On Mission Through Hospitality: Diving Deeper
See Jesus
I (Pastor Merodee) have been a bit distracted lately. My mind has been preoccupied. I have been doing some peculiar kinds of things...
One day, I found the block of cheese in the saran wrap drawer! ?? A different day I discovered the coffee cream in the freezer!
Now, I am not sick, I simply struggle with keeping my mind on mission.
A "mission" is:
a simple task you are charged with;
a pre-established objective or purpose;
a calling or vocation; a
group sent to perform a service.
When my mission was to get supper put away, my mind wandered and the cheese ended up in the saran wrap drawer...
Please tell me I am not the only one who struggles with keeping focused on mission! If you have some funny stories, I would sure love to hear them.
The Bible tells us that Christians, those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, have a mission to be hospitable.
We have been co-missioned (given a mission) to use our resources to help meet the needs of others.
Here is an important thought, we have also been co-missioned to bring our needs to the Family and to receive help in our time of need.
The relationship between the one in 'need' and the 'helper' is the working out of hospitality.
Needs might vary. Sometimes we need friendship, a visit, a helping hand. Other times we need a place to stay, help changing a tire or help to pay a bill.
When one person with resources helps out another person who is in need AND when the person in need accepts the help of the one with resources, hospitality is flowing.
1 Peter 4:9 says, "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling."
Jesus saw our great need. We owed a sin debt we could not pay. As the chorus says, we needed Someone to wash our sins away.
Jesus paid a debt He did not owe. He shed His own Blood for the forgiveness of our sins.
Jesus has washed away the sins of the whole world.
Those who:
believe they are sinners (in need of help)
believe that Jesus has the resource to forgive their sin through His death and resurrection
accept His forgiveness,
these people enter into Jesus' hospitality and are saved!
Christians are saved & co-missioned to go share Jesus' hospitality with others.
Imagine what this Christmas might look like, Family, if we keep stepping towards the bonds and the practices of hospitality?!
Who might have a family to share Christmas with? Who might receive a 'new to them' car to get to and from work with? Who might have surprise Christmas gifts under their tree? .... What can we imagine? What can we do?
Family, I can hardly to wait to find out!!
-Pastor Merodee
Know Jesus
This week, you can dive deeper into the message through one or all of the following:
Listen, re-listen, to the message from Sunday! It's great!
Ask the Lord to show you how you can be involved with hospitality this Christmas Season
Listen and worship along with "He Paid The Debt."
Do a DBS on 1 Peter 4:9-11
Consider the prayer prompts given in your time with God this week.
Discovery Bible Study
TO BEGIN
Pray and ask Holy Spirit to teach you about God from His word.
Next, read the verse a couple of times.
Now, ask these questions:
What does this tell me about God/Jesus?
What does this tell me about people?
How can I respond to what I just read?
When you’re done asking these questions, it’s a great idea to pray and thank God for teaching you more about who He is and who you are!
Discovery Bible Study (DBS) is a way for anyone, anywhere to read God's word! You can dive deeper into this week's message by doing a DBS one any one or all of these scriptures. DBS is a great tool to use for your own devotions, as a bible study with friends, or as an evangelism tool!
"Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."
1 Peter 4:9-11
Listen to ‘He
Prayer Prompts
Pray for an outbreak of worship in our church family.
Pray for the upcoming Christmas parade, that our church family would be the light and spread the gospel to our community.
Pray for there to be an influx of souls into God's Kingdom!
Share Jesus
You can share this week's podcast, email, or blog post. Check out volunteer opportunities to get involved in the work of sharing Jesus in our church family and community.
Current Volunteer Opporunities
Saturday, December 10th, 6:30 pm: Christmas Parade. Our church has once again been invited to join the Kipling Christmas Parade! We are so excited for this opportunity to be the light in our community. We are looking for a team of volunteers to decorate the float on December 10th, as well as carolers for the float in the evening. If you would like to be part of the float decorating team, please contact Pastor Merodee at pastormerodee@kiplingchurch.com. If you would like to be part of the carolers, please contact Pastor Nicole at pastornicole@kiplingchurch.com.
Pastor Charla is looking for volunteers for the Christmas season Kid's church schedule. This schedule will be one Sunday commitments rather than a four week rotation. You can sign up to help by contacting Pastor Charla at pastorcharla@kiplingchurch.com.
