Going through The Classics sermon series has helped me revisit all of the Bible stories we talk about, but I hadn’t studied in a while. I have been knee-deep in scripture passages I have the temptation to gloss over in other sermon writing. I have been able to slow down and really examine old stories and see what new things might be in them for us.
One of the overarching themes in scripture that we lightly mention every now and again is community. As pastors, it is our job to help guide you in being the church community God is calling you to be. And the classic stories have a lot of examples of community for us…
- A community that was hurting one another, using their words to harm one another, but even their thoughts toward one another were hurtful. (Genesis 6)
- A community of Egyptian women banded together to protect the Hebrew people. (Exodus 1)
- A community commanded to send away anyone that was unclean for fear it would harm the rest of the community. (Numbers 5)
- That same community worked together in perfect harmony to create a place for the entire community to worship. (1 Chronicle 23)
- A community that organized itself so that every voice would be heard.
- A community that turned from the ways of God that needed to return to their first love and remember who brought them out of the darkness. (Isaiah 45)
- A community of misfits who dropped their fishing nets to follow a carpenter from “the wrong side of town.” (Matthew 4)
- The same community of misfits abandoned their friend, one even betrayed him. (John 6)
- Their friend, upon returning, forgave all of them, just as he forgave an adulterer, thief, murderer, and other social outcasts. (John 21, John 8, Luke 19, Luke 15)
- A church that built itself on the miracle of forgiveness and grace that is extended to all people, no matter what. (Acts 2)
- A church that had its flaws, missteps, and mistakes. (Galatians, 1 Corinthians)
- A church that is in God’s hands. (Isaiah 49:46)
Church, we are a community. We have had our moments of hurting one another, sending others away, forgetting our first love who brought us out of the darkness, missteps, and mistakes.
We also have worked together to build a place for all to worship, followed unlikely leaders, forgiven one another…and, thanks be to God, we are a community in God’s hands.
In the coming weeks, there are going to be lots of opportunities ahead of you to volunteer to make this community better. To put it simply, we are going to need to step up and work with our children and teenagers. It will take all of us. It will take us bringing the very best of our grace and love as we have understood it from God. It will take us setting aside our own time, ego, and preconceived notions to be present with one another.
But we are in God’s hands.
Below is a link to fill out a small survey for your preferences to volunteer with our family ministries this school year. I invite you to prayerfully consider filling it out, and responding with a resounding “YES!”
Let’s say yes so that this community continues to be the best that it can possibly be as we love God, love our neighbors and love ourselves.
