“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.”

Matthew 11:12 ESV

There is a constant spiritual violence necessary if we want to move forward with the Lord Jesus.

This violence must be aimed primarily at self. We must be so violent and sacrificial with our selves that the best description of it is “I die daily.”

It’s death, it’s surrender, it is sacrificial yielding.

It’s not finding fulfillment and using your gifts, it’s not comfort and ease from the things money buys.

It is painful violent death (spiritually speaking)

Why would we or anyone willingly do such a thing?

Because we’ve gotten a glimpse of the Lord Jesus Christ, the only response to his beauty and glory is to lay down our little lives and run after him and see his kingdom invade our little corner of the earth.

Seeking Jesus Christ separates Christians like nothing else, regardless of denomination or background.

I mean daily seeking him. Not hiring a clergyman to seek for us. Not once a week sitting in a soft chair and tipping a preacher who has been seeking him.

I mean a life-pursuit. A lifelong pressing in… that can’t be easily turned away.

Jesus said “seek first”, I think he meant first as in priority.

If we have any inclination and desire to obey God, it will first be seen in seeking Jesus Christ, intensely, passionately, relentlessly.

I want to share a few observations about Spiritual vs. Natural Community

It is pretty clear that community is important to the Lord, the New Testament makes a strong case that God wants Christians in community with one another.  Jesus said that the world would know that he is still alive by the love of his people for one another.

I have come to experience community founded on Jesus Christ and it is very unique. When he is on the lips of every person freely and it is not forced or awkward. When the community does not have some extroverts dominating or introverts shrinking back into silence. When we know little to nothing of one another except Jesus Christ.

When he is the center of all members in a group and not one aspect of our inner lives (that we are embarrassed to vocalize.) This is where real spiritual community is found, all other communities are imitations.

When a group can get to that they’ve accomplished something spiritually real in the earth.

But, when community is founded on others things… like common beliefs, common admiration for a certain leader, family ties, common loyalties, common stages in life. It lacks something vital. Don’t get me wrong community is almost always nice. But If our Christian communities have a few dominant with a crowd of passive members.

Something is lacking, the lord is not getting his way among that group. And it is just a natural earthly, community.

Whether we realize it or not we all crave the real community in and around Jesus Christ.

The ecclesia of Jesus Christ is the real community and it is here in seed form, it is growing and expanding and will one day displace all the kingdoms of the earth. While I am here I want to do everything in my power to usher it into the earth. Whether it gets me killed or applauded, I must make way for him and his community. For his body in the earth, his presence which overshadows all others.