XV — SERVING TOGETHER
xv — WHAT ESTABLISHES MUTUAL COMMITMENT AND TRUST FOR PARTICIPATING AND SERVING TOGETHER IN THE MISSIO DEI?
Participating and serving together as a fellowship of the baptized begins with a relationship with Jesus and a trust in Him. Once we are in relationship with Him, He creates in us a trust in and unity with one another. Christ and His love alone can create a mutual trust, which exists in His Body, the Church. That creative Christ- love gives birth to commitment, where we participate and serve together. To think that trust and commitment is built on a simple agreeing with one another or collaborating on building projects, practices, activities or missions, is at best a fleeting hope. It is like living in the same house but not married and having nothing but a shallow existence with no mutual trust or unity. As the members of the Body of Christ embrace Jesus, they embrace His mission with the fruit of partnering in the One Body with a seminal trust and unity in Christ. That is, what results in a mutual trust is squarely built on relationship with Christ.
72. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
73. Psalm 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit.
74. John 8:31-36 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
75. John 15:1-5 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit… Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
76. Romans 12:1-3 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.Forbythegracegiven to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
