Adam was connected to God and to his work, but since the fall, man has had trouble connecting work and God together.  The best many Christians have been able to do, was connect Sunday with God whereas all week as well as the day of rest, Adam and Eve were connected with God in their work. In fact, it seems from scripture, that eternity will be filled with creative fulfilling important work; not clouds and harps.   Work is our first mandate.  Our first calling is as regent under God (Earthly rulers representing heavenly king), is to rule over the earth and subdue it. We are commissioned to subdue the earth. Engineers, builders, dressmakers, and florists all make the earth, work for us.   We take the earth resources and use them we are to take the earths challenges and overcome them. Humans are world makers.  Agricultural, material, political, aesthetic work, musical, artistic work, relationship work, or technical work we are making our world. So when a man makes a tunnel under the sea from England and France bringing people together, God says yes!   God wanted to use man to release the potential of the planet. Gods potential in the plant is released when we work with God.  And that is what we all working to do. Release the potential of creation. So a teacher releases potential in their pupils. A mussel farmer releases the potential of the ocean.   And doctor releases the potential of healing in a person. God actually heals but the doctor assists the process of releasing the full potential of healing. A cook releases the potential of veggies. Parents, builders, everyone; if we aren’t releasing potential, then we aren’t working with God.   If you’re holding down, holding back, keeping something or someone under, then start working with God.  This is the reason why the 5 fold ministry is called the work; it’s all about releasing potential in people.

Friend, there are no easy jobs done by Christians. We all have time and abilities and we all use resources, machines and responsibilities. Your job is no harder than mine and no easier.  Every job is done faithfully and well is difficult whether a builder or an accountant.  It is no harder for me to do my job well that it is for you to do your job well.

Brothers in ancient Greece and Rome were very loyal to their siblings. Even secular writer like Aristotle said that a brother would think of their brother; they would rejoice in brothers by any downplaying of his advantage and share their resources and any glory that they were given. In the book of Philippians Paul is saying that when Christ came to earth he becomes a brother. Jesus was exalted into a place of great authority because of His actions not as the son of God but as the son of man.  When Jesus took up the form of man he became a brother of mankind.  The cross was a manifestation of brotherhood not Sonship with God and redemption was affected not by Jesus in His unique divinity but by his humanity in becoming our brother or kinsman-redeemer.  When Paul said ”let this mind be in you …”  he was saying it’s the same mind that Jesus had to become a brother to humanity. He became a Redeemer brother to redeem us. He was thinking of us as a brother would.  The mind of Christ toward us as a brother, in seen in His consideration of us and his rescue of us. The mind of Christ is the mind of brotherhood.   Jesus acted the role of a perfect brother. He Rejoiced in his brothers. The mind of Christ and his brotherhood is seen in His downplaying of his advantage to raise mankind to share his joy.  He was not in competition about who could see the father’s face. He shared resources. He shared his divine recourses and relationships.  So whatever he inherited, his brothers would inherit too including the Spirit. He would not see a brother struggle and not step up to the plate to help. He could not see a brother flailing or not succeeding and turn a blind eye. He also shared His glory. The mind of Christ and His brotherhood is seen in His determination to share His glory with us.    The cross was to bring his brothers to see the father’s face. He wanted to bring all brothers to have the same place a privilege. Jesus was the example brother.

Friends,  God is enabling us to see our identity in these days and our identity is not just about Sonship with God but about brotherhood with Christ and your brothers.  Paul says that lack of oneness in brotherly love is inconsistent with our identity as the brother of Christ and of each other.  Disunity is a violation of the mind of Christ as a brother.  Philippians 1. 29.

Paul constantly calls the Philippians brothers and he uses brothers strategically because of what it meant to be a brother in the ancient world. The ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish world were very tribal.   It mattered where you were from it mattered what family you were from. Most adult men were still known as the son of someone. A person’s family of origin is the primary source of their status and location in the world. It was important from whom people descended. Genealogies serve to defend the claim of honour, identify social roles and obligations, establish inheritance rights to indicate birth order and honour order. Levite’s assumed their role based on their lineage. Who the father was, was more important than who the Son was.   So a good name (Fathers)was better than great riches.  The name of your father opened doors for the son.  (Another’s named)People were known by the father’s name in Jewish culture Bar Abbas, bar Bar Timaeus are derived from birth. Also in Greek-Roman world view the relationship between siblings was the closest strongest and most intimate relationship in the ancient world. They were considered same blood, same stock and this was only enhanced by similar upbringing. The greek word is Adelphos, and means from the same womb. I think this is sometimes lost on us in the Western world. Our natural brothers can so isolated from us we are independent and disconnected but not in Paul’s day. Aristotle said “Brothers love each other as being born of the same parents; for their identity with them makes them identical with each other.  They are therefore in a sense, the same thing though separate individuals.” Nic Eth.  8.12.3. Brother in that time would always think of their brother; they would rejoice in brothers by any downplaying of his advantage and share their resources and any glory that they were given. And what the Philippines heard Paul saying you are my brothers and you are brothers of each other.  You are siblings of one another, with a shared father and shared family.  As it is in the natural so it is in the spiritual family. This was the ethic of the day even among pagans.  So Christians are explicitly instructed to treat one another as a family; young men as brothers older women as mothers, younger as sisters. In fact, Philadelphia the love of brothers and sisters is the central ethic shaping relationships in the church. You would not have had to say anything more to a Christian than “he is your brother,” to explain how he should be treated.

Friend, brotherhood alone is able to evaluate what is compatible and incompatible with the Christian lifestyle. Add to ... godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love.  2Peter 1:7 

The town of Corinth was exceedingly wealthy. Many ships were dragged across the Isthmus to save the trip around the coast. There were many sailors many tradesmen business people.  And t was exceedingly corrupt.   The immorality of Corinth is legendary. Greek /Roman culture makes desperate housewives looked like a deacon’s meeting. To the believers in this town Paul writes you are sanctified.   To be sanctified means to be made a saint. Originally meant set something apart for God so in the temples pots and vessels were sanctified. For us it is really begin set apart for God and his purpose and becoming more like Jesus we want that So God is sanctifying us right now justified sanctified glorified. Corinthian people were completely given over to every vice they wanted. In fact pottery pieces and inscriptions say that the motto of the Greeks/Romans in current was “All things lawful!”   Everything was okay; do what you want, if it feels good, but Paul writes to say that we are sanctified to God so we don’t do what we feel like doing but what will serve Gods purpose best.

Friend, sanctification is just living in a way that doesn’t offend other believers or stumble non believers in any way.