Do We See What Could Be? - Challenging the Status Quo

In this Sunday's sermon, Martin O'Brien continued exploring the theme of Disruptive Compassion & Social Justice, drawing inspiration from last week's message, he emphasised the importance of challenging established norms and refusing to settle for the status quo, just as Jesus did during His earthly ministry.

Martin delved into the biblical narrative of the fall of Jericho, where the gates were tightly shut due to fear. Using Joshua 6:1-2 (NLT), he asked how often do we, out of fear, close the gates of God's power and providence, preferring the safety of the familiar over trusting God in challenging situations?

“Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in.  But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.” Joshua 6:1-2 NLT

We were encouraged to take time to reflect on our lives and ask the following questions:

1. What is the status quo in your life?

2. Do we see the hungry, broken, and lonely and imagine what could or should be?

3. How has the compassion of Jesus disrupted you, or how might it disrupt you in the future?

The core message revolved around the need to believe that Jesus not only can but will disrupt the status quo. It's a call to action, encouraging believers to resist settling for the status quo, and instead, cultivate a compassionate heart like Jesus. The challenge is to see the needs in our communities and respond with the same disruptive compassion that characterised Jesus' ministry.

Martin emphasised the necessity of being filled with compassion to bring about change and freedom, stressing that all things are possible with Christ. The congregation was encouraged to break free from the shackles of complacency, to disrupt the status quo, and to actively engage with the needs of the community, embodying the transformative power of Jesus' compassion in their lives and the lives of others.