SWEAT IS THE GLUE
Phil 2: 1-11 (p831) Nov. 7, 2010
INTRODUCTION:
It's impossible to love people that you don't know!
let me say that one more time:
"IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO LOVE PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW"
You can feel compassion for people, a burden for hurting and lost groups but to truly love someone evolves an investment of your life into theirs and theirs into yours.
The Biblical word we throw around is "Koinania" It's translated "fellowship" most of the time in scripture.
Like in Acts 2 when it says the earliest Christians devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship to the breaking of bread and to prayer...
The Core 4 of the baby church was "Know what God has to teach us, remember the lord's sacrifice in communion, seek his will in prayer…and "glue yourselves together in love"
Koinonia is something much deeper than "guys who get together at a bar because they pull for the same team…or woman who share their lives, and stories during "Bunko"
And don't discount how powerful and important this us…even if Christ isn't involved at all "Guys and their crew. "Women need their "Besties"
Through this 40 days of service you've heard from many people. Heather, Ronnie, LuAnn, Annette.
And almost everyone of them came to me afterwards and said, "Thank you for letting me share my story…and I've had people come up to me and say "I've known you for years, but I didn't know that about you. "Or" I've been through some of the same stuff."
Here's how the message translation read in Phil 2: 1-4
2 If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in you life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care--then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
God's design, His plan is not just that we be focused on Him through Bible study, prayer, and communion…but our focus on Him finds expression and connection in others…through real "deep spirited friendships"
And for those relationships to be healthy in Christ…they are always outward focused, ministry driven…that is the attitude Christ brought to the world, lived in connection with his disciples and left for the church to follow.
1.
"Isn't it Kebo and Steve"
(Kebo and Steve come up…take a seat on two stools…and I ask them one simple question.
"Why has sharing your life on mission trips or with others been so important to you and your family?"
(5 -7 minutes each)
folks, small groups are important, Sunday School classes are important, student groups, men's ministries, women's ministries, Cruisin Creekers, College age, Hispanic groups…but if any of these become inward focused cliques…"Koinonia" doesn't take place instead, isolation and selfishness occur.
Encouragement, unity, comfort, love, real fellowship, tenderness and compassion and joy come from being like minded…Christ minded.
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…(I hate that verse!)
Because for my attitude to be like Christ's...for that real Koinonia bond to take place in my relationships I, must
…..let go of my rights
….think nothing of myself
….become a servant
….humble myself
….be obedient to God's will over mine
And none of us do that very well…everyone of us are driven by a desire to be first…"selfish ambition and vain conceit"
But the church is connected by people who are driven by our unity with Christ and that connection is humbling….so we consider others better than ourselves, and put their interests in from of ours….
At least that’s God's plan for his people, and God's son set the ultimate example.
"SWEAT IS THE GLUE"
Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. He did not come to earth to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom payment for many…
He was obedient to this…even to humbling himself to God's will by dying on a cross. OTHERS, OTHERS, OTHERS was the echo of His heart for all to see.
Luke 22:39-40 (747)
Have you ever been in anguish, because of a decision to serve God…Have you ever sweated because it was that intense?
No? Maybe? Not like that anyway! You've noticed Jesus isn't alone didn't you? His disciples are with him, he's asked them to pray….and He finds them asleep "exhausted from sorrow"
Have you ever been exhausted from sorrow?
2.
Your spirit wants to hang in there, but your body isn't cooperating---so you snooze. One of the most painful parts of this story, for me…is Jesus steps into the breach alone…he will not falter…the disciples scatter, his cheeks still wet with Judas's kiss, he will look into Peter's eyes after the 3rd denial…he will not fold…he basically drags the cross up Golgotha even with Simon of Cyrene's assistance.
No one took his life…He gave it…Heaven was silent…Hell rejoiced in its apparent victory…sweat and blood poured out….Jesus died. II'S OVER ----the disciples hide, every knock on the door brings fear…for 3 days there is only grief…
And then….the resurrection…the tomb is empty. "He is not here he has risen just like he said he would."
40 days of earthly reunion…an ascention with a promise to return, but a command to wait for the Holy Spirit…After that gift these same people who had no hope…who had no purpose…they were united.
What did they do? They went on a mission trip, they came together for one purpose….His purpose "OTHERS, OTHERS, OTHERS"
