How God Sees Our Community

You know, when someone’s looking for something and your being playful and you say “Warm, warm, warm....hot!” when then they’re getting close and “Cold, cold, colder...freezing!” when they’re far away from the mark.

Well, when we’re far from the mark of caring for our community, we’re neutral. Maybe we’ve been around here and we’ve heard bad things about the neighbourhood. Maybe we’ve had some bad experiences. Maybe none of that applies and we’re just kind of emotionally indifferent to the community.

But the interesting thing here is that in this passage God says: “I wish you were either cold or hot. Just don’t be neutral”. Neutrality...sitting on the fence ...apparently that’s not a good thing in God’s eyes.

Now some of you might wonder about my use of this passage. Most often this passage is referred to in the light of our faith...that if our faith turns neutral, that’s a really, really bad thing. But notice, again, that God says: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.

It’s actually not about having faith or not having faith. Being spiritually dry or spiritually alive and vital. It’s about how we choose to express out faith. Again I refer to James as I did last week

James 2 vs 18, “I will show you my faith by what I do”. Do we express our faith in a way that communicates caring...or indifference?

But there’s another way to see our community. What’s cool about this way is that it’s God’s way of looking at us and the people around us. You know, I have to say that some people still think of God firstly as a judge.

Looking at all the bad in the world and in us and handing out punishment for our sins. God save us from that distorted notion. What did Jesus say: “ John 12:47 For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it”.

How does God see our community? I believe it’s similar to another Scripture that was read today where Jesus stands over the great city and says: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

God sees the city with longing. With compassionate eyes. Eyes that are passionate about the suffering in the city. About the poverty that is here. He sees people living without Jesus, without the knowledge of God, without knowing their worth.

He sees the people you and I see. The addicts standing outside grocery stores. In our alleys. The business people running around like chickens missing their heads, but really missing out on life’s potential in Jesus. The sincere seekers from others faiths or no faith. He sees everyone as we see them...but actually He sees them differently.

He sees them from the inside. He knows every thought. Every whispered prayer. Every worry. Every burden. Every tear. And He means to do something about it. Something very, very good. Now what might that be?

Well, He also, of course, sees us. His church. We meet here every Sunday. We’re out and about in the community each day. Normally we’re getting together a lot during the year to learn and grow together (that’s just about to start up again in a few weeks). Some of us volunteer at the mission or maybe work here.