Community

Dietrich B – “Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this. Whether it is brief, a single encounter or the daily fellowship of years, Christian community is only this. We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ.”

When we walk through tough times, we really need to have people we can call on to pray for us and if available to come sit with us. There may be seasons in life where you may not have anyone like that, but you can always cry out to God.

Ruth 1:16 – “But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”

Ruth had the option to go home but she didn’t. She felt so strongly that she needed to be there for her mother-in-law Naomi and so she went.

Those connections when made are ones we want to hold on to and don’t want to break or lose. So like Ruth we vow that no matter what is going on or where you are I will be there. I will be your people and I will care for you.

When we surround ourselves with other believers and we have come to know that we are all equally yoked then we know we are united in heart and mind.

Acts 4:32 – “All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.”

These relationships have no beginning and no end, they are the ones we feel like we have known for years even if it’s been a few days or weeks. A Community like these is where deep seeded connections are made and will be held onto for years.

In college my friend and I would share everything, and we would never keep count of who owed what to whom. It was freeing because there was never a worry about anything. Just spending time together and growing in relationship. That’s how I picture the New Testament Church.

Jesus’ set it up like in that so that every one of His followers lived in a way where everyone lived and helped each other with everything, without question. Everyone caring for everyone.

Exodus 17:11-13 - “As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.”

How much more could be handled and how much more could we make it through if we had friends and even a community there to hold up our arms to make it through the battle. This community is what the church should be. Hold each other up and accountable. Do life together and grow the church.

God wants to us have a community of others to call on to help us. Find the people that will hold you up when you are struggling to make it through.