koinonia.

koinonia. i like that word. fellowship. community.

i was listening to pastor peters online sermon and…aw man.
i cant…i dont even have words at the moment.
so im just going to blurt snippets and quotes from the sermon.
you should listen to it.
go online and type in new community podcast..and listen to pastor peter hongs sermon: church without walls week 9: discovering community.
it is….so good.

“when you are longing for community…when you go up to someone and say..I need you..thats not being weak. it’s being strong”

“we were made to be in community”

“if we are spirit filled…fellowship just happens.”

“are there a group of 5, 6, 7 people you always hang out with…but you guys just hang?”

why do i have such a hard time with community?
why do i have such a hard time loving people?
why do i have such hard time opening up to people

community is hard.

fig-leaf armor.
what’s fig leaf armor?
when you dont let people know how you’re doing because if you did…you keep thinking “‘i dont want you to judge me.”

jesus saved us so that we can be fully human
which means we can fully relate to each other…in community.

you know nothing but fear..lack of trust
Jesus came to save you so that i can heal that so that you can trust and unconditionally love and genuinely accept one another.

who wants deep authentic community?
are you willing to go there?

spiritual friendship isn’t created..it’s discoverd.

the thing thats going to prompt us to care for the least of these..the poor…the broken..
is the recognition that there’s not difference between us and them.

friendship doesn’t happen
we should want something besides friends
those that want nothing share nothing.
what creates a sense of deep friendship is not 2 people who say “wat i want from you is approval”
but when they both look at something and go “aint that beautiful?”
when theyre kneeling at the same thing and go “aint that beautiful?”

make your friendship with God more important that making friends
and friends will be drawn to you.

do you know when friendships become really important to you?
when you are emotionally underwater.
but by then…it’s too late.
“where is my friends?
where is my community?
i never built it…”

koinonia
one of the basic essence of what it means is “to share”

in community
if you don’t say “i have a need”
then no one in the community will be willing to share their needs

do you have someone in your life that you’ve given permission to ask you hard questions about your sexuality, money, prayer life.
if youre sitting there thinking i don’t have a single person who i’ve given permission to do that
you can never have community.

if youre somebody who used to love someone when they were weak and frail and they needed you
and all of a sudden they get stronger and don’t need you and you don’t like them anymore..
you never loved them for them..you loved them because they needed you

if youre somebody who was friends with someone because you were getting approval and affirmation
and all of a sudden that approval and affirmation is gone
and you start thinking that the person is a real drag
you never loved them..you loved yourself.

December 5, 2008. Uncategorized.