Christian Foundations 8 - CommunitySample

A LOVING COMMUNITY

In this plan, we have been stressing the importance of community. But real community is not easy. As we have seen, there will be people that see things differently. There will be difficult or demanding people. Resentment and bitterness and anger and criticism can quickly grow in community. Community can be a hotspot of gossip and unforgiveness. Community can be a source of pain and problems. There are some communities that do more damage than good. So how is this to be avoided? How do we develop healthy community? It basically comes down to love. Can we love each other? That is what Paul explains here.

Read: Ephesians 4:29-5:2

Journal

1. What is God saying to me? Which verse is most significant?

2. What would I like to discuss/explore further?

3. What do I need to do?

4. How can we “grieve the Holy Spirit” (4:30)? What does this mean?

Reflect

There are some people we find it easier to love. They feel safe. They share our passions. We like to be around them. We get on well with them. We trust them. These are our friends. Everyone needs friends. People with whom we can let down our guard and just be ourselves. Relationships with friends are renewing and refreshing and mostly enjoyable. We need to have some friends in our community. We do not flaunt our relationships with our friends or others will feel excluded. But we do appreciate and value them. Friends are really important for us.

But building community with others who are not our close friends is going to be challenging, especially if we hold grudges or get angry easily, or tend to criticize or find it difficult to let things go. When you spend time with people there are many opportunities for perceived slights or unkind (and probably untrue) perceptions. God says that you just must let it all go and be gracious. Get up on the altar and sacrifice yourself again. That is what Jesus did. People treated him cruelly and he responded by giving his life for them. This means dropping your bitterness and pain and anger and criticism and instead be forgiving, kind, and compassionate. It is a deliberate choice we all have to make.

If you think that is too hard for you, in this passage Paul suggests three ways forward:

1. Remember they are Christian brothers and sisters and being critical or treating them poorly breaks the Spirit’s heart.

2. Focus on how Christ has forgiven and continues to forgive you despite your failure.

3. Contemplate the example of Jesus who showed us how to really love everyone.

As we grow in love, our community/church is strengthened, God is really pleased, and we together grow more like Jesus. Through this, the wider community sees the powerful transformation that Jesus makes in our lives and takes notice of Jesus. As Jesus himself said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). 

Pray

Lord, thanks for loving me so deeply. You gave your life for me, forgave me completely, and included me in your community. Please help me to love others in the same way. Please give me the strength to forgive and be kind and compassionate. Thanks for those in my life for whom my love comes easily, but I want to love everyone, and I really need your help with that. 

Respond

There will probably be someone in your community that you find more difficult to love. Forgive them if they have hurt you and, if possible, say aloud to yourself that you love them. Try to sense God’s love for them.