Today is one of those days I’m glad I’m not the pastor of a mega-church… I’m sure the emails generated off of today’s discussion would reach triple digits.  Here we go!

One of the marks of American culture is the idea of the rugged individualist.  This can be helpful as a society to encourage people away from laziness, but ultimately is not helpful in understanding how we are to live day by day, as followers of Christ.  The idea of Christianity being an individualistic experience is a fallacy, that has permeated many of our churches, but I assure you, is not supported Biblically as we will see.  The Gospel of Jesus is a message that is to be preached to the whole world, yet we know that not everyone will hear it, die to themselves, and follow Christ.  Jesus, Himself, did not pray for the entire world, but for a specific group within it.  Jesus prayed for those whom the Father had chosen out of the world, to be redeemed by Christ’s blood through faith – the Church.

John 17:6-9 – “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.”

I know this is going to ruffle a lot of individualistic feathers here, so let me preface this by saying that Jesus loves you – this I know – for the Bible tells me so… (I’m breaking into song now in my head).  He does love you, individually, immensely.  Each of you unique reflects the glory fo God, and are loved by Him.  What I’m going to say though, is that Jesus’s purpose was not to save you, me, or anyone individually, but to ransom a people unto Himself.  Jesus came to ransom His bride, the Church, and it is composed of every people of every tongue of every tribe and nation of the world, men, women, children, elderly, from every walk of life, with every sin struggle you can imagine.  I also want to quickly stop and define the Church (big “C”) as the body of believers whose trust and faith rest solely upon the God of the Bible.  The church (little “c”) generally refers to the local building where people gather, which is composed of believers and non-believers alike (at least until we start doing a better job of church discipline, but save that for another day).  Now, what Jesus dying for His bride, the Church, mean to us, and how does this tie into how we are to live?

I think God gives us an answer in Philippians.  I love the book of Philippians.  To me it’s a beautiful picture of what it means to live as an individual pursuing God, for the Kingdom of God, sustained by the promises of God.  The context for the writing of the book of Philippians, is that Paul has been imprisoned, and he is writing to encourage a church that he helped to found, during his missionary journies.  There is a clearly a special affection that Paul has for this group of people that he had poured himself into over a long period of time.

Philippians 2:1-8 – “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” 

Ok, now when you read Philippians, put it into the context of Paul writing to the Church at Philippi.  What do you see?  Paul above all is encouraging people to die to themselves, and love God, by serving their brothers and sisters in Christ.  When is the last time that you really wanted to have a quiet night at home, but you chose instead to do something to help a brother or sister in Christ from your local church body?  How are you humbling yourself before other Christians, and considering their needs greater than your own?   Our business as Christians, is to be encouraging and building up the Kingdom of God, and that begins within the church.  Do the people around you at within your church body know that you love them, care for them, and are actively at work encouraging them to grow their knowledge and faith in the Lord?

My goal isn’t to discourage anyone from spending time and resources evangelizing to the poor, and other non-believers, but if you’re doing that while there is a homeless person at your church, isn’t something wrong?  We’re all a bunch of a struggling sinners, and we need to be the hands and feet of God to each other – to strengthen our faith for the good of Christ’s bride – the Church.  Our purpose should align with Christ’s – not that we would individually become super theologians (red capes optional), but that the Church as a whole would grow together.  I want to encourage you to take a look at your life, is your pursuit of God only individualistic?  My hope is for your joy to be similar to my own.  Just as the fullness of joy is found in the presence of God, marveling at His glory outside of ourselves – seek that now, in others.  My greatest joy isn’t in finding a new theological truth, and it isn’t gaining ground on sin in my own life, but in seeing the glory of God magnified in my brothers and sisters in Christ around me.  My exhortation is to get involved in the lives of those in your church around you; intentionally love and encourage others.  Intentionally seek to grow your own knowledge in the Lord from His Word, and then intentionally share that knowledge with your brothers and sisters in Christ.  Pray for them as much as you pray for yourself.  Give of your time and resources as much to them as to those outside of your church.  The fruit and joy you gain is eternal.  I hope this finds you well, know that you’re prayed for.

Grace and Peace,
Adam