Today’s Community Scripture – 3/4/2025

Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. “If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you.” Surprised, they said, “But we’re descendants of Abraham. We’ve never been slaves to anyone. How can you say, ‘The truth will free you’?” Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who can’t come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through. I know you are Abraham’s descendants. But I also know that you are trying to kill me because my message hasn’t yet penetrated your thick skulls. I’m talking about things I have seen while keeping company with the Father, and you just go on doing what you have heard from your father.” They were indignant. “Our father is Abraham!” Jesus said, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would have been doing the things Abraham did. And yet here you are trying to kill me, a man who has spoken to you the truth he got straight from God! Abraham never did that sort of thing. You persist in repeating the works of your father.”

John 8:31–41 (MSG)

Key Verse – They were indignant. “Our father is Abraham!” John 8:39 (MSG)

– Reflection:

Who’s Your Daddy

We cannot mature in our faith without community. We simply cannot. The process of maturing isn’t easy and isn’t smooth. It involves getting off track and getting back on again—time and time again. We need help with that. We’re designed to be together; we’re built to need one another. To “grow up healthy in God, robust in love,” we need community. However, our communities must genuinely be capable of picking us up, getting us back on track, and encouraging us. They must be places where we can speak the truth in love. Speaking this way requires us to move beyond mere politeness and the habit of ignoring or excusing sin. It also necessitates going beyond simply pointing out sin, shortcomings, or what bothers us or what we think might bother God.

Where do we go from here?

Do you have a sense of the true identities of your brothers in the community? Get serious about learning. Get intentional about allowing God to reveal this to you. When you meet next, have each man bring a favorite story or verse from Scripture. Could you read them? Discuss them. They’ll point to something true. For instance, if a man loves the story of Caleb, he is likely designed to be brave, bold, and faithful just like Caleb. And his community must support him in doing just that.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank you for creating us to need one another. This gives each of us a way to connect with others in whatever community exists between two, three, or however many there are. Continue to bless each of us in your way, allowing us to come together for your purpose and not our own. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Coach Arthur Poston Jr.
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach