Embracing a Community of Love and Acceptance

Devotional

Day 1: God Is For You, Not Against You

God’s heart is not one of condemnation or judgment, but of deep love and favor toward every person, regardless of their background or current situation. He is for you, for your family, for your neighbors, and for your community, longing for you to know His acceptance and grace. The message that should ring out from the church is not one of exclusion, but of a God who is so for you that He acted on your behalf. You are invited to belong, even before you believe or behave, because God’s love is unconditional and His arms are open wide. [11:09]

John 3:16-17 (ESV)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear today—through your words or actions—that God is for them, not against them? How can you show them this truth in a tangible way?

Day 2: Jesus Offers Peace and Grace, Not Condemnation

When Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, He found them afraid and ashamed, having abandoned Him in His darkest hour. Yet, instead of rebuke or anger, Jesus greeted them with peace and grace, inviting them back into relationship and showing them His wounds as proof of His love. Even when we feel we have failed or let God down, Jesus comes to us with compassion, not condemnation, offering us a fresh start and the joy of restored connection. [18:13]

John 20:19-20 (ESV)
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.”

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you feel ashamed or distant from God? How might you receive Jesus’ peace and grace in that place today?

Day 3: We Are Sent to Share God’s Love

Just as the Father sent Jesus into the world, Jesus now sends us to carry the message of God’s love and favor to our community and beyond. This mission is not reserved for a select few, but is entrusted to every follower of Jesus, regardless of our imperfections or past mistakes. God trusts us to be His representatives, inviting us to participate in His work of letting every person know they are loved and valued. [21:48]

John 20:21 (ESV)
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’”

Reflection: What is one practical way you can step into being “sent” this week—whether through a conversation, an act of service, or an invitation?

Day 4: Christ’s Love Compels Us to Act

The driving force behind all we do as followers of Jesus is not obligation or pressure, but the compelling love of Christ. It is His love that motivates us to serve, to give, to invite, and to show up for others, so that there would be no doubt in our community that God is for them. When we act out of Christ’s love, our message becomes irresistible and our impact multiplies, breaking down barriers and opening hearts to the good news. [23:01]

2 Corinthians 5:14 (ESV)
“For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died.”

Reflection: What is one way you can let Christ’s love—not guilt or duty—be your motivation in serving or loving someone today?

Day 5: Small Acts of Generosity Make a Big Difference

Every act of generosity, no matter how small, can be a powerful way to communicate that God is for people. Whether it’s giving to support a child in need, serving at a community event, or simply offering encouragement to a teacher or neighbor, your participation matters. When we each do our part, God multiplies our efforts, and together we create a community where everyone can see and experience God’s love in action. [40:59]

Acts 20:35 (ESV)
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Reflection: What is one specific act of generosity you can do this week to show someone in your community that God is for them?

Sermon Summary

Today marks a significant milestone—four years since a small group gathered in our home to dream of a church that would be unmistakably for people, especially those who have felt that church was not for them. From the very beginning, the vision has been to create a community where everyone, regardless of their background or faith journey, knows they are welcomed, valued, and loved. This is not just a slogan or a campaign; it’s the heartbeat of who we are and why we exist.

The reality is, many in our community and beyond have experienced church as a place of judgment, exclusion, or irrelevance. Surveys show that the vast majority of people outside the church see Christians as judgmental, hypocritical, old-fashioned, or too political. This perception is not just a statistic—it’s a barrier that keeps people from experiencing the love and grace of God. But the message of Jesus is radically different. John 3:16 reminds us that God is so for the world that He gave His Son, not to condemn, but to save. Jesus’ posture toward us is not one of anger or condemnation, but of peace, grace, and invitation.

When Jesus appeared to His disciples after the resurrection, He didn’t scold them for abandoning Him. Instead, He offered peace and entrusted them with the mission to carry His message of love and hope to the world. In the same way, we are now sent—to St. Joe, to our neighborhoods, to our workplaces—to embody and share the truth that God is for people. This mission is not about forcing beliefs or winning arguments; it’s about living out and extending the love that has transformed us.

Being “for St. Joe” is more than a series or a set of community projects. It’s a way of life. It’s about showing up for our neighbors, serving our schools, supporting families, and making sure that everyone knows they matter to God and to us. Through practical acts of generosity—like supporting Backpack Buddies, hosting movie nights at local schools, and blessing teachers during conference week—we tangibly demonstrate God’s love. Every shirt, decal, and hashtag is an opportunity to start a conversation, to break down barriers, and to say, “God is for you, and so am I.”

The invitation is simple but profound: Are you in? Will you join in passing on this message, not just for a Sunday or a season, but as a way of life? For God so loved the world, He sent Jesus. For God so loved St. Joe, He is sending us.

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Key Takeaways

1. God’s Posture Is Always “For” People, Not Against Them The heart of God is not condemnation but love. John 3:16-17 makes it clear that God’s motivation in sending Jesus was not to judge or exclude, but to offer life and relationship to all. This challenges us to examine whether our own posture toward others reflects God’s favor and grace, especially toward those who feel far from faith or community. [11:09]
2. The Church’s Reputation Must Be Reclaimed Through Radical Welcome With so many perceiving the church as judgmental or irrelevant, it is vital to become known for what we are for, not what we are against. This means intentionally creating spaces where people can belong before they believe or behave, and where acceptance is not conditional. Our actions and attitudes must communicate that God’s love is available to everyone, regardless of their story. [09:20]
3. Jesus Entrusts Ordinary People With an Extraordinary Mission After His resurrection, Jesus didn’t choose perfect or qualified people to carry His message—He chose those who had failed, doubted, and run away. In the same way, we are entrusted with the mission to share God’s love, not because we have it all together, but because God trusts us to pass on what we have received. Our imperfections do not disqualify us; they make us relatable and dependent on grace. [19:22]
4. Love Compels Us to Serve and Give Generously The motivation for all we do—serving, giving, inviting, and loving—is the love of Christ. When we are compelled by love rather than obligation or guilt, our generosity becomes a natural outflow. Whether it’s providing food for children, supporting teachers, or blessing first responders, every act of service is a declaration that God is for our community. [23:01]
5. The Mission Is Personal: “God Is For You, and So Am I” The most powerful way to communicate God’s love is through personal relationships and simple, authentic statements of support. Instead of pointing to programs or institutions, we are called to look people in the eye and say, “God is for you, and so am I.” This breaks down walls, opens hearts, and creates opportunities for deeper conversations about faith and hope. [28:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Four-Year Anniversary Reflections
[03:00] - The Vision: A Church For People
[04:30] - Why “For St. Joe” Matters
[06:58] - The Church’s Reputation Problem
[09:20] - The Story That Sparked Our Mission
[11:09] - God’s Heart: John 3:16-17
[14:15] - Jesus’ Post-Resurrection Encounter
[16:21] - Grace Instead of Condemnation
[19:22] - Passing the Mission Forward
[21:48] - For God So Loved St. Joe
[23:01] - Compelled by Christ’s Love
[25:03] - The Call: Are You In?
[28:48] - Practical Ways to Be “For”
[31:23] - Upcoming Community Initiatives
[33:10] - Celebrating Generosity
[35:26] - Movie Nights and School Partnerships
[37:55] - Fourth Sunday Giving
[40:59] - Impact Over the Last Year
[42:21] - The Invitation: Pass It On

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 3:16-17 (ESV) — > For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 20:19-21 (ESV) — > On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Observation Questions

According to John 3:16-17, what was God’s motivation for sending Jesus into the world?
When Jesus appeared to his disciples after the resurrection, what was his first message to them? (see John 20:19-21)
In the sermon, what are some of the main reasons people outside the church feel unwelcome or judged by Christians? [06:58]
What practical examples did the sermon give of ways the church is trying to show that “God is for you”? [31:23]

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean that God’s posture is “for” people and not “against” them? How does this challenge common ideas about God and church? [11:09]
Why do you think Jesus chose to greet his disciples with “Peace be with you” instead of scolding them for abandoning him? What does this reveal about his character? [17:21]
The sermon says that Jesus entrusts ordinary, imperfect people with his mission. Why might God choose to use people who have failed or doubted? [19:22]
The church’s reputation is often negative in our culture. What does it look like to “reclaim” the church’s reputation through radical welcome and generosity? [09:20]

Application Questions

The sermon shared that many people see the church as judgmental, hypocritical, or irrelevant. Have you ever felt this way, or do you know someone who has? How can you personally help change this perception in your daily life? [06:58]
Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” What is one place (work, school, neighborhood, family) where you feel God might be sending you to show his love? What’s a first step you could take? [21:48]
The message “God is for you, and so am I” is simple but powerful. Who in your life needs to hear or experience this message from you? How can you communicate it in a real, personal way this week? [28:48]
The sermon described practical acts of generosity—like supporting Backpack Buddies, blessing teachers, and hosting movie nights. Is there a specific act of service or generosity you feel led to participate in or start? What’s holding you back? [31:23]
The idea of “belonging before believing or behaving” was emphasized. How can you make space in your life or in our group for people who are still exploring faith or who feel like outsiders? [09:20]
The pastor asked, “Are you in?”—not just for a Sunday, but as a way of life. What would it look like for you to live out being “for” your community every day? What might need to change in your attitude, schedule, or priorities? [25:03]
Think about a time when someone showed you that God is for you. How did it impact your faith journey? How can you “pass it on” to someone else this month? [42:21]

Sermon Clips

The only thing that we knew as a church at that time is that we just knew we wanted to create something that was different from anything that existed in our community. We wanted to create a different kind of church as far as we could tell in this community. And we wanted to create a church specifically that was for people that may not feel necessarily like church is for them. There are people in our community that don't feel like the church is their thing or that it's in their favor. And we just knew we wanted to create a place that was for people just like that. [00:01:18] (29 seconds) #CreatingChurchForAll

Unfortunately, the reality for many, many people outside the church, unfortunately, the reality is that for far too long, for them, the church has been known for what it's against. This is why we played this, you know, fun game to kick off our time together. The church has been known for what it's against. You can see this in many of our social media posts. If you just scroll social media, you can see it in news articles and, you know, updates, and you can see it in our politics for sure. You can see some of this in our own community, what the church is against right here in our own community. [00:07:48] (32 seconds) #ChurchKnownForAgainst

That right there is the good news. That is incredibly amazing good news. That there is a God that is so for you that he gave his son and if you will simply believe in what he did for you, his spirit will come live inside of you and you will never be separated from your heavenly father, but you will spend eternity with God. [00:12:31] (24 seconds) #GodGaveHisSonForYou

Jesus came into this world not to condemn the world, but to save the world so that you and I, we could have a relationship with our heavenly father forever. Jesus did not come into this world. John is like, let me make it clear. Jesus didn't show up going, you're wrong. You're terrible. You messed up. You really messed up. You're a terrible person, too. Like, he didn't come in going, you're all horribly wrong. He came in to save us. [00:13:34] (26 seconds) #JesusCameToSave

If there was ever a moment where Jesus could have been condemning to people, this would have been it. If there was ever a moment where Jesus could have been angry with people, this certainly could have been it. He could have come in and been like, where were you guys? What in the world happened? After everything you saw me do for three years, you abandoned me? What in the world? Why? That's how he could have come in. But instead, he comes in, he offers them peace. He's offering them grace. He's inviting them back into a relationship with himself in this moment. [00:17:53] (31 seconds) #JesusOffersGraceNotCondemnation

For God so loved the world, he sent Jesus. But for God so loved St. Joe, he sent us, he sent you, and he sent me. The message did not stop with them. It continued on and on and on all the way down to us. And God is now sending us to carry that vision and that mission and that message to this community. [00:22:07] (22 seconds) #SentToServeStJoe

Forcing the message of Jesus on people does not communicate the message at all. Imposing Jesus on people does not win them over. And besides, that's not what Jesus did anyway. When he was here on this earth, he never forced himself onto people or forced believing in him onto people. He simply offered an invite constantly, follow me, follow me, follow me. And then he gave them the opportunity to choose. [00:22:47] (29 seconds) #JesusInvitesChoice

The thing that drives us is Jesus's love for other people because God loves us. That's why we give. That's why we serve. That's why we love. That's why we invite. We want there to be absolutely no doubt in St. Joe whatsoever that there is a God that is for people. [00:24:01] (18 seconds) #DrivenByJesusLove

The truth of the matter is, you are probably here today. Most of us in this room are probably here today because somebody showed you at some point in your life that there is a God that is for you. At some point in your life, whether it was a parent, a neighbor, a coworker, a friend, a teacher, somebody showed you that there is a God that is for you. This is our opportunity for the next few weeks, your opportunity to pass that on. [00:42:21] (30 seconds) #PassOnGodIsForYou

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