WEBVTT 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:22.000 How many things that we should influence in the world? 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:23.839 But they seem to be no different. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:26.000 And in some ways they they're going down. 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:28.800 I think about marriage. 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:31.519 We should be having an impact on that. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:39.520 I think about how many elderly people, even in our church, are lonely because they don't have anyone to go eat dinner with them. 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:41.840 It shouldn't be like that. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:49.840 Because we believe that our act of compassion is always to put money in a bucket. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:51.520 And it's not true. 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:57.679 At The Road, our vision is to raise up wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ. 00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:02.079 For more information on the road, visit theroad.org. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:05.359 We hope you are encouraged by today's message. 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:09.840 Luke 10, 27. 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:21.519 He answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:37.680 Pastor Steve has been taking us through a series where he's talked about the heart, the soul, the mind, and the strength, and he's asked me to come in and finish this series off with talking about loving your neighbor as yourself. 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:53.200 It's a great, great time of year to dive into that because everyone can kind of exercise that a little more than normal, but it is my conviction that we are all missionaries, all of us. 00:01:53.439 --> 00:02:03.200 Now we might be missionaries in our neighborhood, might not be missionaries in Africa, but we are all missionaries and we live a lifestyle of missions. 00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:08.000 And so I'm super excited to be able to dive in and to talk about this today. 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:11.039 We're going to look at Acts chapter 3. 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:14.960 So if you can take your Bibles, you can open up to Acts chapter 3. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:26.240 There are literally hundreds of scriptures that we could pull out and we could talk about loving your neighbor. 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:28.879 This is just one of many. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:40.000 But before we do that, before we go verse by verse, I want to just remind us of a couple of things, because I think these things cannot be missed. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:44.479 Loving your neighbor as a believer is not an option. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:48.080 Not loving your neighbor is not an option. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:50.719 You are called to do it. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:58.000 Not only are you called to do it, it should be in you because the Spirit of God is now in you. 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:02.319 If you are a follower of Christ, it's natural. 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:09.439 It's like athletes compete, artists create, Christians love. 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:11.680 It's just, it's who we are. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:21.680 And so, 1 John chapter 4, don't have to turn there, but it says, Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:27.199 And everyone that loves is born of God and knows God. 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:31.280 And he that does not love does not know God. 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:33.599 Because God is love. 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:38.080 So it is a natural part of who you are. 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:44.400 Now there's sometimes that things are natural, and we still have to kind of figure it out. 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:48.800 You know, we still have to, sometimes we have that ability, we have it in us. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:52.159 My uncle got in a serious accident when he was younger. 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:57.360 He was paralyzed and he had to learn to walk again, but he had the ability to do it. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:00.080 It was natural, it was in him. 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:02.000 He just had to learn how to do it. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:03.759 And he had to start doing it. 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:10.159 So just because you feel like you're not good at loving, well, just start working on it. 00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:12.080 Because compassion's not your thing. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:13.120 Just start working on it. 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:13.680 It is. 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:15.280 It's in your DNA. 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:17.120 So just start working on it. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.360 So that's the first one is that this is not an option for you. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:29.839 The second one is Matthew chapter 6, verse 3 says, do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:38.560 As believers, we don't do charitable acts for tax write-offs, and we don't do charitable acts for bragging rights. 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:42.160 We do it because we love the Father. 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:47.040 And the scripture says, if you do it in secret, he will reward you. 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:54.639 And so he really encourages us to be secretive about our acts. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:58.639 We don't brag about it, we don't shout it to the rooftops. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:01.199 You just do it. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:12.319 I'm the high school youth pastor at our church, so that gives me access to strong backs. 00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:20.800 And we had an older gentleman who was moving into his house and he didn't have the strength to do it all on his own. 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:23.519 So they asked if we could reach out to some teenagers. 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:24.079 We did. 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:29.920 And when we got done, they he he paid them a little bit, and he gave me the money and told me to give it to them. 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:31.680 And uh I love that response. 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:33.920 So they were they were like, no, I don't want that. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:35.199 I don't want that money. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:37.439 And uh I appreciate that heart. 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:39.439 I told them, no, here's what they said. 00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:40.720 They said, you don't have to pay me. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:42.000 And I said, I didn't pay you. 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:42.720 It was the other guy. 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:44.399 Here, take the money. 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:47.199 So but I but I appreciate that heart. 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:51.360 I appreciate the heart that doesn't do it to be recognized. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.199 So it's not an option. 00:05:53.360 --> 00:05:54.480 You have to do it. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:06:00.160 You should want to do it because it's your in your DNA, and we don't do it to be recognized. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:02.079 I just need to put that out there. 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:07.680 So as we begin to dive into Acts chapter 3, I want to go over a couple of things. 00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:13.920 I want to begin to talk about practically how you can love your neighbor. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:24.639 Now, your neighbor can be your children, your neighbor could be your physical neighbor, your neighbor could be someone across the world. 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:30.480 Your neighbor is anyone that God puts in your path, and you love them. 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:33.279 So I want to look at how we can do that. 00:06:33.360 --> 00:06:37.040 And so I wanted to give you a couple of ways that we can do that. 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:50.879 Um, one of my favorite stories ever from Shaquille O'Neal was when he was having a really, really bad season, and he called his father, and his dad was like, son, you're not playing up to your part. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:51.439 What's going on? 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:53.040 He said, Dad, life's hard. 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:54.959 It's just really hard right now. 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:57.519 Everybody has all these expectations of me. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:05.600 He said, Okay, I'm gonna come and I'm gonna meet you at your house, and we'll talk about hard life. 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:12.560 And so he says, Okay, and so he picks him up and he drives him to a bridge where people are sleeping under the bridge. 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:18.240 And he said, they sat for hours and just talked with homeless people. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:23.920 And he said, when we got done, we sat down in the car and he said, son, that life's hard. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:25.519 Your life is easy. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:27.920 I don't want to ever hear you say that again. 00:07:28.240 --> 00:07:32.079 And it really transformed the way he thinks, the way he lived and the way he. 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:34.160 That's why he does Shack a clause every year. 00:07:34.319 --> 00:07:36.959 Y'all never heard of Shack a clause, you should Google it. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:41.439 Alright, so here's the deal: it's Thanksgiving. 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:46.879 If you know someone that doesn't have groceries, buy some extra groceries this week. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:49.920 Just buy some groceries, love on a family. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:57.839 And and Shaq said when he was a kid, his dad used to put the groceries on the on the door at Thanksgiving, right before Thanksgiving. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:05.519 They would put bags of groceries on the door, they'd ring the doorbell, and they'd run hide behind bushes and watch them open, and watch them get the groceries. 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:06.399 Do that. 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:08.000 Take advantage of that. 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:09.600 Here's another one. 00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:10.959 Tip. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:13.040 Tip really well. 00:08:13.199 --> 00:08:14.399 Do we have any servers? 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:15.839 Anyone serve? 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:17.920 Listen, you're welcome. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:19.279 Tip well. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:25.360 It's a thankless job until it's not. 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:40.639 So listen, don't, don't ever, please don't ever, not if you go to the road, please don't ever put a track or a uh church card on the table, ever, unless it has a really good tip in it. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:49.840 Because I used to be a server and I literally had other servers throw tracks in my face because they knew I was a believer. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:53.200 They would throw tracks in my face and yell at me. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:54.960 I was like, dude, I didn't eat at your table. 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:56.480 They're like, but it's your people. 00:08:56.639 --> 00:08:58.159 It's like, okay, all right. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:00.240 Tip really well. 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:01.759 Just order. 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:09.360 I have one time someone ordered a uh a$19 bill, a$19 table, and they tipped$100. 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:14.080 And the Lord really used that because he was speaking to me that day about trusting him. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:16.639 And so it was really, really good. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:21.360 Uh the other thing that I want to mention is where is Phil Struska. 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:33.600 Phil Struska, if you walk out of here, you will see these bags, and these bags are uh here to be filled up, and then we're gonna send them to Mexico. 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:48.960 Um where go ahead and grab this mic, where these are gonna go to a uh ministry that helps orphans and other kids in Mexico, and all you have to do is just take your bag, fill it up. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:52.879 Can you tell us a little bit about the ministry where these bags would go? 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:53.440 Sure. 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:59.759 I have a uh brother who's a missionary in Mexico uh near Tijuana, which is about 45 minutes south of San Diego. 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:09.519 Uh our church has taken a mission trip down there, and uh, I took a mission trip down there with my wife and my family one year, and there's no heat in the dorms, and we're laying in the dorms at night trying to sleep. 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:11.600 Well, you you think Mexico, you think tropical? 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:14.720 It's cold on the Pacific coast, and there's no heat. 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:23.519 And we're sitting there shivering, can't get to sleep, and God laid it on my wife's heart to start knitting hats for these kids who don't have heat at night, just to a knit hat. 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:27.679 And that grew into care packages, which then grew into a backpack ministry. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:38.720 And uh so there's teams that go out around Christmas time to local churches in that area, and they have about three or four different small churches that don't have resources to give these kids Christmas gifts. 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:42.960 So we can give them a good Christmas and support these churches in the ministry that they're already doing. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:54.240 They also do it in some orphanages, uh, they also have a dump ministry because there are people living at the landfill trying to live off of what they can find in the garbage. 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:55.759 And we can help them out with it. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:57.120 This is uh I'm gonna do this to you. 00:10:57.519 --> 00:10:58.480 Lieutenant, Melinda. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:10:59.600 This is my wife, Linda. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:01.279 Isn't she gorgeous? 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:06.000 The only reason I'm up here is because she hates getting on stage. 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:07.759 This is her ministry. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:09.919 She does this, but we have backpacks. 00:11:10.000 --> 00:11:14.879 We found 160 backpacks, we've got them outside, and when you walk out the doors, they're gonna be right there. 00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:21.759 They've got a list right on the back with everything that you need to put in there for these kids, uh, and it tells you what to do, what not to do. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:28.720 Um, and then we can do this to support a missionary, four churches, two orphanages, and a landfill ministry. 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:31.679 And as a church, I think we can have a tremendous outreach that way. 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:32.399 Thank you. 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:33.200 Thanks. 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:42.159 So so my desire today is to be super practical. 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:55.440 So as you walk out the door, if you have the ability to fill up a small backpack, um, they will take these, we'll ship these to Mexico, and we'll make sure that these kids not only have a good Christmas, but get some of the resources they need. 00:11:55.600 --> 00:12:01.600 So hopefully we'll take the chance and every family can grab a backpack and fill it up. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:03.919 Some of you may be able to grab two, it's up to you. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:05.279 So uh so thank you. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:08.559 All right, let's grab our Bibles, let's go to Acts chapter 3. 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:13.200 Acts chapter 3, starting in verse 1. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:21.759 One day, Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:32.639 Now a man who was lame from birth, being carried to the temple gate called beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:36.639 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:39.679 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:42.000 Then Peter said, Look at us. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:46.879 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:50.879 Then Peter said, Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:54.480 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. 00:12:54.799 --> 00:13:00.960 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:03.840 He jumped to his feet and he began to walk. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:09.120 And then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God. 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:22.879 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit and beg at the temple gate called beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:26.480 Let's dive in by looking at verse one. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:35.120 One day, Peter and John were going to the temple at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:41.360 Now, as we began to think about how do we love our brother? 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:44.720 How do we love our neighbor? 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:46.559 I want to say this. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:54.799 I want to say that religious acts is not the same as getting involved in the kingdom of God. 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:56.080 It's not always the same. 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:57.759 Sometimes it can be. 00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:04.159 But religious acts, in and of themselves, is not enough. 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:09.919 And that does not necessarily mean you're partnering with God in what he's doing. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:14.799 What I mean by that is some of you can be here today and you're not actually here. 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:17.600 You're not actually engaged. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:20.960 It's that thing that you do, you show up. 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:30.720 Now, in this day, they would have shown up morning, noon, and afternoon for the time of prayer. 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:38.639 If you look at Psalm 55, verse 17, I think David is actually talking about this. 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:47.679 He says that at evening, at morning, and at noon he cries out to the Lord, and the Lord hears him. 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:58.159 Now I believe for David, those three times a day were deeply committed times to engage with his God. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:05.440 But I think the same, I think David's, the guy right beside David could have shown up, and I'm just doing my thing. 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:06.559 I'm here. 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:07.840 Morning, check. 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:08.399 I can't. 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:09.519 I'm here, here. 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:11.360 Evening, here. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:13.360 Afternoon, here. 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:16.559 But nothing's really happening. 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:22.559 So you can engage in religious activity and not be transformed. 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:27.600 The same thing is true of engaging in acts of compassion. 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:30.879 You can do acts of compassion to check them off. 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.440 We don't get any kudos from God. 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:34.799 It doesn't work that way. 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:36.960 Jesus Christ died. 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:41.679 He died for you and he died for me and he rose again to life. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:45.200 And when God looks at you, if you're in Christ, he sees Christ. 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:49.840 There's nothing you can do to get more saved. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:55.440 There's nothing you can do to get more praise. 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:57.759 We don't do it for those things. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:01.200 And so here's my question to you around the area of prayer. 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:03.840 What is your perspective of prayer? 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:11.279 Is it something that you're doing for God, or is it something that God has given to you as a gift? 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:24.399 Some people would have walked in, they would have been praying, they would have done there three times a day, and if you'd have asked them to defend their righteousness, they would have said, I haven't missed a day in 25 years. 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:26.320 Well, you've missed the whole point. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:30.639 You should have watched the football game instead of coming because you totally missed the whole point. 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:35.440 Prayer is for you, it's God's gift to you. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:40.559 And I gotta confess to you that I'm learning to walk in that. 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:43.919 I'm learning to enjoy prayer more. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:49.600 I'm, you know, Pastor Steve, I actually I'm totally digging this merge thing, man. 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:51.120 I'm serious. 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:52.720 I'm totally digging it. 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:57.279 And I went home the other day and I just told my wife, I was like, this is awesome. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:58.639 I love this merge. 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:11.200 Well, Pastor Steve told me, I got voluntoled to go into the wilderness and pray and fast for a period of time. 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:15.119 And I was not, if I'm confessing, I was not looking forward to it. 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:17.039 I was like, dude, what are we gonna do? 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:21.839 We're just gonna like go and we're just gonna like fast and look at each other. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:24.240 Because I all I do, I just eat. 00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:25.839 Like when I'm bored, I eat. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.519 And so I was like, I don't, listen, it was incredible. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:36.240 That prayer and that fasting time was like, wow, why do I not see the value in this? 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:38.720 Why do I not do this more? 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:43.200 And just, you know, Pastor Steve would say, I want you to get away for two hours. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:46.319 Just you get away, and then we'll come back and see what the Lord's saying. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:50.319 And he would give us some area to try to focus our energy and our attention on. 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:55.200 And he'd say, I want you to come back and then we'll talk about what the Lord is doing. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:18:02.319 And when it wasn't a religious, see, I was not looking forward to doing the religious act. 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:11.519 And his head was in a place where he was trying to coach us to learn to love to walk with the Lord in prayer and fasting. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:15.519 And once I leaned into that area, it's like, man, this is incredible. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:19.440 Why do I not, why don't I not do this more? 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:23.039 Because when I look at it, it's a it's a religious act. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:26.079 I want you to look at verse 2. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:42.000 In verse 2, now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:44.960 God is powerful. 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:50.240 And as I began to think about this, this is a mockery to God. 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:54.480 This man is here every single day. 00:18:54.799 --> 00:19:00.160 And if you move on over into Acts chapter 4, you'll see that he's actually about 40 years old. 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:04.000 So let's imagine that he got put there when he was 10. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:06.720 That's probably being generous. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:09.440 Let's imagine he got put there when he was 10. 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:12.079 And let's imagine he's 40. 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:25.279 Every day, every day, they walk into the temple, and this same guy is still here every single day. 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:36.079 When we truly love our neighbor in the way that God wants us to love our neighbor, we will grasp a hold of the fact that God is a restorer. 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:38.480 He's powerful. 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:46.079 I'm shocked at how many things stay the same in the church. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:51.920 How many things that we should influence in the world, but they seem to be no different. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:54.079 In some ways, they they're going down. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:57.039 I think about marriage. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:00.000 We should be having an impact on that. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:09.359 I think about racial tension and how church is the most segregated day of the whole week. 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:12.240 It shouldn't be that way. 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:20.559 I think about how much the world water crisis is still a very real problem. 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.000 It shouldn't be that way. 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:32.319 I think about how many elderly people, even in our church, are lonely because they don't have anyone to go eat dinner with them. 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:35.200 It shouldn't be like that. 00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:46.559 It is a mockery to the church, it is a mockery to Christ that these problems that have been staring us in the face 20 years ago, they're still staring us in the face. 00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:49.519 Nothing's changing. 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:57.839 It's because we believe that our act of compassion is always to put money in a bucket. 00:20:57.920 --> 00:20:59.519 And it's not true. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:11.359 One of my mentors, he was a pastor of mine at one time, used to take me to a trailer park and he would knock on people's doors and he would talk to them and he would ask him. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:14.880 He was a millionaire, and he would knock on people's doors, he would talk to them and ask them, Do you have food? 00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:15.599 Do you have clothes? 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:17.119 Do you have heat? 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.519 And they would all say no. 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:26.720 And I would get onto them, I would say, listen, man, they're scamming you. 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:29.039 They got plenty in there. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:30.319 They see you coming. 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:32.000 They're calling their cousin. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:33.039 He's here. 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:36.720 That's what's happening. 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:43.680 And he looked at me one day and he said, Bobby, don't ask God to use you and then complain when people use you. 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:47.039 All right. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:48.480 All right. 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:49.920 Fair enough. 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:51.359 Fair enough. 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:58.319 But we want to see things be transformed. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.680 We want to see people. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.039 Transformed. 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:04.000 We want to see situations transformed. 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:08.000 And that mentor told me one time, he said, You know what my biggest problem is? 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:14.160 He said, I can write a check really quickly and feel like I did my part. 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:17.519 And he said, God will not let me off the hook. 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:20.799 He makes me stay engaged with these people. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:25.920 And he said, Gosh, if I could just write a check and be done. 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:40.160 So listen, as we begin to talk about loving your brother, loving your neighbor, sometimes the best and most important thing you can do is to write a check. 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:43.839 But sometimes it's not true, and you're not going to get off that easy. 00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:51.599 Sometimes you have to really be there, and we have to really love them, and we have to really spend time with them, and we have to really listen with them. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:55.200 All the things that you will see as we go through this. 00:22:55.359 --> 00:23:07.200 Now, one of the reasons that Pastor Steve gave me the permission to speak on this subject is because I'm now our mission's pastor, and I love that, and we're now starting to engage in that. 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:09.680 Some of you know we had some meetings this week around that. 00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:11.920 We're starting to engage in that. 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:18.079 But every good organization, whether it's a church or not a church, can tell you why they do what they do. 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:21.200 And they certainly should be able to tell you what they do. 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:28.319 And so one of the things that we want to think about as a church is why do we get involved in missions? 00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:33.519 And for us, we are a wholehearted church. 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:36.319 What that means is not give 110%. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:38.799 That's actually not a thing, by the way. 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:42.720 It'll sink in. 00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:45.680 You can only give 100%. 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:48.079 But it's not about give 100%. 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:49.920 Come on, get your head in the game, try. 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:51.200 No, that's not it. 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:54.480 It's really about be honest where you are. 00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:56.559 God wants your whole heart. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:58.079 Don't hide part of it from him. 00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:01.680 He doesn't just want the pretty part, he wants the whole heart. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:17.279 And so as we begin to think about missions, we have yet to develop our missions, mission statement, but we do have the idea that we want to help people in the restoration of their whole heart. 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:22.079 We want to help people in the restoration of their whole heart. 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:27.759 And so if a person is hungry, we don't talk to them about the gospel without feeding them. 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:29.759 Because they're hungry. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:35.519 A part of their heart, a part of their being says, I'm not listening to you, I'm hungry. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:38.160 And so we address that. 00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:46.720 If you're in Houston and the houses have blown down, while we do pray for you, we also help you restore your home. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:54.079 We want to address whatever is stealing your whole heart. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:57.359 So the devil came to steal, kill, and destroy. 00:24:57.839 --> 00:24:59.599 Am I saying I'm sound real southern? 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:00.480 Steal? 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:01.440 Is that right? 00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:02.160 Steal? 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:03.839 Y'all work with me. 00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:04.640 Kill. 00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:08.160 Kill and destroy. 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:10.880 Get it out. 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:12.720 Y'all hurt my heart. 00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:16.720 We're coming to take it back. 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:18.559 That's what we're here for. 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:27.359 So when we look at our neighbor and we can tell that our literal neighbor is hurting, we knock on the door and say, hey, we're here to give you your whole heart back. 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:30.640 We want to see things change. 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:42.160 We don't want to drop money in the same bucket week after week after week after week, and 20 years from now we're still dropping the same money in the same bucket, and nothing's changing. 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:53.599 It is a mockery to that prayer house when people have been walking by it for 30, 40 years and nothing's happened in that guy's life. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:56.799 He's just learned to live with his problem. 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:04.240 So I want you guys to begin to develop a vision for restoration. 00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:07.279 What's your vision for your neighbor? 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:09.759 And what's your part in that vision? 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:11.519 How do we love our neighbor? 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:12.960 Now let's dive in. 00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:15.599 Look at verse 3. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:25.039 At verse 3, when Peter saw, when he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:35.680 You ever heard the scripture that says God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ever ask or imagine? 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:38.960 Sometimes you have to imagine for your brother. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:45.920 Because they are so deep in their struggle, all they can think of is a surface level. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:48.640 They're not thinking about what God could do for them. 00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:54.079 They're just telling you what their own felt need is to the best of their ability. 00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:57.440 So he goes in and he's seeing this guy sitting here. 00:26:57.599 --> 00:26:58.640 We've all seen him, right? 00:26:58.720 --> 00:26:59.759 We've all seen this. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:04.799 Guy sitting here with a can and he's asking for money. 00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:09.599 But he's not like, sir, could I please have some money? 00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:13.839 He's like, can I please have some money? 00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:15.599 Money, please. 00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:21.039 And the scripture says that he sees Peter and he sees John. 00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:22.799 But read it. 00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:23.920 Look what it says. 00:27:24.079 --> 00:27:28.079 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:32.880 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:36.799 Then Peter said, Look at us. 00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:43.359 He's looking straight at him, and he has to tell him, pick your head up. 00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:45.039 Look at us. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:49.759 The first thing he did was he looked straight at him. 00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:54.400 And if you want to love your neighbor, look at your neighbor. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:55.920 Notice him. 00:27:57.119 --> 00:28:01.119 Do you notice elderly people in our community? 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:03.440 Do you notice them? 00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:06.160 Most people don't. 00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:15.200 It's not that we can't acknowledge that they're standing there, but it is that we don't notice them. 00:28:16.079 --> 00:28:19.680 By noticing someone, you stop and take note. 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:26.160 Some of my favorite people in this whole church are elderly. 00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:33.759 Some of my favorite times to sit and talk with someone is an elderly person. 00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:51.359 I spoke with an elderly lady in our church, and one of my favorite memories of her was a story of when she went quail hunting, pheasant hunting, and she's just like telling her story with so much vigor, and I just came alive at that story. 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:54.240 I think she got caught in quicksand. 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:58.720 That story meant something to me. 00:28:58.799 --> 00:29:01.519 I felt like I was talking with a friend. 00:29:02.880 --> 00:29:05.359 But you have to stop and you have to notice people. 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:07.680 You can't just walk past them. 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:10.960 There's men in this church that are really struggling. 00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:17.119 Some of you who would consider yourself strong in the Lord and you're doing well and your marriage is okay. 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.839 Well, guess what? 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:23.359 Your brother's marriage might not be okay, but we don't talk well, do we guys? 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:25.359 Girls, y'all talk. 00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:27.920 And my wife will tell you, I talk a lot. 00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:29.599 But I don't listen. 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:32.000 Like I don't notice people. 00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:37.039 And so I have to stop and really pay attention to someone's situation. 00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:40.799 I remember one of my first nights with my wife. 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:42.640 Uh, we were newly married. 00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:44.319 We were living in Nashville. 00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:47.039 I wanted to show her my hometown, my town. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:48.000 I showed her around. 00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:49.519 I was so proud of my town. 00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:53.759 And we went back home and we went to our house and she wasn't herself. 00:29:53.839 --> 00:29:55.119 And I was like, what's wrong? 00:29:55.359 --> 00:29:59.200 And she said, uh, did you see all the homeless people? 00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:02.720 And I said, I don't know what you're talking about. 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:05.839 She said, there's homeless people everywhere. 00:30:06.319 --> 00:30:10.160