Jesus is in the family business. He loves to put people together. When He was dying on the cross -- in excruciating pain -- he said to His mom and His best friend, "'Dear woman, here is your son.' And He said to this disciple, 'Here is your mother.' And from then on this disciple took her into his home" (John 19:26, 27). One of Jesus' top concerns, even as He was on the cross, was helping people find close community. And He’s still the same today. Jesus wants you to have deep relationships with other believers -- a spiritual family that supports one another. This spiritual family will help new believers grow, strengthen one another, and form an army of people who believe that Jesus is Lord and won’t back down. Jesus said, "I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Do you want to be part of this overcoming Church? Jesus has a place carved out for you in His spiritual family. You just need to get plugged in.
Imagine a house all lit up with beautiful lights during the holidays. There needs to be lights all around the house for it to really shine from all directions. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world -- like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house" (Matthew 5:14, 15). God has created you as a light bulb to give light in a unique way, but you must be plugged into the rest of the strand of lights to make the biggest impact. The strand is the local church, the Christians around you in your area. As you get connected to other Christians, you will grow in your faith and be a light to those around you. If you don’t know many Christians because you live in a persecuted country, you can still find spiritual community online. God is providing amazing ways for His children to connect to each other through the Internet. Learn more about how to find your place in the light strand of Jesus' Church in this section.
Section 6: Share