The Mind of Christ
The Mind of Christ
The church in Philippi was a real church, full of real people, with real histories, and real interpersonal issues…and they needed help getting along.
That’s the situation St. Paul’s writing into. The book of Philippians is warm—one of the most affectionate letters Paul wrote. He deeply loves this church. But we discover there are two women, Euodia and Syntyche, who are at real odds with one another, and it’s serious enough that Paul calls them by name and begs them to agree in the Lord.
There’s real friction here. There are competing interests, wounded egos, probably some jockeying for position. Sound familiar? It should. It’s every church that’s ever existed, including Redeemer.
So how does Paul address it? Not with a five-step conflict resolution technique. Not with “can’t you all just get along?” He goes somewhere much, much deeper. He takes them—and us—to the very heart of who Jesus is and what Jesus did. He says, in effect: you can’t gin up unity by willpower. You can’t muscle your way into getting along. The only unity that will actually hold is unity that flows from having the very mind of Christ.
But what does that mean, exactly?
We’ll continue our four-part series in Philippians this Sunday. Philippians 2:1-13.
See you then.
Steve+
Annual Volunteer Training—If you missed last Saturday, you can attend tomorrow, September 26, 9:00am–11:00am. The first half will cover safety protocols for all adults who serve during the service time, regardless of the team. The second half will be training for individual teams. Children’s Formation, Ushers, Readers, and Lay Eucharistic Ministers should attend if possible. Need only attend one.
Altar Guild, Hospitality Team, and Crucifers need not attend.
Church Workday—October 24, 9:00am–noon (the more who show up, the sooner we’re done!). Our vestry and admin offices are moving to open up a third classroom for Children’s Formation and we need help to move furniture to new spaces or an outside dumpster.
Weekly:
Youth Formation (ages 10–13)— Sundays, 9:00am, in the Parish Hall.
Around the Table—A prayer time for women, Thursdays, 9:00am, at the Wishart’s. Email Lauren for details.
Morning Prayer—Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:00–8:30am, on Zoom.
Men’s Bible Study—Thursdays, 7:00am, at 1309.
Photo: Wesley Tingey on Unsplash
