Summary

What if the church saw itself as a house of refuge? A place where the broken, weary, and tired can find refuge in Christ. For, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1). What if we simply become a conduit for Jesus Christ to love others through us.

Sermon Questions

1. The word church, or ecclesia in the original text, means those who are called out. The church is not a place; it is a people who have been called by God for a task. What task is God calling you to in 2025?
2. What ministry at the Grace Place Church means the most to you personally? What can you do in 2025 to increase the scope and influence of that ministry?
3. Christ’s love controls us according to Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:14. How is Christ’s love compelling you to live differently in 2025?
4. What is your attitude toward your resources? (Time, Talent, and Treasure). How can you better use your resources in 2025?
5. The church has a unique, very important, mission: reconciling people to God. The gospel declares that Christ bore our sin in our place; but it doesn’t do them any good if they never hear about it. It is the important mission in the world. All other ministries, apart from that, fail. What can you do in 2025 to more fully activate that mission in your personal life?