The Church of Jesus is called to be light in a dark world—a world that has always been at odds with the kingdom of God. Yet in the last several years, our culture’s move away from God seems to have accelerated. More and more it seems like we are losing the battle to live out our faith and raise our families in a godly way.
Yet all is not lost, and there is a way forward– a way outlined in the Scriptures and used successfully by the faithful in the past. We are called not simply to defend our faith, but to bring it to life in our homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. Over the month of June, we will be discussing practical ways that we can do this in our everyday lives. We’re calling this sermon series “Jesus Culture: Restoring the World Through Ordinary Life.”
We are called not simply to defend our faith, but to bring it to life in our homes, schools, workplaces, and communities.
This series is less about telling people how to live, and more about showing them how God is changing our lives. This starts in the walls of our homes, with the neighbors on our streets, and with the many people we work or study with.
Through the gospel, God’s purpose is to create in the Church a new humanity– not a perfect people, but a group of redeemed people living in union with a perfect Savior, Jesus Christ. God is bringing His kingdom into the world through ordinary life.
In his New Testament letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul uses the image of the famous pagan temple in the city to make a powerful point about the church he had helped start there. Their gatherings, mostly in homes, were together the holy temple of God Himself– the very place where God lives by His Spirit.
As John Iamaio said in the opening sermon on Sunday, “As you live out who you are created to be– this new family, this new body– you become the temple. You become the place where people from all over the world go, ‘Wow! Something is happening there, and I’ve got to be there. I’ve got to know what is going on.’”
If you didn’t catch Sunday’s sermon, you can watch it here.
Through the gospel, God’s purpose is to create in the Church a new humanity– not a perfect people, but a group of redeemed people living in union with a perfect Savior, Jesus Christ.
The rest of this series will be taken from Ephesians chapter six and will focus on the central places in our lives where God does His best work—in our homes with our families and in the places we work and play.
What might this look like? Take a few minutes and read the verses below carefully. This is Jesus Culture. Does one or two of them challenge you in a fresh way today?
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4.32
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4.29
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. Philippians 2.14-15
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10.31
Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Matthew 6.34a
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2.3-4
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. John 13.35
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5.18
Hope to see you on Sunday!
Pastor Rob
