There is something amazing about a group of people who meet and then spend the rest of their days being there for each other. Volumes have been written about this, conferences are hosted for topics like this, and people inside and outside the Church are craving this. We call it community! If you have it, you should do all you can to protect it. If you don't, you need it. If you are looking for it, I hope you find it here at HighPoint Church!
Four years ago, my son moved into his college dorm and met three other athletes. They lived with each other, got up at 6:00 AM daily to run/train together, and have stayed close to each other. They've all graduated now, and have all converged in Seattle, Washington this week to watch one of them take the plunge and walk down the aisle. My son is the best man and, next March, one of these men will officiate Caleb's wedding (I will just play the Dad role that day). God brought these men together, and even though He has sent them out to different places with different callings, they all still support each other as brothers. As roommates, they saw the best and worst in each other. There were late night conversations, disagreements, debates, dialogues, and probably even some interventions.
I guess that is what Christian brotherhood is all about. We recognize it because Jesus helped establish it when, long ago, He brought four other men together: Peter, Andrew, James, and John. We read about them "moving in" together in Matthew 4, just as His ministry was getting started:
"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow Me,' Jesus said, 'and I will send you out to fish for men.' At once, they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James and John. They were in a boat with their father, Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him." (Matthew 4:18-22)
If you spent time with these four men, it probably wouldn't have taken long before arguments broke out. The Bible even tells us James and John started a ruckus one day by assuming they were the greatest, and the other 10 were right there to prove them wrong. Yes, there were times they challenged each other to the core of who they were and drove each other crazy doing it. But there were other times where their collective efforts, mixed in with God's power, accomplished amazing things. Jesus put the ministry in the hands of these men and changed the world! And somehow, when I look around at the world today, I don't think He is done.
Who are the people in your life that you count on like that?!? There has to be someone (hopefully more than one) that you know has your back, that you can call when life's trials get a little too trying for you. As you pray this week, here are a few questions to ask yourself and Jesus:
Do you know and trust Jesus enough to leave everything behind and follow Him into uncharted waters?
Do you have some other brothers (or sisters) in your life that have done the same and are walking by faith with you?
Is there someone you can encourage to take a step of faith like this with you?
I think our world needs more Christ-followers who are willing to drop everything and do whatever Jesus says. They need to see us actually following Him. And, I think those same people are wanting to do that in their own life. Be praying for people like that and be praying that God will make you a person like that. God changes the world through people like that.
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