Sunday, September 24, 2023

Theme:

Jesus calls us to build communities that are united. We accomplish this through keeping our focus on Christ and living a Christ like life. A community united in humility, love and forgiveness is a joyful community that is a witness to the world.

Reflections:

There is trouble in Philippi. The church is in conflict and people are starting to take notice. People are leaving and the world outside is beginning to wonder if the church in Philippi will survive. So Paul sends a letter to encourage the church to be united. He recognizes that a community united in Christ can have a powerful impact on both the members and the community. And so he encourages them to be of one mind, one love, and to have the same attitude that Christ had: to be Christ-like.

The heart of unity requires a heavy dose of humility rooted in love for one another. When we embrace this Christ-like life rooted in humility, we are united and we put the needs of the community above our needs, we seek reconciliation with those we differ, and we experience joy in community. This kind of living in community requires us to stay focused on Christ, to keep the main thing the main thing, to live a Christ like life of love and humility. Unity does not mean we agree with each other on every aspect, but through humility we will accept our differences and work for the good of the community. When we embrace this way of life, we experience great joy that becomes a witness to the world and people are drawn to us: not pushed away from us.

Questions:

1. Why do we find it difficult to reconcile with people when there is conflict?
2. Why is showing humility so difficult?
3. What does living “Christ-like” look like?
4. How can you keep the focus on Christ?