A sermon preached on December 26 at the Water Street Church of Christ, Charlotte, TN<\/p>\n
I went to a wedding last week. The preacher asked the couple to turn and face the reader. The couple moved and now stood crooked, off-centered, and catawampus. After a few minutes, the ministered loudly whispered into the microphone for them to move back. Several times throughout the service, the minister\u2019s instructions seemed clumsy, as if it was his first ceremony and there was no rehearsal. Since I teach a unit in one of my courses about weddings and rehearsals, it was easy for me to criticize and take exception. How easy it is to turn joyous occasions into self-righteous places of gloating. Church is often a place to exercise our critical muscles.<\/p>\n
It not only happens in churches, it happens in all occupations and situations. An organization calls for a consultant to analyze and problem solve issues. The consultant easily deconstructs the business and finds faults with various operating practices and procedures. The ability to criticize is pervasive. It happens in marriages, classrooms, and teams. Back seat driving and next day quarterbacking puts others on the hot seat.<\/p>\n
We rarely ask, \u201cWhat is good?\u201d \u201cWhat is right?\u201d Instead of finding fault, an appreciative heart looks for vibrancy & vitality. For example, When you consider your experience at church here in this place, tell me about a time when you felt most alive or most involved. Tell me about your most memorable experience that you have had here. What are the things that you value most about your church?<\/p>\n
And that is Paul\u2019s approach at Philippi.<\/p>\n
Philippians 2:1-5 Paul prompts us all to appreciatively inquire about our life in Christ. Here are some of my observations. May they prompt your heart to remember your own appreciative experiences in Christ.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you have any encouragement from being united with Christ\u201d \u2014Two summers ago, I visited Accra Ghana, West Africa. I preached for the Nissan Road Church of Christ, the largest congregation outside the US. Two services, English\/Twi\/deaf (400 deaf). And, it is the blood of Jesus that unites us. My experiences in Accra deepened my understanding of God\u2019s work throughout the world.<\/p>\n \u201cIf any comfort from his love\u201d \u2014I know a group of Christians who gather every Thursday night at a hospice care facility at the hospital for the purposes of sharing God\u2019s comfort. And as often the case, the mutual encouragement offered lifts the spirits of the singers. God\u2019s love transforms those rooms into places of warmth and hope.<\/p>\n \u201cIf any fellowship in the Spirit\u201d \u2014Let me tell you about the Southside Church of Christ in Abilene: a pre-millennium congregation that made a decision to fold. But before they closed the doors, they made a commitment to donate their property for the advancement of the kingdom. Today, a new outreach to the community embraces many languages, economic levels, and ethnic differences. Freedom Fellowship gives evidence of the Spirit\u2019s activity.<\/p>\n \u201cIf any tenderness and compassion\u201d \u2014I know a church involved in a ministry called Neighbors Who Care<\/em>. They actively serve families that are victims of violent crimes. They sit with the families throughout the trial. They provide meals, comfort, and compassion.<\/p>\n These are my stories, but you have stories too. If we set up a microphone asking you to tell your stories, we might be here all day; stories about unity, fellowship, comfort, and compassion. And all these stories, my stories and your stories, are based on Jesus our model. Read with me Philippians 2:6-11. Paul describes the cruciformity of Jesus, who gives us a way to think and a way to be in the world. Timothy, Epharaditus, and Paul all imitate Jesus\u2019 example. Jesus\u2019 life, his death, his exaltation, becomes a pattern for us. Therefore, we embrace the mind of Christ.<\/p>\n When we embrace Jesus\u2019 story as our own story, when we commit ourselves to imitating Jesus\u2019 cruciformed way of living as our way of living, then we change the very fiber of the way we relate to one another. Paul says, \u201cthen make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTherefore, If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, If any comfort from his love, If any fellowship in the Spirit, If any tenderness and compassion,\u201d then embrace the joy of our common salvation by allowing Jesus\u2019 life to continue to flow through you. Let us all gather today to appreciate our new life united in Christ as we follow the cruciformed way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A sermon preached on December 26 at the Water Street Church of Christ, Charlotte, TN I went to a wedding<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3578,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1138],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons","comments-off"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nImitating Christ\u2019s Humility
\n Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:<\/em><\/p>\n