Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another. (Hebrews 10:25)
Once we understand that we have been saved to be part of a family of faith, we must answer the question, How do we cultivate community? The answer is, “With frequency!” If we are to grow relationships within our family of faith, we must frequently make meaningful contact in genuine fellowship. Growing any relationship takes time, which is why our verse for today encourages us to keep meeting together.
If we are serious about building community, we must never forget that community is not built on convenience, but on commitment and conviction. We can’t just come together when we feel like it, because, truth be told, all too often we simply don’t feel like it! We must be intentional about carving time out of our busy schedules because it is so important for all of us to be growing in community.
Just as lions who are hunting for a meal lurk near the outer edges of a herd of zebras, watching for one unfortunate creature who has carelessly strayed away from the protection of the herd, solitary saints are the number one target of the evil one. Satan is always on the prowl, looking for those who are living outside of community in order to devour them. This, as you know, is much harder for him to do when you are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses.
One of the keys that unlocks the door to building community is forsaking self and focusing on our Savior, who died to give us relationship with Him and with all those who are His. We must be willing to jettison …
- Self-absorption
- Self-centeredness
- Self-rule
Remember this: We are going to spend eternity with our family of faith in the new heavens and the new earth, so the more time we spend with them here and now, the better we will be prepared for the there and then. The church as a whole is far more important than any individual.
As my friend Steve Brown likes to say, “All those who belong to Jesus belong to all those who belong to Jesus.” Let that truth set us free today to cultivate community.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 