The world is full of people who are victims of a society that has been experiencing disintegration for years.

How can the Christian church help these people discover Jesus? 

Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

-Romans 2:4

Before we even speak, people feel rejected.

  

  

  

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 'But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 'I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'

-Luke 18:9-14

People are people are people and I’m one of them

  

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

-1 Corinthians 5:9-10

  

  

  

1 - A Church that holds onto Truth and Grace

  

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

-John 1:14

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

1 Timothy 4:16

  

2 - A Church that believes in the power of God

   

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

-Galatians 5:19-26

  

    

  

3 - A Church that’s willing to be misunderstood

  

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.

-Matthew 11:18-19

Will you enter your friends' worlds to reveal Jesus to them? Are you willing to be misunderstood?

Stop saying "You love the sinner and hate the sin"…just do it! 

  

4 - A Church that creates space for people to experience intimacy

  

He told them another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.'

-Matthew 13:31-32

The situation in the actual world is much more complicated than that. The world does not consist of 100% Christians and 100% non-Christians. There are people (a great many of them) who are slowly ceasing to be Christians but who still call themselves by that name: some of them are clergymen. There are other people who are slowly becoming Christians though they do not yet call themselves so. There are people who do not accept the full Christian doctrine about Christ but who are so strongly attracted by Him that they are His in a much deeper sense than they themselves understand….

-C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Space for intimacy with friends.

Space for intimacy with young people.

Space for intimacy with single people.

Space for intimacy with people of other religions/worldviews/beliefs.

  

Let’s bring people far from God, near to God.

  

A humble church that holds onto GRACE and TRUTH. 

A humble church that believes in the power of God. 

A humble church that is willing to be misunderstood. 

A humble church that creates space for people to experience intimacy.

  

  

  

  

What are you main take-aways from this message?

   

*Links to more information about the books shared in this sermon will be available in "The Talk" Resources for Parents page.

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