I’ve Been Thinking
“God Has A Plan For Us”
28th August 2010
I’ve Been Thinking
“About Blind Faith”
21st August 2010
I’ve Been Thinking
“You Can’t See God Yet Trust Him”
14th August 2010
21st November 2009 |
| Posted by John Gummer (john) on Dec 08 2009 |
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: John 17:22 NIV.
Jesus gathered a group of twelve around Him as He set out to do God's work. This pattern of personal relationships has been our model ever since. In most evangelical churches, when one or two people feel called to respond to a need, they send out a call. They explain their vision and invite others to join them. Out of love and a feeling of community, those who are interested work together to meet the need.
Jesus could have worked alone; an awful lot of the prophets worked that way. But Jesus didn’t choose that path. Unlike prophets who might come to warn people or caution them, Jesus came to gather people into the family of God - a loving community.
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul gave an illustration of the bond of community by making a comparison to the human body. He said we are different parts but still belong to the same body; we are interconnected but we need one another. No single person has all the gifts of the Spirit; we have different but related gifts. And that makes community necessary for wholeness.
I’ve been thinking that God has called us together through Jesus into one family—one community. It is a relationship created in heaven and strengthened on earth as we work together in serving God.
Prayer
Almighty God, help us to love, respect, and care for one another. Teach us to live in loving community. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Thought
Jesus came to gather us into a family community—who is your family?
Focus
Communities that experience conflict
WRITTEN BY JOHN GUMMER FOR THE
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CENTRE WEEKLY “UPDATE”
Last changed: Dec 08 2009 at 10:58 AM
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