Present Grace - part 3 community

There is within us all a sinful self that keeps its distance from God and from other people so that it can remain unchallenged and unchanged.

God, in his mercy, desires transformation for us, a change from sinful patterns and attitudes that infect our relationships with God and others.

Ephesians 4:1-6

God wants unity, peace, patience and love within His family - just as He has within Himself. The church is called to be a reflection of her Creator, Savior, and Counselor.

Mat 27:46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

From Psalm 22:1 Hebrew word for Forsaken means... to leave, loose, forsake It speaks of something once bound that was unbound.

Greek word for Forsaken means abandon, desert, leave helpless, totally abandoned, utterly forsaken

Jesus and the Father were bound in perfect relationship, on the cross, Jesus called out, "why have you forsaken me, why have you broken ties with me?"

Jesus was forsaken by the Father so that you would be united with Him and with other believers.

Salvation connects us both to God and His people. We cannot become the Christians we are meant to be alone. What we become, we become together.

What keeps us distant? Busyness Shallow friendships Activities with no real connection to people Self-centered relationships Selfish independence Theology as a replacement for relationship

Community is part of God's plan to transform us into Christ's image. Close relationships make it more likely that you will sin against someone and that someone will sin against you. There will have to be times of confession and forgiveness. You will need to serve and to be served. You will have to give when it is inconvenient. You will have to receive when it challenges your pride.

When did you first understand how selfish you are? When did you first grasp the depth of your sinful pride? It all happened in relationships with others, probably your spouse and children. God uses close community to challenge our sin.

We see our relationship with God as individuals, not as part of a body. Ephesians 3:14-21 read as community, not just individuals.

The present grace that we have been talking about is not just between you and God. Community is a big part of God's plan for you to experience grace and change.

In community our pride, selfishness, and other sinful patterns are exposed, confessed, and forgiven. We come to a greater understanding of the depths of our sin and the depths of forgiveness that we find

We need each others' stories and perspectives to more fully grasp the love and grace of God. Other believers help us see different facets of God's love and redemption. In community our understanding of God's infinite love becomes fuller, stronger and deeper.