Upside Down thinking

What does a church with a Kingdom-focus look like?  Aren't all churches focused on the Kingdom, you wonder? Perhaps once we ask and answer the question, "who is the church" we will have a better understanding.  Without hesitation, I think I heard all of you shout in unison, "We are the Church!" Yes, we are and that is where it all begins -- with Jesus, who empowers us.

Colossians 2:2 (MSG)
I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God's great mystery. 
 
The church building houses us when we gather, shelters us from the elements and often helps to identify us, but by no stretch of the imagination, is the church building more than this.  It is the people, the faithful followers who gather in the church that make up this mighty force and define Kingdom-focus.

Colossians 2:5 (MSG)
I'm a long way off, true, and you may never lay eyes on me, but believe me, I'm on your side, right beside you. I am delighted to hear of the careful and orderly ways you conduct your affairs, and impressed with the solid substance of your faith in Christ. 

When we the people, bring food to our neighbor who just lost a parent, we are doing Kingdom work. Those times we stop what we are doing and pray, when a fire truck roars down the highway with an ambulance in close pursuit. This is Kingdom work. We've just been introduced to Jeremy, a new widower in town. Instead of inviting him to come to our church we invite him to dinner tonight - that is doing Kingdom work and living a Kingdom-focused life.

In this upside down world Christians live in, we have to begin to turn things right side up again. That can be as simple as doing the things Jesus did. Sometimes I even stop and think, just what would Jesus do. And I know that He would embrace the moment and reach out in love.

Colossians 2:1-6

Family Feud

Genesis 37:3-4 (NIV)  Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.  When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. 

How does a family fall apart so completely that members stop talking to one another? How do they get to the point of hating each other?  What sort of evil can do this? I asked myself this question after reading the story of Joseph, a boy of seventeen, who was such an annoyance to his brothers they sold him into slavery and pretended he was dead. 

This story sounds extreme and makes me wonder just what Joseph did to cause such intense feelings on the part of his brothers. Emotions this strong don't happen overnight. Many of us can relate to some sort of family feud or division; like an aunt or uncle who have severed ties with the rest of the clan. Sometimes a sister and brother stop talking and attending family gatherings. How does this happen? 

As I was praying about these passages in Genesis and trying to ascertain their relationship to the Advent season it became clear that it was just this sort of brokenness Jesus came to mend.  It was because of the hearts that need softening and relationships that need repair that God sent Jesus to us.

Jesus came to teach humility.  His presence among us set an example for the ages. Remember a few years ago one of the popular pieces of jewelry was a bracelet with the initials WWJD inscribed. I find I still ask the question, “What would Jesus do,” when facing a difficult situation. It might sound trite, but it helps this writer to discern her next steps.

I realize there is much more to this chapter in Genesis.  There was much going on behind the scenes that had to happen so God could use Joseph to rescue his family and continue the lineage we recognize during the Christmas season. But one of the lessons we learn is that our broken world is in need of a redeemer to draw families together; to repair relationships. Jesus is the answer.

Genesis 37:2-11

Philippians 2:1-11

This verse is encouraging us to behave like Jesus did.  Before acting, or acting out, think about those bracelets that were so popular a few short years ago.  The jewelry with the letters, WWJD inscribed on them for all to see, held a message we should consider.  When I am perplexed and not sure what to do in a situation I will often bring these words to mind.  Then I ask myself, "What Would Jesus Do," and I am forced to pause for a moment or two and truly contemplate the puzzle before me.

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

The humility and selflessness Jesus exemplified is worth striving for.  In fact, that is what we do every time we open our Bible, read a few passages, and then do our best to apply them to our lives. While we cannot duplicate His ministry we can display the same attitude.

When I am practicing humility, I am looking at you as better than me.  It is never the other way around. I am ready, willing and even anxious to serve you.  This is a foreign concept in this world of selfish lifestyles and material possessiveness. As Christians we know how fulfilling this existence is, how good we feel about everything in life when we invest in someone else.  Jesus invested it all for us, now we are being called to 'have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.'  

Can you think of a way you could begin today?  It can be as simple as inviting your elderly next door neighbor over for lunch.

Read Philippians 2:1-11 here

Listen to Philippians 2:1-11 here

Phillipians 2:1-11 (Reaching Out By Looking Out)

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only at your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."

The Christmas season is upon us, and with that comes many opportunities to reach out. Drop a few coins or dollars into the red kettle, or wrap up a shoe box for those who will be spending their Christmas in the shelter. These are all noble gestures indeed, as God does call us to give to the needy numerous times in the bible. I believe this passage though, speaks of our every day lives. It reaches out to us, and reminds us of God's message to reach out to others during the holidays, and also the other eleven months of the year. Not just with canned goods and trinkets, but with our hearts.

This whole concept reminds me of going on a diet. Years back when my weight was far beyond what was comfortable, I went on diet after diet. Nothing worked long term, it was temporary success at best. Then I attended a Weight Watchers meeting. There I had my belief confirmed, they said, "Diets don't work." I said "AMEN to that! They taught us about lifestyle changes and constant awareness of our eating habits and overall behaviors. It's about changing your thinking and adjusting your actions based on an established program. It's about long term contentment. It's about a promise that if you follow the plan, life will not be easy, but it will be better....and in the end, you win big time! Maintaining a daily diet of humility and obedience, hmmmm, I guess that's what they mean by WWJD.