In 2019 God accomplished many new things through this church:
(As I go through this list give a “woohoo” if u were a part of it...)

We compiled a thorough, updated Day School Employee Policy and Procedures Handbook.
We held our first ever VBS!
We did our first ever, Creekside Middle School outdoors planting of 65 flowers and plants in a previously barren-for-15-years courtyard planter!
We began the Benton house ministry.
We began the Friday night Youth Group.
We began Firestarters and a successful model for Wednesday night Life Groups.
We painted the office.
We got our best website ever!
We also got our first ever, new, smart phone app!
And we had our best ever Christmas Eve service.

God has also continued to work through us in many other ways, of course. Worship, including teaching and preaching. Missions. Prayer. Day School. Chapel. Community Hot Meal Program. Office. Elders. Leaders. SetUp. Easter. And going deeper in relationship with God and each other.
When we stop to look at what God has accomplished through this body of Christ, Cross Creek Community Church, in just one year, it is astounding.

And yet, we know, there is even more to come!
As we work together as a body of Christ, we become a growing and stronger force of nature with which to contend.
We have oneness of purpose. We are working together towards a common goal.

The vision of Cross Creek Community Church is to create a community of fully devoted followers of Christ impacting communities for God.
We are in service, together.

We do all this through the power of the Holy Spirit, and in unity.

Unity is important. Unity is essential. Unity is, in fact, worth fighting for!

We’ve been going through a sermon series entitled “Power for everyday life.” We’ve also been learning more about God’s power through the Holy Spirit on Wednesday nights.
Through all of this, we’ve also been studying the book of Ephesians as well.
Today I’d like us to look at Ephesians 4:1-5. [Read] [Pray]
Paul tells the Ephesians, and us, that he is a prisoner. And, as a prisoner, he’s saying, please, let this give me some additional privilege with you in urging you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received!

The language originally used is extremely interesting with this opening sentence!
It uses the word “exhort,” instead of “urge,” which is another definition of this Greek word.
The actual word used is “parakaleo.” It’s interesting because it actually means “offering up evidence that stands up in God’s court!”

Paul says I’m “exhorting,” or “urging,” or “beseeching” you to live a life worthy of the calling you’ve received to such a point that your life will stand up in God’s court because of all the evidence your life will demonstrate!

When the word “calling,” is used, it doesn’t just mean those who are “called” to be “apostles,” or “prophets,” or “evangelists,” or pastors and teachers. It’s all of us who belong to Christ! It’s all of us who share in the awesome privilege of being called Christ’s very own.

And it’s not that we earn our way to Heaven by our good deeds, but, rather, good deeds flow from our relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit.

James, the brother of Jesus, and leader of the Jerusalem church, (after Jesus’ death and resurrection and ascension), tells us about authentic faith and how evidence of the calling looks in our lives.
In James 2:18, it says, from the Message: “You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.”

“Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”

In case we’re not sure what this looks like, Paul spells it out in Ephesians 4:2,3
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make
every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

The Greek word for “unity” is “henotes.” (hen ot ace) It means “oneness,” and “harmony from sharing the likeness of nature with the Lord.” !

As we grow in relationship with Him, and with each other, do we begin to look more like Him?

There was a sitcom in this country which aired from 1982 to 1990 entitled “Newhart.” On this show were three brothers named “Larry, Darryl and Darryl.” They
were deadpan comedy funny. And they looked alike, acted alike, and shared the likeness of nature of each other.
While we will never look like Larry, Darryl and Darryl, we do need to look more like Jesus Christ the longer we are in relationship with Him.
We are to “be completely humble and gentle,” patient, and “bearing with one another in love.”

The three brothers mentioned above didn’t always get it right. And Larry was their leader. But they were certainly humble, and mostly gentle, and by the end of the show, always worked everything out.

When we show up for court in the Heavenlies, will there be enough evidence to convict us? Of belonging to Christ?
Will we have evidence of being humble, gentle, patient, understanding and peaceful?

With whatever area we may be struggling, we can ask God’s Holy Spirit for help. Many of these characteristics, you may have noticed, are also fruit of God’s Holy Spirit:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Gentleness, Faith, Meekness and Self-Control.

As we begin to head into a season of invited self-examination for increased spiritual growth, also known as Lent, perhaps we can ask God to reveal to us which one of these attributes of Christ we need to work on.
Perhaps we can choose one, and practice it more often, more intentionally during this upcoming 40 day period beginning Wednesday, February 26.

Paul also mentions these important characteristics because they are necessary for UNITY.
And unity is so important in the kingdom of God!