East Bay Fellowship

Small Groups – A Pathway to Destiny

Text: Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

INTRODUCTION

We have a fresh commitment to your future destiny by encouraging and developing two types of small groups: organic and organized

1) Let us consider one another

It means to gaze intently, not in an unhealthy, perverted sort of way but to do so with a genuine desire to enter someone else’s world.

And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."

So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.

Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."

And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  – Acts 3:4-7 (NKJ)

2) Let us spur one another on toward love and good deeds

Other Bible versions say it this way…to stimulate, to stir up, and the old King James says to provoke one another

It means to be the kind of person who has taken the time to gaze into someone else’s life and know the next step for them to take in their walk with God.

Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.

And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

 – Acts 15:39-41 (NKJ)

3) Let us encourage one another

It means to invite someone into your life in order to be whatever help they happen to need.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

– 2 Corinthians 1:3-6 (NIV)

CONCLUSION

Small groups are all about caring relationships:

●  Being willing to enter someone else’s world

●  Creatively encouraging others to grow

●  Coming alongside and sharing what God has given us

Bible Reference Legend

NIV New International Version

NKJ New King James Version