Dear Parents and Friends of CCS,
I hope this post finds you well and walking in the forgiveness, grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ!
This week I want to continue to flesh out the concept of the “Shalom Community” that we talk so much about here at CCS, a Community of Peace, Safety, Wholeness, Hope and Joy.
This concept is evident throughout the Bible, and is rooted in many particular Scriptures.
Last week we began a deeper look into the 12th chapter of Romans, where Paul shares the “marks of a true Christian”. This is important to us as we continue to add pieces to the puzzle of how the gospel of the Kingdom informs on the way a healthy community works.
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9-21 ESV)
This passage provides a beautiful description of how people acting as members of a Shalom Community should live.
Today I want to comment briefly on verses 14-20, where Paul emphasizes how people in a shalom community should treat one another.
It’s hard to imagine a more counter-cultural message than the one depicted in these verses.
Think with me for a moment as we ponder what it would look like, what it would feel like to live in a community that actually practices this, even in a limited and imperfect way.
Without a doubt, it would be a gamechanger.
For some people, even some Christians, to “overcome evil with good” literally would require their world to be rocked. They have been so influenced by the culture that tends to dehumanize others that Jesus’ way seems foreign and even alien.
For the record, Paul is not envisioning some sort of Utopia here on earth - he is envisioning a Kingdom Community that not only espouses Biblical values and “talks the talk” but humbly lives them out by doing the hard yet necessary daily work, guided by the truth of God's word and the power of His Spirit operating in and through them.
God is revealing a truth that cannot be applied in real life without embracing the scandalous gospel of Jesus Christ, and progressively becoming a people who are sold out to Jesus. In other words, human nature, in its unredeemed state, is incapable of sustaining such a way of living.
We need Jesus in order to live like Jesus.
As a specific example of this, based on this passage we can say that you and I, as members of a Shalom Community, should:
“Cultivate a genuine desire to [prefer and service one another out of love for Christ and each other, and generously provide for the needs of the community as God provides for you.
And,
“Create and maintain a safe environment both physically and emotionally, one that includes a mutual and active commitment to live a noble life in Christ by encouraging one another on to love and good deeds.”
This does not come naturally. It is the fruit of knowing and beholding the Jesus of Scripture, the One who knows us better than we know ourselves, yet loves us and accepts us as His own. Our part is that we turn to HIm and submit our lives to His leading.
And it's only possible if we trust God’s word and Spirit to move us toward this reality.
In closing, remember that all of this makes much more sense if we realize that Jesus is worth it, that He is better, and that experiencing and knowing Him firsthand is the ultimate pleasure.
All of this is undergirded by the Gospel, the good news of Jesus, which is operating powerfully in the background, providing a healthy context for God’s work in and through us.
As the late Timothy Keller said,
“You are worse than you think you are, but also far more loved than you feel you are.”
Community Christian School has clearly been called by God to be the sort of community where we “stir one another up to love and good works”. (Heb. 10:24 ESV)
This means the growth of a Shalom Community is of first priority. And by the grace of God and in the power of the Spirit, we will continue to pursue this.
Next week we will continue to examine what Shalom Community looks like in real life.
‘Till then, may God bless you with His awesome truth and love.
For CCS and the Kingdom,
Tom