Better Together

You can be surrounded by people and still feel completely alone. But God never designed us to live as spiritual lone wolves.

Through Hebrews 10:19–25 and Acts 2:42–47, we explore why Christian community matters—for healing, growth, encouragement, and endurance. We talk honestly about discouragement, unanswered prayers, and why gathering together is a lifeline, not a rule.

Like redwoods whose interlocking roots help them withstand storms, we’re stronger together. If you’ve felt disconnected or busy, this is an invitation to reconnect, find community, and do faith together.

Who’s someone you can encourage this week?

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Transcript

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God Never Designed Isolation

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Amen. Praise God. Hallelujah. God never intended us to be alone in our lives, right? When you were born onto this earth, understand this. When you were born onto this earth, you were born into a family. You like it or not, you did not have the power to choose which family you were born into, where you were born into, what will be the circumstances that you will be born, but you were born into a family. Amen. When you come to Jesus, when you have asked Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you were born into his family. You like it or not. That means there is no role called isolation. There is no place called I can live by myself. I have the power to stand strong. I can walk by myself. In the kingdom of God, this pattern doesn't work. In the kingdom of God, God has asked us or called us into his kingdom, which is the family, the family of God. Now we must understand how this family operates, how God wants us to live this life. How he wants us to walk the walk in his family. Now many times we come to God on our terms and conditions. It's okay, you can tell God. But when you come into the kingdom of God, right? The church at large, he has designed a plan. He has a pattern that we must be able to glean in from the word of God and receive it into our lives. Am I talking about community? Yes. Am I talking about belonging to the family? Yes. Am I talking about being part of a life group? Yes, very much so. This

Better Together In God’s Family

SPEAKER_00 2:26

title that I've put this morning for the sermon, Better Together. Amen. God's design for his church, his family. Turn to your neighbor and tell them better together. Come on, everybody, better, better together. We are trying to understand the design of God's family. Let's turn our Bibles to Hebrews chapter 10, verses 19 onwards to 25. Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and a living way opened for us through the curtain, that is his body. And since we have a great high priest or great priest over the house of God, the house of God, we have a priest. Verse 22. Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings. Having a heart sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilt conscious and having our bodies washed with pure water. Verse 23, let us hold unswearingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Verse 25, not giving up, meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another, and all the more you see the day is approaching.

Why Hebrews Speaks To Discouragement

SPEAKER_00 4:29

Now, if you understand this book called Hebrews, the writer is addressing a group of people. Hebrews are a group of people called by God. They chose also to follow God, leaving all that they have, right? And he's writing to them to the people who decided to follow Christ, right? And then if you go through this whole uh book, you'll understand, right? The believers were going through an incredible difficult season in their lives. He's addressing them, he's encouraging them to hold on to what the Lord has done. Out of their own backgrounds, out of their own ideas and philosophies, they leave everything, they decide to follow Christ. Following Jesus was not easy. Many had been rejected by their families because of their faith. Some of these things we can relate to in our time. Some had lost their possessions, others were facing persecution simply because they had chosen to follow Christ. Under that kind of pressure, some believers were becoming discouraged. Even in our lives, in our time, if there is persecution, if there are problems, it is easy to get discouraged. We want to follow Christ, we want to belong to Christ, we want to follow the word of God, but the things of the world, the things that come upon us, sometimes they discourage us. They were facing the same. Some were growing spiritually tired. It's easy for us to also get tired. Others were drifting away from faith altogether because the old way seemed a lot easier. From where we left, that seemed a lot easier. Or probably that is better. Now these are the group of people who decided to follow Christ, leaving their own religions and backgrounds. They are following Christ. And Hebrews, the writer to Hebrews, is saying, right, Jesus has done something good, you know, that we need to learn and understand. So throughout this letter, we understand one great truth, and that is Jesus is better. Now, why do we say that? Right? Jesus is the high priest, and Jesus established a better covenant. He offered perfect sacrifice for sin. So Jesus is better. Unlike the sacrifices in the Old Testament that had to be offered over and over again, Jesus Himself offered himself once for all because of his finished work on the cross, our sins are forgiven, our guilt is removed, and we can come into God's presence with confidence. So this chapter is actually talking about you will go through difficult times, you will be in a process, right? But the encouragement is that you and I follow the word of God. Follow Jesus Christ. Don't give up following Christ. Don't go back in your walk with God. He's encouraging them. Jesus is better, his sacrifice is the best. Just stick to him. The work of saving us is finished. The work of saving us, Jesus said it is finished. His work on earth is finished. That's why you know we read in the scripture, He ascends into the heavens and the Holy Spirit is here with us. Amen. But the work of changing us continues. None of us can say, I have arrived. I know everything. I the Lord has worked completely in my life. I am ready. None of us can say that. And the scripture that we have just read, until appearing of the Lord, until the day of appearing of the Lord, the work of Christ will continue in our lives. As we go through this process and wait for the coming of the Lord, wait for the Lord's return, we are asked to follow Christ by not giving up. Even when there are hardships, even when there are difficult times. We all want to live easy and comfortable lives. Praise God. Yes, we want to. God is willing to bless us. But there are times in our lives, our lives are challenged. And at times we want to think backward. But this scripture is encouraging. Stay put to the faith that you have put in. Don't look back. Christ is better. His sacrifice is final. Receive that. Continue to run the race. Going back to my scripture that I've read from Hebrews chapter 10, verse 19. It starts with this word called therefore. Somebody say, therefore. Everybody say, therefore. Why does that word therefore come in that place? The reason being he is talking about something has actually happened before. Now, because all this has happened, therefore, therefore is the scripture, the word that is being used. What is it saying? Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. Jesus has done everything for you that you can walk in the will and the way. Jesus has saved you, He has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous life. Now, therefore, that's how it starts.

Three Responses To Jesus’ Finished Work

SPEAKER_00 11:36

Now, when it says, Therefore, there is a response. What is looking at? Number one, there are three responses that I'd like to talk about today. Verse 22. Draw near to God. The writer is saying, Jesus has done everything, you are in the kingdom of God. Draw near to God. How close are to your Lord today? How closely are you walking with your Lord today? He's encouraging you. Come close to him, know him, understand him. The beauty of the gospel. Our acceptance before God is not based on our performance. I don't know how your week was. Maybe you walked with the Lord and you had really an amazing time. But there probably are people who struggled through go through that process. You felt weak, you felt defeated, you felt lost. It is not based on your drawing to God, entering into his not presence. It is not based on our performance, it is purely based on what Christ has done. He is encouraging, come closer, come closer. Let nothing stop you, your unbelief or your problems. Let it not stop you. Allah to come closer. Number two, hold on unswearingly to the hope we profess. This is verse 23. Hope is easy when everything is going well. But it is much harder when prayers are unanswered, when circumstances become difficult, when following Jesus costs us something. That's exactly what these new believers were experiencing when the writer is writing to them. The writer doesn't tell them, hold on, because they are strong enough. Just hold on, you know you are strong enough. No, no, no. He is telling them, please hold on because God is faithful. Hold on because he is faithful. Hold on to that word, hold on to that hope called Jesus that you put your faith on, irrespective of what you're going. Hold on. Because of him, not because of your strength, not because of your background. He's encouraging them. Hold on to that hope and not give up. The third point I would like to talk about, spur one another. And this is where I'd like to spend a little bit of time on. Spur

Spur One Another Toward Good

SPEAKER_00 14:52

one another on. Verse 25. Let us, verse 24 and 20, let us consider. Somebody say, 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 as more, all the more as you see, the day is approaching. So in the scripture, we see spur one another towards love and good deeds. So what am I doing this morning? I'm spurring you, I'm encouraging you, I'm thinking about you. We got to stop just thinking about ourselves. We can be caught up in the world about, you know, with what is happening in our own lives, and you know, uh, this is about me, this is about my life, this is about yes, we all have it, my friend, but the Bible is saying in in the in the uh uh chapter in Hebrews chapter 10, let us spur one another. Did you call somebody and say, Come on, let's go to life group? Or only pastors are doing it for you? Spur one another for good deeds, going to a life group belonging to church, belonging to company is a good deed, my friend. What is the good deed you have done for somebody? That helped them in the Lord, that helped them to build their spiritual life. What is the good deed? Spur, encourage somebody. Don't just always be in a space that you're looking, who will encourage me, who will pray for me, who will stand with me, my friend, church is with you. But we also have in all that we are going through, that we encourage somebody to do good deeds. Second thing, do not give up meeting together. Turn to your neighbor and tell them, do not give up meeting together. Some people obeyed, is it? I thought this is the house of the Lord where obedience is the key. Come on, everybody, do not give up meeting together. Do not give up. In the first century, when this was written, there were believers who had slowly drifted away from the community. Anybody thinking like that? Drifting, trying to drift away from the community? They were doing that. And notice the phrase, and some are in the habit of doing it. Withdrawing from the community. The way the the design of God is we belong to the family. So when the disciples went to Jesus and asked them, Lord, teach us to pray. What did the Lord Jesus tell them? Hello, church. Our father, he directly communicated, told them, We are a family. You have a father. You must belong to this family. You cannot live like an orphan. Probably for a period of time, you will have that spirit of orphan. But until and unless you don't belong to the family, you will live in isolation. That's why when I started, I told you that you can be in this group of people, sing songs, worship the Lord, yet go back all alone because your issue is not addressed. Some are in the habit of doing. What is a good habit, church? In the context, good habit is coming together. They were contemplating of moving out. Life is better together. That's how God designed how the kingdom of God will function. Do not let isolation become your habit. Instead, make gathering with God's people your habit. What was the pattern that they followed? How we can be encouraged to understand the design of God when He talks about church, when He planned the church, how He wants the church to function.

The Early Church Blueprint In Acts

SPEAKER_00 20:13

Amen. So the best thing to do is to go back and understand how the early church started, how the early church functioned. What are the things that they did that we can learn and we can follow? Acts chapter 2, verse 42 onwards. I'm going to go script verse by verse, so let's pay attention. They devoted themselves. Hello, church. They who ask your neighbor who? Who? Who devoted? They no no go to the script. They who are they? The people who following Christ, who believe that Jesus died and rose again. Right? Are you part of that group? Do you believe that? He's talking to us. So they devoted themselves to apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Let's understand this. You must devote yourselves to the teachings, to the word of God. You have to draw more close to God. This was the pattern we see in the early church. They devoted themselves to the teachings and then also to the fellowship. Then they also broke the bread and they also prayed. We all have this in church. Do you all know that? I said, church, do you know we all we have all of this in church? Who should be devoted? We should be devoted. That should come from within us. Let's go to the next verse, verse 43. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. So while they were gathering together, miracles are taking place. Come on, healings are taking. A lot of good things were happening. And we believe the same is with us. Right? Let's go to the next verse, verse 44. All the believers. Hello, church. Only the few, only few believers. All the believers. Wow. Somebody say, Wow. We're together. You know the significance of the church is being together. So that means there's a tall person, there are tall people here, short people, and right? There are various kinds of backgrounds, people, right? Various kind of understanding and philosophical people. Not everybody may like me. Not everybody may go with me. But the the good thing is, but I like you still. I want you to be together. You understand? The good thing here was there were people with problems. Just take the classic example of Jesus and his disciples. Why Jesus chose 12? The Bible is very clear he picked the twelve. He could have done his mission by himself and he could have left the earth just like that. But he chose the twelve, right? He worked with the twelve, knowing that the twelve had their own ideas and philosophies. And there was one guy scheming and planning. How I should put this person in a problem. Jesus knew about it, yet still he chose to work with that person. That is church. That means in church there will be times and situations where we will not have it as comfortable as we would like it to be. But the good thing is the Bible talks about, if you read the epistles, how many times the Bible says one another, one another, one another. Hello? That is church. If you are not considering others, if you are not together with others, probably this is not the church that we are part of. Go back to the scripture. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Come on, now tell me how it is possible. Everybody coming from such a diff different, difficult back, how we can become common. Tell me. It is not possible. But the early church, it talks about they everything that they had was common. That means I'm willing to forgive. That means I'm willing to accommodate. That means I'm willing to love irrespective of what the person is all about. That is when we can come to a place where we can say that we are all at a place called common. They sold property, possessions to give to everyone who had a need. Sacrifice. That means they were willing to think about others' needs. If we are not in that role and position, no, then we are always self-thinking people. But the Bible talks about church, which is so different. They were thinking about others. That means I have something. I can help that brother, help that sister. They were doing that. Verse 46.

Shared Life Through Homes And Groups

SPEAKER_00 26:57

Every day, every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and they ate together with glad and sincere hearts. What do you understand by this church? Every day. I said you all can smile. Every day. Now you might say, Pastor, how on earth is possible every day? Yeah, I know it's not possible. Sunday we all take time to create. But can you take time out one hour in a week for others to be a part of the community? Can you think to bless somebody? Maybe you have a talent, maybe you have a gift. Is it lying idle, my friend? Or is it only consumed with itself? Think about it. What did the early believers do? They embraced both. They embraced both. No, no, Sunday is fine. I'll go. No, I I worship the Lord Sunday. I my work is done. Finished. But Monday to Saturday. They were meeting together, breaking the and in homes. That's why at church at Hope Unlimited, we have the life groups. We are not just focusing just on a Sunday service, which is doing a great job. But my encouragement for all of you, this is the pattern that you see in the word of God. They embraced both. Wow. I like this scripture. Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. The early believers, their focus was what? Community. Their focus was being together to worship the Lord. To make time. They are not idle people, by the way. Like today, we can say, No, I'm busy, I'm working like this. They are also working, you know, they are to feed their families. No different. We are the same. Just like them. And the Lord added to their number on Sundays. Huh? I'm wondering if you're all seeing the scripture or not. It's been put. And the Lord. Come on now. Somebody say, and the Lord. Right? Sometimes you get, oh my God, I called, I did this, and I'm not seeing the result at all. Don't worry. Turn to your name and say, Don't worry. I'm not seeing the numbers. Don't worry. Come on. And the Lord will come into that scene. When the brothers dwell in unity, the Lord will command a blessing. And the Lord added to their number daily. Daily. If you're not middling daily, the Lord is not adding by the way. He's only doing on Sundays. But if you want the Lord to do his work on every day, daily basis, so please meet up together. Open your homes. Lead a life group. Belong to a community. You and I must be able to embrace both together. I don't know how many of you know about that, but I read about this. I'd like to share it with you all on the importance of togetherness. Many times we struggle is because we are in isolation. We fight our own battles. Nobody in church knows that you have a problem. And you think there are miracle workers here. He does not know anything about me. I've he that they don't pray for me. It's easy to say that. Go tell somebody. Can you please pray for me? Can you help me? I'm I'm just struggling. Don't just be in an attitude that everybody here standing here knows everything about. No, nothing they know about you until you come and tell them. To an extent they may, the Lord reveals, they will stand with you. But you commit. There's a great pastor's team here. Ministry that happens here. Get connected, be devoted to what the Lord is calling you to. If you really want to be victorious when you face your storms in life, you cannot stand alone in isolation and believe, Lord, why nothing is happening in my life? Haven't I given my tithes and offerings? No, you did that part. Praise God. But let's understand this as I go through this small article about the redwood trees. The giant

Redwood Roots And Staying Strong

SPEAKER_00 33:18

redwood trees in California. They are among the tallest trees in the world. Some grow over 300 feet tall and have stood for hundreds and even sometimes even thousands of years. When people first learn about them, they often assume they must have incredibly deep roots. If the tree has to stand so tall, then the roots have to be really deep. But understand this about these trees. Surprisingly, they don't. Their roots usually reach only six feet to ten feet into the ground. But how are they surviving the winds and the storms in their these trees? How are they able to take all the pressure in life? And it's very much applicable to us. Their secret is not that they grow deeper than every other tree, their secret is that they grow together. Their roots spread outward and interlock with the roots of the trees around them. Each tree strengthens the next. I don't know if I might have yeah. Each tree strengthens the next. Some of you are not deeply rooted. But how will you stand when the storm hits you, my friend? You will utterly fall. But if you have to stand strong, be interconnected. You men are not like the other person, it's okay. We walk together, trying to understand by participating and practicing the principles in the word of God, by forgiving, by encouraging, by praying, we interlock ourselves together, and that is when we stand. When storm comes, they stone, they don't they don't stand because one tree is strong enough on its own. They stand because they are connected. Are you connected, church? I said, are you connected to the community? Psalm 133. You all know this passage very well. The secret for the blessing in the church, the early church, was community getting together and becoming strong. And here Psalm Psalmist says how good and pleasant is when is when is when God's people live together in unity and then verse two it is like running down air and spirit verse three for there where no no see the scripture where say there is there for there there is talking about when brothers come and dwell in unity there the Lord bestows, commands his blessing, even life, the life that you long for, the life that you're looking for, the blessing, the miracle, the healing you're looking for sometimes is connected, interlinked with your community. Amen.

Unity Where God Commands Blessing

SPEAKER_00 37:43

Going back to my scripture, if I can have Chris and team the worship band, please. Going back to Hebrews chapter 10, the last scripture that I read, verse 25. Can we all read together? Verse 25. Not giving up, meeting together as a doing it, but encouraging one another all the day more. The day is approaching, my friend. You like it or not? Amen. So the author, the writer is encouraging. Don't give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing it. Right? I'll go to talk about four groups of people as they set up today, you know, and get ready. Not giving up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging, please put the scripture for me, please. Okay, let me go back to my some are in the habit of, but encouraging one another all the more as you see, the day is approaching.

Four Groups And A Clear Next Step

SPEAKER_00 39:07

Please see this uh image that I have put for you. There are four groups of people that are there that I'd like to talk about. The first group of people are the people, those in life group. God bless you. Those of you who are faithful, God who are part of a community, God bless you for that. Who are life group leaders? God bless you, who are passionately helping the community to grow and be blessed. God bless you. Number two, those who are not connected, take the next step. The life group desk is up there outside. Life group information is available. Please belong to a community. The third group of people is on the left hand side. Those who have drifted because you didn't like that brother, you didn't like that sister, you didn't like that whatever, you felt very uncomfortable, you got hurt, you got rejected, you have a lot of things to talk about, you have drifted away from where you were. The call is come back, come back. You may not like everything that is happening there, but the call is you grow together. Iron sharpens and iron, I think we heard about the scripture today. The more we look at other person as somebody who's against us, please remind yourself that person is there to bless you, the person is there to chisel you, the person is there to make you better. All the more if you look at other people who are trying to put you down, who are trying to discourage you, who are trying to defeat you, they are not. The way you look at this, thank God I'm getting better, thank God my life is changing because this person or this situation or this circumstance. Many times we want to be isolated, we want to be like that. No, I don't know. No, no, touch me. We are all touch me, not people. Don't touch me, don't come near me. But that's not God, that's not the design of God, and that's why we struggle, especially in church. People struggle is because we don't know the design of God. No, I will get hurt, no, I will get discouraged. No, no, I don't like this. It is not everything about us, my friend, it is all about Him. Return with grace. The fourth kind of people who have never followed Jesus or have no relationship with him.

Invitation To Follow Jesus

SPEAKER_00 42:09

I want to invite you into a relationship with Jesus. Amen. If you read this chapter, Hebrews chapter 10, two times, three times, I think four times, the writer uses these two words. What are the two words? Let us how you'll draw near to God, he's not telling you individually. Let us draw near to God, let us hold on unswerving to the hope. Let us, everything is about us, my friend. It is not about me, I, and myself, it is about us. You live for others, you your life is meant to bless, but I'm having a problem myself, brother. Yes, I understand that. In spite of what is happening and where you are, you are called to be a blessing. Let us today. I challenge everybody, belong to the community if you are not part of. People up there may not come and sit here, but they will come to your homes, they will come to eat with you, sit with you, talk with you. You will talk about real estate, you will talk about what's happening in the world. Praise God, God and talk about that at the same time. Talk about what Jesus has done for you, what he can do in your life with others.