Jesus Rescues Me From Me

It doesn't matter if you're single, working, unemployed, married, popular, not so popular, black or white; everyone is apart of a community. It could be a family, your street, your workplace, your coffee shop, your mum and baby group, an online group, the pub or the church. We are all apart of a community in some form or another. Humans are not made to be alone. Whether its a social group or a prayer group it is good to be with people. Why is this post called Jesus Rescues Me From Me? Imagine if Jesus didn't die and resurrect. We would be alone. We would be with no one. I don't know about you, reading this, but I am the sort of person who will have arguments with myself. I will do something dumb and in my head I will say "why did you do that, you are so stupid". That's me! Jesus rescues us from ourselves to be with others.

1) Call Into Community
Have you fully committed to the local church? If you want to grow as a Christian then you need to be involved. You need to be involved on Sundays, serving and being there for the sermon. You need to be involved in Community Groups/ House Groups / Small Groups / Life Groups whatever your church calls it. You need to be at Prayer Meetings. You need to be at Church Socials. Now that doesn't mean that if you don't go to these God doesn't love you less, heck if you go to these God won't love you more. But God made us to be in community so we probably should make the effort to be in community.

2) We Already Have Unity
To maintain a healthy community, you need to maintain unity. We don't need to create unity as Paul says unity already exists.
Ephesians 1:7  

"Rescued through his blood, unite all things through him in heave and earth"

The work for unity has already been completed by Jesus through his Crucifixion on the cross. God's rescue plan wasn't just to save (although it was), it wasn't just to redeem (although it was), but it was also to unite us together again. When Jesus died on the cross we became reunited with God and we become reunited with one another. If you don't feel united with someone, then go and make peace with them. Now this takes humility and love, but God's plan for us is to be together.

Romans 16:17

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

3) Relationships Work Like:
When I say relationships I don't just mean relationships in husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, but I also mean friendships. With all relationships/friendships there are many things you have to work on. An example is Patience. Some people are hard work and we need patience with them. God is very patient with us and so we should be patient in our communities.

Ephesians 4:2-3

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Within any friendship/relationship there should always be times of extreme excitement. When something really exciting is happening be happy for the other person. When the other person praises you should praise with them. When the other person is mourning through something, mourn with them. I hope you are understanding this message. When you go through things together, in the long it builds a strong friendship and strong community. But you might be reading this and saying, what if this community sees my struggles, sees my weaknesses, what if they see the real me? To build a healthy community honesty is important. Life isn't always amazing, but a real community are there through the highs and lows. Because of sin we have to work on building these strong communities and the greatest relationship issue is me. The greatest relationship issue is yourself because of not allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Everyone has to deal with it, but if you can push through that, imagine the amazing things God will do in that community.

In your community fight for one another, be warriors in prayer with each other.

Matthew 18:20
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

When we gather and praise Jesus together God promises to be there with us in the form of the Holy Spirit, so lets gather for each other, for our relationship with God and for mission.

"We are meant to be fishers of men and women and throw in the net together"