Living as a transforming presence shouldn’t be as hard as we pretend.
The church positions itself sometimes as managers of the world’s sin. We seek to separate ourselves as far as possible from it.
The local church cannot transform anything it is unwilling to touch.
“Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.”
Acts 15:19-20 ESV
We cannot forget who we are.
To be light you must go into darkness .
Acts 10:1-33 ESV
Where your heart is connected is more important than where your body may be
Who is in your oikos? (Circle)
Your oikos (household or extended household) is important. In the old testament it contained at least four generations including men, married women, unmarried daughters, slaves of both sexes, persons without citizenship and sojourners
Go make connections
Consider the zip codes where you have impactor desired have impact
What makes me distinct as a believer in Jesus Christ? I should bring hope even if just to one
If we didn’t focus on saving the world but being a difference for the one in front of us, what impact could we make?
What motivated the early church?
What motivates me? To make a difference in the life of someone I know
Who are the 8-15 people in my life who God has placed in my life?
Paul from jail sent letters to churches to encourage them to share their love with others
“For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.”
Colossians 2:1-4 ESV
We were alienated and hostile, but we were reconciled to God.
Remember where you came from and what God rescued you from
“And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,”
Colossians 1:21-22 ESV
Our story is what motivates us to share our love for Christ
The measure of sin doesn’t matter as the wages of sin are death
It’s hard for us to understand the mystery of God’s grace
God’s mystery motivates me
Their hope
Our knowledge of who Christ is and what He has done is meant to encourage others
“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Colossians 1:27 ESV
http://bible.com/59/col.1.27.esv
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