May The Fellowship Be With You
“Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”- Hebrews 10:25
I am a big Star Wars fan. It is the first movie I remember seeing on the big screen and a favorite memory from my childhood. I had the lightsaber, the action figures, and even the printed bedsheets. There is something else that I appreciate about this epic from a galaxy far, far away.
Star Wars communicates the powerful message of needing each other and working together. The good guys, a group known as the Rebel Alliance works together to defeat the daunting Imperial Empire, led by Darth Vader. Despite being outgunned and outmanned (spoiler alert), they end up overcoming all odds and securing peace in the galaxy. Luke Skywalker needed Obi Won and Yoda’s guidance; Luke needed Han Solo’s ship for transport and Han Solo needed Luke to save him from trouble; Princess Leia needed a team to rescue her; the droids (R2D2 and C3PO) provided invaluable intel and skills to the mission; even the Ewoks (not a big fan) helped to keep the enemy at bay!
Like the Star Wars heroes, the Church needs to do better at being together, working together, and growing together. Listen to the liveliness of the Early Church described in Acts 2:46-47, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” One of the aftereffects of battling a prolonged pandemic, is that people have lost their routines. Many jobs continue remotely; students are reacclimating to being on campus; and a handful of believers have not factored back into in-person church attendance.
The Holy Spirit has been dealing with my heart on breaking this bad habit and calling God’s people back to the devoted discipline of gathering and growing with one another! Whether it is due to busy schedules, a lack of discipline, or even random unforeseen circumstances from week to week, it is time for us to be at church. This need is too important for me to remain silent. I had been afraid to challenge and encourage people about their church attendance patterns, in the fear of losing people. We would love to see you on Saturdays at 5 pm, yet I feel this so deeply that even if this means you are unable to attend with us, that you would choose today to find a new church home on Sundays.
Our FELLOWSHIP is a FORCE that brings faith to life and brings victory in our lives. 1 John 1:7 says, “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” It is time for God’s people to rise up! It is time for us to resist the enemy! It is time to live in real community and experience radical results!