Religion & Spirituality
This fall, we are exploring what the Bible says about who we are as God's people, focusing on the images of Kingdom of God, Family of God and Body of Christ. As God's people, we are an expression of God's Kingdom. This means we are fellow citizens (Eph. 2:19) under Jesus, our King. Today we'll explore some of the implications of our common citizenship in Christ's Kingdom. We Recognize our Profound Equality in Christ (Eph. 2:14-19) Paul declared that Christ has broken down the wall that divided Jew and Gentile, thus making them one new humanity that finds restored dignity and equality at the cross. We are challenged to more deeply understand, appreciate and value people who are from different racial and ethnic backgrounds than ourselves. We continually work out together what it means to follow the way of Christ (Eph. 2:19-22) As a community of people "built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles, with Jesus as our Cornerstone," we are to continually explore the Scriptures to determine what it means to follow Christ's timeless truth in our current world. " This need not be done in isolation, but hopefully in honest and respectful conversation committed to God's truth. We commit to the upside down nature of service over power. Jesus came as a Servant, not as one wielding power. He calls us to follow His way of service in the world. Discussion/Reflection Questions: What does it mean to you to be called a "fellow citizen" of Christ's Kingdom? ? How can you more intentionally seek to understand fellow believers from other cultures? " Is there a person from another ethnic background you can talk with to gain greater understanding? ? What are some questions you have regarding what it means to follow Christ faithfully in our current culture? How can you engage in honest communication with other believers in these conversations? How can we intentionally remain committed to the authority of King Jesus as we engage in these conversations? ? Where are you tempted to use and manipulate people toward your own ends rather than serve people toward Christ's ends?