Rise Daily: April 7

Rise Daily: April 7

THIS WEEK’S THEME & PASSAGE

Counter-Culture for the Common Good – Matthew 5:11-16

This week’s sermon from the series “Where We are Going: The City and the Mission“

 

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THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE

Memorizing scripture is a way to keep God’s word close to our hearts. Each week we will select one verse of scripture to remember as a community.

Matthew 5:14

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

 

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THE WORD

Each day’s devotion will focus on one part of the week’s passage.

Matthew 5:14-15

14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

 

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MEDITATION ON THE WORD

In our busyness and distraction, it is easy to skim through our reading rather than taking it in. Yet we believe this is the inspired word of God. Take a moment to pause, thank God for the scriptures and ask him to speak to you through them today.

It’s hard to hide a city. When London was bombed during the Blitzkrieg of World War II, every night the citizens would go to great lengths to extinguish or hide every light in the city. Blackout curtains were installed everywhere, and patrols walked the streets looking for any stray gleam of light that might give the enemy something to focus on.

The church is often called “a city on a hill.” This is a reference to Matthew 5:14, and it assumes that we are living such changed lives as individuals that our community life is both distinct, highly visible, and attractive to the wandering stranger: that within the fellowship of God’s people, repentance and forgiveness is practiced in matters small and large; that generosity is such a way of life that no one lives in need; that servant-leaders use their positions to care deeply for members of the congregation, without a thought of burnishing their egos.

But are we a “city on a hill” or are we more like London during the Blitz–nearly invisible to anyone trying to find us, either out of fear that an enemy might attack or simply because we lack the “wattage” to shine out in the darkness?

We are meant to give light in a dark world. We are meant to show how a redeemed humanity would operate. We are meant to be a beacon of hope, not because we are perfect, but because we are forgiven and know how to forgive. As the old saying has it, “we are not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners.” And hospitals are always brightly lit, clearly marked, and hard to miss. Let us be that way, too.

 

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THIS WEEK’S RISE REFLECTION

Since Redeemer’s earliest days, God has worked through the deep, passionate, urgent prayers offered up by people across the country and around the world on our behalf. Today, we are in need of your prayer support like never before. We cannot accomplish a plan of long-term gospel renewal in our city without thousands of people, inside and outside of Redeemer. We need you. Will you join us to pray for this movement and your role in it? Sign up here to join thousands of our friends for a special day of unified prayer on Saturday, April 16.

 

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TODAY’S PRAYER

For your Heart: Ask the Lord to search your heart and reveal to you any areas of inconsistency, where you are not reflecting the light of his mercy, justice, and grace. Confess and ask God to help you turn from these.

For your Church: Pray for our church to live graciously in community, with each other and for each other. Pray that we may do so in such countercultural ways that attract both believers and seekers to Christ.

For our City: Praise God for all the beautiful ways he spreads his light in our city. Ask him to use his people to shine that light into the dark areas of injustice wherever they exist in our neighborhoods and industries.