Thursday – Act On It – Friends to Family
In this series on being great neighbours, that ends this week, we’ve looked at 6 shifts: Stranger -> Neighbour -> Acquaintance -> Partner -> Friend -> Family We’ve encouraged you to learn neighbours’ names, stories, work together, become friends, and now your challenge is to find people of peace in your life. Start sharing Redeem […]
Wednesday – Change It – Friends To Family
This week we’re exploring this idea of “people of peace”. Jesus sent his followers to various towns, and asked them find people of peace and go deeply in relationship with them, and not to go from house to house. This was selective by design, and Jesus is okay with that. Jesus focused on his 12 […]
Tuesday – Study It – Friends To Family
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out […]
Monday – A New Idea – Friends To Family
It seems like every sitcom shares a feature: friends just come and go, they seldom knock or call first. Think of Friends – the characters simply came and went. You might think Seinfeld was an exception, with George and Elaine buzzing from the lobby, but don’t forget how Jerry’s neighbour Kramer just tumbles in the […]
Friday – Reflect – Partners to Friends
We reflect and pray about the shift from partners to friends we explored this week.
Thursday – Act On It – Partners To Friends
This week we’ve been exploring the story of Levi meeting Jesus, and having a big party with his former partners in crime, now his friends. Jesus’s transformative effect brings Levi’s colleagues into a new friendship with Levi first, then that friendship brings his friends into contact with Jesus. It’s no different today, this is very […]
Wednesday – Change It – Partners To Friends
Yesterday Levi decided to follow Jesus, invited his colleagues for supper with Jesus. We saw all that meant for Levi, and today we see what it meant for his culture. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered […]
Tuesday – Study It – Partners To Friends
Today we’ll explore the story of a time Jesus became friends with someone unexpected: After this Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his […]
Monday – A New Idea – Partners To Friends
Last week, I told you story of my old neighbour who helped build a deck. He nicely represented the transition from strangers to neighbours to acquaintances to partners. Today we’ll go one step further. We’ll talk about becoming friends with those we work with, those we help, and those we live around. When I was […]
Friday – Reflect – Acquaintances to Partners
We pray and reflect about the shift from acquaintances to partners.
Thursday – Act On It – Acquaintances to Partners
This week is all about being great neighbours, particularly by showing compassion. But what does it look like to show compassion for our neighbours? Start at the beginning of this series. We started with knowing names, then learning stories as acquaintances. Those two things help us to know the needs of our neighbours. Then we […]
Wednesday – Change It – Acquaintances to Partners
Yesterday we saw Jesus saying the way we treat a hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, or imprisoned person says something about our desire to join his kingdom. What is the consequence of this story? The story makes it clear that Jesus’ kingdom is based on generous sacrifice. Our motivation for compassion and care is not […]
Tuesday – Study It – Acquaintances to Partners
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, […]
Monday – A New Idea – Acquaintances to Partners
Being great neighbours means not just knowing names and making small talk, but the relationship actually goes a step further when we start working together. One of my best neighbours ever was a partner in building a deck. I planned to build a deck, bought a book from Home Depot, and got in way over […]