Love Is The Way

Love is easy to preach until you’re stuck behind the slow driver, facing the awkward delay, or meeting the person you’d rather avoid. We start with Jesus’ blunt, simple marker of discipleship: people will know we belong to him by love, not by labels, arguments, or the things we sign. Then we get honest about how quickly real life challenges that intention and why choosing love can become a daily practice that restores your sense of power, especially if you’ve battled anger, sadness, or depression.

We also connect the seventh Sunday of Easter to Ascension Day and the anticipation of Pentecost, reframing Ascension as Christ’s authority and presence filling all things. That truth moves from theology to a parking-lot moment where a single word, “brother,” opens the door to tears and a tangible awareness of God. From there we step into John 17 and listen to what Jesus prays over us: unity with God and each other, protection, holiness, and joy. Eternal life shows up as something you can live now, as close as your breath, not a ticket you cash in later.

Along the way, we talk about gratitude as a spiritual discipline that breaks consumer craving, why judgment blocks unity, and how forgiveness becomes our steady function. We use a “radio dial” image to name the frequencies we can tune into, shame and self-hatred or the Holy Spirit’s love, joy, and peace. If you’re hungry for Christian spirituality that is grounded, practical, and rooted in Scripture, this one will meet you where you are and call you upward.

Subscribe, share this message with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the podcast. What practice helps you return to the good fastest?

Transcript

Love As The True Identifier

SPEAKER_01 0:00

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. By this, you will know, everyone will know that you are my true followers. By this, not by a doctrine, not by something that you sign, not by the hymns that you sing, not by the bumper sticker on your car. By this, everyone will know that you are my followers. By love. Love is always the key. Love is always the way. It always comes back to love because God is love. Jesus is love. This week we celebrate the seventh Sunday of Easter. And good news for those of you who have been on the edge of your seat just waiting for Pentecost. It's coming. Pentecost is coming, beloved. And so we are so grateful for the Holy Spirit, that fresh wind of God, that breath that animates us, God in all. But before that, Thursday was ascension day, and the church celebrates the ascension of Christ. And I think for some of us, maybe we missed that, but I want to remind you about it. On ascension, we remember that Christ has ascended to the right hand of God the Father. And that's not a geographical location. It is for us a remembrance that all authority has been given to Jesus, and Jesus is in all and around all. And so there's this beautiful invitation that we remember that Jesus has been given all authority. And so when Jesus tells us that this is the commandment that we are to love everyone, and in our loving everyone, that's how we will be known as true followers. So this morning I greet you in the uh lineage of the women who told about the resurrection and the disciples who saw Jesus ascended and then brought themselves to this good news.

Be Jesus In Daily Friction

SPEAKER_00 1:59

Heather and I were talking about that this week, and then I uh we were having a conversation, and then I had to get in the car and go across town and get some stuff. And so we were talking about how we can be Jesus. You know, I think as I left, Heather said something like that. Be Jesus to everyone you meet. And I was so excited about loving everyone until I got around the corner and there was a guy that was nobody in front of them, and they're texting and they're going about 10 miles slower than the speed limit. Uh, and then I got where I was going, and the guy didn't have the paperwork, and it was all these things. And I began to realize that when I had that mindset to love one another, it was almost like a life hack because I began to see these things that normally would provoke me. And I'm like, I don't have to let this bother me. Look at this, this is silly. I can choose to be joyful. And so I want you to to understand that really there there needs to be some kind of a game plan for you. If you're one who struggles with depression or or anger or or or uh just sadness, that that uh really for us to set our minds towards, okay, today I'm gonna go out. And then it'll be challenged. And you'll find the first card that pulls up is not gonna be doing exactly what you want. But it's a gift because it's an opportunity for me to make a different choice. And boy, I begin to just feel such victory because I had the power back in my own life. Yeah, I can't go any faster than this person's choosing to go, but I have all the power in the world to not be sad or angry or or mean about it, that I can allow the love of God. And and I and I and I know in my life I've struggled with depression and and that how that comes over you. And I'm telling you, it's these practices that we're talking about. They are absolutely hope for you if you will look to them. If they're practices that as you begin to uh walk in them, that you'll see yourself coming out of those just the throes of depression, that control of it, the misery of it, the sorrow of it.

Ascension Means Christ Is Everywhere

SPEAKER_01 4:16

And so, as we remember the ascension, we remember it is not the absence of Christ. It is, in fact, the presence, the cosmic presence of Christ everywhere and in everything. And that's why Jesus told his disciples right before he left, Behold, I am with you even until the end of the age. The ascension of Christ reminds us that God is filling all things, and there is no place where the dominion of Christ does not rule. I want to remind you what the apostle Paul said. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else, not only in this world, but the world to come. And God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Christ the head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body and it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. What incredible news! And what a wonderful way for us to come to the text this morning, remembering that if Christ has really been given authority over all things, if Christ is over all, then our intention should be to learn to discern how to hear the words or the leading of Christ with us. And the Spirit empowers us to do this.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

And what we're saying, and I want you to consider that because of Christ's victory, Christ can be found everywhere. And that's good news for you because you and I need Christ in certain areas of our life. And Heather and I were in a car a while back, and we were in a parking lot, and uh, and I could see this guy approaching, and I knew that you know, we'd already had three or four people ask for money already. And so at that point, I'm I'm thinking, you know, is the till empty? Is it low? And I was dreading this guy coming up right to the door. I didn't say anything, but I was watching this, and these were the authentic feelings that I had, I'm just being honest. And Heather rolled down the window and she she greeted him by saying, Hello, my brother. And he stepped back and he said, You know how long it's been since anyone's called me brother, and he began to weep. And I began to weep, and Heather began to weep. And the presence of God was tangible. But Christ is always there. That's the victory. We just have to notice, we have to be aware, and I'm so glad that Heather was not looking at that as just some beggar, but seeing Christ was there at our car. And the experience and the choice is there for you and I always. And I've watched people who are angry turn their attitudes around when we begin to just walk with that kind of love and kindness towards people. I'm telling you what, it is a power the church has yet to tap into. And there is a there's a joy for you that you do not know, that God has for you, that we don't live. It's sort of like you are living in the basement of your house. And in your basement, there's a lot of things pulling you and holding you there. And God says, No, I got this upstairs for you where the windows are open and the light and the breeze is there. But we make these choices. And there's other choices that will lift us up into this realm. And that's why God's freeing us from shame, because shame keeps you down there. You know, uh self-hatred keeps you down there in that dark place and holds you. And Heather and I are talking about practices that say, come on up, ascend with Christ. Come and have the gift that He has given to you. Because our heart breaks for the time that you spend in that place. And our lives have been there long enough. And I don't want to go back and I don't want that for any of you. And I just want you to know there are these practices and these things we're talking about to lift you practically for you to literally experience life in a different way. God has made a way of escape. Somebody in this place, please help me out. Say amen.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Amen. There is a beautiful spiral that love draws us into, and it is an upward spiral. It is an ascension, and it is us returning to the good. Mary reminds us of this. No matter where you find yourself this morning, now is a great time to return to the good. Now is a great time to bring your mind around and think on things that are lovely, kind, generous, good, and of a good report.

Eternal Life Is For Now

SPEAKER_01 9:03

But this morning, as we go to the text in John in chapter 17, I remind you this morning that Jesus, the one who has been given all authority, the one that the church is formed under, Jesus, who is our head, says to us, This is what I'm praying for you. I want to know what Jesus is praying for me. And I want to pray for what Jesus is praying for other people. Add my amen and my yes right to that. And so this morning, as we go to John's text, after saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone, and he gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life, to know the only true God and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. Beloved, I remind you of this powerful truth. Eternal life is not just for when you die, eternal life is for now. It is the kind of life that Jesus is telling us about. When Jesus said, This is the kingdom, the kingdom is coming now. It's so close, it's as close as your breath. So there's an invitation into the beauty of eternity, even right now. This is not a little ticket that you get and you redeem when you die. This is an invitation into the presence of Christ, that the moving and the animating of the spirit that you can live in, that we can join the frequency of heaven. And Jesus is telling us, I'm the way that that happens for you. I brought glory here to you here on earth by completing the work that you gave me to do. Now, Father, bring me into the glory that we shared before the world began. I remind you, this goes back into the very first part of John, when it says, In the beginning was the word, and the word was God, and the word was with God, and the word is God, that Jesus, the beautiful uh expression of God in the beginning. And then it talks about the spirit, the spirit coming. And so we see why in the church calendar this leads us up. It's like uh when someone's gonna spike a volleyball and somebody gives a little tap, and then somebody else comes in with the heavy hit. And this is the beauty where Jesus is like, I am ascending, but beloved, you also will ascend with me. You also can live this kind of life. I am sending the spirit.

SPEAKER_00 11:31

You know, and I want you to think about that. That we're confident that there was a time past when there was peace with God, you know, and then mankind has messed things up. But we know that there's a promise of a new earth. But many of us have gotten this doctrinal idea that it's never gonna happen in your lifetime and it's a it's a thing that's that's happening down the road. But but what if that new life happens when you let it? That new world begins now, and it does for you, and you are transformed, and your life is different. I want to ask you something. How many of you really think that all of your prayers get answered? Honestly. So even if yours aren't that great and they don't all get answered, I'm glad that he's praying for you.

SPEAKER_01 12:29

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 12:30

And so we do want to pay really close attention. What is he praying for you? Unity. That you would be one with God. Do you think God is sad right now? Do you think God is struggling with fear about the bills being paid? I want that new earth for you and I now. I want to walk in that place right now where I have enough. Tomorrow, let tomorrow worry about tomorrow. But I believe there's a peace for you and I, and there's a practice in this where God wants us to be at one with Him and at peace, and we don't have to be afraid, we don't have to be tormented.

SPEAKER_01 13:17

I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world, they were always yours. Good news. Good news. You always belong to God. I don't know. That's just joy to me. I hope it is to you. You are not an accident, beloved. God is not oh scrambling to get an extra seat at the table for you. God already planned great things for you. God already uh it it's in fact in the book of Ephesians, the apostle says to us, before the worlds were formed.

SPEAKER_00 13:50

Oh yes.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

Recently, check out the Hubble telescope if you haven't, and and look at the cosmos and see how amazing and enormous it is, and stand outside and look at La Bella Luna, the moon. Oh, she's so beautiful, and then just think about all these things. And it says, Before any of this was formed, God had you in mind. You and God had settled on you to be the object of God's affection, that you would be made whole and holy by God's love. You are not an afterthought, you are not someone that God is just trying to get in at the edges. You are the heart of why God made any of this. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you. Quick note here: if everything that Jesus has is a gift from Father, then what are the things that you have? Do you have those all by yourself? Probably not. They're also every good gift is from the Father who sends them to us. Our breath, that's a gift. The people in our life, gifts. The birds that sing, the grubs that are in the soil, all of it gifts.

SPEAKER_00 15:05

You know, I want you

Gratitude Over Consumer Wanting

SPEAKER_00 15:06

to see something. What Heather just said there is a practice. She's thinking of the things that that you and I have. But uh a few years ago I started selling stuff and enjoying Facebook Marketplace, and I got to the point where I would just look at crud that people listed and then decided whether I wanted it or not. And so I actually started wanting stuff that I didn't know that I wanted. And I started, and then I look and I didn't know, oh, that would be cool to have. And all of a sudden that, you know, in fact, uh Thomas talked to me the other day and he goes, I saw a guy building something, forget what he said, a guy building something, and he goes, but I'm not gonna tell you because you're probably gonna want to start building it. I didn't know I wanted to do that. He's probably got a new hobby in his head right now that I need, but and so I'm making a point here. That when you do that, when you start and and you know, scrolling around, shopping when you don't need something. I mean, go buy something, but that whole idea of just shopping and wandering around, that consumer thing that you just need stuff, I'm gonna tell you something. God has given you everything that you need. I've sat around and uh I was just talking to uh Phil and Sarah at my house, and they go, You still gonna build that shop on the back of the property? And I'm like, No, I decided something that if I stopped wanting that big shop, then I wouldn't need to come up with all the money it's gonna take to buy it. I would be free of the responsibility of the next six months or year of building it and all the frustration that that's gonna cause me, and then the the tax money I'm gonna have to pay on the more square footage on the property and all that burden I'm gonna put. I just decided to stop wanting it, and now all of a sudden I'm super blessed because I turned up, now I got all this free money and time, and and my and I don't have to yell at my kids for not helping me for something they didn't want to do and that that was my dumb idea in the first place. I just got this huge blessing dropped in my lap because I stopped lusting after something I didn't have. Now I know I'm just preaching to me. I'm the only weirdo in this place. Or or is that is there a practice here of sitting around and going, look what I have? I have a family that loves me. I have a church that has a wonderful pastor. Talking about you.

SPEAKER_01 17:30

I'm talking about you.

SPEAKER_00 17:31

Oh, okay. All right.

SPEAKER_01 17:32

Pastors.

SPEAKER_00 17:32

All right, good pastors. That you have uh uh, you know, whatever it is that you have, look look at those things and celebrate those. Or you get in that habit of just looking at the stuff that you don't have. I took that thing off of my phone, that Facebook, because it was just driving me crazy. Because I would just look for all the things that I didn't have and I wasn't happy until I got them. And then I'd go buy them from that guy and w and and bargain with that lady and bring it home, and it just didn't bring happiness to you. God has given you everything. And if we would celebrate those things, that's what I've been doing, realizing there is so much on that property now that I need to do. There's so many fun things I can do now. No money, just take my time and spend it. Be grateful for what it is that you have.

SPEAKER_01 18:24

The old testament prophet said this do not plan good for yourself, because I, the Lord, have already planned it. Beloved, there is no good that we could plan that God didn't do better. And so the invitation is how do I align myself with the good that God already has planned for me? For I have passed on to them the message that you gave me, and they accepted it, and they know that I came from you, and they believe that you sent me. Oh, this is such rich text this morning. What a beautiful thing. I'm so grateful for you that you heard the message and that you accepted it, and that you said, Yes, that is mine. My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. And all who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. And now I am departing from the world, and they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name. Now protect them by the power of your name. Protect them by the power of your name. This is good. Jesus is praying for you. When you are freaked out, when you are overwhelmed, Jesus is already praying for you. Protect them by the power of your name, so that they will be united just as we are. Jesus prays for our unity with one another and with God. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name you gave me, and I guarded them so that not one was lost except the one headed for destruction, as the scriptures foretold. And now I'm coming to you, and I told them many things while I was with them in this world, so that they would be filled with my joy. And I have given them your word, and the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I reminded you who hated Jesus. Just think about it for a second. It wasn't the blind man who received his sight. It wasn't the hungry person that was filled that hated Jesus, it wasn't the person whose dead son was given back to life. It wasn't the outcast, it wasn't the leper. Those people did not hate Jesus. I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. I remind you of the Lord's Prayer that we pray together, Jesus says this guard us from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. That's good news for us, this particular band of people, this particular communion table. It's okay. It's okay if you don't fit in other places. You belong here, you are in Christ, you fit at this table.

SPEAKER_00 21:10

I just wanted to interject that thing about God's name because he's saying that he's giving you this name. And uh my favorite story about this is that Tom youth pastored at this other church, and he brought all these kids and all these workers over to our house one Christmas. And so there's 50, 60 kids and all these workers, and they didn't know us and we didn't know them. And uh, all of a sudden, about halfway through this party, my son David wanders down from his bedroom and he just walks right through the party, probably in his underwear, I don't know. And he goes into our pantry and he starts making a sandwich. And the workers go in and they say to him, Hey, you can't go in this part of the room, you can't be making sandwiches with these people's house. And he goes, Oh, don't worry about it. My name's Drake, and I'm allowed to be here. And the lady is like, oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, and so I thought, what a beautiful illustration because of whose family he was. There was all these kids there, but because he was the child of the people that owned that house, he could go into any room and make any sandwich he wanted. And there wasn't any worker and any leader going to tell him otherwise. He knew his place. And I want to remind you that God's given you that name. And a lot of times we take it as like, well, I can't give that name. I've got to use it. I've got to walk around. This is my badge. But I want you to know that he has named you. There's a difference there. Here's just this name, you use it. But no, this is the name I call you. And so he's reminding us this is your name. You have been named by God. You are son, you are daughter of God. Oh, that is that is love. That is acceptance. That's all that I need.

Sent Into The World As Servants

SPEAKER_01 23:04

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 firstlovchurch.org, reminding you to like, follow, and subscribe. Make them holy by your truth. Teach them your word, which is truth. And just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. This is a reframe for all of us because the same way that God sent Jesus into the world, Jesus is sending us into the world. And Jesus did not come with a sword, Jesus did not come demanding uh allegiance. He, in fact, brings a bowl of water and bread and sets a table and says, I am going to be the servant of all. And so we are asked to join in with unity and say, what does it look like for us to see everyone as brother and sister? What does it look like for us to allow the spirit to show us exactly what to do? I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. And I am praying not only for these disciples, but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. You and I are part of this. Jesus is praying for us because we believe, because someone gave us the message, because the women were faithful to preach the resurrection because of Junia, because of Priscilla, because of these women in Scripture who said, Oh, I need to tell you about a Jesus, about the spirit that gives us new lives. But I am praying not only for these disciples, but all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one. Jesus prays for our unity. Jesus prays that we will be one. In a world and in a culture where people want to divide us all the time. They want to say, what you got to focus on is how you're different than that person. Beloved, Jesus is praying that we'll see each other as one. Just as you and I are one, and you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so the world will believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. God loves you as much as God loves Jesus. I don't know if you feel that every single day. I hope you do. I hope that becomes your place of consciousness where your truth is, that you are loved by God, that Christ is in you, and that is your hope of glory. That Christ is in us. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.

Unity Shows Love To The World

SPEAKER_00 26:34

You know, this oneness, uh, Heather and I really believe it's like the most important thing. Unity is the most important thing for us. It demonstrates love, it opens the valve for the presence of God and the glory of God. And I'm telling you, it is something so precious, it is to be guarded. You know, uh, in in our marriage, it is the most important thing that we strive for. Because when we're not in unity, it's very uncomfortable. It seems to really block blessing. And when we are in unity, it doesn't matter what comes up, we can handle that because of unity and and because of that love. And so I can't stress enough the the obstacles that will come against unity. And one of the major things that really will hinder your unity is when you have judgments over people because you're gonna either have one or the other. You're either gonna have unity or judgments about those people. You have to release that judgment, right? Isn't that what scripture says? Yeah, but I, you know, I mean, how can I be in unity with this person? They never help. They're never it's never fair. You know, they never do as much work as I do. Well, you have that judgment, wrong or right, but you get that judgment. But you get to hold on to that judgment, but in the the price of unity. Unity is where the Lord commands a blessing. Oneness is the thing that Jesus prayed for. So your desire to hold that judgment is the thing that blocks the prayer of Jesus over your life. Is it worth it, church? If you really look at it, is it worth it? But we do that all the time, and and that's a practice. I I got out of the car the other day and said something about one of my family members, and and Heather didn't say a word, just looked at me, and I said, but that's a judgment. And I don't do those. And it and I I'm I'm beginning to hear it more and more. And the the the the terrible truth is it was a a cancer in in my way of thinking. And I I'm telling you, it's it's a weird thing, man. So you mean to say you let everybody get away with everything? Yeah. They're free.

SPEAKER_01 29:13

Forgiveness is our function. That is what Jesus told us to do. Forgive it.

SPEAKER_00 29:18

And what did Jesus do? People that didn't deserve it, he just went around forgiving. And what does he say? What I did on this earth, you will do that also. But you can hold that grudge against them. They did that thing that's wrong. Yeah, and that's what you get. Or you can receive what it is that you're giving. And I want that unconditional forgiveness for all of that stuff. And so, what's the one thing I'm asked to do?

SPEAKER_01 29:44

Forgive. Just as you have been forgiven.

Release Judgment And Practice Forgiveness

SPEAKER_00 29:50

That's and it's a so it's a practice, and we have to unwind and unteach ourselves. Now I do. Maybe you can get it by it'll just come real natural to you. I hope so.

SPEAKER_01 30:02

Unlearning is a practice that Jesus invited us into. You have heard it said, but I say to you. And so the practice of unlearning things that we have heard, maybe from the culture around us, from family that taught us, from just our own ego that tells us how things go. But I just want to remind you that something that separates you from perfect unity is often your own thoughts. Often yourself separates yourself from God. You think I am not worthy, or I have these things, so I cannot be one with God. And the truth of it is that is your choice then. And so do what Mary tells us to do quickly, return to the good. Jesus is praying that I would be one with God. And so I believe that Jesus' prayers are answered. I am one with God and that I am loved and that I am in this place of unity.

SPEAKER_00 30:55

I I just want you to be able to maybe catch a hold of this any old way you can earlier. I was talking about just being in the basement. Heather and I kind of look at it like a radio. You know, I can't see the radio waves, but if I had a device that received it, they're being broadcast. And so that frequency, I could tune in, and you know, if I dialed this right, I could tune into country, rock, gospel, news, complaining radio. I could do all of it. Right? And in the same way, God allows us to tune in to whatever we want to. We literally are this dial for spirit, and I can tune into holy spirit, or I can tune in to low level frequency of self-hatred and shame demonic in its in its uh vibration, and I can I can tune into that, or I can decide to return to the good, to tune in, to change channels. And haven't you been sad long enough? Haven't you, you know, if that shame was gonna make you better, wouldn't it have made you better by now? If that was gonna if it was transformative at all to feel guilty all the time, would that wouldn't that have already changed you? I submit for your consideration that if you tune into the frequency that God has given, which is forgiveness, love, joy, peace, and we gave that out, that it would begin to bring a transformation to our life. I'm telling you right now, the gospel is not sin management, it's transformation. Old life gone, behold, there is a new. But the problem is we stay in that old frequency, that old place. We're tuned in to those old thoughts. And I I think in my past, I stay tuned in there, and I've mined that place. There's no goal. But what God has for us in the now, that's where it is.

Tune Your Life To The Spirit

SPEAKER_01 33:06

In this present moment, Christ with you, Spirit with you. Father, I want these whom you have given to me be with me where I am. That's also good news. Jesus wants you to be with Jesus where Jesus is. I love that. I mean, if you have nothing else to be grateful for, Jesus, you're in with Jesus. And Jesus said, I want you to be with me. That's great news. If no one ever chose you before, Jesus already has. And that is good news.

SPEAKER_00 33:36

But where is he?

SPEAKER_01 33:37

They Jesus is here, present now in us, in everything. We just saw the scripture that reminds us of that. Christ in all, that they can see the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began. Oh, righteous father, the world doesn't know you, but I do. And these disciples know that you have sent me, and I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. That's good news too. And this is why we remember that we have the spirit, that this is a life of progression where continually the spirit is revealing more to us about who the Father is, how great and how wide his love is, how incredible and spacious his mercy is. These things are being revealed to us continually. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them. Beloved, this is the gift, this is the promise that God, that the Father, will be in you, Christ in us, the hope of glory. You are not alone, beloved. Christ in you. You are not alone because you are part of the whole. This is the promise of God. For God so loved the world, for God so loved the cosmos, that God gave his one and only Son, that whoever believed in Jesus would not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not give Jesus to the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Jesus might be saved. Beloved, this is the hope of our salvation that we would join with the mind of Christ, that we would hear this truth, that we are ones deeply loved by God. And all else, above all else, Jesus is praying for us. When you're outside in the morning, the birds joining you in their chorus. I've been looking for the crows to be my friend, and there were two the other day, and I was talking, talking, talking, and telling them that, and I just talk in this kind of voice. I am just inviting you to be our friends. And um, and then what happened was when I came home, there was about 35 to 40 crows in the front yard, and they had scared off all the other birds. So I had to have a talk with my new friends, and I was like, you're all welcome, there's plenty of room, but this is for everyone. The little birds that are usually here do not need to be, you know, uh scared off, and we have to find a way, maybe times, where you guys can all come and not harass the smaller birds that are here. And sometimes when everybody feels welcome, we have to have some kind of management. We have to have some kind of grace that is now. I don't know if they'll ever come back, but all 35 of them were there and they all heard the news. And this morning the little ones were back. So I think that that's good. We're working on it. So I'll tell you how it works out if they after church we come home and there's a whole collection of them. But I told them they were welcomed and that I had really been hearing about how good it is to have them as friends, and I think this would be great. And so the same thing is true for us, beloved. We come to God, but we come with ease and with grace, knowing that because we are here does not mean someone else is not invited. Everyone is invited to the communion table because we are here means we are joining what God intends to do in making the whole world new.

New Creation Begins With Consent

SPEAKER_01 37:01

This is the invitation. From John the Revelator, he has this out-of-body experience. He says he doesn't know if he's here present or if he's somewhere else, but he said, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away and there was no more sea. And I saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, descending down from God out of heaven as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice saying, Behold, the tabernacle, the dwelling place of God is with men again. There will be no more crying, no more tears, and there won't be any more pain, for the former things have all passed away. Behold, I am making all things new. This, beloved, is the hope for us that God is making all things new. And if we allow ourselves to be transformed with this newness that Jesus is bringing, with this promise of born again, if we can come like Nicodemus did and say, what does it mean that a man has to be born again? What does it mean? And so this beautiful invitation is in this period is for us to open ourselves up to the consent to the Holy Spirit. Make me new, show me how to see things differently, and remind me that I am dearly loved and that I am one with God.

SPEAKER_00 38:29

And I just ask you to consider if if you've heard that that portion of scripture your whole life, but really just it was taught to you and just in your own mind, it's like it is definitely a a for later, for after life uh experience that that maybe we misunderstand prophecies and and how they work. And maybe they're they're they're a little bit for the future and a little bit for now, and that they're maybe they're not as cut and dry as we thought that they were, that it has to be some down the road kind of thing, that the return of Christ could be that that we become aware that Christ has been in us the whole time, right? Didn't he say that he would dwell where? In us. In us. So Christ is here. So I I'm I'm I'm wondering if if you could begin to see that we wouldn't have to have this kind of sadness if you and I would really rise up and allow Christ to manifest in our life.

SPEAKER_01 39:24

And if we can't even get home from church in traffic without surrendering to the wrong spirit, just come back again, we'll go over it again. We'll go and let's talk about that. Let's not feel shame that we're really good at what we practiced. It just is a place of going, oh, I just need more practice. I think for many of us, we're astounded that we're not good at things the very first time we try them or the very hundredth time we try them. Because maybe we have other things that are well practiced. And the invitation into Christian life, the invitation into Christian community, the invitation into the gathering, into the fellowship is that we practice these things together, that we practice the good news, that we practice these things. And when we fail, that we are quick to repent, that we say, I accept forgiveness, I receive forgiveness, I ask for forgiveness, and I return to the good.

SPEAKER_00 40:17

Yeah, that's the practice. You know, that we've practiced messing up and then going to shame and thinking we got to stay in the room of shame for however long is some kind of a penance. When God is really saying what I've what I've provided you through Christ is the ability to recognize sin and those things that are painful to you and others, and then return immediately to God. Uh and and so it's a practice. I I've noticed that my whole life I've been really quick with a sarcastic response. And I've kind of prided myself in the fact that I I could do this very well. But then I began to realize just how painful it is to myself and others. And I watch Heather, and she always has a gentle word and a kind word. Well, a lot of people, and I've heard people say over the years, well, that's just Heather. They want to write that off. But I have seen her practice this in the time that I've known her. I can't vouch for the time I don't know her, but I suspect she was practicing it before. And so if someone's good at something, it's not just because they're blessed by God and God likes them better than you. Maybe they have practiced. And so now I see that if I'm going to have that loving word, I've got to replace it and I've got to practice. And inevitably, because I've practiced so well at that, I'm gonna have that sarcastic word once in a while. And that's when I have to out of my mouth, repent, and return to God instead of, oh man, I guess that's just it. I'm never I quit.

SPEAKER_01 41:48

The invitation for all of us is that we would stay in the presence of divine love. The invitation in the spiral up is that we would stay in the presence of God, that we would be aware that we ourselves are the temple of the Holy One, that we never have to leave the presence of God.

Closing Blessing And Next Steps

SPEAKER_01 42:11

We hope you've enjoyed this week's sermon. If you would like more information about us, visit us online at firstlovechurch.org.