Main Point and Overview:
The most underrated strength of any church is not its preaching, worship, programming, or facilities, but its unity. In fact, there have been plenty of churches that had all of the already mentioned advantages, only to “fade away” over time because their people were not moving together in the same direction. The Apostle Paul took the time to remind the Philippian church of the priority of selfless unity. They had demonstrated a commitment in the past to one another, but with new challenges facing them, this was not the time to forget that “there is no ‘I’ in team!” His hope was that he could motivate them toward behaviors of unity by reminding them of all of the advantages that they’ve been given in Christ. When you begin to consider all that Jesus has done for each of us, it should be motivation to love others in the same sacrificial way. One of the best ways to sabotage a worthwhile mission is by putting self above that mission. We are all human, which means that we have a propensity to elevate self. Our flesh desires prestige, popularity, power, and prosperity. So, we begin to angle ourselves to achieve those things. Paul warned against such selfish living. His method in protecting against this kind of mindset was to “elevate others above self” in practical and intentional ways. Ultimately, the most effective way to guard against pride is to consider all that “Jesus gave up” for you and me. Jesus became a servant so we could be “saved” from our sin. He is our model that we must emulate as a member of God’s church. The big question is do you need an “attitude adjustment?” What you and I want in a church is less important than what God demands. Unity is hard. It requires deferring to others. Are you ready to be humble…for the ultimate cause?!
The most underrated strength of any church is not its preaching, worship, programming, or facilities, but its unity. In fact, there have been plenty of churches that had all of the already mentioned advantages, only to “fade away” over time because their people were not moving together in the same direction. The Apostle Paul took the time to remind the Philippian church of the priority of selfless unity. They had demonstrated a commitment in the past to one another, but with new challenges facing them, this was not the time to forget that “there is no ‘I’ in team!” His hope was that he could motivate them toward behaviors of unity by reminding them of all of the advantages that they’ve been given in Christ. When you begin to consider all that Jesus has done for each of us, it should be motivation to love others in the same sacrificial way. One of the best ways to sabotage a worthwhile mission is by putting self above that mission. We are all human, which means that we have a propensity to elevate self. Our flesh desires prestige, popularity, power, and prosperity. So, we begin to angle ourselves to achieve those things. Paul warned against such selfish living. His method in protecting against this kind of mindset was to “elevate others above self” in practical and intentional ways. Ultimately, the most effective way to guard against pride is to consider all that “Jesus gave up” for you and me. Jesus became a servant so we could be “saved” from our sin. He is our model that we must emulate as a member of God’s church. The big question is do you need an “attitude adjustment?” What you and I want in a church is less important than what God demands. Unity is hard. It requires deferring to others. Are you ready to be humble…for the ultimate cause?!
Posted in Devotional