Community: Learning to Lean In

“Community: Learning to Lean In” (with Meg Sumner)

Message @ Jericho Ridge– Sun, Feb 21 2021 (Series: Rhythms: Spiritual Practices)

Brad:

Hello, friends.  My name is Brad and this is my wife Meg.  We are better together (as that video hinted at) and we are also part of the same household bubble, so that is why we are not 2 meters apart today.  Today, we want to spend some time together helping all of us wrap our heads and our hearts around a complex social, relational and biblical concept: the notion of what it means to live together in COMMUNITY as a church both during and following the time of COVID. 

This talk is part of our February teaching series entitled Rhythms – where we are exploring spiritual practices that we can build into our lives that lead us to be healthy people in every way.  Last week, as we prepared for Lent, we talked about fasting.  Next week, we’ll explore sabbath rest and today, we’re going to dig into the discipline of community.

Now, you might immediately wonder: why are we talking about community in a season when I can’t have it?!  I mean we are all isolated and living out our lives in our own little bubbles.  We are in a season where something has been taken from us – and we need to acknowledge that loss. That one year ago as we entered Lent, we could still do life together with others in our church community in proximity – is now something that we realize we maybe took for granted.  And I know I certainly miss it and long for its return.    I miss seeing you all in real life as the church gathered. 

MEG:

As an introvert, I think we can admit that there are some advantages to online church – you can go in your PJs and you dog can join you.  From the ministry impact side of things, we have certainly seen new people engage with us who may never have been able to do so before – if that is you, if you are new to JRCC during this season online – would you fill out a connect card? Sticking your hand up digitally and letting us know you are exploring and that helps us know how we can serve you well.  Go to Jerichoridge.com/connect or if you are watching live on our Church Online interactive platform, click the link in the chat now. 

But there are also some significant disadvantages to this set up.  One negative possibility of this format is that it can degenerate into content without community. For example, I watch the news each night.  I am not doing this because I want them to be my friends.  I feel connected to them, but the reality is that they are not part of my world.  I am not going to have a coffee with Ian Hanamansing.  The news and even podcasts are created as a one way medium.  Digital church, if it is the only expression of connection, has the possibility of moving us from being a vibrant community of people into disbursed pockets of individual content consumers. 

Some people have taken to joining 2-3 churches that “suit” them during this season and while we are happy that we are serving you, we want to be clear and up front with you that we are committed to being a local community with strong heartbeat and calling to Surrey and Langley, BC. 

If you are not local we want to encourage you to find a local faith community where you can do life so you can be part of the rhythms of life the post-COVID world.  You are of course welcome to join us in this space and while our goal here at Jericho is certainly to continue with our online ministry presence but we also want you to know that our heartbeat is the creation of a vibrant, incarnational community of people in real life that beautifully reflects the diversity of our city and God’s heart for the world.   The church is called to more than content creation.   

BRAD:

So we’re going to trace this theme of community in the biblical witness and as we go, we’ll touch down in a few passages which can help us get a sense of the vision and value of being a part of a local church community.

God’s vision for community actually doesn’t start with the local church.  It starts all the way back in the book of Genesis.  One of the most uniquely powerful truths about our universe is that God exists in community.  Look with me at Genesis 1:26-27:

Then God said, “Let us make human beings[b] in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth,[c] and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” 27 So God created human beings[d] in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Let US make humans being in OUR image. Note the plural pronouns.  In other words, God exists in and as a community.  God the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ the Son and God the Father.  Think of it – at the very generative, creative centre of the universe there exists a triune community of love.  All that exists is the overflow of that Divine dance of love.

But this is not just theoretical.  This actually forms a model for us of human community.  In the next chapter, Genesis 2:17 God looks at Adam and says “it is not good for Adam to be alone”.  COVID or no COVID, it is not good when we are alone.  This is not a single adult thing – we love and value the singles here in our community.  This is a human thing.  We are relational beings as humans.  And we are this way not by accident but because we are made in the image of God. 

We have to be real and honest: this is part of the very real challenge of COVID.  The sense of isolation that is created.  The loss of the sense of community.  The loss of church community in a gathered form is a loss. 

MEG:

If you fast forward from Genesis 1 to the life of Jesus, we need to explore the question: “Why does community matter? 

The mission of God in Jesus was to seek and save the world.  And that could have happened in any way.  Jesus could have magically appeared from heaven straight onto the cross, died for our sins and went back up to heaven.  But Jesus chose the path of community.

Jesus make a choice to intentionally surround himself with others.  He said in John 15:15 to his disciples: “Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.”  So surrounding yourself with friends who are following Jesus is not just a nice or convenient idea, this IS life in the way of the Kingdom of God. 

But the community Jesus was forming was not simply so that they could hang out together and feel warm and fuzzy about the group.  Christian community is not a ‘me and Jesus’ only kind of thing.  Community matters because we cannot accomplish the Great Commission and not even the Great commandment to love God and our neighbor on your own. 

For me, this propels me to think about more than just me and my spiritual formation.  It leads to caring about others. This is why I don’t just ‘go to church; for myself.  I go for others.  It is through my time in community – be it imperfectly online or in real life – that I am reminded and challenged to live my life for and with others. 

Here I think of Jesus’ disciples and the incredible diversity of personalities and backgrounds and ideals they had around their little community.  There were fishermen, doctors, political zealots, tax collectors…. They were NOT best buddies. But they joined out of allegiance to Jesus and they stayed because of the transforming work of Jesus.   We can sometimes think “if I could only find a church were everyone was like me, that would be SO GREAT!” I could find community there.  But that would not solve our problems.  Because the problem is that we are human J    

BRAD:

I see this also in the story of the early church.  Those followers of Jesus then went on to form communities. 

We also see that in the early origin story of the church, they practiced community.  The. Text that people often rush to here in Acts 2 – “they

When you read it – you think “wow, that must have been so amazing!” A perfect human community.  It’s like is the neighborhood where everyone has picnics in the cul du sac, no body drives fast and everyone cleans up after their dog!” but that is a suburban vision of community not a biblical one. 

But there is a very real danger to this – that is that we can idealize community to the point where we kill it. 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian and pastor once said that ““The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.”   

Real community can only happen when we push past airbrushed ideals and get into the muck and mess of other people’s lives.  And when we allow others to do the same in our lives.  This is what creates growth.   It doesn’t always come in the times of bliss – it’s a bit like marriage. The depth of relationships comes yes, in the celebrating and in the good times, and bad, in the repenting, this requires a potent combination of surrender and humility.  We need to continually be reminded when our ideals are not being met to keep showing up, for the sake of the Kingdom and for the sake of others around me, not just if I am “feeling it”.

MEG:

Paul, one of the leaders in the early Christian movement picks up on this in the book of Ephesians. Like most of the New Testament, this letter was written to a specific local community of faith, meeting in the city of Ephesus. 

In chapter 4, Paul gives one of the most impassioned speeches about life together in community and he opens it with a very personal language:

Ephesians 4:1-6

“Therefore I.. beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”

I love the honestly of this text on the topic of community.  Paul says “listen church, I am telling you that you will need humility gentleness, patience and forbearance BECASE (not sure if you are aware of this) but you have faults.  You have been called by God into a community of people who all love God but who are also all flawed human beings and who are all in various stages of being transformed by Jesus.    

But we are walking the same road together.  The same passage in the message translation read: “You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences”

BRAD

One of the central metaphors of the church is that of a family.  In a healthy family, you are not to run out the door at the first sign of conflict: You are to “make allowances for each other’s faults because of your love.”

I like the honestyl of this passage: it is clear that not only for Paul and for the Ephesian church and for you and me and for Jericho: community takes work.  “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit”.  You don’t have to tell soeone to make every effort if something is easy.  Life together in community takes work.  That is why it is a spititual Discipline. 

MEG

One of the things that can be helpful is name the things that hinder us from engagement in community.  Some of them might be things like:  

• They think different than me
• I’m just not feeling it
• They just want me to give / serve
• I’m introverted. I’d don’t like lots of people – this talk of community makes me nervous.
• I’ve done my time. This is a season for me and God, not me and God’s people
• It’s not convenient
• I haven’t been in community for awhile, it’s awkward for me to step back in.
• I have lots of things going on right now. I’m going to wait till life looks a bit better. 
• It’s sunny out. It’s raining out.
• Music / preaching
• It’s been a busy week.
• My kids / wife / husband doesn’t like it.
• I work for a Christian organization – I serve there, don’t need you.

Here the thing.  We have all thought or said these things or versions of these things – to friends, to ourselves. 

BRAD

There is no shortage of excuses or

But think back to a moment where you were part of a spiritual community where you found yourself flushing.  By flourish we mean spiritual growing, vibrant.  Maybe youth or bible college experience.  Church that was fresh and different from the tradition you grow up in…. What was it that brought about that sense of flourishing?  Then think about “What was your investment level in that?’  Often, our level of active participation is direcrtly connected to our sense of community. 

It can also be connected to a sense of belonging / af9nity.  But we need to recoznige that this is very hard in the midst of a global pabndemic because our sense of connection with our community feels limited and so our feelings about our community can also feel limited or less strong in this season.  And if that is you, maybe that is something to take before the Lord in prayer.  Make a commitment this Lent to praying for one other family in the church once a week.  Pray for your leaders, your pastors.  I find that my feelings about people often change when I begin to pray for them. 

Meg

There is also lots to celebrate In this season.  There are many who have a strong sense of connection and are leaning in in creative and amazing ways.  I think about people like my friend 

• Ali: who has created a Wed night online group of women. She saw a need for connection in this weird season and instead moaning about feeling unconnected and hot the church should do something, she just staid “what could I do to purpose & creation connection?”  We want to say thank you to Ali for continuing to lead in that way. 
• Brag on Sandy and Muriel – continue to connect and check in on people.
• Jason and betty – are new to our community. Instead of waiting around till all this goes away, they said “give me a list of families with young kids.  I’d like to see if we can connect and grow together”.
• I think about those who are serving on Jericho Faith Society who are investing in the care and upkeep on the building. They know that this physical space is God’s gift and that is also will be a huge gift to us for years to come.  Physical space helps with the ministry of community and connection and so thank you to Luynell for coming and taking out ivy or Darwin who took out hedges or Sean who is working on storage containers.  This is all part of the work of the community and it creates community as we do it together.     
• Or last weekend, with the Great Valentine connect – thank you to all those who took time to creatively think about how to be a blessing to others in the community. Such amazing stories of creative acts of love extended to others. 
• Lots of people are reaching out and showing up to be community for those around them – we don’t even know the hundredth of it!  

It is really easy to say “well, I haven’t been the recpeitt”. The question is how aare you going ot lean into this?  It can be as simple as asking the Lord “who in my community could use my encouragement that they are seen, loved, missed?”  Maybe you do a lenten practice… Write a card or email each week.  Choose one thing to do that is not about you but strengthes the bonds of community this season.    

Brad:

As we close this talk, Meg and I want you to know that we are deeply invested here in this community and want to be for years to come.  We want to invite you to join us on that journey.  At the end of the day, God created the church to be the Hands and feet to show love to a watching world.  Community is not about you feeling all warm and fuzzy.  It is a vision for life in the Kingdom of Christ, where walls are broken down, where diverse ways of looking at life are honored and where people find and follow Jesus with their whole lives.  That is the vision for community that is worth giving your life to.  I am so glad that we have given our lives to you as a pastoral couple.  I can’t imagine any other motly crew to do life together with.     

So I want to invite you to join me in responsive reading that commites ourselves in a fresh way to this task of community life together.  Meg is going to lead us.  I will read out the response parts and I invite you to join me whereever you are,  Say these words out loud as we making this declaration of community and commitment. 

Meg:

Jericho Ridge: You are the body of Christ
and individually members of it.

ALL:

God’s Spirit makes us one,
breathing unity into diversity,
breaking down the walls that divide.

MEG:
There is neither male nor female,
nor any walls of nation, race, or class,
but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one body.

ALL:

We commit ourselves
to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,
as we live out our mission to be Christ’s hands and feet,
ears and mouth, mind and heart,
His body for a broken world.

MEG:

You are a holy people, a royal priesthood,
God’s special property, created to do His will.

ALL:

We commit ourselves to build up the body of believers,

to prod each other on to love and good works,

to seek God’s will for our life and mission,

Meg

Church, we are called to Bear one another’s burdens,
and so fulfill the law of Christ.

ALL:

And when we fail, merciful God,
bring us lovingly back to Your truth,
so that we might learn again
how to bring each other back from sin and error.
We commit ourselves to the common good of Your people,
humbly submitting to one another,

that Your people might be built up
and Your good news might be announced to all the world.

Amen. 

Friends, the God who called forth and knows each star by names knows you.  And has called you or is calling you to be part of God’s family.  And so we invite you to join together with others all across this city as we lift our voices in praise and worship in response to God’s Faithful love. 

Benediction:

Friends, our Benediction today comes from the FreshWorship.org website:

May the God who is community
be with us as we seek to be a community

MEG

may God bless our dreams
and may God shatter our dreams

may God help us to be real
and to find depth in weakness and brokenness

BRAD

may God help us to face and grow through conflict
rather than pretend by being nice

may we look at each other through soft eyes
and truly respect each other as human beings

MEG

may God help us let go of control
and the need to fix one another

may God help us discover we are needy in our own souls
and give attention to our own hearts

BRAD 

may God grant us the gift of an extraordinary love

that flows from the heart of God
that covers a multitude of wrongs".

Thanks for spending this time with us.  We look forward to seeing you back in this space next week where we will discuss what a rhythm of work and rest looks like in the midst working and worshipping from home.  See you then!