Rejoicing and Mourning

What this episode covers

About this series: As we come out of lockdown and hope to open up Sunday meetings again, is to look at what it means to be community - both church community and community more widely. In the first 11 chapters of Romans, Paul has been outlining the gospel of Jesus Christ and what it means for both Jews and Gentiles. In chapter 12 he transitions to the practical matters of community life in light of the gospel - that they should live for God, use their gifts to serve one another and love each other sincerely. About this talk: 1 Corinthians 12:26 1 Corinthians 12:26 says, similarly, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” One crucial aspect of true community is to feel with others - on one hand, carrying one another’s burdens both emotionally and practically and, on the other hand, delighting with others when they are blessed, without any hint of envy. One of the isolating parts of modern life is that people, being so self-focussed, are not well-equipped to feel with others. This surely should be a mark of the church, though, as we emulate Jesus, who so loved us and so felt for our need that he came to die for our good. What does the model of Jesus teach us here? What does it mean to share one another’s burdens - both people in our church community and those in the wider community? How can we grow in noticing what is happening in other people’s lives and taking time to hear their stories.

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