The city humbles us.

 

WORCESTER, MA – THE CITY HUMBLES US

"The city may force us to discover that we don't really believe in sheer grace, that we really believe God mainly saves nice people - people like us. In cities we will also meet a lot of people who hold to other religions or to no religion who are wiser, kinder, and more thoughtful than we are, because even after growth in grace, many Christians are weaker people than many non-Christians. When this surprises you, reflect on it. If the gospel of grace is true, why would we think that Christians are a better kind of person than non-Christians? These living examples of common grace may begin to show us that even though we intellectually understand the doctrine of justification by faith alone, functionally we continue to assume that salvation is by moral goodness and works.   

Early in Redeemer's ministry, we discovered it was misguided for Christians to feel pity for the city, and it was harmful to think of ourselves as its 'savior.' We had to humbly learn from and respect our city and its people. Our relationship with them had to be a consciously reciprocal one. We had to be willing to see God's common grace in their lives.We had to learn that we needed them to fill out our own understanding of God and his grace, just as they needed us...Deep down, we know we don't like these people or don't feel safe around them. But see how easily we forget the gospel!After all, in the gospel we learn of a God who came and lived among us, became one of us, and loved us to the death, even though we were wholly other from him. The city humbles us, showing us how little we are actually shaped by the story and pattern of the gospel." – Tim Keller, Center Church, pages 168-169

Where are we missing the story that God is weaving in Worcester? Do we really live by grace, or do we still self-justify far too often? Do we continually ask God to help us see the world and others through the heart and mind of Jesus? And then, after this return to our need for a Savior, Redeemer, and King, do we strive on only after we have prayed for His wisdom and strength to persevere in His ministry of reconciliation, which is His gospel?

"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God

Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you...May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." – Saint Paul (2 Corinthians 5:14-20; 13:11, 14)

– Sully

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