Thursday, March 4, 2010

Community/Church.....is it Vital?






I've just finished reading The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller and it's a nice, short, easy read. However, it pierced my heart. He dives into the story The Prodigal Son and takes you down some different roads. Ones that lead right into your doorstep called "pride". It was a great read. I really appreciated his spin on community and going to church. He quotes "I have explained in this book why churches-and all religious institution- are often so unpleasant. They are filled with elder brothers (pharisees). Yet staying away from them simply because they have elder brothers is just another from of self-righteousness. Besides that, there is no way you will be able to grow spiritually apart from a deep involvement in a community of other believers..." Then he goes on to quote a part form C.S. Lewis's book. You may or may not know this but C.S. Lewis was a part of a famous circle of friends called the Inkling (Tolkien too). As some point, one of their friends died, Charles Williams. This is what C.S. Lewis wrote, titled "Friendship"............"In each of my friends there is something some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all facets. Now that Charles is dead, I shall never again see Tolkien's reactions to a specifically Charles joke. Far from having more of Tolkien, having him "to myself" now t hat Charles is away, I have less of Tolkien...In this, Friendship exhibits a glorious "nearness by resemblance" to heaven itself where they very multitude of the blessed (which no man can number) increases the fruition which each of us has on God. Fro every soul, seeing Him in her own way, doubtless communicates that unique vision to all the rest. That, says an old author, is why the Seraphim in Isaiah's vision are crying "Holy, Holy, Holy" to one another. The more we thus share the Heavenly Bread between us, the more we shall have."

Keller then goes on to say that "Lewis is saying that tit took a community to know an individual. How much more would this be true of Jesus Christ? Christians commonly say they want a relationship with Jesus, that they want to "get to know Jesus better." You will never be able to do that by yourself. You must be deeply involved in the church in Christian community , with strong relationships of love and accountability."

This is a great response to those wondering why on earth they should go to church. Even I have questioned that exact thought. We are meant to be in a community. I'm glad that Paul and I can be apart of that experience, not just to soak up His glory but to spread love to other believers and encourage others as well too. :-)

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