First Love Church
These podcasts are messages that were preached at First Love Church in Ocala, Florida. We hope that you are encouraged and inspired by what you hear. We are a non denominational, egalitarian church that practices a generous orthodoxy. Find out more about our local congregation online at firstlovechurch.org.
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First Love Church
Friends, Betrayers, and Breakfast on the Beach
What if the triumphant entry wasn't triumphant at all? Rather, it was Jesus staging a powerful protest against the empire. While Rome paraded through Jerusalem's main gates with war horses and soldiers, Jesus deliberately chose a different path—riding a borrowed colt through the back entrance, surrounded not by military might but by ordinary people who'd witnessed his miracles.
This Holy Week, we're exploring how Jesus consistently upends our expectations of power and greatness. Through the familiar stories of Palm Sunday and the Last Supper, we discover a revolutionary message that remains radical even today: true greatness comes through service. When the disciples argue about who is greatest among them, Jesus doesn't just correct them—he completely redefines greatness itself.
Perhaps most striking is who Jesus welcomes to the first communion table. Not just the faithful, but the betrayer, the denier, the doubter. Everyone is invited—a profound challenge to our tendency to create boundaries around belonging. Even as Jesus predicts Peter's denial, he's already planning for his restoration, telling him, "when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." The spiritual journey isn't about never falling; it's about how quickly we return to love.
This teaching invites us to practice seeing others differently. When confronted with difficult people, can we move beyond judgment to compassion? Can we recognize that the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us, bringing resurrection power to whatever dead places we carry? As we approach Easter, we're reminded that God's love for us is as great as God's love for Jesus—and that truth changes everything.
Join us next Sunday for our Easter celebration, and mark your calendars for May 23rd when we'll gather for a hymn sing at First Love Church. Whatever brokenness or disappointment you carry, know that you are welcomed in the house of the Lord, just as you are.
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving
In the service of LOVE,
Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake
Welcome to the First Love Church Podcast. This is a collection of Sunday teachings inspired by the Revised Common Lectionary and recorded weekly in Ocala, florida. Resurrection is coming, and that is such good news, and so this morning, as we're here, I remind you of this truth Whatever brokenness you find in your life, whatever disappointment you have, it is welcomed in the house of the Lord. You are welcomed in the house of the Lord. Next Sunday is Easter and, spoiler alert Jesus does not stay in the grave, but once and for all, death is defeated. Thank you, this idea. He is risen. He is risen indeed is our hope.
Speaker 1:But as we enter into Holy Week, we don't rush to the resurrection. We don't ignore our pain, we don't ignore our disappointment. We actually embody it, feel it, and in the grieving and in our heartache we are entered into the spirit of resurrection. The good news is this the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you, beloved. Whatever dead places are in you, look at them with hope because of the power of the resurrection.
Speaker 1:Next Sunday is Easter and though we're present now and gathered here, thank you for being here Be with us next Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection, and on your calendars Mark, may 23rd. I know it seems like a far place away, but we're going to have a hymn sing. That means on a Friday night we're going to get together and we're going to sing the hymns and I'm going to be there. So the hymns are going to be sung loudly and so you should come and you should sing loudly with me and invite your friends, and there'll be more details. But on the 23rd put on your calendar we're going to sing the hymns together. Again, we're so grateful it's going to be here at the house, at the house.
Speaker 1:I called this the house. Yes, we're here at this house, god's house, our house, all of us together here at First Love on the 23rd of May, and we'll have more details about that. But when you're filling in your calendars, I'm grateful for that. I want to bless you this morning with peace. I want to remind you this morning that the Spirit of God is here with us. The scripture says where two or three are gathered in the midst of them, when they're gathered in Jesus's name, the presence of love is there. So whatever you have need of this morning, the presence of God is here for you. Dove, would you read for us this morning?
Speaker 2:Good morning, all right. I'm reading about the triumphal entry from Luke 19, starting in verse 28. From Luke 19, starting in verse 28.
Speaker 2:After telling his story, jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. As they came to the towns of Bethpage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. Go into that village over there, he told them. And as you enter it you will see a colt tied there as has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks what you are doing, just say the Lord needs it.
Speaker 2:So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owner asked them why are you untying our colt? And the disciples simply replied the Lord needs it. So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. Then the crowd spread out their coats on the road ahead of Jesus. As they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, all his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles he had seen. Bless the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven. But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that. He replied. If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers.
Speaker 1:Amen. Thank you, dov. I want to remind you where we are in the story of Jesus. Every time we gather together, we remember Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and we come together to hear the faithful witness of Christ because we have been people that are calling ourselves followers of the way, followers of the ancient path. In fact, the prophet Jeremiah says this stop, stand where you are, stand at the crossroads and ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good ways are and follow them, and you will find rest for your souls. Beloved rest for your souls is offered in following the Jesus way. And so, as we gather together, the light of Christ in Dennis and I salute the light of Christ in you the spirit that is in us salutes and honors the spirit of God that is in you. And together, as we gather, the light grows brighter, the reflection is better. The facets that you have seen of Christ you witness to us. The facets we have seen of Christ, we witness to you, and the facets that come to us in the witness of scripture are available for all of us to allow our minds to be able to see the testimony that is Jesus.
Speaker 1:This morning, in this particular part of the season where we're entering into Holy Week. This is the story of protest. I love that sometimes in the scriptures it says a triumphal entry, but I want to remind you that unless you actually saw the whole play that was being unveiled there, you may miss it. Because while Jesus enters in through a gate, he's actually entering in through the back gate, because Rome is entering through the front gate with garrisons of soldiers. Imagine with me the sound on those cobbled streets of horses and marching soldiers, and it's hot and there's glinting of their armor. And it's this huge show of force, it's a huge show of domination, it's a huge show of saying this is how the world is run. And the political powers of this day came to the town on the same day that Jesus did every year, because what happened was when the high priest would come to offer the sacrifice, the crowds that were usually 50,000 would be about 200,000. And so Rome would show up and say you want to see who's mighty, you want to hear about where all your hope should come. It comes here, from this government, and they would make a big show and everyone would know and all the people would be by the gates to watch this show and Jesus comes through the back door riding on a colt. Not a war horse, not a horse, that is a big stallion that's been trained to trample people, but the colt a foal. And I love that part of the scripture, dove.
Speaker 1:When you read it it just reminds me the Lord has need of it. Oh, what a good password for all of us when we're looking at things in our life going well. Why would I give it? The Lord has need of it, love has need of it, the truth has need of it, and so I'm so grateful for this story. But I remind you of this You've read this story before. You kind of know where this is going.
Speaker 1:At the east gate, the back gate, jesus comes in, but to a different kind of.
Speaker 1:Caesar comes in here, jerome comes in to a parade and Jesus comes in here.
Speaker 1:Hiram comes in to a parade and Jesus comes in in a form of a protest.
Speaker 1:This is not going to work out the way that you thought it was going to, and I want to tell you, the people at the big gate, at the front gate, would have been all the politicians, would have been everybody who's in everybody, and those at the back gate would have been people who, in the chapters before we've been talking about them have had their dead brought back to life, have had their food given to them, have had their sick healed. And these are Jesus' followers here who are saying no, we've seen the king. He looks different than political powers. We've seen the king. He's coming a different way. And they began to say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. And they began to wave palm leaves, and these palm leaves were also a protest. Dwayne is unhappy, but the Lord is going to bless him and he has really good parents, so we can all just we're so grateful for the sound of babies in our midst, but they also were probably protesting, and this is a beautiful way.
Speaker 1:So they grabbed these palm branches and 150 years before there was an uprising the Maccabees and they defeated an army that had come over them and they were so excited about it that they actually printed on their monies these palm branches that said this is what revolution looks like. And so, as they're grabbing their palm branches, they're also saying we know how God is going to do this, we know what's going to happen. The scripture tells us in a few other places when Jesus sees this, he begins to weep for Jerusalem. He says I want to gather you, like a mother hen as she puts her wings out and gathers everyone to her. This is what I want for you.
Speaker 3:And God is inviting us still today to be gathered, to be returned to love, to join the protest of saying this is what love looks like you know, the followers of Jesus uh, they're, they're, they're celebrating, uh, but still doing it in the form and the way that they've experienced in the past and really kind of still operating in the idea of how they think revolution should come In the past. You know, 150 years ago, when we defeated our enemies, this is how we celebrated. So you're marching in the back door and our idea is that you're just going to overthrow Rome and we're going to have this glorious time in the city, and we're going to have this glorious time in the city. And still it was people that have watched Jesus, his entire ministry, do something, do everything differently, and yet they still have their way that they think God's going to do it, and that form or that way is not the way. Now let's fast forward to your life and my life right now.
Speaker 3:We never do that. We never, you know. Tell God this is the way you should work in my life, or we plan on and expect. We never get disappointed when it doesn't work out exactly the way we want it to. We never raise our fists in anger, accusing god of not being there when he doesn't show up to perform the dance that we choreographed. Come on church. It's still happening.
Speaker 3:So even those that are following still need to understand there's going to be a way and can. Can I still trust God in that way? Because I love the way of us just trampling our enemies, but the way of passive service and wrapping a towel around your waist and washing feet, that's not my idea of honor and glory. I had a whole different picture. Help us be able to see what God really wants to do in our lives and in the world. Help us not have such a strong, preconceived notion to the way we think God ought to rule and reign that we miss the call to wrap that towel around our waist and grab that basin and wash the feet of those that are around us.
Speaker 1:I want to read to us this morning from Philippians Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus Beloved. This is enough of a challenge for us. If we go no further, if we don't read all the verses planned, this is an invitation for us. For us, if we go no further, if we don't read all the verses planned, this is an invitation for us. This is the repentant way. Change your thoughts, allow God to give you a higher thought than the thoughts that you have. But the Apostle tells us here you choose this. You allow the spirit to change your thinking.
Speaker 1:The same mind that was in Christ Jesus. Though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness and being found in human form. He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Jesus' way, love's way is humility, is laying down life, is saying. This is the sacrificial way. Therefore, god has also highly exalted him and given him the name that is above every name.
Speaker 1:So, at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God, the Father. Beloved, this is like us taking a periscope or a telescope or a James Webb telescope and saying this is what the future looks like. This is what it looks like when every consciousness, when every person is aware of the Lordship of Jesus Christ, when every person surrenders and returns to love. This is the hope for us. So, beloved, let this mind be in you, the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, who gave up everything and said God's way of doing things is the best way of doing things.
Speaker 3:You know, I'm sure many of you have gotten angry and given people a piece of your mind and it's never really helped the situation, has it. Maybe you felt good for a minute and then you had to pick up all of the broken pieces and we have our thoughts and our ways of doing things and we all can agree that if we can follow that path and find that place of doing it the way christ would have us do it, we would benefit and, and so there is really then that struggle of why do we continually uh, walk away from that plan, you know, and it's uh, and and I walk away. And that plan, you know, and it's and I walk away. And the scripture says you know, you walk away from that mirror and you forget what manner of person that you are. You know we walk away from him and we walk away from that. There needs to be for us I don't know maybe something in every service where we could do things in remembrance of him, maybe some way that we could bring ourselves back to reminding and understanding how important it is.
Speaker 3:I work in the wood shop a lot and I do that because I was taught by my brother and my dad. I've made every cabinet door that's in my house and in other people's bathrooms and houses and stuff around Marion County, but I use three different routers and with a style and a rail bit and then a raised panel bit and I was over at my dad's wood shop with my brother and he showed me how to set it and how to do that. And then when I came home and my brother's gone my dad's not there and there's a house full of cabinets with no doors. I looked at this pile of wood and said now how did he show me to do this? Did he show me to do this? And it was so important that I remembered the words that my brother showed me, that he spoke to me in the way that he showed me and I carefully considered that way.
Speaker 3:As I'm operating with machines that could take my fingers off, I need those for other things, and so the importance when I recognize the words that were spoken to me are life. They're valuable, I need them. Do we see how important the words of Christ are and how much of a natural ability we have to forget them? How quickly and easily we forget which one of those router bits go where and at what height in order to make that whole door function correctly. And so it's not difficult function correctly. And so it's not difficult, it just requires consistency and an effort for us to remember.
Speaker 1:Amen, beloved, remember this morning that you are made from God and of God, that the spirit of God is here with us Even now. Everything that you have made of is love. God is love, and our returning to love, our returning our minds to the idea that love is the most powerful force that we could ever, ever imagine, that radical love is the way of Christ and it is an invitation to us into a knowing, into something more to us, into a knowing, into something more. Hear the fullness this morning of Zechariah's prophecy Lo, your king comes to you triumphant and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, on a foal of a donkey. He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem and the battle bow will be cut off and he will command peace to the nations and his dominion will be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth. Peace, this is the good news, beloved, the Jesus way that loves way. Though it often looks like protest to the world's way of doing things or to empires way of doing things, jesus is saying this is God's way. Jesus showed us what it is like to be fully human and to be able to fully embody his humanity but live a life that is abundant with God. In fact, jesus said to us I have come that you would have life and have it to the full. The Jesus way for us is understanding the fullness of life that is coming to us.
Speaker 1:I read to us this morning from Luke's gospel, chapter 22. Now the festival of unleavened bread arrived when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, and Jesus sent Peter and John ahead and said go and prepare the Passover meal so we can eat it together. Where do you want us to prepare it? They asked him, and he replied as soon as you enter Jerusalem, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him at the house that he enters and say to the owner I mean, think about that as the story. I mean, masterful storyteller, you're going to see a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow that guy. I'm unhappy following the GPS. I just want to tell you that because I'm constantly questioning the authority. Do they even know where I am? How can they dare tell me? And they don't give you the words, they give you symbols. Now it's like we're returning to hieroglyphs. I don't want that. Let me line up the words. So Jesus is here and he's telling them you're going to follow this guy, you're going to enter in and you're going to go to the owner.
Speaker 1:And the teacher asks where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples, and will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That's where you should prepare our meal. I want to stop here just for a moment. They already set up for somebody to come there. I just want you to think for a minute with your holy imagination.
Speaker 1:Sometimes the things that God is asking you to do are set a table because you have no idea who's coming. It might be Jesus, it might be someone who needs to eat at that table, because what drives us to the table? Beloved Hunger, and at the table we come and we can take our masks off and we can acknowledge our hunger and we can be fed and nourished. That is where you should prepare our meal. And they went off to the city and they found everything, just as Jesus had said. Here is another testimony or witness that you can trust the words of Jesus.
Speaker 1:And they prepared the Passover meal there and at the time Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table and Jesus said I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. Eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins, for I tell you now that I will not eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And then he took a cup of wine and he gave thanks to God for it. And then he said take this and share it among yourselves, for I will not drink wine again until the kingdom of God has come. And he took some bread and gave thanks to God for it and he broke it into pieces and he gave it to the disciples, saying this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And after supper he took another cup of wine and said this cup is the new covenant between God and his people, an agreement confirmed with my blood which is poured out for you as a sacrifice.
Speaker 1:But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. For it has been determined that the son of man must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him? And the disciples begin to ask each other? Which of them would ever do such a thing? And then they begin to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. I do not want us to miss this master class in missing the point. If you think anything about this story, pay attention to Jesus saying I'm going to die and I'm going to suffer, and one of us here will betray me. And this gets into a match between who is the best, who is the greatest. Here we see divine love. Here we see an invitation into mystery, into awe, that Jesus is preparing a banquet for them and they're going to eat together. And then ego gets involved. And then we miss the words of Jesus and start trying to figure out who among us is greater than the other.
Speaker 3:I think that we really do need to see how that can play out in our everyday life too. The missing of the point, when we start to worry about those wrong things, the things that don't really matter At this point, at the meal did it matter who was the best? And just the very fact that you're you're thinking about that thing kind of puts you at the back of the line on that whole humble deal. Anyway, I suppose. But uh, I I like for us to see a point that is uh often forgot in our church doctrine, and I mean church worldwide, and it's the idea that uh, uh, I have a night vacation and always when it's Sunday, we find some church to go to, and more times than not, we're not welcomed at the church that we visit to partake in communion. They'll say, you know that either we're not part of their denomination or we're not members of that church or, for whatever reason, they have rules that say that you can't partake in communion, you know, and and it always, always is a little sad for us because we're maybe in some other country, in some beautiful um building that was built to honor god, to make you look up and see these, the beautiful stained glass and the spiral and just the glory in that, and then just to kind of be not welcome because somehow somebody decided we didn't make the cut, we didn't have what it takes, you know, for whatever reason, and uh, and then, uh, I, I sell that to say, uh, let's think about the guest list at this first communion table, we've got the 12 disciples. Now, of those 12 disciples he calls out, yeah, just one of you that just finished eating is going to betray me, so it. But yet the betrayer was welcome at the table, but we're not unless we've signed some documents at certain places. Who else was at that? Well, there's a Some people don't like the nickname Doubting Thomas, but he seems to have that through some people. So the doubter can come to the table. Wow, so the betrayer and the doubter can come. Well, let's see who else is there. Well, we have a denier too, one that won't even you know, and I'm sure you can go on and find other.
Speaker 3:The egomaniacs were also also welcome, and so I I just I can say that finding ourselves in the middle of this, uh, it's, it's just more of an example of why he's made a way and that we are welcome than us as people, which is our tendency to get off track here in the middle of of him talking. We're trying to figure out who's the greatest and who's the most worthy of sitting at the table, instead of us recognizing that God has made any of us worthy. And so I wonder if that can help you in how you see yourself at the table and how you maybe offer that and present that to others table, and how you maybe offer that and present that to others, because we tend to be people that are that try to find a way to exclude. So I'm supposed to love my neighbor, yeah, but is that everybody, including that one guy that acts weird and does that stuff and he doesn't seem to really be following christ right now. So I don't know if I should really have to. You know, know, and we're, I think, challenged here to find that way of acceptance and that way of including folks versus just trying to decide.
Speaker 3:Is there a people group?
Speaker 1:I'm better than let's all Lord have mercy, christ have mercy. Lord have mercy. When we're aware of our thoughts that are different from the thoughts of God, we surrender them, we repent and we say give me a higher way. When you find yourself harsh or angry, a prayer offered to you is Lord, by the Holy Spirit, allow gentleness to be who I am, finding ways to acknowledge or be aware of our thoughts and then be able to surrender them to the way of Jesus. This is for us, a hope of the new way.
Speaker 1:They begin to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them, and Jesus told them. In this world, the kings and great men lord it over people, and yet they are called the friends of the people. In fact, jesus is calling into question your idea of greatness, my idea of greatness. He's calling into question our descriptors and our definitions. Do friends of the people behave like this? Jesus is asking us, inviting us question these things. But among you it will be different. That's good news beloved. Among you it will be different.
Speaker 1:As followers of Jesus, we follow the way of Jesus. We follow the Holy Spirit who has led Jesus and also leads us. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank and the leader should be like the servant Beloved. This is the Jesus way. If you want to be great in God's kingdom, you become the servant of all. This is what greatness looks like.
Speaker 1:Again, we just read in Philippians and we're reminded God is Jesus and Jesus shows us the way back to God in this beautiful returning. And Jesus said humility is the way Jesus begins to demonstrate to them, to rehearse in front of them, to put on this beautiful way of remembering. In fact, just last week and we were reminded of this in the scripture that we read Mary washes the feet of Jesus, anoints them. I'm reminding you of the original prophecy in Genesis, where it says that one day the seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent, will crush death.
Speaker 1:Mary anoints his feet, anoints his heel, and said this is going to be the one. Jesus' feet are washed. And then, at this same thing, jesus now goes and washes the feet of the disciples and washes them and brings them to the table and says whatever kept you from coming to the table, I'm removing it. Whatever keeps you from coming to receive all of what God is, jesus removes it for us. Those of you who are the greatest should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. We pause here for a moment to thank you for joining us today. If you're finding this episode meaningful, would you take a moment to share it with a friend? This podcast is made possible thanks to the generosity of people just like you. If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church and the continued work of our podcast, visit us online at firstlovechurchorg, reminding you to like, follow and subscribe.
Speaker 3:And I just want to remind you like when I was talking about, you know, trying to remember the words that my brother gave me so that I make sure that I'm making those doors correctly that you know how much of a of a you know kind of an example for us is that in this life, that that Jesus gives us this way of living, but it is so easy and we are quick to forget, and so we, we, we, you know must make some kind of plan or purpose. Yeah, the communion table is to to remind me. You know, the scriptures say that, for what mary did will always be remembered, you know, and and is it just oh yeah, that was that chick that did that? Or is it really like this saint, this amazing woman of god, who was able to recognize, in the midst of what was going on, what everyone else missed, that we can, can serve and honor Jesus in this way, and how beautiful that is. But that's so easy to forget, it's so easy to miss, and that how I serve Jesus today is serving the least among us.
Speaker 3:I've been around in places and met people, and I was so excited to meet them in the church world, people that maybe had written books and stuff that I had admired and gotten, and I wanted to go tell them oh, your book meant something to me. And I just saw them looking over my head because I meant nothing, because I had nothing to offer them. I didn't offer them a pulpit that they could come preach in or whatever. And the next guy came up and I was brushed off, you know, and so much of the time that we could, by ministering to the people who are in front of us, change lives and really be Christ. And that's the thing. I wonder if you and I realize that Christ is born again every time you make that choice.
Speaker 3:That's good To bring God into your life, into your daily activity, when you're kind to those people, when you make a choice. What a power, a keg that we're setting on, what the glory of God that's transmitted and we're looking for, maybe some position, and we missed that we're setting on. What a glory of God that's transmitted and we're looking for maybe, some position, and we missed that we were at the front gate. We should have been at the back gate the whole time, learning the ways of the master who shows us to serve.
Speaker 1:But among you it will be different. Those who are greatest among you should take the lowest rank. Please recognize it is for us a choice. You take the privilege and the power that you have been given and you surrender it for the least of these. This is the Jesus way. This is the way to include others into the kingdom and at the table, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is is more important? The one who sits at the table or the one who serves? Again, jesus is asking us to reconsider our definitions, to reconsider a society, to reconsider how we rank people. Who is more important, the one who is sitting or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course, but not here, beloved, not here, for I am among you as the one who serves. Jesus comes and takes and puts on a towel and offers a basin and serves the bread and gives his life and says this is the way to live, to really experience your humanity, to really understand what it's like, to savor every moment that you are here in this present body, for you to experience all the things that God has for us. Do it through service, love through service.
Speaker 1:We see the Jesus way. You have stayed with me in my time of trial and, just as my father has granted me a kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in the kingdom. That's where we should have been shouting. Beloved Jesus said I now grant you this kingdom, all of us, we are granted the kingdom we are granted to come and to sit at this kingdom. It's this next one To eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and you will sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. And then he looks at his friend, simon, peter. He goes. Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat, but I have pleaded in prayer for you, simon, that your faith should not fail. Simon, that your faith should not fail. Pay attention to how we describe failing faith, for your own life as well. Jesus prays for him. Stay the course, peter. Remember what love looks like. Give up all the things that you thought were the way. Give that up.
Speaker 1:And then we see Peter Spoiler alert. Peter is a real person who loves Jesus and is really afraid. Peter is a real person who, when standing and having to make a choice. Maybe he wasn't ready to die, maybe he was afraid of the political sphere, but he denies Jesus you know this part of the story and offers a great shame to himself and guilt that he cannot get over. Jesus says I'm praying for you. I love this for Peter, but I love this for me.
Speaker 1:Especially in times of weakness where I do not feel I can pray for myself, I am confident that Jesus is interceding for me. The scripture tells me that that is the hope. Jesus is praying for us. In fact, jesus prays for the whole world In John, chapter 17,. Jesus says to the Father Lord, make them one, just as you and I are one. Make them one and let them know that you love them as much as you love me. Beloved, if you do not remember anything today, remember that God loves you as much as God loves Jesus. This is the prayer of Jesus, simon that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and returned to me again, strengthen your brothers, beloved. This is the Jesus way. When we have a thought and we've gone down a wrong trail, when we come back to ourselves, when we repent and turn around the other way, strengthen someone else with the fact that love is a turnaround, that love allows us to behave differently and love allows us to come back to love and be restored to our sanity.
Speaker 3:I don't want you to miss the way of looking at failure and sin in this verse, because it's so contrary to the typical way that most people deal with it and really how religion kind of sets us up for it and really how religion kind of sets us up for it, and it's really like you know, how dare you have sinned when God has done so much for you? And if someone hasn't said that to you, you've said it to yourself, or we carry this kind of weight. And so he's saying you know, I don't want your fate to fail you. And yet we know he doubted. Jesus knew he was going to doubt. That's why he's addressing him in this situation. So for us and for Peter, I think, if we would ask him, how would you have written the story? The story would have went well.
Speaker 3:I was getting ready to doubt and all of a sudden the spirit of God rose up at me as I was at that fire and I felt the glory of God and I said to that girl I follow him and I'll follow him all the days of my life and my faith was strong. And and everybody at the trash can got saved. And when it doesn't happen that way, we're so ashamed and we feel like that at that point our faith has failed us. But I just love how the key to this verse is written right in there and when it says there that so when you have repented, it's already factored in, it's already built in your way of escape.
Speaker 3:Mine is it's a foregone conclusion that you and I are not going to work things out perfectly, and so what makes our faith great is the fact that we can pick ourselves up from that shame. We can say there is a way past, how I'm feeling right now, that this darkness, this gutter, this hopelessness does not have to be my story, that I put my faith in his ability to transform me. And when I call on God's name and I receive the gift that is repentance, and I shake that off, not only will my faith restore me, but I will then be influencing everyone around me. Amen, that's what's the glory of your faith the fact that you were in that place and you didn't stay there. Not that the testimony is oh, I never messed around with that. The testimony is I got out of that. Look at God.
Speaker 1:And how do you get out? You return to love. You return, get out, you return to love you return to love you return to love.
Speaker 1:The scripture tells us, jesus tells us the story of a man who has two sons and the one son leaves, decides he doesn't want any part, participates in an illusion of separation. Whether he is geographically there or not, he is his father's son. Nothing changes that. You are a child of the living God. You are loved by God. And Jesus tells the story of a God who comes for him. And it says that when the man is eating pig slop he comes to his senses. We shake off the illusion and come back to the sanity of going. I am loved, I am made of love, god loves me. I am coming back to love when you have turned to me again and again and again and again and again.
Speaker 1:The way of following Jesus is the way of turning back to the Father, turning back to God and saying I trust you, I trust you Humbly. I give up my way. Jesus showed us what love looks like. Love looks like cruciform-shaped love looks like service to others, looks like giving up of power, looks like laying down of self. Love serves, and this is the way of Jesus. And then he says strengthen your brothers. He reminds him of family. You are part of God's family. You are welcomed into God's family. There is a place for you in God's family. You are not out of bounds. You may be a brother in an illusion, eating pig slop, but you are a brother and there is a place for you at the table of the lord I'd like to piggyback on what heather said, just in this thing that heather and I talk a lot about, you know well.
Speaker 3:Then, where is the maturity of a christian in something like this? You know, because I think, ultimately, our idea is that we would get to the place where no more sin, and since we keep sin and we're just falling short all the time. But but she said something and and I I wonder if it's, if it's foreign to our ears so much that we don't don't receive it because it's, it's food to our souls and it's returned to love when she said that my heart's leaping in my chest because, um, we talk about that is the place of maturity. How long between my amnesia, forgetting who I am, and living in the illusion of this world, do I come to my senses and remember the table and remember whose I am and return to love? The distance between that time indicates my maturity. Not that I never go there, because you and I both know the kind of shame that is associated with sinning the same sin over and over again, like why do I even apologize? I'm just going to do this again. Or how dare I repent and mock the blood of Christ with my continual sin. I'm so ashamed of myself and we beat ourselves up and or we keep outside. Well, I can't go back to church. There's people a lot of times you know I'll see them for the first couple of weeks in January because they've made their New Year's pledge, they're going to be a part of church and then they had some bad thoughts or a bad week or they said something and now they can't even bear to drag themselves into church.
Speaker 3:I couldn't face you, pastor, after what I did. Well, what happened was we forgot because of our behavior. We forgot who we were and whose we were. Because I don't face you and no one faces me in their own strength. Because I don't face you and no one faces me in their own strength, but in the power of the living God and the way has been made for you. So welcome home. But it's when we forget that we hide and we stay in that illusion. And so the maturity and the thing that my goal is how quickly can I return back to love? Sometimes in mid-sentence, lately, I'll go whoo. That don't sound like god, that don't sound like love, that don't sound like jesus. Sorry everybody, that was embarrassing. What was that from the pastor, the one who should know better, how dare, and then you or you can just go. No, oh, I return to the, the grace and the forgiveness that's given to me.
Speaker 1:I return to love in the story that Jesus tells you know this part where the father goes out to the older brother and says come on into joy, come on into the party. And the brother's like no, because you're inviting him. Beloved, the spirit of God is calling all of us to come into the party, to come into joy, to forgive our brothers and say let's all come to the table of God, let's change the way that we think by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the thought adjuster and if you find yourself in a perpetual sin, in doing the same thing over again, stop, beloved, and ask the Holy Spirit to change the way that you're thinking about that. Instead of dealing with the symptom, deal with the cause, the thoughts that we have. Allow God's own spirit to change the way that we think.
Speaker 1:Peter says Jesus says this is going to be difficult, peter, so bad that I'm praying for you. And Peter says I don't know why you do that, because I'm ready to go to prison for you, I am ready to die with you. And I believe Peter was telling the truth In that moment, standing next to Jesus, seeing him with only other believers, with only other people who had followed. He was ready when fear did not take a place in him. He was ready A few minutes later. He's not. I think it was hours, but that's beyond the point.
Speaker 1:I'm ready to go to prison and even to die with you. And Jesus said Peter, let me tell you something Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you'll deny three times that you even know me. And Peter is not a failure. Peter is not a denier. Peter is a friend of God. Peter is not a failure, Peter is not a denier.
Speaker 3:Peter is a friend of God.
Speaker 1:Peter is someone who said you are the Christ, the son of the living God. He may have heard it from Mary, who first confessed this, but he knew it to be true. And he said this is who you are and I'm ready to die with you. And Jesus says it's okay. Peter, you're going to deny me. I love this part of the story. We don't get to it. I don't think this year in the text I haven't gone that far ahead, but if we don't, you should read it yourself.
Speaker 1:Peter goes back to fishing, because that's what Peter knows how to do. He has so much guilt and so much shame and he can't bear to follow anymore. He goes back to fishing and Jesus appears to him, the resurrected Christ, and makes him breakfast on the beach. And so I just remind you wherever you find yourself failing. Maybe you need to eat breakfast on the beach and maybe you need to invite the presence of God to come and remind you that you are loved and that God loves you.
Speaker 1:The invitation here is to relationship, is to changing the way we think. And as we go into this portion, it's 2,000 years later in history and we're behaving the same way. The word of Jesus is still true to us, the same as still as important, maybe even now important, more important in this present moment. Come home, return to love. This is the hope of the world. This is what the angels sang peace, good news to all people. Love has come and the return has been guaranteed. We are sons and daughters of God and allowing the thoughts of Christ, allowing what Philippians tells us when, let this mind be in you, the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, who humbles himself, takes on the form of a servant and tells us the way to life is love through service.
Speaker 3:You know, I wanted to talk about one other thing and you and I were talking about this, I think, yesterday when we were traveling and there's somebody in our life that's been causing us pain. Maybe you can or cannot relate to what I'm talking about here, but when we read the words of Jesus concerning Peter, can you relate to Peter? He's trying, but can you relate to that, and I think it's important that we do. But here's the thing that Heather and I were having this discussion in the car, this person that is causing this pain, because I consider myself one with Peter in his struggles. But when Heather and I were talking about this individual and the amount of destruction that they're doing single-handedly, it just rises up anger and frustration. And Heather said help me see how I'm one with them.
Speaker 1:Don't ask that question. If you're not interested in the Lord changing your mind, like if you're sure how something should be, don't invite the Holy Spirit into that, because it turns out the Holy Spirit will show you.
Speaker 3:But I want us to talk about that because in having our mind changed, there's something that Jesus has been offering make them one. Yes, that's his prayer for you. You know that we'd learn how to repent and that we would become one, and yet we continually find lines that we draw and you're over there and I'm over here, and with people's struggles and the tapping into grace, oh, I want to be one with Peter there. But can you see how you might be one with your brother or your sister, that is? You know, how am I? Because first I looked at that selfish behavior that this individual is doing and then instantly I said well, how am I one? How am I selfish? How am I still? And am I selfish? How am I still?
Speaker 3:And those are the kind of questions, because how does that jerk continue to act like that? How has that question been helping you over the years? What has it produced in you other than maybe to provoke someone else too? But asking the question, how am I like them? How am I? And then Heather and I began to ask the question. I want you to tell the story. If you don't mind, I will. I'll tell your story, we know this.
Speaker 1:Brothers and sisters, pray with me here. Lord, have mercy.
Speaker 3:Christ, have mercy, but we're like you know. Help me see this individual differently. And then you began to see them and it was, I don't know, maybe a little bit cheeky.
Speaker 1:I think the Holy Spirit's always a little cheeky, I think you know just paying attention to that, and uncomfortable and wonderful all at the same time. But I asked the question. I said please help me see them differently. And I did see them differently and a little bit like how I suspected. I love my own children and I love all children and I just think children are wonderful. I think that we should all consider that, thinking of the importance and preciousness of all children.
Speaker 1:But I considered this person and had the thought that this is like a precious child who's a biter. Have you ever met precious children who are biters? They're still precious. You just can't let them around the other children, and at least not unsupervised. And you may have to have a lot of lessons with the biters and they may have to eat dinner, but at the other table. You know like this is the idea. And so sometimes and so my compassion grew Do you know why children bite?
Speaker 1:I mean most children because they're angry and frustrated and sometimes they're afraid and they don't have words to express that, and so, out of their frustration, they lash out and they bite. Now, as an adult, we know this and that's why we have compassion on them, we teach them to live differently, we protect the other children, but we still love the biters Beloved. Consider this there might be biters in your life Now. We don't tolerate this in our society as adults, like on a regular, no one is coming into any situation and biting other people. I mean, thank the Lord, our consciousness has been raised to such a place that we are like no on the biting. I mean, we've done a lot of things to people but we're just not biting them.
Speaker 1:Okay, because we have this consciousness and this is a maturity and Jesus is offering to us. Sometimes, when people come into our lives and they are difficult, you might just have compassion on them. They're just a biter, that's what they are, and they're angry and frustrated and maybe the peace of Christ in you could be offered to them. Maybe the love of Christ in you could be offered to them. Now keep your small people away from the biters just out there. But here's the truth of it. The invitation is to allow compassion to grow up in you and then to find a path, a way out of that negative thinking.
Speaker 3:Now I hope that you're not missing the point. It's a funny story, but the idea is that really, god helped me see these people that are my enemy in my judgment as one, and helped me see them the way that you see them, and there is a higher thought than my thought to just go choke them out.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 3:There's a higher thought to mine to want to just punch them in the throat there.
Speaker 3:There needs to be the power of god to come in and bring transformation, or we'll continually just do the same things we've always done and get the results that we've always got. God wants to do something great in your life, and so help me see things differently. And it helps me approach that person differently too, because Heather and I can go uh-oh, here comes the biter. And in the past, here comes the biter. I'm going to get away from this one as quick as possible. I wonder how much damage they're going to do. Or we can go. How can we see past their pain? How can we help? And Heather and I have really been doing this practice.
Speaker 3:She probably will have communicated a lot more eloquently than I do. But when you walk up into a situation and you know, help me see this person's belovedness, because somebody held that person in their lap and was glad that they were born, help me see their belovedness, because right now I'm just seeing a biter. Help me. And then, absolutely with that walking, hey, good to see you. You're a pain, so I'm going to pray Jesus over you before we talk. I mean way to start the thing off on a. You're going to have to climb up out of that one, but what if, inside my spirit, before I ever walk up, I go oh, the love of Christ, I just I bring it between you and I, and that it would manifest. I say that between Sarah, because who has ever had a crossword with Sarah? And the beautiful thing is that you and I have that power, as if we would just remember.
Speaker 1:We see this in the way of Jesus, who practiced beloved innocence, that each one of us are beloved innocence. We see this Jesus on the cross who says Father, forgive them, because they don't know what they're doing. Each one of us has the power of forgiveness. The scripture tells us you go ahead and forgive the sins. You go ahead and release someone of their amnesia. You remind them of their oneness. This is the hope of Christ. This is how we come to Jesus. This is the path practicing our own, but the world's beloved innocence through the way of Jesus. And Jesus is showing us how to do that. He's showing us a new way of living and that we can return to love. And this is the hope for the world. Beloved Hosanna in the story turns very quickly to crucify him in the story turns very quickly to crucify him.
Speaker 1:The same people shouting out he's the king, he's the way we want to go very quickly, turn into the mob, turn into another way of thinking.
Speaker 1:But these are also the people who end up by the grave and have watched their beloved, their friend, their Messiah, be crucified.
Speaker 1:And so we have so much compassion on this story of humanity and there's hope for us in remembering who we are and what we are called to do.
Speaker 1:In just a moment, we are going to go and participate in Holy Communion, in a remembrance, in a returning to love, in an enactment, an embodiment of what it means to come to the table of the Lord with nothing to offer except open hands, sometimes an empty belly, sometimes a great thirst brings us to the table. Thirst brings us to the table. We come to the table of the Lord and we take our masks off and we say I am here to eat, I am here to receive forgiveness, I am here to receive healing from my amnesia, I am here to return to love, I am here to be filled with God. And so I ask that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you would turn your thoughts, you would breathe in the peace of Christ and you would exhale the anxiety that you have been carrying with you all week. You are loved, you are seen and you are held at the table of the Lord. Caroline is going to offer a blessing to us and then we will receive holy communion.
Speaker 4:Good morning. I'm going to read a blessing of Psalms by Jane Richardson. This blessing can be heard coming from a long way off. This blessing is making its steady way up the road toward you. This blessing blooms in the throats of women, springs from the hearts of men and tumbles out of the mouths of children. This blessing is stitched into the seams of the cloaks that line the road, etched into the branches that trace the path, echoes in the breathing of the willing colt, the click of the donkey's hoof against the stones. Something is rising beneath this blessing. Something will try to dry it out. But this blessing cannot be turned back, cannot be made to still. Its voice cannot cease to sing its praise of the one who comes along the way it makes.
Speaker 1:We hope you've enjoyed this week's sermon. If you would like more information about us, visit us online at firstlovechurchorg.
