ONE KICK OFF

Serve

Ephesians 4:1–4 ESV

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—

Bearing with one another in Love

The word bearing has many different definitions depending on its use. “to receive, take up, bear and endure”

When you think of the common use of this word in english you could see how any one of these variants could be used in the mind of the speaker. “Bearing children” at any one time you might consider that the reception of a gift from God. The call you take up to raising a proper child. The weight of that responsibility that with every moment you wonder am I ruining this child. and sometimes when the house is messy and there is absolutely no way to get to the end of the day without blood shed yours or theirs.... bearing children is just about enduring.

No matter what season of the journey your in (and it can change by moment) there is no question the task of bearing a child is about serving. You are serving the child, your family, and the rest of society by taking on the responsibility to apply yourself to the wellbeing of that child.

God is calling us to bear one another, not out of obligation or compulsion, but out of love. Because we desire what is best for one another.

Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace

There are two ways to create unity & peace. One way we have excelled at, and the other we miss. The first, easiest, and for many of us preferred way of achieving unity & peace is the same way we kept it at the dinner table. No talking money, politics, or religion. If we just disengage (or don’t engage in the first place) we will have no need to disagree.

All that has produced is a culture that has no idea how to live in unity with diversity. It is easier to avoid, silence, and ignore the others. The problem is there is no bond there is just peace.

God calls us to maintain the bond. Serving + Vision allows us to set aside our petty differences in order to appreciate the value we are to one another. Working together for a common goal creates deep bonds of unity.

Biggest things that get in the way of serving:

Too busy a schedule.

Confused priorities.

Thinking I am self sustaining.

Biggest benefits to serving:

Clarity to “why” you do something.

Purpose.

Developing relationships that you can draw on.

Lead

Ephesians 4:10–14 ESV

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

for building up the body of Christ

& he gave PASTORS and CALLED WORKERS to do the ministry of the Church.

Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

He gave leadership. There are different functions that each of these roles fill in the community of the Church. But they all serve a common goal: to equip the saints for the work of the ministry so that the church may be strengthened.

Where you have been called to leadership… I’m not saying “if” you have been called to leadership, I’m saying where. Where you have been called to leadership is where you are called to build up the saints for working the ministry.

Am I leading or am I serving?

Do I find myself critiquing others’ work without experience or knowledge?

When I see ways to improve (whatever they are) do I offer my support for the future?

Do I share my ideas with other volunteers or the leadership? Who am I complaining to?

Does the way I carry myself encourage and inspire others?

Don’t assume the captain is the only leader on the boat, the first & second mate do a lot of the leading as well.

If you find that there is no place for you to fill in the blank for your leadership bubble then play close attention to the next one...

Grow

Ephesians 4:15–16 ESV

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

We as a community and individuals are called to grow. There should be a place in this community where you find growth. I am not talking about your waist line, so don’t fill in this bubble with the fellowship food and conversation. The purpose of your growth is to growth in the likeness of Jesus. So find a opportunity to be challenged and develop your spiritual disciplines. Prayer, the Word, evangelism, etc. There are so many opportunities and yet as Lutherans this is an area we truly suck in.

Doing or being?

Am I doing more or being more?

Rest

Mark 6:30–31 ESV

The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

Finding rest in the right places:

Why am I tired after I binge watch netflix? Or play video games for hours? Or sit on my phone? Why am I tired after taking an expensive vacation?

Isaiah 48:20–22 ESV

Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea, declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it, send it out to the end of the earth; say, “The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob!” They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and the water gushed out. “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.”

John 15:5 ESV

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Where are you plugging in to be restored, built up, filled with peace and joy? For me its with Doug.