When I talk about living out purpose in our gatherings it is almost always that we spur each other on to love and good works and, indeed, that part of our purpose is key to the identity of our community of gatherings. But, it also very bottom line.
When we began the process of repenting from being a traditional seeker-sensitive church to pursue a radically New Testament way of gathering, we began with the idea that we must live in obedience to what we still call "the three love commands:"
-Love the Lord,
-Love your neighbor, and,
-Love one another.
The blending of the idea of obedience, which can be so cold and dry, with love, which can be so warm and fuzzy that is leads to spineless, cheap grace religion, calls us to a balance that is complete and can be achieved only when we walk in the Spirit.
Today was a day when we strove for obedience and love in community.
One family is in the midst of dealing with an issue in their extended family in which people they love are in conflict and neither is living wisely. Neither of the people in the conflict follows Jesus so, of course, neither is living righteously. Our people are heart broken seeing what is going on.
Much of the time we spent today focused on this issue. At one point, the question was asked, "What does the Bible say that applies to the situation?"
And, at first, answers were slow in coming but, in time, as we walked together in the Spirit, words of wisdom from the Spirit began to be spoken.
In the end, the time we spent together was marvelously edifying. There were powerful words spoken from Scripture, and none of them from someone with theological education!
As always, the focus ended up being on Jesus as we took the bread and the cup together.
It is such a blessing to me to live in this intimately connected community.
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