Series: Shaping Church Culture
Theme: Being a welcoming community
Sermon date: September 15th
 

 Note for leaders: The focus of this sermon series is the themes, we would like you to develop the theme as a group. We believe it is important to share about this and to work on this together.

Icebreaker

Spend some quiet time individually considering what it feels like to be welcomed wholeheartedly.
Close your eyes and be still for a few minutes and think of a time when someone or a group made you feel especially welcomed and loved. What were the important factors in making you feel that way? Describe how you felt and list the 3 most important factors in making it a warm and effective welcome. Share your thoughts in the group.

Study

Please read Matthew 5: 43-48 and Hebrews 13: 1-3.

Qn 1: Who are we specifically called to love and welcome in these two passages? Are there any limits to the people we are called by scripture to welcome, accept and help if in difficulty?
It is noteworthy that Jesus welcomed and engaged with all kinds of people in His ministry: tax collectors, the poor, the downtrodden, those outside His cultural “club”, the rich and powerful, important temple officials. Briefly look at the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10: 25-37 and consider Qn 2 in the light of this.

Qn 2: How does Jesus respond to the “expert in the law” in the parable of the Good Samaritan when he tries to establish restrictions and boundaries on who is neighbour is?

Turn to Matthew 5: 43-48
Ask someone to re-read the passage slowly.
 
In verse 48 we are told that we should be “perfect”. The truth is we are not perfect but by God’s grace we are made so in His eyes. What we are called to do is to seek God’s will, obey scripture and do our best, in His strength. There will be times when we will have to repent of our shortcomings, but that is the reality of our lives. We should not let our (realistic!) assessment that we are not perfect from stepping out of our comfort zone and responding to Jesus’ command.

Qn 3: Jesus commands us to love our enemies as well as our “brothers & Sisters’’ and He goes further to say that we are to love those that do evil as well as the righteous. How can we overcome the obvious obstacles to obeying this command and be welcoming to all?

Qn 4: What issues may we encounter if we live according to this command? It may help to think of the challenges Jesus faced in mixing with tax collectors and those considered unacceptable by His (Jewish) community. Make it real by identifying the issues for us in our society in which we live today.

Turn to Hebrews 13: 1-3

Ask someone to re-read the passage slowly.
 
Qn 5: Does this passage shed any new light on how we express our ministry of welcome? Who specifically does the passage tell us to treat well? Why do you think these examples are selected?
 
In identifying prisoners and the mistreated, we are being asked to come alongside the unpopular in society and people who may not be like us. It can often by difficult to stand up and defend someone who is being bullied, particularly if we feel accepted by the “in group” if we join in or remain silent in the face of the mistreatment. Prisoners are unpopular as the “lock em up and throw away the key” mentality demonstrates.
 
Qn 6: We are told to “remember those in prison, as if you were their fellow prisoners”. What does this mean for us in terms of the way we engage with prisoners (and other people society find difficult to accept) and how deeply?
 
Qn 7: People are often different when we get to know them and get behind the label they wear. Do you think you have ever entertained an angel?

Practical Application

Qn 8: Thinking back to the icebreaker and our discussion about being made to feel welcome, what practical steps could we undertake to welcome someone who is outside our normal circle of contacts/friends at Church. What practical steps might we take to engage with them?
 You may want to talk about the diversity in the church community – adults/children, male/female, physically and learning disabled and their carers, people of different nationality/race/colour – maybe your group can think of more.
 
Qn 9: Consider how that welcome might be extended beyond the confines of church services. Would they enjoy being invited for a meal or taken for a beer/coffee and a chat? What could you do to make a difference in someone’s life (and maybe your own, as a result!)
Encourage folk to identify one thing they will commit to and offer support as a group.
 
Q10. Thinking of the wider community in which you live, who might appreciate your time or a warm welcome? Maybe a neighbour who is bereaved or a family who have recently moved in
If it seems appropriate, discuss how being engaged and welcoming shines the light of Christ in our church and wider community and allows opportunity for telling people about Jesus.

PRAYER (These are just some prompts and ideas):

• Give thanks for the welcome and kindness shown by many in our church community.
• Pray for the Church. Give thanks for the diversity in our church community and pray for God’s guidance in how we can be welcoming to all.
• Pray for one another as we seek to engage with and love those in our local community, that we would be granted the gifts of courage and wisdom and discernment.