9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:9 – 17)
Theme: The Local Church
Today we conclude our 40 days of Discipline journey. Thank you for being a part of this experience!
As we close another year of studying the Spiritual Disciplines, today is a good day to be reminded that the Disciplines only matter when under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they advance God’s kingdom. We repeatedly emphasize that we are not just interested in information sharing, we are more interested in growing to be more like Jesus.
For this year’s journey, we have examined our involvement in the local church. We have focused on the part we play in making the local church as effective as possible. If you have kept track of the questions posed every week, you have a useful collection of issues you may want to pay close attention to as you associate with a local church.
As you perform your final review for this year’s journey, one point should be abundantly clear – being a part of a local church is God’s design.
Please prayerfully consider how God wants you to continue to pursue his mission in community.
Question:
Having focused on the local church over the last few weeks, are you feeling led to focus more on any particular aspect(s) of your local church?
Please consider sharing your thoughts so others can be blessed. Thank you very much to all the commentators who ensured we had feedback every day of this journey!