Community, Identity and Belonging.

 We all have a longing for community. Without a sense of belonging, we often feel insecure and lonely.

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” Gen 2:18 NRSV

On the other hand, we are afraid of rejection by being excluded from our family or community.

Our identity can hardly be separated from our sense of belonging.

Your name identifies you as a member of a nation or religion. Ahmed or Mohammed Ali is probably Muslim. Aaron Goldstein is probably Jewish, and Ashkenazi. Siobon is a woman of Irish origin and Vladimir is Russian.

At a football match, we not only see the footballers, but also most of the spectators belong to one team or another.

Within a nation, many people identify with their region. Many Bavarians regard northern Germans as outsiders. In the Rhineland, there is a rivalry between Melbourne and Sydney in Australia.

In England, Italy, Germany and the United States, we still see a rivalry between North and South. In Germany today people speak of Ossis and Wessis. (East and West Germans.)

In the New Testament, the religious leaders in Jerusalem looked down on the Galileans.
The conflict between north and south in Israel lasted for centuries.

Muslims told me that Muslims should never kill other Muslims. I have asked why there are so many wars between Muslims. The usual answer is that the enemies are not true Muslims.

Once I asked why the enemies in a war are not considered Muslims, but when the pilgrims gather in Mecca every year, all kinds of Muslims are recognised. The Muslim couldn't explain it.

But we Christians are sometimes no different. Some Protestant Christians are convinced that no Catholic can go to heaven. There are also Catholics who believe that only Catholics can be true Christians.

There are Lutherans who condemn all free churches as sects, and there are free churches that look down on Lutherans.

There are also free churches that do not recognise Pentecostals as Christians.

But you are not saved because you belong to a denomination, but through your personal relationship with Jesus.

Shortly before his arrest and execution, Jesus spoke some especially important words to His disciples.

 
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. Jn 15:1 NRSV

I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Jn 15:5 NRSV

Your membership does not primarily consist of your membership of your family, your church, your denomination or your nation.

When you live in close fellowship with Jesus, you can get rid of your insecurities. God loves you as his own child.

Are you then no longer who you are? You still remain American or Canadian, man or woman, teacher or taxi driver, perhaps Pentecostal or Baptist or ....

You are you and God has created you uniquely. No one is like you.

But you belong to God's family and you are no longer an ordinary citizen, but a son or daughter of the almighty King in heaven.