Ste Casey gave a message challenging us to be vulnerable with our households for the glory of God. He told the story of a lady who showed up at his family’s home in need of protection. She had been in an abusive relationship and could not break free. Ste explained the risk his family (including his daughters) took by housing and protecting this woman. They drove this lady around keeping her location undisclosed and ministered to her to help her break free of her destructive relationship. In the end, through the Casey family’s love, this lady became a Christian and later married a respectful man.
Ste explained that he often wanted his home to be a castle but God challenged him to let down his drawbridge. How do we as a church welcome people in crisis with the love of Jesus? How do we as a household do that?
As Christians we have been born into a second overarching household, the household of God. We get drawn into God’s household by grace and that changes everything. “Grace is undeserving people receiving from an unobligated giver an unbelievable welcome and gift.” God himself lowered the draw bridge. He knows we come with baggage. As Christians, we recognize how much we need grace.
What does grace do to the way we view our families? Both our church and our separate households will be places for people to find a home and family. “Let your home be a door opened and not a drawbridge closed.”
Ste reminded us that grace is spelled R-I-S-K. What is the hard thing about trying to draw people into your homes? You have to become vulnerable. You make yourselves vulnerable with your reputations and your possessions.
Obviously, we need wisdom in how we put our families on the line. Yet, “Grace motivated faith filled actions can still be realistic.”
We want to be motivated by an understanding of the grace of God and how he brought us into His household. The Son of man can not be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). “We are drawn into the household of God, because long before we ever served him, He first served us.”
Ste challenged us to live counter-culturally. Our culture gives us a green light to live selfishly. When we let our homes be centered on our kids, we may be encouraging an entitlement mentality in our family. Are you willing to be risk your money for others?
When should we start serving others? Ste explained that God wants to do a work in those of us who serve as much as He wants to do a work in those we are serving. We don’t need to have our homes perfect before we draw others near. It can be a comfort to our guests to know that we are not perfect. We are those who are drawn into His household by grace and drawn into His household to serve.
Will you take a moment to pray and ask the Lord how you can help move out to people in crisis?
<< View the other CCEF17 main session summaries here. >>
