Speaker: Sis. Techie Rodriguez ,Elder, The Lord's Flock Catholic Charismatic Community

“ Commitment in the Community”

I ntroduction : The family, composed of mother, father and children, is a small community. When a baby is born, all the family members are very happy. Neighbors and friends of the family share in the rejoicing by bringing food and gifts.

T he Lord's Flock is a community that started on April 4, 1986. We all belong to this community. We all rejoice every time new members are “born” into our “family” during our monthly Spirit Empowerment Seminar.

W hat are the biblical basis of a community? What are our own commitments in the community where the Lord has placed us?

First Community in Paradise

G od established the first community in Paradise where He placed Adam whom He created in His image and where He built up Eve from Adam's rib. (Genesis 2:15-22). He had daily fellowship with Adam and Eve at the garden in Eden before sunset. There were love relationship and sharing among the three.

G od is a God of order. He gave Adam dominion over all creatures. He ordered Adam “You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.” (Genesis 2:16-17).

A dam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and broke God's rule. Because of their disobedience, they were removed from paradise and got separated from God. (Genesis 3).

The Wandering Community of Moses and the Israelites

T he Israelites are Jacob's descendants who were enslaved by the Egyptians. God heard their groaning and Moses was commissioned by God as deliverer. Moses received authority from God to lead his community out of Egypt . Due to the Israelites' murmuring, grumbling, and idolatry, they wandered in the desert and it took them 40 years to reach the Promised Land.

G od required the Israelites to be obedient to His Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) and to his other instructions. As a community, they experienced sharing suffering and rejoicing, defeats and victories, and God's punishments and miracles.

The First Christian Community After Pentecost

A fter the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter made a speech before the Jews. About three thousand persons were baptized. They constituted the early Christian community. “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one's need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favor with all the people. And everyday the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47).

T his first Christian community is a good example showing what community members should be practicing ; i.e., devoting themselves to the following:

? Teaching of the apostles. They took time to learn. They were longing for spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2). They shared what they heard and what they learned and experienced as living word of God.

? Communal life. They shared their possessions according to each one's needs.

? Breaking of the bread . They had koinonia or fellowship together in their homes.

? Prayers. They prayed together in one accord and praised God.

Qualities of a Community

T he Israelites' community and the early Christian community had the following qualities of a community:

1. The community has love relationship among its people.

2. There is communal life and sharing among the members of the community.

3. The community has teachings, prayers for one another, and fellowships.

4. In the community, there are commandments and rules to be followed.

What To Do in Our Community

W hat the Israelites and earlier Christians were doing in their community, we should also be faithfully doing in our Lord's Flock community:

1. We should be present in our community's activities. “We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25).

2. We should hear the word of God. “Faith comes what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17).

3. Teach others what we have learned. “And what you heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will have the ability to teach others as well.” (2 Timothy 2:2).

4. Have koinonia and share meals together.

5. Pray together in one accord during prayer meetings, praise and worship, and other gatherings of our community.

6. Share needs and help one another. Share compassion towards one another.

7. Follow the rules and governance of the community. “Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you and will have to give an account, that they may fulfill their task with joy and not with sorrow, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17).

8. Preach the Good News. “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:18 ).

The Costs of Commitment in the Community

O ur commitment in our community will always have its costs. It will cost us our time, our money, and even our commitment to our own family. We should be ready to bear these costs. Let us not quit when the demands of the community become difficult for us. Let us always pray for God's grace for us to be faithful to our commitments.

Levels of Commitment in the Community

1. I NVOLVEMENT – The first level of our commitment is our involvement in our community's activities such as praise and worship, teachings, fellowship and other spiritual activities. We have to be actually present in the community. There is no such thing as “being present in the spirit.” As a member of the church and part of the body of Christ, we must be physically present in our community and be faithfully committed.

W hen we had our baptism in the Holy Spirit during our CLSS/SES, we were mended by the Lord and equipped with gifts that may be used for the body of Christ, the church. We should be involved as a functioning part of the body that uses different gifts such as healing, teaching, prophecy and , discernment for others. “As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12).

2. L OYALTY – Our commitment in the community must be characterized by loyalty or faithfulness to the community and to God. Our commitment must be proven and tested amidst trials and temptations.

A s we keep our involvement, we must grow in loyalty and faithfulness to God.

? Choose leaders that are tested first. (1 Timothy 3:10).

? “Only then shall you succeed, if you are careful to observe the precepts and decrees which the Lord gave Moses for Israel . Be brave and steadfast; do not fear or lose heart.” (1 Chronicles 22:13 ).

? “Only conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear news of you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind struggling together for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27).

L et us therefore commit by having one spirit and moving as one body in the community. Let us take our vow seriously; let us fight the enemies of commitment: distractions, materialism, fear, coldness, selfishness, sickness, lack of time, peer pressure, family, distance, and business. Let us pray for God's grace to be victorious over the enemies of commitment.