Last Sabbath I shared with you one of three
characteristics needed for real functional community emulating the Trinitarian
Relationship. We find our purpose in
Christ, we are Christ’s Body, and we exist to show him to one another. This purpose is much greater than any one
individual. It is this Common Purpose of manifesting Christ to
one another, which delivers us from the cultural confusion of Individualism, and shapes us into
Community.
When we embrace the
Great Purpose we have through Christ of reconciling the world to God and to
each other, we share common authority, beliefs, traditions, and standards. We join those who has same mission, who’s on
the same journey of manifesting Christ.
For this to happen Christ must dwell within by the Holy Spirit.
Today I will address the second barrier to becoming a
community – Isolation. And it is
counteracted by the Common Place we have.
Our Common Place begins with our realization of our common ancestry, we
are children of the heavenly Father, we are God’s family, just as we pray “Our
Father!” And our Common Place has the
same destination – we are all marching to the heavenly Zion, the New Jerusalem,
the Place we dream about to be all together!
Next Sabbath I will share with you about the third barrier,
Consumerism (help me find the “I” word
for this term!), and the third characteristic of the Divine Community - Common
Possessions. Don’t be alarmed, I am not
going to talk about communism, but about Biblical paradigm of the Spirit gifting,
giving different endowments to individuals for the common use. No one receives gift for self pleasure, but
to edify the Body, to edify the Community, to grow and contribute to one
another.
As you reflect today on the
Common Place, make your place available and ready to receive the community
spontaneously, become intentional about frequently coming together with those
who are on the same journey. May our
song “shall we gather..” be the desire of your heart too.
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