First Thing’s First in Paul’s Last Letter
Sunday mornings this Spring at Christ Community Church
If you were with us in person on Sunday April 11, or joining us on-line, you’re aware that I am finishing my Sunday morning Gather teaching ministry at Christ Community Church in Paul’s 2nd letter to his spiritual son, Timothy.
Though it is Paul’s last letter—his final letter of Scripture to the church—it addresses “first things.” Things which need to rise to the top and be prioritized.
Not surprisingly, it is a letter about making committed disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In our day, Christian people in Christian churches are engaged in so many things. Christians, like the rest of our fast-paced society, are busy. Studies of labor forces and hours-per-week worked across the countries of the world invariably identify workers in the United States as working more hours and taking less vacation than peoples in other nations. We fill our lives with working hard at work and working at having fun.
Even Churches can be busy doing many good things! In one way of thinking, “it’s all good.”
Yet Jesus was very clear. “I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). He builds his church with called-out people who believe He is the Christ the Son of the Living God to defeat the gates of hell. To rescue people from the hellish consequences of sin in their lives.
“As you are going, make disciples of all the peoples” (Matthew 28:19-20). We publicly identify them as my disciples (baptizing them) and mentor them to obey all that Jesus taught.
The church must be about defeating the gates of hell through making disciples…who make disciples.
We are seeing more and more return to our campus for disciple-making worship on Sunday mornings. So please…come on back! And let’s help each other—coached by Paul’s “first things first” letter to Timothy—make disciples!