4-12-2022

 Good Morning All,

         Matthew 18:20; “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

       A few friends: that is how it always starts. Then the planning; looking for new recipes to try. Then it has to have a theme; whatever that means. Then, do we have any games to play? Then it is the invitations; mailed or e-mailed. It started as a few friends and then it grew a little or maybe a lot. Most people go through this every so often. We are people who like to be with others. We are social creatures; we long for companionship. We are built to be in community.

    God created us to be part of a community. We can even look at God and see community. We see the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as a form of community. We see three persons in one God. God created us to be part of his community. We were created to live in communion with Him and in community with each other.

     The problem came about when sin entered our world. Man then formed a very twisted view of community.  We began to see each other as competitors, stepping stones, or things to be used, abused, and then disposed of. Perhaps you have been on either or both sides of that description. This is common for it is how the devil wants our world to exist. For when this type of view of people exists, we begin to withdraw from society. We experience pain so we withdraw. We experience pain so we avoid others who we see as simply wanting to use us and then dispose of us. Soon we feel that we are all alone.

    However, Jesus came to rescue us from this sin-imposed isolation. Jesus came to bring us back into God’s community. Jesus came to return us to His family. Jesus came to give us this much so after community. Listen to what he tells us in our verse “where two or three are gathered together.”  That is a small community. It is a family and the family, as God designed it, is the base unit for human community. When a family gathers together, in faith, Jesus dwells in the midst of it.

    Even in this sinful world, where some of these communities are broken; God reaches out to us in love to rebuild or build anew the communities built upon his love and grace for us. He wants us to build these communities upon the selfless love for others. He wants us to build upon the selfless love which Jesus demonstrated for us. God wants to use you to build these communities.

    So, as you go forth today, ask God to use you to build these communities, large or small, to bring about the kind of world that God desires. Ask God to use you to bring a little community to a world that knows only loneliness.

Gracious lord, you came to this world to restore the holy community of your people. Through this you give us the comfort and hope to face the struggles that the devil throws at us. Give to those who are struggling mightily the security of your community. Let them feel safe and secure. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret