God has a vision for the city. Steve uses Isaiah 61 and Luke 4 to show God's mission for the church in Memphis.
In Jeremiah 35, God uses a small band of nomads as a living object lesson for the people of Judah. The Recabites - descendents of Jonadab, son of Recab - aren't Israelites & they aren't exactly normal either. But for generations, they've continued to rigorously adhere to the seemingly random commands of their forefather. Their ability to simply "trust and obey"...to live lives of faithful commitment seems to be exactly what God is looking for from His people.
The story of Ruth serves as an example of loyalty to Naomi, her mother-in-law, who is a vulnerable widow. But Ruth herself is vulnerable! Her vow to never leave Naomi involves Ruth leaving her past behind and facing an extremely risky future as an outsider. She serves as an example for Christians who live in an individualistic culture where anything that gets in the way of our personal interests is an obstacle to be eliminated.
Staging a house makes it look good so that just the right person will be impressed enough to buy it. The problem is a staged house loses all of its functionality. Churches can be staged as well. When we focus on how church looks, it’s easy to lose sight of the church’s function. Jesus clearly lays out the mission of the church in Matthew 16.
