There’s this thread throughout the New Testament that begs for our attention in these days of unrest:

The author of Hebrews writes,

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” 

To the Church at Rome Paul writes,

“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong — that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” 

And to the Church at Galatia, Paul writes

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

To Colossae, Paul carries on the thread,

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

Encourage. Build up. Carry each other’s burdens. Strengthen each other’s faith. All of this, it seems, is rather important to Paul and the rest of the New Testament authors. When we gather as followers of Jesus, the overwhelming vision for the church is about participation—where each of us brings something that stirs life in others and points us to the hope of the reconciliation of all things happening… now. All of this admonition to teach and encourage one another, to build each other up, to sing songs that remind us who we are, to carry each other’s burdens, to spur one another on toward love and good deeds — all of these are intentional ways of helping one another pay attention to the Kingdom breaking in right here and now in our midst.

Look around, it’s easy to miss. Between newsfeeds that wear us down, the heaviness of injustice everywhere and just the noise of life in general, the world is visibly thick with anti-Kingdom energy—division, fear, selfishness, despair. Wading through this dark fog can easily knock us off course, distracting us with an alternate reality that vies for our allegiance. This is why it’s more than optional, we need people around us to remind us of the light by declaring, “The Kingdom is coming and is here—let me show you what this looks like in my life!”

What’s this look like? Well, when someone shares how they opted for reconciliation over resentment with a family member, a little light trickles through. And then when someone shares how being on the receiving end of another’s generosity had really helped them in a bind, the light gets a smidge brighter. Then maybe we witness a student vulnerably share how they were included in a group of friends and that light brightens even more. Next, a family extends gratitude to the community for helping them move and that light is even more pronounced. Finally, maybe an older member shares a cute story about their grandchild that gets the entire community laughing and we stand back and look around and the whole world seems full of light!

This is light that pushes against the darkness. It’s a light that reminds us that the kingdom is here, right now. Every act of selfless love, every bit of healing, every colourful flower poking through the cracks of concrete monotony is a signpost pointing to God’s reign breaking through. No matter what goes on in the world, there are always glimpses of the Kingdom in our midst for those with eyes to see.

Really, this is ultimately why we gather—not just to feel better or to learn some new facts about God, but actually to remind each other what we’re a part of – what we are witness to; that the darkness will not get the last word. The Kingdom is here, and it’s growing among us.

To this end, I’m excited to introduce a new seasonal rhythm on Sunday mornings at Grassroots called Glimpses of the Kingdom. This is an opportunity to point our chairs toward one another and share how God’s reconciliatory work is breaking through in our lives and/or in the world around us. I’m inviting you to share your stories, observations, art pieces or just simple moments that reveal God’s Kingdom breaking through in our midst. I’ll go through these and, at least once a season, provide a dedicated Sunday for you to share with the whole community (or I can do so on your behalf), testifying to these glimpses together—encouraging one another, reminding us once again of the light that’s been overcoming darkness for 2,000 years.

Have a Kingdom glimpse to share? Click below: