Exposing One of the Greatest Killers of True Community

Podcast – Crossroads Church

This week Steve talked about the importance of vulnerability and that nothing hidden can be healed unless the Gospel sparks vulnerability which leads to freedom and true community.

Exposing One of the Greatest Killers of True Community

(Hebrews 4:12-16, 10:24-25)

8 Community Values:

Biblical

Humble

Vulnerable

Teachable

Accountable

Unoffendable

Faith-FULL

Missional

These all together define true community as modeled and taught in the scriptures. There is an order of maturing from biblical to missional. We are on this journey and working at getting these values taught and modeled within all of our groups that meet. Please “commit” to one of our community offerings! True transformation and spiritual growth cannot happen without this commitment – and it is a commitment. Nowhere in the Bible does it ever to allude to the possibility that someone can be a follower of Jesus who just attends a once a week church service – Church is not what we attend, it is who we are!!

Read Hebrews 4:12-16; 10:24-24:

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

10:24-25

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

The lack of vulnerability is one of the greatest killers of a true community because it fosters lies and isolation and a fake relationship with God

(Heb 4:12-16, 10:24-25)

Vulnerability: definition

Susceptible

Weakness

Defenselessness

Helplessness

Openness

Exposure

Liability

Without adequate protection

Extremely susceptible

Physically or psychologically weak

Open to attack

Secrets kill, they are eventually exposed

Secrets put us in bondage to shame and guilt – they control us – they make us do things we would never think of doing before –

Secrets relationally isolate us

Deal with our relational silos today and the problem of bringing two people together with hidden unhealed secrets

Vulnerability sparked by the Gospel of Jesus Christ strengthens community because it breaks the bondage of lies and isolation and instills confidence in our relationship with God

(Hebrews 4:12-16; 10:24-25)

4:13, we are all naked-exposed before God and “laid bare” before Him – this word is unique in the NT and means “to bend back the neck like in wrestling” in others words sooner or later in all our wrestling with God we are pinned to the mat and everything exposed and held in account before Him – isn’t this the very essence of vulnerability? It is a recognition we no longer are going to wrestle with God and try and hide from Him, hide our stuff from Him and others. Call people to stop their wrestling with God, they’re doubting Jesus’ uniqueness and sufficiency, their disappointment with God, their bitterness and anger and turn to the throne of grace.

4:7, the main lesson we should learn from those who were in the wilderness is that if we hear His voice we should not harden our hearts – this is hiding from God, this is isolating from God and His people, this is unbelief and it will keep us from rest and the way to rest which is the Gospel of Jesus.