How are we going to get there?!

     I have had the opportunity to travel a great deal in my life.  My philosophy on travel is never take the same route.   When my children were learning to drive, they always knew that we would be going "sightseeing" as they would call it.  However, now that they are older they enjoy taking different routes to familiar places (Wal-Mart comes to mind!).

   We all hear sermons on Sunday, if we go to church (live or televised).    The exact number of sermons I have heard in my life is "a lot."  One recurring in sermons is the "New Testament church.   If you are with me so far, Acts 2:42-47 just popped in your head (or over your head in a thought bubble).   If you aren't familiar, let me quote for you:

Acts 2:42  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.   43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.   44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.   46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,  47 Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

     I have lost count of the number of times pastor have preached that this is how the church should be now.  It is said almost as if speaking it brings it into existence ... or removes all of the barriers to that occurring.  Only a couple of pastors have gone further to answer the question, "How are we going to get there?  The answer lies in what the church in Acts has that we don't and often actively eschew.  It is actually something we sometimes purposely avoid and in which we are unwilling to invest.  What is IT?  

The members of the church in Acts had relationships!  Look again at the underlined words in the passage above.  Those things are not accomplished outside of relationship.  Jesus's model for making disciples centered around relationship.  I often think that subconsciously Christians fear the word relationship ship second only to submission.  Why?

    Lets think of a cat kitten drowning in the middle of a muddy stagnant pond.  You know the kitten is drowning.  There is no boat, float or raft available to transport you out to that kitten.  The only way to save the kitten is to wade into the water and swim out to save it.   In the process you are subjected to the everything that is in the word.  The filthy smell, everything that has fallen in the word over the years, and it take work to get to the kitten.

Relationships are very much like that.  If we are truly building relationships with those around us, it takes effort and investment. It isn't always going to be pleasant or enjoyable. However, if we intend to be a community of believers that encourage one another, pray for one another and love one another, we have to be willing to make the effort and invest in the lives of those around us.

Unfortunately sometimes that person with whom you are trying to build a relationship resists.  Think about swimming out to save the kitten, and it fights back!  Do you abandon the kitten?  Do you throw it as hard as you can toward the shore?  Even when we have the best of intentions when trying to build a relationship we meet resistance.  The true friends press on despite resistance.  I have to admit that I have relinquished my relationship building several times after someone has repeatedly rebuffed my attempts.  I have learned to not be rebuffed, but to press on any way.  Why?  I am responsible for my actions, not theirs.

     The original question was, "How do we get there?"  Only in and through Christ can we love the unlovable and build relationships with those who resist.  Christ desired a restored relationship with us enough to submit to dying on the cross.  One major passage of Scripture paints a picture for me of what it takes for us to build relationships.   If it isn't a memory verse for you, it should be. In order to love others through Christ, to press on in relationships and friendships despite rebuffs and resistance, we have to believe and live Galatians 5:22.

"I am crucified with Christ, and I no longer live but
Christ lives in me.  The life I live I live by faith in 

the Son of God who loves me and gave His life for me."

That is how we get there.  I confess that I struggle with this and often falter in building relationships.  However, this leads me to another life verse for me:

Philippians 3:12-14  12  Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,14  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

As I write this the Holy Spirit is convicting me of those people with whom I have resisted relationship either because it would be messy, or because they have rejected.  The Acts 2 New Testament church is our goal.  Can we achieve it this side of heaven?