God loves the cities in His world. The following message notes are written with God’s love of cities in mind. Do you have a theology of the city?
Let’s discover a Christian perspective of the city.
“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.” Psalm 24:1
- The earth – The land, the countries and their lands, the planet
- The fullness thereof – all the earth contains, plants, animals, rivers, oceans, mountains
- And those who dwell therein – all of the people who live here.
A city qualifies in all three components – the earth, the fullness thereof, and those who dwell therein. It is then appropriate to say that the cities of the earth are the Lord’s.
Introductory Lessons from Sodom
- God views cities as either righteous or unrighteous. Genesis 18:23
- The presence of godly people is beneficial for the salvation of places. Genesis 18:32
- God has specific charges against a city. Ezekiel 16:49-50
- Because God loves cities he expects them to be righteous.
- Righteousness is good for a city. Proverbs 14:34
Introductory Lessons from Nineveh
- It may be that Nineveh was as evil as Sodom but unknowingly. Jonah 4:11
- In Psalm 24:1 we considered, “The fullness thereof,” and now we see God’s concern for “much cattle.”
- Pity, in Jonah 4:11 means, “have compassion on.”
- Evidently Sodom was evil due to rebellion and Nineveh was evil due to ignorance.
Advent Truth to Take into Our Cities 
- God honored the city by having His Son born in one.
- What will your city be like when Jesus is born there through you?
- You have a moral obligation for righteousness in your city.
Pride + excess food + prosperous ease = Did not aid the poor and needy!
No aid to poor + haughty + abomination = So I removed them.