Fellowship

Father in heaven, you are a good God, you're a living God and when you speak, you have us in mind, you have a word on your heart for us like a father to his child. Lord God, I pray that we would hear your voice today and respond to you lovingly, obediently and effectively.Encourage us oh God, encourage our hearts, lift us up. We're dealing with enough, there's enough going on in our workplace, in our home, in our wallet, in our time, in our traffic, there's enough of going on,Lord. We need just an extra measure of your grace to lift us up and to speak encouragement into our souls. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. 

The word we are looking at today is – Fellowship: being in full accord and of one mind. Big words have big meaning. It doesn't necessarily mean it's a hard word, it's just a big word, and big words have heavy meaning. Even when you're doing Bible study and when you're looking through the scriptures, you look for big bones, big words, you look for small words, you look for the words that carry the meaning of the passage, etc, etc. So big words have big meaning and need to be broken down for our understanding. 

Some are very familiar, so familiar that we lose the meaning, the depth, of that word. Like fellowship, for instance. So let's take a look at this word today and see how we can renew, reverse and revive our understanding. Let’s take a sharp, deep, passionate look at the word fellowship.

Acts 2:42: Early Christians devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer.

The early church used fellowship not just as chai and biscuits, they used it not as the after-church connecting time, the socializing time, they used it as very much part of the spiritual life of the church. Acts 2 verse 42, every Christian in the first century church, they devoted themselves, devotion to the Apostles’ teaching- Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, that's it. So Acts was being written about them, the early church, so all they had was the Gospels. The early church leaders, the Apostles, would they teach the Old Testament. So they devoted their teachings to the Old Testament. The second is fellowship. The third is the breaking of bread. And fourth is to prayer, or actually in the original it says prayers, many prayers, different kinds of prayers. So early Christians devoted themselves, they made a point of it, they made it a passion, they made it a discipline. They didn't just attend church, they made it the thing that makes them tick. So early Christians, first century church, devoted themselves to the Apostles…and that's where we learn the word fellowship. So you want to stop and say it's in the Bible, it's scripture, what does it mean? Today it's become chai and biscuits. Today it's become, the dinner time after the Bible study time in the home groups, it's just the hanging out time. It's become a very watered-down social sort of a construct which it is not. So let me atleast introduce this word so that we begin to think about it.

Philippians 2, verses 1-11: 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 selfish ambition 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 emptied himself by 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. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

So Paul is writing to the Philippian church, and he says this in chapter 2, one of the most beautiful chapters in the scriptures. So if there is any, number one, encouragement—when he says if, he doesn't really mean if, he means, of course there is, because there is. So if there is any encouragement in Christ, okay then—if there is any comfort from love, because love comforts. If there's any participation of the Spirit(capital S). If there's any affection, if there's any sympathy. So if you're living a life revolving around the Spirit, revolving around the Word, you are experiencing encouragement, comfort, participation, affection, and sympathy because these are the symptoms of a Spirit-driven community. When you walk into a community that loves the Lord Jesus, you will see an encouragement in Christ, you will hear an encouragement in Christ, you will feel the comfort of love, you will experience the participation in the Spirit, you will feel the affection of the people, and you will feel and understand the sympathy of the people. If that is the case, then complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, and being of one mind. One mind is different to the same mind, okay. And do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit but, in contrast to selfish ambition and conceit, in humility, count people more significant than yourself. Everybody elseas more valuable than yourself. You don't walk into the church community and say, this is who I am. This is what I've accomplished. This is who I am in the world. And you throw around your cards. You throw around your titles. That's not what you're supposed to be doing. When you walk into the community of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you walk into the church, we are all children of God, and we are all on the same level. And with humility, in fact, we put others higher, as more significant than ourselves. Then he says in verse 4, let each of you look not, focus not, only to your own interest… meaning don't only look to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. What do others need? Sister, what do you need? I've seen, I've been following you. Are there any struggles you are having? And that's why we're in home groups. That's why we are in smaller silos of fellowships. That's why we want to be in each other's lives. That's why you need to be in places where you can actually be unselfish. You need to be in relationships, be in situations, where you can actually be unselfish. When you avoid fellowship, you allow yourself to remain selfish. You allow yourself to remain self-elevating. And when you're in a situation and you're forced, you may not like it. You may feel a little uncomfortable. You may feel a little stretched.

People always have needs at the worst time. Have you noticed? When you're doing great, they hardly ever come to you at that time. But they always have the need when you are most strained. Think about that, whether that's something that God is doing. 

Now as he has said this, Philippians chapter 2, he moves into what is known as the kenosis, the emptying of oneself. And he goes to Jesus and begins to focus on Jesus and what Jesus is, who Jesus is, what Jesus has done.

…have this mind. Ah! Okay, go back to verse 2. Complete my joy by being of the same mind. And the question is, whose mind? Verse 5, have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ. So Jesus, through his Spirit, has given you a mind, a mindset, a way of thinking. He's given you a Spirit of thinking that is God's himself. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Who? Number one, he who though he was in the form of God. Two, did not count an equality with God a thing to be held on to. He was easily able to let it go. Three, he emptied himself. Jesus emptied himself, not of identity, not of deity, not of holiness, not of power, not of the love for the Father. He emptied himself of his ego, of the need to hold on to who he was in respect to everyone else. He was able, because if you can't do that, you can't be a servant. But by emptying himself, by taking the form of a servant, by being born in the likeness of men, that's a step down. And being found in the human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. So, this mind has been given to you by the Holy Spirit, through the participation of the Spirit. So that you, dear friend, have the mind of Christ. And that's where the unity comes from. Because we all have the same mind. Everybody has their own opinion. Everybody has their own ego. Everybody has their own way of doing things. So where is the one mind come? Not that I bring my mind and align it to you and start negotiating back and forth and come to a humble 50percent halfway mark and say, okay, we're at peace now. You get what you want, I get what I want, win-win. No. I give up my mind, you give up your mind, and we both embrace the mind of Christ. We take the mind of Christ. Now, you take a church of 50 people, you take a church of 100 people, you take a church of 2,500 people that all have the mind of Christ. We are undefeatable. We are invincible. 

Though he was in the form of God, he did not count it, equality with God, a thing that needed to be held on to. He was ready to become a servant, ready to look like a man. If you look like a man, you're goingto get treated like a man. If you look like a servant, you're going to get treated like a servant. Being born in the likeness of man, being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient. Why did he need to become in human form? Because he needed to die. Because the wages of sin is death. So he was obedient to the point of death. What kind of death? The death on a cross. This was all the wayfrom the throne, the highest of places, all the way to the lowest of places. So since he was willing to go from the highest place to the lowest place, verse 9: Therefore God has highly exalted him. So if you humble yourself, God's going to lift you up. You exalt yourself, God's going to cut you down. Therefore God has highly exalted himself and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. What kind of name? So that at the name of Jesus, be careful, this is the part where we start losing the details. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue confess. But between the knee and the tongue, we forget to read the words that are there. Every knee should bow in heaven. Did you know that our knees are in heaven? So in the angelic realm, all the powers that be, everything that is in the heavenlies, has already bowed its knee to Jesus. The demonic realm and all the powers that be, that are below the earth, have already bowed their knee to Jesus in heaven and on earth. So who all are going to bow? Because we only think of people, right? But it's heaven? It's on earth and under the earth. Who's under the earth? Did you know that there are people under the earth? Or there are beings under the earth? And they have knees? 

Therefore, God had highly exalted him and bestowed on him a name that rules all the universe. Everywhere that there is a living being, everywhere that anything lives and breathes and thinks, it will bow its knee. In heaven, on earth, under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. What does Philippians talk about? The mind of Christ. Why should we have this mind? So, because your mind and my mind results in disunity. It results in brokenness. It results in diversity. The bad kind of diversity. But when we all have the mind of Christ, the body of Christ comes together in a powerful unity that only the Spirit of God can bring about. That, by the way, is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 

Ephesians chapter 4:1-6: I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

I am a prisoner for the Lord. Paul talking to the church in Ephesus. He says, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. Then he repeats the same thing there and he says with humility, with all gentleness, with all patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit. The unity of the Spirit. Why is it so important to the Holy Spirit to bring the church together? Why is it so important that the church shows a united front? Why is it so important to heaven that the church is not seen with divisions in it? Why is it so important that its maturity is defined by its very unity and oneness of mind? Why is it that discipleship is not about developing the mind of Jeremy, but developing the mind of Jesus in Jeremy? Why is this so important? Verse 4. Because there is only body, and there's only one Spirit. Just as you are called to one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. Let's do that again.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you are called. Okay, what does this look like? With all humility, with gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love. That's the church. Bearing with one another. Eager to maintain, not eager to divide, eager to show this diversity, eager to announce a conflicting opinion, but eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Keep the peace at all costs. 

It's like family, we fight inside, but the moment anybody else comes into the play, we are a united front. We don't show our brokenness, we don't show our problems between each other to the world outside. To the world outside, we are a united front. So, that's what he's talking about. Bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the Spirit, the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Why? And your answer is in verse 4, 5, 6. Because there's one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. That is why we need to be united and not because we agree and see eye to eye.

So let me give you ten things about fellowship. Ten ways to think about fellowship. Ten reasons that fellowship is important. Ten perspectives of fellowship. 

Number one, fellowship is a fight for unity, a fight for oneness. Paul urges you to do that. He says you must do that. He says if there's any comfort, if there's any participation of the Spirit, if there's this, if there's that, then make my joy complete by being of one mind. Which mind? Christ's mind. Being of one spirit. Which spirit? The spirit of unity. So Jesus has a mind that unites the church, and the Holy Spirit has the spirit, is the spirit that unites the church. We got Jesus, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit trying to unite the church, and we have some people trying to divide the church. Dividing the church only happens when the individual is elevated. That is not the mind of Christ. So fellowship is a fight, brothers and sisters. Fellowship is a fight for unity. It's a fight for oneness in the Spirit. It's saying don't behave like that. Don't talk like that. Don't act like that. The church needs you. The church wants you. You need to get right. You need to be okay. You need to submit. You need to show humility. You need to be of one mind. You need to adjust. The church doesn't need to adjust to you. You need to get in shape. Church doesn't have to make a shape for you. And you think differently is a fight for unity.

Number two, fellowship is a sense of belonging. Now try and take Sunday morning out of your mind, okay? Because for us, we think church is Sunday morning.The Bible is saying the church is every single person that's part of a given community and is under the common leadership, the common faith, and common community. Likethere's Covenant Life, there is Delhi Bible Fellowship, there is Methodist Church etc. There's all these churches and all of them are put under shepherds. Not in the building, but they are put under a shepherd. God is not going to hold the building accountable or the board of directors accountable. God is going to hold the shepherd accountable (1 Peter chapter 5). So people have been gathered and put together under a shepherd. And that shepherd has been given the authoritative care. I put those two words together. The authoritative care in order to look after those people. So it's a sense of belonging to a community that's fathered and are belonging to one another. But the key thing here, which I would leave with you, is it's a sense of belonging for absolutely anyone. Anyone and everyone, should feel like they can belong. 

Any colour of skin, any size, any height, any state of India, aliens, that is migrants, foreigners, that is those visiting, anyone should be able to come in and if they have the mind of Christ, they should find family. They should find brothers and sisters. Now we live in India,and in Hindi also is bhai-bhen and that's wonderful because under the country umbrella also we are all bhai-bhen. Everybody's a bhai. But in the church, brother, sister is a title. When I say brother Sanjay, it is because Jesus shed his blood on the cross and because of his blood we are now in one family. So we are blood brothers better than your O positive and my B positive. We are blood brothers. We are family. And it costs the blood of Jesus Christ, cost the life of Christ to give you the title brother or to give you the title sister. So when you come into the family, if you have the mind of Christ, I have the mind of Christ, you have just walked in the family. So I can go to any country in the world and I'm going to find the family. I'm going to find the Lord's people. And because I find the Lord's people, I find fellowship. That is what it means. The blood of Jesus Christ unites us. The Spirit of God unites us. The one mind of Jesus unites us. Africans, if they come to our churches, they must feel like they belong. The CIS countries, Russians, Americans, even Pakistanis. Because as soon as you step into the church, you have stepped out of human relationships and you've moved into divine spiritual relationships. There can be no politics of the politics kind in the church. This holy pulpit cannot be used to sway the vote, to sway the opinion, to sway or bring division between races, cultures, languages. It is to unite all of those with the same mind and the same spirit. 

So what do you think it means to belong? What do you think feels like belonging? Some people want love and affection, a good hug. Some people run from a hug. That's the worst thing you can do to them. They are traumatized and they check into therapy after you've hugged them once. So we have to understand what that language looks like and feels like. What is it to you? What about other countries? What about other states of India? We are Delhi. Delhi is one of the unfriendliest state, city in the country. Okay, you go down south, you go to other places, people start saying hi to you for no reason. And then you just look at them with suspicion. Okay, then you go to other states, and people totally ignore you. It doesn't matter where we come from. So, we are a church, a community who have the mind of Christ in the Spirit of unity, everybody should be able to feel like they belong. You notice the number of words I'm using? Everybody should be able to feel like they belong.

This attitude of- if you don't like it, just go somewhere else. So the church is let's say 100 people, older ones and out of 100 people, 75 people don't feel like they belong. So then whose work is it to make 75 people feel like they belong? If everybody doesn't feel like they belong, everybody feels spoken out against. If everyone feels like nobody is taking them seriously, nobody takes an interest in them. If everybody, the majority, feels like that, then that's what the community is like. It's no one's fault, or probably my fault because I'm not teaching properly. Are you feeling the pain here?

Fellowship must give you a sense that you belong. And it doesn't matter if you're hard to understand, your accent is hard to understand, or you speak with subtitles. Belonging must be spiritual because love transcends English and Hindi.You should be able to get through with love. You’re not good in English or you're not good in Hindi, so you don't speak to somebody? No! No! No! Fill one cup of chai and give it, that's an act of love. And then smile and... At least that! You get what I'm trying to say? I'm using humour for a very difficult, painful experience that many have gone... And you may be the one out of many who have felt the pain of not feeling like you belong. Not feeling like anybody cares. Not feeling like... You just feel invisible in church… Even sometimes me. Sometimes I go back home and I'm like, I don't think they really want me here. Anybody who walks in to church, who claims Jesus as their Lord and Savior, must find a place of belonging in our community.

Number three is a commitment to honesty. In church, we are the biggest liars. Hello brother, how are you? I'm fine. You have a problem with the person, but you don't have the love in your heart and the honesty of your conscience to call that person up in the week and say, before it becomes resentment, before it turns into anything, before this becomes about me hating the church, hating the leadership, hating... Let me just tell you that what you said today, what you didn't say today, how you behaved today, the way you threw tea at me, I don't like it. I love you, but I don't like it... That's honesty. And how do you do that when you've got Northeast, you've got South Indians, you've got North Indians, you've got all kinds of Indians, and you've got foreigners... We are the most beautiful church. We are the most beautiful church in the city because we have everybody. And our common factor is Jesus. Our common bond is the Holy Spirit. We are not here because somebody from our tribe or tongue is here. There are churches built around that, where the name of the tribe, the name of the tongue, the name of the state comes before Christian. Don't even get me started on that. But if you're going to be honest, be honest quickly and immediately before it gets too late and you don’t remember the reason but have resentment. With all the love in my heart, be honest. Start with me. Some of you are too honest. Back off. But most of you, be honest. 

Number four. Fellowship is a shoulder to stand on, not to cry on. In psychology, it's called the saviour complex. And you think that you're being this tremendous, gracious person. Somebody's coming, grumbling about somebody in church, grumbling about some theology, grumbling about the pastor or leaders, grumbling about what is not good enough. And you feel like this gracious, big-shoulder person for them to cry on. And all their tears are dripping, and you think God is going to bless you for that. You're bringing division, and you're not treating that person or teaching that person how to get on their knees, get right with God, and get right with the church.You're not doing the church a favour. You're doing harm. You're bringing division. And that's not the mind of Christ. It's not fellowship. Fellowship is a shoulder to stand on. Come, get on my shoulders. I'll take you to the person. I will help you become okay.I will help you reconcile. I will make you feel like you belong. I will fix this with you. Come, come with me. I know him. I know her. Let's talk. It's a shoulder to stand on, not a shoulder to cry on. It's not a place for resentment and a place where people are harbouringresentment. They're wanting to fuel that resentment, wanting to rehearse that resentment, and there you are helping them go through it, helping them develop it. Do not do that. It's not fellowship. It's not real. It's not a place for conflict. It's not a place for unforgiveness. Lead them to Jesus. Don't be Jesus to them in that context. Don't be the Saviour. There's only one Savior, and where does division come from? Where does disunity come from? It comes from selfish ambition. It comes from me, me, me, I feel so sorry for myself. See, nobody loves me. Nobody wants, nobody talks to me. It comes from that. It comes from the two-year-old in you that just won't grow up. Don't encourage that. Encourage growth. Encourage repentance. Encourage the Word. Hey, you having a problem? Come on, okay. Let's spend the next six weeks. Let's pray together. I'm going to fast every lunch, and we're going to pray you out of this situation. Until the love of Jesus pours into your heart and you run back to church, to the community, to the home group, whatever, we're going to pray you out of this situation. No place for resentment. No place for conflict. No place for unforgiveness. 

Number five, fellowship is a discerning spirit. It's closely connected.When a person comes to you with a problem, when a person says something to you, if you're the type of person who, everyone who's ever got a problem with the church, with the leadership, seems to come to you, you are the problem. They are not the problem.The leadership is not the problem. You are the problem. But if they come to you, then this is what you should do. You should discern, is this a sin problem? Is this a selfishness problem? Is this a conceit problem? Is this a pride problem? And you teach gently, encourage, discipline that person back to the cross, help that person get right with God. Brother, I love you, but just because I'm your friend, I don't have to agree with everything you say. Just because I'm your friend, just because I'm your brother, I don't have to share your opinion. We can disagree, but I'm going to keep telling you that that is a sinful opinion you have. That's a sinful stance. That's a sinful thought pattern.You need to get right with the Lord. I'm praying for you, and I'm not going to stop talking to you until you do. A discerning spirit is able to tell, is this human behaviour, human brokenness, or is it the Spirit of God actually saying to me, he's in trouble, help him, heal him, comfort him, whatever.

Number six is a safe place for correction and accountability. Don't call a church gracious because it doesn't hold you accountable. Don't call a church gracious because it allows anything. If there's nobody correcting your behaviour, you're not walking with the Lord for the last two, three years, you're not reading your Word, you're not involved with the fellowship, you're not serving, you're not using your spiritual gifts, and you're absolutely fine and nobody's saying anything to you, nobody's calling you out on your depravity, then something is severely wrong. It means that either you or the others don't feel that it is a safe place to correct and to hold people accountable. Fellowship means it's safe to hold people accountable,that when I come to you and I say, Sister, I just would encourage you to not think like this or to not behave like this. It's not very Christ-like and it's bringing division among the ladies' fellowship, among the home group. So to say that in a safe place without being worried thatfrom tomorrow on, she's not going to talk to me. Sunday onwards, she's never going to see my face. Maybe she'll even leave the church. That's the biggest one, right? That's why pastors don't say anything.They will leave and go and so will their tithe. So what is a safe place? It's a safe place to be corrected. It's also a safe place to correct. It's a safe place to be accountable and hold accountable. Why is it that none of us feel the moral love and authority to correct one another and hold one another accountable? Because we don't think it's a safe place. We're worried you'll walk away. We're worried you'll break fellowship. Well, maybe you should love enough to put all those things on the line. And maybe then we will move towards being a more authentic place.

Number seven is where you put your pride and your position aside. Church fellowship is a place where you put your pride and position.Oh, whoever you are in the government of India, whoever you are in the business world, whatever you've accomplished, how many of your degrees are hanging on your wall…when you walk into church, you are in the family of Christ and you are on the level with another person whose name is written in the Lamb's book of life. So check your ego in at the door. The church is not a place to elevate people who are accomplished in the world. And these are the things that have destroyed our church, destroyed our fellowship. And I speak against it boldly, fearfully but expectantly, that you knowing the love of the Lord would respond and teach others also. The safe place for correction and accountability is where you put your pride and your position aside and say, okay, you know what? She treated me like that. She talked to me like that. She doesn't know who I am, but it's okay.It's okay. Let me go see what's her problem. Let me go talk. Sister, what happened? Brother, you spoke to me like that or that. What happened? Like, what's going on? She'll tell you the whole story. Then you'll know there is a story to tell and you'll get involved, and the Lord will use you and the Lord will sustain that person and toadminister that person through you. Just because you were willing to put your ego aside. We have missed out so much because of what we think people should give us. 

Number eight is a burden for the spiritual growth in others.Fellowship means you really care about if the next person or the person next to you is growing. Spiritually, growing. Behaviour, growing. Maturity, growing. Disciplines, growing. You really care about it. I urge you, therefore, to walk in a way and a manner of your calling. 

Number nine, fellowship is built around the word of God, the word of God, the word of God, the word of God. Fellowship is not around chai. Fellowship is not around biryani. Fellowship is not around the meal. It's not after the service. Fellowship is around the word of God.When two or three are gathered in my name and they open the scriptures, there am I in the midst. Fellowship is the word of God, for the word of God and by the word of God. You have fellowship because you love and submit to the word of God. 

Number 10 is sharing everything you have. This is the most painful one because this includes HDFC and Yes Bank and the money and the stocks and bonds. It just includes all that you have. This is very painful. But the first century church, they sold everything they had and shared it until there was nobody who had any need. What is that saying? Let me put it in modern lingo. It means that the church operates on a different economy. The world operates on a different economy. It's not humanitarian. It's family. In the family, nobody gets left behind. Nobody gets left without a job. Even if one member of your family doesn't have a job for 15- 20 years, you look after that family. Even if one family can't earn, you look after that member of the family. Even if one family is sick, you look after that member of the family. You never leave a family member uncared for. Never. When lunch is announced, even the worst of the family members who is not bringing anything to the table, comes to the table and enjoys everything from the table. That's what family is. That's what church should be. That's what fellowship is. 

Number one is a fight for unity.

Number two is a sense of belonging. 

Number three is a commitment to honesty. Be real.

Is a shoulder to stand on, not a shoulder to cry on.

Is a discerning spirit. 

Is a safe place for correction and accountability.

Is where you put your pride and your position aside. 

Is a burden for spiritual growth in others. Is built around the word of God.

And finally, is sharing everything you have. 

Brothers and sisters, you have been called here to love. To love one another. Not with your love, but with the love with which God has loved you. You've been called here to have the mind of Christ and connect to the Spirit of Christ so that all of us are united by the baptism of the Holy Spirit that God brings us together. We are not here to harbor and multiply the resentment or the pain or the conflict of anyone coming in. People are going to come in, they're going tocome in messed up. They're going to come in broken. They're going to come in with a life of people letting them down, with a life of failures, experiences that have hurt them. They're going to come here, psychologists will tell you, expecting the same thing. They're going to expect the same thing. And when it happens, when it happens, you wonder there, there. See, I told you, there. The church is like this only. People are like this only. You can't trust anyone. They're all hypocrites. Yeah, they're all hypocrites, including you. Ego has to die. In the church of Jesus Christ, in the body of Christ, ego has to die. Starting with whom? Starting with me.

Philippians chapter 2 says Jesus became nothing for his bride. For the sake of his bride, he became dust. He went into the dust. He died. He was buried in the dust, in the very dust with which he made Adam. He was buried in that dust. He became nothing so that the bride could be everything. 

So I ask you a question as I close. Are we building up the individual at the cost of the community? It could be you. It could be someone you're feeling very sorry for because you're so gracious. It could be someone you really want should be coming here, but they don't feel like they belong. It could be anybody. But are you building up the individual at the cost of the community? 

Would you bow your heads in prayer because this is a very, very heavy, reverent, significant time. And the Spirit of God has to complete the operation. And after an operation, you need to be closed up. Post-op, just do your business with God. Don't leave it open because Satan will take advantage. Let God finish his business. To which of the 10 do you need to give attention to? Lord, Spirit of God, help me. I need to figure this out. I need to be more of this. Is there any individual I'm feeling so sorry for or I'm feeling so attached to or feeling so burdened for that I'm building up that one individual at the cost of the community? Oh God, do a deep work in our lives. We want to be a church that you enjoy. Not members, not the world, but you enjoy. We want to be a bride that you look into our face and then you see the future. You see yourself in us. You see your holiness in us. You see your love in us. You see your sacrifice. You see your generosity. The way we give, the way we come together, the way we hold as a discipline, as a priority, the things of God, the things that are close to the heart of God. Lord, take pleasure. Let us bring a smile to your face, we pray. To that end, if there's any repentance that I need to make, anything I need, at any cost to me, Lord Jesus, any cost to me, my ego, my anything, I'm willing, but make this church a place where you find joy and you see the reflection of your face in us, and people come here and find Christ. Fill every empty seat with hungry people. Fill every empty heart with the love of God. Triple and quadruple our services so that the hungry of this 38 million city would come running to the one place, to the one voice that screams out and says, is anyone thirsty? Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink, and I will give. And you will never be thirsty again. Oh God, make us a church that reflects Jesus. Start with me, Lord. Amen.