Looking for an Exciting Small Group? (Part 1)

Ever wonder what it would be like to be in a "small group" like the one experienced by Jesus' disciples? Over the next three weeks lets try to look at what Jesus says about this, because Jesus seems to speak as if this were actually possible today!

If you're my age you'll remember watching reruns of "The Lone Ranger." What an idyllic figure of American heroism! He was tough, independent, and never let anyone know his true identity. Most of us know that God does not want us to be "Lone Ranger Christians." But why exactly is that? Simply stated, no one person can exemplify the complete life of Jesus to the surrounding world. We need a circle of believers around us who go forth into the world with us. We need what I call a "mission community"-a small group of believers who reach out to specific people and meet specific needs in this world as a means of sharing the grace and truth of Christ.

This brings up some key questions: Just how does the Holy Spirit create "mission communities" within churches? Then, once created, how does the Spirit use these communities to reach people for Christ?

In John 14 Jesus describes himself as "the truth" (John 14:6). Then in John 15 he says he is going to send forth "the Spirit of truth" (15:26). So it seems that the Spirit is coming to represent Christ and his truth in fullest form. The Spirit will allow people to know Christ on an intimate level. Amazing thought!

In John 15 we also discover how the Holy Spirit creates mission communities. Jesus says he will "send" the Holy Spirit "from the Father" and that this Spirit will "bear witness" of Jesus in the world (15:26). The Holy Spirit will be Christ's authorized representative in the world. So how will the Spirit "bear witness" of Jesus Christ? Indeed, this Spirit of truth will work through Jesus' disciples so they might "bear witness also" (15:27) of the truth of Christ in this world.

In John 16 we discover how this "witness" will go forth after Jesus' resurrection and ascension. Jesus' ministry continues because the Spirit of truth will "guide you into all truth" (16:13). Note that in this verse "you" is plural. The emphasis here is that the Spirit will open up the truth of the Good News to communities of believers. Jesus states that the Spirit will "glorify me by taking what is mine and disclosing it to you [plural]" (16:14). Jesus is saying that the Spirit allows believers to know Him-particularly his truth and glory-within communities. This also implies that the Spirit would glorify Christ in the world through such communities.

Do you see the flow here? In each passage the knowledge and truth of God moves from God the Father to the Lord Jesus to the Holy Spirit to the disciples. Jesus sends the Spirit into the world, and the Spirit makes Jesus known within believing communities (i.e., the local church). Then this community bears witness of Christ to the world. So in these chapters in John we see the basic purpose of small group communities, and that the Holy Spirit is the one who creates true community. Next time we will look at how the Holy Spirit uses these mission communities to fulfill the Great Commission!