This last weekend our church began our Fall series entitled Love the City. Each year we remind ourselves why we live where we live. We embrace the kingdom reality that there are no accidental friendships or coincidental encounters. In weaker moments we may think we chose our neighborhood because of the great school zone. We might even believe we interviewed well and won the position at our workplace. But there is very little self-determinism in a world ruled by King Jesus.

Acts 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, ²⁵ nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. ²⁶ And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, ²⁷ that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,²⁸ for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

It turns out God is in charge—and he knows it.

He is not a cosmic puppeteer, but he is moving pieces and creating opportunities so that we might see his strong and merciful hand in every sacred second of our day. He does these things so that all people might find their hope and joy in Him. He places us at the factory or in the classroom or the dorm because he has plans for the people right next to us.

We love all people because all people are made in the image of God. Not perfect people, but perfectly valuable in the sight of God.

— Jon Quitt (@JonQuitt) August 29, 2017

We don’t love the city for the sole purpose of filling up churches. In fact, we don’t love the city so the city will love us back. We love the city because God loves the city and loves each person who bears his image. This season we seek to be the most generous, grace-giving people this city has ever seen. We hope and pray and work toward the goal of all people knowing they are loved by the Creator of the universe.

If you haven’t yet listened to the first message in the Love the City sermon series, take a listen here. I hope it inspires you to put on display the radical grace of Jesus—the same grace that has been poured out for us.