The Epistle to Diognetus

In Sunday's message, we looked at John 17:13-23 where Jesus outlines the church's relationship with the world. We talked about three common dangers. . .

1. Flight = separatism = monastic movement
   
   
2. Fight = militarism = the crusades
   
   
3. Conformity = syncretism = the compromised church in all ages.

Jesus balanced words keep us from all three. . .

We are not of this world, not loved by this world, not taken from the world. Rather we are sent into the world so that the world might know and believe the Gospel.

What does all this look like? I referenced the Epistle to Diognetus (AD 130) which gives us a compelling picture of the early church.

The slides were lost, so I thought I would post the long quote so you could read and digest it slowly.

For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life.

They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life.

Lord, make us this kind of church!

2007 Mozart Festival Chamber Concert Series @ Grace

Grace is delighted to host the 2007 Mozart Festival Chamber Concert Series beginning this Friday and continuing week nights through next Thursday evening.

Here's a link to the concerts that will be held here at Grace.

This is one of our many forms of community ministry. . . showcasing the lovely, the excellent and the good!

Be praying for all those who attend that they would think about the place where they sit, that they'd consider that cross they will be staring at and that just maybe they'll pick up the latest Life@Grace stuff in the pew back or better yet, the Bible there in front of them. Pray that the music will draw them toward the
Eternal Author of all music.

Missional Bibles

All we do is missional. . . . at least it should be.

What does that mean? It means that God has brought us "in" by grace and He has sent us "out" with grace. It means we are to believe the Gospel, tell others about the Gospel and practice the Gospel. It means all that we do is outreach . . . .

Our vocational callings are missional callings. Our marriages and families are missional institutions. Our worship services should be missional. Even our pew Bibles are missional.

Our pew Bibles are not just for the church family to use, but we want to give them away to those who may be hungering for God's Word and need a Bible. We give Bibles away on an ongoing basis, on average about a dozen a month or so. It's working!

Recently, we received this kind and encouraging note . . .

Dear Grace Church,

My husband & I have come from Riverside to San Luis Obispo three times to attend the SLO Mozart Festival Winter Chamber Music concerts in your lovely church.

Each time I have enjoyed reading from your Bible. Yesterday I decided to accept your kind invitation to take the Bible home.

Please accept the enclosed check as a contribution to your future efforts.

Many thanks,
Venita Jorgensen

How cool is that? Here we see a convergence of community ministry through the liberal and missional use of our facilities and our philosophy of giving away pew Bibles. Maybe the beauty and design of Mozart's music created the environment that made Venita open and hungry for truth.

What is God going to do in Venita's life through her personal possession of God's Word? Let's pray right now that God gives her the gift of salvation and eternal life:

Lord, I pray for Veneta right now. I pray that you save her guilty soul. That you open her eyes to see her sin before you and the radiance of Christ in the Gospel. I pray that you show her that she is a great sinner and that Jesus is a Great Savior. Lead her to read that Bible and may her reading lead her to repentance and faith in Jesus.

Thanks for using a silly bookmark, a big room and beautiful music in how you work.

In the only name that saves. . . in Jesus' name. . . Amen! (Let it be!)

P.S. These folks are coming all the way from Riverside for a Mozart Festival event? Crazy. But I love it that we're hosting!

building blocks of relationships

Did you happen to catch this meditation just above the Order of Service in yesterday's worship folder? We'll start using this space for some ideas and thoughts to help move us toward worship. I've been thinking much about worship, stimulated much by John D. Witvliet's book. “The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship." I'm considering a summer series on the Psalms. We'll see where the Lord leads.

I love you. . . . I’m sorry . . . Thank you . . . Help . . .
Words like these are the building blocks of healthy relationships.
Every close relationship depends on them.
When they are left unpracticed, marriages fail and friendships disintegrate.
Faithful speech is also central to the Christian life. . . The God of the Bible is not just interested in being contemplated or appeased. This God is interested in the give and take of faithful life together, with good communication right at the center of it . . . One of the ways we learn good communication habits with God is by participating in public worship. When we gather for worship, the church invites us to join together to say to God, “We love you. We’re sorry. Come again—we’re listening. Help. Thank you. I will serve you.”

--John D. Witvliet, “The Biblical Psalms in Christian Worship”

Do you think about the words you speak and sing when you worship or do you just mindlessly recite them?

How focused or distracted are you when you worship? Do you feel like you're present or somewhere else?

Is worship a consumer experience for you? Where you're coming to get what you need? Or are you coming to communicate with God and give who you are?

Do you find yourself critical of what's happening up front or of others around you? Do you see those up front as facilitators of worship or performers?

What is your experience of worship? How much do you prepare for it and work on your worship?