Power to Belong

I want to invite you to open your Bible with me to the book of Acts, chapter 2. Acts is right after the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—toward the latter part of your Bible.

We’re in week two of a series called "The Power to…" Last week, we talked about The Power to Witness, and today we’re looking at The Power to Belong. Our world is more connected than ever. You can FaceTime across the globe, scroll through hundreds of highlight reels on social media, and yet feel completely alone. It’s like we’re surrounded by noise but starving for presence. We’re always seeing news reports about recession. Economically, we’re feeling it. But just as concerning as an economic recession, I believe we’re in the middle of a friendship recession as well. According to a study by the Survey Center on American Life and Gallup, the percentage of men with at least six close friends has dropped by half between 1990 and 2021. Today, 36% of all Americans report feeling serious loneliness. That includes 61% of young adults and over half of mothers with young children. SO, THE REPORT IS IN… Loneliness is at an all-time high. Why? Because connection isn’t the same thing as belonging. In his book The Path to Purpose, psychologist William Damon writes, “Belonging is that sense of being somewhere where you can be confident that you will fit in and feel safe in your identity.” Connection gives us contact, but not necessarily confidence. Belonging is what gives us roots. Even Scripture points us here: in Psalm 68:6 it says, "God sets the lonely in families." Not just friendships. Not just acquaintances. Families. That’s what belonging is—a place where you're more than welcomed. You're woven in. You’re rooted. Cared for and you become a family.

So let’s look at Acts 2:42–47. This section gives us the first full picture of what it looked like when the Holy Spirit weaves and creates a new kind of people—a Spirit-shaped community. Are you ready… lets read this together… So they devoted themselves whenever it was convenient on their busy calendars. They came together on time but at different times. They walked into an air-conditioned building and found a comfortable seat. They nodded to the other people in their row, some offered a smile, but they hardly looked at each other again. Instead, they fixed their eyes on the stage. They stood; some of them sang. Then they sat and watched and listened to someone speak for a while until they stood to sing one more time, after which they peeled back some cellophane to uncover a small snack. As soon as they were finished eating and drinking, they got out of there as fast as possible in order to beat the traffic. Then they waited to do it again the next week, or whenever it would work well again with their schedule… and they called it “church.” Is that what you read in acts Acts 2:42–47? To be clear, that is not in the Bible. That is not Acts 2:42–47. Yet, it is how many people experience church today. And I’m not saying the singing, or the teaching, or the air conditioning are wrong. Those things can be good. But if that’s all church becomes—an hour of consumption once a week—we’ve missed something profound. What I want to show you is how the church becomes a true community—not through convenience or comfort. When the people of God draw near to Him and to each other, something powerful happens. Real needs are met. Lives are changed. People are healed. Chains are broken. Hope is restored. And others are sent out—not as spectators, but as Spirit-empowered witnesses. So I want to invite us as a church—not to settle for a watered-down version of church that fits neatly into our schedules, but to pursue what God describes in His Word. To stop seeing church as something we attend and start seeing it as a family we belong to—a mission we live out. That’s what we read in Acts 2:42–47. Let’s look at it together: 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Yes, that’s the church. Don’t you want to be a part of that? Don’t you want to experience that? So let’s talk about it. Let’s talk about what it means to have the power to belong.

After the Holy Spirit fills the room in Acts 2, what was the result? The power to witness… right. We saw that last week. But what happened first? They were united together in prayer. Thats what acts 2: verses 1 says, When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. So in the Spirits prevenient grace before pentecost, the Spirit of God did what… he led them to be in one place, and together, and then what? When Pentecost happened and the Spirit was poured out—what marked this new move of God? The first sign of belonging was proximity.They were together. In one place. United in prayer. I believe that is what the Spirit does. He gathers. And I believe that’s what the Holy Spirit does—He gathers. He draws people together. He draws hearts near. And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you’re here today. I believe the Spirit led you here. In fact, there are probably two kinds of people in the room right now:\ There are those of you being drawn in by prevenient grace—the grace that goes before, that stirs your heart, that led you to show up even if you didn’t fully know why. And then there are others—those of you who have already responded, and now you’re living off of grace—united in prayer, anchored in faith, and still showing up because you know it’s grace that sustains you. Either way—you’re here because the Spirit is moving.

Look at what our main Scripture says, “And all who believed were together…” (Acts 2:44) They were close. Close enough to know each other’s needs. Close enough to share meals. Close enough to share their lives. That’s the beginning of belonging—being together, and showing up in each others lives. And that’s not just Acts—it’s the same pattern we see in the gospels. Lok at how this in Matthew 4. After Jesus comes out of the wilderness, look at what he starts doing… 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. Jesus, the teacher—the rabbi—looked into the eyes of some rugged fishermen and gave them the invitation of a lifetime: “Follow me.” He drew them in with a simple invitation to come close. You see, every Jewish boy longed to hear those words from a rabbi. Follow me. Come and belong. If you were good enough, smart enough, spiritual enough, a rabbi might say, “Come, follow me.” But most boys didn’t make the cut. They went home. They picked up hammers or fishing nets and went to work. So when Jesus showed up on the shore, He wasn’t choosing from the elite. He went to the margins. To the forgotten, the least of these, the invisible people. And he invited them in. That’s why this moment wrecks me—in the best way. Jesus looked at these ordinary boys and said, “Drop what you’re doing. I have something greater for you.” And they did. Immediately. Not because they understood everything. Not because they had it all together. But because they believed that being near Jesus was worth everything they’d have to leave behind. And that’s where I see myself. That’s where maybe you see yourself. Ordinary. Unqualified. Yet called. I don’t understand the Bible. I’m not a theologian… I'm just me. But that’s where Jesus began.. he began with fresh clay. And the first response was what? They dropped everything and came close. I think about this moment, and notice this… He was gathering people who would walk with Him. Live with Him. Learn from Him. Mess up and be restored by him. And even Doubt and still be sent by him. That’s the beauty of proximity. It’s not clean or convenient. It’s simply being willing to show up and be near.. . So they dropped their nets. They walked away from predictable. And they followed Him. And I’ll just say this: some of us want community without commitment. We want deep friendships, but we don’t want to show up. We want to feel like we belong, but we don’t want to be consistent. And have you ever noticed this…… Jesus didn’t ask for maturity. He simply asked for availability. And He’s still asking. Will you show up? Will you stay near? Even when you mess up… will you stay? Listen church, you can’t build real community if you’re always drifting in and out of it.

And here’s the thing about proximity—it eventually leads to vulnerability. Think about it.. when you get close to people, what happens? Masks EVENTUALLY come off. People begin to see the real you. You can’t hide behind performance or fakeness when people are actually in your life. Close to your life. Eventually, the real you will come out. And here me… that’s fine. Be you. Stop trying to be perfect through your hidden imperfection. I was a firefighter and chaplain, and house fires were insane. Especially if we were the entry engine for search and rescue. The guys would get into the engine, and the officer would hit the tape and some heavy metal song would come on over the engine’s speaker. The guys would be sitting in the back, gearing up, getting packs on, adrenaline flowing, knowing we were about to go stare hell’s fire in the face. And then there’s me. Ol’ Pastor-Chaplain Matthew. Gearing up and wanting all of this. And they’d go, “Oh, we can’t curse, pastor is with us today.” And I’d be there, looking at them and saying, “It’s okay… be you.” I tell people, “If you’ll be you, then I will be me.” But knowing the real you helps me know where your heart is and how to walk with you. The early church didn’t just share space. They shared lives. Look again at Acts 2:44–45: “All who believed were together and had all things in common. They were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” That kind of generosity doesn’t happen without vulnerability. Someone had to say, “I have a need.” And someone else had to say, “I can meet it.” A few weeks ago I was at Mike and Laurel’s house and Laurel had made a delicious rhubarb cake. And my mother in law just arrived, and Alicia was home with her, and I said, I have a need. I need to take some of this cake home so that my wife and her mom could enjoy it.. And laurel answered by saying, I can meet that need. And to only did she meet the need, but she gave me rhubarb and the recipe as well. She met the need, and then went behind the need. That only happens when people are willing to, open their hearts, and let each other in. And we see this play out in Jesus’ life, too. Look with me to Matthew 8:23–27. This is the story of the storm. “Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’” These men had been with Jesus. But now they’re afraid. They’re desperate. And in that moment, they cry out—not in polished, proper prayers—but in raw honesty: “Lord, save us!” Think about this.. for a moment… the vulnerability was, I have a need. Lord, save us. And someone else had to say, I can meet it. They were vulnerable. And Jesus didn’t reject them. He responded. “He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.”

Can I just ask… when we gather as the church, do we really think we’ll never experience storms together? You and I both know that’s not true. We’ll face storms of misunderstanding. Storms of disappointment—being let down by someone we trusted. Storms of hardship—financial stress, broken things, broken hearts, people walking away. And how many times does it feel like we’re following Jesus—sincerely obeying His call—only to find ourselves right in the middle of a storm? And in that moment, we run to Jesus, and it feels like… He’s asleep. “Where are You, Jesus? Are You not seeing this? I wouldn’t even be in this boat if You hadn’t called me to it.” You said follow me, and I came.. I obeyed. And now, look at what my obedience got… im scared. Anyone else ever felt that way? Here’s what I’ve learned about faith: There are going to be moments when God doesn’t fix the storm immediately—because He wants us to feel the weight of it, to reach the end of ourselves, and to realize just how much we need Him. I have a need, and its for a savior… and I thank our God that he sent one, Jesus. God leads us into storms to bring us deeper to the Savior. And here’s what I believe God is doing—right in the middle of our storms, and right in the middle of a community of believers who aren’t pretending they’ve got it all together… God is answering our cry, help… by saying, I am here. The issue we face so often is this—we tend to privatize vulnerability. We keep it hidden. We’re afraid to cry in front of others. We’re afraid to show emotion. We’re afraid to make mistakes or ask questions. And why? Because we’re worried. Worried about what others will say. Worried about how we’ll be seen. Worried that being vulnerable will make us look weak. But listen—when a community sweats together, is scared together, gets hurt together… that kind of shared vulnerability builds a deeper intimacy. A real bond. You see this clearly in war. Men who fight for their lives together… who sit in the trenches together… who bleed and suffer and survive together—they form a bond that runs deeper than surface friendships. And the same is true in the church. A flowing, growing, Jesus-centered community requires vulnerability.

So we've talked about proximity—getting close. We’ve talked about vulnerability—getting real. But there's something else the early church shows us: they didn’t just gather and get honest—they practiced together. Look again at Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” They didn’t just meet once a week and then vanish until next time. They had rhythms. Practices. Shared habits of faith. They opened the Word. They broke bread. They prayed. They lived this stuff—together. Because spiritual maturity isn’t accidental—it’s intentional. It’s formed through rhythms, through obedience, through showing up over and over again even when it’s hard. And I love how Jesus models this too—especially in how He calls people into community. LOOK A THIS IN Matthew 9:9–10: “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.” Do you see the pattern? Jesus doesn’t just say, “Follow me,” and then leave Matthew alone to figure it out. No—He invites him into a shared life. A shared table. A new practice of living that involves community, meals, presence, and formation. Now, did you read what happened.. where does He take Matthew next? Straight to the table. A place of forgiveness. Of intimacy. Of belonging. Right? Here is Jesus, newly called to follow, Matthew, the disciples who have already been called, they were in the group already, proximity and vulnerability, and now at a tax collectors house eating with the sinful? Now imagine this—these fishermen grew up memorizing the Torah. They followed the rules. They loved God. And now they’re sitting across from the people they were raised to avoid. Laughing. Eating. Passing bread. And the Pharisees are watching. This is so uncomfortable—but it’s intentional. Jesus is teaching them something powerful: YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH. And this is where Acts 2:42 comes back in: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” You see practicing isn’t about just getting spiritual content, its about spiritual formation. The Spirit wasn’t forming ideas. He was forming a people. Learning to forgive. Learning to serve. Learning to welcome the outcast. Learning to love even when it’s awkward or uncomfortable. Even practicing in front of those who would persecute or mock them. Jesus doesn’t just change who we follow—He changes how we live. And we learn that by practicing together. Doing life together. Being vulnerable together. I love this phrase—the laboratory of holiness. Think about what a laboratory is. It’s a place for testing. For experimenting. For trying… and failing… and trying again. You don’t go into a lab expecting perfection. You go in expecting to learn. And that’s exactly what community is like. We’re learning how to follow Jesus together. We’re learning how to love when it’s hard. How to forgive when it hurts. How to serve when we’re tired. And guess what? Sometimes we get it wrong. Sometimes we lose our patience. Sometimes we hold a grudge. But the beauty of the lab? There’s grace for that. In the laboratory of holiness, God isn’t looking for people who never mess up—He’s looking for people who keep showing up. People who are willing to stay in the room. Stay in the process. Let the Spirit shape them through real relationships. Because holiness isn’t forged in isolation. It’s formed in the messy, beautiful middle of life together.

What are you practicing—and how does that flow over to your family? To your children? Because whether you realize it or not, you’re discipling someone. They’re watching what you do when life is hard. They’re watching how you treat church—whether it’s optional or essential. They’re watching how you show up—or if you don’t. So when we say we’re practicing together, we’re not just talking about what happens in a Bible study. We’re talking about forming a lifestyle that ripples into our homes, into our friendships, into our workplaces.

And let’s look at what kind of reaction this kind of community produces— Because when a church lives out proximity, vulnerability, and shared practice—the result is unmistakable: mission. Spirit-led, others-focused, joy-filled mission. Look again at Acts 2:47: “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” That’s not because Peter had a viral sermon. It’s not because the music was polished. It’s because people saw a different kind of life—a Jesus-shaped, Spirit-formed community—and said, “I want that.” Listen… to this… Mission wasn’t a separate program. Mission was, and still is today the natural overflow of their belonging. Jesus sent his disciples. Look at Matthew chapter 10, “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness… (v.1)” Then in verse 8, He says: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” And don’t forget—this group wasn’t perfect. Fishermen. Tax collectors. Doubters. Betrayers. Zealots. Different personalities. Different pasts. Different perspectives. But He still gathered them, took then into moments of vultneravblty, made them practice their faith, and then he sent them out. Together. And here’s the honest truth: When people say, “I’m scared to share my faith,” my first question is this— Who are you walking with? Who’s holding you accountable? Who knows your salvation story? Are you part of a community that’s more than Sunday morning attendance?. We said it before You are what you practice. But let’s take it deeper—you reflect what you rehearse in community. And if you’ve been walking with Jesus… if you’ve received His love, His grace, His Spirit… Then Jesus says, “Freely you have received—now freely give.”

So today, we want to practice that right here. As our worship team comes up… We’re going to take communion—but not just as individuals. We’re going to do it as a community. In a moment, I’m going to invite one side of the room to get up, collect a communion cup, and instead of going back to your seat, I want you to walk across the aisle and serve someone on the other side. Hand them the cup. Look them in the eyes. And speak these words: 🕊️ “This is the body broken for you. This is the blood shed for you—so that you would know you belong here.” I will have this up on the slides for you to remember what to say..… But Church… This is our Jerusalem. Right here in our congregation. Listen, This is where mission starts—right here with one another. Let’s not just talk about belonging. Let’s practice it. Let’s show it. Because the Spirit doesn’t just form individuals. He forms a family. As you get the cup, let take it together…,

Let’s hold the cup together for a moment… and just pause. Look around you—this is the family God has placed you in. You weren’t meant to follow Jesus alone. And this bread and this cup? They are reminders that Jesus didn’t just die to save you—He died to bring you into something bigger than yourself. A kingdom. A people. A community. Let’s pray. Jesus, thank You for drawing us near—not just to You, but to one another. Thank You for breaking Your body and shedding Your blood so that we could belong—not just to heaven one day, but to a family today. Make us more than just a crowd. Make us a community. Teach us to love deeply. To live sent. To belong. And as we take this bread and cup, may we remember: We are Yours. And we are one. In Your name, Jesus. Amen. Power to belong. *