Have you ever extended grace to someone living in sexual sin and you felt like you gave approval of the sin but didn’t mean to? Or, have you ever been determined to speak the truth in love to someone living in sexual sin and felt like you ripped apart your relationship but didn’t mean to? Is it possible to be a Christian in our culture today and accept people but not approve of the choices they make?
If you look at the Gospels and the people Jesus interacted with, He was always showing love to them and spending time with them, but He never approved of any kind of sin that people would commit. Yet that never stopped Him from loving an individual. He was accepting but not approving. He was loving without applauding. He was compassionate without commending.
You no doubt have people in your life who are doing things or living certain ways that you don’t approve of. Chances are some of these people are friends and family. If you want to follow the example of Jesus, you will not give up on them or love them less.
Throughout the month of September, the sermon series will be focused on four foundational pillars (love, truth, grace, identity) necessary for followers of Jesus Christ to love and live like Jesus.
The Messy Grace sermon series will be based on a book by Caleb Kaltenbach, fitly titled, “Messy Grace”. This book and this sermon series, will turn our hearts and equip us to love like Jesus, those affected by the LGBT Identity and Issues. This book and series will equip us to better walk that tension out between grace and truth.
A sign up for the books is available at the Sign-up Center in the foyer, or you can call the church office to secure a book as well. Also at the Sign-up Center, there is information about an 8 week Sunday School Class that will accompany this “Messy Grace” book that will include four powerful videos, with a discussion week in between each video. This Sunday School Class will provide real life examples of how to extend grace without sacrificing truth. Don’t miss the opportunity to go deeper into this much needed issue through this 8 week Sunday School Class starting August 6th and running through September 24th. (Please sign up in the foyer for this class or contact the church office so we can have materials and resources ready for the class.)
Are you able to answer the questions: “What does the Bible have to say about same-sex issues?” “How can we balance grace and truth?” Join us as we learn to live like Jesus, love like Jesus and share Jesus with a lost and hurting world.