Paul said, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 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 have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing,” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Pastor Steve talked about his longing to see true and deep community within the Church like Acts 2. The believers there were moved to give their possessions out of love. They were devoted, and they wanted to imitate Christ’s love.

This is what we are to be about and, in many ways, this is already what KPC is about. But I also believe we should examine ourselves. There may still be sacred cows in our midst that we should eat for lunch. (Lest you think I’m original or clever, I stole that one from the sermon.) Ask the Lord to free you from bondage to the institution. Ask Him to help you internalize 1 Peter 2:9-10, which says, “but you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” We are chosen so that we can declare His praises. There is nothing more worthwhile. God’s love compels us, and He equips us to take His message outside the walls of the church and into a world that doesn’t need religion; it needs Jesus.