This Summer, we spent our Sunday mornings looking at key themes in the letters by the Apostle Paul. The series “13 Letters” gave us a chance to look at the astounding wisdom, experience, and hope Paul shared with his friends, churches, and, even now, with today’s followers of Jesus. These invaluable letters make up half of the Bible’s New Testament.
At the highest level, the letters provide us a compelling picture of what the early church looked like, what the first followers of Jesus wrestled with in their own lives, and how they lived in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Majors themes of faith, hope, and love are apparent. But as we listened on Sunday mornings, we also heard of the freedom, unity, and encouragement given to us through Jesus. Through our generosity, by living the Spirit, and in our relationships with one another, we can actually bring pleasure to God. We were challenged to embraced the mystery, to see Jesus throughout the entire story of the Bible, and to “honor the emperor” while remaining faithful to the true and better King.
A great resource to help you continue walking through the 13 Letters, and even the rest of the New Testament, is the “New Testament for Everyone” series of books from N.T. Wright (you can buy them individually or as a set). Also check out the great Bible Plans from the Bible App to help you make the Bible a daily priority. And of course, you can always go back and listen to these messages below or any past messages in our Series Archive.
Matt Carder - June 14, 2015
Invite (The Art of Neighboring, Pt. 4)
When the first Christians began spreading the news about Jesus, they simply invited people to come and see for themselves. It can difficult and awkward sometimes to invite someone to church, but the fact of the matter is everyone comes to faith via an invitation and we shouldn't underestimate its power. As we continue to explore what it means to love your neighbor, this week we detail easy and practical ways to invite your neighbor to church - without pressure or ulterior motives.
From Series: "The Art of Neigboring"
When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was that summarized his teaching, he answered, "Love God with all your heat & love your neighbor as yourself." When you hear the word neighbor, especially in the Christian sense, it's easy to generalize it, taking it to mean "everyone". It does indeed mean everyone, but what would our community look like if we took Jesus literally and intentionally sought relationships with our actual neighbors? Let's find out.
