Chosen for Community

10-6-21 Glenda Simpkins Hoffman

I have been reveling in the beautiful Sunday morning experiences we have had in the last seven weeks. Worshipping with others has been an absolute delight. We have been blessed with beautiful weather, enabling us to gather outside for Fall Community Breakfasts between the two worship services. This is one way we imitate Jesus who spent time enjoying face-to-face conversations with others while eating good food. Of course, this week will be the pinnacle Sunday of the fall as we welcome Pastor Hope Lee and her family. I encourage you to join us for this special day in the life of VPC. 

This fall has been a wonderful reminder to me of what it means to share life together in the body of Christ. Our commitment to Christ is also a commitment to the body of Christ. We are becoming like Christ together for the world.  

 One of my favorite call passages is in the Gospel of Mark: “He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons” (Mark 3:13-15). 

Jesus called or chose those whom he wanted. He desired these particular men to be with him, listening to his teaching, participating in his ministry, and learning the way of living and leading in the kingdom of God.  

And these twelve men came to him. They left their families, homes, work, and everything else that was a part of their lives. They became disciples, followers, students of Jesus. But this passage says he also named them “apostles,” or those who are sent. 

Jesus knew his time on earth was limited, so he wanted to equip others to continue his ministry after his death, resurrection, and ascension. Community was his strategy. Jesus didn’t call just individuals to himself—he called a community together. As the disciple spent time with Jesus, they also spent time with each other. They not only got to know and trust Jesus, they also got to know and trust each other.  

While they were all Jews, they were also very different in terms of their backgrounds and vocation. They were united in their commitment to Jesus, to the community he was forming, and to his mission in the world.  No single one of them would be able to do what needed to be done after he was gone. They not only needed Jesus as their Savior and Lord, they needed each other. They would continue the work Jesus did together.  

While Jesus is no longer physically present with us, he is with us through the presence and power of the Spirit. We experience that reality most in our relationships with each other. As we dealt with the pandemic, many of us have gotten used to being more isolated and alone. But we were made for community.  

Recently I was reminded of an illustration I learned while in college.  If one log is pulled away from a blazing fire, it will soon burn out. But if it stays on the fire with the other logs, it will burn brightly. There are no Lone Ranger Christians. We need each other.   

For most of us, following Jesus doesn’t mean leaving everything behind, but it does involve letting go and intentionally arranging our lives to live our commitment to the person, body, and work of Christ. So how do we cultivate a shared experience as the disciples did? There are many ways. In my last post I shared about service. Today I’ll suggest three ways to cultivate a deeper experience of community. 

Worship is our calling. Worship is a verb, not a noun. We were created to worship God and give him glory in all that we do. But it is also something we do together. The central action of Sabbath in the Old Testament was worshipping God together. The day for worship moved to Sundays in the early church as it was the day of Jesus’ resurrection. We remember and worship our great Triune God for who he is as our creator, redeemer, and sustainer. And we thank him for all he did for us in us in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, remembering all we have is a sheer gift of grace.  

But this corporate practice also serves another purpose. Last week we celebrated World Communion Sunday remembering the oneness, the unity, we share with all those who believe in Christ. Gathering together in our local body of Christ is a way we experience that oneness. Whatever service we choose, we hear God’s word proclaimed to us. This provides a sense of unity as we hear the vision and direction God has for us as his body in this particular time and place. This is important in every church, but it is particularly important in a church as large as VPC and at this particular juncture in our life together. 

But the church is too big to experience deep relationship with a thousand people, so we need other shared experiences as well that open doors for a deeper experience of community.    

Learning Communities are midsized groups of 20 or more people that meet at various times in our church. Whether someone is new to the church or simply wants to expand the number of people they know at the church, this is a good next step in connecting more deeply in the body of Christ here at VPC to experience the fellowship (koinonia) we already have with one another in Christ. Learning communities are also great places to invite others to join you in the journey of learning and growing together. It’s often the topic of study that draws people, but it is the experience of community that keeps people coming. 

Small Groups are the primary vehicle for disciple making that provides a context for intimacy and accountability in relationships resulting in growth and service. This is a place to know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served, celebrate and be celebrated. Jesus was a part of a small group, and sent that group of people, empowered by the Spirit, to change the world.  

I have had the joy of being a part of and leading many, many learning communities and small groups for 30 years. It is in the context of these communities that I have changed, witnessed others changing, and made some of my best friends. That’s the power of community. 

Jesus is still changing lives and cultivating community in churches around the world including right here at VPC. Wherever you are in your relationship with the Lord, we urge you to take the next step into a deeper experience of community that Jesus has provided for us. Sunday morning learning communities resume Sunday, October 17. Several small groups are launching that same week. We invite you to join a group. There is a place for you!