http://bible.com/events/683796
1 Corinthians 2:14-16 
PNEUMA vs PSUCHE (verses 14-15)
Paul speaks of two different individuals….
One guided by pneuma…the spirit – verse 15
One guided by psuche….the physical life (the appetites) – verse 14

THE MIND OF CHRIST (verse 16)
The Spirit moves us from living a compartmentalized life through the mind of Christ.
Having the mind of Christ means sharing in the plan, purpose, and perspective of Christ.  

The Mind of Christ /  The “Merely Human” Mind
Alive (Romans 8:6)  /  Tormented by the shadow of death
Single-Minded, Focused (2 Cor 11:13) /  Double-Minded/Scattered (James 1:8)
Humble (Phil 2:3) / Proud/Self-Focused
Pure (Titus 1:5) /  Sin-Infected
Responsive (Luke 24:45) /  Stubborn
Peaceful (Romans 8:6) / Fearful

Romans 8:5-8
The mind governed by the flesh:
DEATH (verse 6)
HOSTILE TO GOD (verse 7)
CANNOT PLEASE GOD (verse 8)

1. My thoughts are powerful
-they drive how I live and impact
 -what I think about myself
 -what I think/believe about others
 -what I think/believe about God

2. God’s thoughts can become my thoughts
-as believers in Christ, we have access to the “mind of Christ” if we walk in step with the Holy Spirit  
3. True transformation begins not by acting differently, but by thinking differently.
-“The Mind of Christ” transforms every part of me

You can’t compartmentalize obedience.
You can’t fully obey God without the mind of Christ.  

http://bible.com/events/679023

“Eyes to See”

Luke 7:36-50 NIV

As we realize the depth of our sin, we understand the depth of God’s forgiveness

When we consider this encounter through the perspective of Simon the Pharisee, we understand that his problem was blindness.

1. Simon did not see the woman

“Then he [Jesus] turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?”

Luke 7:44

The challenge is to see beyond someone’s past and beyond their brokenness, but instead to see what Jesus see.

All Simon could see was her past, but Jesus saw her future.

2. Simon did not see himself

Simon was so focused on “the sinner” in his presence that he was totally unaware of his own sin.

““Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?”

Matthew 7:3-4 NIV

Jesus doesn’t seek to address the amount of sin, but rather the awareness of sin.

3. Simon did not see his savior

“When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.””

Luke 7:39 NIV

Simon was blinded by his skepticism, his doubts, even his religious duty in such a way could not see that the Son of God was in His presence.

A simple but profound prayer….
“Lord, give me eyes to see”

A. Eyes to see others

To Jesus there were never any invisible people.

What would happen if we lived our lives that way?

What would change?

Who would we begin to see that we’ve never seen before?

B. Eyes to see myself

Before I am quick to point out the sin in someone else, may I stop to see the pain in my heart.

Being aware of my own need is where transformation begins.

C. Eyes to see my Savior

It does not matter if your sin is obvious (the sinful woman) or hidden (Simon the Pharisee), He is the Savior of all.

As my eyes are open to see the needs of others and as my eyes are open to see my own need, I can see clearly that He is enough.

http://bible.com/events/675827

All Together new: Grow

The call to community is a call to GATHER.
The call to community is a call to GIVE.
The call to community is a call to GROW. 

Ephesians 4:11-16
Ephesians 4:11-13 
These verses set the foundation of what the community of believers is called to do:
We are called to be “equipped” in order to be “built up” towards unity and even towards maturity 

Ephesians 4:14
We are given a powerful picture of what maturity is NOT:
-No longer infants 
-No longer tossed back and forth by deceit 

Ephesians 4:15-16
We are given a charge:
-We will grow 
-With Christ as the head, we will be the body

Acts‬ ‭2:42-47‬ ‭‬‬‭‭In Biblical Community, The Body Grows….
-Grows in knowledge 
-Grows in serving 
-Grows in experiencing the power of God 
-Grows in praise for God 
-Grows in experiencing community 
-Grows in number 

ISOLATION BRINGS:  
-DISUNITY
-IMMATURITY  
-IGNORANCE 
-DEATH

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

http://bible.com/events/666831
Youversion – August 11 

All Together New: Gather 

Acts 2:42-47 
 The Greek word for “fellowship” is KOINONIA, meaning deep commitment and communion.  

It’s also found in 1 John 1:3 
“what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

Our three week series is centered around a call to community and we have never needed community more than we do today.  
    – [ ] We live in a world that has never been more connected, yet never felt more isolated 
    – [ ] A recent study shows nearly half of all Americans report feeling alone 
    – [ ] As many as 43% of adults say that they lack true meaningful relationships 

The call to community is a call to GATHER

Hebrews 10:23-25
Gathering sustains us….
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

There is always the temptation to quit, but in community we are able to persevere. 

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
African Proverb

Gathering moves us….
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” Hebrews 10:24 

Spurring one another on….
We are compelled  
We are pushed 
We are urged 
We are pointed
We are redirected
We are moved 

Gathering encourages us 
“not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 

Isolation and discouragement are always connected.  

“The God we meet in solitude is always the God who calls us to community.” 
Henri Nouwen