Transformative Love: Being For Our Community

In our new series, "For the Bay," we explore the profound impact of being for our community, reflecting the love and care Jesus showed to all people. This initiative is part of our decade-long goal to reach 3% of the Bay Area with the good news of Jesus through the "Hope for Everyone" initiative. We aim for 100% participation in praying, serving, and giving financially, emphasizing equal sacrifice over equal gifts. This journey challenges us to align our treasures with our hearts, as Jesus taught, and to embrace gratitude that transforms into generosity.

Our focus today is on the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians, written from prison. Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, became a devoted servant of Jesus, demonstrating that foes don't have to remain foes. His transformation shows that when we are for God, we naturally become for people. This change in heart is possible for us too, as we consider those we struggle to love and ask God to redirect our affections.

Paul's relationship with the Philippians illustrates how mission can move motives. Despite their past, they partnered with Paul in spreading the gospel, showing that shared purpose can overcome personal differences. This partnership was rooted in the gospel, reminding us that our ultimate mission is to integrate Jesus' teachings into every aspect of our lives.

Furthermore, helping others can transform us. Paul's prayers for the Philippians reflect his deep care and desire for their growth in love and discernment. We are encouraged to pray for those we find difficult to love, as this reflects the kingdom of heaven and aligns us with Jesus' teachings.

Finally, being for others has transformative power. Just as Jesus was for us, even while we were still sinners, we are called to be for our community. This love is not contingent on worthiness but is a reflection of God's unconditional love. As we engage with our community, we are reminded that our mission is to demonstrate this love, standing out in a world often characterized by division.

**Key Takeaways:**

- **Transformation Through Love:** The story of Paul reminds us that even the most unlikely individuals can experience profound transformation through the love of Jesus. When we are for God, we naturally become for people, breaking down barriers and fostering unity. This transformation is not about willpower but about aligning our hearts with God's love. [30:05]

- **Mission Moves Motives:** Shared purpose can shift our motives and help us overcome personal differences. The partnership between Paul and the Philippians demonstrates how a common mission can unite us, even when past grievances exist. This mission-centered approach encourages us to focus on the greater good rather than personal preferences. [36:48]

- **Helping Others Transforms Us:** Investing in others can lead to personal growth and transformation. As we help those we struggle to love, we become more empathetic and understanding. This process not only benefits others but also refines our character, aligning us more closely with Jesus' teachings. [41:56]

- **Praying for Our Enemies:** Praying for those we find difficult to love is a powerful practice that reflects the kingdom of heaven. It shifts our perspective and aligns us with Jesus' command to love our enemies. This prayer is not about changing others but about allowing God to change our hearts. [34:51]

- **Being For Others Reflects God's Love:** Just as Jesus was for us, we are called to be for our community. This love is unconditional and not based on worthiness. By being for others, we demonstrate God's love and stand out in a world often characterized by division and conflict. [38:53]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [0:00] - Welcome
- [0:30] - Introduction to "For the Bay"
- [2:15] - Hope for Everyone Initiative
- [5:00] - The Challenge of Giving
- [7:45] - Gratitude and Generosity
- [10:30] - Resilience and Mission
- [12:00] - The Power of Joy
- [15:00] - Rivalries and Offense
- [18:00] - Paul's Transformation
- [20:30] - Letter to the Philippians
- [23:00] - Foes Don't Have to Be Final
- [25:30] - Mission Moves Motives
- [28:00] - Helping Others Transforms Us
- [30:30] - Praying for Our Enemies
- [33:00] - Being For Others Reflects God's Love

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: "For the Bay"**

**Bible Reading:**
- Philippians 1:1-11
- Matthew 5:44
- Romans 5:8

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**Observation Questions:**

1. How does Paul describe his relationship with the Philippians in the opening of his letter? What emotions and intentions does he express? [32:03]

2. What transformation did Paul undergo that changed his perspective towards the early church? How is this transformation significant in the context of the sermon? [30:05]

3. What does Paul mean when he says, "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion"? How does this reflect his confidence in the Philippians' spiritual journey? [36:48]

4. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of "mission moves motives" through the relationship between Paul and the Philippians? [38:53]

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**Interpretation Questions:**

1. What does Paul's transformation from a persecutor to a servant of Jesus suggest about the power of God's love and grace? How can this be applied to personal relationships today? [30:05]

2. How does the idea of "praying for our enemies" challenge common perceptions of conflict and reconciliation? What might this practice look like in modern contexts? [34:51]

3. In what ways does the partnership between Paul and the Philippians demonstrate the power of a shared mission? How can this principle be applied to community and church life today? [36:48]

4. How does the sermon suggest that helping others can lead to personal growth and transformation? What are some practical examples of this in everyday life? [41:56]

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**Application Questions:**

1. Reflect on a time when you struggled to love someone. How might praying for that person change your perspective and relationship with them? [34:51]

2. Consider the idea that "transformation is not about willpower but about aligning our hearts with God's love." What steps can you take this week to align your heart more closely with God's love? [30:05]

3. Identify a community or group you find challenging to support. How can you actively participate in a shared mission with them to overcome personal differences? [36:48]

4. Think about a person or group you consider a "foe." What practical steps can you take to change your heart towards them, as Paul did with the Philippians? [32:03]

5. How can you incorporate the practice of gratitude transforming into generosity in your daily life? What specific actions can you take to express this transformation? [25:04]

6. Reflect on the statement, "Being for others reflects God's love." How can you demonstrate unconditional love to someone in your community this week? [38:53]

7. What is one way you can invest in someone you find difficult to love, and how might this investment transform both you and them? [41:56]

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:

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Day 1: Transformation Through Divine Love
The story of the Apostle Paul is a powerful testament to the transformative power of divine love. Once a fierce persecutor of Christians, Paul experienced a profound change of heart through his encounter with Jesus. This transformation illustrates that no one is beyond the reach of God's love, and when we align our hearts with His, we naturally become more loving towards others. This change is not about our own willpower but about allowing God's love to work within us, breaking down barriers and fostering unity. As we open ourselves to this divine love, we can experience a similar transformation in our own lives. [30:05]

Ephesians 3:17-19 (ESV): "So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Reflection: Think of an area in your life where you feel resistant to change. How can you invite God's transformative love into this area today?


Day 2: Mission Moves Motives
The partnership between Paul and the Philippians demonstrates how a shared mission can shift our motives and help us overcome personal differences. Despite their past, the Philippians joined Paul in spreading the gospel, showing that a common purpose can unite us even when past grievances exist. This mission-centered approach encourages us to focus on the greater good rather than personal preferences, reminding us that our ultimate mission is to integrate Jesus' teachings into every aspect of our lives. By aligning our motives with God's mission, we can find unity and purpose in our relationships and communities. [36:48]

1 Corinthians 1:10 (ESV): "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment."

Reflection: Identify a personal difference or grievance you have with someone. How can focusing on a shared mission help you move past this and work towards unity?


Day 3: Helping Others Transforms Us
Investing in others can lead to personal growth and transformation. As we help those we struggle to love, we become more empathetic and understanding. This process not only benefits others but also refines our character, aligning us more closely with Jesus' teachings. By choosing to serve and support others, we open ourselves to the transformative power of love and compassion, which can change our hearts and perspectives. This journey of helping others is a reflection of the kingdom of heaven and a testament to the power of selfless love. [41:56]

Galatians 6:2 (ESV): "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Reflection: Think of someone you find difficult to love. What is one practical way you can serve or support them this week?


Day 4: Praying for Our Enemies
Praying for those we find difficult to love is a powerful practice that reflects the kingdom of heaven. It shifts our perspective and aligns us with Jesus' command to love our enemies. This prayer is not about changing others but about allowing God to change our hearts. By praying for our enemies, we open ourselves to the possibility of reconciliation and healing, demonstrating the transformative power of prayer and love. This practice challenges us to see others through God's eyes and to extend grace and compassion even in difficult relationships. [34:51]

Matthew 5:44-45 (ESV): "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

Reflection: Consider someone you view as an enemy or adversary. How can you begin to pray for them today, asking God to change your heart towards them?


Day 5: Being For Others Reflects God's Love
Just as Jesus was for us, we are called to be for our community. This love is unconditional and not based on worthiness. By being for others, we demonstrate God's love and stand out in a world often characterized by division and conflict. This call to love others is a reflection of God's unconditional love for us, reminding us that our mission is to embody this love in our interactions and relationships. As we engage with our community, we are challenged to love without conditions, showing the world the transformative power of God's love. [38:53]

1 John 4:11-12 (ESV): "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us."

Reflection: Reflect on your community and identify one way you can demonstrate unconditional love to someone this week. How can this act of love reflect God's love to them?

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Well, good morning, Menlo Church. So glad to see you.

I am so glad to see you. I am so glad to see you. I am so glad to see you. I am so glad to see you. I am so glad to see you. I am so glad to see you. I am so glad to see you. I am so glad to see you. I am so glad to see you. I am so glad to see you.

So we're going to make it through together. Welcome to a brand-new series called "For the Bay," where we're going to highlight the power of being for our community in a way that is so connected to the way that Jesus loved and cared for people, whether they loved God or didn't, or cared for Him or not. I think that's still what He longs for us to experience today.

A special welcome to our campuses all around the Bay Area, in Saratoga, Mountain View, Menlo Park, San Mateo, and those of you joining us online. I hope that you are able to join us as we were for all the communities that we served this weekend with fun trick-or-treat events as well.

If you have been with us over the course of the last couple of months, we've been talking about the next decade here at Menlo and what God is calling us to be a part of. We believe He wants us to be a part of helping to reach 3% of the Bay Area with the good news of Jesus. And so we've launched an initiative called the Hope for Everyone initiative a few weeks ago.

As a first step along this decade-long goal, which is a big important step, we really need as a community to say yes to praying, serving, and committing to give financially in order for us to take these initial steps. Our first goal is to have 100% participation.

Now, last week, we were at 18% of engaged households at Menlo that had said yes and were a part of this. This week, we're up to 22%. Now, I know that there are some of us who can commit large amounts financially and others who are not in a position to do that. But I hope what you've heard me say over and over again is that you would simply ask God, "God, what is it that you would have me do?" and then be faithful to what He tells you. That's all we're asking: not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice.

Now, the giving part of this can be uniquely difficult because if we've never given before, it's not a regular rhythm in our lives. It's a painful new addition. But Jesus said, "Wherever your treasure is, that's where your heart really is." This is a call for people who call Menlo Church home. And so if that's not you, I hope that what you see through this is that there's a group of people who deeply love you, who want this to be a place for many, many years, not only where you can meet and follow Jesus, but others can as well.

Now, our money can be the last thing that God gets access to in our lives. But when we really understand what He has given us, I believe that He will begin to prompt us. Recently, I heard it put this way: gratitude is not complete until it becomes generosity. And I think we can be grateful together in this season.

If you are still praying about what your participation looks like, you can get more information, ask questions, or drop off your card at the Hope for Everyone stations at your campus or at menlo.church.com.

Now, I was with a group of church leaders from around the world this week, and they were so encouraged talking to me about the resiliency that they have seen in us at Menlo Church in recent days. They've been watching from afar as we've weathered some challenging seasons and storms, and they see us as a church that is still committed to the mission of bringing hope to everyone. And they are so thankful for you.

Now we're going to dive into a message this week, and we're going to study one of my favorite letters in the entire New Testament. But before we do that, I'm going to pray for us.

If you've never been here before or never heard me speak, before I speak, I pray kneeling. Part of the reason that I do that is because God has this calibration He wants to bring in our life. Maybe for you today, it's kind of redirecting what you walked in thinking you needed, or maybe what God was going to do. So wherever you are in faith right now, would you pray with me?

God, thank you so much. Thank you for the gift that it is that we get to be together and the opportunity we have to hear from You. That no matter what we walked in with, You are with us. And no matter what's waiting for us in the days or the week to come, You are already with us in that too. Would You give us exactly what we need right now for the days we face ahead? It's in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, I don't know if you've heard, but there's an election coming up. Have you heard that?

No, this is not a message about the election. Not entirely, at least. We did do a series in the spring called "Smear Campaign" that I'd encourage you to check out. It's great as you prepare to vote and pray for our nation in the coming days. After the election, I'm going to do a special message about how we might respond as faithful followers of Jesus.

But we can all feel this simmering in our culture as conversations come up about candidates and who we might vote for, or maybe just the aspects of the election that we're going to face in the city that we live in, or the way that we hope for people that we work with. There is like a pain point that I see and hear regularly in which we have settled for a way of life that I think too often robs us of joy.

Whether you're a follower of Jesus or you are just dipping your toes in the water of faith for the sake of curiosity or peer pressure from someone that invited you, I'm so glad that you're here. And I think that God has something for you in this conversation.

Now, according to Dallas Willard, joy is a pervasive and constant state of well-being. How is that going in your life?

I don't know about you, but there is a pervasive and constant state in our world that feels more like suspicion, anger, and stress than well-being.

You know, when we think about the most basic rivalries in the world, we think Coke versus Pepsi, In-N-Out versus Chick-fil-A, iPhone versus Android, 49ers versus Cowboys, right? It's easy to poke the bear inside of us. We're always kind of ready for a fight.

And the church is actually uniquely guilty of this in our time too. Not Menlo specifically, but the church as a whole is actually uniquely guilty of this in our time too. There is this contagion of finding offense and being against basically anything that Christians can get in trouble with, let alone the world.

Christians can get mad at each other for the Bible translations that they use, the style of music in their services, or taking a stand or not taking a stand on a cultural issue. We are pretty creative with how we find a way to be mad at each other.

But here's the problem: it doesn't stop there. And even if it did, Jesus said that the watching world would know who Jesus' followers were by the way that we love one another; that that would be our calling card. And we are struggling at that.

When people in the broader community see us treat our own community this way, what do you think they assume we will do to them? If we love one another that way, how would we love them?

But there is an antidote to this disease. And we have a preserved account of someone who took that antidote. They didn't let their past patterns of being against and finding offense trap them forever. As a matter of fact, they show us that when you're for God, you can't help but be for people.

Now, we've been studying the life of the Apostle Paul over the last year and a half. And we've been studying the life of the Apostle Paul over the last several weeks. But don't forget where he started. He was a religious leader in the first century who viewed Jesus' followers as a cult, or at least a dangerous sect of Judaism that he was not only committed to speaking out against, but actually he was actively eliminating.

After he met a resurrected Jesus and realized that He really was God and offered him a life that the law never could, then he spent the rest of his life serving the church and trying to tell people about Jesus as the Savior of the world.

For the next few weeks, I want to dig into the letter he wrote to a church in Philippi from prison. In an unbelievable twist, it goes from him trying to persecute these very people to needing their help to survive prison, and their generosity and love being reciprocated by him from them.

The first few verses we'll look at make this point: that foes don't have to be final. There might be someone or a group of people or a political candidate or a Lakers fan or your neighbor that God can change your heart about. That actually, just because someone right now is considered your foe doesn't mean that they'll always be.

I remember my freshman year of college, I lived next to an upperclassman named Mark, and he teased me relentlessly. If he didn't like something that I did, he would spray me with a bottle of Febreze. One time in the shower, he dumped a bunch of freshly cut hair all over me. It wasn't fun, and I couldn't stand him.

We both left for the semester and went home, and unbeknownst to either of us, God was working on both of us about the feelings that we were carrying for one another. When we got back after a break, we talked about it, apologized for our part in the conflict, and became great friends. We did ministry together for years. We hung out all the time. He was in my wedding.

Now, Paul had more ground to cover than dumping hair on the early church. He had tried to kill them. But in prison for sharing Jesus, the opening words of the letter to the church who had sent him supplies were, "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi with the overseers and deacons. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Now, "Paul and Timothy" is a crazy line right here. Paul's protégé was discovered on Paul's second missionary journey in our study last week, and his loving family trusted his mentoring to Paul, this guy who had been anything but trustworthy for the purpose of following Jesus just a few years earlier.

They're writing to a group of Jesus followers who are consistently called saints, not because we have earned that title or they were uniquely specially liked, but because of Jesus' finished work for us. Anyone who chooses to follow Jesus is a saint.

Now, this final note is very normal for Paul to offer grace, undeserved favor, and peace, inner tranquility beyond their circumstances, as a bit of a prayer over and over again in his letters. I actually have that as my signature line on many of my emails, to wish that same gift and prayer for many of you.

Now, he offers it from the heavenly Father, the one who he tried to follow through the law, and the Son who had made it possible for him to know God forever, not by him accomplishing the work, but by Jesus accomplishing it for him.

You don't have to write the person's name down, but if you're a note-taker, it might be good for you to think about who or what kind of person you struggle to love, to be really for. Maybe you write down that person's name or that group.

Now, imagine a change so profound in your heart that you could write these kinds of words about that person or group. Paul didn't just stumble into loving them, and it wasn't willpower. He started loving Jesus' followers when he started following Jesus.

If you have people you can't seem to love, maybe ask yourself the question: who or what has my attention that is directing my affection? Maybe what news channel are you watching right now? Or what's the social media algorithm that's deciding what you see and consume? Maybe for you, it's a friend who you've given too much influence to.

What gets your attention first in the morning or last at night? How much time are you giving to God and His people to shape you versus everything else?

Because at least for Paul, he found that when you're for God, you can't help but be for people. He had every reason to hate the Philippian church, and they had even more reasons to hate him. But because God had changed both of them, he was able to change both of them.

That leads us to the second section in these opening verses: that mission moves motives. More than we realize, our own comfort and preferences can direct our feelings for others. And Paul and the Philippians had experienced this, but a forward mission to bring hope to everyone changed that. Their motives actually shifted.

And Paul calls it out this way: "In all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy because of the partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me, excuse me, to feel this way about you all because I hold you in my heart. For you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel."

Now, if you didn't know Paul's story, I wonder, would you ever guess that the guy who wrote these words about a group of people who felt the same way about him started with him on a path to try and exterminate them, including having Christians killed?

Now, we defined Paul last week as the good news of Jesus, that even though we don't deserve it, God's love motivated Jesus' sacrifice for us to be a part of a forever kingdom that starts now and lasts forever by simply choosing to follow Him.

The Philippians were early partners for Paul. They signed on to help him very soon after he started in ministry. And when other churches and Christians were understandably stopped, they were able to help him.

And they were ready to work together and even financially support the ministry that he was doing. Paul gives them this hopeful assurance that God isn't done working through them, that God would continue to work in and through them until God restored creation in the future.

This mission changed both of their hearts for one another because God had given them something. Paul is saying that they are on his mind all the time, that he's praying for them constantly.

And his rationale for all of this appreciation in their partnership in the mission, well, both when Paul was in prison and the overall ministry of sharing the good news of Jesus throughout his life changed Paul's heart for the Philippians.

This is all centralized around the gospel and the ultimate mission that all of us are still on if you're a Jesus follower today, which is that Jesus followers are here to integrate into every part of their lives.

But even if you aren't a church person at all, you have seen this happen. You've had projects at work where people you couldn't stand had to work together. Maybe you weren't hanging out afterwards, but in the thick of the work, the mission moved your motives to support the outcome of the work. Maybe you even liked them a little bit more afterwards.

Now imagine that on a cosmic scale, one where the God of the universe loves all of us. And we feel that He is someone worth us changing our hearts because of.

Part of the defense of the gospel for the Philippians and for Paul was the way they demonstrated being for people, even those who didn't know Jesus, because of what they had personally experienced and because God was for them.

We get this mixed up because we think that we are against people, but Paul has some thoughts about this too. As a matter of fact, Paul is sort of anticipating one of the things I think we struggle with. He says, "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

See, whoever it is you think you are most frustrated or angry with today, they're not your enemy. She's not your enemy. He's not your enemy. They're not your adversary. You're not against them. You're against what's behind all of this.

See, our task is to love people, and not just the golden rule where we love them like we would love ourselves, but the platinum rule that we love them like Christ loved us with His life.

See, there's one last element of Paul being for the Philippians that we see in this passage. And that's that helping others get better makes us better. If mission can change our motives, we really can shift our hearts if we help the people that we need our hearts shifted toward.

My freshman year in college wasn't just marked by a guy dumping hair on me. I also got to invest in a group of underserved students in an after-school program. And there was one guy in particular that I really, really struggled to connect with. He extended lots of grace to me as I learned how to care and help, but it was tough.

Over the course of months, I started helping him with some of his homework, and something happened. It allowed me to see how hard he was working against a very challenging set of circumstances. And I built a bond that made me better too.

I'm not sure how good a tutor I was, but he tutored me toward being a more empathetic person. As the Apostle Paul is writing to the church at Philippi, he really believed in them. And he was rooting for their development when he wrote these words: "For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve what is excellent and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God."

Now Paul is on team Philippi; he is for them. God has given him a deep concern and care for this specific church, and he is praying that their capacity of love, their capacity to be for people, would only grow as their knowledge and discernment grows too.

You'll notice something in this: Paul isn't telling them to simply accept everything. He wants them to discern and still love, but rather than being easily offended or against others, they should be more focused on their personal pursuit of Jesus as they grow in the fruit of righteousness.

I wonder, who are you rooting for? What people are you praying for? An encouragement I offer from time to time is that you should pray for your enemies. That's not a suggestion for you to pray for your enemies, but it's a suggestion for you to pray for your enemies from Jesus. It's a reflection of the kingdom of heaven; it's how we're supposed to show up as Jesus followers.

And remember, this isn't praying about someone; it's praying for them. It might mean that you're praying for your neighbor or your co-worker, your ex or your boss. Maybe it means you're praying for your political opponent. For some of you, it's going to mean that you will be actively praying for a leader who gets elected, even if you didn't vote for them.

See, being for has some incredible power. If we will be for, I think that God can change our heart and help us to stand out in a world that is often just against.

I remember my choir teacher in high school, Mrs. Fowkes, who was for me. She gave me chances to try new things and be a part of programs I know I wasn't ready for, but she believed in me even though I was an annoying teenager. I promise she forded the silliness out of me, the teenage angst, the rebelliousness. Her being for me changed me.

She could see what was fundamental about me through what was dysfunctional about me, and Jesus can see that in all of us. See, Jesus fords all kinds of stuff out of us. As a matter of fact, if you're a follower of Jesus, you simply wouldn't be a follower of Jesus if Jesus wasn't for you.

This famous verse removes any doubt, right? That God loves us. He demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. His love for us was not that He waited until we had fixed ourselves, found ourselves redeemable, found ourselves worthy of the sacrifice, but that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The reason that we serve our community is because God is for our community. He loves our community no matter what they've done or not done, where they've been or not been. God is for them, and we're supposed to be too.

See, I know that for so many of us, we can take a step back in times like this and anticipate a challenging set of circumstances, opportunities, and obstacles over the course of the next few days or weeks. And you can think, "Yeah, Phil, that's all so easy to say, but I have lots of difficult conversations. I have lots of conflict. I have lots of people that I'm pretty frustrated with."

But I would just challenge you to remember those two things. One, remember that we don't fight against flesh and blood. There's something behind the something we're settling for.

And that God's love, Him being for people, is all about this unbelievable and incredible love that God has extended in that while we were still sinners, Christ actually died for us.

Now, across all of Menlo, we have incredible partnerships and ministries that we say we're going to be invested in and taking significant steps towards as a part of being for the communities that we serve.

And over the course of this series, we're going to spotlight a few of those different partners. And so today, we're going to highlight a very special ministry that's taking place in November right here at our Menlo Park campus.

Let's take a look.

1. "Recently, I heard it put this way, gratitude is not complete until it becomes generosity. And I think we can be grateful together in this season." [25:04] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "There is like a pain point that I see and hear regularly in which we have settled for a way of life that I think too often robs us of joy. Whether you're a follower of Jesus or you are just dipping your toes in the water of faith for the sake of curiosity or peer pressure from someone that invited you, I'm so glad that you're here. And I think that God has something for you in this conversation." [27:25] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "When people in the broader community see us treat our own community this way, what do you think they assume you will do to them? If we love one another that way, how would we love them? But there is an antidote to this disease. And we have a preserved account of someone who took that antidote. They didn't let their past patterns of being against and finding offense trap them forever. As a matter of fact, they show us that when you're for God, you can't help but be for people." [30:05] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "Paul didn't just stumble into loving them, and it wasn't willpower. He started loving Jesus' followers when he started following Jesus. If you have people you can't seem to love, maybe ask yourself the question, who or what has my attention that is directing my affection?" [35:36] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "More than we realize, our own comfort and preferences can direct our feelings for others. And Paul and the Philippians had experienced this, but a forward mission to bring hope to everyone changed that. Their motives actually shifted." [36:48] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6. "See, our task is to love people and not just the golden rule where we love them like we would love ourselves, but the platinum rule that we love them like Christ loved us with his life." [38:53] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7. "Helping others get better makes us better. If mission can change our motives, we really can shift our hearts if we help the people that we need our hearts shifted toward." [41:56] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8. "See, Jesus fors all kinds of stuff out of us as a matter of fact if you're a follower of Jesus you simply wouldn't be a follower of Jesus if Jesus wasn't for you this famous verse removes any doubt right that God loves us he demonstrates his own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us his love for us was not that he waited until we had fixed ourselves found ourselves redeemable found ourselves worthy of the sacrifice but that while we were still sinners Christ died for us." [41:56] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)