John 17:22-23 – “22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

Jesus explicitly teaches that our living in community together is the primary means by which the Gospel will be evidenced to the world. How we relate in unity and reconciliation with one another paints a vivid picture of how God relates to and pursues reconciliation with a lost world.

Our salvation is not less than our own personal story of forgiveness and redemption in Jesus, but it is so much more. It is the means by which we are propelled into a new, redeemed community of people transformed by Jesus for the purpose of demonstrating together, better than we ever could apart, the radically redeeming love of God for us in Him.

We’re not saved simply for our own benefit; we’re saved ultimately for the benefit of God and His mission of reconciling a lost world to Himself. The means through which He has chosen to manifest this mission is through His people; the new, redeemed community of God united together for the demonstration and declaration of His Gospel.

This is why living in community is mission critical not only for our own transformation, but also the transformation of the family, neighborhoods, offices, cities and world around us.

Perhaps there is someone you need to reconcile with in order to put on display the reconciliation you have received in Jesus and reestablish healthy community among you. Perhaps it’s more critical that you do this then merely getting back on “good terms”. Perhaps, as inextricably linked members of the body of Christ, the proper demonstration of the Gospel is at stake.

It seems that while Jesus promotes unity among His followers for the sake of the Gospel being known, He as well suggests that as long as there is broken, fractured relationships in need of reconciling, the Gospel simply cannot be seen clearly.

For a review of the nature of reconciliation you have received with God through Jesus, read Romans 5:1; Romans 5:6,10; Colossians 1:19-20; Colossians 1:21-22. Who do you need to share this type of reconciliation with?

Tags: Acts 29, church in the woodlands tx, community, gospel, gospel centered church, mission, reconciliation, the woodlands tx, woodlands point community church

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 6th, 2011 at 4:18 pm and is filed under Live in Community, Pastor's Blog.