Point of Grace Online Worship - October 29, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 10.29.23 Sermon Notes – “Servants of Christ – TOGETHER” – 3

How do we do life as “Servants of Christ” ……… TOGETHER?

Romans 12 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.

 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters,

 in view of (through) God’s mercy,

to offer (present) your bodies as a sacrifice,

(that is) living,

holy, (set apart to God, consecrated to Jesus)

pleasing to God—

this is your true and proper (spiritual/reasonable) worship.

Why “God’s mercy”?

“Seculosity”

How career, parenting, technology, food, politics, and romance became our new religion and what to do about it!

by David Zahl 

Romans 3 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness,

Romans 5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, …. 31 If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Christ …… I am ENOUGH!

The “finished and for me” work of Jesus Christ purchased true “enoughness” with my name on it!

It is through this “mercy of God” that we must go in order to present ourselves everyday as “living, holy and pleasing sacrifices” … which is true and proper worship.

Then the rest of Romans 12 makes sense!

How do we present “our everyday all day living” to Jesus as a living, holy, pleasing sacrifice?

We can start by coming to Jesus and telling Him our deep desire!

Jesus, I am here! I am yours!

I come to You now to soak in Your grace and mercy that I so desperately need this day!

Thank you for being my “enough”!

I now present myself and all my living this day to You as an offering – a living sacrifice!

Jesus, I am here! I am yours! You are mine! You lead… I follow!

 Amen

Point of Grace Online Worship - October 22, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 10.22.23 Sermon Notes – “Servants of Christ - TOGETHER!” - 2

How do we do life as “Servants of Christ” ……… TOGETHER?

1 Corinthians 12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Who is in charge of how the servants of Christ are gifted and serve?

Our unity as the Body of Christ does not come from shared “preference” but from shared “Presence”!

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”

Each part cannot discount themselves from functioning in the body … nor can the parts discount each other from functioning in the body.

“You can count of me! Can I count on You?”

 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

What do you love about Jesus’ vision of His church?

What is challenging about Jesus’ vision of His church?

How is this unique community of servants possible?

1 Corinthians 13 And yet I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails.

Servants of Christ are defined by His love and empowered by His presence as they serve Together - putting God’s heart on display to a watching world.

Point of Grace Online Worship - October 15, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 10.15.23 Sermon Notes – “Servant of Christ!” - 1

Servant ……………………….. Slave

What does it mean to Serve in Jesus name, in my life, in His church and in His Kingdom cause?

What does He have the right to ask of us?

Matthew 20 17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. 21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” 22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. 23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”

24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

How is the community of Jesus disciples to be different?

In the Kingdom of men self-promotion, personal preference and comfort are highly valued.

In the Kingdom of God humility, self-denial and sacrifice are highly valued.

If I deny “self”…. Who is going to take care of me? Who is watching out for me?

Galatians 2 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 1 Corinthians 6 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Jesus owns me! Jesus is taking care of me! In Christ, I am freed from the cruel taskmasters of sin, self, the world’s priorities and the evil one. I get to be radically available for Jesus to deploy me as His servant (slave) serving in His name. It’s my identity not just something I do!

Luke 17 7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Point of Grace Online Worship - October 8, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 10.8.23 Sermon Notes – “B.L.E.S.S. – Story!”

B.L.E.S.S – 5 everyday practices to love our neighbors and change the world

B-egin with Prayer

L-isten

E-at

S-erve

S-tory to Share

Why do the B.L.E.S.S strategy? We are in training! We are growing from hoping people trust Jesus to helping people trust Jesus!

It is amazing to see how our stories, humbly told, help others hope in Jesus!

1 Peter 3 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

John 9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him. ”But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” 10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. 11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

The man shares his “What difference has Jesus made?” story in a simple 3part paradigm:

Life Before ..... Encounter Jesus …… Life After

Life Then ........ Encounter Jesus …… Life Now

Life Without .… Encounter Jesus …… Life With

Acts 4 5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

It is amazing to see how our stories, humbly told, help others hope in Jesus!

Our Stories – Our testimony is an unfolding series of stories, the “wow” stories and everyday life stories! It takes daily processing of life to notice and be able to talk about the ways Jesus is working in our lives.

Humbly told – Jesus is the Hero – He rescues us, He doesn’t help us rescue ourselves - Jesus sets us up so He can show up – He creates encounters we follow His lead – Remember the “gentleness and respect”

Help others Hope in Jesus – Jesus is the Hope…. Jesus is the savior – Faith is a process not a quick fix! It is a miracle that any of us have a living relationship with Jesus.

A Simple Tool for Storytelling

Part 1 – My Life before Jesus What was your life like before you met Jesus? Or if you grew up knowing Him what was life like when He was less real for you or your faith was less alive? You story begins with who you were.

Part 2 – How I Encountered Jesus How did you become a Christ-follower? When did He become more “real” to you? Was there a tough time in life? Were you invited? Did someone introduce you to Jesus? Was it a point in time or a process of discovery?

Part 3 – The Difference Jesus Makes What difference has following Jesus made in your life? How does He help you walk through the ups and downs of life? Our stories include hard times and good times, success and failure. Jesus shines through our weakness often more than our strengths. Don’t give easy, cliché’ answers – life is not like that. How does Jesus make a difference when we get it wrong, are confused, doubt, struggle……?

Jesus, Help me now reflect on our story together, past and present. When have I encountered Your realness and received Your comfort? When have I been lifted by hope and peaced by Your presence? How are you leading me by Your Spirit and how am I experiencing Your love? Jesus, If given the opportunity today to share about the hope I have in You, what story would I tell – what words would I use?

Point of Grace Online Worship - October 1, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 10.1.23 Sermon Notes – “Blessed to be a B.L.E.S.S.ing”

B.L.E.S.S – 5 everyday practices to love our neighbors and change the world

B-egin with Prayer

L-isten

E-at

S-erve

S-tory to Share

Listen

Being heard is so close to being loved that, for the average person they are indistinguishable -David W. Augsburger

“The first act of love is always the giving of attention” -Dallas Willard

“Listening is much more than allowing another to talk while waiting for a chance to respond. Listening is paying full attention to others and welcoming them into our very beings. The beauty of listening is that, those who are listened to start feeling accepted, start taking their words more seriously and discovering their own true selves. Listening is a form of spiritual hospitality by which you invite strangers to become friends, to get to know their inner selves more fully, and even to dare to be silent with you.” - Henri Nouwen

1 John 5:13-15 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

“When we have received the Spirit of Jesus as the breath of God breathing within us – that Spirit creates in us a sacred space [middle space] where the other can be received and listened to. The Spirit of Jesus prays in us and listens in us to all who come to us with their sufferings and pains. When we dare to fully trust in the power of God’s Spirit listening in us, we will see true healing occur." - Henri Nouwen

This means that if we have a new life birth in us by the Spirit of Jesus, we can love people selflessly in ways like:

• Listening willingly before being listened to

• Seeking to understand before seeking to be understood

• Being interested before trying to be interesting  

We can be a people who listen, because we are people who have been listened to. Talk is cheap and plentiful, Listening is expensive and rare. How would the world change if we became known as people who listened? - Andrew Cordy

Eat

Jesus’ practice of “radical hospitality” at the table addressed a deep and abiding human need common to us all – the need to BELONG!

Luke 5 27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

Luke 14 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.

Jesus’ radically showed that human beings (all of them) “belong” with God!

The absence of this relationship leaves us wanting… always longing to belong!

Serve

John 13:12-17 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Meeting tangible needs of people in Jesus name is an act of grace – unmerited favor that speaks volumes to a skeptical world.

Listening, Eating and Serving the Jesus way display the radical hospitality which was a core value and practice of His and the community of followers He formed.

Why should we dive headlong into these ancient practices of love and radically commit to this kind of lifestyle?

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever

Point of Grace Online Worship - September 24, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 9.24.23 Sermon Notes – “Blessed to be a B.L.E.S.S.ing”

B.L.E.S.S.-

• is a freeing paradigm for sharing Jesus with people I know who need to know Him!

• is both an idea to own and an acronym to live.

• is a doable tool as Jesus trains us to live out our identity as His witnesses in our world!

B-egin with Prayer

Prayer helps us play our vital role in God’s work of bringing people into a trusting relationship with Jesus. We get to listen for “orders and intel” and to intercede on their behalf.

Ezekiel 37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. 11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, …14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

Ezekiel is called to participate in God’s work of salvation by proclaiming His promises and praying for God’s Spirit to come and bring new life.

Luke 11 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

How is Jesus training us?

Jesus is training us to “persevere in prayer” as “friends in the middle” who ask and keep on asking Him to come and fulfil His promises in our day, in our lives and in the lives of those for which we pray.

3x5 Praying is a tool which trains us to B.L.E.S.S. by Beginning with prayer!

Point of Grace Online Worship - September 17, 2023

Point of Grace Worship         LOVING THE CROSS 9.15.23

LOVING THE CROSS

 THE CROSS GIVES ME GOD THEN GOD GIVES ME A CROSS. 

Matthew 16:21-23

21From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 

HIS Rebuke IS His LOVE.

JESUS loves us enough to lovingly rebuke us.

He disciplines those He loves.

He loves us so much that He will not let us follow him VOID of a Cross. 

1 Corinthians 2:1-2

2 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 

Matthew 16:24-28

24Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? 27For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” 

Your Cross is a GIFT and not a PUNISHMENT. 

THE CROSS GIVES ME GOD THEN GOD GIVES ME A CROSS.

Point of Grace Online Worship - September 10, 2023

9.10.23                       TOGETHER WITH GOD          Point of Grace Worship

What is the deepest dream and longing of God?

What is God after and pursuing?

What is His deepest longing and dream?

God’s deepest dream and desire is the DWELL FULLY WITH HIS PEOPLE.

John 1:1-3

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Genesis 1:26

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. 

The natural byproduct of intimacy is likeness. Intimacy births likeness.

 The foundation of our TOGETHER is HIS TOGETHER.

“Sin is a refused relationship with God that spills over into a wrong relationship with others.” - Eugene Peterson

John 1:14-18

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Revelation 21:1-4

1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”