Romans 5:1-11

Donald Miller in Searching for God Knows What says:

"I would imagine, then, that the repentance we are called to is about choosing one audience over another. Jesus says many times in the gospel that He knows the heart of man, and the heart of man does not have the power to give glory. I think Jesus is saying, 'Look, you guys are running around like monkeys trying to get people to clap, but people are fallen, they are separated from God, so they have no idea what is good or bad, worthy to be judged or set free, beautiful or ugly to begin with. Why not get your glory from God? Why not accept your feelings of redemption because of His pleasure in you, not the fickle and empty favor of man? And only then will you know who you are, and only then will you have true, uninhibited relationships with others." p.177.

The idea of "glory" is at times a misunderstood statement. I think that there are times we feel this term applies to Jesus in his "light suit" on the top of the Mount of Transfiguration. Actually, this term has to do with the fame a person, city or thing bears because of who or what it is. When read in this context, the glory or the fame that God is known for is His love for humanity. He is known for his grace. This is what He wanted Israel to communicate to all the nations around them: He is the God that lives with His people.

There is also a "glory" or "fame" that men and women bear. This fame is the capacity to love each other. Yet, for the fallen human race, what is famous among them is the distance created between them. Men and women are known more for alienating each other rather than loving each other. How did humanity get to this point?

Paul says in Romans 5:2:

"Christ has brought us into this place [right relationship with God] of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory!"

When we're connected to God, we naturally behave in a way that mirrors the love God has for humanity. Sharing in God's glory means that we - as men and women - are well known for our love and gracious acts toward one another. The reason humanity is not famous for this is because they're disconnected from God. The Roman believers showed their actual distance from God because of the way they viewed each other. With Gentile believers feeling superior to Jewish believers and Jewish believers retaliating by counteracting with their own sense of superiority, they're behaviour as God's community did not express to the world around them the glory of God.

When we put stock in who we are and take that confidence to express our commitment to God, we communicate a Christianity that is based on human behaviour not a loving God. The desire to do differently should be because of the following:

• Its destructive for us as God's community to behave in a way that is hurtful. It's not what we need as human beings. As men and women we need support and encouragement. We crave acceptance and belonging. God made us to live in community with each other. Our communities aren't called to be perfect but they're called to be real and to be loving. It's what we need and what those around us need.
• When we create a community that is hurtful and destructive it gives a fraudulent view of God to others. With this kind of behaviour characterizing who we are, we prevent people from connecting with who God really is.

It takes care and love to come to a place as a community where people are built up, loved and supported. The world needs more communities like this. There needs to be a place where people can go where they feel accepted and honoured for who they are - regardless of how messy their lives are. This is the kind of community that God desires us to be.

Questions:

1. Take some time to dream about what the ideal community of God should look like?

2. Once you've done question No.1, critique it. Take it apart. Test it using the passage for this week to make sure its biblical and consistent with God's heart.

3. What is the most important thing that people should know when they visit our communities [I mean our church but church is essentially the people]

4. Think of evidences of "glory" in our world that we as God's community can point to as evidence of God working in our world.