What is community?

 

Jesus Christ was a great communicator of true community, teaching love, peace , harmony, sharing with one another (especially those in need), etc. In fact, when he was asked the specific question of what is the greatest commandment, he answered “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. `Love your neighbour as yourself.`” (Matt. 22:37-39). Clearly, Jesus is showing us that good community relationship with God and one another is essential for personal and social well being. Another example of the perfect community model is found in the New Testament book “Acts of the Apostles” which says:”They devoted themselves to the Apostles` teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer......All believers were together and had everything in common....they gave to anyone as he had need....They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God.... (Acts. 2:42-47).

So, the big question is this!

Why do we see less and less of true community in the world today? The simple answer is that mankind has become more and more self centred, estranging himself from God and the relationship He desires for us, in order to pursue our own selfish gain. We are constantly bombarded with images and sound bites promoting “Look after number !”, “I`m alright, nothing else matters” and so on and so on. People seem to be more and more content in isolating themselves from neighbours not wishing to `get involved.` Crime is on the increase and as a result the consequences wreak havoc on the lives of the innocent, elderly and vulnerable in society. The list could go on but there is no room in this article to say anymore other than to pose the question, “What can we do?”

Well....this is why, as a church fellowship, having a heart for community, we are looking at ways of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to our community by means of practical support and help where needed. Love is the key and this can only come from the love that Jesus offers. In fact, his instruction, to anyone who believes in him, is “A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34). This of course, is not an easy thing to do, especially to someone you may not even like. But if we are willing to turn back to God and His ways, and rely on Jesus to impart in us his character, more and more each day, then we will experience the grace of God actively working in our lives enabling us to truly love one another and restore community values which are so desperately needed. Love is the key. The love of Jesus is the key in enabling us all to gain the true fulfilled life God has planned for us. Jesus said “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they (followers of Jesus) may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) (addition & italics mine).

So, where do you stand? Where do you want to be? Do you want to love and be loved in return? Do you want to experience the transforming power of Jesus in your life in order to help make a difference, a difference in your community? Then invite Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour.

If you want to know how to take this step (the most important in your life), then please contact us at pgcc.contact@blueyonder.co.uk or  go to our contact page for more information. Or, better still, come and join us any Sunday morning, 10am, at Preston Grange Community Centre. Thank you and God bless you. Gordon Picton.

The greatest message

 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)

 

Everyone wants to be loved. Everyone wants to be accepted. No-one likes being rejected or told they are not wanted. It lies deep within us all; the desire to be loved and to love someone in return. Love is the most powerful of emotions; the greatest force for good there is. Love creates. Love cares. Love conquers. The Bible tells us that God is Love as well as Light and Spirit and that he has a salvation plan to reconcile us back to him. This plan was allowing his own Son to give up his life, taking our place so that we may live; and live forever in the presence of his Light and Love. God’s desire for us is to experience the fullness of his Love for ourselves through an abundant life in his Son Jesus. Jesus himself said “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10b). Here, Jesus is proclaiming himself to be the Shepherd of his sheep and the gate for his sheep to enter into safe pasture. But this is only one of two sides to his message. The other is a warning to us and we should take note. Let`s take another look at the passage in a fuller context by starting at John 10:7-10. It reads, `Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the full”.` You see, on the one hand Jesus offers fullness and eternal life through him, but on the other hand there is another who will try to destroy that life if given the opportunity. That person is the Devil who is God`s enemy and will try all he can to persuade you not to take up God`s gracious offer of eternal life through Jesus his Son.

 

Since the beginning, God has wanted the best for us, his masterpiece of creation. He made us in his image so that we may enjoy to the full his fellowship. A relationship bonded together by his love for us and our love for him. But, and here`s the rub, because we are made in his image, we also have the freewill to choose. We can choose his ways, which lead to righteousness, and obedience or we can choose to follow our own ways that generally end up in disobedience and turning away from God. This turning away is called sin and was demonstrated for the first time in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve chose to disobey God`s instruction not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil otherwise they would surely die.The Devil (in the form of a cunning serpent) deceived them into disobeying God convincing them that they would not die. They went ahead and tasted the forbidden fruit, and whilst they didn`t immediately physically die, because of their sin, they had now signed their own spiritual death warrant thus separating themselves from God`s fellowship. Sin then entered the world and the world has been in the grip of sin ever since.

 

Now, here`s the good news! God has firmly placed into existence his rescue plan by sending his Son into the world, being born of a virgin (according to scripture), living a sinless life (to show us how we were meant to live), dying on a cross (as a sacrifice for the sins of us all), and raised back to life (so that death is defeated). Jesus, the Messiah, completed his mission of salvation when he hung on that cross to suffer the most cruel of deaths, held there not so much by those barbarous nails but by the power of Love; his Love for us. That we may “not perish, but have eternal life”. This offer of eternal life is still available to anyone who is willing to acknowledge their need of Jesus by inviting him into their life as Saviour and to rule in their heart as Lord, to live life to the full in obedience to God the Father.

The Bible says that you can be sure you are saved by following Jesus as your Lord and Master and his teachings as laid down in Holy Scripture. And…….

"That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

 

If you would like to know more about Jesus then we would be happy to send you your free copy of the booklet “Why Jesus?” Just simply send a message to us at: pgcc.contact@blueyonder.co.uk