God created us for community. It is only in community that the Gospel can be most fully realized in our lives. Consider what Paul wrote to the church in Philippi near the beginning of his letter to them…
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:3-11)
Paul was reminding them of the importance of community to the Christian faith. It is in community that God continues to help us serve and grow. When we are with others we can gain knowledge of depth and insight. Love grows most effectively when we are with others.
It is when we find ourselves sharing life with others that God will carry on the work he is doing in our lives.
But it’s about more than just community. It’s about what – or most accurately, who – is in the center of that community. For a group of people to truly embrace the Gospel and bear the fruit of righteousness, Jesus Christ must be at the center of the community. I don’t believe it’s a mistake or chance that in each of the three paragraphs above, Jesus Christ is present. It is through Christ, and a community of people following him, that the world will discover and encounter the grace and love of God.
shine!
Jason
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
We are all witnesses
Witness...
Testimony by word or deed to your religious faith
A close observer
Someone who sees an event and reports what happened
What does it mean to actively be a witness? To witness?
Think about the definitions listed above. How do we as witnesses to the Christian faith now make witness a verb?
How are you witnessing by word or deed to your faith?
Yes, it often starts by us observing what God is doing in the world and then reporting it to others. But if we all do is witness with words we have missed a vital part of what it means to witness as a follower of Jesus.
Christian witnesses are not only to be hearers of the Word and tellers of the Word. It is essential that we are doers of the Word as well. We must seek to live out the message we proclaim.
In Romans 12:9-21, Paul provides one of the best summaries of what it means to witness to the presence of God in the world...
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9-21 NIV)
Notice the first and last phrases in this passage...
Love must be sincere.
Overcome evil with good.
So simple, but yet so challenging. Easy to say, but often difficult to live.
How will you witness to the Kingdom of God? As you seek to live out the characteristics described above, what will you do to embody these characteristics?
God wants us to do more than talk about love. He desires more than telling others how to live. He calls us to follow Him and discover ways in our lives to live out the kind of love and goodness that offers glimpses at the Kingdom of God.
shine!
Jason
Testimony by word or deed to your religious faith
A close observer
Someone who sees an event and reports what happened
What does it mean to actively be a witness? To witness?
Think about the definitions listed above. How do we as witnesses to the Christian faith now make witness a verb?
How are you witnessing by word or deed to your faith?
Yes, it often starts by us observing what God is doing in the world and then reporting it to others. But if we all do is witness with words we have missed a vital part of what it means to witness as a follower of Jesus.
Christian witnesses are not only to be hearers of the Word and tellers of the Word. It is essential that we are doers of the Word as well. We must seek to live out the message we proclaim.
In Romans 12:9-21, Paul provides one of the best summaries of what it means to witness to the presence of God in the world...
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:9-21 NIV)
Notice the first and last phrases in this passage...
Love must be sincere.
Overcome evil with good.
So simple, but yet so challenging. Easy to say, but often difficult to live.
How will you witness to the Kingdom of God? As you seek to live out the characteristics described above, what will you do to embody these characteristics?
God wants us to do more than talk about love. He desires more than telling others how to live. He calls us to follow Him and discover ways in our lives to live out the kind of love and goodness that offers glimpses at the Kingdom of God.
shine!
Jason
Sunday, January 06, 2013
Live to give
Christmas is a season of giving, and I want to encourage us to carry the spirit of giving into the new year. Over the next few weeks, our church will be considering what it means to be disciples of Jesus. Take time this week individually and as a family to consider Paul’s words in Romans 12…
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
shine!
Jason
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
shine!
Jason
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