Thursday, August 23, 2007

An Authentic Direction

“If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:1-4 CSB)

In an authentic church, how does fellowship get built, and how does it thrive? Paul captured the essence of the answer in these few words. To build an authentic Christian fellowship, each person should look out not only for his or her own interests but the interests of others as well. When everyone in the fellowship is oriented in this direction, building the fellowship is everyone’s joy and focus. Humility is the key.

Several descriptors are in work in getting to this point. Encouragement is certainly one of them. Loving consolation is another, along with affection and mercy. Unity of thought and feeling are also crucial. With these foundations the church is then able to focus on one goal – the salvation, strengthening, and support of people in the growing of the Lord’s church. Negative directions like rivalry and conceit then become out of place an inappropriate.

A church focused in this direction attracts people by its authenticity. What could be more appealing that than?

Lord, Help us each day to focus on "the main thing," and to do whatever it takes to build authentic fellowship. Amen.

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