Point of Grace Worship 9.28.25 “You are Invited … into His beautiful Kingdom” Pt. 4
Part 4 – God’s Kingdom Community – The Beauty of Belonging
We all know what it feels like to “Belong” … to fit in … to have our presence legitimized.
We also know times when we didn’t “belong” … didn’t fit in … our presence was not wanted.
“the other”
God responds to a broken divided world with “philoxenia”!
Literally “love for the stranger” – hospitality!
Exodus 22:21 “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.
Leviticus 19:33-34 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.
We all began our human existence as “strangers” in need of unconditional welcome!
“Loving the Stranger” is the way of Jesus … it is the way of the community that bears His Name!
“The entire ministry of Jesus is appropriately captured in the phrase ‘divine hospitality to the stranger and sinner’ Jesus’ ministry was the rescuing love and welcome of God on display. Jesus posture was one of inclusion and embrace. He created a portal of heavens welcome for those who had been pushed out and shunned.” The Beautiful Resistance
1 Peter 2:10 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Ephesians 2:14-22 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, … His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
What a dream for His Kingdom community – a place of “belonging” for all people.
We all were in “the other” group at one time …
but by the power of the ministry, cross and resurrection of Jesus
what was “the other” can now become “one another”.
1 John 4:11-12
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
Can you imagine a “one another” community of people
committed to the “life” and “lifestyle” of philoxenia in Jesus name!
It would be a place of belonging!