Shared Life Together

Prayer

Unshared Life

Netflix documentary, Wild Wild Country, about a spiritual guru from India by the name of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. He and his followers came up with a plan to move to U.S. in order to establish their own spiritual community

About 30 years ago, bought 100 square mile ranch property outside of Antelope, Oregon (which is as rural as it sounds), calling their community Rajneeshpuram. It was intended to be a utopia, where they would live a peaceful, freely loving, joyful existence together.

This sect, the Rajneeshees, grew like crazy (people are hungry) - literally, came from all over the world (various parts of the U.S., from Europe). The whole thing seemed like it was going just like they’d dreamed - working side by side, transformed property, all ate their meals together. People were excited about being a part of this grand adventure. They so wanted to share all they had to offer that they went to big cities and invited the homeless there to jump on bus and return with them to Rajneeshpuram.

That is, until it all fell apart, dark secrets started coming out: The internal strife and battle for power (which included surveillance equipment set up throughout the compound). To try to sway local political elections they actually poisoned a salad bar at restaurant with salmonella. Sexual abuse. The whole effort to bring in homeless turned into disaster.

It all crashed and burned, the community fell apart, people went back to their homes. They sold the property to Montana billionaire by the name of Dennis Washington.

Another fascinating aspect of this whole spectacle was leader himself, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.

He would leave, and on his return, pull up in one his Rolls Royces (largest collection in world), Rajneeshees would gather (all dressed in their bright colors - orange & red) and form a procession to welcome him in. They revered this man.

But as time went on, he became more and more of a recluse, separating himself from group, making fewer and fewer public appearances - when he did, he’d come out, teach, go back into hiding

Made me think about how absolutely different Jesus is - everything about him was open, approachable, humble (forget a Rolls Royce, Jesus had to borrow a donkey when he rode in Jerusalem)

Jesus shared his life with his disciples, from the very beginning until the very end

Now, he would absolutely take time in solitude, go to be by himself in order to be with the Father (which is very instructive for us)

but rest of the time - most of his time, he was with disciples, eating meals, staying in their homes (Peter’s in Capernaum), traveling together, teaching. Jesus wasn’t distant and aloof, he was right there in their midst, sharing life with them.

One moment that captures the genuine love that resulted out of a shared life together - disciples out fishing, Jesus shows up on beach, don’t know it’s him - but when they realize it is, Peter can’t wait to sail back to shore, he jumps in the water to go see Jesus.

Paul captures it perfectly in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 - Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

Because of love…delighted to share…the gospel of God…and not just the gospel, but our very lives as well.

This was Paul, writing to church at Thessalonica, reminding them of how he had been with them - same way Jesus was with those he taught. This is what God did with us in Jesus…shared the gospel, good news of the Kingdom - and Jesus shared his life as well. Because he loves us so much.

Tells us so much about who God is, his heart. God’s not type of leader who stays aloof, separate, recluse. His desire is to be with us, share his life with us

Because this is who God is - when we talk about God as the Trinity, this is what we’re talking about.

Father, Son & Holy Spirit, three persons, one being. Very character of God is living relationship, shared life with one another, within the Trinity. This interdependent relationship, mutually loving, giving, receiving - shared life together in fullest way possible.

And God is inviting us to share in it with him - and with one another

We see it in John 1:11 - He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

Jesus came to share his life with us…we rejected him, we didn’t receive him. But as we do, as we welcome Jesus in our lives, he brings us into his life, his family - shared life together.

Main Point this morning - What we want to hold as one our core values - Shared Life Together

Core values are the fundamental beliefs that guide our decisions and motivate our actions, it is the “why” behind what we do (lead others into the abundant life of Jesus). Our core values are why we do this.

So far, we’ve covered two of those values: Kingdom First, Lived Obedience to Jesus

Today, our third value, Shared Life Together - hold this as one of our core convictions, committed to being in genuine loving relationships with one another

Demonstrated by nurturing friendships through sharing our love for Jesus

Atmosphere of grace, acceptance of any and all

This morning, I want to paint a picture of what embracing this value looks like - what does it mean to share our lives together, what are we committing ourselves to here?

Let me begin by saying - relationships - good, healthy, loving open relationships - are hard. We’re messed up, broken people. We wound each other through our anger, way we use our words (manipulation, shaming, deceitful), lack of care / indifference, judging, our arrogant attitudes - better than you, use each other for our own selfish purposes and needs).

Reason why Rajneeshpuram failed so spectacularly, long history of intentional communities that have fallen apart because of discord and strife.

Which is why we create boundaries, limits, safeguards in our willingness to share our lives with our another (we all do this). We guard ourselves. In every interaction, we test and probe whether it’s safe.

Find safe people - for most of us, that typically includes family - but even here, we don’t share all of our thoughts and feelings. We tend to associate with like-minded people. I think that’s one reason we get so invested in our pets (they’re super safe).

Doesn’t mean we don’t talk or engage with others, but we tend to be much more guarded, what we’re willing to share of ourselves - much quieter, subdued. Might use humor, smile a lot, very polite - but we don’t reveal ourselves, we don’t share

We often act very different in different settings depending on who we’re with. You might just reflect on your own behavior - folks that you feel free to joke around with, be more yourself, and how you act in public or at work - or here at church.

Experience of substitute teaching - I’m amazed and saddened by kids I see who - already in middle school and high school - hide themselves, they isolate. One young man, sitting off by himself, hoodie over his head, buried in his laptop screen. I don’t think I saw him engage with another student the entire class.

I’m right there, too, often all-too-aware of times that I feel I want to pull away, hide.

I was at Winfield High School the other week and I saw one of our Capernaum friends, Brady - I was excited - and he was, too. So I go over and start talking to him a little bit, asking him about the upcoming club…and then, I start feeling uncomfortable. I don’t know what else to say, to ask. I want to get out of the conversation.

This is a spiritual struggle for me - because I know I tend to be guarded, to keep things close to vest. Place where I’m praying, asking God to teach me, to grow in my willingness to allow others more into the messiness of my life, to pursue deeper relationships, to share life.

There’s a reason why, in 1 Thessalonians 2:8, Sharing the gospel and our lives go hand-in-hand -because that’s what’s at the heart of the gospel - restored relationships, people who are at peace with God and with one another.

Two greatest commandments - Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor. Embracing the gospel frees us to do so.

Sin no longer separates us. Walls of hostility are broken down. We can live into the fullness of the loving relationships we were created to experience, shared life together.

It’s only when they sinned that Adam and Eve realized they were naked and were desperately trying to find something to cover themselves with and hide from God. Before that, they were completely open and free and vulnerable. Absolutely unguarded. Life shared to the fullest.

Embracing the value means to embrace a willingness to share more of your life, more of yourself

Take this seriously - because I believe we’re going to have opportunities as we move into new building. We’re going to have more visitors, more guests. Question is, how will they experience us relationally?

If I were to describe us honestly - relationally hesitant group. Quieter, stay more to ourselves, don’t share easily (led enough small groups and Bible studies, I know). I don’t share easily.

When we talk about Shared Life Together as a core value, we want to be clear that’s not yet a core value - this is a value I’d suggest we are aspiring to - which means we have to be very intentional about cultivating it (otherwise, it won’t be true for us, we’ll act out of other values - keeping ourselves safe emotionally).

When folks come in, how do we engage them? I hope it’s certainly friendly! But more than than - authentically. Sincerely interested in them for who they are - not just whether or not they’ll come back again? Do they experience grace?

And how do they experience us as a group? Atmosphere among us? Do we know each other? Are we at ease around each other? Is it evident that we love and care for each other - because we share life together?

If we’re all sitting separately, not engaging - who wants to be a part of that?

But if someone comes in and laughter is being shared easily, where affection is genuine, people are engaged with each other, telling stories…yes, please! People want to be a part of that. I want to be a part of that!

When we talk about the leading others into the abundant life of Jesus, will they experience that here in the way we are in lived relationship with one another?

Starts with us, our willingness to share our lives - as Paul says, we were delighted to share not just the gospel but our very lives. Are you delighted to share your life with others?

If I come to you, share good news, something fun in my life, that’s a sharing of my life with you

How you respond will reflect your willingness to share that life with me, share of yourself. Romans 12 :15 - Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn.

If you come to me and ask questions about me, my week, my family - you’re offering me an invitation to share my life with you. If you don’t ask, there’s no invitation to share, no pursuit of a shared life, we will stay distant, unknown to each other.

And of course, if you do ask, how I respond will be an indication of how willing I am to share myself with you

I shared earlier of my own spiritual struggle with this. Months ago, I was walking around the neighborhood one night, thinking, praying - and I see one of my neighbors, Steve. So we start engaging in conversation, chit-chat. Steve asks me, “how ya doing?” My normal immediate reply would be to say I’m fine, doing alright, ask right back. No real sharing, more of just a greeting. But I wasn’t fine. I was hurting over something. So I stopped myself, and told him that. So we talked about that more. And grew a little closer because I was willing to share my life with Steve.

To degree I come and ask you for help - that’s an indication of my willingness to share in life together, because if I ask you for help, I’m asking you to be with me in my burdens. Think for a moment about who would ask for help if you really need it. How much would we think of asking each other?

True down the board. Our willingness to share sorrows, pains (as opposed to keeping them bottled up inside, pretending everything is ok). How can we mourn with those who mourn? Our willingness to share our stories, our failings, our struggles, our likes and dislikes, our laughter, our opinions and thoughts

Are you willing? Will you share your life with me? Will I share my life with you? Will we invite each other to share life - asking questions, asking for help, asking to get together?

Will this be a core value for us?

As always - Spiritual Disciplines (this was our theme last week, Loved Obedience to Jesus - will you live in obedience to whatever Jesus is teaching you today?).

Second Sunday Suppers - one of the reasons we started to do these was to nurture this value, Shared Life Together.

Always room at the table (grace, come join us, we want to share life with you)

Everyone shares. Now when I’ve talked about his, I’ve said, there are our two “rules” - let me honest and say, it’s not really a rule, we can’t - and wouldn’t - force anybody to share, that wouldn’t be loving, take people as they are.

But I say it as a strong encouragement, and for us to be intentional about nurturing this value among us. We offer it in a way that we want to make it as easy as possible for folks to move into that, that’s why we say, share at whatever level you’re comfortable.

Honestly, the first step is to come - as a spiritual discipline. Perhaps this is something God wants you to be obedient to, because your tendency is not to share.

Second soul-training exercise: Make a point of engaging others on Sunday morning, especially those you don’t know or you don’t know well.

Take the risk of initiating, when done in love is an act of love. How God loves us, first. John 1:11, He came to that which was his own. Jesus came to us, first. We didn’t come to him. He took the risk of initiating with us.

Have some questions in mind you might ask, show genuine interest, ask follow-up questions, respond with enthusiasm - don’t fake it, but as a way of delighting. Have a story about your week that you would share with others.

Be intentional about greeting. How wonderful it is when we walk into a room and someone is genuinely delighted to see us! I’m so glad you’re here. Pay a compliment - great ice breaker, that opens people up.

This place ought to be humming with relational energy when we get together - so when someone new walks in, they want to be a part of it.

Inspiration

Epilogue to the story of the Rajneeshees and their failed community, Rajneeshpuram - In 1998, Dennis Washington donated that 100 square mile ranch to Young Life. Young Life runs two separate camps there at Washington Family Camp, one for middle schoolers and one for high schoolers. Thousands of kids each summer get to experience 1 Thessalonians 2:8 - Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

Which is a core value for Young Life - and it’s evident. Young Life describes their mission as: going where kids are and building personal relationships

That life-sharing is what drew me to faith in Jesus over 35 years ago - my relationship with Jesus didn’t start because I had a desire to know and follow Jesus. In fact, I was very resistant to it.

Started because the adult leaders were willing to share not just the gospel but their very lives with me. Joel, Brad, Tracy. I knew they loved and cared for each other, that was evident. They cared and shared their lives with me and with lots of other kids at Thomas Jefferson High School. I wanted to be a part of that. I loved it. I maintained a friendship with Joel and Brad for years afterwards, visited them after they moved away, stayed at their houses.

This includes us now! What we’re seeking to do with Capernaum. Our goal for Capernaum is not just to put on a program for these youth, but to have real, mutual friendships with them. To have a real friendship with Ryan and Brady and Christian and Chase and Kim and John and Bryce. One of the reasons we refer to them as our Capernaum friends.

But it begins right here, with us - and our willingness to share our lives together. Here’s my question - will you make help to make this a core value for us? Will you make the commitment to share your life with us as we make our commitment to share our lives with you?