The Church by the Bridge - 100 Years of Good News
Why do we members of a church often meet during the week for a homegroup?
Well, in many households the events or issues of the day often get discussed over a shared meal as this is a time where everyone is together and actually has time to speak and listen to each other.
With friends it is similar. We often have a cup of tea to ‘catch up’, ‘chew the fat’ and depart feeling enriched and up-to-date.
With homegroup it is also very similar. Homegroup is the place where regular church goers - ‘members of the church’ - meet during the week outside of church to study the bible, discuss and pray with each other. By doing so we each bring our own experience, faith outlook and points of view to the table and so all learn from each and mature in our faith.
As we study God’s word together, we also learn to look at topics and events from a biblical perspective. By trying to see a topic or passage from a different angle to our usual one it forms an important stepping stone to faith applications – what does a particular passage from God’s word mean for my and our faith journey together and in our times?
‘What would Jesus do?’ may sound like a cliché; however in the bible we indeed discover what God has to say about how to behave in a particular situation. This in turn teaches us to increasingly consider His viewpoint on questions of behaviour, morality and priority.
Meeting in a homegroup setting also allows us to deepen our knowledge and understanding of each other as we get to know one another at a deeper level by travelling together on our faith journey.
One always goes away encouraged from a Homegroup meeting, encouraged by having been reminded that we are not alone on a faith journeys, but part of a faith community where each member is supported by the other, whatever the circumstances.
The passage we studied this week was from Micah 6:6-8 which is God’s word in the face of deep societal injustices that were happening at the time.
Here we have a question raised and God’s answer. The question is: ‘ With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? And following answer is then given to us: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’
Passages like this help us to come back to the essence of how our faith should translate into our daily living and ‘do’ like Jesus would do.
I can only encourage anyone who is not part of a homegroup to join one if they can. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact me.
Have a blessed week as you act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.
Kai