A Plea for Hospitality + A New Study Bible

Welcoming Strangers in Our Midst

“The foreigner [or stranger, Hebrew ger] residing among you must be treated as your native–born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.”
—Lev. 19:34

In the ancient world, hospitality was a high moral ideal, a kind of “law of the desert.” All nomads or seminomadic people needed hospitality from time to time. Welcoming a foreigner/stranger into your own tent ensured the same treatment when the tables were turned. Expectations developed in the ancient world that hosts would provide food, shelter and protection for the foreigner. This is well attested to in extra–Biblical sources as well as in the Bible itself (see Dt 16:13–15;Jdg 19). Abraham and Lot were seen as righteous, in part because they extended hospitality to travelers. Their behavior toward strangers is juxtaposed against the lack of hospitality shown to the same men by the people of Sodom.

The Bible has its own internal commentary on Sodom and Gomorrah:

• “This was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy" (Eze 16:49).
• “Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!…Stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow” (Isa 1:10, 16–17).
• Jesus said that on the day of judgment, it will be worse for cities that refused hospitality to his disciples than for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Mt 10:1–15).
• Jesus said that on the day of judgment, when the Son of Man separates the sheep from goats, it will be a person's treatment of the less fortunate – the stranger, the sick, those in prison, those who needed food, water and clothing—that will be taken into account (see Mt 25:31–46).

The Bible seems to expect all people to treat the stranger and the vulnerable members of society with respect. Apparently, God does not tolerate abuse of people by even those outside the covenant and the law. The Bible reveals a moral map that needs no list of commandments. To state this universal law in poetic terms: “Do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Mt 7:12). Who then are the most vulnerable members of our society? Who are the strangers? How should they be treated?

** Excerpted from an Article in the NIV First–Century Study Bible.

Place the Scriptures into the context of it's original authorships and recipients is vital to understanding the text. There's a new resource available to you to do just that and we highly recommend checking out the NIV First-Centuray Study Bible. Experience the Bible through Eastern eyes by exploring the cultural, religious, and historical background of the Bible. This hardcover study Bible allows you to understand God’s Word in its original cultural context, bringing Scripture to life by providing fresh understanding to familiar passages, beloved stories and all the Scripture in between.

A Great Book on Church Unity + Mission

Something we forgot to mention in today's Gathering (on 9.07.14). John Armstrong wrote a great book, Your Church is Too Small, that deals with the issues we pondered as we read through Romans 14 + 15.  We highly recommend it and we some copies on the back table! Here's the scoop on John Armstrong and the book...

We’ve been friends and supporters of John H. Armstrong for a long time now. His current ministry, ACT 3 in Carol Stream, Illinois, serves “to advance the missional mandate of the Lord Jesus Christ in the third millennium.” Armstrong founded ACT 3, formerly Reformation & Revival Ministries, in 1991 for the purpose of encouraging the church, through its leadership, to pursue doctrinal and ethical reformation and to foster spiritual awakening. Read here about it’s mission and purpose. He has a new book coming out soon entitled Your Church is Too Small.

In Your Church Is Too Small, John Armstrong presents a vision of the unity possible for Christians across social, cultural, racial, and denominational lines. When Jesus’ followers seek unity through participation in the kingdom of God and the mission of Christ, they demonstrate God’s character to a watching world…

Book Description: Your Church Is Too Small gives voice to a gnawing sense many believers share: the contentious nature of differences among Christians cannot be pleasing to God. Jesus’ prayer in John 17, “May they be one as we are one,” seems like a dream possible only occasionally at best. Minister and teacher John Armstrong tells the story of how his own passion for Christian unity was ignited, shares his vision of individuals and churches united in the mission of God, and gives direction for how this vision can become a reality for God’s people. However, such unity will not happen by sheer willpower or denying the real differences among believing communities. Armstrong encourages Christians to rely on God—Father, Son, and Spirit—to build the worldwide church. Such reliance entails both a deeper experience in the triune life of God and a connection to the church’s past. More specifically, the history, belief, and practice of early Christians form the roots that today’s church requires to chart a unified path for the future.

Some other resources by John Armstrong:

John H. Armstrong’s Blog - ACT 3: Equipping Leaders for Unity in Christ's Mission

You can sign up to receive free podcasts, download lectures and sermons here at ACT 3. 

Watch and listen to this recent YouTube clip from Kiononia on Lesslie Newbigin’s life and influence.

Dan Allender on Relationships, Connectedness, + Shalom

In A Relationship?
Single? Engaged? Married?
Parent? Child?
Neighbor? Co-Worker? Friend?

We all crave intimacy—with God and with others. So what does God’s design for intimate relationships look like? Watch as Dan Allender gives us a fresh take on friendship, dating, and marriage relationships and how we can pursue wholeness in those areas of our lives.

Romans 1-8 + Living Missionally

The Word of God and finding our life's purpose and meaning in mission go hand in hand. Listen to David Platt recite (from memory!) Romans chapters 1 through 8 and connect it to living missionally.

May we know God's truth; and may we live as his sent people.

Superabounding Grace

Hello friends, as we study through the tremendous text of Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome, we are continually reminded of the grace of God. He seems to mention it at almost every turn as he writes about God's good news for all of humanity.

In our text from this past Sunday, Romans ch. 5, Paul mentions grace 5 different times. My favorite mentioning of grace in chapter 5 is verse 20, "The law was brought in so that the trespass (offense or sin) might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased (or superabounded) all the more!"

What it would it look like if grace was superabounding in our lives?

Grace is often misunderstood, misapplied, and, therefore, MISSED! And it's so unfortunate because to miss part or all of grace is to miss part or all of God. 

Grace can often be misunderstood as something scandalous and sinfully permissive; and it can also be misapplied by thinking of grace only terms of pardoning sin and not about enabling us to live rightly.

Dallard Willard once said, "grace is God acting in our lives to bring about what we do not deserve and cannot accomplish on our own." I love that definition of grace; but I equally love what he said next: "but we are not passive in this process. We are commanded to put off the old person and put on the new. We are told to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)." 

In essence, grace is about pardoning guilt and about inviting/empowering us into right living.

As followers of Jesus, there are many wonderful things for us to do, and, though we cannot do it ourselves, they will not be done for us. We must do them. As recipients of grace we are empowered to do whatever it is we need to do to increasingly take on Christ's character and live, in his power, as one of his followers.

May the grace of God abound in our lives. Instead of sin and death, may the grace of God reign in our lives leading to true life in the here and now (Romans 5:21). 

May trust and belief replace our cynicism and disbelief. 

May gentleness and encouragement replace our anger and hurtfulness. 

May fidelity and love replace our selfishness and greed. 

May understanding and tolerance replace our impatience. 

May hope replace our fear. 

May thoughtfulness replace our disregard. 

And may true joy replace our wallowing in shallowness.

Wow. Imagine how resting in and relying upon the superabounding grace found in Christ would reshape our everyday lives.

May we courageously go into the way of grace; may we encourage as many others to follow as we possible can.

Digging Deeper into Romans

Romans is known to some as the Apostle Paul's "masterpiece" and it is dense with deep theological truths; but that doesn't mean that it cannot be understood. As we make our way through Romans this summer we really hope you will spend some time reading and studying the book on your own.  So, we want to provide you with some resources to help you in your studies.

Study Guides:
ROMANS - New Revised Standard Version with Outline, Notes + Reflection Questions  (Free PDF; some are printed and available at our Sunday morning Gathering)
ROMANS - (NT Wright for Everyone Bible Study Guides)

Commentaries:
Paul for Everyone: Romans, Chapters 1-8 by Tom Wright
Paul for Everyone: Romans, Chapters 9-16 by Tom Wright

Study Bible:
ESV Study Bible

Enjoy digging deeper into the text of Romans!

Our Summer Journey Through Romans

Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome is his masterpiece. It covers all the major biblical themes bringing them together into a fast-moving and compelling line of thought. Romans, one the most influential writings in Christian history, is about the promise-keeping God who unveils his power and grace through the Good News of Jesus Christ. And this power and grace is available to anyone who believes. 

Sunday Morning Gathering Teaching Schedule for Summer, 2014:

June 1st 

Paul in Romans (Romans 1-16)

June 8th 

The Gospel in Romans (Romans 1:16-17)

June 15th 

Sin in Romans (Romans 1-3)

June 22nd 

Faith in Romans (Romans 3-4)

June 29th

Serve + Renew Weekend (no Sunday Morning Gathering)

July 6th

Special Guest Speaker Chuch Trujillo

July 13th 

Christ in Romans (Romans 5)

July 20th 

Law in Romans (Romans 6-7)

July 27th

Spirit in Romans (Romans 8:1-17)

August 3rd 

Renewal in Romans (Romans 8:18-39)

August 10th 

Faithfulness in Romans (Romans 9-11)

August 17th

Special Guest Randy Evans 

August 24th 

Love in Romans (Romans 12-13)

August 31st

The Church in Romans (Romans 14-16)

Join us During the Summer of 2014 as We Study the Book of Romans

Hello friends, it's hard to believe summer is already here! As we role into the month of June we will also be starting a new teaching series on the letter to the Romans, called The Gospel of the Righteous One, and this teaching series will last us all summer long.

Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome is, what many consider, his masterpiece. You will find the letter just after the book of Acts in the New Testament. I encourage all of you to read it several times this summer. 

  

It's one of the most influential writings in Christian history. It was how great Christian thinkers and preachers like St. Augustine, Martin Luther, and John Wesley came to faith.  Martin Luther wrote of Romans, "It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. It can never be read or pondered too much, and the more it is dealt with the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes." 

Modern day Christian thinkers and preachers sing it's praises too. John Piper has called this book "the greatest letter ever written." Martin Lloyd-Jones said it is "a colossal and incomparable statement of Christian truth." And J. I. Packer describes it as "the high peak of the Bible." 

And our very own John Howell says, "Romans is super-duper!" And Mila (our special guest last Sunday) says of Romans, "rrrrrrrruff ruff!" (And I'm pretty sure that coincides with John's opinion.)

Seriously, we are in for a BIG treat. Romans covers all the major biblical themes bringing them together into a fast-moving and compelling line of thought. It's about the promise-keeping God who unveils his power and grace through the Good News of Jesus Christ. And this power and grace is available to "everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). 

I can't wait and I hope to see you Sunday as we begin by looking at chapter 1 and chapter 16.

And, of course, I hope to see you all there!

Grace + Peace,

Heath

Managing Vapors - Whole Series + All Teachings

Sermons From Managing Vapors:

•  Pt. 1 The End of the Matter
•  Pt. 2 Rumspringa + The Existential Hangover
• Pt. 3 Two are Better Than One and Other Things that Really Matter

Short Teachings - Managing Vapors: 

•  Ecclesi-What? An Introduction to an Odd Old Testament Book  
•  Fear? What does It Mean to Fear the Lord?

Studying the Odd Book of Ecclesiastes

Here are some helpful resources to help you better understand  the message of the Ecclesiastes:   Interview w/Peter Enns:  Part 1 Part 2 Part 3   Introduction by Dave Bland Introduction to Ecclesiastes by Pastor Heath Ecclesi-What? An Introduction to an Odd Old Testament Book  Commentaries: Ecclesiastes by Tremper Longman Five Festal Garments by Barry G. Webb  Ecclesiastes by Peter Enns