This teaches us that.

1. God is in charge (He put faith in us to cultivate through discipleship.

2. Jesus is the centerpiece (through the centrality of Christ emerges a community of faith defined by the story of Jesus Christ. The church is bound to the faith of its members since faith is not an individual human accomplishment and shares a mutual commitment to the Lord. It is a fellowship shaped by the crucified and risen Christ.)

3. The power of the Holy Spirit. The work and power of the Holy Spirit is the thing that draws individuals into the work of the Church. It’s not about membership into an institution but becoming one body!

We are commanded to be in community. We are commanded not to give up gathering together (Hebrews 10:25), to serve one another (Galatians 5:13), to recognize one another in communion (1 Corinthians 11:33), to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16), and many other things. Based on these commands, you literally cannot be obedient to Christ if you are not in some form of community with other Christians.

We are not saved by the church, but rather we are saved to be the church. We are not saved by the community of God, but we are saved to be a part of the community of God. In salvation, we go from being a rebellious sinner to an adopted member of God’s family. Remember, Christ died for the Church. Yes, the Church is made up of individuals, but they also make up the entire body.

Around 250 in the New Testament believers are called brothers and sisters. We are family!

Its time to engage in community at a deep level!