Community!

For Sunday, December 3, 2023:

Luke 4:16 NLT: “When Jesus came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures.”

Jesus going to the synagogue on the Sabbath is like Christians going to church on Sunday morning – kind of. When near a place of worship, Jesus attended each week as was his custom. But a synagogue was much more than a place of worship. It functioned as a town hall, as a meeting place and as headquarters for speeches and debates.

A synagogue was a four-sided space, with benches or seats around the sides so that everyone could face the middle, which was where the action took place. Back then, with no TV and internet, people would visit their local synagogue to catch up on the news. They were used for oratory (speeches) and debates, and people would gather to listen. It functioned as both a community center and a place of worship.

Don’t miss the fact that, back then, the synagogue built a sense of “community.” All your best friends would be there. It was a gathering space for the entire town. People would stop by every day. Nowadays if you ask what is happening at a church, you might get an answer like, “Nothing until next Sunday.” We seem to have somewhat lost that sense of “community” in our places of worship.

Nonetheless, today is Sunday and we should all be thinking about going to church. That’s what Jesus would do. Arrive a little early. Meet some new friends. See if you can help out in some way. See you there!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship