This brief series offered a lot to think on. What if we were the local church that Littleton needs in 2021? What if we found new ways to live in the way of Jesus and the heart of Jesus? What if we were people who were relationally connected, deeply formed, and outward focused?

As Christians we so often turn sermon applications into “to do’s” and “have to’s.” What you may have heard over the last five weeks- get connected, pray, serve, get involved in the community, go deeper with Jesus- might feel like a lot right now. You’re a busy person, with so much in your life already, how are you going to add in all of this?

Please know that this series was not intended as a command or series of guilt-trips. “What If We” is an invitation to see new opportunities for our church community and for ourselves as individuals. It’s an opportunity to examine what God is doing in your life and where he might be inviting you or prompting you to take a next step. Maybe you’re already committed to a Bible Study and are relationally connected at South- but he’s nudging you to see where you might take the next step in your formation.

So as we close this series and look forward to the fall, don’t reject what you’ve heard because it seems overwhelming, or like too much pressure, or you’re too busy. Take time to genuinely examine your life and ask God how he might be inviting you to apply what you’ve learned. Maybe it means saying no to something so you can join a Rooted Group or begin serving in the Food Bank. Maybe it means inviting a neighbor over for dinner this week. Maybe it just means picking up your Bible again. Whatever it is, find out what your next step is and commit to doing it for this fall season.

By Jessica Rust

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. John 14:16-21

There is so much to digest in this short passage of John 14:16-21. Try reading it again through the practice of Lectio Divina. First, ask God to speak to you as you read this passage. Read the passage slowly, out loud if possible. What word or phrase stands out to you? Read John 14:16-21 again. Reflect on the part of the passage that stood out to you the first time. What might God be saying to you? Read the passage a third time. Respond to what God is showing you through prayer. Read the passage a final time. Be still and contemplate what God might be inviting you to do as a result of what he showed you in this passage.

By Jessica Rust

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:9-16

We all long to be connected to community, but community doesn’t come cheap. As we’ve reviewed this week, community requires something from us. It may cause discomfort, disappointment, sacrifice of time, and it requires commitment.

For the next few Sundays (August 22, 29, and September 12) you can attend GroupLink in the lobby at South or check out fall groups online. Find a group to try and commit to being in community with others from South, even if it’s just for this fall.

By Jessica Rust

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction,faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:9-16

Love must be sincere.

Be devoted to one another in love.

Be joyful in hope.

Practice hospitality.

Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who mourn.

Live in harmony with one another.

Looking at Paul’s list of exhortations can be both inspirational and overwhelming, can’t it? Of course we want to fulfill all these things and live the kind of soul-filling lives described by these verses. We want to live in harmony with one another and be good members of the community, building up those who build us up in return. But at the same time, it takes work and we are a tired, busy people who often fail to live up to what we truly intend to do and hope to be. How can we be the people described in these verses?

The starting point to living as the people described in Romans 12:9-16 actually comes earlier in Romans: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2).

Our ability to love God and love our neighbors is rooted in the fact that God loved us first. He has shown us his great love and mercy- a greater love and mercy than we could ever truly and fully comprehend- through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And if we are followers of Jesus we are being transformed through his Spirit to reflect his way and his heart. As we contemplate how to live well in community we need to remind ourselves that living well in community, being the kind of people who embody Paul’s list, begins with being rooted in Christ’s love that then empowers us to love others well.

What reminds you that you are deeply loved by Jesus? Is it meditating on a psalm? Listening to a hymn? Taking a walk and praying? Whatever it is, take time today to remind yourself of God’s love.

By Jessica Rust

A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Luke 10:31-32

The priest and the Levite probably wouldn’t describe themselves as compassionless. They’re good people, holy people. Their jobs are important and require them to be pure before the Lord. In crossing over the road and walking by the injured man they were just making sure they could do their job. They were being safe. Smart, even. And yet they aren’t the ones Jesus commends in this story. In their preoccupation with cleanliness they miss an opportunity to love their neighbor and practice the heart of what God requires of them.

We probably wouldn’t describe ourselves as compassionless. We’re good people. Followers of Jesus. And yet, how many times in each of our lives have we missed out on an opportunity to love our neighbor because it was too messy, we didn’t want to “get it wrong” or the neighbor in question wasn’t as clean-cut as we might like?

None of us can claim to perfectly love our neighbor all of the time. We’re broken people, of course we fall short. But your latest opportunity will not be your last opportunity. Ask God to open your eyes to the next opportunity to love your neighbor that he is giving you and ask him for the courage to take this opportunity to reflect his love.

By Jessica Rust

 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

The Pharisees wanted to do things right. Which meant, to make sure they got everything right, they made things complicated. If they created all these extra rules that they had to follow they would be sure to follow the Law and maintain the commandments God required of them. We do the same thing, don’t we? If we are sure to do all the good Christian things we are supposed to do, we are bound to live in obedience to God! In this passage, Jesus tells us that following his way and living with his heart is much more simple: it means to love God and love others.

Read the passage again:

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus is quoting two passages, Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 that his audience would have been deeply familiar with, yet in all of their debates and worrying about getting it right, they had overlooked the core of what God was asking them to do. As followers of Jesus, we, too, are deeply familiar with these passages. I’m sure if most of us were asked to recite the two greatest commandments we could rattle them off immediately. But how often do we remember that they are the heart of what is asked of us as followers of Jesus? How often do we remember that this is what Jesus himself lived out?

Make these commandments your prayer today. Ask God to show you opportunities to love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength today, and to love your neighbor. At the end of the day, review the ways you saw God work and thank him for all he did!

By Jessica Rust

One of my rhythms of the year is to set up my new planner. My planner happens to move with the school year instead of the calendar year and so starts with every August. It’s a delight to me to think about the start of new possibilities and habits as summer starts to wind to an end and a new season begins. What do I want this fall to look like? How about the rest of the year? Is there anything I want to add, change, or take away to order my days since this is a natural time to start?

South Fellowship is in a similar season. The summer is ending (though not ended yet). People are getting in one last vacation. Kids are buying their school supplies. The church looks forward to bible studies and life groups starting up again. We have an opportunity with a new season, as people gather back together, to try new things and introduce new habits as a community.

What if we asked God what he wants to do in our community in this new season? And what if we asked him how he wants us, as the community of South, and as individuals, to be part of it? Over the course of this month, we will explore what those new opportunities might be and what it could look like if we were to say yes to those opportunities. We invite you to listen, read, and pray with an open mind, listening ears, and a sense of excitement for what might be next.

By Jessica Rust