The word for this week is: “Community”.
The thought for this week is: “One of the purposes of Christ’s death was to create a new community, whose members would belong to him.”
Often times, we tend to view the cross in an individualistic way. We focus on what he did for me. However, one of the purposes of Christ’s giving of himself was to create a new community whose members would belong to him and love each other in eager service to humanity.
In I Cor. 15:45-49, we learn that the community of Christ is one that is renewed spiritually where the community of believers belong to him. One in which Christ, as the second Adam, becomes its head. Ever since that Day of Pentecost, it is obvious that once we are converted to Christ, we are converted to a community of Christ.
Read I Peter 2:4-10. As Peter speaks his sermon, notice the terms he uses to identify the people who belong to Christ. Does this description reflect your own experience in Christ? As you read, what is the relationship of the living stones to the living Stone? Also, notice in verses 9-10 the ways in which believers are different from the rest of humanity. Our new relationship with God has placed us in a unique community. Peter, in v. 10 specifically identifies Christians as the people of God. He also identifies Christians as the ones who have received mercy. Knowing this, what can we imply for how believers should regard one another. And, what are the implications in your own life?
This week, reflect on how God is revealed in the cross of Christ. Memorize and pray through the following: “As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 2:4-5)
Prayer: Father in Heaven, we thank you for your fellowship and for the fellowship of believers. We ask you forgiveness for those times when we fail to recognize the community to which we belong and any wrongs against our fellow believers. We thank you for the joy that is ours in Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
By Rory Barneche