A covenant is a legal arrangement that makes a relationship more intimate and binding. In ancient times, God made a binding promise to his people that now gives us intimacy with him.

I Corinthians 11:17-34

In ancient Corinth, the church was failing to recognize that each member of the community was equally valuable. Paul uses the communion meal teaching to remind them that they are to recognize each other as valuable members of Christ's community.

1 Corinthians 10:16-17

The Apostle Paul had a favorite image for the church: parts of a body that are joined together and need each other to function in a healthy manner. In a mysterious way, God uses the communion meal that all Christians share to bind us together in spiritual unity.

Biblical hospitality is at the core of the gospel message. How is this?

Primarily it is because God, in his great kindness toward us, welcomes us to be with him and know him even though we once were strangers to him.

Secondly, and as a reflection of the first truth, Jesus showed an incredible appreciation for hospitality during his earthly ministry, both by receiving it from others and by extending it to the most unlikely people whom he came across.

The scriptures paint a clear picture: whoever is maturing in love and in the grace of God will extend greater hospitality to those in need, to the church, and to strangers. In the next few weeks we will look more closely at some practical expressions of hospitality and how it impacts our ideas of the gospel, of justice, and of the work of the church.

In Galatians 5 Paul reflects on two barriers to freedom in Christ: legalism (when I think God loves me for what I do) and libertarianism (when I think God loves whatever I do). Only the gospel, with the radical message of the cross, can crush both of these slavery mindsets and grant true freedom.

Jesus welcomes you to rest from your "work under the work." Only he can justify your life, expose your inner secrets, and still care for you better than any other.