1 00:00:01,391 --> 00:00:03,777 If you're like me and most Christians, maybe 2 00:00:03,777 --> 00:00:05,549 at some point in your life, you have 3 00:00:05,924 --> 00:00:07,833 ponder the answer to to this question. 4 00:00:09,443 --> 00:00:12,079 What what's the least that I have to 5 00:00:12,079 --> 00:00:13,597 do to get to heaven? 6 00:00:14,556 --> 00:00:16,170 You ever thought that like that question. And 7 00:00:16,250 --> 00:00:17,529 I know you probably don't wanna admit, because 8 00:00:17,609 --> 00:00:18,730 I don't either, but at some point in 9 00:00:18,730 --> 00:00:20,250 your life, you probably thought to yourself. Like, 10 00:00:20,649 --> 00:00:22,570 is there a minimum amount. Like, just a 11 00:00:22,570 --> 00:00:25,297 minimum essential criteria to make it to heaven. 12 00:00:26,651 --> 00:00:28,641 I think it's a question that's been ponder 13 00:00:28,641 --> 00:00:31,110 since the beginning of mankind when God first 14 00:00:31,110 --> 00:00:33,113 revealed himself in his to his people. I 15 00:00:33,113 --> 00:00:34,463 think they they thought to themselves, 16 00:00:35,257 --> 00:00:37,005 first of all, being in God's presence is 17 00:00:37,005 --> 00:00:39,387 like, oh my gosh. This... The the power, 18 00:00:39,546 --> 00:00:40,284 the glory 19 00:00:40,754 --> 00:00:42,592 the the righteousness and all that kind of 20 00:00:42,592 --> 00:00:45,628 stuff, and and to think like, wow. Like, 21 00:00:45,868 --> 00:00:47,945 okay. So these standards are high. 22 00:00:48,994 --> 00:00:50,185 And it's a question that can come up 23 00:00:50,185 --> 00:00:51,059 if you're a new believer. 24 00:00:51,774 --> 00:00:54,474 If you're a wiley veteran Christian, you can 25 00:00:54,474 --> 00:00:55,189 think this thought. 26 00:00:55,983 --> 00:00:57,754 And it sort of can lead to this 27 00:00:58,064 --> 00:00:59,204 this thought also 28 00:01:00,222 --> 00:01:01,761 about what is 29 00:01:02,700 --> 00:01:05,097 what is the concept of, like, once saved, 30 00:01:05,337 --> 00:01:06,855 always saved. Like, is that a thing? 31 00:01:07,669 --> 00:01:09,259 You know, can you fall away from your 32 00:01:09,259 --> 00:01:11,804 salvation? You you're walking with Christ? You're fe 33 00:01:11,804 --> 00:01:12,997 in your Christian faith. 34 00:01:13,713 --> 00:01:14,531 And then circumstances 35 00:01:14,905 --> 00:01:16,911 change. You lose of God, you know, can 36 00:01:16,911 --> 00:01:18,187 you fall away. I think all of these 37 00:01:18,187 --> 00:01:19,224 things kinda come together. 38 00:01:20,580 --> 00:01:21,936 And it's such a natural thing to wonder, 39 00:01:22,095 --> 00:01:23,770 and I think the reason is is because 40 00:01:23,770 --> 00:01:24,749 when you realize 41 00:01:25,938 --> 00:01:26,438 how 42 00:01:27,211 --> 00:01:27,711 das 43 00:01:28,722 --> 00:01:29,938 we are as sinner 44 00:01:30,711 --> 00:01:32,859 and how far we fall short of the 45 00:01:32,859 --> 00:01:35,100 the super high standards of God It should 46 00:01:35,100 --> 00:01:36,053 make you feel like. 47 00:01:36,846 --> 00:01:38,617 It is so unreasonable 48 00:01:39,387 --> 00:01:41,213 that God would just put just wipe all 49 00:01:41,213 --> 00:01:42,110 of that clean 50 00:01:42,499 --> 00:01:44,094 And say don't worry about it. I forgive 51 00:01:44,094 --> 00:01:44,254 you. 52 00:01:45,131 --> 00:01:46,327 And then say by the way, why don't 53 00:01:46,327 --> 00:01:48,242 you come be part of my kingdom family 54 00:01:48,242 --> 00:01:50,076 in heaven. Like, that does not make sense 55 00:01:50,076 --> 00:01:52,803 when you understand how big and great God 56 00:01:52,803 --> 00:01:53,362 really is. 57 00:01:54,638 --> 00:01:56,096 We should feel like there's this 58 00:01:56,473 --> 00:01:59,266 una unsustainable amount of responsibility and and 59 00:01:59,839 --> 00:02:01,356 you know, acts and things that we have 60 00:02:01,356 --> 00:02:02,713 to do to earn God's favor, 61 00:02:04,070 --> 00:02:06,465 and so many people think that the way 62 00:02:06,465 --> 00:02:08,221 to get to heaven is by being a 63 00:02:08,221 --> 00:02:08,700 good person. 64 00:02:09,670 --> 00:02:11,259 So I doing good work. Like, if we 65 00:02:11,259 --> 00:02:12,529 if we just... I live a pretty good 66 00:02:12,529 --> 00:02:15,468 life. Right? I I'll get to the... I'll 67 00:02:15,468 --> 00:02:17,159 get to this much better place 68 00:02:17,549 --> 00:02:18,824 On the other side of this life, I'll 69 00:02:18,984 --> 00:02:20,658 I'll be with God because I know that 70 00:02:20,738 --> 00:02:21,615 I'm a good person. 71 00:02:22,970 --> 00:02:25,043 But we know and hopefully everybody here this 72 00:02:25,043 --> 00:02:26,101 morning knows that 73 00:02:26,492 --> 00:02:28,242 the way to God and to heaven is 74 00:02:28,242 --> 00:02:31,025 through his son, Jesus. That's what the scriptures 75 00:02:31,025 --> 00:02:31,423 tell us. 76 00:02:32,536 --> 00:02:34,206 And the scriptures tell us that Jesus paid 77 00:02:34,206 --> 00:02:36,090 the ultimate price of sin that 78 00:02:36,689 --> 00:02:37,009 that 79 00:02:37,810 --> 00:02:38,870 sort of that mountain 80 00:02:39,569 --> 00:02:40,069 of 81 00:02:40,610 --> 00:02:41,110 redemption 82 00:02:41,409 --> 00:02:43,090 and atonement that we couldn't pay for ourselves. 83 00:02:43,250 --> 00:02:44,370 We read that Jesus did that. 84 00:02:45,582 --> 00:02:47,808 But are there any other requirements, Are we 85 00:02:47,808 --> 00:02:48,046 sure? 86 00:02:49,636 --> 00:02:51,385 And that's a great question to ponder her 87 00:02:51,385 --> 00:02:52,657 especially today. And as we've been... 88 00:02:53,387 --> 00:02:55,132 Teaching in this sermon series asked the rabbi. 89 00:02:55,371 --> 00:02:57,196 We've we've been thinking about if Jesus was 90 00:02:57,196 --> 00:02:58,307 here with us right now. 91 00:02:59,100 --> 00:03:00,926 What kind of questions might we ask him. 92 00:03:01,973 --> 00:03:03,326 What's on your mind? What's on your heart 93 00:03:03,326 --> 00:03:04,678 to ask Jesus if he was here with 94 00:03:04,678 --> 00:03:06,508 us? We say, hey rabbi, and so we 95 00:03:06,508 --> 00:03:07,804 would ask the rabbi 96 00:03:08,656 --> 00:03:09,531 certain questions. 97 00:03:10,979 --> 00:03:12,815 And so in Luke 10, which we're gonna 98 00:03:12,815 --> 00:03:15,769 study today. We read about an encounter between 99 00:03:15,929 --> 00:03:16,429 Jesus 100 00:03:17,366 --> 00:03:18,963 and a man that the scripture state is 101 00:03:18,963 --> 00:03:20,480 an expert in the law. 102 00:03:21,375 --> 00:03:23,215 So you might consider him like a modern 103 00:03:23,215 --> 00:03:23,715 day 104 00:03:24,254 --> 00:03:27,455 contract warrior. Okay? And this particular expert, he 105 00:03:27,455 --> 00:03:27,615 was... 106 00:03:28,349 --> 00:03:30,657 An expert in the the the contract between 107 00:03:30,737 --> 00:03:32,431 God and the Jews 108 00:03:33,045 --> 00:03:35,433 or otherwise known as the old testament law. 109 00:03:36,644 --> 00:03:37,384 And so 110 00:03:37,842 --> 00:03:40,079 we're gonna read about this encounter today. And 111 00:03:40,079 --> 00:03:41,997 as we read through, I want you to 112 00:03:41,997 --> 00:03:44,489 to pay careful attention because there's kind of 113 00:03:44,489 --> 00:03:46,090 2 camps of people or at least 2 114 00:03:46,090 --> 00:03:46,729 camps of people, 115 00:03:47,610 --> 00:03:49,129 theologian when they study this scripture. 116 00:03:49,930 --> 00:03:51,783 There's a camp of people that that look 117 00:03:51,783 --> 00:03:53,776 at this through the lens of of this 118 00:03:53,776 --> 00:03:54,835 expert in the law 119 00:03:55,610 --> 00:03:57,944 as somebody that's sort of like a contentious 120 00:03:58,082 --> 00:04:00,075 cynical person that's trying to trap Jesus because 121 00:04:00,075 --> 00:04:01,285 we saw a lot of that in the 122 00:04:01,285 --> 00:04:02,798 scriptures with the ph. 123 00:04:03,834 --> 00:04:06,723 But there's also tones in this interaction that 124 00:04:06,939 --> 00:04:08,293 might lead you to believe that this is 125 00:04:08,293 --> 00:04:09,665 actually like AAA 126 00:04:09,665 --> 00:04:11,264 teacher student, like respectful, 127 00:04:11,665 --> 00:04:12,165 mutual 128 00:04:12,625 --> 00:04:14,865 relationships. So just kinda watch as we go 129 00:04:14,865 --> 00:04:16,305 through this. But 1 thing I know, 130 00:04:17,039 --> 00:04:18,556 And as you read through the scriptures and 131 00:04:18,556 --> 00:04:20,711 what Jesus said, you'll learn that he's like 132 00:04:20,711 --> 00:04:23,664 a t degree black belt in verbal verbal 133 00:04:23,744 --> 00:04:25,261 J. Have you ever noticed that with Jesus? 134 00:04:26,235 --> 00:04:28,095 Like, he has this master way 135 00:04:28,395 --> 00:04:30,975 of ref framing things and turning questions 136 00:04:31,514 --> 00:04:33,115 in a way that leads to his counterpart 137 00:04:33,115 --> 00:04:35,604 feeling kinda of be and and f, And 138 00:04:35,763 --> 00:04:36,956 I think we'll see a little bit of 139 00:04:36,956 --> 00:04:37,456 that 140 00:04:37,990 --> 00:04:40,536 today, this this encounter certainly is no exception. 141 00:04:40,774 --> 00:04:41,274 So 142 00:04:41,744 --> 00:04:43,569 we're gonna read today in loop 10. So 143 00:04:43,569 --> 00:04:44,839 gonna be the heart of our scriptures, 144 00:04:45,474 --> 00:04:47,379 and this is this encounter between Jesus and 145 00:04:47,379 --> 00:04:49,046 an expert in the law. So why don't 146 00:04:49,046 --> 00:04:49,919 you read along with me here? 147 00:04:51,610 --> 00:04:52,410 I'll read it out loud. 148 00:04:53,449 --> 00:04:54,170 Alright, Lou 10, 149 00:04:54,970 --> 00:04:58,009 starting in verse 25 on 1 occasion, an 150 00:04:58,009 --> 00:04:59,529 expert in the wall stood up to test 151 00:04:59,689 --> 00:05:00,009 Jesus. 152 00:05:00,981 --> 00:05:02,969 Now testing Jesus. Right? That can mean, hey, 153 00:05:03,128 --> 00:05:04,322 I'm putting him on the spot and we'll 154 00:05:04,322 --> 00:05:05,117 try to see if we can catch them 155 00:05:05,117 --> 00:05:05,992 off guard or. 156 00:05:06,390 --> 00:05:08,553 He wanted to seek what Jesus whose response 157 00:05:08,553 --> 00:05:08,952 would be. 158 00:05:09,748 --> 00:05:10,942 And so teacher he asked, 159 00:05:11,579 --> 00:05:14,604 what must I do to inherit eternal life? 160 00:05:15,734 --> 00:05:18,690 What's... And Jesus so Jesus responds. What is 161 00:05:18,690 --> 00:05:19,410 written the law? 162 00:05:20,208 --> 00:05:21,428 How do you read 163 00:05:22,206 --> 00:05:22,685 the law? 164 00:05:23,974 --> 00:05:26,380 And so quoting from D65 165 00:05:26,435 --> 00:05:28,738 on a person's duty to love God and 166 00:05:28,738 --> 00:05:31,532 also from Levi vid 19 18, On a 167 00:05:31,532 --> 00:05:33,542 person's duty to love his neighbor, here's what 168 00:05:33,679 --> 00:05:35,269 the expert in the law responded. He said, 169 00:05:36,064 --> 00:05:37,495 love the lord your God with all your 170 00:05:37,495 --> 00:05:39,880 heart, all your soul, all your strength and 171 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:40,357 all your mind. 172 00:05:41,567 --> 00:05:44,197 And he said love your neighbor as yourself. 173 00:05:45,552 --> 00:05:47,864 And so instead of rejecting the lawyer's answer 174 00:05:47,864 --> 00:05:51,382 as legal, which Jesus often, did he actually 175 00:05:51,382 --> 00:05:52,972 affirm his answer, and he says, 176 00:05:53,688 --> 00:05:55,677 you are exactly right. You've answered correctly. 177 00:05:56,888 --> 00:05:58,484 And then Jesus commands him and he says, 178 00:05:58,723 --> 00:06:00,240 to this, if you will live. And you 179 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,395 know what I... This this... Every time I 180 00:06:02,395 --> 00:06:03,273 read that script scripture, I always think about, 181 00:06:03,353 --> 00:06:05,124 like, William Wallace and Brave heart. Like, in 182 00:06:05,124 --> 00:06:06,879 the Scottish accent, Do this and you'll live. 183 00:06:07,598 --> 00:06:10,152 Do it not, you'll day. It's always what 184 00:06:10,152 --> 00:06:11,269 pops into my head. Just had to share 185 00:06:11,269 --> 00:06:12,546 that with you. Like, that's that little... 186 00:06:13,519 --> 00:06:15,194 It's the little things in life, man. I... 187 00:06:15,433 --> 00:06:17,029 William Wallace is. Freedom. Alright. 188 00:06:20,873 --> 00:06:22,385 Badger of my poor mother, how she felt. 189 00:06:23,659 --> 00:06:27,024 In other words, Jesus agrees that 1 way 190 00:06:27,559 --> 00:06:29,310 to inherit eternal life is to keep the 191 00:06:29,310 --> 00:06:29,549 law. 192 00:06:30,598 --> 00:06:32,346 He's saying the key to understand all this 193 00:06:32,346 --> 00:06:33,617 is to understand, are you are you ready 194 00:06:33,617 --> 00:06:33,855 for this? 195 00:06:34,729 --> 00:06:36,318 The key to understanding this is in order 196 00:06:36,318 --> 00:06:38,224 to inherit eternal life by keeping the law. 197 00:06:39,194 --> 00:06:41,455 You must love your neighbor 198 00:06:42,074 --> 00:06:42,555 perfectly, 199 00:06:43,754 --> 00:06:44,254 perpetually 200 00:06:44,714 --> 00:06:45,194 forever. 201 00:06:46,475 --> 00:06:47,274 It's pretty easy. Right? 202 00:06:48,329 --> 00:06:48,968 Not so much. 203 00:06:49,767 --> 00:06:50,886 You don't need to be a brain surgeon 204 00:06:50,886 --> 00:06:52,345 and realize that none of us 205 00:06:52,724 --> 00:06:53,843 are able to do that. 206 00:06:54,643 --> 00:06:56,401 And so here goes Jesus again with this 207 00:06:56,401 --> 00:06:57,620 master way of 208 00:06:58,094 --> 00:07:00,651 projecting things to say, okay, here's... You can 209 00:07:00,651 --> 00:07:02,250 do it by doing this method you can 210 00:07:02,250 --> 00:07:02,729 get to heaven. 211 00:07:03,768 --> 00:07:06,186 But see, the expert in the law also 212 00:07:06,485 --> 00:07:06,725 recognized. 213 00:07:07,618 --> 00:07:09,208 That there's no way he was gonna be 214 00:07:09,208 --> 00:07:09,924 able to do that. 215 00:07:10,878 --> 00:07:13,343 Right? And instead of humbling himself and saying 216 00:07:13,343 --> 00:07:15,982 me too, like I need grace, like Jesus, 217 00:07:16,141 --> 00:07:17,494 I wanna follow you. There's no way I'm 218 00:07:17,494 --> 00:07:18,528 gonna be able to accomplish this. 219 00:07:19,403 --> 00:07:20,938 He tries to justify 220 00:07:21,313 --> 00:07:21,552 himself. 221 00:07:22,666 --> 00:07:24,598 By loosening the demands 222 00:07:24,909 --> 00:07:25,728 of the law 223 00:07:26,185 --> 00:07:29,295 as sort of narrowing down who his neighbor 224 00:07:29,295 --> 00:07:29,534 is. 225 00:07:30,650 --> 00:07:32,643 So he asked Jesus. He says, who is 226 00:07:32,643 --> 00:07:33,303 my neighbor 227 00:07:34,811 --> 00:07:36,246 So here's a little context that you needed 228 00:07:36,246 --> 00:07:37,703 to know about this. In 229 00:07:38,718 --> 00:07:40,472 in the... This time in the in the 230 00:07:40,631 --> 00:07:43,038 Jewish culture, and the the rabbi would teach 231 00:07:43,038 --> 00:07:45,215 their students that your neighbor 232 00:07:45,832 --> 00:07:46,790 is a fellow jew. 233 00:07:47,987 --> 00:07:49,743 K? So that's likely what would have been 234 00:07:49,743 --> 00:07:51,441 taught, and that's likely what this 235 00:07:52,151 --> 00:07:54,461 expert in the law would have boiled everything 236 00:07:54,461 --> 00:07:56,054 down to is loving your fellow jew. 237 00:07:57,010 --> 00:07:58,284 And I think he would have hoped that 238 00:07:58,443 --> 00:07:59,877 Jesus would sort of appease him. 239 00:08:00,529 --> 00:08:03,316 By saying yeah. Yep. Love your jew. Love 240 00:08:03,316 --> 00:08:05,625 your people. Love people like you, and you 241 00:08:05,625 --> 00:08:06,262 will get to heaven, 242 00:08:07,217 --> 00:08:09,939 but rather Jesus talks about people like tax 243 00:08:09,939 --> 00:08:10,439 collectors 244 00:08:10,814 --> 00:08:12,644 and gentile tiles, people who were not of 245 00:08:12,644 --> 00:08:15,134 the Jewish culture. He even talks about samaritan 246 00:08:15,827 --> 00:08:17,419 who were hated by the Jews, 247 00:08:19,580 --> 00:08:21,567 And it sounds to me like it's pretty 248 00:08:21,567 --> 00:08:22,067 important 249 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,586 to Jesus that we love our neighbor. 250 00:08:26,033 --> 00:08:27,550 So today we're gonna attempt to answer the 251 00:08:27,550 --> 00:08:28,768 question, who is 252 00:08:29,305 --> 00:08:29,784 my neighbor? 253 00:08:30,981 --> 00:08:32,418 Who is my neighbor? Well, first of all, 254 00:08:32,657 --> 00:08:33,216 my neighbor is, 255 00:08:34,029 --> 00:08:34,508 my neighbor. 256 00:08:35,705 --> 00:08:36,903 My neighbors is my neighbor. You're like, oh, 257 00:08:36,983 --> 00:08:38,899 wow, Brian. This is profound you're rockstar star 258 00:08:38,899 --> 00:08:40,256 preacher. Go ahead and preach your brother. 259 00:08:41,054 --> 00:08:42,491 It seems so obvious. Doesn't it? 260 00:08:43,778 --> 00:08:46,076 Probably so, but I would venture to guess 261 00:08:46,076 --> 00:08:47,740 that every single 1 of us in here, 262 00:08:48,215 --> 00:08:49,032 myself included 263 00:08:49,403 --> 00:08:51,490 could stand to to do the love your 264 00:08:51,490 --> 00:08:53,009 neighbor next door thing a little bit better. 265 00:08:53,970 --> 00:08:55,570 Just a little bit... You won't believe this. 266 00:08:55,730 --> 00:08:57,330 I kitchen you I came in yesterday from... 267 00:08:57,490 --> 00:08:58,610 I was outside, and I shared this with 268 00:08:58,690 --> 00:08:58,769 Jill. 269 00:08:59,503 --> 00:09:01,174 So I'm outside yesterday in the front yard, 270 00:09:01,253 --> 00:09:02,924 and I'm spraying the rocks for weeds. 271 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:04,993 And I kinda have my back to the 272 00:09:04,993 --> 00:09:07,221 street facing the house. And I hear this 273 00:09:07,221 --> 00:09:07,778 voice say, 274 00:09:08,748 --> 00:09:10,736 Gosh. That seems like a never ending process 275 00:09:10,736 --> 00:09:12,884 sometimes. Doesn't it, and I'm thinking. 276 00:09:13,759 --> 00:09:15,843 The yeah does, spraying weeds man. Soon as 277 00:09:15,843 --> 00:09:16,959 you spray and they pop back up Well, 278 00:09:17,198 --> 00:09:18,952 I look over. Now we're... Let me set 279 00:09:18,952 --> 00:09:20,945 the tone here. I think we're pretty good 280 00:09:20,945 --> 00:09:22,778 at engaging with our neighbors. We know most 281 00:09:22,778 --> 00:09:24,866 of our neighbors as We certainly know most 282 00:09:24,866 --> 00:09:26,302 are our neighbors around us except for 1 283 00:09:26,302 --> 00:09:26,541 house. 284 00:09:27,339 --> 00:09:28,854 And it's the house across and 1 down. 285 00:09:29,014 --> 00:09:30,609 And we just never seem to catch these 286 00:09:30,609 --> 00:09:32,284 people outside and they don't come to the 287 00:09:32,284 --> 00:09:33,560 community events and stuff very often. 288 00:09:34,454 --> 00:09:36,291 So I look and here's that guy. Right? 289 00:09:36,451 --> 00:09:37,889 We're so we're talking across the street. 290 00:09:38,529 --> 00:09:40,047 And I said, yeah, You know, it's like 291 00:09:40,047 --> 00:09:41,979 the Flint stones when they were shoveling, you 292 00:09:41,979 --> 00:09:44,132 know, the pile rocks, the pile rocks never 293 00:09:44,132 --> 00:09:45,488 d down. That's how I feel like it 294 00:09:45,488 --> 00:09:47,163 is with spraying weeds. They never really go 295 00:09:47,163 --> 00:09:48,758 away. And I could tell he wanted it 296 00:09:48,758 --> 00:09:50,034 to. So I walk across the street, and 297 00:09:50,114 --> 00:09:52,204 I spent probably 30 minutes with, my new 298 00:09:52,204 --> 00:09:54,042 neighbor who's not so new, named Josh. 299 00:09:55,001 --> 00:09:57,078 And I'm thinking Josh and Carrie find out 300 00:09:57,078 --> 00:09:58,596 his wife's name is Carrie. I'm thinking they've 301 00:09:58,596 --> 00:10:00,035 been there for 3, 4 years, and so 302 00:10:00,035 --> 00:10:01,168 we start talking about it. You know when 303 00:10:01,168 --> 00:10:01,988 they moved in 304 00:10:02,687 --> 00:10:04,525 May of 2015. 305 00:10:05,564 --> 00:10:06,443 9 years ago, 306 00:10:07,162 --> 00:10:08,361 and I don't even know we don't even 307 00:10:08,361 --> 00:10:09,695 know these people's names and I just felt 308 00:10:09,814 --> 00:10:11,090 bad and so did he and we had 309 00:10:11,090 --> 00:10:13,084 this this great connection, and I was so 310 00:10:13,084 --> 00:10:14,360 thankful about, but I walked away laughing, and 311 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,035 I'm like, I did not initiate that. This 312 00:10:16,035 --> 00:10:17,471 is the day before we talk about who 313 00:10:17,471 --> 00:10:19,146 is my neighbor. If you're, I'm gonna stand 314 00:10:19,146 --> 00:10:20,994 up about loving our neighbor next door just 315 00:10:20,994 --> 00:10:22,986 a little bit better. So so timely, just 316 00:10:22,986 --> 00:10:23,783 the way god works. 317 00:10:24,500 --> 00:10:26,094 They made me laugh, and I'm sure God 318 00:10:26,094 --> 00:10:27,846 is like, yep. Where you been, dude? You've 319 00:10:27,846 --> 00:10:29,575 been slack. So here we go. We're gonna 320 00:10:29,694 --> 00:10:30,412 we're gonna get it right. 321 00:10:31,369 --> 00:10:31,529 Now, 322 00:10:32,885 --> 00:10:34,719 let's take a look at some some neighbors 323 00:10:34,719 --> 00:10:36,713 that you might recognize, especially from Tv shows. 324 00:10:36,873 --> 00:10:38,548 Let's let's look at some of these characters 325 00:10:38,548 --> 00:10:39,425 that you might connect with. 326 00:10:40,078 --> 00:10:41,436 Here's the first 1. Let's stir that up 327 00:10:41,436 --> 00:10:42,074 here, Taylor. 328 00:10:43,591 --> 00:10:43,751 Alright. 329 00:10:45,187 --> 00:10:46,944 Do you recognize that especially the gentleman in 330 00:10:46,944 --> 00:10:47,981 the hat? You guys remove who that is? 331 00:10:48,221 --> 00:10:49,852 Who is it? Wilson. 332 00:10:50,307 --> 00:10:51,740 Yeah. If you've never seen the show home 333 00:10:51,740 --> 00:10:53,889 improvement with Tim To man. It's just Tim 334 00:10:53,969 --> 00:10:55,720 Taylor. Tim Allen is so funny and tim 335 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,285 Taylor that character, but This guy Wilson, such 336 00:10:58,285 --> 00:11:00,758 a kind of a sage wise neighbor. Wouldn't 337 00:11:00,758 --> 00:11:00,917 he? 338 00:11:01,715 --> 00:11:03,310 Like, he was a good listener. He would 339 00:11:03,310 --> 00:11:04,985 just... You can never see his nose or 340 00:11:04,985 --> 00:11:06,740 his mouth. That's the sill thing ever. I 341 00:11:06,740 --> 00:11:08,670 love that. But he always had some good... 342 00:11:08,830 --> 00:11:10,585 You know, Tim Allen is is always kind 343 00:11:10,585 --> 00:11:12,261 of, like, in Limbo with some kind of 344 00:11:12,261 --> 00:11:14,256 strife and Wilson always gives him some great 345 00:11:14,256 --> 00:11:14,496 advice. 346 00:11:15,149 --> 00:11:17,783 What about this wonderful neighbor? Do you recognize 347 00:11:17,783 --> 00:11:18,103 that guy? 348 00:11:19,300 --> 00:11:20,976 Would you be mine? Could you be mine? 349 00:11:21,535 --> 00:11:23,451 Won't you be, my neighbor? 350 00:11:24,425 --> 00:11:26,445 Okay. So that's mister Rogers for you 351 00:11:26,825 --> 00:11:28,105 people who are born after. I don't know, 352 00:11:28,184 --> 00:11:28,904 in 19 60. 353 00:11:29,705 --> 00:11:30,205 But, 354 00:11:31,225 --> 00:11:32,665 but anyways, he's great. By the way, there's 355 00:11:32,665 --> 00:11:35,070 a there's a newer show. Daniel Tiger. If 356 00:11:35,070 --> 00:11:36,977 younger people recognize it came from that's home, 357 00:11:37,057 --> 00:11:39,282 his Rogers. He was a great neighbor loving 358 00:11:39,282 --> 00:11:41,825 guy, so so caring and and concerned for 359 00:11:41,825 --> 00:11:44,224 people around him. Called But what happens when 360 00:11:44,224 --> 00:11:45,972 you have a neighbor or person that you 361 00:11:45,972 --> 00:11:46,688 don't really like? 362 00:11:47,482 --> 00:11:49,628 This kind of annoying. How about how about 363 00:11:49,628 --> 00:11:51,058 this neighbor? Remember this guy? 364 00:11:52,346 --> 00:11:52,743 Who's that? 365 00:11:53,539 --> 00:11:57,039 E, Steve E, Man, family matters. Family does 366 00:11:57,039 --> 00:11:59,440 matter. Steve E was a little bit annoying. 367 00:11:59,599 --> 00:12:01,270 He's kinda like the guy that you... It's 368 00:12:01,270 --> 00:12:02,304 it's hard to love, but it's hard to 369 00:12:02,304 --> 00:12:03,736 live without him, You know, kind of thing. 370 00:12:04,134 --> 00:12:05,486 What about this year young lady? You remember 371 00:12:05,486 --> 00:12:05,566 her? 372 00:12:09,159 --> 00:12:10,272 Anybody remember her from full house? 373 00:12:11,226 --> 00:12:13,611 Kim. Kim Gi. Right? She was that girl. 374 00:12:13,770 --> 00:12:15,201 Was always in the house and she was 375 00:12:15,201 --> 00:12:17,284 kind of annoying and stuff, but again, hard 376 00:12:17,284 --> 00:12:19,119 to live without her. What about these guys? 377 00:12:19,598 --> 00:12:21,114 Think about this family. Recognize them. 378 00:12:22,870 --> 00:12:24,067 If you don't know them, get your head 379 00:12:24,067 --> 00:12:25,676 up out of that rock, y'all. They've been 380 00:12:25,676 --> 00:12:27,429 around for, like, 30 years. The Simpsons. Now, 381 00:12:28,067 --> 00:12:28,704 they're kind of a, 382 00:12:30,616 --> 00:12:31,732 I don't know how we label the simpsons. 383 00:12:31,891 --> 00:12:34,144 Right? They... Like many families that have some 384 00:12:34,202 --> 00:12:34,702 dysfunction 385 00:12:35,013 --> 00:12:36,601 and they're probably pretty annoying, but who's their 386 00:12:36,601 --> 00:12:38,110 neighbor? Put this up. Who's their neighbor? 387 00:12:39,143 --> 00:12:40,652 Fl, ned Fl ers. Now, 388 00:12:41,367 --> 00:12:43,273 or taking all these episodes and I I 389 00:12:43,273 --> 00:12:45,200 can only remember so many, but The interaction 390 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,120 with Ned Fl in the Simpsons family was 391 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:47,759 quite entertaining, 392 00:12:48,399 --> 00:12:49,600 But it did a little research on Ned 393 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:51,279 Fl system some things you might not know 394 00:12:51,279 --> 00:12:51,440 about. 395 00:12:52,173 --> 00:12:52,572 Fl. 396 00:12:53,051 --> 00:12:55,284 First of all, he was religious. Right? He 397 00:12:55,284 --> 00:12:57,597 was religious. Now what what religion, what denomination 398 00:12:57,597 --> 00:12:58,953 do you think he was? He had a 399 00:12:58,953 --> 00:12:59,033 guess. 400 00:13:00,149 --> 00:13:01,107 Baptist? What else? 401 00:13:02,315 --> 00:13:03,506 I was thinking lutheran. I think he'd be 402 00:13:03,506 --> 00:13:05,807 a nice lutheran. We got Lutheran mustache. That's 403 00:13:05,807 --> 00:13:07,791 a nice... That's a sweet mustache. So I 404 00:13:07,791 --> 00:13:09,299 have no idea what a Lutheran mustache looks 405 00:13:09,299 --> 00:13:10,172 like, but he has that. 406 00:13:11,302 --> 00:13:12,200 He was an entrepreneur. 407 00:13:12,657 --> 00:13:13,694 He was a business owner, 408 00:13:14,890 --> 00:13:16,803 he was a volunteer firefighter, what a noble 409 00:13:16,803 --> 00:13:18,478 thing to do. But he was also a 410 00:13:18,478 --> 00:13:18,876 landlord. 411 00:13:19,689 --> 00:13:20,963 Did you know that he is a landlord 412 00:13:20,963 --> 00:13:21,759 of the Simpsons house? 413 00:13:22,874 --> 00:13:25,285 Yep. And when Matt Groan wrote this whole, 414 00:13:25,422 --> 00:13:27,891 you know, this whole piece about these characters, 415 00:13:28,462 --> 00:13:30,707 he actually is landlord and and he charges 416 00:13:31,159 --> 00:13:32,666 lower rent for the Simpson family. 417 00:13:33,380 --> 00:13:34,808 And as I started to research this, I 418 00:13:34,808 --> 00:13:36,315 realized, this is sort of this a Ben... 419 00:13:36,489 --> 00:13:39,044 Flint relationship here between this entrepreneur leader in 420 00:13:39,044 --> 00:13:41,678 the community well to person that that finds 421 00:13:41,678 --> 00:13:42,955 his family. And I don't know the circumstance, 422 00:13:43,115 --> 00:13:44,392 but he finds his family says, look, You 423 00:13:44,392 --> 00:13:45,725 guys are on hard times. Why don't you 424 00:13:45,924 --> 00:13:47,121 come move into the house next to me, 425 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:49,355 I'll take care of you. I'll subsidize your 426 00:13:49,355 --> 00:13:50,472 rent and we'll make away. 427 00:13:51,509 --> 00:13:53,399 Man, and what a silly Tv show, but 428 00:13:53,598 --> 00:13:55,582 Like, this is a biblical concept that exists 429 00:13:55,582 --> 00:13:56,479 right here on 430 00:13:56,852 --> 00:13:57,566 sick sitcom Tv. 431 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:00,027 Right? It's a biblical message. 432 00:14:01,710 --> 00:14:02,981 So what about this? You ever had a 433 00:14:02,981 --> 00:14:05,445 a really bad neighbor or a grumpy neighbor? 434 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,068 Somebody kinda like this? You remember this guy? 435 00:14:09,436 --> 00:14:10,233 Remember A Bundy. 436 00:14:11,826 --> 00:14:13,181 And I get when you have a neighbor 437 00:14:13,181 --> 00:14:15,014 like this, you probably don't wake up in 438 00:14:15,014 --> 00:14:15,673 the morning 439 00:14:16,049 --> 00:14:18,302 eager and excited to go engage 440 00:14:18,693 --> 00:14:19,330 with that neighbor. 441 00:14:20,522 --> 00:14:21,715 K? But here's the deal. 442 00:14:22,590 --> 00:14:23,647 The gru beer 443 00:14:24,021 --> 00:14:26,589 or least served your neighbor is 444 00:14:27,537 --> 00:14:29,451 The easier it is to make a positive 445 00:14:29,451 --> 00:14:30,409 impact in that person's life. 446 00:14:31,286 --> 00:14:32,721 Think of it this way, if you don't 447 00:14:32,721 --> 00:14:34,157 really feel excited to engage with you need... 448 00:14:34,396 --> 00:14:35,832 Neighbor how many people do you think do? 449 00:14:36,804 --> 00:14:38,718 How many people do you think are excited 450 00:14:38,718 --> 00:14:39,436 to engage with them? 451 00:14:40,393 --> 00:14:42,089 They don't feel inclined to positively 452 00:14:42,546 --> 00:14:44,619 be influenced in their life because of this 453 00:14:44,619 --> 00:14:45,496 persona that they put off? 454 00:14:47,028 --> 00:14:50,145 It's kinda like most service based businesses since 455 00:14:50,304 --> 00:14:52,222 Covid has anybody else experienced this. I mean, 456 00:14:52,622 --> 00:14:53,660 service kinda of stinks. 457 00:14:54,634 --> 00:14:55,910 It doesn't matter if you go to a 458 00:14:55,910 --> 00:14:57,744 restaurant or if you hire a contractor at 459 00:14:57,984 --> 00:15:00,695 Hvac or electrician or whatever. It just seems 460 00:15:00,695 --> 00:15:02,929 like service stinks and I understand, like, I 461 00:15:02,929 --> 00:15:04,147 get it. They're busy 462 00:15:04,699 --> 00:15:06,378 can't find good help all those kinds of 463 00:15:06,378 --> 00:15:08,535 things. Communication terrible so on and so forth. 464 00:15:09,414 --> 00:15:11,013 Let alone they actually show up when they're 465 00:15:11,013 --> 00:15:12,931 supposed to, god forbid. They do a good 466 00:15:12,931 --> 00:15:13,890 job. Anybody relate. 467 00:15:15,341 --> 00:15:17,015 Guess what? We're in the auto repair business. 468 00:15:18,131 --> 00:15:20,123 Hadn't hadn't been much better for the last 469 00:15:20,123 --> 00:15:21,797 40 60 years. Has it? 470 00:15:22,769 --> 00:15:23,809 Poor communication, 471 00:15:24,690 --> 00:15:26,289 like shady sales tactics, 472 00:15:26,769 --> 00:15:27,730 people being let down. 473 00:15:28,929 --> 00:15:30,929 Clients feel uneducated and taking advantage of. 474 00:15:31,744 --> 00:15:32,777 And I tell my team all the time 475 00:15:32,936 --> 00:15:33,334 I say, look. 476 00:15:34,209 --> 00:15:35,719 All we... Kinda all you had to do 477 00:15:35,719 --> 00:15:37,309 is a bare minimum is just not suck 478 00:15:37,309 --> 00:15:38,581 right now. And I... That's kind of a 479 00:15:38,581 --> 00:15:39,933 crest word, but that's how we feel service 480 00:15:39,933 --> 00:15:40,808 is, like it sucks. 481 00:15:41,697 --> 00:15:42,886 And we... You would tell our team like, 482 00:15:42,966 --> 00:15:44,314 look, all you have to do is just 483 00:15:44,314 --> 00:15:46,932 not do that, and you probably make an 484 00:15:46,932 --> 00:15:47,646 impression on people. 485 00:15:48,694 --> 00:15:50,289 Now, we have really high standards. We wanna 486 00:15:50,289 --> 00:15:51,804 blow the roof off that experience. We want 487 00:15:51,804 --> 00:15:54,915 people to feel encouraged in and uplifted and 488 00:15:54,915 --> 00:15:56,829 educated and advocated for and all these kinds 489 00:15:56,829 --> 00:15:58,265 of things, but expectations are pretty low. 490 00:15:59,077 --> 00:16:00,033 They're pretty low right now. 491 00:16:01,068 --> 00:16:02,582 And I think the same thing is for 492 00:16:02,582 --> 00:16:04,812 most neighbors, the expectation, the bar is low. 493 00:16:06,100 --> 00:16:09,358 Because most people aren't assert themselves in a 494 00:16:09,358 --> 00:16:11,265 positive way for the neighbors, and that person 495 00:16:11,265 --> 00:16:13,013 that's grumpy and hard to love. 496 00:16:14,379 --> 00:16:15,807 Right? The bar way down here. 497 00:16:16,601 --> 00:16:18,609 1 little small thing can make a huge 498 00:16:18,744 --> 00:16:19,244 impact 499 00:16:19,776 --> 00:16:20,807 in that person's lives. 500 00:16:22,332 --> 00:16:23,709 And I know 1 thing that 501 00:16:24,165 --> 00:16:25,918 when you put yourself out there to love 502 00:16:25,918 --> 00:16:27,910 a neighbor, it can make you feel exposed. 503 00:16:28,866 --> 00:16:30,619 It can make you feel vulnerable, it can 504 00:16:30,619 --> 00:16:31,597 make you feel like 505 00:16:31,909 --> 00:16:33,823 I did this nice thing for somebody and 506 00:16:33,823 --> 00:16:35,339 they didn't even so much as say thank 507 00:16:35,339 --> 00:16:35,498 you. 508 00:16:36,455 --> 00:16:37,412 You ever felt that way. 509 00:16:38,449 --> 00:16:39,646 It does. It can make you feel vulnerable. 510 00:16:39,805 --> 00:16:41,661 Now, I think of the encounter between 511 00:16:42,054 --> 00:16:43,331 Peter and Jesus. 512 00:16:44,129 --> 00:16:45,726 Do you remember this when when Peter asked 513 00:16:45,886 --> 00:16:46,844 Jesus he said, alright, 514 00:16:47,722 --> 00:16:49,158 how many times do you want us to 515 00:16:49,158 --> 00:16:49,658 forgive 516 00:16:50,037 --> 00:16:50,595 our sinner? 517 00:16:51,407 --> 00:16:52,362 He says 7 times. 518 00:16:53,555 --> 00:16:54,271 Jesus says now, 519 00:16:54,987 --> 00:16:57,055 7 times 77 520 00:16:57,055 --> 00:16:57,373 times. 521 00:16:58,184 --> 00:16:59,694 And that's not even really about the number, 522 00:17:00,012 --> 00:17:01,523 but Jesus is saying like, I want you 523 00:17:01,523 --> 00:17:03,351 to do this so often so frequently that 524 00:17:03,351 --> 00:17:04,384 it becomes a habit. 525 00:17:05,100 --> 00:17:05,577 It becomes... 526 00:17:06,385 --> 00:17:08,684 Unconscious competence, like, I don't have to think 527 00:17:08,684 --> 00:17:09,477 about doing it, 528 00:17:10,191 --> 00:17:11,459 so that that's the way you live your 529 00:17:11,459 --> 00:17:11,618 life. 530 00:17:12,331 --> 00:17:15,612 Great leadership coach, that I followed named coach 531 00:17:15,612 --> 00:17:17,790 o, always said, how you do anything 532 00:17:18,249 --> 00:17:19,389 is how you do everything. 533 00:17:20,327 --> 00:17:21,606 So you build your life in this way. 534 00:17:21,766 --> 00:17:23,769 And I think about loving your neighbor. 535 00:17:24,879 --> 00:17:26,464 It's a practice. It's a routine. 536 00:17:27,099 --> 00:17:28,367 And if we get caught in the trap 537 00:17:28,367 --> 00:17:30,684 of thinking, what am I gonna get are 538 00:17:30,684 --> 00:17:32,522 they going to reciprocate? Are they gonna be 539 00:17:32,522 --> 00:17:32,921 thankful? 540 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:35,558 Then, right? We need to think about that 541 00:17:35,558 --> 00:17:37,955 scripture scripture 7 times 77 times. Keep doing 542 00:17:37,955 --> 00:17:38,115 it? 543 00:17:38,848 --> 00:17:40,279 Keep doing it and keep doing it for 544 00:17:40,279 --> 00:17:40,995 the right reasons. 545 00:17:43,382 --> 00:17:45,211 Now, in our neighborhood, I I felt like 546 00:17:45,211 --> 00:17:46,324 this for a long time. We've been in 547 00:17:46,324 --> 00:17:48,172 this neighborhood for 10 years. Now keep in 548 00:17:48,172 --> 00:17:49,529 mind I have of the greatest examples of 549 00:17:49,529 --> 00:17:51,365 a neighbor to live by my dad was 550 00:17:51,365 --> 00:17:53,360 probably the best neighbor that ever existed. That 551 00:17:53,360 --> 00:17:54,557 that, man will show up and do anything 552 00:17:54,557 --> 00:17:56,890 for anybody anytime. Right? He walked that out. 553 00:17:57,049 --> 00:17:58,490 I struggled a little bit more with it. 554 00:17:59,210 --> 00:18:01,450 But we struggled to connect with our neighbors 555 00:18:01,450 --> 00:18:02,330 and for a lot of years. 556 00:18:03,464 --> 00:18:04,899 In last December, we were having a neighborhood, 557 00:18:05,058 --> 00:18:07,211 Christmas party at the little at Westwood Golf 558 00:18:07,211 --> 00:18:07,849 club over here. 559 00:18:08,646 --> 00:18:10,320 And we had been traveling all week, and 560 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:11,777 we got home and it's a Saturday 561 00:18:12,168 --> 00:18:13,837 afternoon and Saturday Nights the party, and I 562 00:18:13,837 --> 00:18:15,585 told you him I'm, like, I don't I 563 00:18:15,585 --> 00:18:16,617 don't feel like killing this. 564 00:18:17,412 --> 00:18:19,240 Like, I don't... We don't connect with all 565 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:20,724 of our neighbors. Right? It's kind of a 566 00:18:20,845 --> 00:18:22,525 sometimes about all the Jones is made... Maybe 567 00:18:22,525 --> 00:18:23,164 you can relate to that. 568 00:18:23,884 --> 00:18:25,325 And I'm like, looks sweetheart. We're gonna go, 569 00:18:25,484 --> 00:18:26,525 we're gonna make the most of it. 570 00:18:27,404 --> 00:18:29,085 So we go, we had 1 of the 571 00:18:29,085 --> 00:18:31,337 fun nights. Did we not? It was so 572 00:18:31,337 --> 00:18:32,932 much fun. It was so engaging. And it 573 00:18:32,932 --> 00:18:34,368 didn't matter what group of people we're were 574 00:18:34,368 --> 00:18:36,043 hanging out with. We had a blast. 575 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:38,994 And I realized in that moment, it's so 576 00:18:38,994 --> 00:18:40,212 much about perspective 577 00:18:40,683 --> 00:18:42,510 It's so much about outlook. Right? It's so 578 00:18:42,510 --> 00:18:44,575 much about what are we doing this for? 579 00:18:45,529 --> 00:18:46,720 Right? My eyes were opened. 580 00:18:47,673 --> 00:18:49,103 And and I know that it happens in 581 00:18:49,103 --> 00:18:49,659 school too. 582 00:18:50,548 --> 00:18:51,582 And 1 of the reasons I know is 583 00:18:51,582 --> 00:18:52,934 because our oldest daughter Camille. It seems like 584 00:18:52,934 --> 00:18:54,445 she often ends up in a class with, 585 00:18:54,604 --> 00:18:56,115 like, not a lot of her existing friends. 586 00:18:56,989 --> 00:18:58,580 And she comes home the first couple days 587 00:18:58,580 --> 00:19:00,091 and she's in tears and stuff, and she's 588 00:19:00,091 --> 00:19:01,379 up about it. And I tell her I'm 589 00:19:01,379 --> 00:19:01,936 like, commit, look. 590 00:19:02,971 --> 00:19:04,642 You first of all, god bless you and 591 00:19:04,642 --> 00:19:06,233 gifted you with the ability to make friends. 592 00:19:06,950 --> 00:19:08,303 I think that's 1 reason he puts you 593 00:19:08,303 --> 00:19:09,656 into these classes with other kids who don't 594 00:19:09,656 --> 00:19:11,106 have friends because you're you're good at it. 595 00:19:11,983 --> 00:19:13,897 But I said, god's building a life skill 596 00:19:13,897 --> 00:19:14,637 in you 597 00:19:15,174 --> 00:19:16,769 to be able to go and reach out 598 00:19:16,769 --> 00:19:18,364 and assert yourself and make friends with people. 599 00:19:18,603 --> 00:19:19,481 That's gonna go with you forever. 600 00:19:20,293 --> 00:19:21,966 Right? So what happens in all aspects of 601 00:19:21,966 --> 00:19:23,959 life, we feel vulnerable we feel exposed. 602 00:19:25,393 --> 00:19:26,907 And when we view the command to love 603 00:19:26,907 --> 00:19:29,790 our neighbor. Through the lens of Jesus commands, 604 00:19:31,065 --> 00:19:32,737 it allows us to do it more joyful, 605 00:19:33,215 --> 00:19:34,092 more consistently, 606 00:19:34,888 --> 00:19:35,764 for the right reasons, 607 00:19:37,370 --> 00:19:40,223 So who else is my neighbor. Well, guess 608 00:19:40,223 --> 00:19:43,234 what y'all. Our neighbors also are enemies. 609 00:19:44,994 --> 00:19:47,456 Our enemies. And here's that really unpopular part 610 00:19:47,456 --> 00:19:50,076 in the sermon. Okay? Here's that really, unpopular 611 00:19:50,076 --> 00:19:50,235 part. 612 00:19:51,268 --> 00:19:53,435 The command to love one's neighbor as 613 00:19:54,144 --> 00:19:56,865 ourselves comes originally from Levi vi 19 18, 614 00:19:57,105 --> 00:19:57,744 which says, 615 00:19:58,944 --> 00:20:00,325 do not seek revenge 616 00:20:00,784 --> 00:20:03,750 or bar grudge against anyone among your people, 617 00:20:04,703 --> 00:20:08,120 but love your neighbor, as yourself. I am 618 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:08,597 the Lord. 619 00:20:09,883 --> 00:20:11,235 Pretty clear. Right? It's pretty clear in the 620 00:20:11,315 --> 00:20:12,905 Old testament. So here's a new testament version. 621 00:20:13,541 --> 00:20:16,244 In Matthew 05:44 622 00:20:16,244 --> 00:20:17,460 through 48 Jesus 623 00:20:18,166 --> 00:20:18,643 says, 624 00:20:19,832 --> 00:20:21,260 and it's up on the screen. I tell 625 00:20:21,260 --> 00:20:21,760 you 626 00:20:22,371 --> 00:20:24,829 love your enemies and pray for those who 627 00:20:24,829 --> 00:20:25,543 per you. 628 00:20:26,351 --> 00:20:27,936 That you may be children of your father 629 00:20:27,936 --> 00:20:28,412 in heaven. 630 00:20:29,521 --> 00:20:31,899 He causes his son to rise on the 631 00:20:31,899 --> 00:20:32,929 evil and the good, 632 00:20:33,739 --> 00:20:35,495 He sends reign on the righteous and the 633 00:20:35,495 --> 00:20:36,054 un unconscious, 634 00:20:37,091 --> 00:20:39,007 and he says, if you love those who 635 00:20:39,007 --> 00:20:39,486 love you, 636 00:20:40,523 --> 00:20:41,641 what reward will you get? 637 00:20:42,690 --> 00:20:44,755 Do not even the tax collectors do that. 638 00:20:45,946 --> 00:20:47,454 And if you greet only your own people, 639 00:20:47,613 --> 00:20:48,725 what are you doing more than others? 640 00:20:49,757 --> 00:20:51,028 Do not even pagans do that. 641 00:20:52,236 --> 00:20:53,910 And he challenges them He says be perfect 642 00:20:53,910 --> 00:20:56,380 therefore as your heavenly father is perfect. 643 00:20:57,973 --> 00:20:59,487 Now, someone may be thinking to yourself. You 644 00:20:59,487 --> 00:21:00,603 know Brian, I really don't have a lot 645 00:21:00,603 --> 00:21:01,080 of enemies. 646 00:21:02,209 --> 00:21:03,958 I get along pretty well with others. I'm 647 00:21:03,958 --> 00:21:05,866 an eye personality type on the disc profile. 648 00:21:06,025 --> 00:21:07,217 Right? I get along all kind of stuff. 649 00:21:07,694 --> 00:21:09,602 Awesome. Like, that's a blessing if that's where 650 00:21:09,602 --> 00:21:10,159 you are today. 651 00:21:11,127 --> 00:21:12,239 But think about a few of these people. 652 00:21:12,398 --> 00:21:14,065 Think about the person who roots for your 653 00:21:14,065 --> 00:21:14,621 opposing team. 654 00:21:15,811 --> 00:21:17,876 Right? Think about your arch rival sports team 655 00:21:17,876 --> 00:21:18,987 or, if you're a parent in the room, 656 00:21:19,384 --> 00:21:21,790 think about the student of the school that 657 00:21:21,790 --> 00:21:24,105 is your school's competitor, your top competitor. Right? 658 00:21:24,345 --> 00:21:25,941 Is there a little bit of an there? 659 00:21:26,660 --> 00:21:27,857 You go on Youtube and you watch the 660 00:21:27,857 --> 00:21:29,626 videos of these parents acting like idiots to 661 00:21:29,626 --> 00:21:31,375 these games. Right? You'll see that's a real 662 00:21:31,375 --> 00:21:31,613 thing. 663 00:21:32,805 --> 00:21:34,156 Sorry. That's a cross way to say it, 664 00:21:34,315 --> 00:21:36,064 but that's what they act like sometimes material. 665 00:21:37,193 --> 00:21:38,867 Think about a person who day in day 666 00:21:38,867 --> 00:21:39,367 out 667 00:21:39,824 --> 00:21:41,578 seems to have 1 objective that's to make 668 00:21:41,578 --> 00:21:42,796 your life a living 669 00:21:43,412 --> 00:21:44,768 h e double hockey sticks. 670 00:21:45,978 --> 00:21:46,771 Right? They're out there. 671 00:21:47,484 --> 00:21:48,539 What about the person 672 00:21:48,912 --> 00:21:50,260 who's a political extremist? 673 00:21:51,925 --> 00:21:53,060 And they vote for 674 00:21:54,081 --> 00:21:54,952 the other candidate, 675 00:21:55,666 --> 00:21:56,616 the other side of the aisle. 676 00:21:58,439 --> 00:22:00,261 You 1 day, a few years ago, 677 00:22:01,149 --> 00:22:02,190 had a banker for a lot of years 678 00:22:02,190 --> 00:22:04,509 and our businesses and he had left the 679 00:22:04,509 --> 00:22:04,750 bank. 680 00:22:05,789 --> 00:22:07,470 And this new guy shows up to introduce 681 00:22:07,470 --> 00:22:09,796 himself to me. Really nice guy, and we 682 00:22:09,796 --> 00:22:11,307 start talking and come to find out he's 683 00:22:11,307 --> 00:22:11,785 a Christian, 684 00:22:12,660 --> 00:22:14,648 and he's taking over this banking role. 685 00:22:15,458 --> 00:22:16,489 Well, he went on to tell me that 686 00:22:16,489 --> 00:22:18,312 he's actually running for political office in Jefferson 687 00:22:18,392 --> 00:22:18,709 County. 688 00:22:19,660 --> 00:22:21,880 And I started to unpack with him what 689 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:22,935 role and 690 00:22:23,325 --> 00:22:24,445 he was doing that. And he had some 691 00:22:24,445 --> 00:22:26,305 great points. He's like, look, I think that 692 00:22:26,845 --> 00:22:28,845 we can reform education. I think I'm tired 693 00:22:28,845 --> 00:22:30,445 of all these policies and all this red 694 00:22:30,445 --> 00:22:32,099 tape and so on and so forth. Why 695 00:22:32,298 --> 00:22:33,567 he starts to get pretty fired up about 696 00:22:33,567 --> 00:22:35,233 his political affiliation in his parties. 697 00:22:35,948 --> 00:22:37,772 Right? He starts to bash the president at 698 00:22:37,772 --> 00:22:39,121 the time he starts to bash the speaker 699 00:22:39,121 --> 00:22:39,914 of the house and all that kind of 700 00:22:39,914 --> 00:22:41,359 stuff. And which I get it. 701 00:22:42,710 --> 00:22:44,696 And as I'm listening to him, and this 702 00:22:44,696 --> 00:22:45,412 is my banker, 703 00:22:46,127 --> 00:22:47,478 the spirit telling me like, 704 00:22:48,762 --> 00:22:50,428 to to ask him a a really important 705 00:22:50,428 --> 00:22:51,618 question. And and I said this to him. 706 00:22:51,777 --> 00:22:52,729 I said look, can I ask you a 707 00:22:52,729 --> 00:22:53,046 question? 708 00:22:54,077 --> 00:22:54,474 I said, 709 00:22:55,124 --> 00:22:57,120 Do you think you'd be able to walk 710 00:22:57,120 --> 00:22:59,115 up to that president, the current president? Look 711 00:22:59,115 --> 00:23:00,472 them in the eye, stand them face to 712 00:23:00,472 --> 00:23:00,972 face 713 00:23:01,430 --> 00:23:03,106 and tell them I love you. 714 00:23:03,917 --> 00:23:04,789 Like Christ loved you. 715 00:23:06,136 --> 00:23:07,246 And he looked at me with a blank 716 00:23:07,246 --> 00:23:08,831 face and he said, I don't think I 717 00:23:08,831 --> 00:23:08,989 could. 718 00:23:09,940 --> 00:23:12,103 And I said, look, I just maybe maybe 719 00:23:12,103 --> 00:23:13,542 in God's not telling you to run for 720 00:23:13,542 --> 00:23:14,900 office then. Right? Until you can do that. 721 00:23:15,060 --> 00:23:16,259 And that's... That was really hard thing to 722 00:23:16,259 --> 00:23:17,538 say. Right? There was a risk of maybe 723 00:23:17,538 --> 00:23:19,136 losing a banking relationship somebody but that's just 724 00:23:19,136 --> 00:23:19,935 what this spear told me. 725 00:23:21,788 --> 00:23:24,105 And the reality is there's an there's an 726 00:23:24,105 --> 00:23:24,605 antagonist 727 00:23:25,383 --> 00:23:26,981 look looking around every corner. 728 00:23:28,194 --> 00:23:30,110 And I think to myself, Brian, can you 729 00:23:30,110 --> 00:23:31,627 wholeheartedly wish that person will? 730 00:23:32,744 --> 00:23:34,820 Can you can you wholeheartedly pray for their 731 00:23:34,820 --> 00:23:36,416 well being and their salvation? 732 00:23:37,628 --> 00:23:40,035 And Brian, can you imagine 1 day 733 00:23:40,489 --> 00:23:42,317 crossing through those pearly gates, 734 00:23:43,349 --> 00:23:44,462 walking up to that person, 735 00:23:45,034 --> 00:23:46,948 hugging them and saying, welcome. You made it 736 00:23:46,948 --> 00:23:47,187 brother. 737 00:23:48,384 --> 00:23:50,958 Right? If I can't do that, maybe God 738 00:23:51,096 --> 00:23:52,292 wants to do some work in my heart, 739 00:23:52,451 --> 00:23:53,728 and maybe he wants to do some work 740 00:23:53,728 --> 00:23:54,605 in your heart as well. 741 00:23:55,894 --> 00:23:57,168 Because there's so many days that I don't 742 00:23:57,168 --> 00:23:57,725 feel like it. 743 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,648 I'm burnout out. I'm tired. Like, I'm feeling 744 00:24:01,706 --> 00:24:03,552 insecure today. I don't have the the juice 745 00:24:03,552 --> 00:24:05,065 in my tank to go up and assert 746 00:24:05,065 --> 00:24:06,975 myself for somebody else. Like, I feel like 747 00:24:06,975 --> 00:24:08,033 that and god's saying 748 00:24:08,647 --> 00:24:10,717 just 1 more time. 1 more time today. 749 00:24:11,369 --> 00:24:12,244 And then 1 more time, 750 00:24:12,961 --> 00:24:13,279 tomorrow. 751 00:24:14,791 --> 00:24:16,304 And if you're in that place, if you 752 00:24:16,304 --> 00:24:18,453 feel tired or burnout or inadequate or insecure, 753 00:24:18,532 --> 00:24:19,567 or you feel like you don't have anything 754 00:24:19,567 --> 00:24:20,920 left me take, come get prayer for that. 755 00:24:21,253 --> 00:24:22,785 That's what we're here for. We wanna pray 756 00:24:22,841 --> 00:24:23,635 through that together. 757 00:24:25,382 --> 00:24:26,811 And so thirdly, who's my neighbor? 758 00:24:28,002 --> 00:24:30,663 Well, my neighbor is a person who society 759 00:24:30,719 --> 00:24:31,037 rejects. 760 00:24:33,183 --> 00:24:35,171 Now, my family loves dogs. Anybody else love 761 00:24:35,171 --> 00:24:35,409 dogs, 762 00:24:37,254 --> 00:24:38,533 Are you just being shy, do you love 763 00:24:38,533 --> 00:24:40,531 dogs or nose Like, okay. There's at least 764 00:24:40,531 --> 00:24:41,970 6 people that love dogs? That's right. 765 00:24:43,008 --> 00:24:44,846 Now, reality is, like, even if you don't 766 00:24:44,846 --> 00:24:45,965 love dogs. When you when you were walking 767 00:24:45,965 --> 00:24:47,179 down the road and you see a puppy 768 00:24:47,179 --> 00:24:48,933 coming. Isn't it? Like, kinda melt your heart. 769 00:24:49,332 --> 00:24:50,767 Like a cute little puppy and stuff. 770 00:24:51,485 --> 00:24:53,638 Now our middle daughter Kai is really allergic 771 00:24:53,638 --> 00:24:54,993 to dogs and pets, so we can't have 772 00:24:54,993 --> 00:24:56,602 them. And we miss our little guy's. Many 773 00:24:56,602 --> 00:24:58,272 of you remember a little miniature sc are 774 00:24:58,272 --> 00:24:58,829 we had Stuart. 775 00:25:00,022 --> 00:25:01,613 But it's pretty easy to love a a 776 00:25:01,613 --> 00:25:02,250 sweet little puppy. 777 00:25:03,045 --> 00:25:04,660 Do stewart what about a cute little kid 778 00:25:04,660 --> 00:25:06,580 that is just giggling and laughing and you 779 00:25:06,580 --> 00:25:08,100 get to tickle them and they're funny and 780 00:25:08,100 --> 00:25:10,500 they're silly. Right? It's kinda easy to feel 781 00:25:10,500 --> 00:25:11,779 love for for that little kid. 782 00:25:12,834 --> 00:25:14,192 It's 1 thing to love the lovable, but 783 00:25:14,192 --> 00:25:16,430 it's a whole other ballgame to love the 784 00:25:16,430 --> 00:25:18,449 out cast and the mis fits 785 00:25:18,908 --> 00:25:19,967 and the un 786 00:25:20,346 --> 00:25:21,225 unbelievable people. 787 00:25:22,831 --> 00:25:24,362 Jesus half brother James 788 00:25:25,130 --> 00:25:27,429 said in James 02:15 to 16. 789 00:25:28,381 --> 00:25:30,542 If a brother or sister is poorly cloth 790 00:25:30,542 --> 00:25:32,057 and lacking in daily food. 791 00:25:32,615 --> 00:25:34,370 And 1 of you says to them, go 792 00:25:34,370 --> 00:25:34,928 in peace, 793 00:25:35,805 --> 00:25:37,720 be warm and be filled without giving them 794 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:39,235 the things needed for the body. What good 795 00:25:39,235 --> 00:25:39,727 is that. 796 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,148 In other words, Christians are commanded to do 797 00:25:43,148 --> 00:25:45,057 more for our neighbor than offer cheap talk 798 00:25:45,057 --> 00:25:45,773 and well wishes. 799 00:25:47,059 --> 00:25:48,806 And 1 way to measure how much love 800 00:25:48,806 --> 00:25:50,950 we show another person is to measure how 801 00:25:50,950 --> 00:25:53,809 much it cost you to love that person. 802 00:25:55,498 --> 00:25:57,257 And a well recognized example of such a 803 00:25:57,257 --> 00:25:59,734 sacrifices has found a little further in luke 804 00:25:59,734 --> 00:26:01,892 10 in 1 of the most famous parable 805 00:26:01,892 --> 00:26:03,411 of Jesus since the parable of the Good 806 00:26:03,650 --> 00:26:03,970 Samaritan. 807 00:26:04,703 --> 00:26:06,296 You might remember this story. So we're gonna 808 00:26:06,296 --> 00:26:08,208 pick it up here in Luke 10 verse 809 00:26:08,208 --> 00:26:08,708 30 810 00:26:09,243 --> 00:26:11,553 as Jesus is telling this story this parable 811 00:26:11,553 --> 00:26:12,748 to this expert in the law. 812 00:26:14,514 --> 00:26:16,049 So let's check this out. So 813 00:26:16,902 --> 00:26:17,618 in a reply, 814 00:26:18,493 --> 00:26:19,210 Jesus said, 815 00:26:20,403 --> 00:26:22,314 a man was going down from Jerusalem to 816 00:26:22,393 --> 00:26:22,791 Jericho. 817 00:26:23,204 --> 00:26:24,637 When he was attacked by Robbers. 818 00:26:25,512 --> 00:26:27,502 They stripped him of his clothes, they beat 819 00:26:27,502 --> 00:26:28,537 him and they went away, 820 00:26:29,253 --> 00:26:30,209 leaving him half dead. 821 00:26:31,420 --> 00:26:32,860 A priest happened to be going down the 822 00:26:32,860 --> 00:26:35,340 same road. And we saw the man, he 823 00:26:35,340 --> 00:26:36,380 passed on the other side. 824 00:26:37,900 --> 00:26:39,340 So to a levi, when he came to 825 00:26:39,340 --> 00:26:40,948 the place and saw him. He passed on 826 00:26:40,948 --> 00:26:41,584 the other side. 827 00:26:42,856 --> 00:26:45,163 But a samaritan as he traveled, 828 00:26:45,878 --> 00:26:47,310 came where the man was. And when he 829 00:26:47,310 --> 00:26:48,980 saw him, he took pity on him. 830 00:26:50,266 --> 00:26:52,252 He went to him. He bandage his wounds. 831 00:26:52,888 --> 00:26:54,238 He poured on oil and wine. 832 00:26:55,112 --> 00:26:56,224 And then he took the man. He put 833 00:26:56,224 --> 00:26:57,098 him on his own donkey, 834 00:26:57,654 --> 00:26:58,766 he brought him to the end and he 835 00:26:58,766 --> 00:26:59,402 took care of him. 836 00:27:00,529 --> 00:27:02,199 The next day he took out 2 Den, 837 00:27:02,994 --> 00:27:04,824 he gave to the inn keeper. He said, 838 00:27:04,903 --> 00:27:05,778 look after him. 839 00:27:06,732 --> 00:27:08,561 And when I return, I will reimburse you 840 00:27:08,561 --> 00:27:10,962 for any expense or extra expense that you 841 00:27:10,962 --> 00:27:11,360 may have. 842 00:27:12,871 --> 00:27:15,496 You've wondered why the Samaritan acted like he 843 00:27:15,496 --> 00:27:15,996 did 844 00:27:16,944 --> 00:27:18,380 Now this is... I don't think... I don't 845 00:27:18,380 --> 00:27:19,656 know this is a a real life story. 846 00:27:19,816 --> 00:27:21,651 This is a parable, but think about the 847 00:27:21,651 --> 00:27:23,007 intentional of what Jesus taught. 848 00:27:24,059 --> 00:27:25,737 You wonder why Tam samaritan did that. Now, 849 00:27:26,057 --> 00:27:28,613 maybe it's because, like, maybe he was bullied 850 00:27:28,613 --> 00:27:29,652 and beaten when he was a kid. 851 00:27:30,531 --> 00:27:31,982 Right? If any of you were kind bullied 852 00:27:31,982 --> 00:27:33,573 when you were younger or have been bullied 853 00:27:33,573 --> 00:27:35,880 if you are younger. Right? Does that not 854 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:37,630 strike according your heart for injustice. 855 00:27:38,585 --> 00:27:40,992 Bullied Well, think about somebody that's verbally def 856 00:27:40,992 --> 00:27:42,985 deficient you or ba you in your life 857 00:27:42,985 --> 00:27:45,218 and ridiculed. Does that not stir with up 858 00:27:45,218 --> 00:27:47,051 within new passion for a person that goes 859 00:27:47,051 --> 00:27:47,450 through that? 860 00:27:48,981 --> 00:27:50,416 Injustice can lead to great reform. 861 00:27:51,852 --> 00:27:53,288 I wanna talk about the priest and levi 862 00:27:53,288 --> 00:27:55,282 first, because I think that and and maybe 863 00:27:55,282 --> 00:27:57,036 rightly, but I think they get a really 864 00:27:57,036 --> 00:27:57,515 bad rap. 865 00:27:58,566 --> 00:28:00,421 Because all we hear is these righteous 866 00:28:00,798 --> 00:28:01,196 jews, 867 00:28:01,674 --> 00:28:03,109 they were too good to stop and help 868 00:28:03,109 --> 00:28:05,182 the guy. Maybe that's the case, but maybe, 869 00:28:05,834 --> 00:28:07,507 When you understand the priest in the levi 870 00:28:07,507 --> 00:28:09,418 at those time, they were very important people 871 00:28:09,418 --> 00:28:09,896 in the temple. 872 00:28:10,931 --> 00:28:12,365 And so for a priest or levi to 873 00:28:12,365 --> 00:28:14,298 go touch a person that was 874 00:28:15,009 --> 00:28:16,446 be to a pulp or potentially dead meant... 875 00:28:16,605 --> 00:28:17,803 That they may not be able to go 876 00:28:17,803 --> 00:28:19,719 to the temple and leave worship for many 877 00:28:19,719 --> 00:28:20,038 days. 878 00:28:20,916 --> 00:28:22,832 So I try to think about my example, 879 00:28:23,072 --> 00:28:24,030 What would that be like for us? 880 00:28:25,159 --> 00:28:26,829 Right? I think I'm driving down the road. 881 00:28:27,704 --> 00:28:29,135 I've been late to work 4 times. 882 00:28:30,169 --> 00:28:32,395 I've got a super important meeting today, and 883 00:28:32,475 --> 00:28:33,668 I'm already tracking to be late. 884 00:28:34,719 --> 00:28:36,237 And I'm driving by somebody on the side 885 00:28:36,237 --> 00:28:37,515 of the road that's in desperate need. You 886 00:28:37,515 --> 00:28:38,394 have to make a choice. 887 00:28:39,193 --> 00:28:40,951 Right? I get it. I have a little 888 00:28:40,951 --> 00:28:43,194 empathy for that. Maybe Maybe today, the choices 889 00:28:43,194 --> 00:28:44,384 somebody else is gonna help. I'm just gonna... 890 00:28:44,543 --> 00:28:45,257 I gotta get to work. 891 00:28:46,129 --> 00:28:46,526 Maybe. 892 00:28:47,478 --> 00:28:48,588 Okay? Or what about this? 893 00:28:49,318 --> 00:28:51,149 You're driving through a really rough neighborhood and 894 00:28:51,149 --> 00:28:52,900 there's gunshots going off and somebody gets shot. 895 00:28:53,059 --> 00:28:53,616 What do you do? 896 00:28:54,730 --> 00:28:56,004 Mean, do you stop and bail out of 897 00:28:56,004 --> 00:28:58,153 the car and and help. I... Maybe I 898 00:28:58,153 --> 00:28:59,684 hope we would be able to do that. 899 00:28:59,765 --> 00:29:01,845 And that the holy spirit and the covering 900 00:29:01,845 --> 00:29:03,365 of God would protect us and our families 901 00:29:03,365 --> 00:29:04,804 in that, but that's a risky thing, and 902 00:29:04,804 --> 00:29:06,724 maybe they were fearing that they might just 903 00:29:06,724 --> 00:29:08,896 get beaten up, I don't know. 904 00:29:10,250 --> 00:29:12,162 But there's some things that we can surmise 905 00:29:12,162 --> 00:29:13,278 about the good samaritan. 906 00:29:13,995 --> 00:29:15,747 And the good samaritan had these things. Look 907 00:29:15,747 --> 00:29:17,914 at what the good good samaritan had. First 908 00:29:17,914 --> 00:29:19,755 of all, he had intentional and he had 909 00:29:19,755 --> 00:29:20,154 margin. 910 00:29:21,755 --> 00:29:23,835 Now, I think if you ask any person 911 00:29:23,835 --> 00:29:24,475 in America, 912 00:29:25,275 --> 00:29:27,685 if they're busy, they will say, yeah. Super 913 00:29:27,685 --> 00:29:27,924 busy. 914 00:29:28,798 --> 00:29:30,149 Right? And how many of us know person 915 00:29:30,149 --> 00:29:32,454 that's retired. That's busier after retirement than they 916 00:29:32,454 --> 00:29:34,997 were before retirement. Yeah. Some some of you 917 00:29:34,997 --> 00:29:35,632 are in this room. 918 00:29:36,763 --> 00:29:38,279 But here's what I've learned people that have 919 00:29:38,279 --> 00:29:38,598 margin, 920 00:29:39,236 --> 00:29:40,194 you know how they get margin? 921 00:29:41,152 --> 00:29:41,710 They make it. 922 00:29:42,748 --> 00:29:45,400 They make time for important things, whether it's 923 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,240 serving in a nonprofit or it's having lunch 924 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:49,319 with a friend or helping somebody in the 925 00:29:49,319 --> 00:29:50,359 side of the road that's in need. 926 00:29:51,733 --> 00:29:52,849 You know what else? We learned about the 927 00:29:52,849 --> 00:29:54,682 good Samaritan. And he had grace and compassion. 928 00:29:56,037 --> 00:29:57,710 Somebody told me about a year ago, a 929 00:29:57,710 --> 00:29:58,210 really 930 00:29:58,587 --> 00:29:59,087 impactful 931 00:29:59,398 --> 00:30:01,810 thing about compassion. They said, look, sympathy 932 00:30:02,584 --> 00:30:04,177 is when you feel sad for somebody. 933 00:30:05,212 --> 00:30:07,204 And they said, empathy is when you can 934 00:30:07,204 --> 00:30:08,812 relate to somebody. You say I know how 935 00:30:08,812 --> 00:30:10,565 you feel. I'm so sorry because I I've 936 00:30:10,565 --> 00:30:11,680 been there too and I feel the same 937 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:11,919 way, 938 00:30:12,715 --> 00:30:13,592 but compassion. 939 00:30:14,707 --> 00:30:16,619 Compassion doing something about it. 940 00:30:17,909 --> 00:30:19,747 So he had compassion. He said, I don't 941 00:30:19,747 --> 00:30:21,345 just feel bad for the guy. I'm gonna 942 00:30:21,345 --> 00:30:22,863 get out and I'm gonna help him. 943 00:30:24,301 --> 00:30:26,153 He had money in relationships. Now we know 944 00:30:26,153 --> 00:30:27,349 if he was a wealthy man. We don't 945 00:30:27,349 --> 00:30:28,944 know if he had really good savings, but 946 00:30:28,944 --> 00:30:30,698 he had money relationships. How do we know 947 00:30:30,698 --> 00:30:32,054 that? Well, he goes to the in keeper 948 00:30:32,054 --> 00:30:34,127 and he says, look, first of all, relational 949 00:30:34,127 --> 00:30:35,817 equity. I don't We have trust? He said, 950 00:30:35,977 --> 00:30:37,095 would you take care of this guy? 951 00:30:38,053 --> 00:30:39,490 And then secondly, he says, I'll take care 952 00:30:39,490 --> 00:30:41,086 of the bill. Don't worry about it Just 953 00:30:41,086 --> 00:30:42,922 bill me. That's trust and relationships. 954 00:30:45,089 --> 00:30:46,044 And you know what else he had he 955 00:30:46,044 --> 00:30:47,237 had reliable transportation. 956 00:30:48,351 --> 00:30:49,782 Now you don't need a sports car to 957 00:30:49,782 --> 00:30:50,657 love your neighbor. Y'all. 958 00:30:51,309 --> 00:30:52,579 K? Some of you have a car that's 959 00:30:52,579 --> 00:30:54,087 about as fast as a donkey and I 960 00:30:54,087 --> 00:30:54,564 get that, 961 00:30:55,675 --> 00:30:56,866 but it's gonna get you where you're going. 962 00:30:57,025 --> 00:30:59,645 Isn't it? It's probably gonna get your neighbor. 963 00:31:00,454 --> 00:31:02,283 Where they're going to. And if you have 964 00:31:02,283 --> 00:31:03,397 a problem with your car, come talk to 965 00:31:03,397 --> 00:31:04,590 them, we'll see if we can figure it 966 00:31:04,590 --> 00:31:05,863 out. We can soup that donkey up a 967 00:31:05,863 --> 00:31:06,261 little bit. 968 00:31:08,105 --> 00:31:09,297 But look at Jesus life, 969 00:31:10,489 --> 00:31:12,078 How often do we see Jesus hanging out 970 00:31:12,078 --> 00:31:12,873 with the cool kids. 971 00:31:14,065 --> 00:31:15,893 Those were rich in of high status. 972 00:31:17,023 --> 00:31:18,141 Who do you spend most of his time 973 00:31:18,141 --> 00:31:18,300 with? 974 00:31:19,578 --> 00:31:21,574 He spent his time with a bunch of 975 00:31:21,574 --> 00:31:23,330 blue collar, teenagers and twenties, 976 00:31:24,448 --> 00:31:25,725 prostitutes adult, 977 00:31:26,775 --> 00:31:30,267 tax collectors and of hard money, lame, deaf 978 00:31:30,267 --> 00:31:32,014 and blind people. That's who he spent most 979 00:31:32,014 --> 00:31:32,649 of his time with. 980 00:31:33,522 --> 00:31:34,395 So who do you hang out with? 981 00:31:35,605 --> 00:31:36,484 Who do I hang out with? 982 00:31:37,765 --> 00:31:39,444 It's great to hang out with our people 983 00:31:39,444 --> 00:31:41,204 just like the Rabbi would teach It's great 984 00:31:41,204 --> 00:31:42,724 to hang out with your fellow Jews. It's 985 00:31:42,724 --> 00:31:44,579 great to love. People that are like you, 986 00:31:44,738 --> 00:31:46,278 but he said, it's greater 987 00:31:46,656 --> 00:31:48,654 to love the people who aren't like you. 988 00:31:50,333 --> 00:31:52,331 And unfortunately, I think that Christians have kinda 989 00:31:52,331 --> 00:31:53,370 ruined it for Christianity. 990 00:31:54,262 --> 00:31:55,536 Over the last several decades. 991 00:31:56,811 --> 00:31:58,723 There's so many opportunities but we sw them 992 00:31:58,723 --> 00:31:59,701 away. Hypocrisy, 993 00:32:00,236 --> 00:32:02,250 hateful speech, double standards 994 00:32:03,596 --> 00:32:03,756 Right. 995 00:32:04,711 --> 00:32:06,223 People expect us to live perfect lives. We're 996 00:32:06,223 --> 00:32:07,815 not gonna do that, but that standard the 997 00:32:07,815 --> 00:32:08,373 bar is high. 998 00:32:09,487 --> 00:32:10,703 And I think that there's 999 00:32:11,093 --> 00:32:13,708 an opportunity to sow new seeds on fertile 1000 00:32:13,708 --> 00:32:14,104 ground. 1001 00:32:15,293 --> 00:32:16,719 It's for our acts and our deeds to 1002 00:32:16,719 --> 00:32:17,511 be attractive. 1003 00:32:18,319 --> 00:32:20,716 To be considered to be impactful and least 1004 00:32:20,716 --> 00:32:22,016 case noticeable. 1005 00:32:24,712 --> 00:32:26,250 Look out Jesus responds 1006 00:32:27,123 --> 00:32:28,638 to this expert cry, at the end of 1007 00:32:28,638 --> 00:32:31,828 this scripture? He says, in verse 36 1008 00:32:32,067 --> 00:32:33,662 and 37 Luke lieutenant 10, he says, which 1009 00:32:33,662 --> 00:32:35,677 of these 3? He's asking this 1010 00:32:36,387 --> 00:32:37,979 legal experts, which of these 3 do you 1011 00:32:37,979 --> 00:32:39,650 think was a neighbor to the man who 1012 00:32:39,650 --> 00:32:40,843 fell into the hands of the Robbers. 1013 00:32:41,719 --> 00:32:43,469 And the expert in the law replied, the 1014 00:32:43,469 --> 00:32:44,424 1 who had mercy on him? 1015 00:32:45,474 --> 00:32:47,466 And Jesus said him. And he said, go 1016 00:32:47,466 --> 00:32:47,864 do that. 1017 00:32:48,980 --> 00:32:50,653 Go be like him. Go be the 1 1018 00:32:50,653 --> 00:32:51,631 who has mercy 1019 00:32:52,087 --> 00:32:54,398 on a person that's not easily loved and 1020 00:32:54,398 --> 00:32:54,876 cared for. 1021 00:32:56,559 --> 00:32:57,989 So in the eyes of Jesus and God 1022 00:32:57,989 --> 00:32:59,577 the father, the way we love our neighbors 1023 00:32:59,577 --> 00:33:00,077 has 1024 00:33:00,848 --> 00:33:01,348 substantial 1025 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:02,199 implications. 1026 00:33:04,601 --> 00:33:06,355 And you won't, and I repeat you will 1027 00:33:06,355 --> 00:33:08,427 not be able to do it perfectly. We 1028 00:33:08,427 --> 00:33:08,667 won't. 1029 00:33:09,942 --> 00:33:11,537 And so is it a matter of salvation? 1030 00:33:13,142 --> 00:33:14,809 Jesus says do this and you'll inherit heaven. 1031 00:33:14,967 --> 00:33:16,316 So is it a matter of salvation, I 1032 00:33:16,316 --> 00:33:17,507 don't think it necessarily is. 1033 00:33:18,618 --> 00:33:20,705 Because we read from the scriptures that 1034 00:33:21,173 --> 00:33:22,923 these out pouring of our good works is 1035 00:33:22,923 --> 00:33:25,151 just a byproduct of salvation that we've received. 1036 00:33:25,867 --> 00:33:28,334 Right? That renewal renewing of life, renewing in 1037 00:33:28,334 --> 00:33:29,288 spirit, renewing in mind, 1038 00:33:30,099 --> 00:33:32,485 And we know for reading the scripture teachings 1039 00:33:32,485 --> 00:33:34,155 of the Apostle Paul that we don't partake 1040 00:33:34,155 --> 00:33:35,666 in workspace religion you guys. 1041 00:33:36,700 --> 00:33:38,585 That's most religions of the world are works 1042 00:33:38,703 --> 00:33:40,869 based, you do these things to be right 1043 00:33:41,163 --> 00:33:43,622 with your god. Christianity, it's all been done 1044 00:33:43,622 --> 00:33:44,336 already for us. 1045 00:33:45,605 --> 00:33:45,660 Based 1046 00:33:46,491 --> 00:33:47,363 So how do we do it? 1047 00:33:48,076 --> 00:33:49,898 How do love the way that Jesus prescribed. 1048 00:33:50,849 --> 00:33:52,855 And I would just say this. Love people 1049 00:33:53,085 --> 00:33:55,884 by genuinely seeking what's best for them. 1050 00:33:57,724 --> 00:34:00,285 Loving people doesn't mean agreeing with them all 1051 00:34:00,285 --> 00:34:00,684 the time, 1052 00:34:01,817 --> 00:34:03,569 It doesn't mean pac other people. 1053 00:34:04,366 --> 00:34:06,118 Right? It's not just to seek approval. 1054 00:34:07,153 --> 00:34:09,065 Loving our neighbors means attending to their needs 1055 00:34:09,065 --> 00:34:09,862 both physically. 1056 00:34:10,514 --> 00:34:11,254 And spiritually. 1057 00:34:12,989 --> 00:34:14,186 It's some practical examples. 1058 00:34:15,064 --> 00:34:16,101 When I'm driving down the road, 1059 00:34:16,900 --> 00:34:18,256 and I get cut off. Maybe I think 1060 00:34:18,256 --> 00:34:19,030 to myself 1061 00:34:19,468 --> 00:34:20,981 they need to get somewhere more than I 1062 00:34:20,981 --> 00:34:21,141 do. 1063 00:34:22,335 --> 00:34:23,212 Maybe if you're in business, 1064 00:34:23,849 --> 00:34:26,000 you think more about serving your clients and 1065 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:27,673 your patrons and you do beating your competitor. 1066 00:34:28,963 --> 00:34:30,719 Maybe you carry AAA 1067 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:32,076 care kid in your car for somebody that's 1068 00:34:32,076 --> 00:34:32,475 homeless. 1069 00:34:33,513 --> 00:34:34,949 It's something that I do under in the 1070 00:34:34,949 --> 00:34:36,865 wintertime. Plow your neighbor's driveway or your sidewalk. 1071 00:34:37,438 --> 00:34:39,829 Alright small thing. No words exchange, small act 1072 00:34:39,829 --> 00:34:40,467 of kindness, 1073 00:34:41,583 --> 00:34:43,895 or maybe God says he wants you to 1074 00:34:43,895 --> 00:34:45,170 send your adversary a letter. 1075 00:34:46,298 --> 00:34:47,807 Tell them you love when forgive them. 1076 00:34:50,350 --> 00:34:51,859 Here's a healthy way to think. God, 1077 00:34:52,670 --> 00:34:54,747 was willing to sacrifice his holy son. 1078 00:34:56,185 --> 00:34:58,023 What would it cost me to sacrifice for 1079 00:34:58,023 --> 00:34:59,461 somebody in my church or my community. 1080 00:35:00,833 --> 00:35:03,786 God's repeatedly continually willing to look past my 1081 00:35:03,786 --> 00:35:05,722 sin and my ugliness? So what would it 1082 00:35:05,780 --> 00:35:07,376 cost me, what can I find 1 way? 1083 00:35:08,188 --> 00:35:10,488 To exhibit grace to somebody and treat them 1084 00:35:10,488 --> 00:35:11,519 better than they deserve. 1085 00:35:12,868 --> 00:35:14,454 And guess what God provides for me and 1086 00:35:14,454 --> 00:35:15,723 my family provides for us. 1087 00:35:16,373 --> 00:35:17,962 Our daily bread. So how can I partner 1088 00:35:17,962 --> 00:35:18,621 with him 1089 00:35:19,312 --> 00:35:21,060 to help somebody receive their daily bread? 1090 00:35:22,728 --> 00:35:24,237 Quote from Martin Luther or Scott shared last 1091 00:35:24,237 --> 00:35:25,588 week a love that god doesn't eat our 1092 00:35:25,588 --> 00:35:26,719 good words but people do. 1093 00:35:27,918 --> 00:35:28,956 And so if you put your faith in 1094 00:35:29,116 --> 00:35:31,034 Jesus, let your actions show, that's all God's 1095 00:35:31,034 --> 00:35:31,434 saying here. 1096 00:35:32,233 --> 00:35:32,872 If you haven't, 1097 00:35:33,431 --> 00:35:34,790 it's time to put your faith in Jesus, 1098 00:35:34,950 --> 00:35:37,059 but and watch your life be transformed. 1099 00:35:38,393 --> 00:35:38,951 Pray with me. 1100 00:35:41,264 --> 00:35:43,039 Father such a humbling message 1101 00:35:44,469 --> 00:35:47,206 such a subtle yet bold reminder 1102 00:35:47,665 --> 00:35:48,964 about how important 1103 00:35:49,343 --> 00:35:51,021 it is in your sight to love those 1104 00:35:51,021 --> 00:35:51,421 around us. 1105 00:35:52,793 --> 00:35:54,383 We are not perfect and we cannot do 1106 00:35:54,383 --> 00:35:55,917 it perfectly, but god, that's 1107 00:35:56,451 --> 00:35:57,269 that's why 1108 00:35:57,723 --> 00:35:59,870 there's grace, but for Grace, Lord, we would 1109 00:35:59,870 --> 00:36:00,370 all 1110 00:36:00,744 --> 00:36:02,017 have a very different eternity. 1111 00:36:03,307 --> 00:36:04,742 So thank you for this reminder this morning, 1112 00:36:04,901 --> 00:36:06,097 God, let there be joy our hearts. 1113 00:36:07,054 --> 00:36:08,112 But there'd be excitement 1114 00:36:08,648 --> 00:36:10,163 to go and do 1 little thing to 1115 00:36:10,163 --> 00:36:11,773 impact the lives of someone else Lord and 1116 00:36:11,773 --> 00:36:12,672 as a reminder 1117 00:36:13,050 --> 00:36:15,046 of all you've done for us through the 1118 00:36:15,046 --> 00:36:16,881 death and the resurrection of Jesus and that 1119 00:36:16,881 --> 00:36:19,536 whoever puts their faith and follows that savior 1120 00:36:20,009 --> 00:36:22,893 We'll have last life. We'll inherit that 1121 00:36:23,266 --> 00:36:24,935 eternal resting in place in heaven. Thank you 1122 00:36:24,935 --> 00:36:26,763 for your power, for your grace, 1123 00:36:27,413 --> 00:36:29,236 and your mercy, Lord were forever indebted, but 1124 00:36:29,236 --> 00:36:30,662 we love you we praise you today. Thank 1125 00:36:30,662 --> 00:36:31,217 you, Jesus. 1126 00:36:32,088 --> 00:36:32,247 Amen.