Church Is MORE Than Just a Sermon | Bryan Loritts

Life's greatest disappointments are Life's greatest disappointments are relational. relational. relational. They're tied to people. Some of you, They're tied to people. Some of you, They're tied to people. Some of you, maybe that disappointment is, yes, tied maybe that disappointment is, yes, tied maybe that disappointment is, yes, tied to a dad who didn't do what he's to a dad who didn't do what he's to a dad who didn't do what he's supposed to do. Maybe it's tied to a supposed to do. Maybe it's tied to a supposed to do. Maybe it's tied to a mother who was impossible to please. mother who was impossible to please. mother who was impossible to please. Maybe it's tied to a sibling or a friend Maybe it's tied to a sibling or a friend Maybe it's tied to a sibling or a friend who betrayed you or ghosted you. On down who betrayed you or ghosted you. On down who betrayed you or ghosted you. On down the line we could go and to just zoom on the line we could go and to just zoom on the line we could go and to just zoom on in. Maybe maybe there's there's plenty in. Maybe maybe there's there's plenty in. Maybe maybe there's there's plenty of you who could say, you know, my my of you who could say, you know, my my of you who could say, you know, my my disappointment is with the family of disappointment is with the family of disappointment is with the family of God. It's with the local church. I I God. It's with the local church. I I God. It's with the local church. I I walked into a church, maybe your last walked into a church, maybe your last walked into a church, maybe your last church, maybe maybe it's this church, church, maybe maybe it's this church, church, maybe maybe it's this church, and you just said, "Man, I I had on and you just said, "Man, I I had on and you just said, "Man, I I had on rosecolored glasses. I I assumed this rosecolored glasses. I I assumed this rosecolored glasses. I I assumed this was going to be a real authentic was going to be a real authentic was going to be a real authentic community, and there was just some community, and there was just some community, and there was just some assumptions that I made, and only to assumptions that I made, and only to assumptions that I made, and only to discover, man, I I'm wounded by the discover, man, I I'm wounded by the discover, man, I I'm wounded by the gossip. I'm wounded by the slander. gossip. I'm wounded by the slander. gossip. I'm wounded by the slander. People have let me down." And so, maybe People have let me down." And so, maybe People have let me down." And so, maybe some of you now, the page you're on is, some of you now, the page you're on is, some of you now, the page you're on is, man, I listen, I I'm just going to keep man, I listen, I I'm just going to keep man, I listen, I I'm just going to keep it a buck with you, Brian. I'm only at it a buck with you, Brian. I'm only at it a buck with you, Brian. I'm only at the Summit Church for the teaching. I'm the Summit Church for the teaching. I'm the Summit Church for the teaching. I'm not going to do a small group. I'm not not going to do a small group. I'm not not going to do a small group. I'm not not going to do community. In fact, I not going to do community. In fact, I not going to do community. In fact, I kind of like the fact that Summit's kind kind of like the fact that Summit's kind kind of like the fact that Summit's kind of large. I can just kind of float in of large. I can just kind of float in of large. I can just kind of float in and float out. Gives me a high degree of and float out. Gives me a high degree of and float out. Gives me a high degree of anonymity. I I'm I'm not here for the anonymity. I I'm I'm not here for the anonymity. I I'm I'm not here for the community. I'm just here for the community. I'm just here for the community. I'm just here for the teaching.

And I just want to say this. And I just want to say this. Let just put a warning label on. This is Let just put a warning label on. This is Let just put a warning label on. This is the most unAmerican text in all the the most unAmerican text in all the the most unAmerican text in all the Bible. most unamerican just kind of it Bible. most unamerican just kind of it Bible. most unamerican just kind of it just flies in the face of individualism. just flies in the face of individualism. just flies in the face of individualism. Let me just say this Let me just say this Let me just say this for anyone who says, "Man, the local for anyone who says, "Man, the local for anyone who says, "Man, the local church for me is just about the teaching church for me is just about the teaching church for me is just about the teaching and and you're talking to a teacher. I and and you're talking to a teacher. I and and you're talking to a teacher. I love preaching the word of God. Teaching love preaching the word of God. Teaching love preaching the word of God. Teaching is to be a fundamental part of what we is to be a fundamental part of what we is to be a fundamental part of what we do." But if that's all that the church do." But if that's all that the church do." But if that's all that the church is to you, you have to understand this is to you, you have to understand this is to you, you have to understand this is so beneath the vision of what the New is so beneath the vision of what the New is so beneath the vision of what the New Testament thought of when it thought of Testament thought of when it thought of Testament thought of when it thought of the church the church the church a hundred times. A hundred times, a a hundred times. A hundred times, a a hundred times. A hundred times, a hundred times in the New Testament, we hundred times in the New Testament, we hundred times in the New Testament, we see a little phrase, see a little phrase, see a little phrase, one another, one another, one another, love one another, encourage one another, love one another, encourage one another, love one another, encourage one another, serve one another. You don't have to serve one another. You don't have to serve one another. You don't have to spend a day in seminary to figure out spend a day in seminary to figure out spend a day in seminary to figure out the implication here. What is implied is the implication here. What is implied is the implication here. What is implied is I am relationally I am relationally I am relationally connected. I'm relationally invested so connected. I'm relationally invested so connected. I'm relationally invested so that I can pour into and help to shape that I can pour into and help to shape that I can pour into and help to shape and be poured into and be shaped by this and be poured into and be shaped by this and be poured into and be shaped by this mutual sense of community. In fact, in mutual sense of community. In fact, in mutual sense of community. In fact, in John 13, it's a Jesus is talking to his John 13, it's a Jesus is talking to his John 13, it's a Jesus is talking to his disciples and he actually says something disciples and he actually says something disciples and he actually says something stunning about the community of faith.

stunning about the community of faith. stunning about the community of faith. Look at what he says here in John 13 Look at what he says here in John 13 Look at what he says here in John 13 beginning in verse 34. Jesus says, "A beginning in verse 34. Jesus says, "A beginning in verse 34. Jesus says, "A new commandment I give to you that you new commandment I give to you that you new commandment I give to you that you love." love. Here's that phrase again, love." love. Here's that phrase again, love." love. Here's that phrase again, one another. Just as I have loved you, one another. Just as I have loved you, one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to, here it is again, love you also are to, here it is again, love you also are to, here it is again, love one another. By this, don't miss it. All one another. By this, don't miss it. All one another. By this, don't miss it. All people will know that you are my people will know that you are my people will know that you are my disciples. Not by your quiet times, disciples. Not by your quiet times, disciples. Not by your quiet times, not by the content that you stream, not by the content that you stream, not by the content that you stream, not even by the preaching and not even by the preaching and not even by the preaching and proclamation of the word of God, as proclamation of the word of God, as proclamation of the word of God, as essential as this is, but that but but essential as this is, but that but but essential as this is, but that but but by this all people know that you're my by this all people know that you're my by this all people know that you're my disciples. If you have love for one disciples. If you have love for one disciples. If you have love for one another. Here's what Jesus is saying. another. Here's what Jesus is saying. another. Here's what Jesus is saying. THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH, the people of THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH, the people of THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH, the people of God, when they lean into each other and God, when they lean into each other and God, when they lean into each other and love one another, it is a powerful love one another, it is a powerful love one another, it is a powerful piercing witness of the glory and piercing witness of the glory and piercing witness of the glory and goodness of God.