OUR VALUES: COMMUNITY
Deeply committed to one another, meeting together regularly, enjoying each
other’s company, having fun, and demonstrating generous acts of Christian love,
service and unity. Welcoming and open to new comers.
My Dad used to say “You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family”.
And church is family.
We are brothers and sisters. And we do not choose who we form community with. We do not choose the other parts of the body. We do not choose who else comes to Christ.
And they might not look like us. They might not have the same background as us. They might not speak like us, have the same interests, live in the same sort of house as us, do the same job (if they have one), eat the same foods, speak the same language or have anything in common with us.
Bar one thing.
They are made by God, they are unique, they love God and they are part of our church.
They are “in Christ”.
Our value, for all those people – ones who are with us now and those who may join in the future – is that we are deeply committed to them, we meet regularly, we enjoy each other’s company, we have fun and we show love, service and unity, welcoming whomever comes through the door and wants to know Jesus.
Let’s not kid ourselves.
This is a big ask.
But it’s also a Gospel imperative.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
THIS is the beacon of light that the world sees and is attracted to like a moth to a flame.
And we have a perfect model to help us.
Jesus appeared to his disciples in the Easter season – the time between the resurrection and ascension – and showed us how to be community. We see this in John 20:19-21:25.
The disciples were gathered in a locked room, fearful of what might befall them and then he appeared.
“Peace be with you!”
“Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
He had showed them his wounds and then he breathed his Holy Spirit into them, urging forgiveness.
Thomas wasn’t there. He didn’t believe. He demanded proof. Jesus did not judge him. He gently gave it – open wounds on hands and side – and Thomas could do no other…
“My Lord and my God!”
And Jesus blessed him …and us…. gentle and forgiving. Patient and loving. He is our model.
John wrote these things so that many/we would believe in Jesus.
Next scene – a beach, a saviour, some fishermen, failure, the usual is not working, an instruction, go to the other side, a miraculous catch, a meal on the beach, a very human meal with friends, joy and just a bit of trepidation – what was going on here? But there was no doubt – they were together as adopted family again.
Jesus then spends some time on the beach talking to the one who betrayed him and lived – Peter the denier. Was he chastised? Was he brought down and criticised? No, he was encouraged and commissioned. He was one of the unusual suspects that God just wanted to use for his kingdom.
Peter still felt envy of another, he felt that “he” was more special, and yet Jesus reassures him that this other disciple must suffer in his own way and is exalted just for who he is, “just like you Peter”. Jesus models community and what it is to be “deeply committed” to one another. No petty rivalries. Each is exalted as part of the body and we should celebrate the glory that each of us brings to God!
And John confesses – he has only captured a fraction of what Jesus showed his friends about being community – in 21 short chapters he could not present all of the one-ness that Jesus showed to that rag-bag of early followers.
But they became church.
And we are the church.
Let us reflect the model that we have been shown – deep commitment, joy, fun, generosity, love, service, unity and welcome – whoever you are that comes through our doors. You are welcome.
Is this our value?
Blessings
Doug
vicar@christchurchpurley.org.uk
OUR VALUES: OUTGOING