Tag Archives: Service

Freedom From Cannibalism

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Biting One Another

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church of Galatia, he wrote: “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another” (Gal. 5:15). In the context of this letter, Paul’s main theme is “freedom.” The genuine follower of Jesus Christ is set free from their previous bondage to the flesh! We are free from the slavery of capitulating to the demands of our broken and depraved natures. No longer does sin have power over us! Jesus, upon His ascension to the Father, sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us and empower us with the ability to say “no” to sin’s demands!

Called To Be Free

So Paul the Apostle tells this church: “Christ has liberated us to be free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery… For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal. 5:1, 13–14). The essence of Paul’s words is this—the Gospel of Jesus Christ sets us free from Christian cannibalism! It is only Jesus’ Gospel that empowers us to love others like this! When our love for others grows in this way, it’s a powerful endorsement of the validity of our words when we share our faith. Conversely, it is a blatant and ugly contradiction of Jesus’ Gospel when we “…bite and devour one another…” (v. 15).

Preying Like Cannibals

When we prey on one another like cannibals, we sabotage the glory of Jesus’ cross! We cover up the beauty of Christ, who gave Himself up in payment for our self-centeredness! I saw the ugliness of Christian cannibalism played out as a Bible college student, when half the church I was attending walked out on the other half over the color choice of the ladies’ restroom during a building program. Their testimony in that rural community was ruined! I saw it happen! Oh, how we need the Spirit’s help to learn how to deal with conflict in a way that’s redemptive rather than destructive! A church that does not serve one another in love like Jesus will cannibalize itself! We can only love like Jesus if we’ve been set free by the power of His Gospel! God can and does deliver churches from Christian cannibalism!

Overcoming The Past

Only the Gospel of Christ can deliver our churches from such ungodly behavior! Some of you have experienced a church that devoured itself. You still struggle with the pain. It’s still raw. And you are broken at the thought that some unbelievers will never come to faith in Jesus Christ because of the relational damage they’ve seen inflicted on others by so-called Christians. And don’t forget to praise God if you’re part of a community of faith that truly loves, honors, and respects one another! That is truly a work of God! Be encouraged and pray regularly for continued peace and harmony in your church. Pray daily for spiritual renewal and revival. And remember that it’s the Gospel of Christ that frees us to be Jesus to everyone we meet!
 

Free To Serve Others

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A Dog Eat Dog World

In the world, it’s “dog-eat-dog.” If you want to climb up the corporate ladder, you have to be a relational piranha—taking advantage of the brokenness and inconsistencies of your co-workers to gain a personal advantage! That’s not Jesus’ way! He was known as the “friend of sinners.” He healed the wounded! He forgave even those who nailed Him to the cross! The Gospel frees us to serve—even those with whom we may be in competition for that promotion! And it’s all because we can trust a sovereign God’s plan!

Our Freedom And Our Calling

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatian church, he says that our call to freedom and our call to serve are synonymous! In other words, we actually lose our freedom when we fail to serve! We were saved from slavery to sin and self; so when we fail to serve—and even expect to be served—we fall back into the old slavery to the flesh! He says we, “…submit again to a yoke of slavery…” (Galatians 5:1). Don’t surrender the freedom you have in Christ—who satisfies your every need—for the fleshly desires of the world: to be served or to be promoted! When we serve others instead of using them, we testify to the world that Jesus truly is enough! He is all we need!

Jesus Served Us

We don’t need to fill any emptiness inside us with the need to be served! Jesus served us, and that’s enough! It’s the Gospel of Christ that frees us to love others…even strangers! More than service, the Gospel actually gives us a heart of love for those we serve—“For the entire law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). Paul is quoting Jesus’ answer when He was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?” And Jesus said, “To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your might! And the second is like it (or second only in importance!): Love your neighbor in the same way you love yourself” (Matthew 22:34–40). Then Jesus illustrated that with His parable about the Good Samaritan, who acted as a neighbor to someone he didn’t even know! That’s why a “neighbor” can actually be anyone we have the opportunity to serve—even someone who’s a stranger! “And love them,” He said, “in the same way that you love yourself.”

Gospel Freedom

Only the Gospel sets me free to want to feed someone who’s hungry just as much as I want to feed myself when I get hungry! Only the Gospel sets me free to want to help my neighbor find a job just as much as I want to find a job—or to want a raise or a promotion for my co-worker just as much as I want that raise or promotion for myself! And to care about what happens to that guy down the street—that you don’t even know—just as much as you care about what happens to you! That’s powerful! And only Jesus’ Gospel empowers us to love that way! And when we grow in our love for others like that, it’s an incredible endorsement of the validity of the words we share with others about our faith! It makes us real! Genuine!

What Jesus Calls Great

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Wouldn’t You Like To Know?

Have you ever given thought to what it would have been like to be one of Jesus’ disciples and just walk through life with Him? To literally walk through life with Jesus—because that was the most common method of transportation in that day! And to hear Him speak God’s wisdom into every situation they encountered! Mark, who wrote the Gospel of Mark, tells us about a time when Jesus and His disciples were on the road, going up to Jerusalem. Jesus gets real serious with them and begins to tell them that the chief priests and the religious leaders would condemn Him to death—that He would be mocked, spit on, flogged, and killed! And it was weird—like they didn’t even hear what He was saying—but two of the disciples, James and John, who were brothers, approached Jesus immediately after He dropped that “bomb” on them and asked if they could sit on each side of His throne in glory!

Great, to Jesus, is Service

That really ticked off the other ten disciples! Mark records it like this: “Jesus called them over and said to them, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and their men of high positions exercise power over them. But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many.’” Mark 10:42–45. In so many words, Jesus was teaching them that if you’re great in God’s Kingdom, this world probably won’t even notice you!

Jesus’ Leadership Model

What Jesus calls “great” and what the world says is “great” are generally two entirely different things. Jesus calls you great when you reject the world’s leadership style (v. 42). Those who lead in this world dominate or lord it over anyone in a “subordinate” role, Jesus says. Having a position of power is of great significance—but that’s not the case in Jesus’ Kingdom! If we follow Jesus’ leadership model, we have to reject the world’s style of leadership. Instead, Jesus calls you great when your ministry is measured by the people you serve (v. 43). “…it must not be like the world’s leadership style…” among believers, He says!

Do You Want A Title

In the ministry of the church, Jesus says it’s not about having a “title.” Do you want a title? If you’re an elder, you serve! If you’re a deacon, you serve! If you’re a Sunday School teacher, a small group leader, an AWANA or nursery worker, you serve! If you’re a worship team member—it’s not a show! Jesus doesn’t care about your title. He cares about your service! You want to be great? You want a title? Take the title of “servant,” Jesus says! And then Jesus calls you great when you humble yourself and become the world’s slave (v. 44). Some versions render the word “servant,” but that’s not right! The word is doulos in the original Greek language, and the only correct way to translate it is “slave.” Jesus meant for us to take on the humility of a slave when it comes to our ministry and service to others!
 

Give Up Your Life

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Great In God’s Kingdom

In my last post, we talked about the kind of life that Jesus called great! We picked up on His conversation with the disciples after two of them—James and John—asked if they could sit in seats of power next to Jesus in His kingdom. “Jesus called them over and said to them, ‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles dominate them, and their men of high positions exercise power over them. But it must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many’” (Mark 10:42–45). In so many words, Jesus was teaching them that if you’re great in God’s kingdom, this world probably won’t even notice you!

Slave or Servant?

Jesus calls you great when you reject the world’s leadership style (v. 42). He also calls you great when your ministry is measured by the people you serve (v. 43). But there are two more points I’d like to draw out from this text related to what Jesus calls great. He also calls you great when you humble yourself and become the world’s slave (v. 44). We touched briefly on this point in our last post. The word is doulos in the original Greek language, and it can only be translated accurately as “slave” in English. So while the Holman version actually translates it “slave,” many translations choose to use the word “servant.” While they can be credited with sensitivity for choosing to translate the word as “servant” because the history of slavery in America is so repulsive and offensive, we probably ought not to change the word Jesus used.

The Humility of a Slave

He meant for us to take on the humility of a “slave” when it comes to our ministry and service. In this way, we actually serve like Jesus did: “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus,” the Apostle Paul wrote, “who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead, He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave” (Philippians 2:5–11). In other words, Jesus didn’t use His title—God—as a big stick! In His incarnation, He took the form of a slave!

Suffering For Others

Finally, from Jesus’ words here, we discern that He calls you great when you give up your life to suffer for others (v. 45). Even Jesus suffered for others willingly, all the way to the cross! He served till it hurt—till it killed Him! And you image Jesus when you live your life similarly! That’s probably not going to get you a fancy title or the corner office in a big corporation, but it will get you a “Well done, good and faithful servant” from Jesus! You may have noticed that the focus in this post was not on spiritual gifts. The reason is that the greater emphasis in Scripture is on heart attitude toward ministry rather than giftedness or knowledge. Jesus emphasizes humility over giftedness, and power is never said to be in our gifts but in the Holy Spirit. So, how will you respond to the needs around you?

Leaders Are Servants

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The Providence Of God

No doubt, some in this world would consider William Borden a fool! Born into one of the wealthiest families in America, he grew up as the heir to a family fortune earned through real estate and the Borden Dairy Company. How many of you remember “Elsie,” the Borden Dairy cow? Raised with the best of everything, Borden’s father rewarded him with a trip around the world after completing high school. And by God’s providence, he found himself on a ship with several missionaries bound for Asia.

On The Subject of Missions

Moved by their zeal to take the Gospel to the lost, he wrote home: “Although I’ve never thought seriously about being a missionary… I think this trip is going to show me things in a new light.” Upon his return from the trip, he enrolled in college at Yale University. Hearing about a student convention in Nashville, he attended and heard missionaries from 26 different countries speak on the subject of missions. One, in particular, captured his interest with an appeal for Muslim evangelism. He returned to Yale with a passion to reach Muslims with the Gospel. After graduating from Yale, he finished seminary with his sights set on ministry to Asia. First, he would do language studies in Egypt. But within weeks of his arrival in Cairo, he contracted meningitis and died! Bill Borden was only 25 years old. He left behind millions of dollars! Some considered him a fool.

No Reserve! No Retreat! No Regrets!

But under his pillow was found a note in his handwriting that read: “NO RESERVE! NO RETREAT! NO REGRETS!” He died fulfilling the Law of Christ—he died serving others! He carried the burden of those lost without Christ! If we were honest, the majority of us would choose the wealth and fame of this world over the toil of ministering in obscurity to a foreign country that might be hostile toward our faith. It takes the special work of the indwelling Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the true riches: “NO RESERVE! NO RETREAT! NO REGRETS!” Bill Borden was infinitely more wealthy after choosing to be a servant to others than he ever would have been had he lived out the American Dream! If he had lived for the riches of this world, he would have left it all behind at death! 

Living For Eternal Wealth

But because Bill Borden lived for eternal riches, obtained through faithful service to God and others, he gained all of heaven’s riches as a joint heir with Jesus! Pretty radical, right? I mean, that would be the opinion shared by most people in this world, wouldn’t it? But is it? To trade away riches that you can’t take with you for eternal riches you can never lose! Jim Elliot, who died a martyr’s death at the hands of the Auca Indians in Ecuador, made a similar statement to Borden’s: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” If that’s radical, then let’s get radical! God, deliver the church from the grip of the American Dream! Deliver us from the idolatry of consumerism and covetousness that it births in the heart, and its unholy spirit that drives us to serve ourselves!
 

Our Gifts Aren’t For Us

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Given To You By God

It’s our default setting to use all gifts, talents, and abilities for personal gain and advancement in this world! But God didn’t gift us for our own personal benefit! Your gifts, your talents, your personality and charm, and your intellect were given to you by God to manage or steward over in a way that brings Him greater glory! Are you leveraging all those things for the glory of God? Here’s what the Apostle Peter said about it: “Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever.” 1 Peter 4:10-11. 

The Purpose of Your Gift

Did you notice the end of v.11? The purpose of your giftedness is, “…so that GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED through Jesus Christ IN EVERYTHING. To HIM BELONG THE GLORY…” Don’t compartmentalize your life— this is CHURCH; that’s God’s part. But, this is my WORK; that’s ABOUT ME! We can compartmentalize God right out of our life! No! God has gifted us to bring Himself glory IN EVERYTHING! In ALL of life! There is no area of your life where God does not intend to bring Himself glory! So, what motivates you? Are you motivated to live your life for God’s glory, or for your own? 

Gifts Empowered By The Spirit

God’s method is to empower our gifts by His Spirit so that He receives all the glory! This is how the exercising of your gifts, talents, and intellect brings glory to God! The only way we bring Him glory in all of life’s activities is when we exercise them under the power and control of God’s Holy Spirit! When our dependence—in the doing and the living of life—is not in ourselves or our giftedness, but on God’s Spirit! If you’re ‘speaking’ (v.11) or ‘serving’— “…it should be from the strength that God provides…” Don’t miss this crucial point in exercising your gifts in a way that brings God glory! You cannot depend on your giftedness when you speak or when you serve—or God is not glorified!

When We Fail To Bring Him Glory

You can be a gifted speaker, even speak ‘on God’s behalf,’ but if it’s not ‘…from the words God provides…,’ then God is neither blessed nor glorified by them! They are words— even ‘good words’— but they are spoken in the power of the flesh! You can serve— teach Sunday School, sing or play on the Worship Team, help kids learn Scripture in AWANA— but if your service is not done by ‘…the strength that God provides…,’ then God is neither blessed nor glorified by your service! They are deeds—even ‘good deeds’—but they are done in the flesh! I still believe that the Holy Spirit remains the greatest untapped power of the Church! It’s a power untapped because we so rarely lean on God’s Holy Spirit! We lean on our gifts more than we do the Creator and the Giver of those gifts! This has to change, Church!
 

How Do We Bring God Glory?

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The Gift Each One Has

We often talk about living a life that glorifies God, but what does that look like? How do we flesh that out? According to the Apostle Peter, we bring glory to God by yielding to His Spirit’s work to transform us into Christ’s likeness. He says: “Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others as good stewards of God’s varied grace. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever.” (1 Peter 4:10-11)

3 Points About God’s Glory

Peter seems to make three points about bringing God glory. First, God’s purpose for “gifting” us is to bring glory to Himself. Second, our motive, as we use our gifts, should be to glorify God with them. Finally, God’s method is to empower our gifts by His Spirit, so He gets the ultimate glory as they are being used. It’s ultimately God’s purpose to bring glory to Himself as we use the gifts He has given us! While the immediate interpretation of the “gifts” here is related to the “gifts of the Spirit,” in the broader context, it could be argued that Peter means for us to include our talents, abilities, and anything else that makes us uniquely “us.” God has given you everything that makes you you—all your gifts, talents, abilities, personality, outward appearance, etc. And, what Peter seems to be saying is that He’s given you all that for Him! For His Glory!

The Varied Grace of God

None of these things that are unique to us as individuals are to be used selfishly, nor do we have any reason to be arrogant or prideful about any of it, since it’s all been given to us by our gracious God! Everyone has been gifted by God— some more, some less— “according to the varied grace of God.” Then he offers two examples—of speaking and serving—and how these gifts are to be used only in such a way “that God may be glorified… to Him belong the glory and the power” (v. 11). God has purposely and intentionally given us all the “stuff” that makes us who we are so that we would bring Him glory as we use them, not for our own glory! Glory belongs to God alone, Peter says!

We Are Tools In God’s Hands

I’m not much of a handyman, but I have a great deal of appreciation for those men and women who are! I’ve found that most handy people have specialized tools for certain repairs. There’s a specific tool for everything! That’s how God purposes to use us. He’s made us all different with our unique gifts, personalities, and talents. We’re each a special tool in God’s tool chest, and He intends to use us in each specific instance to bring Himself greater glory. But God is only glorified when we use our gifts out of a motivation to see Him glorified— “use it,” Peter says, “as good managers of the varied grace of God” (v. 10). There’s an expectation of intentionality. Don’t just float through life, living off all the good gifts God has blessed you with. Manage well, so as to bring God glory in everything you do!

The Problem With Loving God

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What Does That Kind Of Love Look Like?

Through the years, I have met many people who claim that they love God, and I’ve asked them what that looks like. What does it look like to love God? How would you answer that question? In Mark’s gospel, chapter 12, Jesus said, “…Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” In fact, Jesus says that to love God personally is the most important command! But there’s a second point to draw from His words—we’re called “…to love God WITH ALL WE HAVE.”  Therein lies the problem with loving God! How can we love God with all we have, and again, what does that kind of love look like?

Love That’s All-Inclusive

Four times He uses the word “all,” which literally means “the whole.” In other words, Jesus is saying that genuine love for God has to be “all in.” We can’t love Him half-heartedly, or we’re a liar! Real love for God is comprehensive! It’s all-inclusive! There’s no area of our life that can be left out! We love Him with “…our whole heart…” So, our heart is devoted to Him. There’s no pretense! No hypocrisy! We can’t say we love Him and live our life like He doesn’t exist! We don’t ignore those we truly love, do we? And then Jesus says that to love God with all we have—or to be “all in”—is to love Him “…with all your soul…” Our soul is the seat of our emotions. He gave us emotions so we could love Him and worship Him.

Get Emotional About God

So, love Him and worship Him deeply! Get emotional over Him! Desire Him! You ought to be concerned if you can get all emotional over an animal, or a Hallmark Christmas movie, or a football game, but have no emotions for God! Is that kind of love and faith even genuine? Jesus also says that to love God with all you have is to love Him “…with all your mind…” So, while we love Him with our emotions, it’s not mindless emotion! We think about Him, and we submit our thinking to Him! We love Him because we’ve considered Him. We’ve meditated on Him, and we’ve made a conscious decision to love Him because we really know Him. We know His infinite worth

Love God With All Your Strength

Finally, Jesus says to “…love God with all your strength.” That is the best we have! We’re to love Him out of our strength, not our leftovers! This word relates to our physical being. We love Him in our actions—with our hands and our feet! If our love for God is genuine, we’ll serve Him and others with a passionate energy—with our strength! As I worked through this passage, I was moved—I believe by His Spirit—to ask myself the question, “Why do I love God?” And one Scripture echoed, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). I am only capable of loving God with all I have because He loved me first! I’m a sinful, broken man, and the only way I can grow to love God “all in” is by His Spirit’s power!
 

Do You Have Financial Pride?

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Taking A Little Vacation

Will Return On November 13

Instruct Those Who Are Rich

When the Apostle Paul instructs Timothy about his finances, he does so in a way that a disciple-maker might teach his disciple or a leader in a church might preach to his people. “Instruct those who are rich in the present age,” Paul begins in 1 Timothy 6:17-19, “not to be arrogant…” People who are blessed with money tend to struggle with pride. So, “…instruct them,” Paul tells him, “NOT to be consumed with financial pride.” Let me stop there for a moment and address those of you who don’t think Paul’s words apply to you because you don’t think you’re “rich.” YES! He is talking to you! And, YES, you are rich!

Yes! You Are Rich!

Half the world’s population lives on less than $2.50 a day! If you live on more than that, you’re in the upper half of the world’s wealthy! If your household income is $37K or more, you’re in the TOP 4% of the world’s wealthy! If you make $45K or more, you’re in the TOP 1%! YES! The Apostle Paul is talking to you, and he says, “Don’t be consumed with financial pride.” How do you know if you have financial pride? Have you ever said or thought something similar to this: “If they worked as hard as I do, or if they used their brain like I do, they wouldn’t be poor.” That’s PRIDE! That’s saying, “I’m the reason I’m wealthy! I worked hard for it! I used my brain, and I deserve it.” To the Church of Corinth, Paul reminded, “…what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you BOAST as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7)

How Can We Boast About Anything?

God has given us our brains, our opportunities, and our resources! He’s given us EVERYTHING we have! How can we boast about it? And, as if to emphasize that point, Paul adds this: “…don’t set your hope on the uncertainty of wealth…” Don’t be consumed by financial DEPENDENCE! Don’t DEPEND on it! Wealth, Paul says, is uncertain! It can’t be trusted! The wisdom from the book of Proverbs puts it like this: “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle” (Proverbs 23:5). In other words, just look at money, and it’ll fly away! Avoid living an insignificant life! Don’t waste your life! The sin of “consumerism” draws its strength from financial pride and financial dependence!

Finding Your Significance

Set your hope on God, Paul says— “Instruct those who are rich, not…to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.” God is the giver of the gifts we enjoy! But He never intended that we should enjoy the gifts more than the Giver! Our significance is wrapped up IN HIM, not in the stuff He has lent to us! So, be consumed with Him! We overcome the consumerism bug by being consumed with God and with others! He continues in v.18, “…do what is good, to be rich in good works…” Be consumed with serving others with the gifts God has blessed us with! And, “…be generous, willing to share…” Paul adds. There is really no worse testimony about the sufficiency of Jesus than a stingy, Scrooge-like Christian. Jesus said, “FREELY you have received, FREELY give!” (Matthew 10:8)
 

Handling Conflict In The Church

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Put Up With One Another

It amazes me how quickly the advocates of “tolerance” sound off & run off everyone who disagrees with them. Not very tolerant, are they? The Apostle Paul tells the Church of Rome to knock off that kind of behavior. He says that God intends to grow you spiritually as you learn to willingly put up with one another— “Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up” (Rom. 15:2). We don’t join a faith community to please ourselves! The purpose, of becoming a church member, is to please our neighbor “…for his good, to build him up.” Or, to “edify” if you prefer to use the theological term!

We’re Here To Serve Others

It’s a matter of focus— our interaction, in the body, should be “other’s focused”, not “self-focused.” Like Jesus, we’re here to serve others; not, to be served! Only when we put up with each other; and, bear with the weaknesses of others, will God use us to help construct the spiritual lives of others! It’s having the mindset of a “discipler”— someone who helps others grow as a disciple of Jesus. There’s no better motivator than Jesus Himself. God will give us grace to put up with each other; and, to build up each other, as we look to Jesus for our motivation! As we fix our eyes on Christ, we remember that He did not come to please Himself; but, He made Himself a servant (See Philippians 2:5-11).  Paul said:  “For even the Messiah did not please Himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me” (Rom. 15:3).  He’s quoting Psalm 69:9 and referring to Jesus.

Love Like Jesus Loved

Jesus embraced the insults of mean-spirited, hateful people; and, on the cross, He bore the reproach that we should have bore! We love like Jesus loved when we willingly endure each other’s “heat-of-the-moment” hasty words; and, rather than returning evil for evil, we seek to resolve the conflict & make peace! We extend grace! So, look again at the progression of Paul’s words in Romans 15— if we’re going to be strong enough, in our faith, to “put up” with weak or prickly people (v.1); and, “build them up” (v.2) when we’re tempted to smack them, we have to “look up” to Jesus (v.3); and, “grow up” in our faith (v.4).  We won’t get that kind of counsel from the world!

Understand The Scriptures

Paul tells the Church of Rome that we can only have that Christ-like mindset as we understand the Scriptures— or, those things which were “written in the past” (v.4). It’s only through the “instruction” and “encouragement” of the Word, he says, that we have any hope of enduring those difficult relationships in life.  And, we will never “grow up” in our faith if we run away from every uncomfortable or difficult relationship in our faith community. We need to remain faithful to one another as a testimony to those outside the Church. In a band, there are all kinds of different instruments & a variety of musicians playing them. But, bring them all together under the direction of a capable conductor & they can produce beautiful music together. That beautifully illustrates the Church when Jesus is doing the conducting!