In our youth Bible study we’ve been discussing your personal relationship with Christ. Nobody can make that relationship for you; that is a covenant between you and God alone through Jesus Christ. This is something I think all youth—adolescents and teens—need to fully understand, because it can be so easy to follow the crowd, to mimic mom and dad, or to adopt patterns of living from peers and not have a true relationship with Christ of their own. But it’s not for youth alone. Adults need this understanding as well. If you aren’t growing and maturing in Christ, and with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and have little or no desire to do so, then that’s a red flag to heed!
Piggy backing off this understanding, I came across a social media post I made two years ago. Here’s an adaptation of that post:
In Bible study, we learned to hear God through community. This is an area in which many Christians struggle: Taking the personal responsibility for growth in Christ by engaging other believers. I posted the Scripture of Hebrews 10:24-25
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
I have also made mention several times of the church being the body of genuine, baptized believers as a whole—not a place we go (certainly not a building), not something we “have to” do on a Sunday morning, but various parts of one body coming together to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), and what is mentioned in this passage of Hebrews. This could be anywhere, anytime, any number of believers (two or more), any congregation or denomination (of genuine, baptized believers). This is church. And we are encouraged in God’s Word to come together as such. To build each other up. To meet together and spur each other on “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11).
Many come to a church building for perhaps 2 hours on a Sunday morning expecting a good motivational speech, and to do their “part,” maybe by partaking in the Lord’s Supper, tithing/giving, and/or simply showing up, but then it stops there. Many allow their priorities to get out of whack the rest of the 110 +/- waking hours of the week. Many neglect true growth in Christ and with others, allowing other things or activities to take its place. Busyness. Idleness. Indifference.
I don’t know about you, but this is disheartening to me, friends. When there is no desire for personal growth in Christ by studying His Word, faithfully praying and meditating on His Word—communicating with God constantly, engaging others through meeting together, and having a desire to do more to grow closer to Him by nurturing our relationship with Him and growth in Him, we are not submitting fully to Him. We are not fulfilling what we are told in His Word. And we are known by our fruit (or lack thereof).
Not only do you benefit from coming together, but God has given each an ability, a gift of their own to share with others. And they ought use it as such to glorify Him and edify and build up fellow believers.
*And if you are unaware of your gift, pray about it intentionally. Ask God to reveal to you your gift from Him. Think about what drains you vs. what energizes you in service to Him*
Also, each person is unique as part of His body with a role to fulfill. If you aren’t an active participant in engaging with others by coming together, then you are neglecting your duties. You are missing out, my friends.
Finally, and the culmination of my post, I wanted to mention a word I’ve been pondering lately. Communion. Now, this is not specific to the Lord’s Supper, but, yes, it is part of that (perhaps you’ll understand more in a minute). The prefix “com” is “’with,’ ‘together’… (with intensive force) ‘completely’” (Dictionary.com).
The definition of Communion is an “act or instance of sharing…intimate fellowship” (Merriam Webster). To me, intensive force of completely and intimate are strong words! Knowing someone completely and intimately, having an intimate relationship, is a deep connection with another (no, not romantically -that’s only one aspect of the definition). It’s a very personal, close, essential connection to someone. When we think about communion with God and with others…WOW.
Communion is something far more than the act of the Lord’s Supper on a Sunday morning. It’s a time of INTENTIONAL, deep connection with God through meditation on the sacrifice made on our behalf. It’s not a time to talk, to let our minds wander, or to be distracted, but an INTENTIONAL moment with Him. The same applies to anytime we commune with Him through communication via prayer and the study of His Word. Both very INTENTIONAL moments of communing with Him. Now, that you are thinking of communion and communication, we add what we addressed—community. The same INTENTIONAL relationship should be cultivated between you and others. A deeply connected relationship with your brothers and sisters in Christ.
(Notice a certain word highlighted in here? Being intentional is crucial. It’s doing things with purpose.)
This blew my mind, friends! As some would say, “I’m shook!”
These three words—communion, communication, and community—are something to really ponder on and see if they are carried out in your growth in Christ. How are you actively growing in Christ and engaging other believers with that deep, intimate, intentional connection?
References
DICTIONARY.COM UNABRIDGED BASED ON THE RANDOM HOUSE UNABRIDGED DICTIONARY, © RANDOM HOUSE, INC. 2021 Retrieved on August 8, 2021 from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/com-
“Communion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communion. Accessed 9 Aug. 2021.
All Scripture (unless otherwise noted): English Standard Version Bible. 2021. BibleHub.com and
English Standard Version Bible. 2016. Crossway