{"id":231159,"date":"2024-11-14T12:18:44","date_gmt":"2024-11-14T17:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/?p=231159"},"modified":"2024-11-14T12:18:44","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T17:18:44","slug":"its-just-me-and-jesus-mentality-might-not-be-working","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liveoriginal.com\/its-just-me-and-jesus-mentality-might-not-be-working\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cIt\u2019s Just Me And Jesus\u201d Mentality Might Not Be Working"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re local to Dallas, Texas, on November 17th<\/sup> at 7:30 PM we\u2019re hosting an LO Local event \u2013 it\u2019s all about rethinking what it means to follow Jesus and realizing that we\u2019re not meant to do it alone. We\u2019ll be talking all about Emma Mae\u2019s Workshop from the LO Sister App, worshipping together, hanging out, eating snacks, and opening the Word. No RSVP required and this event is totally free! <\/em><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with a familiar picture: you\u2019re new in town, maybe it\u2019s freshman year of college, a new job, or a new stage of life. You\u2019re sitting in your car, wondering why you feel so isolated. No close friends nearby, no local church to lean on, and you\u2019re scrolling through Instagram or TikTok where everyone else\u00a0seems<\/em>\u00a0to have it all figured out. Maybe you\u2019re going through the motions, trying to keep up, but the connection just isn\u2019t there. We\u2019ve all been there\u2014or somewhere close.<\/p>\n

Here’s another scenario. Think about group projects. Most of us have had that one project we ended up doing mostly (if not entirely) by ourselves\u2014we stayed up super late, put in all the work, and found ourselves frustrated and exhausted. And here\u2019s what\u2019s interesting\u2014Faith can feel that way, too, especially when it seems<\/em> like no one else is there to share the load, check in, follow up, or care about how you\u2019re actually doing.<\/p>\n

But the truth can change everything: God designed our faith to be shared, to be lived out with others.<\/p>\n

I know what it\u2019s like to be surrounded by people (even Christian friends) and feel totally alone. It can seem like everyone else is living a picture-perfect life, filled with friends and moments of strong faith, but when we\u2019re alone, it\u2019s a different story. Trying to follow Jesus while feeling isolated can make faith itself feel disorienting or even discouraging.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re feeling this way, here\u2019s the good news: God never meant for us to do faith alone. Following Jesus was always meant to be a\u00a0group project.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no better place to see this \u201cgroup project\u201d approach than in Acts 2:42-47, where we get a glimpse into the very first church community. It\u2019s where we find the beauty of what a life together, in Jesus, can look like. We get a snapshot of the first church in Jerusalem\u2014a close-knit community that grew rapidly after the Holy Spirit came, and people began turning to Christ. But here\u2019s something unique about the church: it wasn\u2019t simply a building; it was a\u00a0family.<\/em>\u00a0And it should still be the same today.<\/p>\n

People believed in Jesus individually, yes, but they lived it out\u00a0collectively,<\/em>\u00a0forming the very first local church (and no, this family didn\u2019t all live in one house. They lived all over the city, came together, and met in homes). And it wasn\u2019t exactly a popular move\u2014the religious culture in Jerusalem was skeptical, even hostile. Yet these early believers kept showing up for each other, creating a community that looked totally different from anything else around. The church was never just a building (like we often say, \u201cAre you going to church this Sunday?\u201d). The church is a group of people who do life together. Here are three distinct markers of this first church community in Jerusalem:<\/p>\n

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  1. They Centered on the Word & Worship <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles\u2019 teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord\u2019s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.”- Acts 2:42-43<\/em><\/p>\n

    The early church prioritized gathering around the teachings of Jesus, prayer, and the Lord\u2019s Supper. The church community was\u00a0devoted.<\/em>\u00a0This wasn\u2019t just an occasional gathering; it was the pattern of their lives. They listened to the apostles (their leaders) who shared what Jesus had taught, and they experienced God\u2019s presence in community, which led to a collective sense of awe and worship.<\/p>\n

    Through this togetherness, God moved powerfully among them. Wouldn\u2019t it be nice if you could say that you were tangibly seeing God move in power? Being plugged into a local church doesn\u2019t mean you will 100% for sure see God move, but it does mean you can be confident you\u2019re doing something that\u2019s in line with His design and will for believers. God\u2019s model for Christianity, from the very beginning of its existence, involved Christians gathering together in the context of local Churches (local groups of believers) opening His Word and being amazed as He moved. So, it\u2019s worth asking ourselves: Who are we listening to, and are those voices drawing us closer to God? Who do we surround ourselves with, and are they building up our faith?<\/em><\/p>\n

    As the early church gathered, they\u2019d share communion. Jesus first taught about communion during the Last Supper, which He shared with His disciples just before He was arrested. Communion (also called the Lord\u2019s Supper) is a way for His followers to remember His love and sacrifice. During the Last Supper, Jesus took some bread, broke it, and told His disciples, \u201cThis is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me\u201d (Luke 22:19). Then He took a cup of wine and said, \u201cThis cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you\u201d (Luke 22:20). These simple things\u2014bread and wine\u2014became symbols to help us remember the huge sacrifice Jesus was about to make on the cross. He wanted His followers to use this meal to remember what He did for us and to reflect on His incredible love.<\/p>\n

    Jesus might\u2019ve used bread and wine because they are easy to find and share, but they also have special meaning. The bread stands for Jesus\u2019 body that was broken for us, and the wine stands for His blood, which was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. When we take communion, we remember His love and sacrifice and the new relationship (or covenant) that we have with God because of Jesus. Really, communion is a reminder of the gospel, that God loved us so much He sent His one and only son to die on the cross, taking the punishment we deserve for our sins. He rose again, defeating death, so that those who believe in Him can have life and life to the full (Romans 10:9-10).<\/p>\n

    Christianity isn\u2019t about earning our way to God or doing religious practices so God will like us more. We could never and will never measure up (Ephesians 2:8-9). Even on our \u201cbest\u201d days we fall short. We\u2019re saved by our faith, not our works or performance. But, if you\u2019re a Christian, God isn\u2019t holding your sinful choices against you. The picture communion calls to mind, of Jesus on the cross, is the ultimate example of forgiveness. Jesus forgave us for our sins. We don\u2019t have to measure up. \u00a0No one can.<\/p>\n

    Today, it can be easy to live with an \u201cit\u2019s just me and Jesus\u201d mentality. And I get it, maybe you\u2019ve been hurt. Or hurt by someone in the Church\u2014the other people in the church can\u2019t measure up to God\u2019s perfect standard either. So first, I just want to say, if that\u2019s you, I\u2019m so sorry that you\u2019ve been hurt, seemingly by the church. It\u2019s painful when a place that\u2019s supposed to feel safe, accepting, and loving ends up causing hurt instead. You\u2019re not alone in feeling this way. So many people have gone through similar experiences, and it\u2019s completely understandable to feel confused, sad, or even distant from church because of it.<\/p>\n

    But please know, the heart of Jesus is gentle, kind, and never condemning. People aren\u2019t perfect, even in church, but that doesn\u2019t change how much God loves you and wants you to experience real community. Healing takes time, but God\u2019s desire for you is forgiveness and healing. So as you process and heal, try to lean on other believers who bring you peace and encouragement. You might be tempted to \u201cthrow the baby out with the bathwater,\u201d as the saying goes\u2014to throw out all churches after being burned by one or two, maybe even three. If that\u2019s you, spend some time journaling your thoughts, hurts, and worries in a prayer to the Lord. Ask Him to give you the courage to forgive and then to either seek reconciliation with those who hurt you or pursue a new local church. I\u2019m praying He\u2019ll guide you in this decision.<\/p>\n\n\t\t