1  The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place, and he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2  who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3  Blessed is the one who reads the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. Revelation 1:1-13 (NRSVUE) The opening verses of Revelation contain a promise that many of us overlook: "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it" (verse 3). This promise seems almost ironic given how complicated we've made this book. F.F. Bruce, one of the most respected biblical scholars of the 20th century, reminds us that Revelation was written to be understood by ordinary believers facing extraordinary circumstances. The symbols and imagery weren't meant to confuse first-century Christians—they were meant to encourage them. Think about it this way: when you see a stop sign, you don't need a seminary degree to understand what it means. The octagonal red sign with white letters communicates one simple message: stop. Similarly, John's symbols were meant to be clear road signs for his first readers, pointing them toward hope in the midst of persecution. The tragedy is that we've turned Revelation into a spiritual puzzle that requires special decoder rings and elaborate charts. But what if the "blessing" promised in verse 3 comes not from solving complex riddles, but from hearing the simple message that Jesus has for people who are struggling? Today, as you approach God's word, ask for the same Spirit that inspired John to help you see past the complexity to the heart of the message. Remember, this book was written for encouragement, not confusion. Prayer:  Lord, help me to hear your voice clearly through the noise of my own preconceptions. Give me ears to hear the message you want me to receive today.

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. John 15:1-8 (NRSVUE) Jesus uses the image of a vine and branches to describe how spiritual fruit develops. Individual branches don't produce fruit through their own effort—they produce fruit by staying connected to the vine. When the life of the vine flows through the branches, fruit develops naturally. This helps us understand what a healthy church looks like. It's not a collection of people trying really hard to be good on their own. It's a community of people who are connected to Jesus and helping each other stay connected to him. When this happens, the fruit of the Spirit develops naturally throughout the entire community. In a healthy church, you see love in action as people care for each other's needs and welcome newcomers. You witness joy as people celebrate each other's successes and find reasons to be grateful even in difficult times. You experience peace as conflicts are resolved with grace and people create environments where others feel safe and accepted. You observe patience as people give each other room to grow and make mistakes. You see kindness in countless small acts of service and consideration. You notice goodness as people choose to do what's right even when it's costly. You witness faithfulness as people keep their commitments and show up for each other consistently. You experience gentleness as people speak truth with love and handle each other's struggles with care. You see self-control as people choose what's best for the community over what's most convenient for themselves. This kind of community doesn't happen by accident. It develops when people are intentionally connected to Jesus and committed to helping each other grow. It requires ongoing investment in prayer, worship, Bible study, and genuine relationships. It means celebrating each other's spiritual growth and supporting each other through difficult seasons. When a church community demonstrates these characteristics, it becomes attractive to people who are searching for authentic love, genuine community, and real hope. They don't come because of impressive programs or perfect people—they come because they experience something of God's love through the way the community treats each other and cares for outsiders. This is what spiritual health looks like on a community level: not a perfect church filled with perfect people, but a community of imperfect people who are being transformed by their connection to Jesus and their commitment to each other. It's a place where the fruit of the Spirit is evident in relationships, decisions, priorities, and responses to both joyful and challenging circumstances. The goal isn't to become a church that impresses people with our performance. The goal is to become a community that reflects God's character so clearly that people get glimpses of what his kingdom looks like. Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being the vine that gives us life. Help our church community stay connected to you so that your life flows through all of us. Make us a place where love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are evident in how we treat each other and serve our community. Use our imperfect but genuine community to show others what your kingdom looks like. Help us bear fruit that brings glory to you and hope to our world. Amen.

Many church tend to measure success by attendance, budgets, and buildings. But do those numbers really tell us how well a church is following Jesus? What if instead of asking "Is our church successful?" we started asking "Is our church healthy?" Jesus gives us a completely different way to measure what truly counts.

The church does so many different things that it can feel overwhelming to define what we're actually supposed to be doing. But what if Jesus boiled down all our responsibilities as his followers into just two simple commands that cover every situation we'll ever face? In this sermon, we'll rethink what the work of the church really is.

A lot of people seem to think the "real" ministry of the church is done by pastors and church staff while everyone else just fills the pews. But what if that's backwards? What if every single Christian, including you, is actually called to do the work of the church, not just watch it happen? In this sermon, we'll rethink who does the work of the church.

From worship services to programs to special events, we spend a lot of time focusing on what happens inside our church buildings. But what if God cares more about how we live outside these walls than what we do inside them? In this sermon, we'll rethink the purpose of the church.

7 Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. 8 They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NRSVUE) Real fruit trees go through seasons. In spring, they bloom with beautiful flowers. In summer, they're full of green leaves. In fall, they produce fruit. In winter, they look bare and lifeless. But a healthy tree survives all these seasons and continues to produce fruit year after year. The same is true for spiritual health. A healthy Christian—and a healthy church—doesn't maintain the same level of visible activity and apparent success all the time. There are seasons of growth and seasons that feel more like winter. There are times of abundant fruit and times when growth seems dormant. What matters isn't whether we're always in a season of obvious flourishing. What matters is whether we have deep roots that keep us connected to our source of life, even when circumstances are difficult. Jeremiah describes someone whose confidence is in the Lord as being like a tree planted by a stream. The tree doesn't depend on perfect weather conditions because it has a constant source of water. When drought comes—and it will come—the tree doesn't panic because its roots reach down to a reliable water source. This is what spiritual health looks like during difficult seasons. It's not about maintaining perfect joy or unwavering faith when everything goes wrong. It's about having deep enough roots in God's love and truth that we can survive the storms, the droughts, and the cold seasons that are part of every life. A healthy church supports people through all seasons of life and faith. It doesn't expect everyone to be in the same place spiritually or emotionally all the time. It recognizes that some people are in spring seasons of new growth, others are in summer seasons of flourishing, some are in fall seasons of harvest, and still others are in winter seasons that feel barren but are actually necessary for future growth. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—might look different in different seasons, but healthy trees find ways to demonstrate these characteristics even in difficult times. Someone going through a season of grief might not radiate obvious joy, but they can still show remarkable faithfulness. Someone facing financial stress might not feel peaceful about their circumstances, but they can still demonstrate kindness to others. The key is staying rooted in God through prayer, community, Scripture, and service, regardless of what season we're experiencing. When our roots go deep, we can weather any storm and continue to bear fruit that nourishes others, even when we don't feel particularly fruitful ourselves. Prayer: Lord, help us develop deep roots in you that sustain us through every season of life. When we're in seasons of obvious growth and blessing, help us be grateful and generous. When we're in seasons that feel barren or difficult, help us trust that you're still at work in us. Keep us connected to you as our source of life so that we can continue to bear fruit that serves others, regardless of our circumstances. Amen.

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (NRSVUE) When Samuel was looking for Israel's next king, he was impressed by the tall, handsome candidates. But God reminded him that divine evaluation works differently from human assessment. God looks at the heart, not the external appearance. The same principle applies when we're measuring spiritual health—God cares more about our character than our performance. We live in a culture obsessed with metrics, numbers, and measurable outcomes. We track everything from social media followers to quarterly profits to fitness goals. This mindset often carries over into how we think about church and spiritual life. We count attendance, measure budgets, compare programs, and evaluate success based on growth charts and statistics. But God's evaluation system is radically different. He's not impressed by the size of our church buildings or the number of people who attend our services. He's not measuring our success by our social media engagement or our financial statements. God is looking at whether we're becoming more like Jesus. This means that a small church where people are genuinely growing in love and faithfulness might be healthier in God's eyes than a large church where people attend but aren't being transformed. It means that someone who quietly demonstrates patience and kindness in their daily life might be more spiritually mature than someone who can quote a ton of Bible verses but lacks basic compassion. Character development takes time and often happens in ways that aren't immediately visible. Someone might be making significant progress in overcoming a struggle with anger, but the only evidence is that they're slightly more patient than they were last year. Another person might be growing in generosity, but the only sign is that they're more willing to help others, even when it's inconvenient. These kinds of changes don't show up in church reports or make for impressive testimonies, but they're exactly what God is looking for. He's more interested in the person who's slowly learning to forgive than the person who can preach eloquently about forgiveness. He's more concerned with the person who consistently shows up for others than the person who can organize spectacular events. This should encourage us when we feel like our growth is slow or invisible. God sees the small steps, the daily choices, the gradual changes that no one else notices. He values the quiet transformation that happens when we consistently choose love over selfishness, patience over irritation, kindness over indifference. The question isn't whether we're performing at a high level for others to see. The question is whether we're allowing God to transform our hearts and character to be more like Jesus. Prayer: God, thank you for seeing beyond our external performance to our hearts. Help us focus on character development rather than trying to impress others with our spiritual accomplishments. Work in our hearts to produce the kind of genuine transformation that reflects your love. Give us patience with the process of growth, knowing that you see and value every small step we take toward becoming more like Jesus. Amen.

22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Galatians 5:22-23 (NRSVUE) Paul could have written, "the fruits of the Spirit," but he didn't. He wrote "the fruit of the Spirit"—singular. This isn't a list of separate characteristics we pick and choose from, like items on a spiritual menu. It's a description of one fruit, just like we might describe an apple as red, juicy, sweet, and crisp. When God's Spirit is at work in someone's life, you see all of these characteristics developing together. They're not things we manufacture through willpower or achieve through effort—they're things we become when we're connected to Jesus. Notice that Paul isn't giving us a to-do list. He's describing transformation. This isn't about behavior modification; it's about heart change. You can't fake having these characteristics, at least not for long. They either flow naturally from a life surrendered to God, or they don't exist at all. Think about the difference between artificial fruit and real fruit. You can buy plastic apples that look perfect and never rot, but they'll never nourish anyone. Real fruit, on the other hand, grows naturally from a healthy tree. When it's ripe, everyone can see it, taste it, and be nourished by it. That's what Paul is describing here—real spiritual fruit that grows in healthy Christians and healthy churches. It's not about putting on a performance or trying to convince people we're spiritual. It's about the authentic transformation that happens when God's Spirit lives in us. This fruit is also recognizable to others. When someone demonstrates genuine patience in a stressful situation, people notice. When someone responds with kindness to rudeness, it stands out. When someone maintains joy despite difficult circumstances, it catches attention. When someone shows faithfulness in small things, it builds trust. And spiritual fruit benefits everyone around us. Our love makes others feel valued. Our peace helps calm anxious situations. Our patience creates space for people to grow. Our kindness brightens difficult days. Our faithfulness provides stability in uncertain times. But this fruit doesn't develop overnight. Just like natural fruit takes time to grow and ripen, spiritual fruit develops gradually as we stay connected to Jesus through prayer, Bible study, worship, community, and service. The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we begin to reflect his character. This is what healthy spirituality looks like—not perfect behavior, but the gradual transformation that produces the kind of character that can only come from God. When people see this fruit in our lives, they get a glimpse of what God is like. Prayer: Holy Spirit, we want to bear the kind of fruit that only you can produce in us. We confess that we often try to manufacture these characteristics through our own effort, but we know that real transformation can only come from you. Help us stay connected to Jesus so that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control grow naturally in our lives. Make us people who demonstrate your character to everyone we meet. Amen.

16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:16-20 (NRSVUE) The Dallas Cowboys are estimated to be worth over $10 billion, making them the most valuable sports franchise in the world. But would anyone seriously argue that they're more successful than the Kansas City Chiefs, who've made it to five of the last six Super Bowls and won three championships? The Cowboys haven't even been to the Super Bowl in almost thirty years. When it comes to sports, we know how to measure success: championships, wins and losses, performance when it matters most. But somehow, when it comes to measuring church health, we often focus on all the wrong metrics. We measure attendance numbers, budget size, building projects, and social media engagement—things that might look impressive on paper but don't tell us what really matters. Jesus gives us a different way to measure health: look at the fruit. Just like you can't judge a tree by how tall it is or how impressive it looks, you can't judge a church—or a Christian—by external appearances. A healthy tree produces good fruit. An unhealthy tree doesn't. It's that simple. But what does healthy spiritual fruit actually look like? It's not about having perfect people who never struggle or make mistakes. It's about seeing genuine transformation in people's lives. It's about witnessing character development that can only come from God's Spirit working within someone. When we measure health by fruit rather than by performance metrics, everything changes. Instead of asking, "How many people attended our Easter service?" we ask, "Are our people becoming more loving, patient, and kind?" Instead of celebrating budget growth, we celebrate character growth. Instead of focusing on what we're accumulating, we focus on what we're becoming. This doesn't mean that numbers don't matter—they can be useful tools for ministry. But they shouldn't be how we measure our spiritual health. A church could have great attendance, a large budget, and beautiful facilities while producing people who are judgmental, impatient, and self-centered. On the other hand, a small church with modest resources could be producing people who demonstrate genuine love, joy, peace, and all the other characteristics that show God's Spirit is at work. The fruit test applies to our individual lives as well. Instead of measuring our spiritual health by how often we attend church, how much we give, or how many Bible verses we can quote, we should ask: Are people drawn to Christ because of how I live? Do I demonstrate patience in difficult situations? Am I becoming more generous, forgiving, and kind? When people spend time with me, do they experience something of God's love? This is what spiritual health looks like—not perfect performance, but authentic transformation that produces the kind of fruit that can only come from a life connected to Jesus. Prayer: Lord, help us stop measuring our spiritual health by external metrics that don't reflect what's really happening in our hearts. Teach us to focus on the fruit that matters—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and all the character qualities that show your Spirit is at work in us. Help our church produce the kind of fruit that draws people to you and reflects your heart to our community. Make us healthy trees that bear good fruit for your kingdom. Amen.

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. 9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:1-2, 9-10 (NRSVUE) Paul calls our entire lives "priestly service"—a phrase that brings together everything we've been exploring this week. When we understand that the work of the church is to love God and love each other, and when we realize that this work happens not just on Sundays but every day of the week, our whole lives become acts of worship. This is what Paul means when he talks about being "living sacrifices." In the Old Testament, people brought animals to the temple to be sacrificed as offerings to God. But Paul says that now our entire lives—our work, our relationships, our daily choices, our responses to both joyful and difficult circumstances—can become offerings to God. When this happens, there's no longer a separation between "church life" and "regular life." Everything becomes sacred when it's done in love. Your job becomes ministry when you approach it with integrity and serve others through your work. Your family relationships become worship when you choose patience over irritation, forgiveness over grudges, encouragement over criticism. Paul goes on to give practical examples of what this looks like: "Love each other like the members of a family. Be the first to honor others. Don't be lazy in your work—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you're in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. Contribute to the needs of God's people, and welcome strangers into your home." Notice that these aren't extraordinary acts of heroism. They're ordinary choices to love, serve, encourage, and care for others. They're daily decisions to put other people's needs and feelings ahead of our own comfort and convenience. This is the work of the church in its fullest expression. It's not something we do for a few hours on Sunday morning—it's a way of living that encompasses every aspect of our lives. When we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and when we love our neighbors as ourselves, we become living demonstrations of what God's kingdom looks like. When we stop living for ourselves and start living for God and others, we discover the purpose and meaning we were created for. We find that life becomes richer, relationships become deeper, and even ordinary moments become infused with significance. This doesn't mean life becomes easy or that we never face difficulties. But it does mean that our lives have direction, purpose, and meaning. We're not just existing—we're participating in God's work of bringing love, hope, healing, and justice to our world. The work of the church is the work of love, and when we commit our lives to this work, we discover that we were made for exactly this purpose. Prayer: Father, we want our whole lives to be offerings to you. Transform us so completely that loving you and loving others becomes as natural as breathing. Help us see every day, every relationship, every challenge, and every opportunity as a chance to demonstrate your love. Make us living sacrifices who bring glory to your name and hope to our world. Thank you for the privilege of participating in your work of love. Use our ordinary lives to accomplish your extraordinary purposes. Amen.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48 (NRSVUE) Let's be honest: some people are easier to love than others. It's not too difficult to love your closest friends, your supportive family members, or the people who are kind to you. But Jesus doesn't stop there. He calls us to love even the people who mistreat us, who oppose us, who make our lives more difficult. This might be the most challenging aspect of the work of the church. It's one thing to be patient with someone who's having a bad day. It's another thing entirely to show love to someone who's been consistently unkind to you, who's treated you unfairly, or who seems determined to make your life harder. But Jesus doesn't give us this command to make our lives more difficult. He gives it to us because he knows that this kind of love has the power to transform both us and the people around us. When we respond to hatred with love, to cruelty with kindness, to rejection with acceptance, we're demonstrating something supernatural—something that can only come from God. This doesn't mean we become doormats or allow people to take advantage of us. It doesn't mean we ignore injustice or fail to set appropriate boundaries. But it does mean that our response to difficult people is guided by love rather than by retaliation, revenge, or bitterness. Jesus points out that God himself demonstrates this kind of love. The sun rises on both good and evil people. Rain falls on both the righteous and the unrighteous. God's love isn't conditional on people deserving it or earning it. It flows freely to everyone, regardless of how they respond to him. What does this look like practically? It might mean praying for the coworker who takes credit for your ideas instead of talking badly about them behind their back. It might mean responding with patience to the family member who always criticizes you instead of defending yourself or striking back. It might mean offering help to someone who's been unkind to you when they're going through a difficult time. This kind of love is only possible when we remember that we ourselves have been loved by God despite our own failures, mistakes, and shortcomings. When we remember how much grace we've received, it becomes easier to extend grace to others. The work of the church includes loving the unlovable, forgiving the unforgivable, and showing grace to the ungracious. This isn't easy work, but it's transformative work—both for us and for the people we encounter. Prayer: Jesus, this kind of love seems impossible to us. We struggle to love even some of the people who are kind to us, much less those who mistreat us. But we know that you loved us while we were still your enemies, and you call us to that same kind of radical love. Give us the strength, wisdom, and grace to love the difficult people in our lives. Help us see them as you see them, and help us respond to them as you would respond. Transform our hearts so that love becomes our first response, even in challenging situations. Amen.