Cornerstone Christian Center
Cornerstone Christian Center
When Community Wins | Battle for the Family
We reminisce about those formative moments that highlight how collective support can fortify our journeys, especially when faced with life's little (and not so little) challenges. It's a beautiful reminder of the human connection that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, and how a community can become a pivotal part of our personal stories.
Throughout the episode, we unravel the intricate tapestry of faith, family, and community, drawing from the divine blueprint of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We explore how love and service are not just lofty ideals but practical tools for strengthening the bonds in our lives. By looking at the reinvention of familiar brands like Stanley and Crocs, we ponder how fresh perspectives can rejuvenate our approaches to building connections. The conversation challenges us to rethink our interactions, placing kindness and service at the forefront of our relationships, much like the teachings of Jesus.
As we turn our focus to the transformative power of unconditional love, we contemplate its role in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and beyond. Embracing the calling to be more Christ-like, we discuss how displaying such love can lead to profound positive changes in our surroundings. Our dialogue culminates in a community prayer for Garden Lakes Elementary, underscoring the essential support believers can offer through prayer and presence. With an invitation to embrace faith, we hope to inspire listeners to weave love, kindness, and service into the very fabric of their lives. Join us as we journey through these stories and reflections, striving to be more like Jesus each day.
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Good morning. Well, several years ago, my family and I were living in Paris, france, and when we headed there, we just had one child, and then another one was born as soon as we arrived, and when you're in France, your children start school at age three, and so this was amazing. Javen was three years old and we got to just put him straight into the local matronel and he just went full-time all day long in French. He was submerged in the language from the beginning and we just loved it. And one of the things that you'll learn in French school is that the boys are all boys, and what I mean by that is they're rough and they're dirty and they love to just beat each other up and mess around, and afterwards, when you go to pick up your kids, about 4.30 in the afternoon, they love to just play outside of the matronale.
Speaker 1:There's like a lot of green grass in France. It's amazing, it's like a new concept from here, but they have trees and everything and it's just so beautiful, and so you just let the kids play and have fun. And it was a great opportunity for me to meet people, because other moms were standing around, some were from other countries, and so we'd get to interact with each other, but during one of these outdoor sessions, javen always loved to climb trees how many of you are tree climbers? And it was just like a thing you did. Well, the trees in France are pretty thick and the branches are pretty thick as well. They're not these little flimsy things that break when the wind blows. And so Jamin's out there and he's playing around and he's having fun and I'm talking to somebody, and then I hear a voice from my son go, mom, my knee's stuck in the branch. I was like what? So they had a tree and you're going to see a picture behind me, because we actually went back in 2022 to visit the church and you'll see this tree. This is the tree.
Speaker 1:I said Javan, stand right here real quick, I need to take a picture. It has a big base. And then you'll see these big branches and they come to a V right behind him While he was playing. He climbed it and he got his knee bent in this position, stuck right in between the V, and I walked over there and I'm like you're kidding, right? And he's like no, my knee is stuck. It's like, oh no. So he's trying to move it and the more he moves it. He's irritating the knee, where it kind of swells a little bit, and I said what am I supposed to do? I don't walk to school with a saw, like I don't even know what I'm supposed to do right now and dad's not here, and so what are we going to do? So I'm like looking around and I just see all these women that I'm standing by like well, we're not getting accomplished much together.
Speaker 1:And then I hear this voice of a guy, and he's a Persian man and his family was living there in the area that we were living in, and he's a very stocky guy. And I hear him say I will get him out of the tree. And I was like you are amazing. And so he walks over there. And then I hear another dad from another European country and he said I will help you. And I was like bless you guys, you guys are awesome. And so they go over to this tree and the Persian guy is holding on to the outside branch and he just holds it. He lifts his body off the ground just holding it to get that branch to just move a little bit, and then the European guy gets into the tree and tries really hard just to wiggle the branches enough just to barely move. So Javen can wiggle out, and you'll see in this picture Javen's holding his knee, because I wanted him to reenact the damage he caused on me from that day. He was not this age, he was about four when this happened, but those two men jumped in and they wiggled it just enough to get his knee out, and all the moms in the room are like amen, thank you for community. But, man, I am grateful when those around you step up to help. How many of you have been in a situation like that, where you're like it would have never happened if it was just me by myself, but I am so grateful for those around me that came and helped. And so this morning I want to talk to you about community, and my title is this when Community Wins.
Speaker 1:We are in a series right now Battle for the Family and this is the last week that we are in. If you are new here, you haven't been a part of our church before. I just want to say welcome to you. My name is Celeste. My husband and I, jay, have such a privilege of helping people walk their journey of faith as they get closer to God. We just help them and guide them and lead them. We have an amazing team of people who work with us leaders and staff and everybody who serves at the church. We are so grateful for those of you that come and make Sundays and all throughout the week possible, and so we're grateful that you're here.
Speaker 1:One of the mottos that we have at the church is to be more like Jesus. We've been saying about it this morning and how many of you know that is not an easy motto to follow, but we try with everything that we have to be more like Jesus. You'll see a photo behind me of Jesus walking with his disciples, and it is our goal that we don't run ahead of him and we don't stray behind, but that we're just walking in pace with the Lord, day after day, going where he is leading us, and so we're in battle for a family. I have to tell you I've been really blessed by this series. I felt like from day one, I was going in the boxing ring. I mean, you just say battle for the family and you're like here we go, here we go. I should have just showed up every week with boxing gloves on because I was ready to fight. It's that mama bear in some of us that are like don't mess with mine, don't mess with mine. And so I came in just really ready to spiritually fight for my family. And I don't know about you if it reared something up in you, it's like a lion that comes to life. But I came in just ready to say, whatever it is, I'm going to fight for my family, amen.
Speaker 1:And so, week one, pastor Jay shared about what are you battling for? And we read in Joshua 24, 15, but, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. If you don't have that scripture anywhere in your house, you should get an artist or somebody to paint it, make it nice, put it even on the fridge. And every day you just say that, as for me and my house, we're going to serve the Lord. As for me and my house, we're going to serve the Lord. As for me and my house, we're going to serve the Lord. And then, no matter what comes your way that day, you're just like. As for me and my house, we're going to serve the Lord.
Speaker 1:He talked about fighting that we are more than conquerors. In him, who loves us, we are. We're more than conquerors. Week two, he talked about. Take one for the team. And it says in John 15, 13, greater love has no one than this, that someone laid down his life for his friends. He talks about this team, that we are on Team Jesus. For this team to be successful, there are going to be some tough assignments that you will have to overcome, but you are standing here today because you are an overcomer, and you are here this morning because you have made it through the week Amen and you're still standing, and so that's what it's about.
Speaker 1:In week three he talked about your legacy. How do you want to be remembered? It says in Matthew 25, 21,. His master said to him well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. It's about leaving a spiritual inheritance. You need to have an eternal perspective. All the things of this world will fade away, but what you instill into your kids and your family about Jesus and his word will not, and so it's about leaving a spiritual inheritance for those around you.
Speaker 1:Today I want to start in John, chapter 13. If you have your Bible, turn with me to John 13. We're going to start off in verse 34. It says this a new commandment I give to you that you love one another Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know.
Speaker 1:So we're in this series Battle for the Family, and we have talked about the importance of the things that God has put into our lives. So we know that he's given us a family and we are grateful for the family. We're grateful for our immediate family. We want to battle for them and believe good things for each one of them, not just our immediate family, but our extended family, cousins, aunts, uncles, all of them. We want to believe that the plan that God has for them, we will see it come to fruition. And then not only that, but now we want to talk about our community, the family that is the community. And so when community wins, I want you to think of a couple questions this morning. Number one is how do you interact with everybody outside? Just think about that for a moment. How do you interact with everybody outside, and what happens when it's not just you, but how your family interacts with the community?
Speaker 1:You see, god designed community, it says in Genesis 2.18,. Then the Lord God said it is not good that man should be alone. I will make him a helper fit for him. So in this scripture we see that God created marriage. Then, from marriage, god created family. Then from the family, god created a lineage. Then from that we see tribes and then from that we see cities. God created a community. You see, community was written into our DNA by God.
Speaker 1:It says in Genesis 1, 26,. Then God said let us make man in our image, after our likeness. God himself is community. He exists as God the Father, god the Son and God the Holy Spirit Exists as God the Father, god the Son and God the Holy Spirit, a perfect, eternal community. God made this a priority for creation because it reflects who he is. We have the desire within us to be connected to other people. Did you know that that desire within us is that we want to be a part of people's lives. You know how I know this. All you have to do is open your phone and show me your social media, because when you're doing this all day long, you're thriving for community. You're thriving to be part of something that maybe you feel like you're missing out on. You're watching what other people are doing. You're trying to see if you didn't get invited somewhere. You got left out of the picture. You're looking because inside of you, god created you to be in community with other people. It's part of who you are, and so today we're gonna talk about when community wins.
Speaker 1:I'm gonna read the scripture again to you out of John 13, 34 and 35. It says if you have love one for another. Now let me tell you the phrase. A new commandment in this scripture does not mean that it was never said before. It's not something new that had never come out of Jesus's mouth before. What it is talking about is the word new is that he is presenting it in a fresh way, a fresh way. So let me give you an example.
Speaker 1:Many of you probably own a Stanley. Well, you know what it was presented to you in a fresh way in the last 24 months, because if you ask your dads and your grandpas, they all have had a Stanley for years. They've all had the green one with the silver cap that they would take their coffee in all day to their job. So then, about two years ago, another thing that was refreshed in your memory was the croc shoes. Remember those shoes everybody hated, nobody wanted them, and then, all of a sudden, they hired a genius guy who did really good at marketing and he was amazing at presenting it in a fresh way. And then, all of a sudden, when my children are asking me to buy them crocs, I was like what? And then, all of a sudden, when my children are asking me to buy them Crocs, I was like what? Who buys those shoes? Well, apparently everybody. Because this guy took it and presented it in a new way.
Speaker 1:Well, that's what happened with the Stanley. They took the same guy that helped the Crocs shoe become new again and they took him over to the Stanley company and they said hey, listen, we want you to do your magic from whatever you did over there, do it over here. And so they hired him and he said you know what? Let's target the women, because the women will buy it. They love to go to Target. Let's put it in Target and let's put it in Starbucks and let's make them like so they're very isolated to only certain locations and we'll only make so many of them. So then they fight over them and let's do this and it'll become really big. And so that's what they did. And then all the guys are at home going. You bought a Stanley. What does it look like? Because in their mind, they're thinking of the green machine right With the silver lid. It wasn't new, but it was presented as something new in a fresh way.
Speaker 1:And so when we read this scripture out of John 13, 34 and 35, that is what the Lord is doing. He is presenting this scripture in a new way. Now, in order to understand exactly what he's talking about, we're going to be like a movie, where it just shows you the ending and then we're going to go backwards and we're going to show you from the beginning how he got to this point. So, if you have your Bible, turn with me and we're going to start in John, chapter 13, and we're going to look at verse 1. We're going to talk this morning is how do we battle for the family and the community? Number one the first way that we battle for our family and our community is we serve those around us. You see, before Jesus shared this new commandment about loving one another, we have to go back and look at verse one.
Speaker 1:It says in verse one Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father. Wow, that's heavy. He'd been walking with these disciples for a few years now, and now it's the moment when he knows what's about to happen, he knows that it is his time and he has a very small window left with them. And so we go into verse five. It says that he began to wash the disciples' feet. It says he poured water into a basin and he began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. So he took a bowl that was like this and he had a towel that was probably tucked in to his strap. And it says that, as they were there together with the 12, they were eating and when they were done, jesus just gets up and he goes and he takes this bowl and he fills it with water and then he takes the towel that's on his strap and he bends down and he begins to wash the disciples' feet.
Speaker 1:And I want you to picture this image for a moment. And then I want you to think about feet. I know you're going to cringe. Feet are nasty. Let me tell you that Feet are gross and they are dirty. And even if you're married and your spouse asks you for a foot massage, you cringe. You're like do you take a shower first? There's something about feet. I don't have a problem with feet, but if you just think about feet by themselves, it's just kind of weird, and I want you to imagine it in the context of where these men were. A lot of it was just open, dirt roads and they're walking in sandals everywhere, so anything that they're walking through is getting onto their feet.
Speaker 1:We are probably one of the only cultures in the entire world that do not take our shoes off before we enter a home. I want you to think about that Everywhere else in the world. As soon as you appear to the door of somebody's house, whoever's standing on the inside of that house will go and they'll point to your shoes because you need to remove them. They don't want whatever you've been walking in and trailing through to be brought into the house. When I lived in Egypt, we took our shoes off everywhere. When I lived in Bangladesh, we did the same thing. Everywhere I'd go. You have to take your shoes off because they don't want the junk from the streets to come into the house. Many of those cultures have animals that are trailing everywhere, so they leave their mess in the streets and so all of that just collects onto the shoe.
Speaker 1:And here you have these 12 men who have come in. Most likely they have left all their shoes at the door and they have just eaten a meal with the Messiah and out of nowhere, the Lord stands up and he fills up this bowl and he takes, takes the towel and he begins to wash their feet. And I want you to think of those men that we've talked about many times Simon Peter, matthew. They probably had some dirty feet. We have fishermen, we have all kinds of backgrounds in that group. We have fishermen, we have all kinds of backgrounds in that group. And here you have Jesus washing their feet. You know Jesus being who he is and them following after him. He could have taken this bowl and he could have looked at them and said will you wash my feet? He could have said will, said will you wash my feet? He could have said will all 12 of you wash my feet? This will be a great day. But he didn't. Instead, he himself took the bull and washed their feet.
Speaker 1:And you will see in one of the scriptures that, simon Peter, I love Simon Peter. I want to meet Simon Peter. I have a lot to ask him. I just think he would be very entertaining. Simon Peter says everything that you want to say, but you just think it and he says it. That's what I love about him. And it says that he's the only one that, as Jesus, is washing their feet, he says, lord, you're going to wash my feet. The only one that, as Jesus is washing their feet. He says, lord, you're going to wash my feet. And Jesus responds in verse 7. He says what I am doing. You do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.
Speaker 1:You see, if we want to see our community win, we must serve them. It's not going to be easy. It means getting dirty. It means helping them get the dirt off their feet. It means putting aside our status, our name, our desires to serve. It means giving of your time and your energy. It means showing them that they have value, and serving them shows that we care.
Speaker 1:So how do you serve your community? What do they have in need of? There are times when, even in the last couple years, you'll see more homeless people than we've ever seen before. Maybe they just need some food. Maybe they're not asking much of you than for you to drive up and give them some crackers, some bread, some peanut butter. They just need some food. Maybe they just need some clothes, maybe they need some shoes on their feet. And it's just serving them, giving something to them. Maybe somebody in your community doesn't have a vehicle and they just need a ride, just taking those few moments to say I can drop you off, I'll take you. You see, when we begin to love our community, as family things begin to happen, we show the heart of God to those around us that community matters. How do we battle for the family and community? We serve them.
Speaker 1:Number two another thing that we do is we show kindness. Let me tell you the definition of kindness the quality of being friendly Wow, that will go a long way. Just that part right there. Just being friendly Wow, that will go a long way. Just that part right there. Just be friendly. If you learn nothing else from today, just be friendly. Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate. You see, jesus modeled kindness to his disciples. Not only did he wash their feet in the beginning of chapter 13, but, as we read on, he actually already knew that somebody in that group of 12 was going to betray him. He knew it already and because of the kindness of his heart. It says in verse 21,. After saying these things, jesus was troubled in his spirit and he testified, truly, truly. I say to you, one of you will betray me. Have you ever done something nice for someone only to be repaid with rudeness or mean actions? Do not nudge your neighbor, keep it to yourself.
Speaker 1:I have a funny story. I was at a four-way intersection, a four-way stop. Anybody love the four-way stops. I mean, it's kind of awkward if you show up with somebody at the same time. It's either you're rude and you just go, or you're nice and you let them go before you. So I was at a four-way intersection and me and the car to my left, we appeared at the same time and I think the rule is I probably should look this up I think the rule is if you're on the furthest right, you're allowed to go. Well, in my kindness, I let the person on the left go. Then I said, oh, just go. And they kind of looked at me. And then they drove and flipped me off and I was like winning, like I was just too. I was being nice, like I just go, I'm not in a hurry, just go. And then they flipped me off.
Speaker 1:I want to tell you this Showing kindness to others does not mean that you are automatically repaid with kindness. Write this down, because you're going to need this on your fridge every day. Showing kindness to others does not mean that you are automatically repaid with kindness. Let's go back to John 13. Jesus had just washed his disciples' feet. Remember those dirty, stinky feet? He washed 12 sets of feet. I'm sure he had to empty this after everyone. Then it says in chapter 13, further down, that he knew right away. He told them somebody's going to betray me.
Speaker 1:And the other 11 men in the room that were not part of this were probably very confused. They're probably looking around like what is he talking about? Who's going to betray him? And the kindness of the Lord. Without mentioning a name, he says in verse 27, what you're going to do, just do it quickly. And there's a lot to that statement, because I think the heart of the Lord was in that moment. He was giving that person another chance To say hey, I'm not going to call you out right now, I'm not going to say your name, but I am going to let you know what you're going to do. Do quickly. Maybe there might be a change of heart.
Speaker 1:We show kindness because we want to be more like Jesus. We even wear the shirt. I've had people stare at me when that shirt is being worn. Have anybody else gotten the stares? Be more like Jesus. Jesus is so kind and so good. He gave Judas the opportunity to change his mind. Now I want you to envision this room with these 12 disciples, because if you know anything about Simon Peter, you would know that if Jesus even said Judas's name, simon probably would have jumped him. He probably would have beat him up Without even knowing the scenario or the situation, just the word betrayal. He probably would have beat him up, but yet that didn't happen Because of the kindness of the Lord. He just said, as if that person knew exactly what he was talking about. Whatever you're going to do, do it quickly, okay.
Speaker 1:It says in verse 30 that Judas left immediately. If we want to see our community win, we're going to have to show kindness, we're going to have to be friendly, we're going to have to be generous and we're going to have to be considerate at all times. It means we do not react as we want to, but we imitate Jesus. We want to, but we imitate Jesus. We show kindness to other people even when we feel like they're not deserving of it, because who are we to say whether someone should receive kindness, because at some point in your life you were not deserving of the kindness, but it was extended to you? We must show the world that we are different. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. We have got to treat one another with kindness. How do we battle for the family and the community? We serve them and we show kindness. Another thing we do is we love one another.
Speaker 1:Judas left the room and at that point, after he exited that room, those 11 other men must have had a lot of questions going through their mind. Where is he going? What is he doing? Jesus, were you talking to him? Is he running an errand for you? Why are you not keeping us in the loop of what's happening right now?
Speaker 1:Jesus, knowing that there were questions, continued by saying this in verses 34 and 35. A new commandment I give to you that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. How hard is this?
Speaker 1:You have Jesus who gave an amazing illustration in John, chapter 13, number one he's eating with them, knowing he's about to sacrifice his life for each one of them and everybody else. Then he takes this and he goes and he washes their feet, each one of them. It wasn't quick, he didn't have a hose, he wasn't spraying them down really fast, it was literally a washing. He was making them clean. And then from there he says I know one of you are going to betray me. Whatever you're going to do, go ahead and do it now. And that person runs out and then he looks around and he says listen, I want you guys to love each other, just love each other. Love each other the way that I love you, so that when you leave these walls, everybody out there will know that you are my disciples because you have love one for another. Do not treat others the way that you think they should be treated, but you love them. The biblical sense of love is this a way of relating to others that is, patient, kind and sacrificial.
Speaker 1:Christians who love others show the world something new. Not new as in just invented, but new as in, presented in a new, fresh way, the command to love was not new, but to the extent of love that Jesus displayed, that was new. That was new. One of those very close to him was going to betray him and that sense of love that he still had for him was new, and he was displaying it to everyone. If we want to battle for the family and the community, we must love one another. Others will know that we are Christians by how we love one another.
Speaker 1:Look around this room. The love that we have for everybody inside here should be the same one for another. So when I come in and I see you, the way that I love on people in this section is the same that I'm going to love on people in this section, and the way that I see this section and the two side sections are all going to be equal. I'm going to go up to them and say good morning, how are you? It's so good to see you. We made it to another Sunday. We survived. We are still standing, we are still lifting up the name of Jesus, no matter what happened through my week. I am here right now to lay it all down, and I love you and I'm glad you're here too. That's what it should be about. Then, when we realize that we are family and that we are brothers and sisters in Christ, then when I say goodbye to you and you head out those doors, the same love that you have in here is going to be displayed out there and you're going to go to your work and you're going to go back to your families and you're going to go to different parts of the city and they're going to look at you and go uh-huh, I don't even know.
Speaker 1:People don't know what to do with nice people. People. It's awkward. It is so awkward it's like thank you, but we do it because we want to be an imitator of Jesus.
Speaker 1:I'm going to let you in on a little secret. People are hard to love and I want you to hear this. They are hard to love. They go through hard seasons. They can be cruel, they let us down, they say something that offends us, they don't invite us to something, they don't wave to me when I see them. We can make the list up and keep going, but people can be hard to love. But, whatever the reason is, we love others, as Christ loved us. He loved us while we were still sinners. He loved us when we didn't listen to him, which is every day there's something we don't do and he's nudging us. He loves us when we do our own thing. He loves us when we fail at our own thing and we come back and say I'm sorry, I messed up, and he says come here, he loves us. And if we show that kind of love to our community, our community wins. They win because they get to see Jesus in the flesh in you. I'm going to invite the worship team to come and there's something about community. You need them and it's the way that we respond to them and react to them. I will tell you this Maybe you are living in a place and you're like I don't really even know why I live here.
Speaker 1:I know why you live there Because God has a purpose for you in that neighborhood. He has a purpose for you in that place. Whether you're an apartment or rental or home that you own, god has a plan for you at this very moment. And there could be people that are in your close proximity, whether they're in your neighborhood or even at your work, that you spend hours with every day, and he set you right there for them. And there's something that happens when they begin to see. God changed your life, and my heart is that we, as a church, not only are we battling for our family and battling for our extended family, but we're battling for our community, because I believe that God has a plan for this West Valley, avondale, goodyear, litchfield Park, buckeye, tolleson, all of it. God has a plan. We list the cities on one of our shirts for a reason. God has a plan and I'm not going to let the enemy try to come in and bring destruction, but we are going to lift up the name of Jesus in this part of the city and we're going to honor him. And the way that we do that is we're going to respect people, we're going to show kindness, we're going to serve them, show kindness and we're going to love them, and out of that, our community is going to thrive and they're going to win.
Speaker 1:I'm going to ask you to stand with me for a moment. Maybe you came into church today and you're like man, somebody just invited me. This is my first time. I'm just here. We are so grateful that you are here. It's not by accident. But we believe and know that God created us, that he sent his son as a perfect sacrifice so that we could be forgiven of all of our sins. Sacrifice so that we could be forgiven of all of our sins. We've been set free. We're able to come in today knowing that we could lift up the name of Jesus, because after three days he rose from the grave and he is seated at the right hand of God this morning making intercession for you.
Speaker 1:And so maybe you're in the house today or maybe you're watching online and you say, man, I've never even had the opportunity to ask Jesus to come into my heart. It's really simple. I'm going to read a scripture out of Romans 10, 9 and 10. It says because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved. All you have to do is believe that he died for you and he wants to set you free, and then you just ask him to come into your heart.
Speaker 1:So, with your eyes closed, if you're in the building and you say, man, I want to say that prayer. I want to join with you in praying that, with everyone's eyes closed, just slip your hand up. I just want to pray with you and believe with you. Amen, yeah, amen, amen, amen. We're going to repeat this prayer after me. God, thank you for loving me. Me God, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe he rose again. Forgive me of my sins. I surrender my life to you In Christ's name. Amen, amen, amen. We rejoice. Yeah, if you lifted your hand.
Speaker 1:I just want to tell you two quick things. If we, if you lifted your hand. First of all, it says that the angels in heaven are rejoicing when one comes to Jesus. So there's already a party going on for you. But I want to tell you this that we want to get a Bible into your hands and we want to get some material, because this is a journey of faith that will take you from here on out, and so we want to get you the word of God. If you don't have it, you'll see some ushers in the back when you head out. Grab one of those Bibles and then we need you to get into a Bible believing church.
Speaker 1:If you live near the area, you are more than welcome to attend here. We would love to have you. We meet on Sunday mornings and throughout the week in different life groups. But if you don't live near here, find a church. Find a church, because you need a community around you that will rally with you and support you and cheer you on as you are following after Jesus.
Speaker 1:This morning, I want to pray this. Maybe you're here and you say, god, I've got some areas that I need to be a little better in. I need to serve others more. Maybe I need to love others more, or maybe I just need to up the kindness in my life towards other people. This altar is going to be open and I have to tell you that nobody is perfect in these areas, but we always need more of him so that when we walk out there, we are victorious and we can love those around us. So, father, this morning we are so grateful for your continued goodness in our lives. Lord, we're standing here today because of your faithfulness. We're standing here today because you didn't give up on us, because you are faithful and good and you are constant, and so, Lord, we thank you for that. So this morning I pray that this word in John 13, that, lord, it would begin just to resonate in our heart that, as we look at the scripture of verses 34 and 35, that we would love one another as you loved us, lord, let it come to life inside of us. Lord, help renew in us the desire to serve people, to be kind to one another and to love them unconditionally, not expecting anything in return. But, god, we keep giving and we know that you are the one supplying us strength, day after day, to be good to those around us. So, as this altar is open, lord, I pray that you would fill people to overflowing. In the mighty name of Jesus, this altar is open for you. Stand with me as we get ready to pray. A blessing before you go.
Speaker 1:You're probably wondering where Jay and Angus are this morning. They are on an amazing trip, but I can't tell you anything about it for security reasons. Once they get back next Sunday, you're going to hear some amazing stories, so just be praying for them. God is good. I'll just say that God is so good and so I'm excited for what they're engaged in this week. Also, community. I want to let you know that part of our community. I don't know the family, but I do know that we've been praying as a church.
Speaker 1:There was a young boy, 11 years old, who was hit by a vehicle on 107th and Thomas, very close to here, and he died and he was a sixth grader at Garden Lakes Elementary. We prayed for him Wednesday night at our prayer service, but I do want us to pray for their family today. I want to pray for all the students that are sixth graders at that school that have been affected by this loss, and God is so good. I just want to pray the presence of the Lord over that family that they would sense peace. I know that there are funeral arrangements this week, and so we just want to pray a covering over them as they walk through this tragic loss. Let me speak this over you as we pray the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Speaker 1:Father, we are grateful for our community. We're grateful for this area that you've placed us in. I pray for the family right now, lord, of that little boy who passed away last week. I just pray for those parents. I pray for that entire parents. I pray for that entire family. I pray the peace of God would rest upon them right now. I ask that you would give them strength as they walk through this week of laying their little boy's body to rest.
Speaker 1:I pray over that entire school, garden Lakes Elementary. Right now, we pray that the peace of God would be in those rooms. We pray for every counselor who is talking to kids, answering questions that they may have. We pray right now, lord, that the presence of God would be there, that you would raise up believers that are inside of that school, that can show love, that can just cover those kids in prayer. Right now, lord, we pray. When our community hurts, we hurt, and so we pray right now, lord, that your presence would be with them. Father, go with us as we head out. We're believing for a great week. I pray that you would just go before us, create amazing opportunities as we engage with people. We love you In Jesus' name, amen, amen, hey, we love you here at Cornerstone. Have an amazing week and we will see you next Sunday.