Number of dictionary definitions = Community is ‘a group of people that have something in common’ > living in the same area, living together, shared interests, attitudes & experiences, ‘unified by common interests.’
Comes out of the word ‘common.’ Our experience of the world through the people around us.
We might think of community in terms of family & friendship, being together with people we know, love, trust, and who do the same for us. But there are other people in our community too – think of being in a class at school, being part of a church, an employee in a workplace, having neighbours on your street > not always people we know, love & trust, sometimes the complete opposite!!
I think the word community is REALLY important and useful for us in our context here, because there are people who move through the same spaces and using the same facilities, but who may not have shared interests or attitudes or who may not feel a sense of unity with each other… Very interesting one for where churches and schools are sharing the same site. Community refers to everyone who comes through this place as part of our church & our school.
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BREAKOUT #1
Of course we all have more community than just this place here > what would you say your community looks like?
We can think of our COMMUNITY as an extension of CHURCH, what flows out of and what happens around our meeting with Jesus in worship. Our God in community with us, us in community with other people.
But sometimes ‘general’ community and ‘faith’ community are very different things… We might have people we know, love & trust who don’t share our faith! All of us will have that going on in some way. But they are still part of our community, our circle, our important relationships.
That context is a great space for BUILDING community isn’t it > it’s actually where God calls us to go, to share the good news with those who haven’t heard, to reach out to people in need.
What are some ways we can do that?
One way is by accepting people as they are, another way is by showing hospitality.
Jesus has a bit to say about both of these things, I’m going to touch on two verses for us tonight:
Matthew 22:39 – ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’
Luke 14:11 – ‘For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.‘
‘Acceptance’
This verse DOESN’T say – ‘only love your neighbour if…’
It says go for it, go and love your neighbour > love the people in your community, show love and care and compassion for people around you, serve others with your gifts and abilities, look after people/look out for people, be present and available for and with people… Many many ways we can take what Jesus says here.
Thinking about how we look out for ourselves (‘looking out for no. 1!’), we turn that outwards to look out for others, to see how we can help them.
What does that ‘turning outwards’ look like?
Asking people how they’re going. asking people what they need, what you can do for them > Very simple things, but very important in terms of actually connecting with people on a personal level. We don’t want to be ASSUMING we know what people need = that leads to miscommunication, confusion, even breakdown of relationships. NOT assuming or presuming but simply just asking people, how can I help you, what can I do for you, what would be helpful to you right now? And then also listening to the answer, and following through on what they say!
Sometimes it can be frustrating for us if we offer help and then people say ‘I don’t need any help right now thanks,’ but we need to respect that and stay patient, stay available and present with that person as we’re able to do so. This is very hard to do if we’re people who want to be helpful to others! But God is with us and the people we seek to serve, the Holy Spirit is doing the work we might not be able to do at that moment in that relationship, remember God calls us to not only character and hope but also suffering and perseverance.
We can put these two together: if we’re going to love other people, then we’re going on a journey of not only character and hope but also of suffering and perseverance – that’s the deal!
Of course God is with us, we’re not alone in that. And we need to have known, trusted and loved people around us on that journey. People who accept us, so we can accept others.
‘Hospitality’
What about hospitality > exalt yourself and you will be humbled, humble yourself and you will be exalted… How do we understand this in terms of hospitality…
Jesus shows us how to be humble > he’s God and he easily could exalt himself, but he doesn’t – he humbles himself, obedient even to death on a cross. As humble as it gets right there.
Turning outward, how does Jesus show us how to serve others, how to relate to others, how to meet other people where they are and represent Jesus to them?
This comes back to where we place our value > are we valuing ourselves based on our efforts, or on what God says about us?
If we put too much emphasis on working hard or doing the right things we can miss the opportunity to be in God’s presence. We might think of Mary and Martha there, how Martha works away while Mary sits at Jesus feet > Martha is not doing the wrong thing, she is doing very good and necessary and useful things! But if we miss the part about listening to Jesus, being with him, reading the word, praying – then we get caught up in our own work instead of God’s work > we need the rhythm of listening to Jesus and doing what Jesus says, it’s a rhythm, a balance, not only one or the other.
This feeds into the line you may have heard where ‘you can’t help anyone else until you help yourself’ > do the Mary thing of listening to Jesus, and do the Martha thing of serving others. Listening and doing go together.
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BREAKOUT #2
What do you love about your community, and what’s missing?
Let’s close in prayer >
Heavenly Father we thank you for our community, our communities, all the different expressions of community we get to be part of – especially your community as your people. Lead us to treat those in our communities with acceptance and hospitality and to walk with humility, fixing our eyes on you as the one we can know, trust and be loved by whatever comes. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Tom Kitson 