“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up His cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.’”
Matthew 16:24-25
Normal Pathway for Spiritual Living:
- Belonging to God, through salvation in Christ alone.
- Becoming like Christ in ongoing transformation.
- Behaving in a manner that impacts the world with the gospel.
1. Normal spiritual life begins with connection with God.
“If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”
Philippians 2:1-2
2. Normal spiritual life is marked by commitment to each other.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.”
Philippians 2:3-4
3. Normal spiritual life models the life of Jesus.
“Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited. Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8
- From self-centered to others-centered
- From superiority to humility
- From what can I get to what can I give
Application:
- Choose Christ.
- Cultivate relationships with others.
- Cooperate in a common mission.