Selfishness

Unselfishness: How does that happen? Maybe you're like me - the bug of self has burrowed deeply into your heart. How does that vile bug get exterminated?

Paul points us to the attitude of heart that is winsome to others and toxic to the self bug:
NLT Philippians 2:3 Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
I don't think the Holy Spirit is wanting us to become like Disney's Eeyore - complete with a depressed attitude and low expectations. Rather, we should just have a quiet heart attitude of servanthood to others. This is my goal - not always how I perform - but it is my goal.

Churches Reaching People in Culture

Both quotes below are from D.A Carson's book: The Cross and Christian Ministry, pp.134-135.

Both quotes are in seeking to apply to our modern context truth found in 1 Cor.9:19

NIV 1 Corinthians 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

"The more that a gap opens up between the culture of the church and the
culture of the surrounding society, the more important it is to know how to
bridge that gap. But the concern must never be to prove how cosmopolitan
and sophisticated and flexible we are. The aim must be "to win as many as
possible."

"We must adopt as our aim the salvation of men and
women. That vision will enable us to avoid cloister Christianity. We
need to meditate on Psalms 96 and 98; Isaiah 49:1-13; Jeremiah 12:12-17; Micah
4; Colossians 1:15-29; and Revelation 4-5. We must become global in our
awareness and compassion. Cultural sensitivity and flexibility must become
tools to enable us to address the challenges of cross-cultural evangelism wisely
and courageously, rather than ends in themselves to create a myopic elite of
lovely, flexible people."

Innocence Condemned

It's not pretty - it's not fair - but it sometimes happens. You're misunderstood, or, worse yet someone just simply doesn't like the fact that you exist.

Innocence - it's true - you haven't done anything to merit the ill will of your opponent - heck, you didn't even want to have an opponent. Out of nowhere comes a person with an agenda - their sites set on you.

You'd better defend yourself - get smart - get all your facts in a row - prepare to fight back - the battle is looming...after all, what will others think about you if you let what this person is trying to do to you continue without some pushback!?

Condemnation - well, I guess if someone was really weak natured maybe they'd just let it happen. Maybe it won't be so bad after all...maybe it'll blow over.

Insert Jesus into this scenario. He is the powerful Creator by whom and for whom all things were created - perfect in Innocence yet on trial before religious folks with murder on the mind. They're so close to getting the "blasphemer" crucified they can already sense the metallic taste of His blood on their tongues.

So, what will the personification of Innocence do when faced with the cruel Condemnation of His killers? What can we learn from the scene described in Mark 14:53-65?