We should focus on what we already have, not on what we don’t have.

Paul reminds us that our posture and attitude as followers of Jesus, is not defined by insufficiency, scarcity, lack, or not enough… In Christ, and as we walk in the power of the Spirit, our position as we face life, is one of abundance, plenty, sufficiency, and more than enough.

… coming to church is the easy part… but what we’re called to, in Christ, is living in community

In the early 1700’s William Law wrote…
“Isn’t it strange that people place so much emphasis upon going to church when there is not one command from Jesus to do so, and yet neglect the basic duties of our ordinary life which are commanded in every page of the Gospels?”

“Jesus came to start the revolution of the Kingdom, and we come to sit in our churches.”

Humility, and Selflessness

“You live in a world that promotes entitlement and selfishness as inherent rights”
Del Wells

Selflessness is good advice for the soccer field, but it is absolutely essential when living out the call to live in deeper relationships and in Christian community.

IMPERFECT HUMILITY is to realize and focus your attention on how imperfect you are as a human being

PERFECT HUMILITY is to focus instead on God’s perfection.

“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.”

Philippians 2:5
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

The only way to achieve these things is by focussing on Jesus.
It’s the art of mis-direction.

“People frequently suppose it means Christians are responsible for doing things which will earn them their salvation, but that’s quite out of line with what Paul says anywhere else. Salvation is God’s work from start to finish. Paul is simply directing the Philippians to work out for themselves what this business of being saved will mean for them in actual practice.”

I think there’s a longing for this sort of deep relational community in the hearts of many people. I think our churches are filled with people that are looking for something deeper than what they’re presently experiencing.

“Jesus came to start the revolution of the Kingdom, and we come to sit in our churches.”

Nothing changes if nothing changes