RESET Week 4

I love playing PS and Xbox!

Any other video gamers in here?

So when I was a kid I had a Nintendo…like the OG Nintendo…with the cartridge…like this one…from the hangout room...

I remember spending countless hours on this thing...

Who knows what you would do if the game wasn't working right? - You would blow into it!!! You had to get the dust out!

But I remember playing games like Mario…Hockey…Techno Bowl…Mike Tysons PunchOut…Jeopardy…Duck Hunt…Metroid Prime…and so many more games...

But I think the coolest part about this entire console…was one part of it…does anyone know what that part is?

THE RESET BUTTON...

If things weren't going your way…and you needed a chance to start over…RESET…if you were losing to your friend in Techno Bowl or NHL…RESET...

It was a quick way to stop…get your mind right…and jump back in so that you could do things the right way...

And that is what this series has been for us…the RESET button...

There may have been some things that we were doing in 2022 that we maybe shouldn't have been doing...

It is our way of taking everything in our life…looking through it…saying this goes and this doesn't…understanding what exactly our purpose is…and then readjust and begin moving into 2023...

And so week 1 - we looked @ how we are to be a light to the world around us…a city on a hill…pointing to Christ…being a beacon…that points to him...

Week 2 - we zoomed in and looked @ HOW we become that light…how that looks...

We started by looking at how God will take our old life…our old heart - that heart of stone - and give us a brand new heart…with new courage…a new mind…new emotions…attitude…intent…purpose…reason…pride…resolve…imagination…understanding…ability…and thoughts...

He give us a brand new spirit…that gives us the power and the strength to BE a light in the darkness…pointing to the source of the light that we have…which is Jesus...

Last week, Eli talked about community…amongst one another…a community of believers…that we need each other…each of us are important…each of us have value and purpose in the collective overall group…of believers...

If we are going to properly live out our mission here on earth…we NEED one another…it isn’t a question…WE NEED ONE ANOTHER…remember what he said…circles…are better than rows…that is why small group time is so important…that is why Lakeshore and many other churches around Rochester are so focused on Small Groups...

That is why the early church met in peoples houses…because they knew that true discipleship happened in the circles…not in the pews...

And so, this week, we are going to close out this series…and we are going to look at the community that we have with NON-believers...

What is our relationship to others around us…how should we interact with those that are not in our circle…but those that exist outside of that...

So we can see this in Philippians 2:3-8

Philippians 2:3–8 (ESV)

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit.

Who in here knows someone that is all about themselves? They think nothing but themselves? Everything that they do, is in an attempt to get something from someone.

It is all about them…look at me…look at what I can do or have done...

That isn’t how we are supposed to be. When we interact with the people around us, the last thing that we should think about is “what can I get from you...”

Really…that is unconditional love…that is what it looks like - to come alongside someone else and lift them up and encourage and support and build into someone…INVESTING in them…without thoughts of GETTING anything from them…really our entire thoughts should be set on GIVING them something…GIVING them the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ...

Part of being a light and shining in the darkness is stepping back and letting people see more of Christ and less of you…

Paul goes on to say...

In humility count others more significant than yourselves.

I used to wear a bracelet that said “I am Second” - this bracelet helped me to remember…that it ISN’T about me...

Don’t get me wrong…YOU are important…very much so...

But we should be living a life that places and values the lives and souls of others around us, above our own

If we are constantly moving around with the mindset that I am better than you and you owe me something…we will never share the gospel with anyone...

I love what Paul says in Romans 12:3

Romans 12:3 (NLT)

Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

When we do this, we understand that I need Christ just as much as the people that are around me.

Even though I have been saved…and I have a relationship with Christ…that doesn’t make me any better than those that don’t have a relationship with Jesus...

Because I used to be one of them…Paul calls himself the worst of sinners…understanding that sin touches everyone the only one that can save anyone is Christ…not us…not ourselves...

And so when you walk around with that mindset…everyone you see…including yourself…is on the same level…the same playing field…I am no better than the person to the left or right of me...

When we do that, we shine the light of Christ…especially in a world that is all about ME ME ME…Paul keeps going by saying that each and everyone of us…should:

Look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

When I was younger, I used to go to my Grandparents house…and when I was there I would ask for money all the time, and they would give it to me...

But when I got into High School…my Grandpa stopped and before he gave me the money…he said something to me that has stuck in my head ever since...

“what have you done for me lately...”

And like I said…that stuck with me…but what he was trying to get me to understand - is that I had to be mindful of others around me...

At the end of day…Christians should be some of the most…if not THE MOST generous people walking around on the face of this earth…we should be looking for opportunities to place someone else above us…to find opportunities to serve in the community for people that need it the most...

If someone needs a helping hand…regardless of who they are or what they may have done to us…we are to treat them the same…to move in love…to think about ourselves less…not neglecting yourselves…but diminishing yourself…so that Christ can work through you...

And so Paul says all of that…really showing us how to be the light…and he says...

Have this mind among yourselves.

Everything that I just told you…I want everyone to be moving in the same direction…to be thinking this same way…unified thinking…and then he says…have your minds locked...

Which is yours in Christ Jesus.

The best way that we can know how to be the light…is by resembling Christ…to be imitators of Christ...

If we are to go into the world and be the light of the world…we should probably look like the light that sent us - right?

So Paul says…let our minds be unified - as we resemble Christ...

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.

Service and humility…if we want to be proper lights that shine the light of Christ…we must first invest in the lives of those that we are shining a light for...

Christ gave us the perfect example…when he sat with sinners…BEFORE they came to be in a relationship with him...

Luke 15:2 (NIV)

But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

He understood this…people wont care about what you have to say…till they know that you care about them...

And we do that through humility and service...

Mark 9:35 (NIV)

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

He puts it this way in Matthew...

Matthew 20:26–28 (NIV)

Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Christ gave us an example...

It is putting others before ourselves...

Remembering…that the best way to be the light that we have been called to be…is to first…imitate the light that has given us the ability to even be a light...

If you light a candle…the flame…looks just like the flame that you lit the candle with…

And then…once we understand that we are to imitate the source of the light that we have…we must now GO and BE a light...

Someone once said...”preach the gospel at all times…use words when necessary...”

What this means is that OUR actions speak louder than any words that we can ever say.

Remember wk1: Matthew 5:16

Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Our actions - the things that we do for others…should point others to who Jesus can be in their lives, because of who he is in ours...

Jesus says that when we live in humility and service…and we love others around us…and we are the light of the world that he has called us to be…when we do all of that...

John 13:35 (NIV)

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

While what we do wont save us…what we do is evidence of the salvation that we have...

it IS what we do...

If we claim to be a follower of Christ - it is not a questions of if…we should or not…but IT IS what we do...

That is what this entire series has been about…to take our lives…examine them…and press the reset…

So this next year and moving forward…I want you all to remember…that you ARE the light of the world…pointing to THE LIGHT…the Savior…Jesus Christ…through the way that you fellowship with one another…the way that you support one another…and through how you treat the world around you…through humility and service…AMEN?