http://bible.com/events/671648
All Together New: Give
Acts 2:42-47
The first biblical rule of community: It’s not about you.
Love is the act of laying down one’s life. (John 15:13)
The model of Jesus is to regard others first. (Philippians 2:3)
Since he laid down his life for us, we are to lay our lives down for our brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16)
The call to community is a call TO GIVE.
Romans 12:9-13
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Consider Paul’s words in light of the call to community is a call to GIVE.
Love is sincere (Romans 12:9)
Be devoted (Romans 12:10)
We honor one another (Romans 12:10)
We give to those in need (Romans 12:13)
We practice hospitality (Romans 12:13)
THE GREAT SHIFT….
A mindset of WHAT DO I NEED…to a mindset of WHAT CAN I GIVE.
A mindset of ME…to a mindset of US.
It is entirely possible that community is less about WHAT YOU WILL GET OUT and more about WHAT YOU WILL GIVE.
“Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O, Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
it is in dying that we are born again to eternal life.”
-St. Francis of Assisi
Community is the fruit of our capacity to make the interests of others more
important than our own.
-Henri Nouwen