Created For Community: Lessons From Acts 2Sample

The challenges of community

If the 12 disciples—Jesus’ closest friends on earth—experienced broken fellowship, then we should expect to face challenges of our own in pursuit of community. In John 13, Jesus predicts that two of His followers will either betray or deny Him. Still, He offers bread and wine—His body and blood—and washes the feet of those who would turn their backs on Him.

Later that night, Christ imparts a radical directive to His followers: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

According to Jesus, it’s not an amazing church building or impressive preaching or even moving music that marks a community of faith: It’s love among believers.

Of course, creating such a powerful community isn’t easy. The Fall brought isolation and selfishness into the world and into our hearts. Prevailing cultural values in some areas of the world work to convince us that individualism trumps interdependence and that we should surround ourselves with those who look like us.

And there’s the fact that people can just be difficult. Personality quirks, interpersonal conflict, and differing opinions seem unavoidable.

Here’s the paradox: If we tell ourselves that living in community is easy, we’ll likely be surprised, then discouraged, by its inevitable challenges—and eventually give up. Yet in acknowledging the difficulties and still choosing a community-immersed life, we face the reality of the world in which we live and can move toward collectively reflecting the beautiful unity of the Trinity.

Action

• Alone or with others, pray for unity and healing in your community, using Jesus’ words as inspiration: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
• Ask yourself if there are any areas of conflict between you and a fellow believer. If so, meet with that person, confessing sin or expressing pain, with the goal of reconciliation and loving unity.
• Gather with your small group or another group of believers. Take communion together as a reminder of your oneness in Christ and wash each other’s feet as a symbol of sacrificial service and love for one another.