WEBVTT 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:17.920 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:19.760 Good morning. 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:20.960 Are we good? 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:23.120 Okay, whoa. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:25.359 Hey your Bibles, would you go ahead and grab those? 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:27.199 Go to Romans chapter 12. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:29.440 Romans chapter 12. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:31.280 If you don't have a Bible, you can just relax. 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:35.119 The text is going to appear here on the screen, or you can look it up at your on your device. 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:39.200 But either way, I'd love for all of us to be looking at God's word together. 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:43.039 And that's going to be today in Roman, Romans chapter 12. 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:44.560 My name is Leo Almeida. 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:47.600 I'm one of the teaching pastors here at Grant Parkway. 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:53.439 And over the last few weeks, what we've been doing, we've been looking at the four core values of our church. 00:00:53.600 --> 00:01:01.280 Okay, every organization, Christian or not, church or not, has a set of values that describe their identity and their culture and their DNA. 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:06.000 And for us as a church, we are driven by and we're guided by these four values. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:08.079 Number one, gospel. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:15.920 We want everything we do here at Grand Park to orbit around the realities of the great announcement announced in this book. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:17.840 The great news, the good news. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:21.359 That is that there is a God. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:22.480 Okay? 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:32.719 And even though we're at odds with him, we have guilt in our life, we're at odds with him, he is rich in mercy and he sent his son to die in our place. 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:34.799 That is that is good news. 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:37.920 That's the story we live, that we focus on and we live in. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:41.200 That's reality we ground ourselves in as a church. 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:44.400 The second um core value is community. 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:50.159 Okay, we are called into a relationship with God that is personal, but it ain't private. 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:54.799 Okay, how nice would it be for us introverts if God gave us a Bible on a private island? 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:59.040 Okay, that's not the case, but we're called to be in community with one another. 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:04.560 So as pastors, one of our roles is to connect you to the Lord, but also to connect you with one another. 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:06.640 And the next one is mission. 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:13.039 Okay, the Lamb who was for sinners slain is making all things new. 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:19.199 Okay, we don't we're we're not just a church that has missions, okay, but there's a God of mission in the universe. 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:26.479 He has a church here in the world, and he's making all things new here, and he invites us over to come along. 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:30.639 And our last or our fourth core value is blessing. 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:32.319 And I'll be talking about blessing. 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:33.520 We'll be looking at blessing today. 00:02:33.599 --> 00:02:38.560 Now, I learned a lot about blessing through my college roommate, Ryan Gooch. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:39.759 That's his real name. 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:41.520 So naturally we just call him Gooch. 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.560 And I learned a lot about blessing from him in one afternoon. 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:45.840 It was a Saturday, okay. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:53.439 I got up early to go to study or to go do something, but after I finished whatever I was doing that morning, I went to Panera Bread. 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:58.560 Okay, I don't I don't know why, but I went to Panera Bread in our Panera Bread in Stillwater, Oklahoma. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:03.599 You order at one place, and there's only one window where you pay and get your food. 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:06.800 So I ordered and I pull up to get my food. 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:15.199 Okay, the lady hands over my bag, and I'm about to reach over to grab my bag of cash to give to her, because it's Panera bread, right? 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.560 So a sandwich and a Coke, it's it's tuition money, right? 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:24.639 So I'm giving her my scholarship money to pay for this meal, and she goes, Oh no, no, don't worry about it. 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:27.120 The car in front of you paid for you. 00:03:27.360 --> 00:03:28.319 You're good. 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:31.039 And I was like, say less, okay? 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:36.319 I got my food and I took off, and all of a sudden the music in my car got better, the sun got brighter, the trees got greener. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:41.120 It was shaping up to be a really, really good day. 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:47.599 I get home, I rip open my bag, I get my sandwich, and in walks my roommate. 00:03:48.159 --> 00:03:52.000 And I proceed to brag to him, hey, do you know how much the sandwich costs? 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:54.159 $3.99. 00:03:56.080 --> 00:03:58.800 The car in front of me paid for my food. 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:00.639 To which he doesn't show much emotion. 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:05.840 I still remember his face looking at me and going, so you paid for the car behind you, right? 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:14.800 He's a sinner, but that parable, that parable is us. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:16.879 We're all Leo at one point. 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:23.439 Okay, we have this tendency in our walk with God to let this bent towards letting God's goodness stop with us. 00:04:23.519 --> 00:04:27.519 We have this tendency to be buckets for God's goodness. 00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:33.519 And the problem with that is the way that the New Testament describes believers in Christ. 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:39.920 Just for your information, the Bible uses the word Christian a whopping like three times. 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:48.079 And rather, it uses other words to describe believers in Christ like you are a royal priesthood. 00:04:48.800 --> 00:04:53.839 Jesus makes eye contact with the disciples and says, listen, you are the light of the world. 00:04:54.160 --> 00:05:01.839 And lastly, your New Testament is pregnant with verbiage around you are the hands and feet of Jesus here on earth. 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:07.439 So you see those passages, you see, man, we are called to be pipes, not buckets. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:15.439 When it comes to God, God's goodness and blessing is not just for us to experience, but it's also for us to extend. 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.319 It's not just for us to experience, but it's also for us to extend. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:19.199 Look at these passages here. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.360 Genesis 12, 2 says like this. 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:33.839 God is talking to Abram, and he tells him, Listen, I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:34.879 Watch this. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:39.839 So that you will be a blessing. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:45.040 God's goodness to him is gonna flow beyond him. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:50.319 And just spoiler alert, you're benefiting from that blessing that Abram got. 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:53.519 You're a son of Abram, says Galatians 3. 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:56.079 Okay, furthermore, 2 Corinthians 1 puts it like this. 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:57.360 I love this passage this. 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:02.079 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:11.600 Watch this, and God of all comfort, who comforts us, okay, who comforts us in all our affliction. 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:22.720 Again, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:28.240 So Paul has experienced comfort from God, and it's not just to be experienced, he wants to extend it as well. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:31.199 And friends, this is all throughout your Bible. 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:33.759 This theme is like buying a car. 00:06:33.920 --> 00:06:38.240 Whenever you buy a brand new car, you can't stop seeing that car everywhere. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:39.439 Okay, this is like this. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:46.879 So Romans 15, 7 says this, therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:57.199 Ephesians 4 32, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ has forgiven you. 00:06:57.920 --> 00:06:58.959 As for forgave you. 00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:01.120 I love Wade's prayer just a second ago. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:02.480 That's exactly right. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:09.199 The forgiveness of Jesus is not just to be terminated on us, we just swim in God's grace, and we are to extend it as well. 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:11.680 And then lastly, John 13 says like this. 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:20.560 Jesus looked talking to his disciples says this if I then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:25.839 For I have given you an example that you should do just as I have done. 00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:29.680 You should do you should do just as I have done to you. 00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:32.639 We're called to be pipes, not just buckets. 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:37.759 Friends, God's goodness was meant to flow beyond you. 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:40.879 Okay, what does that practically look like? 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:45.680 What does living as a blessing actually look like full speed? 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:46.639 Let's look at this. 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:48.800 I'm gonna be verses 9 through 21. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:49.680 It says this. 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:57.600 Let love be genuine. 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:01.279 Abhor what is evil, hold fast what is good. 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:04.160 Love one another with a brotherly affection. 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:07.600 Outdo one another in showing honor. 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:15.680 Do not be slothful in zeal, but be fervent in spirit, serving to serve the Lord. 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:17.920 Rejoice in hope. 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:27.199 Be pray, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer, contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:30.079 Bless those who persecute you. 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:31.519 Bless and do not curse them. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:35.360 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:37.039 Live in harmony with one another. 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:39.679 Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. 00:08:40.639 --> 00:08:43.840 Never be wise in your own sight. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:49.360 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in sight of all. 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:56.240 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 00:08:57.519 --> 00:09:00.639 Beloved, never avenge yourselves. 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:03.120 But leave it to the wrath of God. 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:07.679 For it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:13.440 To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. 00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:16.799 If he's thirsty, give him something to drink. 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:21.360 For by doing so you will heap the burning coals on his head. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:28.639 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:30.320 It's the word of the Lord. 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:43.759 Now, friends, no matter how much or how little you know about blessing, no matter how you've been behaving as a Christian, um, if blessing was a sport, you were already on the court. 00:09:44.240 --> 00:09:46.960 If blessing was a sport, you were already on the court. 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:51.759 Uh the AM uh people, not AM people, the football, they play at the field, what's it? 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:53.039 Kyle, Kyle Field? 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.679 Kyle Field, look at y'all know where does OSU play? 00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:58.960 They play at Boons Boone Pickens. 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:04.000 Um, and uh we have uh the Texans here play at Reliant Stadium. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:06.159 I should look this up before I said it. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:10.000 The Rockets play at the uh Toyota Center. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:15.600 Friends, the arena of blessing relationships. 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:20.399 You're already in it right now, you're already on the court. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:23.440 The question today is how do you play? 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:26.080 How do you do this going full speed? 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:30.080 How do we live to the pleasure of God and to the benefit of others? 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:34.799 How do we live in such a way where God is looking and he's pleasured by our lives? 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:43.440 He's watching our lives like the way we watch our favorite show, calling angels and even Satan over, like, whoa, watch this part, watch this part. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:50.080 How do we live in such a way where it looks like that to God, but also people are benefited from knowing us? 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:52.240 People are better for knowing us. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:56.960 And they salivate, like, man, what God is this? 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:02.320 What does being a blessing practically look like? 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:08.399 Well, Paul shows us right here that it looks like love for the family of God. 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:13.039 Number one, it looks like love for the family of God or the body of Christ. 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:16.879 There's about 30 commands in this 12, in these 12 verses, okay? 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:22.960 About half of them are informing Christians how Christians should love other Christians. 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:27.360 You're called to be a blessing by having love for each other. 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:31.840 Now, this is tricky, especially in English. 00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:32.399 Okay? 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:35.679 We got one word for love, right? 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:41.759 You can love your spouse, you can love your truck. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:47.679 Using one word to say different things, I hope. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:50.159 Right? 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:54.720 So the are it's it's tricky here in English, but uh Paul kind of clears this up. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:56.720 Love for the family should be, what is it? 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:59.919 Love for the family should be a authentic. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:01.919 Look at verse nine. 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:09.039 Let love be genuine. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:12.720 Let love be genuine. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:17.519 Some of your Bibles say, let love be in all sincerity or without hypocrisy. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:23.919 In the New Testament, in the ancient world, hypocrites were people who got on a stage, wore a mask, and played a role. 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:25.919 He's referring to play actors. 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:32.720 So what Paul is saying here is listen, the church cannot afford to be a stage for fake love. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:38.559 This church cannot be uh cannot afford to be a stage for fake love. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:41.039 Rome had a love problem. 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:42.240 Okay? 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:47.039 They were really robotic in their love when it came Rome. 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:49.039 Society, they were very robotic in the love. 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:59.519 What I mean by that is their society was set up with a bunch of hierarchical, hierarchic, hierarchical relationships, a lot of formal relationships. 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:04.240 So you treat other people kind of based on where you are on the food chain. 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:05.360 Okay, how do I belong? 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:06.799 How am I supposed to act in this social sense? 00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:08.159 You treat people kind of according to that. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:15.679 So love for them was pretty ritualized, or it wasn't sincere, it wasn't overflowing from affection, it was basically rituals. 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:21.840 So even acts of kindness weren't an overflow of love, they weren't an overflow of genuine love. 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:24.559 Their love was ritual, not sincere. 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:25.759 But what about us? 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:30.399 What are some ritualized act actions that we have in this room? 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:32.720 Or the church at large? 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:39.919 In other words, um, what are some what are some ways American Christians go through the motions of loving one another? 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:41.759 Right? 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:44.159 I have one. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:45.440 Ready? 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:46.720 Watch this. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:49.440 Alright, man, praying for you. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:52.559 Right? 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:54.320 Praying for you. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:56.399 Are we? 00:13:57.840 --> 00:13:58.799 Are we though? 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:04.320 So how often are we actually listening to people's prayer? 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:07.039 I mean, listening to people's prayer requests. 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:08.320 Right? 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:13.440 Like, I think it's the height of hypocrisy to pray to God and not listen to people. 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:18.320 You expect the holy God to lend you his ear and yet you're shutting your ears out to other people. 00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:22.720 How often are we actually listening to people's prayer requests? 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:25.919 Furthermore, how often are we actually praying? 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:28.960 How often are we doing something about their prayer? 00:14:29.039 --> 00:14:32.240 How often are we wanting to be the answer to their prayer? 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:38.559 That's why the early church exploded because their amen was a trampoline into action. 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:42.240 And then, friends, how often are we actually following up with people? 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:45.360 Or do we just neglect the power of follow-up? 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:52.240 Versus, uh, how many times do we say praying for you as a salutation? 00:14:52.960 --> 00:15:02.320 It's just a Christian hello or Christian goodbye, or as a punctuation to a conversation, or how often do we forget to do it altogether when we said it? 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:07.679 Church, I want to invite you to put that mask down if we don't mean it. 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:10.240 Let's put that down if we don't mean it. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:14.159 Let love be genuine. 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:29.279 Let's what if our church had such a genuine love for each other that we slowly but surely started transferring, transferring from I'll pray for you to let's pray. 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:31.840 What would that look like? 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:42.159 I have daydreamed about being a part uh of a church for decade for a decade now, like where we take communion and we're looking around the room like I'd be crucified for her. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:44.720 I'd be crucified for him, I'd be crucified for her. 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:51.360 What if we what if that love just sprung us in a way we're saying instead of I'll pray for you, let's pray right now. 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:53.919 Let's pray right now, and I'm gonna follow up with this. 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:56.320 Let love be genuine. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:57.360 And he keeps going. 00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.600 Look at verses uh nine and ten. 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:06.399 Abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good. 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:12.240 Love one another with a brotherly affection. 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:18.000 Okay, society has a cheap knockoff of this Christian love. 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:20.720 You've probably seen a sticker on the back of cars. 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:21.519 What is it? 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:23.279 Tolerance. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:24.960 Tolerance. 00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:28.240 Authentic love is not just tolerance. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:34.399 Authentic love has discernment, it hates evil and it loves good. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.360 Case in point. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:41.120 When I was about five, had a bad temper. 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:42.559 Not anymore, as you can tell. 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:43.759 I'm fun now. 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:45.919 Had a really bad temper. 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:48.960 And me and my brother got into a very bad argument. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.240 And I was five, okay? 00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:51.759 Uh I'm almost 30 now. 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:54.799 Um, we got into a really, really, really bad argument. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:17:00.399 And in the midst of this argument, this is BC Leo, I said a very bad word. 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:05.759 Okay, I said a very, it's bad, it's 25 years ago, and I still remember exactly what I said. 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:10.880 Okay, I'm not gonna repeat it because I like my job, but I like paying bills. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:15.680 Um it was like the CEO of bad words, it was bad, it's just bad, right? 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:28.160 Um my mom heard it, and my mom got up very calmly and she went into the kitchen and she got a spoon with a tea full of hot sauce. 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:32.880 Now, this is Africa, okay? 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:35.680 This is not Tabasco, okay. 00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:39.200 We have something in Angola called Jindungu. 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.680 You can't even say it, can you? 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:44.960 It will make you tap dance. 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:47.920 Like it is a different, it's a different beast. 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:56.559 And out of love, she came and grabbed my face and goes, I haven't cussed since 1998. 00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:57.680 Right? 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:01.279 It worked! Evidently, it actually worked. 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:02.319 Now what happened? 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:10.880 If I was some random kid who would have said what I said, okay, she probably would have just walked past, but her affection for me was such she had to act. 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:15.920 The more you love someone, the more you hate their capacity to be gripped by evil. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:19.759 Okay, she hated how evil had a hold of me in that moment. 00:18:19.839 --> 00:18:23.119 And listen, I'm not calling you to be each other's moral police right now. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:32.720 But what I am saying, when our brothers and sisters are struggling with sin, we should love them enough and hate sin and evil so much that we fight to see them restored and flourishing. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:35.519 What does that look like in your D group? 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:38.240 What does it look like in your community group? 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:41.839 What does that look like in just in your overall fellowship? 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:45.200 Man, I'm preaching out of repentance of myself. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:48.480 I've let my lack of confidence, I've let people slide a lot. 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:50.240 I didn't fight for them enough, man. 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:53.039 But love in the family should be authentic in this way. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:59.599 Furthermore, um, love in the family should be compassion in action. 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:02.079 Okay, it should be authentic and compassion in action. 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:03.359 Look at verse 10b. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:14.799 It says this outdo one another in showing honor. 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:18.880 Outdo one another and showing honor. 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:26.079 Paul is inviting us into a holy competition to outdo one another and showing honor. 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:29.759 What are some of the dumb things Christians um compete about now? 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:32.400 What is it, church size? 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:39.200 In our culture, a lot of gigantic churches look down at small churches and say, You're like that because you're lazy. 00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:44.640 And a lot of uh small churches look at big churches and say, You're like that because you're fake. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:47.839 And the battle continues. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:52.400 People um have rivalries over what speaker they listen to. 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:55.680 Okay, my favorite celebrity pastor is better than your celebrity pastor. 00:19:55.839 --> 00:20:02.079 We compete in that way, but Paul's inviting us into a holy competition, outdo one another in showing honor. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:03.759 Here's the challenge with that. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:08.640 Listen, I don't want to show you any more honor than you're showing me. 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:11.519 I'll only go up here if you go up here with me. 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:13.200 It's hard. 00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:19.599 Well, friends, we're called again to be pipes and not buckets when it comes to the grace and the mercy of God. 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:24.319 Listen, before you knew God, how much love did you lavish on God? 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:32.400 But on the other hand, while you were yet sinners, see what great of love he has lavished on you. 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:37.039 While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:40.640 Friends, God's love is better than unconditional. 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:44.400 It's contra-conditional. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:45.279 Not a word. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:47.119 Contraconditional. 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:51.279 Contrary to your brokenness, he pursues. 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:54.640 Contrary to your goodness, he is good. 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:58.640 Contrary to your faith, he is faithful. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:01.839 And it goes on and on and on. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:04.720 He didn't treat you based on what you deserve. 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:05.519 That's karma. 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:07.920 We don't do karma, we do, we do grace. 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:14.640 And John 1 16 says like this from his fullness, we have all received what? 00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:17.359 Grace Grace on grace. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.039 Grace on grace. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:21.039 Okay. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:26.240 Let that guide us into this holy competition of outdoing one another and showing honor. 00:21:27.759 --> 00:21:29.359 Look at verse 13. 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:37.279 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:41.039 Now, um, what's really cool here is that um look at the action verbs, okay? 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:42.799 Contribute, okay? 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:43.440 Seek. 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:45.920 Some of your Bibles don't say see, they say pursue. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:46.400 Okay. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:52.640 Our care and concern of one another will demonstrate itself not in Facebook likes or well wishes. 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:59.200 Our care and concern will demonstrate itself in practical deeds done for others. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:07.680 Either going to them, distributing to the needs of the saints, or inviting them to come to us, give into hospitality. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:11.839 Friends, we have a God who gives. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:18.000 Okay, it makes me want to break stuff when I think about I don't have a temper anymore, so I won't. 00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:19.599 It makes me want to break stuff. 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:26.559 It used to make me want to break stuff when I would consider how many sermons are wasted in Genesis. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:37.119 Trying to tell us how old the earth is, and all these secondary things when the Bible is just trying to introduce us to us a God who gives. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:47.359 Not he made us work for it, he gave. 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:48.880 Okay? 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:58.160 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:01.039 Romans 8:13, one of my favorite passages. 00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:12.240 Since he did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else? 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:15.519 This is a God who gives. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:19.279 How do you view your stuff now? 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:21.440 Right? 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:24.799 How do you view your keys in your pockets right now? 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:31.920 Your car, your house, even your money. 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:34.000 How do you view those things right now? 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:36.240 Are those yours? 00:23:37.039 --> 00:23:40.079 Or those resources for the kingdom? 00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:49.119 Okay, this is not necessarily a call or a call for you to tithe more, but I will say, God does not own 10% of your money. 00:23:49.440 --> 00:23:52.400 God owns a hundred percent of you. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:55.680 He owns a hundred, your body's not even your own. 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:56.799 This is a rental. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:59.599 Ball with the price, you're in a rental right now. 00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:07.200 And I'm not saying these things, so we can be motivated by guilt because when you're motivated by guilt into generosity, you'll burn out. 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:13.359 But when you're motivated by the cross, you understand the gospel to the extent that you are generous. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:19.599 Friends, we serve a God who gives, and we should be a blessing in the family by doing the exact same. 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:29.119 So love for the family should be authentic, it should be compassion in action, and then lastly, it should be connected to the source. 00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:31.200 Look at verses 11 and 12. 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:42.480 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:44.240 Serve the Lord. 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:46.720 Rejoice in hope. 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:52.000 Be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:58.079 Now, I don't know how many of us have ever had an important FaceTime call, an important Zoom call, and it just starts lagging. 00:24:58.240 --> 00:25:04.240 Or how many of you gamers out there, usually probably this side of the room, you've played video games and it starts lagging? 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:06.000 Okay, that's the connotation right there. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:12.640 Being slothful in zeal, meaning meaning that don't be slothful in zeal means be diligent without lagging. 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:19.759 And then it keeps going, be servant in spirit, literally means, and when it comes to the spirit, be boiling in the spirit. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:23.839 How many people you know have an intense fire for Jesus right now? 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:29.920 And not slothful in zeal, fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:32.160 Meaning meet the demands of the hour. 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:37.839 Friend, you are not saved by good works, but you were saved for good works. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:42.640 God has set a plan for you to do or a work for you to do. 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:47.359 He made you to accomplish good works here on earth. 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:52.319 Being a boring Christian is a contradiction because you are serving the God of the universe. 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:54.720 This is just more compassion and action. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:56.000 But how do we pull this off? 00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:57.200 Verse 12. 00:25:58.240 --> 00:26:00.400 Rejoice in hope. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:04.880 Someone who is rejoicing in hope is aiming at the finish line. 00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:09.920 They are meditating on the fulfillment of the gospel. 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:12.960 Be patient in tribulation. 00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:18.960 Someone who's patient in tribulation is aiming at the fulfillment of the gospel. 00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:26.480 Someone who is constant in prayer is using the access that was bought by Jesus to go to God. 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:29.440 They're grounding themselves in the gospel. 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:34.480 Friends, the only way you can love the family well is to spend time with the Father. 00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:38.960 The only way you can love the family of God well is to spend time with the Lord. 00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:46.079 Trying to love church folks on your own will is impossible because church folks are irritating. 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:54.960 That's in Ezekiel, I'm pretty sure, somewhere. 00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:57.440 I'm serious. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:58.880 So look it up. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:08.720 But yeah, there is so I 2016, I was uh about to be hired by a church and I had some concerns, and I called my boy Michael Vestel. 00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:14.000 Um he's a pastor's kid, he had some advice for me, and um I almost like nitpicking this church on my phone. 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:15.839 I was like, ah, but they have this, ah, blah blah blah. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:21.359 And he goes, Leo, you will never find the perfect church. 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:26.880 And when you do, don't join it, you're about to ruin it. 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:31.279 It's you, it's gonna be you, about to stink up the place. 00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:33.200 Right? 00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:39.039 But you love the family well first by being on fire for Jesus Himself. 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:43.759 Okay, being a blessing looks like having love for the family. 00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:45.359 Do you want to be a blessing? 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:47.200 Have a love for the family. 00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:50.720 You're already in this room, so at least to some measure you care. 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:58.799 Okay, and this love is authentic, it's compassionate in action, and it's connected to the source. 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:04.960 I only have two points today, so I'm gonna get on the off-ramp of this point by asking you some weird questions. 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:05.519 Okay? 00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:10.480 Um hypothetical, obviously. 00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:17.200 How would you have treated Mary when she was pregnant with Jesus? 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:20.240 Okay, think about that. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:29.039 Like, think about like think you're a first century Jerusalem, Mary is pregnant, you're looking at her, and you know in her womb is a savior of planet Earth. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:33.359 Okay, being used in God's redemptive planet, how would you have treated Mary? 00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:37.200 What type of genuine love would you have had for her? 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:40.640 What type of affection would you have had for her? 00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:43.599 Okay, how kind would you be to her? 00:28:43.759 --> 00:28:48.559