Storyline Christian Community

August 23, 2014 Storyline Learning Community

August 23, 2014 Storyline Learning Community

In our conversation, "God at the Fringes," we discover the story of Hagar and Ishmael from Genesis 21. We learn that God works in the messiness of our mistakes. He is not distant, even though He is holy. And God cares about the people on the fringes of the story, and of society.

God pours out his Spirit on everyone - female & male, young & old, poor & rich. God did it at Pentecost, to Galilean Jews from a no-power nation; and God continues to do it today, so that even unsuspecting, hesitant people play a powerful role in God's mission.

Suffering: In His Steps

Redefining Holiness

Living less in selfishness, or the flesh, and more by The Spirit is a process.

God repairs our relationship with him through Christ and thereby sustains us in our suffering. If we suffer well, it allows God to produce hope in us.

Adam's act of disobedience introduced sin into the world and allowed death to reign freely. Jesus' act of obedience provides the grace that not only puts us "in the right" with God but also dethrones death and restores us to our original role as agents of the creator. Jesus is our ancestor (not Adam). We have been given a new family tree, and a royal one at that. With it comes power over sin, no fear of death, and a mandate to be God's agents in this world. If we are truly kings in this world, how does that affect how we act?