Omc: Family Chapel

As God has called Family Chapel to Los Angeles, we are not to merely be a church in the city, but we are to be a church for the city. If we are to faithfully and fruitfully minister to Los Angeles, then we need to rightly worship God, build up a compelling community, love our neighbors through ministries of evangelism and mercy, disciple Christians to live out their faith in their everyday lives, and seek a gospel movement in our city. May Family Chapel carry these things out by God's grace for God's glory!

While the gospel is universally applicable in all contexts, if we want to faithfully and effectively communicate the gospel to Los Angeles, we need to contextualize the gospel for Los Angeles. Following the Apostle Paul's example in Athens, contextualizing the gospel requires correctly understanding your city's story, constructively challenging your city's story, and lovingly re-telling your city's story. Los Angeles tells a story of reinventing one's image. The gospel tells a better story of Jesus remaking people in His image.

In a sense, the story of Scripture can be told through the story of cities. The Bible teaches that cities are a part of God’s original design for human flourishing (Eden), that cities can amplify sinful pride and idolatry (Babel), that God's people should actively seek the comprehensive renewal of the city (Babylon), that cities can be missional hubs in reaching the nations (Antioch), and that our true home is found in the heavenly city that comes to earth (New Jerusalem). Understanding these things should shape how we live, work, play, and relate to our own city here in Los Angeles.

In contrast to the other gospels, John presents an epilogue with a personal, intimate look into the gracious recommissioning of Peter and the disciples. This presents a unique facet of the commission that Christ gives to his followers as he restores and calls us to faithfully serve his Kingdom by continually beholding and abiding in him and tending and caring for one another.

In the aftermath of Jesus' crucifixion, the disciples are filled with doubt. But rather than being a hindrance to faith, when rightly approached, doubt can be an avenue for even greater faith. Jesus draws near to us in our doubts and invites us to trust him. And as those who believe, we should invite others to believe that Jesus is the risen Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing they will find true life in his name.

The hour has come as Jesus goes to the cross. The cross reveals that Jesus is the true King, Prophet, and Priest. Jesus is the true King who flexes his authority over everything. Jesus is the true Prophet who fulfills all the promises of Scripture. Jesus is the true Priest who reconciles his people with God and with one another. As such, we should submit to Jesus as the true King, believe in Jesus as the true Prophet, and rest in Jesus as the true Priest.

After Jesus prays for his disciples, the narrative moves forward to his betrayal and arrest where we see our humble king. He is a king in full majesty and power whose Kingdom is not of this world. So as he stands before all the authorities, Pilate, the high priest, and those who would arrest him, he is in complete control. And at the same time, he is the humble king, who was obedient even unto death so that we may have life. Therefore, we ought to trust and obey our humble king.

In his final moments with his disciples before going to the cross, Jesus prays. Our prayers reveal our priorities. What does Jesus pray for? Jesus prays that the Father would be glorified, that his disciples would be sanctified, and that the church would be unified. May Jesus' priorities shape our prayers!

As Jesus spends his final moments with his disciples, he gives them the sobering warning that they will be hated by the world. But despite the persecution they will face, they can take heart because Jesus will be sending them the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will be their "Helper" as He convicts the world towards repentance, guides disciples into a deeper understanding of the Gospel, and transforms sorrow into indestructible joy. As such, disciples of Christ should respond to the hatred of the world, not by avoiding or attacking or accommodating to the world, but by being witnesses to the world as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

As the Vine, Jesus is vitally united to His people so that they get to enjoy His life in their lives. As branches, our role is to abide in Jesus. We can abide in Jesus as we regularly commune with Him through the Word and prayer, as we engage in loving and joyful obedience, and as we love others with Christ's love.

Jesus is the Way. As the Way, Jesus provides exclusive access to our true home with the Father. He opens up the avenue for sinful people to dwell with the holy God through his work on the cross. Since Jesus is the Way, we should know the Way, trust the Way, and walk the Way.

As his hour is now at hand, Jesus takes the posture of a servant and lovingly washes the feet of his disciples. In doing so, Christ gives us a powerful example of love for one another, the power to love one another, and the transforming testimony of love as a witness to the rest of the world.

As He concludes His public ministry, Jesus declares that the time has come for Him to be glorified. Some see Jesus as a threat to their personal glory. Others project their own expectations of glory onto Jesus. However, the way in which Jesus is glorified subverts all expectations. Jesus is glorified through His sacrificial death on the cross which secures the path for salvation. We share in the glory of Christ by rightly recognizing His glory in faith and walking as His disciples.

Jesus declares himself to be the resurrection and the life. Jesus weeps with those who weep in the passing of his beloved friend Lazarus. He sees and knows our grief and sorrows. He then raises Lazarus from the dead to display his full power and sovereignty even over death itself. Therefore, we can have complete comfort and trust in Him.

Jesus is our true shepherd. Jesus shepherds his sheep by providing protection through the dangers of life, by providing entrance into a flourishing life, and by laying down his own life for his sheep.

Jesus is the great "I Am". As such, he is fully God. In Jesus, the eternal God has stepped into humanity to secure true freedom from sin for His people. Whom Jesus has set free is free indeed!

As the light of the world, Jesus grants us true sight. Jesus reveals the Father, so that we can rightly understand who God is. Jesus exposes our sin, and thus lovingly invites us to confess and to repent of our sins. Jesus leads us out of darkness, so that we have the hope that one day all will be bright and darkness will be no more. When we encounter the light of the world, we will say: "I once was blind, but now I see."

As Jesus continues his public ministry, the crowds are confused as to who Jesus is. This confusion stems from an underlying sense of disappointment, fear, hatred, and pride. In the face of such confusion, Jesus extends a clear invitation to believe in Him as the promised Messiah who has come to secure true life by pouring out the Spirit through laying down His own life.

We are continuing our study back in the gospel of John with John 6:1-71. John describes the miraculous signs of Jesus feeding the 5000 and him walking on water. In the past, God through Moses (the first redeemer) controlled the waters by dividing the seas and feeding the Israelites with miraculous provisions of bread. But the one who is greater than Moses has come. Jesus is the bread of life, the true bread from heaven given by the Father. Those who may find eternal life and ultimate satisfaction must fully partake and believe in the Son, the true bread from heaven.

Mary Magdalene is an important witness to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through her eyes, we see that Jesus is the great Savior who delivers His people out of darkness, Jesus is the great Teacher who invites His people into discipleship, and Jesus is the great King who commissions His people to tell the world about His victory.