We looked at the Vision/Core Values of New City: To be an inclusive gospel-centered community of lovers of Jesus Christ who connect people to God, grow together, serve the city, and extend God’s kingdom.
The focus of the sermon was on the meaning of the gospel. The legs of the tripod of the gospel are: incarnation; substitutionary atonement; and restoration. It is important to have a full and balanced understanding of each of these legs of the gospel.
• Incarnation: God became a man. Kingdom of God is established here on earth. This Kingdom is an upside down Kingdom. To serve is to be great. To go down is to go up. Love your enemies. Turn the other cheek. This is an upside-down kingdom.
• Substitutionary Atonement. Jesus suffered and died for our sins and paid the penalty that justice demanded because he loves us. We are more sinful than we dare know and God loves us more than we can ever imagine. So, it is by grace we are saved, not by our works. And this grace has the power to transform our hearts, our identity, and paradigm. This is an inside-out kingdom.
• Restoration: the Fulfillment of the Kingdom of God and restoration of earth, where all things are restored, where evil will be completely defeated, where all nations come together to worship God, where we will experience the fullness of the Kingdom of God. God is calling us to bring that future to the present now. This is the forward-back kingdom.