21D Fishers – Day 4: Relational Communities

 

The last few days have been about laying a foundation of some internal workings in our spirit.  The next few days we will be focusing on some external areas where we can begin to implement the truth of who God is, who we are, and who we were made to be.  Tonight we are going to focus on community in hopes that we can build and unite together for the greater purpose of making Jesus known and famous.  One of the most important aspects of a community is that it is relational.

Let’s take a look at Acts 2:42-47.

• We can see from this scripture that being relational is about being connected.
  • But how do we connect with one another?
    • We spend quality time together.
      • We go to church together.
      • We hang out somewhere or in a home.
      • We go do activities together.
      • It’s not about the amount of time that we spend together but how engaged are we with each other when we are together. I can spend 3 hours with someone and leave feeling very disconnected because we were on our phones the whole time or I can spend 15 minutes fully engaged in whatever we are doing together and leave feeling fulfilled and connected.
    • We fellowship with a meal.
      • Meals bring people together and allow us to pause our life for just a little bit of time which allows us to intentionally engage in relationship.
      • We can look all throughout time and see the importance and relational connection that comes with sharing a meal together.
      • From Passover feast to Shabbat, from the Last Supper with Jesus to our current family dinners.
      • During the Last Supper, Jesus used a meal as symbolism and a time to pause and remember the sacrifice He was about to make. Jesus knew how connecting, relational, and intimate sharing a meal was.  Even today, we still use communion as a small meal and a time to connect and engage with Jesus.
    • We share with each other.
      • Throughout the short passage of the first church community forming that we read in Acts 2, the word “share” is used 4 times and while the passage talked specifically about possessions they shared, we can pull a few other ideas that are to be shared too.
      • We share wisdom, insight, stories, and revelation as we talk and converse with each other in community.
      • We share experiences as we walk through life together – the good times, the hard times, the in-between times.

And when we live in community so closely in relationship with one another; sharing meals, time, and intimate thoughts and feelings with each other, it leads us to a place of vulnerability.

• Being relational is about being vulnerable.
  • Vulnerability can be seen as a scary thing or as a weakness. In today’s world, we have to be “strong” and can’t be weak or else we get hurt physically or emotionally. But what does the Bible say about being vulnerable?
    • James 5:16
      • “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
    • This is saying that as we are vulnerable and share our sin with those in our community who we are in relationship with and they have the opportunity to pray for us, we are made stronger, not weaker.
    • Paul also confirmed this in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 when he talked about the thorn in his flesh and said “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We have to be vulnerable in order to allow our strength to come from God.  We have to be vulnerable to be able to fully trust our Heavenly Father in all things and to fully submit to His authority.