Building Community

Ps Ian Shelton (Toowoomba City Church)

I grew up in a lovely little farming community in the South Burnett. The sense of community was who we were. Farmers supported each other in good and bad times. I can remember a barn blowing over in a wind storm. Soon all the farmers gathered to rebuild it, at no cost to the farmer. Another time a farmer was badly injured in a harvesting machine and had to go to hospital. Soon all the farmers gathered and did his harvest for him and continued to look after his farm until he had recovered, and of course at no cost. A sense of community is Gods great gift to humanity. Humanity has trashed this gift through rebellion and sinful activity that has only led to hurt, brokenness, and a “white anting” of that sense of community.

Easter reminds us of the primary gift of the Father, and that is His Son Jesus, who took all evil, all hurt and all brokenness upon Himself at the cross. His resurrection marks new life not only for each of us as individuals but for a fresh and new sense of community as humanity rediscovers the way of sacrificial servant hearted love.

This current “virus crisis” reminds us of the need to rebuild and retain that sense of community. We need each other. To discover the love of Jesus is to discover each other in community.