This week, we're taking some time to reflect and recenter on our mission: Inviting Boston and beyond into a life-changing relationship with Christ and his church. From a few verses in Matthew 9, we'll see Jesus' motivation for his mission and how he intends to accomplish his mission--through the earnest prayer and faithful witness of us, his church!
The health of a church is measured not only by the faith statement on a website or even the message in the pulpit. It is also observed by the way God's people care for one another. How are we doing with that? How are you doing with that? Our passage this Sunday gives us both an exhortation and wisdom for how we can best care for all of our church family—particularly those in special need.
Chapter 3 ended on a high note with a beautiful hymn declaring the glory of the church and her Savior. But chapter 4 brings us back down to earth, so to speak, with a grave warning about those who fall away from the faith. How should Timothy and the saints in Ephesus to guard themselves and minister to others in light of this? And how can we watch out for this ourselves and for one another?
Who needs the church? Churches once held a prominent position in the U.S., but no longer. And even many Christians in our day wonder: “Can’t I can be a Christian without going to church?” Some of the disregard and disillusionment comes from the sins and division that is tolerated in many churches today. Yet even while writing to a very compromised church in Ephesus, Paul holds up the glory of God’s people gathered. Who needs the church? We do and our world does.
The Bible is much more than just another religious book. It is an interpretation of all of history. This Sunday we conclude our sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew with an overview series on the whole book. We'll that Matthew is ultimately pointing to King Jesus as the focus and goal of all of history--that all of our individual stories are ultimately about him and for him.
After more than two years, we come to the conclusion of Matthew's Gospel. Jesus stands resurrected, victorious over sin and death. And yet, in some ways the kingdom work has only started. We'll see the church's marching orders from our King!
This weekend is Vision Sunday, when we reflect and recommit to our mission as a church. It is fitting that we'll hear Jesus' conclusion to his Discourse on the Church in Matthew 18, where he paints a glorious vision for a radically forgiven--and radically forgiving--kingdom community.
This week we're diving back into Jesus' Discourse on the Church. As he said previously, we shouldn't cause our fellow "little ones" to stumble, but what should we do when our fellow believers wander away on their own? We'll see Jesus' vision for his people caring for one another in this foundational passage for what is called church discipline.
How do you measure greatness? Maybe you're watching athletes competing in the Olympics or you're looking up to leaders in your vocational field. But who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Jesus says it's the one who is most like a child. We'll see on Sunday what Jesus means by this and how we can aspire to be great in his kingdom.
This has been one of the most volatile years for the church, and our church, in a long time. The global pandemic, a racial justice movement, a contentious presidential election, and more have contributed to confusion and discouragement over the nature and mission of the church. In God's providence, this is the perfect time for us to jump back into the Gospel of Matthew and receive Jesus' triumphant, and comforting, promise: "I will build my church."
In his third and fourth parables, Jesus reveals something about the nature of his kingdom: it starts small. Jesus was born in a manger, wandered mostly around the rural areas of Israel, and was barely known by the powers of his time until after his death. What's true of Jesus and his ministry is true of how the kingdom works in us and through us--even though it starts small, it ultimately has incredible impact.
Wouldn't it be nice if God always gave us a clear sign when we asked? Then we would always know the right job to take, the right place to live, the right person to marry, and the perfect time to speak up. Yet in this week's passage, Jesus says asking for a sign is only a sign of unbelief, not belief. Through the continued opposition he endures in Matthew 12, Jesus will show us where we should look for faith, assurance, and wisdom.
Have you ever wondered what we're doing here at Ruggles? What is a church? Is it a building? An institution? A weekly event? Is it optional? Where did the church come from? And what is it for? We're going to answer all of these questions today and more as we explore the doctrine of the church and see why it should be the "dearest place on earth" to us.
