Culture Days! - Make the goodness of Jesus unavoidable!
Welcome to culture days!
What does that even mean? It means that we are about to spend some time reaffirming our culture and preparing ourselves for the assignment that God has given us here in Hattiesburg.
First Peter reads out like the document that we drafted our values and mission from!
Obviously, our values and mission statements were based in Bible which upholds itself, but I am in awe of the cohesion of this letter from the apostle Peter to the early church, and our assignment here in Hattiesburg.
Over the course of the next weeks, you're going to hear us refer to culture statements a lot.
Here's why: If this is who we are, then we cannot stop repeating it.
We have three core pursuits, and everything we do is to build into one (or more) of these:
We are pursuing:
Real Devotional Life
Real Community
Real Response (Sometimes we call it responsibility)
As I look at the book of First Peter, we can see exactly how he views these same pursuits!
Here's how Peter views a real devotional life:
1 Peter 5:6–8 (ESV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Peter says that a real devotional life is:
humble
submissive & transparent
alert
clear-headed
Here's how Peter views real community:
1 Peter 3:8–12 (NKJV)
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, becourteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For “He who would love life And see good days, Let himrefrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
This checks all of the boxes for real community:
Unity
compassion & love
sympathy
courteous
I love what Peter says here:
"You were called to [Blessing] so that we may inherit a blessing!
Understand that BEING a blessing, comes before RECEIVING a blessing!
When we bless the people around us, it aligns us for the blessings of God!
Here is how Peter states our responsibility:
1 Peter 4:7–11 (NKJV)
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
The end is at hand!
Eternity is a huge responsibility
When he reflects on the urgency of the hour - his solution is LOVE!
Hospitable without grumbling
"As we receive, minister" - God is positioning me to move compassion and love THROUGH me!
Because "Love covers a multitude of sin"
We've got a responsibility to be the earthly representations of Jesus to the people of this world.
Hub City Church does not exist to be a Sunday-centric organization so people can come have a religious experience - we are a family that is gathering together, because we share
Real devotional life
Real community
Real responsibility
When you look at the book of first Peter, we see that he shares the same heart to make the goodness of Jesus known to those around him:
We are here to make the goodness of Jesus unavoidable
The term "good" shows up 15 times in the book of 1 Peter
He says things like:
1 Peter 2:12 (NKJV)
12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:19–20 (NKJV)
19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.
1 Peter 3:11 (NKJV)
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it.
Here's a good one:
1 Peter 3:13 (NKJV)
13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?
1 Peter 3:16 (NKJV)
16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
1 Peter 3:17 (NKJV)
17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
1 Peter 4:9–10 (NKJV)
9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
1 Peter 4:19 (NKJV)
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
We know that He is good!
We know that his plan for us is good!
His plan for this city is good!
Going back to:
1 Peter 3:8-9
8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, becourteous; 9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
We have been called to bless! Let's then be a blessing to our city!
