Our Christ-centered DNA describes the center of who we are as a church. Our mission, vision, model, strategy, and values all come from our DNA which defines who we are, how we do what we do, and why!

This week: Our Strategy

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SPIRITUAL MATH

Rediscovering a simple yet demanding approach to following Jesus

“It doesn’t matter if our mission statement hangs on our walls if it’s not being experienced down the hall.”  Andy Stanley

Back in school, math was an area that took me forever to conquer.  Until about high school, Word Problems were my kryptonite.  For some reason, math came alive when I hit Pre-Algebra in 8^th grade.  The inclusion of letters mixed with numbers in equations didn’t cause me to run screaming into the woods.  It intrigued me to know the unknown variables.  It was like a mystery novel for me.  We’ve all heard or made the excuse ourselves in school by saying, “When am I ever going to use this in life?”.  I’ve found the skill of solving for “x” to be very beneficial.  We won’t always know everything that needs to be known, but we can take what we do know to discover the unknown.

All Christians have some spiritual math that they need to learn how to handle.  For many, they are not able to see the full effects of living a joy and spirit filled life because there are some variables in their life equation that might be missing.  Without understanding what “x” is in our lives, we will limit our ability to walk in a manner worthy of God.  Our mission statements as Churches and Christians are meaningless if we are not meaningful in fulfilling them.

¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ 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.  Ephesians 4:15-16 (ESV)

Jesus followers must be meaningful in the way we love as Jesus loved us.  It’s the key to building up the body of believers.  Then there are millions of lost souls who are trying to solve for “x” in their own lives.  The unknown variable for them is to know the love of Christ.  Without it, they are left with an unfinished problem and no solution.  We as the Church can only help them by modeling the love of God in a personal way.

⁸ So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. 1 Thessalonians 2:8

In one sentence, the Apostle Paul captures the essence of the Great Commandment that Jesus commissioned His followers to live by.  It was one law to rule them all.  It was the law of love!  Here is how our spiritual math looks like.

CARE + SHARE = LOVE

Paul was reminding his fellow Christians in the Church in Thessalonica something that they already knew.  His love for them was displayed by the way he cared for them, “being affectionate towards you”.  We care about others and their needs by compassion in action.  Our bodies should respond to the things that break our hearts.  Later in verses 9-10, Paul reminded them again about how hard he worked so that they wouldn’t be burdened by him.  He made sure to let them know his actions were an expression of his love for them, and Christ’s as well!  It’s not love if we only “feel” a certain way without following those feelings with actions.  I can buy flowers for my wife every day.  But if I do it out of obligation rather than a desire to do so, it doesn’t count.  It’s not love is our actions are void of affections.

Caring matters, but so does sharing.  Paul said that he and his crew “were ready to share”, which is another expression of love.  We are to share what we have, what we know, and who we know, meaning Christ.  In verse 12, and throughout the letter, Paul was encouraging and motivating this church by helping them to understand the heart of God so that they could walk in a manner worthy of God.    Being generous with all we have and all that we are is a great way to help others to know a God they might not know because He is a kind and generous God.  We reflect the nature of God when we care to share.  Being stingy with our earthly treasures keep us from storing up heavenly treasures, which are the souls that could’ve been impacted by our generosity.  I can talk to my wife every day.  But if I don’t share with her my insecurities or don’t share my income, then our relationship will never thrive.  It’s not love if it’s rare when we share.

“Because you had become very dear to us” couldn’t be any clearer.  Everything that Paul and his friends did was because of their love for them.  It also was a strategy on how to honor God and serve others.

⁹ Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, ¹⁰ for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 (ESV)

Paul now goes from addition to multiplication.  We are to not just love others by the way we care and share, but we are to multiply the way we do so, doing it more and more!  That reflects God’s love.  Always glowing brighter.  Never fading!  That is what is looks like to obey Jesus when He declared that we are to “love others as I have loved you” (John 13:34).  The next day, Jesus put that love on display by dying in the cross for us.

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:10 (ESV)

If whatever I want to think, say, or do isn’t good for you, then it’s something I shouldn’t do.  Suffering for our sins wasn’t good for Jesus, but it was good for us.  So, He did what He had to do so that we could receive what we couldn’t achieve.

¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

Matthew, John, Paul, and the other apostles and disciples never lived the same after having been loved by Jesus.  Jesus accepted Matthew after he was rejected by his society for being a Jewish tax collector, making himself rich off his own people as he worked for their Roman oppressors.  Jesus trusted in John to care for His mother Mary, even though John didn’t care to stick around and defend Jesus when we was arrested that one night in the Garden.  Jesus forgave Paul for all the hurt and pain he inflicted while persecuting Christians earlier in his life.  Jesus loved shined so bright that they were able to see the truth that their Heavenly Father still loved them and has made a way to bring them back into a relationship with Him.

So now, we are to love like Jesus has loved us.  When we do good to others, we show others how good God is.  I personally love to go to the movie theaters.  When I do, I have two things that I hate to do.  I hate to get up for whatever reason and miss a minute of the movie.  And I also hate missing the previews.  I love getting a sneak peak of what’s to come.  A good movie preview is one that makes you want to experience the movie sooner rather than later.  Our lives are like a trailer.  But instead of focusing on upcoming attractions, we give others a preview of Jesus’ coming Kingdom.  When we love like Jesus loves us, we become walking movie trailers, giving others a glimpse of God’s goodness and sparking a sense of curiosity to experience it for themselves.

Jesus has solved for “x” for us on the cross.  When we accept Him as our answer, He then brings resolution to our situation, leading us to love and live like we never have before.  Countless of churches and Christians over the years have been inspired to love like Jesus loves.  This is how Christians have defied all odds in changing the world in an unprecedented way by leaving the mark of Christ on the lives of untold billions.  Yet look around, there are still billions left with no solution to their equation.  May Christ compel us to multiply the way we love, care, share, and do good so that others may know how good God really is.