Encountering God in Community
For months now, I have felt led to speak on Encountering God in community. If you grew up in the church or have been in a tight knit community of believers you probably have plenty of stories of encountering God in community. In community, I have seen people encounter God, receive a prophetic word, healing happen, reconciliation take place and unity amongst the body.
These types of encounters bring a people closer together and closer to God. In Scripture, we see countless examples of individuals encountering God as a community. It would take me a long time to get through them all.
As I prayed, the Lord led me to Luke 5:17-26 and I want to spend the majority of our time together there.
Let’s read.
What a cool story. Something I love to do is to read a passage from different perspectives. So here, you could read this story and imagine being the guy on the mat or the friend carrying the mat. You could imagine being a person listening to Jesus from inside the house or a pharisee or a kid listening from the outside (poking their head through the window).
No matter who you are in the story the bible tells us what the result was for those who witnessed this miracle. (v.26)
They were gripped with awe and wonder.
(aka childlikeness)
+++ Jesus tells us that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children.
And these are the benefits of encountering God as a community. Awe and wonder, childlikeness. And church this is important. As humans, especially in this day and age we have been conditioned to quickly move on to the next thing. The time we spend in awe and wonder of things is very short lived.
Ex. Kid gets a new toy. Plays with it for a week and then forgets about it.
Netflix generation (watch something for a bit, be entertained for a moment and then move on to the next)
The problem becomes even more serious as we exhibit the same patterns in our marriage, kids, friendships, the ministry God has called us to, the job he has provided, etc.
We are a people who quickly become aweless and wonderless.
This can even occur in our relationship with God.
This is why community encounters are crucial. We see biblicially that encountering God together RESTORES the awe and wonder towards our savior. And ain’t that the truth church? Think about anytime you have seen a miracle happen or a prophetic word given that is spot on, or a prophetic word fulfilled or God answer a prayer.
The results are the same, awe and wonder.
This is why community encounters are so crucial because when we encounter God together we also are filled with awe and wonder TOGETHER.
It is one thing to witness a God encounter on your own (like the time saw an angel), but it is a totally different experience when everyone sees the angel!
Your faith increases and you draw closer to one another.
And awe and wonder our essential to childlikeness and are signs of operating from the place of first love.
(Ephesus being faulted for losing their first love-Rev. 2)
So encountering God as a community does 3 things:
Produces childlikeness (awe and wonder)
Maintains fans the flame of your first love
Increases your faith
For the sake of time, I want us to look at this passage again. Let us take the perspective of one of the friend’s carrying his brother on the mat. We can assume these were friends because not just anyone would go to these lengths to help this man.
(The paralytic have a tendency in scripture to be alone, outside of community, excluded when they are brought up in scripture, yet this guy is not alone, he has a whole crew willing to help him)
So here is your friend, he needs help. Jesus ministry has just begun, but you recently heard that he touched a man with an advanced case of leprosy. HE TOUCHED him, that alone captured your attention, but not only did he touch him, but he healed him and not only did he heal him, but this healing was supposed to be kept under wraps. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know aka didn’t need people to give Him the credit.
What’s up with this guy? Who is He? You’re not sure, but you think...maybe if he heal that guy, he could also heal your buddy. You hear Jesus is in town so you gather your friends and go to your friend’s house. You tell him your plan.
Read and Imagine this. Put yourself in the story.
You need a miracle and there is this guy who we believe could give you that miracle, but we gotta go now. The place is going to be packed because this guy has some serious healing powers. He may be the Messiah we have awaited for.
Your friend thinks. Hesitates. You and your friends ask him what he has to lose? You urge him to get on the mat.
You all walk together, carrying him on the mat, praying all the prayers you have grown up reciting. God please show up. Heal my friend. His life has been so different since the accident. This would change everything for him. Please help him.
When you get there it is packed. You spot the front door and try to push your way through, but the crowds won’t even budge. You try to plead with the people in the crowd, no one moves, instead they push you back and insult you.
Your friends begin to settle, but you look for another way. You spot the roof. You spent a summer tiling roofs. You know how to get the shingles off easily. You tell your friends.
They look at you like you have lost your mind. You look at your friend. You tell them. What do you have to lose. This guy has super healing powers. This could be the Messiah. You make your way to the back of the house to access the roof. Together you lift your friend, together you lift his mat, together you acquire some rope, together you peel off the shingles, together you tie the corners of the mat, together you lower the mat and your friend, together you wait and you pray.
And it happens, He sees faith.
“Seeing their faith, Jesus said…”
It wasn’t just your faith that move Jesus to work, it wasn’t just the faith of your friend, it was the faith your tribe, the faith of your community.
And that faith moves Jesus to something bigger than just healing your friend...it leads him to do more than you expected (isn’t that always the case)...it leads Jesus to forgive the sins of your friend.
And then does it. He heals Him physically too. Your friend jumps up. Astounding. Your friend picks up his mat and walks out of the house.
The crowd parts. Everyone makes room for him to exit the house. Everyone, including you, is gripped. Gripped with awe and wonder, praising God.
This is the power of encountering God together. It changes everyone, benefits everyone and grips everyone with awe, wonder and praise to God.
Church we have this opportunity. To encounter God together and experience him in this powerful way.
But in order to encounter God together and reap its benefits there are requirements of us.
Requirements:
You will need faith in Jesus Christ
the power and ability of Jesus Christ
You will need to put in effort and work
It will not always be easy or convenient
Ability to carry your brother and sister to Jesus Christ when they cannot do it on their own
You may need to break structures
You may need to do some damage to the kingdom of darkness
You may need to clean up afterwards
It may get messy
You may need to get creative
It will not always be the normal way (front door)
You will need to show up
Simeon
Anna
Their showing up allowed them to meet the Messiah face to face. To praise and worship him. To see prophecy fulfilled. To prophesy and declare. To touch the Messiah.
If showing up every single time means that one day we will see him, one day we may touch, that it could even be a possibility it makes it worth wild to show up, even on days where i think nothing happened.
If we are willing to do what it takes, together we will encounter God and be filled with all and wonder.
How do we start?
Enjoy Jesus
Show Up
Be community
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE?
Let us pray that we will:
showing up
Showing up for one another
Be community to one another
Friends to one another
Work for one another
Prefer one another
Fight for one another
Rejoice with one another
Weep with one another
Enjoy jesus
Be filled with awe and wonder
In hopes that will will get to see Jesus work in our community, heal in our to community, that we get to see him, touch him, encounter God together. Hallelujah .
