Saturday, August 16, 2014

A third question - What a difference this would make to the church?


When people are serious about doing God's will they become seriously involved with other believers.  This transforms relationships in church!


  • No more singleness and brokenness.  Too often when churches talk of 'family church' they think of events that include children with parents, but which can (sadly) exclude even more those who live on their own.  No, family church means everyone belongs equally.  Like most families there will be disagreements, rivalries and worse.  But the ties of family bonding made possible by Jesus Christ create a new level of relationship where healing and belonging hold everyone together.
  • No more loneliness.  Sometimes I meet people who are starved of human contact. They speak of day-long loneliness with only the TV to keep them company.  When we are brothers and sisters in Christ we have such opportunities to belong that can fill our days.
  • No more selfishness.  You know that verse 2 Cor. 9:6?  Therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Doing good means doing good.  Not just talking kind words but doing acts of kindness.  Brothers and sisters who genuinely care for each other show it.  This is one of the reasons why many of us believe in small groups.  We are just about to join one in our new church and immediately you do, it gives specifics to mutual family responsibility.  Doing good becomes very practical.
  • No more ignoring anyone.  I learned a lesson as a new church member, just 14 years old.  I was out on the main street of Gloucester with my mother when we bumped into an older lady who was a church member.  I was impatient to get on with shopping and showed my irritation by visible teenage truculence.  As soon as we moved on my mother spoke in a way I have never forgotten. 'You should never, never ignore people and treat them as rudely as you did.  They belong in the church family and even if they are older and you feel there is nothing you share in common - you do.  You belong together in Jesus!'  
This question of Jesus leads to his profoundly new reality, hardwiring us into a mass of new relationships with unbelievable consequences ....if we let him!

No comments: