When a community comes together, it’s a great thing. You might recall how disasters have brought communities together – bushfires and storms sometimes bring out the best in us. Other tragedies can bring people together also: for example, the death of a well-loved person.
It’s actually quite miraculous sometimes to see this happening – especially when we consider all the ongoing things that normally divide us. A common focus, a common need, a shared love, a mutual loss can all serve to unite us and bring us toward restoration.
In the light of the death and resurrection of Jesus, many people in the early church, when they first came to faith examined themselves and the fractured communities in which they lived. They saw a lot of hurt and brokenness. They learned a new way of community from Jesus and his disciples. Their attitudes started to align. Their values and aspirations all took on new significance. They began to see themselves as part of the wider community in ways they had never experienced.
From a group of diverse and dispersed people emerged a new sense of community. People began to see their possessions, giftedness and abilities as gifts of God – not just for themselves, but to bless each other.
Acts 4:32 describes it like this: The group of followers all felt the same way about everything. None of them claimed that their possessions were their own, and they shared everything they had with each other.
They saw blessings happening they had never seen. As it says in Acts 4:33-35 God greatly blessed his followers, and no one went in need of anything. Everyone who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles. Then they would give the money to anyone in need.
Now that’s a REAL community of faith.
I struggle with that. I am generous in many ways, but sin in me holds me back. It’s the same sin that confounds our wider community; segregates and divides us; fuels discrimination; damages our souls. But God know us well. He still loves us. 1 John 1:9 assures us of his love and mercy – the love and mercy that enables us to be part of a real community.
But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. It’s as forgiven people, gathered around Christ, that we are best equipped to be real community.
