While on our holiday travels to visit family, Loraena and I had the privilege of worshiping with a young church plant in the Dayton, OH area.  Mercy Hill Church began holding meetings in January of this year, led by native Daytonian Ryan Stanley.

From the reading of Scripture, to the passionate leading of one musician at the keyboard, to the exposition of God’s words to the Philippians, to the shared taking of the Lord’s Table from a common cup, we were both struck by the humble authenticity of the entire worship gathering.

I was (and continue to be) deeply convicted by God’s Spirit as the Word was preached.  The familiarity of the text in Philippians 2:3-8 melted away as we were together challenged to consider whether we were obeying the command of having the mind of Christ in incarnational living.  My tendency has been largely to think of Christ’s incarnation as something that He did but we aren’t really called to follow in.  But the words that still rings in my ears a day later come from 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 in describing one of the intended results of the cross:

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Christ became part of broken humanity in order to heal all of humanity’s brokenness, including their greatest brokenness with God.  Sadly, I can often feel good about myself by performing “acts of service” without truly following Christ by actually becoming a servant.  But doesn’t this passage indicate that all of my living should be for others? The analogy that brought this into the here-and-now for me described how Christ would minister to prison inmates — Christ’s work would not be just to visit these prisoners once or twice and take them Christmas cookies (an act of ministry which is certainly not a bad thing!), but he would actually request to be put into the prison with them, to become one of them (though innocent) for the purpose of ministering to and helping them.  That floored me.

Making myself something I am not in order to love and help people who are different than I perceive myself is not natural for me.  May God rid me of the selfishness in my heart so I would live for others instead of myself, getting involved in their messiness and brokenness for the sake of the Gospel!

-Josh

Yesterday I listened to Mike Bullmore preach on “Distinguishing Marks of a Genuine Gospel Passion” from Philippians 1.  It was worth the listen just to hear him read the passage.  Mike begins by asking what is the dominating & defining passion in your life. He then uses Philippians, a book that mentions the term “gospel” more than any other in scripture, as a mirror in which we can see whether we are marked by real gospel passion.  Are you willing to do an assessment? If you don’t like conviction you won’t want to listen to this message –but though challenging, this sermon is most definitely not guilt-driven, it is grace based–it is about the gospel after all!

His five points are as follows:

1. A particular affection for partners in the gospel.
For whom do I have the greatest affections?

2. A purposed disregard for your circumstances because of a consuming interest in the gospel.

3. The submission of your personal reputation to Christ’s.
Paul’s passion for the gospel was not a front for his passion for his reputation or his ministry.

4. A deep desire to spend one’s life laboring for the gospel.
Do you see your contribution to the advance of the gospel as the dominating factor in your life?

5. A confidence that calls others to costly commitment.
Do you believe in the gospel enough to call others to costly & radical commitment.

You can find the talk here.

~Mike

Small Group Discussion Questions from the message “The Prophesied Kingdom” by Mike Hanafee on December 13, 2009.

Quick Review:

1. What is the Bible about? (The Bible is about God restoring His Kingdom on earth through Jesus)
2. What is the kingdom of God? (God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule experiencing God’s blessing.)
3. Talk through the ground covered so far.  (pattern/perished/promised/partial – remember people/place/rule & blessing for each)

The Prophesied Kingdom

1. What were the 2 predominant messages of the prophets? (Judgment & Hope)  Give some examples. (Amos is covered in the early part of the message)
2. Was preaching judgment popular back then? (Jeremiah – told to shut up)
3. Why did they proclaim judgment was coming?  (turned to other gods)
4. Should we talk of judgment today, & if so, how?  (Can’t preach Cross without judgment)

In the face of stark warnings, descriptions, & explanations of judgment the prophets proclaim a glorious hope.

1. Who will be God’s people? (a remnant of Israel/Isaiah 10:20-21, inclusion of nations/Isaiah 49:6) What do they say what the Servant will do for these people? (Isaiah 53)
2. What is the connection between Jesus being called Light for the nations (& later saying, “I am the Light of the world”) & our being told by Him to let out light shine?  What specifically might this mean for your small group?
3. Where will God’s people dwell? (New Temple/Ezekiel 40-48, New Creation/Isaiah 65:17-18) In what ways can we “preview” this new creation?
4. How will God’s people be ruled & blessed? (New Covenant/Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Joel 2:28-32; New King/Isaiah 9:6-7, Great Blessing for all peoples) Why is the New Covenant superior to the Old Covenant? (Actually forgives sin & changes our hearts)  What should this mean for daily living?
5. Talk about how prophecies are fulfilled Christologically & not in a wooden literal fashion.  (I.e. Amos 9:11-12 & Acts 15:16-17 – who knew?  In the beginning of the sermon note the illustration on how the fulfillment of prophecies breaks the boundaries of the categories in which the prophecies were given. Important for next week)