Until 2014 Sesame Street had a Word-of-the-Day feature. As we continue our sermon series Divine Dictionary I hope you reflect on the Word-of-the-Week daily. This week’s word: COMMUNITY.

Everybody wants to know and be known, to give and receive love. That’s universal. And all types of community like change for the better, and hope for change that brings people together.

Christian community is different from any other form of community. It leads to a joy and connectedness that no other community can offer. Dead hearts made alive by God. Walking in the light of grace brings true personal freedom. Practically meeting with other believers regularly. Breaking bread. Praying together. Encouraging one another. Serving one another. Showing no partiality. Displaying God’s goodness by impacting the community.

Christian community is unique because it calls for Christ-likeness through intimate awareness. Not superficial, exterior changes, but being transformed into the image of Christ. Nothing allows people to better know and be known, love and be loved, than the power and presence of God.

During this time of COVID-19 restrictions, we can still function to a large degree as a community. Even without gathering in a building, enjoying our corporate worship and other activities, we can still devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching, to supporting each other in koinonia fellowship, and to prayer. The day will come when we will be able to break bread together and share in the communal meal we have in communion with God and each other. Until then, I encourage you to keep peeling back the outer layers to get to the heart of what it means to be community.