Embracing Humility and Unity in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Humility in Discipleship

Humility is a cornerstone of the Christian journey, exemplified by Jesus Christ who humbled himself to the point of death on the cross. This humility is not a sign of weakness, but a testament to the strength of genuine discipleship. [12:45]

Philippians 2:5-8 - "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!"

Reflection: How can you practice humility in your daily life as a disciple of Christ?

Day 2: Unity: The Testament of Believers

Unity among believers is a powerful testament to the world that we are sent by Jesus and that God is with us. Achieving this unity requires effort and commitment, and is fostered by love, service, humility, forgiveness, and transparency. [24:30]

Ephesians 4:2-3 - "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Reflection: What steps can you take to foster unity within your community of believers?

Day 3: Reflecting Jesus in Our Lives

As believers, we are called to reflect Jesus in our lives. This reflection should be clear and not cloudy, achieved through walking in forgiveness, repentance, and transparency. [36:15]

2 Corinthians 3:18 - "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

Reflection: How can you better reflect Jesus in your life?

Day 4: Surrendering to God in Difficult Times

Following Jesus is not always easy and requires more than just singing worship songs and attending church. It involves having an attitude of gratitude and fully surrendering our will to God, especially during difficult times. [48:20]

Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Reflection: How can you surrender your will to God during difficult times?

Day 5: Fostering Unity through Transparency and Forgiveness

Transparency, repentance, and forgiveness are key in fostering unity within the church. Being open and honest with one another allows for misunderstandings to be cleared up and stronger relationships to be built. [59:10]

James 5:16 - "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

Reflection: How can you promote transparency and forgiveness within your church community?

Sermon Summary

The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the importance of humility and valuing others above oneself, using the example of Jesus Christ who humbled himself and became obedient to death on the cross. The pastor acknowledges his own mistake of using his position to his advantage and expresses gratitude for those who corrected him. He then introduces the concept of imitation, referencing 1 Corinthians 11:1, where Paul encourages believers to imitate him as he imitates Christ. The pastor emphasizes the importance of looking to someone who serves as a good example and imitating their faith.

The pastor then discusses the importance of unity among believers, stating that unity is a powerful testimony to the world that we are sent by Jesus and that God is with us. He acknowledges that unity has often been lacking throughout church history due to a lack of effort on the part of believers. He reiterates four points: our decision to follow Jesus is individual, but we journey with others; the journey is difficult and messy; our attitude should be one of surrendering our will to God; and easy belief in Jesus does not align with true discipleship. He introduces five key words that contribute to unity: love, service, humility, forgiveness, and transparency.

The pastor then discusses the concept of reflecting Jesus to the world, emphasizing that when people look at believers, they should see Jesus in them, not just their own selves. He poses a question about whether individuals are willing to do the hard work to be the answer to Jesus' prayer. He encourages the congregation to be genuine imitations of Jesus and highlights the importance of unity in walking in this reflection of Jesus to the world.

The pastor then discusses the importance of having an attitude of gratitude and fully surrendering our will to God. He acknowledges that following Jesus is not always easy and that it requires more than just singing worship songs and attending church. He emphasizes that when going through difficult times, we are not alone, but rather sharing the yoke with Jesus who carries it with us. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of transparency, repentance, and forgiveness in fostering unity within the church.

Key Takeaways

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Sermon Clips

"Our decision to follow Jesus is individual, but we travel on our journey with others. And here's the harder part, the journey is difficult and messy. We mess up big time." [10:27]

"Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, do not look to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others." #!!12:39!!#

"He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name." #!!14:03!!#

"Our attitude is not just one of gratitude, it is fully surrendering our will to God." #!!15:43!!#

"When I am going through hard times, when the road is difficult, I know that I'm sharing the Yoke with him and I know that he's carrying it with me. I know that I'm not carrying it alone, but that doesn't mean that it's easy." #!!17:15!!#

"Unity will let the world know that we are sent by Jesus and they will respond to the message either with yes or no either with love or hate but they will know because of our Unity that we are from God and God is with us." #!!22:24!!#

"The reflection that comes off of us is not supposed to be us fully, it's supposed to also be Jesus in us. If we will walk in forgiveness, if we will walk in repentance, if we will walk transparently, our reflection that we give back to the world of who Jesus is will not be cloudy, it will be clear." #!!32:41!!#

"I believe that transparency, repentance, and forgiveness are the three key ingredients to Unity, and by walking in unity, we truly become those who accurately reflect him to each other and to the world." #!!30:33!!#

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