Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

To be both a comforting and challenging community at the same time we must remind each other of who we are, show each other what we can be, and have the courage to hold each other accountable.

Our identity is one who is loved, forgiven, cleansed, and destined for eternity. As we gather in His name we are set apart from worldly ways to be a light to the world.  In a sense we are already holy and yet we’re still learning how to be holy. We are holy yet broken, and yet a carrier of His presence and power. Some churches stress holiness in terms of behavior and get the focus on rules and not on Him. Others may not hear the message of holiness. So we need a balanced awareness that we are holy and we are broken. The author tells about a church called Claypot Church that breaks a clay jar and gives each person a piece. When the jar is reassembled it is not perfect as no church is but it contains the treasure, which is Christ.  His light can shine out of our brokenness, when we have allowed Him to heal and restore us.  Let us remind each other of who we are!!

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

Sometimes we may think that the community exists to serve me and my needs, and that they should not tell me what to do. We live in a consumer culture and it leads us to believe we are entitled to have all of our needs met. Narcissism is present in our churches as well, and when we church shop we want one that makes us feel comfortable…one with low expectations of us as participants. But the good and beautiful community wants more… it exists to shape and guide our souls, to provide encouragement and accountability that we need. Isn’t it better to have a community that is not afraid to ask us to make a commitment to our own spiritual growth and service to others? Who offers us a pattern of transformation?  One who challenges us to become who we already are? ( One in whom Christ dwells)   Who watches over us with love, offering comfort but also warning so we can grow in Christlikeness?

As we gather together to worship we are being shaped into a people being transformed by God and being sent out to change the world.  When we leave worship as all new people, we are inspired by our connection to one another and the old old story to bring the aroma of Christ to the world.  Isn’t that awesome?

Devotions based on James Smith book. The Good and Beautiful Community

If we have been harmed greatly it may seem impossible for us to forgive that person. We may not be in the place where we want to forgive, even when we know we should.  The community can help in such situations and can stand with us in fellowship under the cross and offer prayers.  One way the author suggests is choosing a friend who would consider setting aside time each day to pray for that person and also for us, asking God to deepen our awareness of our own forgiveness. Knowing someone else is taking on the burden is freeing in itself.
Another way if we are at the point that we are ready to forgive that person ourselves, it may be helpful to reflect on scriptures that proclaim our own forgiveness like II Cor. 5:17-19. As we are able to pray for the person we are trying to forgive, it helps us get a new awareness of him and his situation. “People who hurt others are people who are themselves hurting because they have been hurt.”  God often gives us insight as to struggles they are going through.

Another way is to reflect on the truths of Jesus sacrifice for us, as we participate in communion at our church.  The center of the Lord’s Supper is the reminder that He has reconciled the world to Himself and He is renarrating our lives. This meal is a tangible experience of that. May we go to communion with new eyes as we participate in this wonderful means of grace.

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

Even though we are called to forgive there are boundaries. We are called to bear one another’s burdens but we are not called to be repeatedly harmed by someone else. There are times we must remove ourselves from persons or situations that take advantage of us or hurt us. “To forgive is not to be abused”.

We must also take care that our need to feel forgiven doesn’t disregard the hurt it can cause someone else.  For example one gal got up at a meeting and knelt before another pastor and told how she had bad feelings and anger towards him etc. It embarrassed the pastor that she did it front of the group and would have been better if she had sought him out privately. It was a private matter not public.  Sometimes it can even be malicious where someone invites another person out for coffee and then “ambushes” him to say how he has been hurt him by him but has forgiven him. If one truly forgives, he doesn’t have to be showy. How much better if he just invited the person out for coffee and deepened the friendship with healthy conversation and maybe a time of prayer together.  If we have come to the place where we have forgiven someone, let us keep it between us and the Lord. Love covers a multitude of sins! (I Peter 4:8)

Devotions from James Smith’s book The Good and Beautiful Community

A community who has been forgiven must become a community who forgives. How wonderful that His forgiveness to us is unrestricted so how can our forgiveness be restricted?  So often our inability to forgive someone else is based on our sense of justice. Maybe they haven’t asked us for forgiveness or maybe they have not “earned” it.  But is that the way we want the Lord to treat us? By His mercy or by justice?  We can’t play it both ways. We can’t ask for our rights when it comes to those who have sinned against us but then ask for mercy when it comes down to our own sin. Once we stand in the larger story of our forgiveness, we can forgive, but often takes time. We are told to “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven us.” Eph. 4:2 Christ forgives through us and gives us His power to do so. Then how can we refuse to forgive someone else when we know the joy of being forgiven ourselves? And how can we refuse to forgive the one for whom Jesus has already forgiven?

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

As we practice forgiveness and reconciliation, we will find our own selves being healed. The student mentioned yesterday didn’t forgive in order to feel better but feeling better he was able to forgive.  His heart was changed by the good news that his sins were forgiven. He told James Smith that since God had forgiven him ALL of his sins, then he figured he would forgive the one who had abused him.  Isn’t it true that we have been forgiven so much more than we will ever be called on to forgive?   In Matt 18:23-27 we have the story of the king who forgave the one who owed him 10,000 talents. Yet that slave went out and had his fellow slave thrown into prison because he couldn’t pay his debt that was 600,000 times less. God is like that king and we are like the man who couldn’t pay his debt. We can never hope to earn His forgiveness. Our sins are too great and we have nothing with which to repay. The man did nothing to merit his forgiven debt and neither do we. Let us meditate on how much we have been forgiven and it will help us forgive others.

Devotions from James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

When we have been hurt deeply we may ask : Can I forgive?  Should I forgive? How do I forgive?  On our own we do not have the strength or capacity to forgive.  We may grit our teeth and try to do it in our own strength but we can only forgive when we know we are forgiven.  Only as we experience God’s grace and forgiveness can we can reach out and extend his grace to those who have hurt us. The author was impacted by one of his students as he saw his transformation. The abused student came to him after attempting suicide and remembered his professor’s words about God’s acceptance and unconditional love. He received God’s love and was able to renarrate his story in light of the cross. Instead of blaming himself, he was able to confront his memories and his abuser with the ability to forgive.  He was empowered to forgive because Christ had forgiven him. It was not a matter of a lot of willpower but an extension of God’s grace. When we really know that Jesus has borne all of our sins and “it is finished” we will find healing and be able to forgive too. More tomorrow

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

Christ within us is the bond of our unity. “Though we may differ on the outside, we are people indwelt by Christ and therefore we, who differ in externals, become one because of who we are internally.” As it says in I Cor. 10:16-17, We who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Communion is a visible demonstration of how we are united in the body and blood of Jesus. We belong to one another and our differences are not a hindrance but a welcome part of the Body.  Paul says we should be of one mind and united in our thinking, living in peace.   That doesn’t mean we have to let go of our ideas, opinions or doctrines. We will never agree on everything but we can and must agree on one thing: Jesus is Lord. So let us make a distinction between essentials and nonessentials and to find ways to love one another when our nonessentials differ. Love and commitment to Jesus is essential, as well as, basic teaching found in the creeds but so many other things are nonessentials. Not that they are unimportant but they should not divide us. John Wesley offered 5 ways to show love to those whom we differ in the nonessentials. 1. Treat them as companions. 2. Do not think or speak evil of them. 3. Pray for them. 4 Encourage them to do good. 5. Collaborate with them in ministry. 
Let us pray for the unity of the church and join hands with those whose hearts beat I love for Him!

Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

Why do we think we must always agree on every issue in the church or it is grounds for division?  The truth is we will never get everything right and our doctrines and dogmas are not prefect.  If our hearts beats in love for Jesus, then we can join hands and walk together in fellowship.  As the church of Christ we claim one Lord, one Faith, One baptism, but there are over 30,000 Protestant denominations and many reject every other denomination but their own.  We have adopted a false narrative that says, “If you do not look like us, act like us, worship like us or think like us, we are not obligated to have fellowship with you.”   How this must grieve the Father.  Exclusion somehow makes us feel safe that we have kept the false teachers out but maybe the core of our fear is the desire to control.  “We overcome those fears by becoming people who know they are forgiven and being formed by God’s love.”  We don’t have to agree on every issue. The true narrative may be like this: If you do not look, act, worship or believe as I do, but you heart beats in love for Jesus, then regardless of our differences, we can and must have fellowship with one another.”  This allows for disagreement but not division. Our central belief is Jesus is Lord!  He unites us!