Hospitality is one of the ways that we are to reflect the character of God. The Bible often uses the imagery of hospitality to describe how God relates to us in the gospel. We are to show hospitality both to fellow Christians and people from the world.
Read Luke 14:12-24; 1 Peter 4:7-11
This sermon considers three aspects of engaging the world. First the Bible speaks both of the Church attracting unbelievers by loving community and going out into the community to engage them. Second, the issue of “becoming all things to all people” from 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 is discussed. Thirdly from 1 Peter we are taught two ways of answering objections to the Christian faith.
The Bible calls for believers to be separate from unbelievers. Jesus’ example and other biblical passages show that that separation is not isolation, but rather holy lives which are deeply involved in the lives of unbelievers in order to be a blessing to them through the gospel.
Read Matthew 9:9-13; Luke 10:25-37
We tend to think of spiritual growth in an individualistic manner. This sermon examines some of the ways the NT teaches that we are to encourage spiritual growth in other believers as they are to encourage spiritual growth in us.
Read Ephesians 4:1-16
We are made in the image of God. Part of what that means is that we are essentially social beings. We experience what it means to be human in community. Sin disrupts our relationships. The Jesus delivers us from sin also in this area. The gospel empowered community of the body of Christ is intended by God to be an attraction for the world.
The Bible teaches that there is a relationship between the lives that God’s people live together in community by the power of the gospel and their mission to the world. This sermon introduces this idea which will be explored in depth in the sermons to follow.
Read John 13:34-35; 1 Peter 2:9-12
