PRAYER FOCUS

Small Groups/Community

John 13:35

“By this all men will know that you are my disciples:
if you have love for one another.” 

What does Christian Community look like? It can be summed up with one word: love. Jesus became the perfect example of unconditional love through his sacrifice on the cross for underserving sinners. He modeled service to others by washing His disciples’ feet. He consistently put His own human needs aside as He tirelessly showed compassion to those who sought Him.

We see in the early church the uniting of Gentile and Jew, male and female, rich and poor, slave and free into the body of Christ. Christian community should never be limited to only those whom we consider like us but should include individuals in all walks of life who have been baptized into Christ, for in Him “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ.” (Galatians 3:28) 

As a body of believers, we use the gifts given to us to edify the body. Paul wrote extensively on the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, but he capped his teaching in chapter 13 with the overarching theme of love, proclaiming that spiritual gifts done without love are worthless.

As our church grows, we may find many “sinners” within our midst. It is important to show the love of Christ to those who are lost without sacrificing truth. We love the sinner because he is an image-bearer of God. We show the sinner the way to Jesus, so that the image of Christ might be restored in his life. However, we never condone the sin. Instead, we show the sinner the way to be free from sin and how to live a redeemed life in Jesus Christ, walking in the power of the Holy Spirit who transforms us into His image. 

Sometimes a believing member may become entangled in sin. A truly Christlike community will show tough love, biblically addressing the sin and calling the sinner to repentance. Loving someone well sometimes means pulling him away from a path of destruction. By surrounding ourselves with accountability, we can support each other as we work to overcome sin in our lives.

When we commit ourselves to a Christian community, we help to ensure that our lives line up with the truth of God's Word. As a body with many parts working together for mutual edification and serving one another in love, we reflect Christ’s love to each other and to a watching world. The Spirit works within us, making us a people that reflects our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He sets us apart from the world and draws some who are lost to ask why we are different and how they can also be a part of this beloved community. 

The inspired words of Paul in I Corinthians 13:8a ring true. “Love never fails.” 

PRAYER PROMPTS