Be Bold Locally
Be Bold
February 16, 2020
Rev. Gabe Sylvia
The sermon exhorts Christians, using Jeremiah 29 (build houses, plant gardens, seek the city's welfare), to root themselves in their local community, invest long-term in family and service, and work for the flourishing of their city because the city's welfare is tied to their own and makes the kingdom of Christ evident.
Summary
Using Jeremiah's letter to exiles as a model, the sermon warns against the modern tendency to be transient and to neglect embodied, local commitments. Believers are called to 'build houses, plant gardens, take wives'—in other words, to anchor and invest themselves in their place so they can serve, raise generations, and pray for their city's welfare. Local flourishing is presented as both a spiritual and practical aim: in seeking the good of Wake Forest (or whatever city we inhabit) we find our own welfare and display Christ's kingdom. The piece closes with a challenge: identify where God is asking you to be bold in committing to and serving your local community.
Key Points
- Statistic and alarm: Americans move frequently (11.7 times); transient culture can lead Christians to prioritize souls over bodies and avoid local commitment.
- Biblical charge: Jeremiah 29:1,7 instructs exiles to build houses, plant gardens, marry and raise children, and pray for the city's welfare.
- Core command: Anchor yourself locally—take your place as God's choice for mission where you live.
- Invest long-term: Serve, know, and grow into a place; farming imagery emphasizes patience and generational commitment.
- Work for local flourishing: The city's welfare is tied to your welfare—seeking the common good is a spiritual task.
- Practical aim: Make the kingdom of Christ evident in Wake Forest (or your city) through sustained presence and service.
- Call to action: Consider what God is asking you to be bold in doing to commit, serve, and invest in your local community.
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