Be the Church God Called Us to Be

Devotional

Day 1: Jail Cells and Open Doors: The Mystery of Inclusion

Paul’s imprisonment became a megaphone for God’s radical inclusion plan. The same God who confined him behind bars flung wide the doors of grace to outsiders and religious insiders alike. This divine paradox turns human logic upside down – those assumed farthest from God stand closest, while the self-assured find their privileges leveled. Unity in Christ demolishes every man-made hierarchy, leaving only shared ground drenched in mercy. The church exists not to guard its turf but to broadcast this scandalous equal-access gospel. [26:28]

“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 3:6, NIV)

Reflection: Where have you built invisible “insider/outsider” barriers in your heart? How might embracing Paul’s jail-cell perspective change how you see people in your grocery line, workplace, or social media feed?

Day 2: When the Church Forgets Its Sign: Practicing What We Advertise

A clinic sign means nothing if the doctor refuses patients. So too the church’s cross-shaped logo becomes empty branding when comfort overrides compassion. The bleeding world looks at our steeples and expects emergency spiritual care, yet often finds us preoccupied with self-maintenance. Every committee meeting and budget line must answer one question: Does this help resuscitate dying souls? Our buildings exist to launch rescuers, not house museum curators. [46:35]

“Go! I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves. Don’t carry a money bag, traveling bag, or sandals. Don’t greet anyone along the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’” (Luke 10:3-5, CSB)

Reflection: What “clinic sign” ministries does your church maintain that need either radical reactivation or honest removal? Where is God calling you to stop planning and start practicing?

Day 3: Cards Blown Out Windows: Guarding Our First Love

A child’s panicked cry for his lost faith-card mirrors our adult spiritual amnesia. We misplace our primal awe like car keys, then wonder why the engine of devotion won’t start. The church’s central task isn’t program growth but heart vigilance – helping each other clutch Christ tighter than wallets or reputations. Mature faith isn’t measured by theological jargon but by childlike urgency to reclaim what the world’s winds try to steal. [38:04]

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:4-5, NIV)

Reflection: What simple spiritual practice (like that child’s card) could you carry today to remember your first love? Who needs you to help them search for their blown-away faith?

Day 4: The Same Power That Parted Seas: Trusting God’s Wildest Dreams

The resurrection energy that vaporized death’s stench still courses through church veins. We ration this power like paupers, forgetting the same force that carved Red Sea paths now waits to part modern impossibilities. Our weariness comes not from overwork but under-trust. When committees discuss “limited resources,” the angelic hosts lean in, baffled that mortals ignore the nuclear reactor of divine capacity in their basement. [50:48]

“God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.” (Ephesians 3:20, MSG)

Reflection: What “impossible” kingdom dream have you downgraded to human-sized goals? How would operating in resurrection power change your next tough conversation or ministry challenge?

Day 5: Gates of Hell and Unstoppable Faith: Building on Peter’s Confession

Hell’s gates aren’t on defense – we are. The church advances not with picket signs but confession-fueled love. Every “You’re the Christ” declaration from janitors and CEOs alike becomes another quarry stone for God’s unstoppable kingdom project. Our task isn’t to protect God’s reputation but to proclaim it in soup kitchens and boardrooms. When we build on this bedrock, even our stumbles become part of the foundation. [35:51]

“Jesus came back, ‘God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.’” (Matthew 16:17-18, MSG)

Reflection: What part of God’s “expansive energy” project needs your unique rock contribution this week? Where is hell’s gatekeeping failing because of your church’s faithful advances?

Sermon Summary

Paul writes from jail as one caught up in God’s plan for including everybody. The mystery of Christ is that outsiders and insiders stand on the same ground before God. The same offer, same help, and same promises come in Christ Jesus. The good news is “accessible and welcoming to everyone across the board.”

God has chosen the church to be the primary way the world comes to know that every person is loved by God, chosen by God, invited into relationship with God, and given abundant and eternal life through the cross and the empty tomb. The church is not an institution, not buildings, not programs, and certainly not committees. The church is those who are loved by God and, through faith, love God back, joining together to claim God’s promises and freely offer those promises to every person in reach.

The church has been faithful, and God has used the church “in spite of the church.” Yet the church also has to admit that too much of the world sees it as irrelevant, weak, or dying. Charles Stanley’s old question presses the difference between making a decision about Jesus and making a commitment to him. A decision can sit safely on a membership roll, but commitment gets urgent, passionate, and radical.

Jesus’ question to the disciples drives the issue deeper: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter’s confession, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God,” becomes the rock on which Christ builds his church. The gates of hell cannot prevail against a church built on living faith, obedience, and desire to follow Jesus.

Faith therefore has to be taken more seriously. Faith is trust, belief, hope, action, and most of all utter and complete dependence upon God. Mark 12 and Romans 12 call the people of God to love the Lord with everything and to offer the first, the best, and the total of life. Paul’s warning about spiritual babies, John’s warning about leaving first love, and Revelation’s word about being stale and stagnant expose casual Christianity for what it is.

The mission of the church is the Great Commission. The sign out front advertises healing, hope, and new life, and the church either practices what it advertises or takes down the sign. Pentecost answers every excuse about size, age, money, or resources. The same power that created the world, parted the sea, raised the dead, defeated sin, and emptied the tomb is promised to the church today. Ephesians 3:20 announces that God can do anything, far beyond wildest dreams, by working deeply and gently within his people.

Key Takeaways

1. God chose the church as vehicle The church is not God’s afterthought or religious side project. God has chosen ordinary believers gathered together as the vehicle by which the world hears that it is loved, chosen, forgiven, and invited into life through Jesus Christ. That truth gives the church deep dignity, but it also removes every excuse for treating church as a building, schedule, or committee structure. [29:37]
2. Decision must become commitment A decision about Jesus can remain safely distant from surrender to Jesus. Commitment means the lordship of Christ begins to touch convenience, comfort, habits, priorities, and silence. Casual Christianity can know the right words while avoiding the costly obedience that those words demand. [33:53]
3. Faith requires holy concern The little boy who cried, “I’ve lost my faith in God,” names a concern many adults have learned to mute. Faith is not a decorative card to admire, but a living dependence that must be guarded, deepened, and acted upon. The church serves one another well when spiritual growth becomes urgent instead of optional. [38:40]
4. Mission must match the sign The church sign promises healing, hope, and new life to broken and bleeding people. If the church advertises rescue but does not practice rescue, the sign becomes a witness against it. Mission is not a slogan for the wall, but the shape of energy, prayer, money, time, and love. [46:35]
5. God’s power is not scarce Pentecost declares that the church was born in the power of the all powerful God. The same power that created, delivered, healed, raised, crucified, and conquered death is promised to the church today. Spiritual poverty begins when the church stares at what it lacks instead of trusting what God has already given. [50:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:51] - Paul’s Mystery Of Inclusion
[28:50] - The Church At God’s Center
[32:11] - Confronting Casual Christianity
[34:31] - Peter’s Confession And The Rock
[37:26] - Taking Faith More Seriously
[41:08] - Milk, First Love, And Lukewarm Faith
[43:21] - Claiming The Great Commission
[45:05] - Practicing What The Sign Advertises
[47:56] - Trusting God’s Power Totally
[49:41] - The Same Power Promised Today
[52:18] - God Beyond Wildest Dreams
[53:33] - Becoming A Life Changing Church

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Ephesians 3:1-12
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. [26:08]

Matthew 16:13-18
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” [34:31]

Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [43:53]

Ephesians 3:20
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, [52:18]

Observation questions

In Ephesians 3, what does Paul say the “mystery” of Christ is, and what equal blessings do insiders and outsiders now share in Jesus?
According to Matthew 16, what answers did the disciples report from the crowd, and how was Peter’s answer different? [35:09]
What does Jesus specifically tell his followers to do in the Great Commission, and what promise does he attach to that command? [43:53]
What are some of the ways the church is described, and what are some things the church is clearly said not to be? [29:57]

Interpretation questions

Paul says that through the church God makes his wisdom known. What does that suggest about how seriously believers should view the life and purpose of the church? [29:37]
Peter’s confession that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” stands at the center of Matthew 16. Why is that confession more than correct words, and how does it lead toward obedience and real discipleship? [36:12]
Jesus commands his people to make disciples, not just gather attenders. What is the difference between those two things, and why does that difference matter for the church’s witness? [47:35]
Ephesians 3:20 says God works with power within his people. How does that challenge the habit of measuring ministry only by size, money, age, or visible resources? [51:58]

Application questions

The gospel gives the same offer, same help, and same promises to all in Christ. Is there any kind of person who is easy to treat like an outsider in the heart, even while saying the right things out loud? What would it look like to welcome that person more like Jesus would? [27:01]
A decision about Jesus can remain distant, but commitment becomes urgent, passionate, and costly. Where has following Jesus become too safe or too convenient lately? What would deeper commitment look like in one specific area of life this week? [33:53]
Faith is not a card to admire but a dependence on God to live in. What helps faith grow deeper in daily life for this group, and what habits tend to keep faith shallow or casual? [39:28]
Scripture warns about being spiritual babies, leaving first love, or becoming stale and stagnant. Which of those warnings feels closest to home right now, and how can that be faced honestly without shame or pretending? [41:08]
The church’s sign promises healing, hope, and new life. If neighbors looked only at this group’s actions, where would they clearly see those things, and where might the message on the sign be stronger than the ministry behind it? [46:35]
Jesus says to go and make disciples of all nations. Who is one person already within reach—family, friend, coworker, neighbor—who may need an invitation, a conversation, or steady prayer right now? What might be the next faithful step? [47:56]
God’s power is not scarce, and the same power that raised Christ is promised to his people. Where has discouragement or small thinking taken over? What would trusting God’s power totally look like in a real situation this group is carrying right now? [50:29]

Sermon Clips

58s

“Millions of people today are broken and bleeding. And in front of our churches, we advertise a place of healing, of hope, of new life. Are we practicing what we advertise? We need to be willing to examine what we do as a body of believers because we either need to practice what we say. We either need to be willing to live out the mission that our sign advertises, or we need to take down the sign.”

68s

“``Please hear me. The power that created the world from nothing, The power that crippled a pharaoh. The power that parted the Red Sea. The power that slew a giant. The power that made a virgin pregnant. The power that healed the sick, raised the dead, the power that hung on a cross and defeated sin, the power that defeated death and provided an empty tomb is the very same power that is promised to you and to me as the church of Jesus Christ today. The very same. It's time for us to claim that power, to trust that power, and to let god use that power through us.”

86s

“The beginning of the church was a powerful moment. And in that powerful moment, the church of the all powerful god was born. My greatest fear for us, the church, is that we have forgotten at best, at worst, the promise and reality of god's power. Please hear me. The power that created the world from nothing, The power that crippled a pharaoh. The power that parted the Red Sea. The power that slew a giant. The power that made a virgin pregnant. The power that healed the sick, raised the dead, the power that hung on a cross and defeated sin, the power that defeated death and provided an empty tomb is the very same power that is promised to you and to me as the church of Jesus Christ today. The very same.”

68s

“So he carried his friend there, and he banged on the door until a man answered. And the man said, may I help you? And in disbelief, the driver said, can't you see? My friend's in bad shape. Please save him. And the man at the door said, sorry. I I I can't help you. I quit practicing medicine five years ago. The driver looked at the man, looked at his friend, looked at the sign, looked back at the man, and said, if you aren't gonna help anyone, you should take down the sign. Millions of people today are broken and bleeding. And in front of our churches, we advertise a place of healing, of hope, of new life. Are we practicing what we advertise?”

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