On Sunday evenings our community meets at a local coffee shop.  We use the time to hash out the practicalities of the scriptures we studied during the morning service.  It’s typically in the style of midrash and conversation.  It’s a wonderful time for our community to work out our salvation in a sharing environment.  We’ve done it for over a year and we know the managers and waiters well.  I’ve decided to share some of our conversations with you – (because in a way you’re part of our community in South Africa.)

Tonight we looked at Jesus calling the disciples in Matthew 4:12-23.  We looked at three movements within the passage and focused on three questions.  Firstly, Jesus moved to Capernaum, a strategic move to one of the major trade routes called the Via Maris.  The question we explored was, How do I strategically shine my light at my workplace? Secondly, Jesus called disciples to be followers, he didn’t choose them to only develop a mind full of teachings – he trained them for a revolution of action that we’re part of now!  The question we explored was, Am I a follower or an accumulator of religious knowledge?  Thirdly, Jesus called His disciples to be in community – a huge challenge for our individualistic mindset!  The community Jesus weaved together was a very diverse one – a tax collector next to a zealot, fishermen who were exploited by a publican together with the same thief – a happy group of conflicting personalities and agendas.  The question we explores was, Do I have a community?  Do I have a community that’s different from me – "people who are not like me"?

The central
reality of church is a group of people called to an ever-deepening personal
belonging of friendship with Jesus of Nazareth. The command is to abide, to
dwell in him as he dwelt in the Father. You have an image that Jesus used of
total intimacy. But Jesus doesn’t give us a deeper relationship with him apart
from his Body. Jesus does not come alone. He can’t because Jesus already has a
people, he has a family. And when Jesus comes to us he always bring his family
with him. Then we say, ‘No, I want just you. What I’ve heard about you is
fairly good but what I’ve heard about your family is not so good.’ And Jesus
says, ‘We come together.’ Gordon Cosby, Church of the Saviour.

If you have any thoughts that you want to share, please feel free to post them in the comment section.