Radical Community in Radical (Agape) Love

Yes, this will be a Bible Study kinda blog.  Please take the time.  It will be worth it!

   Matthew 20:1-16 offers us perhaps an insight into God's Kingdom Values regarding provision in need as one's motivation, rather than another's worthiness or merit by works.  It may not be what some want to recognize as a Christian value, especially in America, but it is clearly a value of Jesus.
   The First Century followers of Jesus took Jesus' Grace seriously in how we live in the world around us. People committed to living the Agape Love that Jesus commanded, in every aspect of life.  It led the people who followed Jesus' Way to live as Radical Community in Radical (Agape) Love.
   Acts 2:43-47 informs us of just how much people gathered around faith together, as one people, sharing their food generously and living the love.  It had a wonderful effect, and people were drawn to be a part of this Radical Community, knowing that they were Jesus' followers by their Agape Love.
   Acts 4:32-35 offers a picture of how the people practiced Radical Ownership and shared of their abundance, so that there were none in need among them.  They were of one heart and soul, and it led them to distribute of their collective abundance for each as any had need, and not because they "earned" it.
   Acts 6:1-8 gives us a glimpse of how the people lived in a Radical Partnership in leadership, not lording their authority over others, even with those who were ethnically different, and shared the power in community as one people.
   Acts 8:26-40 displays Radical Inclusion of one who was ethnically, religiously and sexually different and therefore excluded by the Law of Moses, but who was Baptized by Phillip and included in the community of faith out of Agape Love.
   Acts 10:9-16 is a vision of Radical Freedom in personal practices in life, and the openness of loving mercy rather than sacrifice when it comes to practices of piety and dogmatism.  No one was to be excluded on the grounds of how they might have once been considered unclean or by how their dietary practices were looked at as unclean.
   Acts 11:27-29 gives a beautiful account of how Radical Sharing was practiced, even for those who were strangers, based on their need and the love of the community of believers for them.
   Acts 27 is the telling of the story of how those who were once enslaved by others were freed by an act of Radical Liberation by God through God's servant Paul.  It is a heart-warming story of the courage to stand up and speak justice to power, thereby changing those who once perpetrated injustice on others.

   Imagine what the world around us would look like if we practiced Radical Community?  What would it mean in how we live Agape Love in very real ways in society?  What would it take within each of us in order that we might be of one heart and soul, and submit to Jesus' will and conform our ways to Jesus' way of being in the world?  Does that not actually define what it means to be a follower of Jesus?  The First Century Christians strove diligently to live the Agape Love the Jesus commanded in every aspect of life together.  What would it look like if we did that today?  Can you imagine?  I would like to imagine it.  I would like to see it.  I would like to live it.

Pastor Jamie