Main points and clips from the June 13 sermon on Luke 8:16-21, handily broken down for you. You can also jump to Community Group questions for the week.

No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then, how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away. § Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you." But he answered them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

Luke 8:16-21

Followers of Christ don’t do well in long-term solitude. Our faith thrives in community and can stagnate in prolonged isolation. The light we’re given is meant to be shown on the masses – from those closest to us to complete strangers. Yet in our  politically correct world, we feel the need to withhold the message of joy and grace from Jesus. What compels us to do so? Is it fear of man? Distractions? A worldly tolerance?

• Christian identity is a light (Luke 8:16) Cf: Our light must not be dimmed by the intimidation of others. We serve the God who made the heavens and the earth.

• Who are you hiding your light from? Why should we be ashamed of a God who loves and died for us? If anything, shouldn’t he be ashamed of us? Cf: In accepting his grace, we should shed any conflicting beliefs, burdens or stereotypes and proclaim his name.

• Guard your solitude. If Satan can’t make you hard-hearted, he’ll make you distracted (Luke 8:18) Cf: A well-planned solitude can renew your focus and spirit.

• Our Christian identity is found in godly family (Luke 8:19-21)
  • Family through birth = new birth in Christ
  • Family through blood = blood of Christ

Two more clips and Community Group questions after the jump: With other religions, activity establishes identity. You do something in order to become someone. "You have to do X, so that God would find you pleasing in his sight, etc." Activity creates identity. What you determines who you are. In Christianity, it's the opposite: Through the grace of God and the work of Jesus, we receive an identity. Out of that identity, there is activity. Not so that God would love us, but because he already does. So who we are determines what we do. As he commands us to activity, it is simply the outworking of our identity.

1. Our identity is light.
2. Our activity is to shine.

Grow in community.

For plants to grow they must establish roots. This week as we continue to focus on the growing as a church we hear Jesus declare that His family are those who hear and obey his word. What an amazing statement! We are knit together as a family through the death and resurrection of Jesus! In light of this glorious fact, today we are going to discuss what it means for us as a community and a church to be a family.