Team sports, whether professional or amateur, are so interesting to watch. There is the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Beyond the outcome of the match, meet, or game, there is the teamwork. At first, kids don’t really understand how to work as a team. Think of how little children play soccer with everyone going for the ball! It is amusing but not very effective! Over time, with maturity, good coaching, and practice, teams can start to pull together. When you see it in action, it’s a sight to behold.

Churches also have the opportunity to pull together. That is what Paul encourages in the passage we’ll be reading Sunday morning (Philippians 1:27-2:18). Like teams, churches have a variety of personalities, skill sets, and perspectives. How can all that difference be harnessed into energy for good?

First, we must see ourselves as part of the team/church. When a person says yes to Jesus they also say yes to His church (whether they know it or not!). For at the time of their salvation, the Spirit of God places that person into the body of Christ. We all share the same Father, the same Savior, and the same Spirit! We are more than mere individuals, we are part of His beloved people, the church that Jesus promised to build.

Second, we must practice the attitude Jesus exemplified. It is so easy to fall into a “me mindset”. We all do it, everyday! But Jesus lived a bigger, more generous life than that. He lived from God so He could live for our good. Well cared for by the Father, He had the resources to enter in the sometimes-complicated life of relationships! We can follow His pattern.

When we remember we are on the same team and when we practice the humility Jesus showed us, we can show the world the difference Jesus makes. “By this will all men know you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Guest Blogger: Pastor Bart Bouman