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Lately I've noticed more and more people retreating into isolation. Relationships are risky, and you can’t love without being hurt. A tempting solution is to simply keep your distance - emotionally, if not physically. The ‘solution', however, is even worse than the problem. We were designed to live in community. God Himself lives in eternal community, Father-Son-Holy Spirit. The God who is communal calls us into communion with Himself and with His church.

There are lots of options for hearing preachers, listening to worship music and studying the Bible without having any meaningful contact with other people. This is dangerous and can lead to spiritual deformity rather than maturity. We need each other. The church is called to demonstrate robust, loving community to the world. This will involve persevering in relationships when we would rather protect ourselves and walk away.

Recently I led a study on Baptism from Romans 6. One of the things that struck me was the frequency of the word ‘we’ (fourteen times in the first nine verses). When we become One with Christ and are baptised, we are baptised into a family. It’s part of our new identity.

We are about to embark on a Sunday series on 'Being a Community of Love'. Let’s embrace the challenge of growing in this way as a church.

PRAYER & PRAISE

Psalms 103:8-14 (NLT)

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

  • Lord, thank you for your compassion toward us, for your constant love and undeserved mercy
  • We lift up our hearts in praise and worship to You our Lord and Saviour
  • We bring to you our prayers and requests and also our thanks
  • Thank you Lord for the blessings our young people received at the State Youth Camp last weekend and for keeping them safe
  • Thank you too for our youth leaders and the example they are to our young people