By Joel Comiskey, Biblical Foundations for the Cell-Based Church
On Christmas, we celebrate the God-man, Jesus, coming to this earth and living among us. His birth was both an intimate experience (John 1:14), as well as a transcendent one (John 1:1). Mary and Joseph cared for Jesus in the manger, but God ensured that the angelic host and shepherds celebrated this cataclysmic experience (Luke 2: 9-14).
Jehovah, the creator of the universe, revealed himself in his son Jesus. He also becomes personal to each believer and lets us know him intimately. Yet, he remains above and beyond us and deserves our reverent respect.
Bill Beckham often refers to the cell church as reflecting God’s transcendence and immanence. In the Sunday celebration, we rejoice that God is above and beyond us. We celebrate his majesty. In the cell group, we rejoice in his immanence and nearness. We get to know each other just as we are known.
For two weeks in December, before taking a break, let’s reflect on these two aspects of God’s character and how cell church ministry embodies both of them. Click here if you’d like to receive these blogs in your email inbox. We’ll cover:
- December 03-09: celebrating the incarnation in the cell. In the cell, we grow in intimacy through getting to know each other—much like God’s revelation in Jesus Christ. Let’s talk about rejoicing in God’s immanence and personal care through house-to-house ministry.
- December 11-16: celebrating the greatness of God in the larger gathering: In the celebration, we exalt God’s greatness and “otherness.” Let’s talk about celebrating Christ’s coming to the earth through celebration.