Belonging (S2) : WK 5 - THU
(Acts 9:1-2) Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
Being in community feels good. I love getting together with people. There is a giddiness I experience every time I come to church for worship. The reason for my excitement is that I know there is a good chance that I will meet someone new at church and have an opportunity to make a coffee appointment and hopefully make a new friend.
I’m sure I have been a little too eager at times trying to make a connection happen but I can’t help it. I just love forming new connections. It makes me feel closer to people and closer to God as I hear the stories of what He is doing in other’s lives. That is why I say that community feels good.
But the forming of a community isn’t only for good feelings. The early church formed a community and things couldn't have been worse for them. Yes, they were growing and sharing and eating and worshiping and praying together. All of that sounds amazing. But they were also being persecuted. People wanted them arrested and even killed if possible. That doesn’t sound all that great. So even though community feels good, sometimes things in the community can get challenging.
The reason for that is because we are in a cosmic war. Good and evil, God and Satan, are at odds and we are caught in the middle. Satan would love nothing more than to break our community apart and leave us in pieces, wondering if it was worth it to pursue being the body of Christ. And you know what will be our best weapon against the forces of evil trying to break us apart. By each of us becoming the most powerful version of ourselves inside the community.
That is why we encourage you to keep abiding, both with God and with each other. The stronger our bonds become, the harder it will be for the enemy to break us apart. Saul tried to do that and he had to change his name and join the movement.
So let’s keep investing in our own spiritual lives and in each other. That will make us unstoppable. That will make us the body of Christ.
Being in community feels good. I love getting together with people. There is a giddiness I experience every time I come to church for worship. The reason for my excitement is that I know there is a good chance that I will meet someone new at church and have an opportunity to make a coffee appointment and hopefully make a new friend.
I’m sure I have been a little too eager at times trying to make a connection happen but I can’t help it. I just love forming new connections. It makes me feel closer to people and closer to God as I hear the stories of what He is doing in other’s lives. That is why I say that community feels good.
But the forming of a community isn’t only for good feelings. The early church formed a community and things couldn't have been worse for them. Yes, they were growing and sharing and eating and worshiping and praying together. All of that sounds amazing. But they were also being persecuted. People wanted them arrested and even killed if possible. That doesn’t sound all that great. So even though community feels good, sometimes things in the community can get challenging.
The reason for that is because we are in a cosmic war. Good and evil, God and Satan, are at odds and we are caught in the middle. Satan would love nothing more than to break our community apart and leave us in pieces, wondering if it was worth it to pursue being the body of Christ. And you know what will be our best weapon against the forces of evil trying to break us apart. By each of us becoming the most powerful version of ourselves inside the community.
That is why we encourage you to keep abiding, both with God and with each other. The stronger our bonds become, the harder it will be for the enemy to break us apart. Saul tried to do that and he had to change his name and join the movement.
So let’s keep investing in our own spiritual lives and in each other. That will make us unstoppable. That will make us the body of Christ.
- What is your most positive memory of being a part of the Crosswalk family?
- What are some things in your life that create disconnection for you from God and others?
- What can you do to promote unity within the body of Christ?
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