The Gospel Comes with a House Key
Blessed Are the Merciful (1|3)
The Hope of Hospitality
• May 12, 2016, Thursday Afternoon
• May 15, 2016, the Lord’s Day
Pages 179-186
TOGETHER read the book (END READING AT: The Hope of Jesus was proclaimed in an ordinary neighborhood barbecue.) and discuss the content below.
INDIVIDUALLY take notes in your journal on what stands out (try to keep it brief).
Genesis 3:14-15 (NIV) So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Psalm 56:8 (NIV) Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll - are they not in your record?
Proverbs 18:10 (NIV) The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Romans 5:3-5 (NIV) Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 8:26-27 (NIV) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Being known as a friend of sinners has an edge to it. Christians are called to live in the world but not live like the world. Christians are called to dine with sinners but not sin with sinners. But either way, when Christians throw down their lot in with Jesus, we lose the rights to protect our own reputation.
TOGETHER pray for one another.
INDIVIDUALLY answer the questions in your journal - process your notes and pray.
Spend some time in God’s Word and in prayer for the light of hope for those currently in crisis. - and journal about it. Below are the scriptures from above to use as a guide as you pray.
Genesis 3:14-15 — God has always had victory over evil
Psalm 56:8 — Our sorrow matters to God
Proverbs 18:10 — God is our shelter
Romans 5:3-5 — Our pain has a purpose
Romans 8:26-27 — The Holy Spirit prays on our behalf
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 — We have each other
Revelation 21:3-4 — Our suffering will end in joy
Jesus calls us to love our neighbors, all of our neighbors, both the ones who are easy to love and the ones who are not.
The same power that raised Jesus from the grave he has given to those who have committed their lives to him so that we can serve gospel peace and be a bridge to the Lord himself in this dark world. But there is much work to do.
What is your response to those two statements?
Pause and Pray - Ask the Lord if there is someone in crisis that you can show up for in a small but tangible way. If you are in crisis pray about who you should reach out to.
EXTRA READING:
“We want no revolution; we want brotherhood of men. We want men to love one another. We want all men to have what is sufficient for their needs. But when we meet people who deny Christ in His poor, we feel, ‘Here are the atheists.’ They turned first from Christ crucified because He was a poor worker, buffeted and spat upon and beaten. And now - strange thought - the devil has so maneuvered that the people turn from Him because those who profess Him are clothed in soft raiment and sit at well-spread tables and deny the poor.”
- Dorothy Day (1897 - 1980)