Table Talk: ENCOUNTER. EMBODY. EXTEND. Vision Series
Encounter, Embody, Extend: Vision Series
Fellowship's vision is to cultivate communities that encounter the power of Jesus, embody the person of Jesus, and extend the presence of Jesus to our neighborhoods, our city, and beyond. We believe these three core elements are the essence of a flourishing life with God. To encounter Jesus is to experience his transforming power in every area of our lives — in our work, our relationships, and our rest. As we cultivate a life of being with Jesus, we are shaped by him, learning to embody his character of humility, love, and compassion on a journey of becoming more of who he created us to be. From this place of being and becoming, we are empowered to extend his presence to others, sharing the good news and doing what he did so that all may know his life-giving love.
Spiritual Practice: Unity
Jesus’ longest recorded prayer is all about the unity he desires for his church: unity with God and unity with one another (John 17). “Oneness with one another is a lot different than simply knowing one another. Oneness is a participation in the core of another’s being” (Calhoun 178). In the midst of a world where political, social, economic, and other divisions abound, the unity of the church can shine ever more brightly. Throughout this series, we encourage you to press into the oneness Christ desires for his church. Here are some practical ways to do that:
As much as it depends on you, make peace with a fellow believer you are separated from, reflecting Jesus’ prayer from John 17.
Study the “one anothers” in the Bible. Choose a “one another” to focus on during this month. (These statements can quickly be found with an internet search for “One anothers in the Bible.” Examples include “Love one another,” “Encourage one another,” etc.)
Do you have preferences that keep you from fully engaging with your fellow believers in worship, teaching, prayer, etc.? Ask God to help you see Him in expressions of Christian faith that vary from your preferences. Ask the Holy Spirit to change your heart, increasing the unity of his church.
*Adapted from Adele Calhoun’s The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook.
Prayer
You can pray this prayer daily during the sermon series, or use it as a closing for table conversations each week.
Jesus, our Savior and King,
We thank You for the invitation to live a life deeply connected to You — to encounter Your power, embody Your character, and extend Your presence. We long to be a community where Your transforming love is not only experienced, but shared.
Holy Spirit, we invite you into every corner of our hearts and lives. Help us to remember that it is in seeking you and sitting in your presence that we are changed. You are forming us into people of holiness and love, helping us to reflect our Creator more and more in each season. As we grow in our love for you, may we also grow in our love for one another and for the broken world around us. We willingly offer our partnership in the renewing of your world and people. May your kingdom come and your will be done here in Memphis as it is in heaven.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SERMON SUMMARY The good news of the kingdom of God is that he, the rightful King, has come to reclaim and restore his good creation, which was lost to sin. This was God's plan from the very beginning—from the beautiful garden of Genesis 1-2 to the perfect re-creation of a new heaven and a new earth in Revelation 22—and it is made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Passage: Matthew 4:12-17
Conversation Starters
KIDS
Have you ever thought about heaven? What do you think heaven is like? Jesus came to fix what is broken in the world. That work has already been started by his death on the cross, his resurrection from the dead, and his sending of the Holy Spirit to live in us. The Bible tells us that in God’s perfect kingdom, there will be no more tears or sickness or sin or death. What is one thing you are excited for Jesus to fix in our world?
STUDENTS
When you hear Jesus say, “The kingdom of God has come near,” what does that mean to you? How is God’s kingdom different from the world around us? How can you live as a citizen of God’s kingdom in your school, home, and/or friendships? How can students your age better understand who God is and what his good news about Jesus is about?
ADULTS
How do you see the theme of restoration—from Genesis to Revelation—shaping your understanding of the gospel? How does it shape your understanding of what God is doing in his world? How has your personal life experienced God’s reclaiming and restoring work? Jesus began His ministry by calling for repentance. In what ways does repentance prepare us for God’s kingdom? When you look at the world, what are some things you are excited for God to redeem and restore? How are you being equipped and called to join in God’s work in this season?
