invasion of Sin
The Invasion of Sin
As many of you here already know, sin invaded humanity at the very beginning. And unfortunately, it’s effects continue to plague humanity today. The work of Christ on the cross was sufficient to restore our eternal relationship with the Father, but as for the pervasive nature of sin, we must wait until Christ returns for His church and establishes His rule and reign for all time.
So, what does this invasion have to do with cadence? A lot in fact, and as an example let’s just consider the 2 things we talked about here today, fellowship and communion.
Think for a moment how difficult it can be to simply get to church. Or, why is it that you and your significant other seem to have a recurring argument 1 hour before church every Sunday? Is it possible that there is opposition to you attending church and having fellowship with others? Is it possible that the devil doesn’t want you here, on a regular basis, learning and praising and praying and communing with others? And if he can disrupt or discourage you from ever getting into the rhythm of fellowship and the cadence of community then he’s already got you. He knows the power of the gathered church and he definitely knows how important it is that we come together regularly to remember Jesus.
And not the exact same, but equally destructive is when coming to church and gathering with other believers simply becomes a performance that you play your part in every week. No conviction, no passion, just showing up and playing the part of a good and dutiful Christian.
I cannot imagine a lukewarm actor on Broadway would last very long, and similarly, a lukewarm Christian who’s lost the passion for their “first love” is heading to a very destructive end.
SLIDE: Invasion of Sin
Sin wants to invade your relationship with Christ. The devil wants to interrupt your fellowship and disrupt your community. But we must stand strong. We cannot let the devil “cut in” as we dance in relationship with Christ, the Church, and other believers in our lives.
As the apostle Paul says so pointedly in Hebrews 12:1-3;
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Don’t grow weary friends, don’t lose heart. And don’t let the devil cut in.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Last week I shared a passage with you from 2 Timothy 1:7 that I’d like to bring up again;
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
SLIDE: Truth for Your Life
Setting up healthy rhythms in our lives takes an immense amount of discipline. It takes focus, intention, and perseverance.
Thankfully one of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to help us have Godly discipline. And as we walk with God, in step with the Spirit, we can enjoy the fruits of the relationship.
I’d like to ask you this week to consider your relationship rhythm. What does your cadence with the community look like?
Is it a life giving dance in which you feel in step with others, with the church, and with Jesus. Or is something out of place? Have you let the devil “cut in” and disrupt your rhythm?
When is the last time you took communion and really focused on remembering who Jesus is and how He sacrificed His life for yours.
And for those in the room who are simply showing up, playing their perceived part in the performance, I’d ask you to stop today and consider why. Did something happen? Did a relationship go the wrong way, is there unforgiveness, are you simply bored? Whatever the case maybe I can assure you that a complacent and lukewarm relationship with Christ and the church is not the Father’s best for you. His best is that you would flourish within the healthy relationships and rhythms He’s given.
His best is that our individual lives would find divine strength and encouragement in the rhythm of fellowship with others.
The cadence of community.
Let’s pray together.
Prayer: “Jesus please open our eyes to the relationships around us and give us strength to enter into a healthy rhythm and cadence with others.”
[1] https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-flux/201607/the-dance-relationship
