There is a community that needs you, and there is a you that needs your community.

Did you know that there is a community that needs you and a you that needs your community?

Matthew 12:46-50 (NLT)

As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.”

Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

Did you ever read this and get offended for Jesus’ family? Like, ‘Geez Jesus- why are you harshing on your own flesh and blood?

But Jesus isn’t dissing his family- he’s redefining it. 

He’s teaching us that God wants to be close to us, that we’re family. 

Imagine standing among the crowd- outside of the circle of Jesus’ disciples and hearing this. Hearing God in the flesh call you brother, sister, Mother? Hearing him say you are as important to him as his own earthly blood family. 

Jesus is challenging us to commit ourselves to life together as the people of God.

We’re not called to just sit in the same room together, to just tolerate one another- we’re called to treat each other like family because that’s who we are. 

Acts 2:44 (ESV)

44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

You know when you really believe in something- you’ll do pretty much anything for it.

- In elementary school I got up on a stage and performed this horribly choreographed dance routine for a girl.

- In middle school I loved Crystal Pepsi so much my friends would give it to me as a birthday gift. 

Our strongest and closest-held belief is what we become known by or associated with. 

When I read about the community of Jesus followers in Acts 2- do you know what I see? 

I see a group of people who are having fun taking Jesus seriously. 

This isn’t a sad, solemn group of people being forced to get together because it’s something they feel guilted into. 

They actually liked following Jesus and they enjoyed doing it together.

Are we a group of people who are having fun taking Jesus seriously? 

If we really believe in what Jesus has done and accomplished for us how can we not have fun taking Jesus seriously? 

The truth is- the opposite should be true. We should be miserable without Jesus. We should be miserable without knowing what he’s done, who he is, and what he thinks of us. 

In this Acts 2 community, we can see all kinds of things they were doing that can help us get back to being the community of individuals we were meant to be. I just want to highlight one of them.

They Followed Jesus Together

They weren’t individuals that went to a community they were a community filled with individuals. 

They saw themselves as part of something bigger than themselves which became their secret sauce to doing their individual part. 

Nothing depended solely on them because they were doing everything together with Christ leading them. 

They were devoted to… together. 

If you’ve been struggling with your faith, if it’s dry, if it seems lifeless- maybe it’s because you’re trying to follow Him without community. Or maybe you’ve been attending community without being community. 

When was the last time you confessed or repented of something to someone other than a family member?

When was the last time you were encouraged, prayed for, helped, or listened to by another follower of Jesus? 

1 Peter 2:5 (NLT)

You are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests.

God makes us significant. Within his church we’re essential. 

There is a community that needs you, (they do) they need what God’s put in you, and the stories he’s written through you.

And there is a you that needs your community (there is).

You can’t grow and follow Jesus without them. You can’t discover your destiny apart from them. 

So what’s your next step to receiving the community you desperately need and being the community you were designed to be?