66. Giving Thanks for the Gift of Community and Fellowship

Send us Fan MailAnd let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.(Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV) Fellowship isn’t just about gathering—it’s about encouragement, accountability, and helping each other grow in love and good works.Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2, ESV) God designed the church community to share both joy and sorrow. In doing so, we fulfill Christ’s command to love one another. John Calvin reflects on this beautifully: “We are taught to consider our neighbors’ necessities as our own and to bear their burdens willingly. By doing so, we fulfill the law of Christ, which is the law of love.” — John Calvin, Commentary on Galatians 6:2. Calvin reminds us that bearing burdens is an outworking of Christ’s love. It’s not optional—it’s the natural response of those transformed by the gospel.