Yesterday, we explored how a church community is meant to be a gathering, sometimes even just for fun and fellowship.

You might think church has always meant a religious gathering of Christians on Sunday morning.  But in the Bible’s Greek language, church had another meaning before that.  The Greek word for church is ekklesia which literally means “an assembly” or “gathering of people”.  But not just for its own good.  It’s called out to be and do something specific.  This week’s passage says gathering together is not just for encouragement to love, but for encouragement to good works.

We are meant to be a preview of the world as God wants it to be.  We are meant to make people say wow.  Unlike the church I described yesterday, people are supposed to look at our community (even at its business meetings) and say, “Wow!  That’s how we are supposed to relate with each other, and our world, and God.  I can see it now!”  They are meant to see the Kingdom of God in us.

Aristides was a philosopher in Athens in the second century and he observed the first Christians, the early church, and this is what he recorded about them in 125 AD.

“They walk in humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them.  They love one another.  He that has distributes liberally to him that does not have. If they see a stranger they bring him under their own roof and rejoice over him as if he were their own brother.”

Aristides looked at that first church, that earliest gathering of Christians and he said WOW.

Have you ever looked at a team, group or organization and said, wow?  Why?  Think of the Snowbirds, or a great dance troupe.

Our church today meant to make people say wow…because of our generosity and love of one another, that spills over to the lives of others near us.

We’re intending to becoming this kind of church through our discussion groups first, and also when our discussion groups come together as one community for celebration.

Challenge: If you’re not already meeting with a group, please do.  What act of generosity and service can you do with your discussion group, or family, that will make others in your life say wow?  Think of one thing internal to your group that you do for each other, and one thing your group does for others.

Reminder: Last week we saw the importance of reading the Bible together in sync, so our new daily bible readings start today in our mobile app and web site.

Read the Bible in Sync Today

Ryan Sim - May 14, 2013

Tuesday - Study It - Forgiveness

Today’s passage follows right after the Lord’s Prayer – a prayer Jesus prayed that asked his Father to, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It’s so important, he wants to say it again in the verses that follow: “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15 ESV) What motivates you? Encouragements and rewards? Or fear and necessity? Jesus’ statement here is so important, he says it both ways for both kinds of people, in addition to including it in his prayer. Forgiveness is at the core of what Jesus is about. He came to a world of broken sinful people, and died for us. Here’s what he said he was going to bleed for: Matthew 26:28 - This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. And later, one of his followers, Paul, said in Ephesians 1:7 - In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace We’ve been studying the Sermon on the Mount for some time now, and keep warning you away from seeing it as a list of formulaic rules. Jesus wants his followers’ hearts to be changed so they don’t even need external rules, but are instead in tune with his character, living as God created them to live, in relationship with him. But this is the most direct and formulaic he’s been so far – if this, then that, and if not this, then not that. Forgiveness is such a part of God’s character, that if we claim to be followers of his son, we show it with this characteristic more than any other. All the others flow from it. We can only control our anger if we forgive those who hurt us. We can only avoid adultery if we forgive our spouse when they let us down. Question: What was your first reaction to these words? Were they encouraging, or challenging? What does this say about you?

Related Topics: Forgiveness | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

From Series: "Sermon on the Mount"

Discuss the Daily Challenge

More Messages From Ryan Sim...

Powered by Series Engine