There is no I in team

Acts 4 - 32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.


As we go through life, we experience windows of time in which our actions and words reflect the spirit of this scripture passage. Oftentimes, we must be separated from our normal life to achieve such a high level of personal sacrifice. Examples include - drastic changes within a family (life or death), participating in a team sport, being a member of a musical or play, military boot camp, etc.

The first hours of any experience awaken a sense among all members that they must sacrifice certain things for the group. Most people can recognize such a situation and sacrifice in the short term to succeed. The scripture passage from Acts is the perfect example of personal sacrifice for the good of the group.

The people described in this text had to process the fact that Jesus had been crucified, died, and was raised. They had to have secret meetings because thier lives were threatened. They came from many segments of society and had to overcome thier differences in order to persevere. They overcame everything and carried Christianity forward for future generations.

You might guess what we are called to do in our churches, our homes, and in the workplace.

Alert vs. Anxious

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

I took these pictures during pilgrimage to Wrigley Field this past August. The home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916, Wrigley Field is an amazing place to visit for any sports fan.

My friend Thomas and I love baseball and we could not wait to go to the game. A fellow Cubs fan found two amazing tickets that put us closer than we had ever been to a major league field. We were both accustomed to sitting in the upper-deck with no concern of a foul ball screaming towards either of our heads, so we had to pay attention to every pitch.

Dictionary.com gives the following definitions

Alert - fully aware and attentive; wide-awake; keen

Anxious - full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune

The green sign above will no doubt lead some fans to be alert and others to be anxious. The scripture we will use in worship on Sunday will help us understand the difference between a life spent being alert vs. one spent being anxious.

The scripture passage suggests that we are not to be anxious about anything. Paul is writing to a new church in Philippi that is no doubt experiencing the great highs and lows of church life. In my opinion Paul is not saying life will be easy and God will block any sort of pain that the people will feel. Instead I believe he is channeling Psalm 23 - "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

Throughout history Christians have experienced both joy and pain. We are at our best when we are fully alert regarding both the perils of this life and the guidance, comfort, and care of our God.