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
The Radical Hospitality of Jesus: Table Manners for the Kingdom
What happens when the rules we've established to maintain order become barriers to showing love? In this thought-provoking exploration of Luke 14, we witness Jesus deliberately stepping into a trap set by religious leaders only to turn their test back on them.
The scene unfolds at a prominent Pharisee's home during a Sabbath meal. Everyone watches intently, hoping to catch Jesus breaking religious law. When confronted with a suffering man with swollen limbs, Jesus poses a piercing question to the legal experts present: "Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?" Their telling silence speaks volumes about the disconnect between their religious system and genuine compassion.
Through this encounter, Jesus demonstrates that love must supersede rules. He challenges us to examine where our priorities truly lie - in maintaining systems and traditions, or in responding to human suffering with compassion. As he pointedly asks, if your child or even your animal fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn't you rescue them immediately? Why shouldn't the same urgency apply to alleviating human suffering?
The teaching extends beyond healing to transform how we practice hospitality. Jesus observes guests competing for positions of honor and tells a parable about humility. But his most radical challenge comes when he instructs his host to stop inviting friends, relatives, and wealthy neighbors who can return the favor. Instead, "invite the poor, the outcast, the handicapped, the blind - those who could never repay you."
This radical vision of hospitality directly confronts systems that render suffering invisible. It calls us to intentionally see those society overlooks and to "trouble ourselves" on their behalf. We're invited to create "outposts of the kingdom of heaven" in our neighborhoods by considering who's missing from our tables and community.
How might our lives change if we followed Jesus in breaking down social barriers? What healing and transformation could happen if we truly welcomed everyone to our tables? Join us as we explore what it means to practice the radical hospitality of Jesus in today's world.
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.
Speaker 2:Good morning everybody. Welcome to First Love Church in person. Thank you guys for being here. Everybody say yippee, good job. Thank you guys for being here. Thank you guys for being here. If you're online, thank you for being here online. Thank you for watching us. Thank you for participating online. Thank you for sharing, thank you for commenting.
Speaker 2:Even those little things can all of a sudden affect a bunch of other things. Circles overlap and Ocala is a certain size to where, all of a sudden, you know everybody all the time, always. So you know just stuff on the night that happens too. So we appreciate you guys there. So you know just stuff on the night that happens too. So we appreciate you guys there.
Speaker 2:So did you guys know it's the 12th Sunday from Pentecost? Good, I'm glad that everyone's keeping track, but the 12th Sunday of Pentecost has made me really think about where the overlap is between where the Holy Spirit wants us to be and where we're okay to be. So some people would keep those things separate. Right, the Holy Spirit wants us to be here, but it's okay if we're where we're at. Does that make sense? And I think that kind of ties into what the Holy Spirit does and that's a welcoming, wonderful spirit. It's a spirit that has hospitality in its nature. It's a spirit that really does welcome everybody who walks. There is a really unique opportunity when we step into this relationship with the Holy Spirit is that we get to do uncomfortable things. We get to do things we don't want to do, and if that sounds exciting to you, you're in the right place. If it doesn't sound exciting to you, perhaps we can invite you to more opportunities to practice the uncomfortable. Does that make sense? If you guys want to know about uncomfortable, buckle up.
Speaker 2:It's pumpkin spice season at Starbucks. Okay, it has tripled our business in one week. Okay, and there is one drink that I have made five times in one week and every time I make it it makes me uncomfortable. It is a Venti hot pumpkin spice latte. Venti is 20, 20 ounces. It is a Venti hot pumpkin spice latte Venti is 20, 20 ounces.
Speaker 2:Okay, this person wants one less shot of coffee, so less coffee. And she wants 12 pumps of pumpkin spice inside of the drink. 12 pumps of pumpkin spice is roughly 10 ounces. One shot of espresso is roughly one ounce, so she's getting 10 ounces of pumpkin spice. And on Tuesday, when I made this drink, I was like yuck, this is gross, I deem this gross. And then she came back on Wednesday and got the exact same thing and I could do this dance that we're all doing right now, going yuck, right.
Speaker 2:Or what we could do is we could practice something that the Holy Spirit made me do in that moment, which is bless that person, bless that person, that this is the fuel that fuels them, because we don't know what fuel fuels people. Does that make sense? Because there are people who are fueled by different things and there's people who are fueled by the Holy Spirit and there's people who are not. Does this all make sense? We have an opportunity to practice this dance of Holy Spirit, this uncomfortable, wonderful opportunity to be able to welcome everybody. The definition of hospitality is welcoming everybody, okay, welcoming friend, welcoming neighbor and welcoming stranger. And there are a lot of strange people who come through the doors at Starbucks and we have to welcome them in, regardless of whatever weird request they have. Amen, okay, I'm done. You guys want to read with me? This morning, we're going to read basically, three separate parts. Is everybody ready with me?
Speaker 2:I had to say that because I had to remind myself Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some of you have entertained angels without realizing it. Remember those in prison as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being ministrated as if you felt their yourself. Remember also those being ministrated as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.
Speaker 2:Don't love money. Be satisfied with what you have, for God has said I will never fail you, I will never abandon you. So we can say with confidence the Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of the God has come from their lives and follow their example of faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, for this world is not our permanent home. We are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer, through Jesus, a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name, and don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are sacrifices that please God. Amen, right, okay, would you guys like to welcome my mom and dad? Just mom, okay, just mom. All the applause to my mom. She loves the applause, she loves attention.
Speaker 1:I'm grateful that you're here with us today, this 12th Sunday of Pentecost. I was talking with Sarah before the church and she says when is ordinary time? And I'm like this is ordinary time. There are many different ways to express this particular season and this is the season of ordinary time, but in our language we use the word ordinary like plain, or this is ordinary, and then they're special, and in the original calendar, ordinary meant and still has this meaning, but is understood as the most important. This is the primary, this is how you build everything on, and so, in using the language that we're doing right now, saying this is the season of Pentecost, I think for us in this particular culture, it reminds us this is the season of spirit, where we practice living in and living by the Holy Spirit, and so I'm so grateful again that we've been practicing for 12 weeks, attuning ourselves to the sacred spirit, attuning ourselves, opening ourselves up to how the spirit would speak to us. But now that we're in this 12th week of Pentecost, in this ordinary time, there's actually a subset. There's actually one month here that is so special. It starts September the 1st and it goes until October, and I'm going to invite all of us to pay attention to this particular portion of the year, and this is the season of creation, and we pay attention here, from September October, particularly to whatever creation witnesses to us. But there are practices that we do In this season. We're supposed to do something that gives back to creation, something that gives back Well, that could be weeding something or picking up litter, things that are not supposed to be a part of creation, but this is a practice that we do for this particular month that reminds us of this creation that is continually witnessing to us that the creation that continually provides for us, the creation that continually holds all of us as God's beloved family, and so it's with joy that we will begin to practice this and begin to listen to the creation speak to us of the Spirit. I'm grateful this morning that, for those of you who are here in person, you got to sing the hymns with us, and I think that there is a practice of sacred attunement where we listen to the attuning work of the Spirit together in the singing of songs, and so I hope that you notice strange birds in your yard, and by that I don't mean the cranes and the ones that come and sound like dinosaurs, but I mean, I hope that you go outside and you listen to the birds enough, where, if another one flies in and sings a different song, you'll notice. And I bless you this season to be able to listen to this witness and to allow it to inspire you to this witness and to allow it to inspire you Again. I am so grateful to be in your presence this morning.
Speaker 1:We begin this part of the service in the lineage of Mary Magdalene, to whom Jesus said go and tell the story, tell the brothers what you know. And so this morning, beloved family, I am here to tell the story. Clouds break and reveal the moon. As light spills across the water, rousing the quiet land, old roots stir and ancient trees and stone canyons find their voices. Island folk emerge from shelters and whale songs fill the saltwater evenings. What began with light is renewed in radiance and from sea depth and cavern rise the breath of earth's joy. There is hope for us this morning in remembering that witness of creation and what it reminds us, what it brings us into a posture of ancient remembering In this season.
Speaker 1:There is a verse of scripture, or a portion of scripture, that is how the church fathers and mothers have created this time they were like. Pay attention to this particular scripture during this month. We often read Isaiah during the month of Advent, but in this month of creation we also read from the prophet Isaiah. This is Isaiah, chapter 32. I won't read the whole thing, but I encourage you during the month to at least take a glance at it or pay attention. But again, the words of the prophet Isaiah look a righteous king is coming and honest princes will rule underneath him and he will shelter those from the storm and the wind and he will refresh her as a river in the desert and as a cool shadow of a large rock in a hot and weary land. And then everyone who can see will be looking for God and those who can hear will listen to God's voice. Even the hotheads among them will be full of sense and understanding and those who stammer in uncertainty will speak plainly.
Speaker 1:In that day, ungodly fools will not be heroes. Wealthy cheaters will not be respected as outstanding citizens. Everyone will recognize the ungodly fools for what they are. They spread lies about our Lord and they deprive the hungry of food and they give no water to the thirsty. And the smooth tricks of these evil people will be exposed, including all the lies they use to oppress the poor in the courts, but good people will be generous to others and God will bless them for all they do, and the palace and the city will be deserted and the busy towns will be empty and herds of donkeys and goats graze upon the hills where the watchtowers are Until, at last, the Spirit of God is poured out upon them from heaven, and then the wilderness will become a fertile field and the fertile field will become a lush and fertile forest, and justice will rule in the wilderness and righteousness will rule in the fertile fields, and the righteousness will bring peace and quiet. Confidence will fill the land forever and my people will live in safety, quietly at home, and they will be at rest. What a hopeful thought. What a hopeful thought. What grace we are reminded of that God has a plan of restoration and that we as people are invited into that plan. I invite you during this month to read the entire text if you want. But in Isaiah, chapter 32, and we'll begin to rehearse that and remind ourselves in any place that we see wasteland there is a promise that the spirit is coming and God is making all things new, and that is such incredible hope for us. I am so grateful again to be in your presence and to share the word of the Lord with you.
Speaker 1:In Luke's gospel, chapter 14,. One day, jesus was on his way to dine with a prominent religious leader for the Sabbath meal. Everyone was watching him to see if he would heal anyone on the Sabbath. This is a setup. Beloved Jesus is walking into a trap. This is a setup, and the writer of the story tells us this. Now, jesus also is a rabbi and has people following him, but here's a prominent rabbi. And so we listened to the story and it tells us right away that there's a hierarchy here that is going to be disturbed, that Jesus has come and that Jesus is saying there is another way. But Jesus is invited to this dinner and there are prominent people there and everyone was watching. Is he going to do what we think he's going to do? Can we trap him? And just then, standing in front of him was a man suffering with his limbs swollen with fluid Beloved.
Speaker 1:I think just these two verses should cause our hearts to break when we're inviting people to dinner and when we're making plans to figure out who believes what or what they do. There are people suffering right in front of us and this is where the attunement to spirit matters. Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, jesus was filled with God and right here he's being tested, and right here there is a man suffering. Over and over again in the scriptures we see the way of Jesus is actually to see the suffering Beloved. This is the hope of the Christian faith. We do not turn away from those who suffer, but we stand with and in solidarity with the suffering and we bring whatever peace we have, whatever comfort we have, and we call within us the power of the Holy Spirit to soothe, to heal, to bless.
Speaker 1:And Jesus asked the experts of the law and the Pharisees who were present I love this about Jesus they said we're going to test him, we're going to invite him to dinner, we're going to trap him. And Jesus says now the test is for you, going to trap him. And Jesus says now the test is for you. Jesus asked the experts of the law and the Pharisees who were present is it permitted within the law to heal a man on the Sabbath day? Is it right or is it wrong? The answer is, according to the law, no. If you see someone suffering, it's the Sabbath. There is no work on that day. Healing is a work. Everyone knew that. And Jesus is asking them wait a second. Your laws say is it permitted for me to heal the man on the Sabbath day? Is it right or is it wrong? And no one dared to answer.
Speaker 1:Beloved, sometimes our silence is the answer. Be mindful when you are just silent, there is a leading of the Spirit to not say something, and that is one thing. But there is another time when we do not speak up for those who suffer, when we do not heal those who need healing, when we do not bring justice to those who are oppressed, that is something completely different. No one dared to answer and Jesus turned to the sick man, took hold of him and released healing to him and then sent him on his way. Beloved, right here this man received healing, supernatural healing, from the edema that was keeping him trapped in his own body, and the rules told the people around him that that should not have been done. Jesus reminds us of this truth.
Speaker 1:Beloved, love the answer. Love is higher than any other thing. It is unloving to watch someone suffer and then say but the rules prevent me from aiding this person in their suffering. And Jesus said to all of them I'm sure they felt uncomfortable at that moment, because I'm sure that's not the first time they saw that man with the swollen limbs. They may have known him and his family, but they followed their rules and he stayed in suffering. And Jesus, in front of them, does a miracle, releases the healing power of the Holy Spirit into that person and they are healed. And then Jesus says to all of them if one of your children or one of your animals fell into a well, wouldn't you do all you could to rescue them, even if it was the Sabbath? Jesus begins to ask us to use our good brains, our intelligence, our inner gut to be able to say if it was one of mine, I would have demanded the work be done, the rule be set aside. And Jesus is reminding us that we are all one. We are a part of each other. Our children are our children, my children, your children, all children. They're our children. We are a family. We are humanity. It is a grace to us. One of the beautiful benefits in community is we begin to expand our capacity to love. We begin to know people's stories and our hearts begin to open toward them and love them and bring peace to them.
Speaker 1:Many of you in the church service for those who are present my children are grown, or growing at this particular time and they're adult men and my beautiful friends Joni and Dove have Dwayne and in the hallway last year Joni told me that she was expecting a baby and I was so excited about this little person that we had met. We loved him from the moment that she said that they were having a baby. It was so joyous. And then she had this beautiful Dwayne and Joni and Dove have brought him to church and to the communion table and about I think it was three weeks ago, I almost choked and like fell down because I saw something so incredibly beautiful. Dove had I'm not sure Dove or Joni.
Speaker 1:One of you had Dwayne with them at the communion line and this little baby that we heard about from the very you know, just like there's a miracle coming and here comes Dwayne and we get to see him every week and he sings with us and he's just precious and I want to remind you, beloved. This is how the world changes. But he reached for the communion bread and I felt my knees go weak and I thought what a miracle that I got to see someone, from the very first time they're offered, be in the house of the Lord, and over and over again. No, this is what we do. This is where we go when we need to be fed, when we need to be included, when we need to be loved, when we need to be affirmed, we do it at the communion table. And it's so beautiful, beloved, that we're a part of a congregation that says every single one of us is welcomed at the table of the Lord. This is a hospitality that the Spirit offers to us, but we don't come in together, gathered, singing our songs, without noticing the people around us. I love that.
Speaker 1:Not only is Dwayne assisted by his parents to learn how to come to the table of the Lord, but by everyone who waits, because, although he wanted to take the bread, he was hesitant and I thought good for you, little man, look to your parents and to hear them say, yes, it's okay. And he didn't take it and that's okay. Next time, maybe and all of our eyes will be on him going will he take communion. Will he remember and I believe, all of us? This is a call during this season to a very ancient remembering. I remember the last time that my littles were in our arms while we were taking communion. But, beloved, that time doesn't last very long. Very soon they're serving communion and hopefully making more communities out on their own. But but that with our eyes, we get to witness community together. We get to witness the healing power of God.
Speaker 1:And Jesus says if one of your children and I love that, he added the animals, because sometimes you just had it with your kids, I guess and so he's like but your dog, but your animal, but your cat, but whatever it is that you love, but your animal, but your cat, but whatever it is that you love, jesus is saying but if what you love fell into a well, wouldn't you do all you could to restore them? Yes, because love tells us. This is what our purpose is is to restore everyone to the thriving, to the goodness, to the wholeness that God has brought to us. 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. And there was nothing they could say. All were silenced.
Speaker 1:And when Jesus noticed how the guests of the meal were all vying for the seats of honor, he shared a story with his guests around the table. This story is so much about hospitality In fact, the story of Jesus is so much about hospitality Everyone welcomed to the table of the Lord, everyone welcomed back home to the Father, back into oneness, back into peace. And Jesus is there. He's just done this healing of this man. He's just confronted this idea of how things are. We have to follow rules and we don't look at the suffering of other people, we don't recognize our own power in the spirit to bring hope, to bring miracles, to bring peace. And Jesus begins talking about the hierarchy of the table. He's watching Again. If you read the story, look at how many times Jesus just stands there watching and then, by the spirit, he sees. He sees the suffering. He sees the mother who is weeping because she has lost her son. He sees families suffering. He sees a woman who needs assistance and Jesus is there bringing peace. This is the way of Jesus. But Jesus noticed the guests were vying for seats of honor.
Speaker 1:Now, in this culture, I don't know that you could imagine that we ever would behave like this, that someone would be anxious for something of honor. But I do want to remind you that in this culture, particularly with Rome and that empire, not only with Rome, but particularly everything was a trade. Everything was you do this for me and I'll do this for you, and the corruption and the evil was so great and Jesus is absolutely confronting culture here. When you are going to be eating a meal and Jesus starts telling this story when you're invited to an important social function, do not be quick to sit near the head of the table choosing the seat of honor. What will happen when someone more distinguished than you arrives? The host will then bring him over to where you are sitting and ask for your seat, saying in front of all the guests you're in the wrong place. Please give this person your seat and, disgraced, you'll have to take whatever seat is left.
Speaker 1:Again, in this culture, this seating chart was really important. Every time there was a big public function, you wanted to see who was sitting where, because who had the favor of the emperor, who had the favor of that person. And this is what Jesus is confronting in all of us. Ego, this idea of I have to scramble, I have to earn, I have to make connections. I want to be first and Jesus is reminding us an ancient remembering we are loved, each one of us, worthy enough. We do not have to play the game that empire says that we should play. We do not have to say there are some that are worthy and there are some that are disgraced.
Speaker 1:Jesus is asking us to allow him to heal our eyes, to allow him to heal our eyes. Instead, when you're invited to a banquet, you should choose to sit in the lowest place so that when your host comes and sees you there, he would say my friend, come with me and let me seat you in a better place, and then, in front of all the other guests at the banquets, you'll be honored and seated in the place of highest respect. I remind you of Jesus' mother Mary, who said oh, this one that is going to come from God, he is going to drag the proud from their thrones and he is going to lift up the lowly, the ones who are meek, the ones who are humble. Jesus is coming to exalt them. But Jesus also is coming to remind us that pride and that ways that we include each other only for our own profit. That is not how the kingdom works, and Jesus is reminding us of the kingdom of God and another way, a higher way of living. Remember this, I remind you.
Speaker 1:If Jesus said we should remember something, it's a good idea to rehearse it. It's a good idea to keep that kind of in the front of our memory, of our memory. Everyone with a lofty opinion of who he is and who seeks to raise himself up, will be humbled before all, and everyone with a modest opinion of who he is, chooses to humble himself, will be raised up before all. I want you to think about this in the fact that we know the rest of the story. Jesus said take up your cross and come and follow me.
Speaker 1:Jesus, the humblest of all people, chose to humble himself and was raised up on a cross. We, as people, crucified him and God raised him up from the mess that we left him in. And this is the hope for all of us beloved that we would follow the way of Jesus and that we would choose humility, that we would choose not bragging about who we are not being flashy about who we know or what we can do for someone. That is not the way of Christ, that is not the way of the kingdom of heaven. And the invitation is to love, love that supersedes every law. The greatest of these is love. I remind you of 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, where the apostle tells us that without love, everything I do is just like a clanging cymbal. Without love, I am nothing. And so the invitation of Jesus is into more, is into thriving. Look what it would be for all of us if we could join in to this practice of humility, this practice of humbling ourself, this practice of making sure that everyone is invited.
Speaker 1:And Jesus turned to his host and said now, I do want to remind you that this was a prominent Pharisee. This was someone who had set up a party so that Jesus could be trapped, could be trapped. This is someone whose party invitation included trapping Jesus. I want to remind us it's very important where we put ourselves in the story, how we see it. I always want to be the good guy. I really do. I don't want to play the villain, I don't want to be the bad guy, but very often, if I'm not careful, I will miss what the Spirit is telling me if I automatically assume I am the one that is doing right. What is it possible that Jesus could be telling me?
Speaker 1:When you throw a banquet, don't just invite your friends, relatives or rich neighbors, for it is likely they will return the favor. It is better to invite those who never get an invitation. Jesus said remember this, remember this as people who are going to practice hospitality, as people who are going to practice hospitality, as people who are going to practice this way of living. It is better to invite those who never get an invitation. Invite the poor to your banquet, along with the outcast, the handicapped, the blind and those who could never repay you the favor. This is not a social media plan beloved, not this one. Jesus is saying this is a plan for how the kingdom of heaven comes among you. This is a plan for how the spirit makes all things new. This is a plan for how the Spirit makes all things new. This is a plan for the life that you want to lead, of purpose and renewal. Invite include Invite the poor to your banquet.
Speaker 1:Jesus was confronting a system here where we wanted to make sure that we didn't see the poor, that we don't see the suffering, that we don't see the homelessness, that we don't see those who are without and Jesus was remarking about this and saying that's wrong. Those who have less need to be brought into our tables. Those who are unfortunate. We need to take the privilege or the fortune we have and extend it on their behalf. This is the way of Jesus you invite.
Speaker 1:See, a lot of us really would love the fact like if somebody else could do the inviting then we could be off the hook because they didn't invite. But I was just invited too, so I didn't really wanna fact like if somebody else could do the inviting then we could be off the hook because you know they didn't invite but I was just invited too, so I didn't really want to. Let's ask for our plus one. If I'm coming, can I also bring? And what is the banquet? I mean, I love for us to be able to say we don't go to banquets anymore. That doesn't happen.
Speaker 1:We do beloved all the time, anytime you're gathered around a table To the church, to the community, what are we doing to make sure that the poor, the outcast, the handicapped, the blind? How are we making things accessible? How are we inviting people. One of the things that I love about our particular community and thank you for everyone who came out Wednesday to help us with the feeding is that we are willing to feed and take on the responsibility of getting it to the people who need it. It's great to be able to say we have food here, but there are people who do not have a way to get here for the food so beloved. It is our job to take it to them. It is our job, when someone is brokenhearted, to bring peace to them. And how do we do that? We invite them to the banquet. We invite them to the table that jesus is mating making, and so the hope for all of us is not just inviting them to this community, but what community are you building? Where is the little outpost of the kingdom of heaven that is on your block, because your house is there, and who is being invited to the banquet that you are setting?
Speaker 1:Jesus said remember this this is better, better than hobnobbing with those who have. Jesus said this is the way. Open your eyes and see the friendships that can happen among all of us. This is the hope for us. Cosmo and Sherry are here and they're sitting in the back today and if you need to know them, somebody will direct you to them. But they're beautiful and they are working with Father, thank you.
Speaker 1:And they are cooking on September 18th and if you want to volunteer to serve the food, there's going to be about 150 meals that need to be served to people there and they can give you all the details. And I just love our service communities. I love the people here who are willing to say, yeah, I'll go and I'll do that. And I want to tell you that serving 150 people by yourself is overwhelming, but together we could do 150 service meals easily. And there are people still in Ocala who are hungry. Beloved. This should not be. And while it is, we are going to feed the people.
Speaker 1:I love the story of Jesus. He had done miracles of feeding and people were coming and they were hungry. And then his disciples said to Jesus so what are you going to do about it? Like, are you going to do a miracle Because the people are hungry? We know you can. Can you feed them? And Jesus said to Philip not that, philip, I mean, I'm sure Jesus speaks to you, but that was not the time but Jesus said to his friend Philip, what's in your hand, what's in your pouch, what's in your lunchbox and I believe the spirit of the Lord is still saying that to us today what is within you? What do you have that you could give? How can you be a part of this better way of living?
Speaker 1:Jesus is reminding us about the hospitality that all of us have within us, that we would open our tables to everyone, that we would intentionally invite, choose. We would intentionally invite, choose, help those who have needs. We do that together as a community. But is it even on your radar to pay attention to the suffering person right in front of you? This is the invitation into a better way of living. This is the invitation into God, into oneness. Jesus prayed for us that we would be one, the same way that he and the Father and the Spirit are one, and I want to tell you where Jesus was. There were miracles, and the invitation, beloved, is that we also, one with God and spirit, would be people of miracles, that we would be able to see the enlightenment, the eyes that are being opened because of the light that is within us. Beloved, I remind you of what Jesus said you are the light of the world, you are the mercy. You are the one who goes out and sees that person doesn't have an invitation. Well, I'm inviting. I also want to remind you of the work it takes to invite someone. It has to do with intention. Who will I invite into my friendship? Who will I invite into my hope? Who will I invite into my hope?
Speaker 1:There was a lizard yesterday. It was little. I can take on the little ones, the ones that are big, I have to call for someone else's help, but I can do the little ones. And it had fallen into the pool and it was little, and I went to get him and as soon as I went to get him, he swam away. I thought, dude, you don't have the stamina for this whole pool. I know you think that I'm going to hurt you, but I'm not. So then I had to trouble myself. You heard that right. I had to trouble myself. I wasn't prepared to go after this little one, but I had seen it Beloved.
Speaker 1:When your eyes are open and you have seen someone suffering, we are called to trouble ourselves. In fact, the scripture says this. God says this to the people of Israel. This is the thing I have against you that you will not trouble yourself on my behalf. Now, all of us would say on behalf of God, I would trouble myself. Whatever God wants, whatever Jesus wants, I'm there. And Jesus said whatever you've done unto the least of these, my brother, you have done it to me.
Speaker 1:Jesus is asking to be invited to your banquet. Jesus is asked to be invited to the banquets that we all are throwing, and he's saying I am going to be found in the least of these. It is better to invite those who never get an invitation. Invite the poor to your banquet, along with the outcast, the handicapped, the blind, those who could never repay you the favor, and then you will experience a great blessing in this life. And at the resurrection of the godly, you will receive your full reward. Beloved, the things of this world, the trophies of this world will amount to nothing, but at the resurrection of the godly, you will receive your full reward.
Speaker 1:Beloved, jesus is challenging us to be people so full of love and mercy and grace that, everywhere we go, that we would see suffering, that we would be people who have the miracles with us. We know a God who is able. We are people of immense resources, every single one of us, maybe not in ourselves, but in who we know and the resources that we can connect them to and to the table of the Lord. In fact, one of the biggest, most beautiful and sacred things that we do every time we're together is we honor this banquet. We honor this telling.
Speaker 1:We remember when we come and we receive from God's table. It is an ancient remembering. Our soul remembers there is enough, that there is abundance in this world and there is good still here and beloved. We are to be the good In following Jesus. We are to be people who show our good works, who bring this. Jesus said I've done these things. Even greater works will you do when you go out and see these things. In fact, the scripture tells us this is what you were born for. There were good works already ordained for you Before the world was formed. You were put here intentionally to be people of good works. We are to be people who like Jesus and see the suffering and release the spirit into them of healing. And to those who suffer, we invite them not only to the table of the Lord but to our table Because, beloved, we are the church, every single one of us.
Speaker 1:Peter said the church of Jesus Christ is not made with physical stones, but each one of us living stones. Jesus, the chief cornerstone. Jesus is who we're following and beloved. When you come to the communion table today, I hope that you receive from Jesus a vision of who you could bring to the communion table, who you could say has forgotten, been excluded, and you can say I will invite, I will offer you communion with God, I will offer you communion with brothers and sisters, beloved. Oneness is where we are headed, because Jesus said that is the plan for us. As Jesus said that is the plan for us, father, make them one, as you and I are one, beloved. This is how the world changes. We bring everybody into the presence of divine love. We all return to the love from which we were formed and we remember. Jesus said every time you come to this table, every time you do this, do this and remember me. We hope you've enjoyed this week's sermon. If you would like more information about us, visit us online at firstlovechurchorg.
