Hope for the Christian Community

Typically, we prefer to be included, particularly in groups that make us feel special—in an inner ring, an exclusive club, an elite school, or even a street gang. The group might make us feel good or more secure about ourselves, but this implies exclusivity, treating those outside as inferior.
 
Christians don’t need to yearn to be included in earthly elite groups. In the days of the Old Testament, only the top Priest could be with God for just one day a year. Everyone else was excluded. But because of Christ experiencing the ultimate exclusion when He was forsaken by God the Father (Mark 15:34), we can be included in the family of God and never be forsaken by Him. We can be with God every day! With that, we clearly don’t need to be included in any worldly elite groups to feel good and secure.
 
Having said that, Christians should be with other Christians regularly (Hebrews 10:25). Why?
 
A Christian community’s main attribute is not just listening to people explain the Bible, but rather gathering in fellowship. It is where Christians help each other grow and support one another, particularly in difficult times. Oftentimes we are blind to our biggest flaws, but in community, Christians can lovingly and honestly confront and even challenge each other, so as to spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25).
 
But the Christian community is not a community that excludes others. The main goals of this group include welcoming and helping outsiders, and reaching out and serving even those who despise them.
 
Remember God loves us. Though we obviously don’t need to yearn to be members of worldly exclusive groups, we should be in a community of Christians, a group that not only helps its members, but welcomes and serves outsiders also.
  
Summarized from a Tim Keller sermon
http://www.gospelinlife.com/free-sermon-resource
​https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/hope-for-the-church-6027/


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 对基督徒群体的希望
 
通常我们希望被包括在一些使自己觉得与众不同的群体里，譬如只有几个人的内圈，豪华私人俱乐部，精英学校，甚至街头帮派。成为这些群体的一分子，使我们感到更安全或更优越。但是，这意味着排斥他人, 将外界的人视为劣等人。
 
基督徒不需要渴望被接纳入尘世的精英团体。在旧约时期，只有大祭司一年能有一天与上帝在一起，其他人都被排斥在外。但是，基督被父神离弃时，经历了终极的排斥（马可福音15:34）。所以，我们可以被接纳在上帝的家中,永远不会被祂抛弃。我们甚至可以每天都与上帝同在! 这样一来，我们明显地不必加入任何世俗的精英团体来感到安全和对自己的肯定。
 
话虽如此，基督徒却不应该停止聚会 （希伯来书10:25）。 这是为什么呢？
 
基督教群体的主要特征，不是听人讲解圣经，而是在一起团契。在那里, 基督徒互相帮助成长，互相支持托住, 特别是在困难的时期。我们常常看不到自己最大的缺点，但在基督徒群体中，基督徒可用爱心坦诚地彼此面对，甚至彼此挑战，彼此促进相爱和善行（希伯来书10：24-25）。
 
然而，基督徒群体并不排斥他人。这个群体的主要目的包括欢迎和帮助那些群体之外的人，主动接近甚至服务鄙视他们的人。
 
记住上帝爱我们。虽然我们不需盼望成为世俗杰出团体的成员，但我们应该属于基督徒群体的一分子, 一个不只是帮助自己, 更是欢迎和服侍外来者的群体。