Being the Church: Reflecting Love and Transformation
Summary
### Summary
Today's reflection centers on the true essence of the church, emphasizing that the church is not a building or a set of religious rules, but a community of believers reflecting God's character. The church should embody Jesus' love, grace, and forgiveness, rather than judgment and alienation. We are called to be like Jesus, who associated with those different from Him and showed love and compassion. The church has caused pain, and it's crucial to seek forgiveness and release any resentment to truly embody the church's mission.
The sermon also highlights the importance of being the church rather than just doing church activities. This means reflecting God's character in our daily lives and creating spaces where God's presence can be maximized. The story of Isaac in Genesis 26 serves as a metaphor for this, illustrating how Isaac moved past jealousy and hostility to create a space of prosperity and peace. Similarly, the church should focus on creating spaces for transformation, growth, and genuine love.
The church should be a place of salvation, where people can find peace and not be overwhelmed by religious jargon or judgment. It should also be a space of growth, where individuals can mature in their faith and personal lives. This growth should be accompanied by genuine love and gratitude, reflecting God's character in all interactions. Finally, the church should be a space of helping others, contributing to their well-being and spiritual growth.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Church as a Reflection of Jesus: The church is not a building or a set of rules but a community of believers reflecting Jesus' love and grace. We are called to embody Jesus' character, showing compassion and forgiveness rather than judgment and alienation. This requires us to release any resentment and seek forgiveness for past hurts caused by the church.
2. Being the Church, Not Just Doing Church: True church activity is about being like Jesus in our daily lives, not just participating in church events. This means reflecting God's character in all our actions and interactions, creating spaces where God's presence can be maximized. We should focus on being active in the right places, promoting peace and love rather than conflict and division.
3. Creating Spaces for Transformation: The church should be a place where people can experience transformation and growth. This involves creating an environment where God's character is reflected, leading to divine blessings such as peace and prosperity. We should move beyond our initial salvation experience to a lifestyle of continuous transformation, reflecting God's love and grace in all circumstances.
4. Genuine Love and Gratitude: Genuine love and gratitude are essential for the church to reflect God's character. This means loving others deeply, following through on our commitments, and expressing gratitude for the blessings we receive. Gratitude keeps us humble and helps us recognize and appreciate God's work in our lives and the lives of others.
5. Helping Others and Being Sacrificial: The church should be a space where we help others, not just love and appreciate them. This involves being sacrificial, giving our time, resources, and efforts to support others. We are called to be spiritual contributors, not consumers, using our freedom in Christ to serve and love others genuinely.
### Youtube Chapters
- Welcome
- Reflecting Jesus' Character
- Seeking Forgiveness and Releasing Resentment
- Being the Church, Not Just Doing Church
- Creating Spaces for God's Presence
- Learning from Bible Stories
- Maximizing God's Character
- The Prosperity of God
- Isaac's Story: Moving Past Jealousy
- Dealing with Jealousy and Hostility
- Reopening and Digging New Wells
- Creating Space for God's Reflection
- Experiencing Freedom in Christ
- Moving from Salvation to Transformation
- Worship and Reflecting God's Character
- Genuine Love and Forgiveness
- Jesus' Example of Digging New Wells
- Following Jesus vs. Being Like Jesus
- Creating Space for Transformation
- Digging Wells and Finding God's Presence
- A Space of Salvation
- Guided by the Holy Spirit
- Helping Others Find Salvation
- Putting Aside Rifts and Shifts
- A Space of Growth
- Growing Together in Faith
- A Space of Revelation
- Genuinely Loving Others
- Reflecting Jesus' Love
- Craving Spiritual Milk
- The Space of Gratitude
- Being Grateful and Humble
- Being the Blessing
- Helping Others and Being Sacrificial
- Serving in Freedom
- Being the Body of Christ
- Sacrificial and Graceful Living
- Intentional and Deliberate Actions
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 26:12-25
2. 1 Peter 1:22-23
3. Galatians 5:13
#### Observation Questions
1. What actions did Isaac take when he faced jealousy and hostility from the Philistines? (Genesis 26:12-25)
2. According to 1 Peter 1:22-23, how are believers instructed to love one another?
3. What does Galatians 5:13 say about the use of our freedom in Christ?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Isaac's response to the Philistines' jealousy and hostility reflect the character of God? (Genesis 26:12-25)
2. In what ways does genuine love, as described in 1 Peter 1:22-23, contribute to the growth and unity of the church?
3. How can the freedom mentioned in Galatians 5:13 be used to serve others within the church community?
#### Application Questions
1. Reflecting on the sermon, how can you personally embody Jesus' love and grace in your daily interactions, especially with those who are different from you? [00:55]
2. Have you experienced pain or hurt caused by the church? What steps can you take to seek forgiveness and release any resentment? [02:09]
3. What are some practical ways you can be the church, rather than just doing church activities, in your daily life? [04:46]
4. How can you create spaces for transformation and growth in your community, similar to how Isaac created spaces of prosperity and peace? [07:12]
5. Think of a recent situation where you had the opportunity to show genuine love and gratitude. How did you respond, and how might you respond differently in the future? [34:56]
6. In what ways can you be sacrificial with your time, resources, and efforts to help others in your church community? [44:02]
7. Identify one specific area in your life where you can reflect God's character more clearly. What steps will you take this week to make that change? [48:02]
Devotional
### Day 1: Reflecting Jesus' Love and Grace
The church is not a building or a set of rules but a community of believers reflecting Jesus' love and grace. We are called to embody Jesus' character, showing compassion and forgiveness rather than judgment and alienation. This requires us to release any resentment and seek forgiveness for past hurts caused by the church.
Bible Passage: "Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:12-13, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
### Day 2: Being the Church in Daily Life
True church activity is about being like Jesus in our daily lives, not just participating in church events. This means reflecting God's character in all our actions and interactions, creating spaces where God's presence can be maximized. We should focus on being active in the right places, promoting peace and love rather than conflict and division.
Bible Passage: "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one area in your daily life where you can better reflect God's character. What specific actions can you take today to be a light in that area?
### Day 3: Creating Spaces for Transformation
The church should be a place where people can experience transformation and growth. This involves creating an environment where God's character is reflected, leading to divine blessings such as peace and prosperity. We should move beyond our initial salvation experience to a lifestyle of continuous transformation, reflecting God's love and grace in all circumstances.
Bible Passage: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need transformation? How can you invite God to renew your mind and transform this area today?
### Day 4: Genuine Love and Gratitude
Genuine love and gratitude are essential for the church to reflect God's character. This means loving others deeply, following through on our commitments, and expressing gratitude for the blessings we receive. Gratitude keeps us humble and helps us recognize and appreciate God's work in our lives and the lives of others.
Bible Passage: "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling." (1 Peter 4:8-9, ESV)
Reflection: Think of three things you are grateful for today. How can you express your gratitude to God and others in a tangible way?
### Day 5: Helping Others and Being Sacrificial
The church should be a space where we help others, not just love and appreciate them. This involves being sacrificial, giving our time, resources, and efforts to support others. We are called to be spiritual contributors, not consumers, using our freedom in Christ to serve and love others genuinely.
Bible Passage: "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." (Hebrews 13:16, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one person in your community who needs help. What specific action can you take today to support them sacrificially?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "We don't do to be the church. We be to be the church. Can I say that again? We don't do to be the church. We be who Jesus is. We be who God is to be the church. So when I hear of stories... Stories of this church member attacking that church member, and this church member speaking out against that church leader across the road, I don't care about the history. I just care about, am I being like Jesus? Because if I'm being like Jesus, I need to stop what I'm about to say. If I'm being like Jesus, I need to stop what I'm about to post. If I'm being like Jesus, I need to stop thinking like I've been thinking." (41 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "If we're truly actively trying to be the church, we are supposed to be actively maximizing how much people see of God. Oh, please just act. Not an act spiritual, Safi. I feel like I'm preaching okay. And when... You're very quiet today. Must be something I said about the cowboys, I think. Yeah. I just spoke about not carrying a fence and then you walk straight into it. Actively creating a space for God's presence to be reflected." (32 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We need to be a space of salvation. Not a space of super spiritual Christianese talk. You need Jesus brother. Let's pray. Let's pray. Come elders gather around. Lay hands on the sick unbeliever. That might have worked for you. That's great. But trust me somebody coming in hurt broken from beat up from this world. Doesn't need to be called a sick unbeliever. They just need a space to go. They just need a space to go." (37 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We are spiritual contributors. Not spiritual consumers. We are spiritual contributors, not spiritual consumers. We're going to stop only short of sin to see people come to Jesus Christ. Nothing will stand in my way of hunting down the hurting and bringing them the peace of Jesus Christ. And that's going to be a war cry around here." (29 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We can't be on this roller coaster at light community center anymore. We can't be running around saying, are we catching up? We're trying to patch up. We're trying to fix up. No. We are. We are the body of Christ right now. We have already been given that mantle. We have already been called free. We are already walking in freedom. We are not called to find it. We are called to be it." (21 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "So if you're sitting here today with the space of this church has caused me some pain, or another church has caused you some pain, on behalf of the body of Christ, as somebody who's called to represent all of you together, and churches beyond, I want to say, please forgive us. Can you forgive that person that kicked you out of that church, or said this about you, or kept you at arm's length, made you jump through some hoops that you fell flat on your face with? Can you just forgive today? Because the rest of the sermon series on looking at who the church is won't work unless you are harboring resentment against the body of Christ somewhere else." (44 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We need to be able to get away from those things so that we can create space for not us to operate, not for us to dig. but for the Father to operate and be reflected. And where the Father operates and there is reflection, that is where there's room for all. I want you to, for a moment, just remember how much space you felt when you first gave your life to the Lord. There was a freedom. If you have already become a believer, there was a freedom. If you haven't and you're seeking that freedom today, there'll be an opportunity later where you can have that space and freedom." (31 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We have to understand that we live in a world where less offense, less hurt, less accusation is the most powerful tool that we have. So he built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. And then have a look, have a look. And then he got active. The church got active. He set up his camp at that place and his servants dug another well. How many of you are still sitting at the camp or this well of your salvation and you haven't yet broken through into prosperity and you haven't yet broken through into obliterated, unexpressed, unharnessed, free worship of the Father, reflecting a character." (45 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "We will be a church that creates space. For people to be transformed and changed by Jesus Christ, practically. Not just super spiritually, practically. What does that mean? We're going to see marriages come in here broken and be transformed and made whole. We're going to see broken relationships come in here broken and be transformed. And now starting to seeing sons and fathers serving together again. Mothers and daughters serving together again. We're going to see a whole lot more baby dedications. We're going to see a whole lot more families coming in and realizing just the character, just the presence, just the space. Of being in front of God." (36 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We need to be a space of growth. Oh now we're talking. We need more volunteers. No no I'm not talking about numbers. I'm talking about personal growth. How many of you realize that dads of our community need to grow up. Moms of our community need to grow up. The youth of our community need to respect those who've already grown up. There needs to be some growth. But how many of you know that personal growth doesn't happen in hysteria. It happens in study. We'll be a place that we're going to study the word of God together. A place of growth. People will get to know that if you want to become a better dad. A better businessman. A better leader. A better mom. A better husband. A better wife. You've got to go to that church. They'll grow you up. They'll grow you up. They'll lead you." (48 seconds)(Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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