Our focus this week for 40 Days of Community is serving together.  Nothing brings a group of people together more than a common mission.  Here at New Life our mission is: Sharing the new life of Jesus Christ with the world--one person at a time!  We can carry out that mission on our own, but as with everything else in our walk with Jesus, we're better together.  When Jesus sent His disciples out in mission, He always sent them out by twos.  On the surface, that would seem to half their effectiveness.  After all, Jesus only had twelve disciples.  Why divide them into six groups of two rather than sending them out to twelve different places?  The answer's simple:  we're better together.  Two people can encourage each other, serve each other, challenge each other to faithfulness.  Alone, we find it easier to get discouraged and even to forget our purpose.  Let's look at this week's memory verse:  "...agree with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose."  Philippians 2:2 (NLT)

The verse contains three specific commands:  agree, love and work together with each other.  While human beings often find it difficult to agree with each other, as Jesus' followers agreeing ought to be easier because we have one heart and purpose.  The challenge is putting that heart and purpose before our individual desires.  Here in America, we've been taught practically from birth that independence is one of life's ultimate virtues.  Independence is a powerful reality, but for followers of Jesus INTERDEPENDENCE is to be the most powerful reality in our lives.  It allows us to agree, love and work together.  When we love one another in the love of Jesus, everything becomes simpler and easier.  The challenge then is to live out of Jesus' love in our lives instead of the selfishness that comes so easily to us.

Finally, working together multiplies our efforts.  We know that from practical experience in everyday life.  When I used to do carpentry work, two of us could always do far more work together, than both of us could if we worked on our own.  The same is true in virtually every area of life whether the task requires physical labor, mental energy, and especially if it requires spiritual power.  Jesus told us that wherever TWO OR MORE of us are gathered in His name, He is there. It isn't that Jesus isn't with us when we're on our own.  It's just that He's there in greater power when we're together.

So, where do you need another believer or believers to come along side of you, so you're work makes a greater impact for the Kingdom? I know one area: in worship. We worship better together, and you have the opportunity to do just that at 8:45 or 10:15 this morning at the South Butler Primary School on Knoch Road in Saxonburg.  I hope you'll join us, because we ARE better together!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, thank You for calling us to agree, to love and to work together.  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may desire to live out that calling today.  Empower us to see and live the reality that we are better together.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.