Community

Community has been a "buzz" word for awhile now in christian circles.  It is discussed, analyzed, preached on, and desired by most whether they know it or not.  Like so many words, the amount of its use can lead them to lose their meaning.  I like the word and hate that its meaning has lost some impact.  This we do know - we are not meant to live alone, especially in the body of Christ - we should desire to walk through life with one another.  In the upper room just before his arrest, Jesus told the disciples these words:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:34-35

These are words about "Community/Connecting/Love/Relationship".  Living this way according to Christ is not an option, but it is a command.  We are to love and live the way he did and when we do, it gives the true evidence about who we belong to.  Our love for one another marks us "as His".

When community happens, there are some things that are evident among those people.  Here are some of those things that give evidence of Community's Reality.

1.  Models Christ's humility

Philippians 2:3-4 - "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

We are not those who are focused on us, but deeply desire others to be important and seen as more important than ourselves.

2.  Driven to Connect

Hebrews 10:22-25 - "...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near".

Everyone of the "let us" phrases above are real examples of how we are to be in one anothers' lives as we move forward in faith together.

3.  Place of Compassion and Exhortation

Hebrews 3:13-15 - "But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today", that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence to the end."

How often a day goes by where we do not practice this in our families, church, work place, etc.  The exhortation actually helps keep hearts softer and sensitive to holiness.  We must practice this for community to happen.

4.  Practices Honesty

James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.."

Uh-oh!!  This is where we really fail at building community.  The writer says that we should confess our sins to one another and as we do this, we are to pray for one another, not offer condemnation.  When this is lived out, healing happens in the safety of community.  This does not mean we confess this always to the whole church (it can in certain situations), but that within the body of believers, we should have relationships where this takes place.  It is biblical.

These are just a few significant things that make up what we would call Christian Community.  It is a great place to live.