Authentic Community > Independent Living

Show me your friends and I will show you your future.

Proverbs 13:20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.

Acts 9:26-28

26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[a] but they tried to kill him. 30 When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

1. Life is better together.

Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

2am Friends

Acts 11 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

 29 The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

2. Learns from one another. 

3. Gives generously.

“Therefore I urge you to imitate me. That is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which is exactly what I teach everywhere in every church.” 1 Corinthians 4:16-17

Refrigerator Rights

Acts 13 1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

4. Lives on mission.

 “If you want to run fast, run alone. If you want to run far, run together.” -unknown

“If we’re going to make disciples and move out in mission, we need to go from managing boundaries to integrating family and mission into one life, a cohesive framework and fabric that empowers a culture of discipleship and mission, not just occasional events and periodic programs.” 

- Mike & Sally Breen, Family On Mission

Forging Friendships

2 Timothy 4:9-22

 “We are born looking for someone looking for us.” Curt Thompson

Main idea: Friendship is forged by grace and love as we do life together.

(Read through the passage commenting as we walk through it)

9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.

14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

16 At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

19 Greet Priscilla and Aquila and the household of Onesiphorus. 20 Erastus stayed in Corinth, and I left Trophimus sick in Miletus. 21 Do your best to get here before winter. Eubulus greets you, and so do Pudens, Linus, Claudia and all the brothers and sisters.

“One sometimes meets super-spiritual people who claim that they never felt lonely and have no need for friends, for the companionship of Chirst satisfies all their needs. But human friendship is the loving provision of God for mankind.” – John Stott

7 applications from Paul to forge those friendships with grace and love.

Have an inner circle.

Be transparent.

Reconcile quickly.

Don’t blame others.

Avoid dangerous people.

Stay connected. 

Be active in the church. 

“When our spirit is lonely, we need friends. When our body is cold, we need clothing. When our mind is bored, we need books. To admit this is not unspiritual; it is human.” –John Stott

Running Through the Tape

2 Timothy 4:6-8

1. Present situation

Phillippians 1:3 “I have the desire to depart and be with Christ.”

Romans 8:18 “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Charles Spurgeon, “To come to thee is to come home from exile, to come to land out of the raging storm, to come to rest after long labor, to come to the goal of my desires and the summit of my wishes.”

2. Past victories

There is a battle to fight.

There is a purpose to live.

Hebrews 12:1b “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”

There is a treasure to guard.

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” 2 Timothy 1:14

3. Future glory

2 Timothy 1:12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

How is your faith?

Are you focused on the Creator or his creation?

What does your faith cause you to do?

We should all look for ways to

Inspire

Equip

Pray

Give

Go

Send

Tell Everyone

2 Timothy 4:1-5

Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18.

2 Timothy 4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word

Proclaim the truth of Scripture as one who will be held accountable. 

1 Timothy 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

“be prepared in season and out of season”

2. Be ready to preach the truth of Scripture.

“Correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 

3. Preach the Scriptures with a broken heart.

3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

4. We preach the Gospel in a hostile environment.

 “Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten.” -- Zinzendorf 

The Bible

2 Timothy 3:14-17

 “Christianity is the religion of a Book.” – Arthur Pink

“At any price give me the book of God. Let me be a man of one book.” – John Wesley

The nature of Scripture is divine.

“I have a fundamental belief in the Bible as the Word of God, written by those who were inspired. I study the Bible daily.” Isaac Newton

The unique revelation of Jesus.

Claims it is from God.

Fulfillment of prophecy.

The power of the message.

The unity of the message.

Trans-cultural appeal of the message.

The honesty of the bible. 

VIII.Superiority to other literature.

Pragmatic test of experience.

The translation process.

The purpose of Scripture revelation.

Believe

Act

“The bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the bible.” Dwight L. Moody

The effect of Scripture is powerful.

Saves you

Equips you

“Scripture is the chief means which God employs to bring ‘the man of God’ to maturity.” John Stott

Last Days

2 Timothy 3:1-9

The folly of lovers of self.

The fakeness of lovers of self.

The failure of lovers of self.

Make Your Life Count

2 Timothy 2:22-26

1. Cleanliness is necessary for usefulness.

20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

2. The privilege of useless is tied to the pursuit of righteousness.

22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 

3. Righteousness leads to effective evangelism.

23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

The Unashamed Workman

2 Timothy 2:14-19

Stay Hungry

• TAWG

• PRAY

• COMMUNITY

John 17:17

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

It's ok to have questions, it's not ok to push your speculations.

A good worker:

• Stays hungry

• Stays focused

• Stays sharp

What is your next step with Jesus?                  .