The Community of Christ
Jesus lived his life in community. From his childhood with Mary and Joseph to his calling and traveling with the disciples to his declaration that he and the Father were one, Jesus lived in community. A community of faith nurtured him, supported him. And informed him (“Who do the crowds say that I am?” Luke 9:18).
It is unthinkable that we would try to live a faithful life without the gifts offered in a faithful community of Jesus. Jesus was known for valuing solitude since he retired to rest and pray, but living in community also marked his life.
Jesus makes a dramatic and revolutionary promise when he says, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matt. 18:20). This is a welcome promise to those who may wonder if God is present in their lives or their affairs.
This is a hopeful promise for those who sometimes feel alone and forsaken. This is an enormous assurance for those who face the unknown and need companionship and community.
We can be sure that Jesus keeps his promise and that when we gather in his name, he will be with us.
We are often blessed by being in community. We receive encouragement, guidance, comfort, and hope by participating in a community. We often find our faith strengthened in community. These gifts of community are available to us all, and we receive them more readily when we remember that Jesus meets us there.
–Reuben Job
This truth—that we were created to be in community with others—is at the very heart of the healing work we do at Sanctuary Clinics. He is powerfully present in these settings ‘where two or more gather in His name.’ With this in mind, it is easy to see how the first symptom in so many of our struggles is desiring to isolate ourselves. This is a tool of evil; convince us that we can and should go it alone—what a lie from the pit of hell. We weren’t created to be islands unto ourselves. We get further from hope and healing on that solo island. Come into community and find Jesus’ love in abundance! –DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics