Big Idea: When God reconciles us to Himself, He reshapes us into ambassadors who carry His reconciling love into the world
Application: As ambassadors of Christ, we must learn to be with and around others so that they might know the reconciling love of Jesus. To do this, we must lean into seeking and fostering community. It is in these kinds of spaces that we and others are formed more into a life with Christ.
Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind as you work to seek and foster community in your everyday.
1) Choose intentional presence.
a)Don’t just attend, engage.
b)Whether it’s a small group, a ministry team, or even shared meals, step into spaces where you are known and where others are known by you.
2) Practice honest confession and gracious listening.
a)Community creates space for truth.
b)That means being willing to say, “I was wrong,” and just as importantly, being willing to listen without defensiveness when others do the same.
3) Move toward, not away.
a)When tension arises—and it will—resist the instinct to withdraw.
b)As ambassadors, we take initiative.
i)Pursue the conversation.
ii)Seek understanding.
iii)Extend forgiveness.
4) Carry one another in love.
a)Paul says the love of Christ compels us.
b)In community, that love becomes visible, in patience, in encouragement, in bearing burdens, in choosing to stay when it would be easier to leave.
c)So, here’s a simple invitation for this week: Ask yourself, “Where is God inviting me to lean into community instead of holding back?”
(1) Maybe it’s re-engaging a relationship.
(2) Maybe it’s joining a group.
(3) Maybe it’s having a hard but necessary conversation.
We don’t just proclaim the message of reconciliation, we practice it, side by side, as a community being formed in the way of Jesus.
