Communion | 1 John 4:10-16

May 3, 2026 - Living the Story - 

Brianna Hines asks, "What does it mean to abide in Christ?" Practicing the presence of God reminds us that God is with us, God loves us, and God wants us to see how he is at work in the world. Those who are in Christ are never alone.

/// Fifth Sunday of Eastertide /// 

The Story of God: Part 11

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SPEAKER_00 0:00

Okay, so last week Jarrell showed us how the entire story of the Bible is God finding a way to dwell with his people in his creation. So the whole time, from the front cover to the back cover, God is trying to live with us. He wants to be near us. He actually likes us, which to some people is a novel thing. And his ultimate goal is to do life with us side by side. Jesus said in John 14, 23, If anyone loves me, he or she will keep my word, and my father will love them, and we will come to them and make our abode with them. So Gerald talked about how the Holy Spirit makes this possible now. We really can dwell with God through his spirit. But I'm going to talk about how that works. This is our practical sermon about what does it look like to dwell with God practically? So dwelling with God is just living our lives as if God were right next to us the whole time. That's what I want you to start thinking about is God right next to you the whole time you're going about your day. Some people call it abiding in Christ. Some people call it the practice of communion. This is what you guys call it. A really cool monk from the 1600s named Brother Lawrence called it practicing the presence of God. And it is something that we need to practice. It's not something that comes naturally. No one's born with the natural talent to practice the presence of God, to think of God all day long every day. But that is the goal of the Christian. That's God's goal for us. He wants us to be aware of him at all times, every day. So we have to practice this practice. And practice means that we aren't good at it at first, and we try things out, and we tweak things, and we get better over time, and if we keep at it, it becomes a part of our lives, a skill that we can take with us anywhere. But how do we do that? How do we become more aware of God's presence throughout our day? How do we train our brains to notice Him? So I'm gonna tell you some pieces of my story as I have tried practicing the presence of God. The first thing that I started experimenting with was prayer. So a number of years ago, I was given a little, pretty old, tattered paperback copy of a book that revolutionized my idea of prayer. And it was called Mama's Way. And it was this little book about a woman, Thyra Ferra Bjorn. I think she was like Swedish or something. Um, but it was basically her story of her relationship with God and how she talked to him and how he responded to her. And it was the first time that I had really seen prayer talked about that way. Like just a daily communication with God, super casual. Some of the things that she prayed for were kind of silly and obnoxious. Like one time she prayed that this hat that she had left in the street on accident wouldn't have gotten crushed by a car. And, you know, several hours later she comes back and there's her hat, perfectly not crushed in the middle of the street. And it it just kind of struck me like, okay, this is a weird thing that I've never thought about before, praying to God like that, as if he's just kind of a buddy that's with me everywhere I go. So I wanted to have a prayer life like that. A prayer life like hers, bold and unashamed and constant. And so in the years following reading that book, I started practicing her way of praying. I started being a little more bold and specific with my prayers, even if they seemed a bit silly. I wanted to see if God would listen to me like he listened to her. Sometimes I wasn't even brave enough to actually put words to the prayers. They were more like little wishes that I would sort of send up in the direction of God, hoping that maybe he heard them from my subconscious. Things like my kids loved going on rainwalks, but then our umbrella broke one day because I have I had a five-year-old son who liked to bash it on things on our rainwalks. So our umbrella broke, and I thought, oh, it'd be so nice to have another umbrella. And I show up the next week to mom's group, and on the blessings table, there is a beautiful umbrella. Big, perfect, colorful, fun. It's like, huh, that's weird. The next week we needed a new sheet set, but we couldn't really spend the money on it right then. And guess what showed up the next week on the blessings table? A sheet set. Okay, that's weird. We ran out of grocery money one month, and you know, I was like, okay, we can we can do it. We can scump together and have some gross meals that my kids will complain about for the last week of this month. But then a friend called and said, Hey, uh, we're going on a trip. Can you kind of take all of our pantry goods that are gonna go bad and like all of our fridge stuff? Could you guys use that? It's like, wow. God, was that you? Was that for me? These little things, one thing after another, little silly prayers and not even prayers, but just wishes, answered over and over and over again, and I never failed to be surprised by it. God was building my faith in his very real presence when I prayed. He could hear me, and he was showing me that. Eventually I started getting a little more confident, and I wanted my kids to see how God could answer prayers. Okay, so I thought, okay, what would be a good opportunity for me to show them this kind of a God, right? We're supposed to train our kids and teach them about God's character. And so one day, again, silly prayers. I pray silly prayers. Hopefully, you guys are willing to too after today. But we were on a road trip and we were playing a game because we were all driving et cetera insane, and so I said, okay, let's play the rainbow car game. And which is where you find like a red car, and then you find an orange car, and then you, you know, go through all of the rainbow. So we had found all the cars, and then Patty was like, Oh, we should look for a pink car. And so I thought, should I should I pray about this? Because, you know, we went for a while and we didn't see a pink car, and everyone was kind of getting discouraged. And I was like, Thyropherabjorn would want me to pray for this. And so I prayed. I said, God, or I actually told the kids, I was like, hey, we're gonna we're gonna pray for this and see if maybe God brings a pink car. And so I was brave and I prayed with the kids out loud. Okay, God, please help us find a pink car today to show us that you hear our prayers. So we're driving down the road, and what do you think we saw? Nothing. Nothing. We did not see a pink car. The whole way there, the whole long way back, we didn't see anything. And then I started getting really anxious about it. It bothered me. Uh, had I ruined my kids' view of prayer? Had I ruined my kids' view of God? Were they gonna start to think that God didn't actually listen to prayers, that he wasn't really real? Like I went down all the spirals that you could go down. For weeks, it bugged me. And like I was looking around and no pink cars for weeks at all. And had I messed up, had I prayed a stupid prayer that I wasn't supposed to pray, an unfaithful prayer. Was God trying to teach me a lesson? And then one day, on the way to school, Patty starts squealing. Mom, mom, look, a pink car! God heard our prayer. It was so much more powerful because we had to wait for it. And since that time, we all notice pink cars now. All everybody in our family, every time we pass a pink car, someone has to point it out to everybody. Look, there's a pink car! There's a pink car. And every single time it reminds me that God hears our prayers. And maybe he doesn't answer them when we think he will or how we think he will. But now pink cars have kind of become a thing for me, a reminder of God's presence. It's become like a little God signal. And it's kind of incredible how on so many of my difficult days, when I am anxious about something, or grieving something, or questioning whether God sees me or cares about me, a pink car drives by. And it's God saying, I'm right here. And I have a secret wish that I will confess to you, a deep silly longing, maybe even a prayer, to own a pink car one day. And that might sound so stupid to you, and it might sound so ridiculous to you. But pink cars bring God to mind for me, and they will forever. They really have become a part of my practice of the presence of God. In fact, pink in general is now kind of my color for God. When I see pink things, I think of him. I thank him for reminding me that he sees me. Uh, last fall, I was really wanting like a hot pink item of clothing, just to be bold. I had I had none. I did not have this shirt. I had zero pink items of clothing, and I was like, God, wouldn't it be cool if I was brave enough to actually wear one? And what do you think winked at me from the sale rack at a store? A hot pink sweater, and I took that baby home. And I was admiring a neighbor's tulips and wishing that I had some too. This was just the spring. And a week later, Patty again comes in from the backyard gushing about this single tulip growing in our flower bed. I had never seen a tulip growing in our flower bed, and we've lived in that house for four years. And a single tulip is popping up out of our flower bed, and she said, Come look, come look. What color do you think that tulip was? Pink. It's almost like me and God have an inside joke now. It's like anything happens, I'm like, it's pink, isn't it? Okay, you got me, you got me again. And not that long ago, when I was feeling insecure about my body and my budget as I was preparing for a speaking gig, I went thrifting with a friend. And the moment I walked in the store, I saw it. Oh, it was beautiful. A vintage pink trench coat, up like on the mannequins, up near the ceiling. And it was beautiful. And I just couldn't keep my eyes off of it. And we were there for a long time, and I didn't want to try it on because I was so insecure. I was like, it's definitely not gonna fit. I'm feeling super fat today. It's definitely gonna be too much money, like it's so beautiful. I'm not gonna try it on. I can't, I can't handle the disappointment. But I couldn't get it out of my head. And so right before we left, I was like, okay, can I please try on that pink coat? And the whole time I was praying, like, God, please don't let me be too fat for it. Like, please don't let it be too expensive. Like I can't handle that right now. And so they came down off the thing, and I tried it on, and that pink coat fit like a glove, and it made me feel so beautiful. And then I looked at the price tag. It's like, oh god. I didn't have the margin to be disappointed today. So I was gonna put it back. And the sales lady who was gonna put it back up there on the mannequin was like, it's a black tag, they're half off right now. It's like, I see you, God, I see you. I brought it because you have to look at this thing. Isn't she beautiful? Oh, isn't she gorgeous? And every time I wear it, every time I wear it, I think of God. That is a present from God to me. And when I'm wearing that coat, he is right next to me. I think sometimes we can think that practicing the presence of God needs to be this like formal, I'm gonna meditate on scripture all day, and I'm gonna have this be structured, and it's gonna feel very pious. But maybe it's something as stupid as a pink coat. I want you to open your mind to the possibilities of what God could use to bring him to mind for you. Because he wants you to know that he is with you, that he is present, that he is right here, and that he cares about you. What brings God to mind for you? Are there things that you see or that you have that remind you of how much God loves you and sees you? If you don't have any yet, I dare you to pray for some. I dare you. Because God wants nothing more than to give you something that will remind you of him. I believe that with all of my heart. God wants nothing more than to give you something that will remind you of him. He wants to give you things that build your faith and make you think about him. He wants to answer that prayer. It may not be what you'll think it'll be, but he wants to give you opportunities to think about him. Ask for them. What is the color of God for you? A few weeks ago, Eva announced that she was going on a color walk after school. And my first question is, what the heck is a color walk? Apparently it's a new thing. Um, but she's like, Mom, it's just a regular walk, but at the beginning you pick a color, and then every time you see something that that's color, you just kind of go in that direction. I was like, okay, have fun. Teenager weirdo. But she chose yellow and she walked all around our neighborhood. She went down streets that she has never been down before. She thought, saw things that she's never noticed: houses, flowers, cars. She eventually color walked her way to finding this little bakery that one of our neighbors runs out of their house and then wanted to know more about it. And so she talked to one of the neighbors about when it opens and what kind of things they serve and like got to know this other neighbor lady. What if we treated our lives like a color walk for the presence of God? What if we decided to look for God at the beginning of our day? And anytime that we saw evidence of the presence of God, we turned our attention toward those things. Where would it lead us? We can decide to intentionally look for God's presence in our normal days. What is he up to? Do I see a glimpse of him in a kind conversation? A work of art? A beautiful sunset, a perfectly tiny flower, the sparkling, fleeting smile of one of my kids. Do I see him in an answered prayer? Do I see him in an uncannily timed phone call? A tiny boost of encouragement during a really hard day. When we see these things, we can turn our attention toward them and we can think about and thank the God that is orchestrating them for us. We can live our lives as a color walk for God's presence. And it doesn't have to include pink things, okay? You can choose your own. It's his tattoo. And not for the reason that you might think. He let me tell the story because it's pretty incredible. Okay, so all the while that I have been, you know, reading this book and like playing around with prayer, he's sort of been watching me. And I'll come home and say another thing, another answered prayer, or another thing that just randomly happened that God did for me, or the pink coat scenario. And he's like, of course, of course, God did that for you. Because God listens to you. And he kind of has, you know, had, has, I don't know. The idea that maybe I have a little more weight with the big guy than he does. I don't know. A little more pull with them. Maybe it's like daddy-daughter thing. I don't know. But he assumes that God listens to my prayers a bit more than his prayers. Or at least you did. But I, and sometimes he'll ask me to pray for things because, you know, well, if Brianna prays for it, maybe, maybe it'll get a little farther. And I pray for him, of course. But I've also been trying to convince him that God listens to his prayers just as much as mine. And he should try to pray a little bit more boldly. Okay, well, he's wanted a tattoo for years, and we've talked about it quite a bit. But they're expensive and a big commitment, and he also knows, confession, that I don't really like them. It's great if you like them. I just, I do not like them for me, and you can hate me for it, and I'm sorry, but he knows that. And you know, two become one, so he's all freaked out that I'll hate it and then hate him, and it'll be a horrible, it'll end our marriage. So, but he really was wanting one bad, and he decided to jokingly just throw it up there in a prayer. Okay, God, if you want me to get a tattoo, you're gonna have to pay for it. Uh an insane prayer. God's never gonna answer it. It's so insane anyway, so it doesn't matter if he doesn't answer it because it's ridiculous. I'm just joking. Well, uh uh that week, Lou goes out to lunch with a buddy. And the subject of tattoos comes up, and he starts, you know, the guy asks him, like, Do you have any ideas for a tattoo you'd do? And so Lou gives him his idea and like explains why, and blah, blah, blah. And the guy stops and he stands up and he gets his wallet out and he just starts throwing money at Lou. Like a lot of money. Like, ridiculous, and it's kind of like, you're being weird, dude. What are you doing? And the guy's like, you need to get that tattoo. You need to get that tattoo right now. I'm not taking that money back. You're supposed to get that tattoo. And when Lou comes home and tells me that story, I cry. Because God hears his prayers just as much as he hears mine. And he answered a ridiculous prayer to show Lou how much he loves him, how much he hears his prayers, how much he cares about him. And now there is forever a reminder of that that he will carry with him all the time. It will bring God to mind for him. God is lavish. And sometimes he's ridiculous. And he meets us where we're at. Because I don't know about you, but I forget most of the time that he is right here and that he cares about me, and that he cares about the things that I care about. Okay, now don't blame me if God doesn't miraculously send you cash for a tattoo. Okay. He answers prayers the way he wants to, so that's between you and God. But I have noticed that the prayers he loves to answer are sincere and vulnerable. And those that will lead to greater faith in him for us or for someone else. And we have no idea what prayers he'll answer, but we do know he hears us. So try it. Be vulnerable with God. God, I don't think you actually answer my prayers, but here I go anyway. God, I'm scared to ask you for this because if you say no, I might not trust you anymore. God, I really, really, really want this. And I know it's ridiculous, but if you want me to have it, make a way. Pray, pray, pray, and then watch. God wants nothing more than to build your faith in Him. He sees you and He can prove it. Practice being watchful of God working. Because when you're looking for something, you'll start to see it everywhere. Just like the color walk. The more we notice, the more we see. God is working all the time, everywhere. And most of the time it happens right under our noses. We don't see it because we're not looking for it. Okay, we're gonna change directions here. Did you know that certain bugs and butterflies can see things that we cannot? Science lesson? Their eyes can see UV light patterns that are invisible to other species. Check out this picture. Okay, so this is regular. This is what we all see. And this is what these crazy UV bugs see. And when they see in UV light, what looks like just a normal yellow flower becomes like a landing strip. Come right here. Here's the pollen. Hey, check me out. This is exactly where you need to be. You want to do the next one? Look, this is a white flower, but then this becomes a giant target for where they need to focus their attention. One more, it's so cool. Look at this. This is what we see. This is what they see. It is like a giant bullseye for where they need to land on top of that flower to get what they need. Okay, I know this is kind of a stretch, but if we put on our UV God goggles, we see the world differently. God can focus our attention onto the things that are truly important. God can focus our attention onto Him and where He is in every moment of our lives. It's incredible. These bugs can see beyond the distracting colors of the flowers to what is really important. When we practice the presence of God, when we constantly remind ourselves of exactly who is dwelling with us at all times, we can tune out the noise of our stressful world and focus on him and what he is doing and wants us to do alongside of him. We can see where God is.

unknown 25:20

Okay?

SPEAKER_00 25:20

I'm dealing with a raging kid, and I'm starting to rage myself. Where is God? He's here too. He's in this room with me, and I can ask for his help. He can help me calm down. He can help my kid calm down through me. He can give me his love for this kid because I am not feeling it right now. He can give me wisdom to take a break or try something different. I am never managing this kid alone. God wants to help me parent them well. I'm fighting with Lou. And all I want to do is spit venomous words in his face. I fume around the house, sarcastically belittling him to myself. Sorry, I do do this. All I can see are his mistakes and my hurt. Where is God? He's here too. He is standing right next to me, hearing all the nasty things that I'm muttering about his beloved one. He knows Lou's not perfect, but he wants to remind me of all the good things about him. I don't want to stop being mad yet. It feels good. But I grit my teeth and I ask God to help me calm down. I ask him to help me view this from Lou's perspective. Or at least be curious about it, because that's all I got for you. I ask him to give me the ability to stay in the room and give me the words to express how hurt I was without hurting back. I give God permission to change my mind. I am never fighting Lou alone. God wants to help me heal my marriage. A family member is kind of off the rails. I have no idea how to help them or what to do. And then the phone rings. Oh, it's you. So glad you called. What do I say to them? How do I show up? I'm scared of making things worse or not helping at all. Where is God? He's here too. I can ask him to give me the words to say. I can ask him to direct the conversation. I can invite him to open my heart to them and see them through God's eyes. And then when I hang up the phone, I can leave them in God's hands. I do not have to solve their problems. I do not have to rescue them or change them. I can ask God to carry them and alert me to anything he wants me to do in the meantime. I am never dealing with my family alone. God loves the people I love. God is here too. Can we say that all together? God is here too. He's here too. Through anything that you're going with. Practicing the presence of God is remembering that God is here too. And he wants to be invited into these spaces with you every day. And I do mean invited. God dwells with us, he is always with us, but he respects our space. Have you noticed that God will not force himself into any situation without our permission? But he is always eager to help when he is invited. Invite him. He is right here. Ask for his help. He can give you his forgiveness for someone when all you feel is hate. He can give you his patience when you have none left. He can give you his love for someone that is driving you insane. He can care for that family member. He can protect that situation. He can provide for that need. He can speak in that conversation. He is here always. Do you believe it? Do you believe he's always with you? And that he wants to be with you. Practicing the presence of God is both believing and acting like God is really here and that God really loves us. And over time it changes us. Okay, imagine if you really felt like you had someone in your corner helping you and encouraging you everywhere you went. If you felt that loved, that supported all the time, it would become really easy to extend that kind of others, that love to others, wouldn't it? That's exactly what the Bible says. 1 John is a little book all about abiding in God. 1 John 4, 16. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. I want to read it in the message because I think it's pretty powerful. We know it so well. We've embraced it, heart and soul, this love that comes from God. God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. And this way love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us. And I love at the end of the book of 1 John, in 1 John 5, 13 through 15, he tells us why he's writing this letter. My purpose in writing is simply this that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion, and how bold and free we then become in his presence. How bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he is listening. And if we are confident that he is listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours. God wants to show you how much he loves you. Are you paying attention? Practicing the presence of God, abiding in Christ, practicing communion, it's all just noticing the ways that God is trying to love you. It's training your brain to notice God. Okay, so remember that little book about prayer I read? Well, my copy was pretty old, and it was a paperback, and it was kind of getting shredded. So I sent up one of my little wishes for a hardcover copy of it, and then I'm ADHD and I totally forgot about it. So sent up my wish and then it flitted away. And one day I walked in, and on that incredible blessings table, I saw it sitting right there. A beautiful little hardcover copy of Mama's Way, just for me. And I want to show it to you. This is show and tell today. And if that weren't enough, I opened up the front cover and it's signed by the author. Blessings. Thyraphera bjorn. Just for me. God will do ridiculous things to show you how much he loves you and how much he hears you and how much he cares about you. Ridiculous things. He is right here. And he wants you to see that. To know it in your bones. You are never alone. Never. And we have to practice believing that. So let him. Let him show you. Ask for ridiculous things. God sees you. He hears you. He's right here. Are you paying attention? The last thing I'm gonna say is share your stories of how God has been faithful to you, how he has been present in your life. Guys, this is why we come to church. For other people to tell us their stories of how God was present. That is why we come here. That is why we sing these songs, bring God to mind. That is why we pray these prayers, bring God to mind. That is why we meet in small groups and encourage each other, bringing God to mind, reminding each other that He's here, that we're not alone, that it's real, that it's not crazy, and that He loves us. We need each other to do that.