January 23, 2025 • 52 mins
Have you ever wondered how peace can emerge from the midst of chaos? In our latest episode, as we follow the journey through Advent, exploring the profound lessons from the story of John the Baptist and Zechariah's transformative song. We promise you’ll discover the significance of doubt, silence, and eventual redemption, as we reflect on the start of a new liturgical year filled with hope and anticipation. Through personal stories and reflections on scripture, we invite you to appreciate the gift of peace amidst life's inevitable struggles, offering a profound reminder that faith can bring calm even in the most turbulent times.
As we continue, we challenge conventional notions of peace and repentance by revisiting the radical life and teachings of John the Baptist. Peace isn't just about quiet and order; it can also be about challenging injustice and embracing transformation. Through examining John's call to repentance and exploring the deeper meaning of baptism, we reveal how true peace requires us to engage actively with our faith and the world around us. You’ll be inspired to consider how repentance might not only change you but also pave the way for justice and equity in the broader community.
Finally, we turn our gaze inward, urging you to find joy and purpose in humble service and intentional living. Our discussion emphasizes the importance of focusing on what truly matters—relationships, love, and the lasting impact of our actions. By choosing joy and letting go of negativity, we remind you of the hope and peace available through faith and encourage you to embrace a mindset that transforms not only your own life but those around you.
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
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the First Love Church Podcast.
This is a collection of Sundayteachings inspired by the
Revised Common Lectionary andrecorded weekly in Ocala,
florida.
The readings for today comefrom the story of John the
Baptist in this particularAdvent year.
Thomas mentions that I do lovethe liturgical calendar, and
(00:22):
it's not just a calendar thatmakes me happy, it's an
invitation into a reality thatis so much bigger than I could
even concoct myself.
It is this idea that Decemberstarts with Advent, the good
news, and so in the liturgicalcalendar, december 1 is the
brand new year.
Jesus has come, everything elseis no longer the same, and so
(00:46):
it's this beautiful invitationinto peace.
And today, when we go to theAdvent theme, it is the song of
the sound of Zachariah.
The song of Zachariah and thesound of a voice in the
wilderness saying prepare theway of the Lord.
John the Baptist is, I think, ifyou don't follow the liturgical
calendar, an unlikely adventposter boy for this good news.
(01:11):
But he comes in and he saysrepent, make straight the paths,
pay attention, god is coming.
And so it is such a beautifultext for us today to look at and
to hear and to believe that ourhearts can be reframed and
restored.
Will we pray this morning, ohChrist, you who are the light of
(01:36):
the world, may we live aschildren of the light of the
light.
(01:56):
May you give us your light thisday so that we might become
emissaries of all that is rightand true and good in your
kingdom.
Gospel, and we hear the song ofZechariah.
Now, this is your see in thechurch calendar, so we're not
going to talk about them much,but I am going to give you a
little bit of backstory, becauseif you don't know what this is
(02:18):
where we enter this text, itloses a little bit of the
meaning.
Zechariah was somebody who wasfrom a lineage or a people who
served God in the temple, andone of the times that Zechariah
was there, we meet him as a veryold man and he was in the
temple and he's in the holy ofholy, in this area, where he's
attending to the presence of theLord, and an angel, a messenger
(02:43):
of God, shows up and starts tohave a conversation with him and
said good news, your wife isgoing to have a baby.
And I was thinking about thisparticular part of the
conversation because they werevery old and they had tried for
a very long time to have a childand it didn't happen.
And I wonder if theconversation ended up with a lot
(03:05):
of blame.
Whose blame is it?
Why can't this happen for us?
Is it your equipment?
Is it my equipment?
Have we displeased God?
Is it something I've beeneating?
Is it something?
Is it a curse on our family?
When things don't go as wethink they should, very often we
start blaming, and then theyprobably put that conversation
away for a very long time.
So when an angel shows up andsays your wife is going to have
(03:26):
a baby, I think that the normalquestion is well like why?
Why now?
Why after so long?
This is not possible that thiscan happen.
And right at that moment theangel said no more talking out
of you, and Zechariah is mutefor the rest of the time.
And so sometimes I have to lookat the message.
Maybe the angel doesn't comeand have to make me mute, but I
(03:49):
can choose to follow thatbeautiful path and say, unless I
can speak, the good that isgoing to happen, along with the
idea of light and that God iscoming for us.
Maybe we should restrain ourown tongue and say let it be
done unto me according to yourword, like Mary does.
So at this particular point inthe story where we're going to
read this text, john the Baptistor John as he is, we know him
(04:14):
is born and they've come to thetemple to do a circumcision and
he gets his name.
And everyone knows thatZachariah is mute and they ask
his mother, what is he going tobe named?
And she says John.
And everybody's like no, thedad wouldn't want that, that's
not your family name, you can'thave that name.
And so they look to Zachariahand he affirms, and at that
(04:35):
moment his mouth is open.
He said I affirm what she saysHis name will be John.
And then he starts into thissong.
Now, part of this song is fromthe Psalms, is a part of the
Psalter, and part of it is arehearsal of the song that he
heard Mary sing In Luke's gospel.
This is the second song ofAdvent.
(04:56):
The first one is the Magnificat, where Mary shows up and says
this is how it's going to bethose who are low are going to
be brought high, those who arerich are going to experience a
poverty, they're going tounderstand things, and those who
have power, that's going to begiven to everyone.
And so we hear some of whathe's saying.
(05:20):
He's heard the song of Mary.
Now, at this particular moment,he is in the house of the Lord.
He is dedicating this son thathe never thought that he would
have, and he begins this songPraise the Lord, the God of
Israel, because he has visitedand redeemed his people.
He has sent us a mighty saviorfrom the royal line of his
(05:43):
servant, david, just as hepromised through his holy
prophets long ago.
And now we will be saved fromour enemies and from all who
hate us.
He has been merciful to ourancestors by remembering his
sacred covenant, the covenant heswore with an oath to our
ancestor Abraham.
And we have been rescued fromour enemies so we can serve God
(06:06):
without fear, in holiness andrighteousness for as long as we
live.
And you, my little son, imaginean older father being able to
say and you, my little son, willbe called the prophet of the
(06:26):
most high because you willprepare the way for the Lord.
You will tell his people how tofind salvation through
forgiveness of their sin.
Because of God's tender mercy,the morning light from heaven is
about to break upon us to givelight to those who sit in
darkness and in the shadow ofdeath and guide us to the path
(06:51):
of peace.
What a beautiful song, what abeautiful prophecy for us.
What an incredible hope.
This Zachariah has heard thesong of Mary and he has heard
the sound of the prophet and hehas burst into song when his
mouth is finally opened, heknows it's not about complaining
(07:12):
, it's about saying this is thehope for all of us.
And so we hear Zachariah's songwhen he said you will be the
one, john, who prepares the wayof the Lord.
So in the text this morning wego to Luke, chapter 3.
Now Jesus and John have alreadygrown up and they are very
(07:35):
different, and that is part ofthe story too.
I love part of the Advent storywhere there is a very old woman
, elizabeth, who is giving birth, and there is a very young
woman, mary, who is giving birth.
And it reminds us that all ofus, no matter where we find our
place in the age of our life orin the journey of our life,
there is a place for you in theAdvent story, in the telling of
(07:58):
good news, in the rehearsing ofsomeone coming that is greater
than I, whose shoes I am notworthy to bear, but he will
baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
Now it was the 15th year of thereign of Tiberius, the Roman
emperor, and Pontius Pilate wasgovernor over Judea.
This kind of is like this longline and sometimes it doesn't
(08:21):
make sense to us, but it remindsus that this is the scandal of
Advent, the scandal of theparticular that God comes low
for us and interrupts time,pauses time for a second and
said this is the reason.
And so the person recording itsays hey, this is the time that
it actually showed up, whenTiberius was governor, when
(08:42):
Herod Antipas was the ruler overGalilee and some of these
things.
If you've been in Christianityfor a while, you hear some of
these names.
But he's reminding us of aparticular place, of a
particular time, where Godintersects the regular, going on
with an incredible good news.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You know, and for us, I would hope that we could, you
know, really take thesemeditations during this
Christmas season and this weekto really ponder the gift that
is peace.
You know, scripture isn'tpromising that it wouldn't be
difficult for this older coupleto wait around for this baby and
(09:24):
maybe even doubt for a while,but that there can be peace.
And even when you can't speak,you can still have peace.
You know, and so I don't claimto stand up here and say to you
that you're never going to haveproblems in this world.
There will be tribulations, butwhat I would like for you to
ponder on is the gift of peacethat you can have in the middle
(09:46):
of any struggle.
I remember a woman came to mewhen I was really young in the
ministry and she said that herdaughter, who was 13, had been
taken by a 30 year old man andthey left the state of Florida
(10:09):
and she didn't know what washappening to her daughter and
whether she'd be safe orreturned home or what.
And I'll be honest with you,church, I'm a young pastor and
they didn't teach anything likethat in Bible school.
You know that someone wouldcome to you that devastated this
woman didn't know where else togo after going to the police.
(10:32):
So she just showed up at thechurch and I was the pastor on
call and I met her there and itjust rose up in me to say we
need to make our requests knownto God.
And her and I just lamented,like you would see a mother do
(10:53):
and you would with someone youcare about when there's such
real stakes, such real fearpotentially to overtake you, and
we prayed and I read thatscripture let's pray, and the
peace of God, which passesunderstanding, would guard our
(11:13):
hearts and our minds in ChristJesus.
Now it's just sometimes abumper sticker or a scripture
that you've heard people quote,but at that moment it was real
to her and I.
We looked at each other and webegan to smile and we felt like
something had happened in thespirit.
(11:34):
And how can you even reallyunderstand this?
It's just a passage ofunderstanding, because she still
was in that same circumstance.
She didn't know where herdaughter was, but God had
shifted and given us somethingthat we could have in the middle
of struggle, because you caneither worry yourself sick, get
(11:56):
no sleep, be tormented, orreally go to the only one that
can do anything anyway and thenallow that exchange of your
burden for God's peace, and I'llnever forget that we walked
away from that just reallyalmost unable to communicate
what had happened.
(12:16):
And it wasn't just a few hourslater she called and she was
laughing.
She goes the sheriff's calledme from North Georgia and
they've got my daughter in theircar and they're driving her
back now, and there was daysthat she didn't know where that
girl was.
Now I don't claim that myprayers were the reason, but I
(12:41):
will tell you that our prayersconnected with God's sovereign
power and strength, and duringthat whole place of torment, we
were able to have peace.
And I want that for you, and Iwant you to think about where we
just sacrifice peace or wedon't rely on it or draw on it
(13:05):
in the middle of and, and so I Icouldn't begin to promise you
that you wouldn't go withoutstruggle, but I can tell you
that you can have a peace thatpasses understanding, and that
is, you know, just like lastweek, what we talked about
having hope.
Without hope, we, we perish,you know, and without uh, peace
(13:26):
there, there, uh, uh, there's, Imean, there's just it's misery.
And so I want to remind youthat these are the things that
god gave you, and so in that Ican be sustained I love that in
this particular text, it remindsus that peace may look
different than you thought itwas.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Because if this young baby, if this child is going to
prepare the way of peace Idon't know if you have this
experience, but this is mine andthe people that I know there's
nothing more disruptive than ababy.
I mean, you're living your life, you're doing it how you want
to do it, and then a baby comesin and they just take over.
This is not peaceful at all.
This is complete anarchy.
Everything is now about whatthis baby wants, how this baby
(14:10):
feels, how we can.
I mean, if you say this is howpeace comes, it's not a real
life person baby.
I mean that is not peaceable.
And here the invitation is toallow there to be, like a
greater thought, an expansion oflove, an expansion of what do
we think peace actually is.
And Zachariah says over thisbaby, you're going to be the
prophet of the most high and youwill bring peace Now, fast
(14:33):
forward.
You and I both know that Johnthe Baptist was not what we
would call a peacemaker.
He stirred everybody up and soif you were going to say you are
going to be a peacemaker,really, that is really what
peace does.
It upends the things that arewrong in our life.
It upends oppression.
It upends ways that we keeppeople in bondage.
But he's saying to you know,prophesying over this baby that
(14:55):
you're going to bring peacebecause we're going to prepare
the way of the Lord.
And it says that Annas andCaiaphas were the high priests.
So they're giving us a veryspecific point in time.
At this time, a message from Godcame to John, the son of
Zechariah, who was living in thewilderness.
And he's not just like weird.
(15:15):
John has forsaken Jerusalembecause that's where people
thought God dwelt was in thetemple.
God dwelt in a temple.
Here is where we keep God.
And John was like I'm followingGod and he's not in that temple
.
I just want to tell you andJohn goes to the wilderness, we
also see Jesus then going to thewilderness.
The spirit actually leads himout of the structure, out of the
(15:38):
place that we said that God was, and John is living in the
wilderness.
And then John went from place toplace on both sides of the
Jordan River, preaching thatpeople should be baptized to
show they had repented of theirsins and turn to God to be
forgiven.
He begins to say things likelisten, if you have two coats,
(16:00):
one of them belongs to yourbrother, who has none If you are
in the service of the military.
If somebody asks you to go onemile, go two.
He begins to say to us thatreally, to be baptized in the
way of John, to into this life,it's into the life of equity,
it's into the life of turningfrom oppressive systems and into
(16:22):
a way that is somethingdifferent.
And so John, this little babythat Zechariah says, you're
going to prepare the way of theLord.
And John is upending things andpeople are like this is getting
messy.
In fact, people are hearingthis, and then they keep coming
to John, they're leaving thecity, they're going to listen to
him, and then even politiciansstart coming out, and that's
where the trouble begins.
I mean, I'm sure it beganbefore then, but that's where
(16:44):
his trouble begins, a bigtrouble begins.
I don't know if his motherwanted him to move to the
wilderness.
I'm not sure about that.
Maybe there was some troublethere, but he's living in the
wilderness, he's wearing superweird clothes and he's eating
locusts and honey.
So he wasn't a vegan, we knowthat.
But it was super weird andpeople knew him for his wild
(17:05):
teaching and for his strangeclothing.
And so I want us to be veryaware that sometimes the word of
the Lord comes to us in waysand by messengers that we would
never have expected it.
This is what John was preachingthat they should repent.
And repentance is not say sorry.
Repentance is turn away fromthat thought and come into a
(17:29):
higher thought.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
This is what Jesus offers us to you know, uh, I was
on the text, uh thread with aone of my dearest friends from
when I was a young kid, injunior high, and, um, he said to
me one of the things was thathe was really bothered because,
and feeling bad because, hehadn't yet been baptized.
(17:50):
And so I said, well, next timeI get in town we'll handle that.
But I don't believe that God isjust requiring of us to have
the baptism as the ceremony.
You know.
So when I see John preachingthis in verse 3, preaching that
people should be baptized toshow the baptism is the outward
(18:14):
sign of that inward decisionthat I'm going to, as it says in
verse 3, that I'm going torepent of my sins and turn to
God.
That is the thing that we needto be immersed in.
You know, baptism is that waterthat you immerse in, but for
(18:35):
you and I we could have dippedin the water, but are we plunged
in repentance?
You know, turning to God forforgiveness.
You know that that is the lifethat John is preaching for us,
and so a lot of times, you know,that's where people like John
(18:57):
get in trouble, and you can.
Maybe is we get in trouble withthe religious because the
religious are fine with doingthe dip is we get in trouble
with the religious?
Because the religious are finewith doing the dip but they're
not immersing their life in thetransforming message.
And so if the message is bebaptized, what am I being
immersed into?
And so it's not as important.
(19:18):
Now I'm not saying for myfriend or for you not to be
baptized, but understand thatwhat that is is you saying to
everyone on the outside.
This is what I'm about.
And so I'm asking you in thisseason, can we hear the message
of John again and remember thatit's a lifestyle of repentance,
(19:38):
of turning from my sins on aregular basis, turning to God
and living in that place offorgiveness.
And to me, living in the placeof forgiveness is a battle,
because it's easy to live in aplace of shame, it's easy to
live in a place of guilt, but toreally endeavor to understand
(20:03):
the power of grace andforgiveness and to walk in that
with a heart of peace.
You know that can be work onour part, because we have to
silence our mind and thoughts ofshame that come in.
No, I have repented.
(20:24):
Amen.
Anyone with me?
Or are we done with the chubbyguy talking?
Speaker 1 (20:31):
John went from place to place on both sides of the
Jordan River preaching thatpeople should be baptized to
show that they had repented oftheir sins and turned to God to
be forgiven.
Also, just a little tag hereRemember that when Jesus was
talking about John, jesus saidthere was not a better human
that has ever lived.
So we should pay attention tothe way that John lived, the way
(20:52):
that he understood things, andJesus himself said I'll be
baptized into John's baptism,into understanding that my life
and how I live is marked bygenerosity, my life and how I
lived.
Isaiah had spoken of John whenhe said Now I want to ask this
(21:27):
beautiful message that Isaiahpreaches about that John
actually reiterates and he saysclear the road for him.
What can we do now with that?
But we can clear our mind ofthings that impede the work of
the spirit in rebuilding thekingdom in our minds, in
rebuilding, rebuilding our lives.
It is up to us to clear theroad for him.
Pay attention to the fact thatin John's humility, john says
(21:51):
that I'm not even worthy tocarry Jesus's sandals and Jesus
said that John is the bestperson that ever lived.
And what you see here is anincredible invitation into a
life of humility, into a life ofbringing yourself low so that
Jesus so that light, so thatlove can be exalted.
And then he begins to say againthis is the prophet Isaiah.
(22:14):
The valleys will be filled andthe mountains and the hills made
level and the curves will bestraightened and the rough
places made smooth, and then allpeople will see the salvation
sent from God.
All people will see thesalvation sent from God, not
(22:36):
just some.
All people will see this.
And this is an invitation forus to really see.
We see this, to really allowour vision to not be what we see
with our eyes but what we seewith our heart, to allow that
inner vision, that inner kingdom, to be established among us.
In this time of Advent, is thispaying attention?
How do we see?
(22:56):
Do we only see in this temporalplace, in this reality, that
things are here today and gonetomorrow?
We're invited into the eternal,we're invited into hope, we're
invited into peace, andsometimes peace means telling
people listen, there is anotherway to live, it is the way that
(23:17):
Jesus has offered us.
It is this hope, it is new life, and then all people will see
the salvation sent from God.
What a beautiful hope.
If there was a message that ispeace, it is.
Salvation comes through the wayof jesus christ from philippians
(23:38):
, chapter one.
Every time I think of you, Igive thanks to my god and
whenever I pray, I make myrequests for all of you with joy
, for you have been my partnersin spreading the good news about
Christ from the first time youheard it until now, and I am
certain that God, who began agood work within you, will
(23:59):
continue his work until it isfinally finished, on the day
when Christ returns.
This is a very hopeful message,beloved.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou pray over your children.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou pray over yourself.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou pray over your children.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou pray over yourself.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou can pray over the world.
I am certain that God, whobegan his work within you, will
(24:20):
continue it until it is finallyfinished, on the day when Christ
returns.
This work is the work of God.
It is the work of love.
It is not finished, but do notgive up, do not lose heart.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
What does it look like?
The work of God in you?
Do you have any imagination ofwhat that would be like?
Have you been around workbefore?
When you live in Chicago, awarm weather means just one
(24:54):
thing Road work, construction.
And you'll be driving down theEisenhower at 50 miles an hour
and there'll be two cones andyou look on the other side of
the cone and there's a 30-foothole in the road and you're like
I'm not going to go.
And those cones are really tokind of remind you to drive a
little bit slower and be careful.
And I think around many of us,if we could just walk around
(25:17):
with some cones All of us hadour cones Maybe you wouldn't be
so freaked out when someone's sogrumpy in the line Because, man
, there's so much going on,there's so much work that's
taking place, and so what doesit look like?
You know what's it look likethat that um work is is.
(25:37):
It's weirdly messy that you'rerenovating a house but yet
there's dust everywhere, there'sbroken pieces and and
unfinished things everywhere,and when I wait a minute, I
thought that this work was goingto beautify the home.
It's a wreck.
Well, wait, because you're inmid-process here, if you trust
(25:58):
the person doing theconstruction, you can say it's
going to get better.
Well, it's going to have to getbetter because this place is a
mess and I think that we forgetthat God's doing this work in us
.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
We pause here for a moment to thank you for joining
us today.
If you're finding this episodemeaningful, would you take a
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This podcast is made possiblethanks to the generosity of
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If you would like to supportthe ongoing work of First Love
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(26:33):
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Speaker 2 (26:38):
And I think about how , like every time an angel comes
to somebody in Scripture, theangel's first thing is what
Chill out, no peace.
You know why?
Because they're Chill out, nopeace.
You know why?
Because they're freaking out,an angel must be uber scary.
They fall down and they're likeget up, it's all right, come on
(27:01):
, we're going to do some stuff.
And see, I think that for us,sometimes we think that it's
only in the smooth road that Godis present, or it's only in the
finished product, where God iswith us during renovation, you
know, and and when God shows up,we need peace.
(27:25):
So I would like to ask you toconsider this that maybe in the
areas that feel so much ofturmoil, might be the very place
that God is already showed upin, because what does work look
like?
What does construction looklike?
(27:46):
Wait a minute, it looks like mylife.
It's turmoil.
There's a lot of unansweredquestions, there's a lot of fear
and confusion, and that's why Ineed to hold on to that first
word spoken peace, that even inthe middle of this work that
he's promising to do in you.
(28:09):
But I seem to resist it becauseI just want the banging to stop
.
I'll never forget the lot nextdoor.
They decided to start buildingthe house on the one day a week.
I get to sleep late Saturdaymornings back in that old house
and at 6.30, deep, deep, deepdeep the big backhoe is clear in
(28:31):
the land.
I wanted to go outside and at6.30, deep, deep, deep, deep,
the big backhoe is clear in theland.
I wanted to go outside and justrack one of my rifles or a
shotgun or something, but I knewI'd go to jail.
I mean, it was so tormenting, Ijust wanted it to stop so I
could go back to sleep.
(28:52):
But nothing gets done in myslumber and some of us we want
peace more than we want to allowGod to have that work, or we
want sleep more than we want Godto have a work in us.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
And I believe that you can have peace in this work
in us and I believe that you canhave peace in this work.
Amen.
I think the peace that isoffered to us is this
understanding that God is atwork within us.
This is the peace that God isoffering us, this new way of
living, offering us this advent.
Here is a message, and so bemindful that when God's
(29:29):
messengers show up and we callcall them angels here, and
there's many understandings likein the book of Revelation when
an angel shows up, it isterrifying.
They're winged creaturescovered with eyeballs, and if a
messenger like that showed upfor me, I would have a panic
attack.
But sometimes the messengershows up in ways that we don't,
and maybe we don't see it, butwe feel it in a diagnosis or in,
(29:51):
uh, in an understanding that,wait, the way that I've been
thinking about something.
I need a change in myperspective, and that's
frightening because I lived mywhole life with this one
perspective and now allowingthat messenger to interrupt us
and say this is the new way,this life that you wanted, this
life that is the kingdomestablished.
(30:11):
It's going to look like anupending of how everything used
to be and it is an invitationinto the holy, it's an
invitation into the work.
That is Christ.
So it is right that I would feelabout all of you, for you have
a special place in my heart.
You share with me the specialfavor of God.
Pay attention to this.
We're talking about disruption.
You share with me the specialfavor of God.
(30:32):
Pay attention to this.
We're talking about disruption.
You share with me the specialfavor of God and in our minds we
would mean like then that wouldbe no trouble and then, if you
had special favor from God, youwould have everything that you
need and you would never, ever,in any way lack and you would
probably have some power.
And he's saying the favor fromGod is imprisonment.
The favor from God is having todefend and confirm the truth of
(30:53):
the good news.
The favor is work, and it isdifficult and many of us don't
want that kind of favor.
We want something else.
We want a placebo, and theinvitation that Paul is also
offering us is hope, the hopethat is Christ, this work that
is upending everything.
This is because God is building, not a house that like just
(31:17):
renovations that we have, butGod is building God's kingdom
within us, and it's thisbeautiful invitation into a new
way of living.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
Yeah, I would just interject here that I feel like
God is inviting all of us tothis ascension, even in this
life, to rise above just carnalliving and to be somebody that
can be bearers of God's joy andpeace in the world.
And by that I mean youdistribute it and some of you
(31:49):
operate in that.
I know that about you.
But I wonder if we realize thatthere is a cost to that.
There is imprisonment, there isme deciding to let go of the
things that I think are valuableand go ahead and submit to the
(32:14):
work being done in me, thetransformation, because to
ascend I have to let go andoff-put some things that I
thought were valuable and werethe most important things in my
life, and so that's a fearfuland painful process, but it's
holy and beautiful, and so let'sdon't shy away from it just
(32:36):
because it's difficult.
What God's doing and havingGod's perfect work in us, that
we'd be whole, complete, lackingnothing.
That's speaking of maturity,you know, speaking of you know
the effectiveness that we canhave.
I want to be that kind offather and grandfather in this
(33:00):
next stage of my life.
By the grace of God, that stillonly happens as I'm willing to
shed my stubborn, carnal ways ofdoing things.
Don't shut me down because I'mpreaching real good.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
God knows how much I love you and long for you.
With the tender compassion ofChrist Jesus, I pray that your
love will overflow more and moreand that you will keep on
growing in knowledge andunderstanding.
And here is how the churchfathers that give us the
liturgical season and put thesetogether remind us that this is
(33:38):
the intention that we would allembody love, that our love would
begin to be not just for us butfor the whole world, for
everyone, for our enemies, thatthis would be something
overflowing more and more andthat you would keep on growing
and that you would understandmore and that you would increase
(33:59):
in this way.
And it's an invitation, and Ithink that it really puts an
invitation out there to thepeople that are young and to the
people that are old, and sayingfor all of us, the invitation
is more love, the invitation isa greater and an expansive
understanding of how God'skingdom comes, because I want
you to understand what reallymatters and I was meditating on
(34:21):
this all week and thisparticular point was something
that just kind of came alive forme.
I want you to understand whatreally matters and that invites
us to think that there are somethings that don't really matter
and very often we prioritizethings that do not matter, and
the invitation is do the thingsthat really matter.
(34:42):
In Dennis and our particularlife and our family, there has
been something that we've beenaware of and when it comes to
our consciousness, we remindeach other of this, but it is
our intention to only put themost effort into things that
matter in eternity.
How your socks are folded willnot matter in eternity, and we
(35:02):
can get all upset about it andwe can tell people they're
folding their socks wrong, or wecan just say it doesn't matter
in eternity, do it how you likeit and close the door so no one
has to see it, because maybe youlike your socks in a certain
way.
But the idea is what matters ineternity?
Beloved people matter ineternity.
Relationships matter ineternity.
(35:23):
This is our father's world andeternity reminds us that God's
intention is that God will dwellhere, that love will dwell here
, that the spirit is stillhovering over the chaos.
But it says I want you tounderstand what really matters,
so that you may live pure andblameless lives until the day of
(35:44):
Christ's return.
Advent is, for us, a practiceof listening to the ancient
saying how long will you be, ohLord, till you come.
And for us, now, jesus has come.
And now we're also with therest of the world who say how
long, lord Jesus, until you comeagain.
And here we are reminded we areto live about what really,
(36:05):
truly matters, and we are tolive pure and blameless lives
until the day of Christ's return.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
You know, and this takes real intention and
practice, you know, for me as afather, there are things when my
sons live at home, there arethings that they do that I can
allow to aggravate me and notthat they're not wonderfully
perfect, but it's just that Ihave a way that I think things
ought to be done, and if they'redone outside of that way, then
(36:32):
I can let that escalate me ordistract me, or I can begin to
focus on that, and really whatI've tried to do is will that
matter in eternity?
The thing that I'm worriedabout, and sometimes I can try
to justify it, but the truth is,you know, I can ask myself, and
sometimes I can try to justifyit, but the truth is I can ask
(36:54):
myself how can I serve them?
And then I try to figure out away to serve, and I'm not always
successful at it.
But I got to tell you thatHeather and I it wasn't lost on
us today that our rhythm sectionin the band were our sons, and
not only did they play, but theywanted to be here playing with
each other and with us, and Ithink that I could win some
(37:15):
battles at home that aren'tnecessarily worth anything, but
I could feel a victory.
You know, I told them and youknow this is the way it's going
to be by God, and it'd be thatway, but at what cost, you know,
because none of that matters ineternity.
But I think what matters to meis that when I'm gone and
(37:37):
they're going, I remember whenwe used to jam with Dad.
Now, I remember when he used tokick us out of the house
because we didn't fold our socksright.
So I think that if you couldmake this stuff real for you and
practical, you know, then itthen uh, there's, there's.
For years my pet peeve was thatthey wouldn't wash, and not
(38:01):
just those two, the rhythmsection, but the whole, the
whole band.
Well, couldn't seem to rinse aplate off, you know, and then
you'd be all stuck when it wasput in the and so for years of
preaching how just a littlerinsing of a plate can make it
come off the dishwasher so mucheasier, and all that ineffective
(38:21):
preaching that I did.
Now I just wash the plates inthe sink and I serve my family
and I shut my mouth.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
We follow the path of Zechariah.
Sometimes you just be quietabout it.
You don't have to say the thing.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
And I'm telling you and the craziest thing has
happened, not that all of asudden now they're all rinsed,
but all of a sudden I realizedhow fortunate I am that there
are people in my house that Ican wash dishes of.
So something shifted.
So, instead of a focus of thisthing that, by God, I'm going to
make happen at all costs andall whatever, now something
(39:00):
shifts in me where I become aservant, which is what I'm
called to anyway, right, and allof a sudden the joy of having a
family is overtaking me.
So who loses in this situation?
My pride, probably, maybe my ego, but what matters in eternity
(39:25):
is being sustained and being andI'm not saying that my kids are
messy all the time, but I'mjust trying to use some little
example to explain that you'regoing to have when you live with
people.
You're going to have somethingthat's going to rub you the
wrong way and if we can work inthat, let God bring a
(39:46):
transformation.
He can be turned around in youand be a place of really
celebration and joy and justwhat matters the kingdom, the
love.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Amen.
May you always be filled withthe fruit of your salvation.
May you always be filled withthe fruit of your salvation.
What is the fruit of yoursalvation?
What is the spirit?
Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
That's the invitation for allof us Be filled with the Holy
Spirit.
To be filled with the HolySpirit means our lives are going
to look different, therighteous character produced by
(40:23):
your life in Jesus Christ.
For this will bring much gloryand praise to God.
I remind you, beloved, thatsaying praise God is not
bringing praise to God.
I remind you, beloved, thatsaying praise God is not
bringing praise to God.
Living like Jesus lived, thatis bringing praise to God.
Doing the works of mercy thatwe see Jesus did, that is praise
to God.
(40:45):
Silas is not here this morning.
He is recovering, and so Ishare this about him.
We have been at Outreach and ithas been a part of his life
since he was tiny.
He has been a part of thischurch for 24 years.
We go to Outreach and he metthe grandson of somebody at
Outreach and they are fastfriends Ashton, a little boy his
age, and they talk about thingsthat little boys talk about,
(41:06):
like video games, and this oneboy talked to him about this
video game and said I reallylove this, it's the best ever.
And he said have you played it?
And the boy said no, I don'town that game.
And he goes, but I know it'sthe best and he's heard the
things and he and Silas havethis big conversation about it.
But this boy, ashton, does notown it.
So Silas crushes cans for usand then gets the money.
And he crushed all these cansand he got the money for it and
(41:39):
he said this money is for Ashtonto have that game.
Can you take me to the store soI can buy for Ashton the game
that he does not have now?
This is simple and silly and Iwould tell you that nobody needs
a video game.
That's just my very.
I know.
I know I need to be healed ofthings too, but I would tell you
that to another 11 year old boy.
This is what needs to be done.
And so what does he do?
He takes the money that is his.
That's all the money he has.
He doesn't have another job andsays this is for someone else.
Immediately recognize this isnot for me.
(42:00):
This is not so I can hide more,have more.
This is here because I see aproblem and I can remedy this.
This also involves me because,as you know, he doesn't drive.
He's 11, and so in my day Ihave to go to the video game
store, which, again, not on myagenda.
But am I going to tell thisperson, no, it's.
I don't have time for you to dothese acts of mercy, for you to
be generous in your life.
(42:20):
No, this means now.
It's my job too.
Now I'm making sure and now I'mwaiting at Best Buy.
And, lord, that is a type ofhell.
It really is, at least it isfor me.
It is not the work of Christthere.
The kingdom is not there, andmaybe I need to go there more
with more light and love, butthere's no one to be found and I
can't find this thing and Ifeel in me and in patience and
beloved.
That is not Christ, though weknow that love is patient, and
(42:42):
so what I needed was a baptismin my mind of going what my job
right now on the earth should be, to inconvenience myself on
behalf of an 11-year-old boy whowants to do what is right.
All of us.
How are we being people who saywhat I need to do is make sure
that little people, that youngpeople, in the faith, that
(43:03):
people all over know that myagenda, my ego, my plans do not
run the show.
Love runs the show.
We went to outreach last month.
This is the last one and wehave an outreach coming and you
can be a part of it On the 18thright, On the 18th and we went
there last month.
We were handing out all the foodand then Silas said to him
Ashton, I have something for you.
(43:25):
And he gave him that littlecard that said that this was the
video game.
And he goes why are you showingthis to me?
And he goes because I bought itfor you.
And that little boy's eyesopened up.
He goes Silas, you bought thisfor me.
And he said, yeah, he goes.
Did your mom do it?
(43:46):
And he said no.
He said this is what I want togive you.
And that boy threw his armsaround Silas like he had given
him a gift.
And why do I tell you that?
Because this is what thescripture says when somebody
else receives the gift, thatthey will begin to thank God.
They will see this is bigger.
This is not your mom making youdo something.
This is an invitation toexpanding your heart toward
(44:08):
generosity, toward life, towardpaying attention to other
people's needs and listening tothem.
And in these practices ofservice, listen to Zachariah's
father say this is the way ofthe Lord.
And now Zachariah's fathercan't sleep at night because
he's got a baby in the house,you know.
And now, zachariah and this wasbefore washing machines and
disposable diapers.
There was a lot of work to bedone and and this, this is the
(44:31):
work of the Lord.
Now he's at the temple.
He's probably late in themorning because the baby decided
that it was going to dosomething else and this is the
preparing of the way, it is theupending of our lives.
This is the hope for all of usthat the status quo would be
leveled and that Jesus would beallowed to reign in us.
(44:51):
This is the hope of the world.
This is Advent.
This is where peace comes,where we clear the path, where
we get our minds off of thethings that they've always been
on and say baptize me in thisnew way of living, in this hope
that is coming and embodyingreal love.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
You know, there's a practice that I found here the
past couple weeks.
Something shifted in me and myunderstanding.
And here it says may you alwaysbe filled with the fruit of the
spirit of salvation.
You know, and I always thoughtyou know, like maybe you know I
knew what that was.
You know, like Heather said,being at the Best Buy, she
(45:31):
recognized something that wasn'tthe fruit of the Spirit.
Yes, you know that impatienceand that's something that
shifted in me over the past fewweeks, that I've began to
realize within myself when I amexperiencing fruits of the
(45:51):
Spirit and when I'm not.
And my will, you know, the whoI am, the me that gets to make a
decision, not just experiencehis life, but that one stops
being an observer and startsmaking some decisions and follow
me here.
I'm probably not communicatingthis super clear, but it's
(46:13):
because it's kind of a newprinciple to me that I just I
kind of have been realizing waita minute, that's not a fruit of
the Spirit that I'mdemonstrating right now.
And so if it's not a fruit ofthe Spirit, it's bad, it's
carnal, it's worldly and fleshlyand I don't want any part of it
(46:36):
.
So I'm realizing, ooh, theanger came up, not just all that
anger?
No, I don't want that energy, Idon't want that.
I want joy, god, I'm asking,and so I think that a practice
for you and I could be to torecognize cause we're we've.
Last week we talked about hopeand how that's such a gift from
(46:59):
God, and how peace, you know.
And when I'm not experiencingpeace, what am I experiencing?
Anxiety, what is anxiety?
It's fear about an uncertainfuture.
Wait a minute, church, yourfuture is certain.
You're in Christ.
There is certainty for us,there is peace for us.
(47:20):
Now, you know, I can't worryabout an outcome, because, no
matter how the outcome is aboutan outcome, because no matter
how the outcome is, I'm still inchrist, I still, I still win.
You know, I get, uh, um, tohave peace.
And so if, if you can kind ofsee where I'm going with this,
(47:41):
there's, there's just a, if youwill allow it, just as you begin
to have these emotions, justrecognize and affirm within you
oh man, the spirit of god ishere right now.
Yeah, I don't, can't evenexplain it, but I'm just.
You know, heather and I arewalking around and you feel that
joy, just feel god's presence.
(48:01):
Thank you, lord.
Speaker 1 (48:02):
And then a value it go ahead and it's just quick as
changing your mind that's's itright.
It is as quick as that, Ialways said the best buy.
And again I will tell you Ijudged it as it's a hellscape.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
The whole thing is.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
And really, when you listen to me say it that way,
you understand that that's myego speaking, because I judge
everything about that store.
I judge the way that they staffthat store.
We need more people in there.
That place is huge and huge andyou can't see anybody because
(48:35):
it's stacked really high and youdon't need to hear about my
judgments.
But when I recognize in myselfthat I am impatient at what I
judge is inefficiency, oh mygosh, oh, you will just pray for
me people.
This idea of efficiency issomething that has to be
uprooted in my life, because oneof the things that Advent will
teach you is it's not aboutefficiency.
We're not here to produce aproduct.
We are here to live in love andto be in love.
But in this store, I recognizein myself an impatience and I
can feel it like right here.
(48:56):
I don't know where you feelimpatience, but I feel it right
here.
It almost feels like it'schoking me.
Let's get someone.
Let's get someone to help usright now.
Stop whatever you're doing andhelp me.
To just call it what it is.
I do not need to be served bythe best boy or the best by or
however.
I need to serve other people.
So when I recognize I can feelit right here like this,
impatience is coming.
(49:16):
It's as quick as going.
This is not my place to standhere and judge people for not
doing it right.
I can be a beacon of love.
I can be patient.
I can choose to be light here.
I can be a beacon of love.
I can be patient.
I can choose to be light here.
I can encourage the generosityin someone else.
I can do all these things.
(49:36):
I don't have to be.
A lot of times we're dictated bya clock.
One of the things that isdictates and we need to just
leave them at the altar.
We are people who are dictatedby love and sometimes love takes
a long time and I sometimeswish it didn't, but it does.
It even has shown us in ourraising of our babies.
I mean, zachariah's legacy isJohn, not his efficiency at the
(50:01):
table or at the temple.
And so this invitation intoliving in love and bringing
ourselves to Christ.
It just takes a moment tochange that thought and go.
I am here to love, I am here tobe light and not just light.
You know, this is the Adventstory.
It's the light of the Gentilesfor the whole world.
(50:22):
This is the invitation thateveryone would see the light of
Christ.
Speaker 2 (50:27):
And so it's just a practice that we could, you know
, maybe start to consider beingaware.
Like what?
What am I just maybe givingover to or surrendering?
I'm just allowing myself to beagitated, you know, allowing
myself.
I've been noticing too that, uh, cause it's a rabbit hole, you
know, the the deeper you go here, you've been noticing too that
(50:49):
I want to tell negative stories,bad things that happen, and
I'll hear myself doing it andstart to cringe.
The other day, somebody didsomething and I was thinking
about it and I started to say toHeather why do you think they
would do that?
And I go, why do you think theywould do that?
And I, just I go.
(51:09):
Why do you think, never mind,and she knew that we're working
on this, you know and she goesyep, we got to let it go.
I'm doing the same thing andwe're just laughing because it's
like, do I really want to trademy joy for a little bit of
gossip or a little bit ofventing?
Because all that did is bringme back to this energy and
(51:35):
moment from which I was wounded,you know, and then I'm back to
feeling anxious and upset, or Icould just you know what I'm
giving, that to God, I'm notgoing to rehearse that.
I'm going to live in this joythat God has given me.
And so it is.
It's a conscious choice.
Now some of you might say Idon't know how to do that.
I mean you, you know, I thinkit's the elephant deal.
I mean we just got to trainourselves.
You know, we train ourselves tothink negatively all the time,
you know, and just kind of be inthat place.
(51:55):
But there's a joy for you and I.
Let's train ourselves to walkin that gift that God has given.
Speaker 1 (52:01):
And the invitation is for us to think about things
that are lovely, kind, beautifulof a good report.
The best report that was evergiven is Jesus has come.
The light of the world is here.
There is peace on earth becauseJesus has come.
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
(52:23):
online at firstlovechurchorg.
Welcome to the First Love Church Podcast.
This is a collection of Sundayteachings inspired by the
Revised Common Lectionary andrecorded weekly in Ocala,
florida.
The readings for today comefrom the story of John the
Baptist in this particularAdvent year.
Thomas mentions that I do lovethe liturgical calendar, and
(00:22):
it's not just a calendar thatmakes me happy, it's an
invitation into a reality thatis so much bigger than I could
even concoct myself.
It is this idea that Decemberstarts with Advent, the good
news, and so in the liturgicalcalendar, december 1 is the
brand new year.
Jesus has come, everything elseis no longer the same, and so
(00:46):
it's this beautiful invitationinto peace.
And today, when we go to theAdvent theme, it is the song of
the sound of Zachariah.
The song of Zachariah and thesound of a voice in the
wilderness saying prepare theway of the Lord.
John the Baptist is, I think, ifyou don't follow the liturgical
calendar, an unlikely adventposter boy for this good news.
(01:11):
But he comes in and he saysrepent, make straight the paths,
pay attention, god is coming.
And so it is such a beautifultext for us today to look at and
to hear and to believe that ourhearts can be reframed and
restored.
Will we pray this morning, ohChrist, you who are the light of
(01:36):
the world, may we live aschildren of the light of the
light.
(01:56):
May you give us your light thisday so that we might become
emissaries of all that is rightand true and good in your
kingdom.
Gospel, and we hear the song ofZechariah.
Now, this is your see in thechurch calendar, so we're not
going to talk about them much,but I am going to give you a
little bit of backstory, becauseif you don't know what this is
(02:18):
where we enter this text, itloses a little bit of the
meaning.
Zechariah was somebody who wasfrom a lineage or a people who
served God in the temple, andone of the times that Zechariah
was there, we meet him as a veryold man and he was in the
temple and he's in the holy ofholy, in this area, where he's
attending to the presence of theLord, and an angel, a messenger
(02:43):
of God, shows up and starts tohave a conversation with him and
said good news, your wife isgoing to have a baby.
And I was thinking about thisparticular part of the
conversation because they werevery old and they had tried for
a very long time to have a childand it didn't happen.
And I wonder if theconversation ended up with a lot
(03:05):
of blame.
Whose blame is it?
Why can't this happen for us?
Is it your equipment?
Is it my equipment?
Have we displeased God?
Is it something I've beeneating?
Is it something?
Is it a curse on our family?
When things don't go as wethink they should, very often we
start blaming, and then theyprobably put that conversation
away for a very long time.
So when an angel shows up andsays your wife is going to have
(03:26):
a baby, I think that the normalquestion is well like why?
Why now?
Why after so long?
This is not possible that thiscan happen.
And right at that moment theangel said no more talking out
of you, and Zechariah is mutefor the rest of the time.
And so sometimes I have to lookat the message.
Maybe the angel doesn't comeand have to make me mute, but I
(03:49):
can choose to follow thatbeautiful path and say, unless I
can speak, the good that isgoing to happen, along with the
idea of light and that God iscoming for us.
Maybe we should restrain ourown tongue and say let it be
done unto me according to yourword, like Mary does.
So at this particular point inthe story where we're going to
read this text, john the Baptistor John as he is, we know him
(04:14):
is born and they've come to thetemple to do a circumcision and
he gets his name.
And everyone knows thatZachariah is mute and they ask
his mother, what is he going tobe named?
And she says John.
And everybody's like no, thedad wouldn't want that, that's
not your family name, you can'thave that name.
And so they look to Zachariahand he affirms, and at that
(04:35):
moment his mouth is open.
He said I affirm what she saysHis name will be John.
And then he starts into thissong.
Now, part of this song is fromthe Psalms, is a part of the
Psalter, and part of it is arehearsal of the song that he
heard Mary sing In Luke's gospel.
This is the second song ofAdvent.
(04:56):
The first one is the Magnificat, where Mary shows up and says
this is how it's going to bethose who are low are going to
be brought high, those who arerich are going to experience a
poverty, they're going tounderstand things, and those who
have power, that's going to begiven to everyone.
And so we hear some of whathe's saying.
(05:20):
He's heard the song of Mary.
Now, at this particular moment,he is in the house of the Lord.
He is dedicating this son thathe never thought that he would
have, and he begins this songPraise the Lord, the God of
Israel, because he has visitedand redeemed his people.
He has sent us a mighty saviorfrom the royal line of his
(05:43):
servant, david, just as hepromised through his holy
prophets long ago.
And now we will be saved fromour enemies and from all who
hate us.
He has been merciful to ourancestors by remembering his
sacred covenant, the covenant heswore with an oath to our
ancestor Abraham.
And we have been rescued fromour enemies so we can serve God
(06:06):
without fear, in holiness andrighteousness for as long as we
live.
And you, my little son, imaginean older father being able to
say and you, my little son, willbe called the prophet of the
(06:26):
most high because you willprepare the way for the Lord.
You will tell his people how tofind salvation through
forgiveness of their sin.
Because of God's tender mercy,the morning light from heaven is
about to break upon us to givelight to those who sit in
darkness and in the shadow ofdeath and guide us to the path
(06:51):
of peace.
What a beautiful song, what abeautiful prophecy for us.
What an incredible hope.
This Zachariah has heard thesong of Mary and he has heard
the sound of the prophet and hehas burst into song when his
mouth is finally opened, heknows it's not about complaining
(07:12):
, it's about saying this is thehope for all of us.
And so we hear Zachariah's songwhen he said you will be the
one, john, who prepares the wayof the Lord.
So in the text this morning wego to Luke, chapter 3.
Now Jesus and John have alreadygrown up and they are very
(07:35):
different, and that is part ofthe story too.
I love part of the Advent storywhere there is a very old woman
, elizabeth, who is giving birth, and there is a very young
woman, mary, who is giving birth.
And it reminds us that all ofus, no matter where we find our
place in the age of our life orin the journey of our life,
there is a place for you in theAdvent story, in the telling of
(07:58):
good news, in the rehearsing ofsomeone coming that is greater
than I, whose shoes I am notworthy to bear, but he will
baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
Now it was the 15th year of thereign of Tiberius, the Roman
emperor, and Pontius Pilate wasgovernor over Judea.
This kind of is like this longline and sometimes it doesn't
(08:21):
make sense to us, but it remindsus that this is the scandal of
Advent, the scandal of theparticular that God comes low
for us and interrupts time,pauses time for a second and
said this is the reason.
And so the person recording itsays hey, this is the time that
it actually showed up, whenTiberius was governor, when
(08:42):
Herod Antipas was the ruler overGalilee and some of these
things.
If you've been in Christianityfor a while, you hear some of
these names.
But he's reminding us of aparticular place, of a
particular time, where Godintersects the regular, going on
with an incredible good news.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
You know, and for us, I would hope that we could, you
know, really take thesemeditations during this
Christmas season and this weekto really ponder the gift that
is peace.
You know, scripture isn'tpromising that it wouldn't be
difficult for this older coupleto wait around for this baby and
(09:24):
maybe even doubt for a while,but that there can be peace.
And even when you can't speak,you can still have peace.
You know, and so I don't claimto stand up here and say to you
that you're never going to haveproblems in this world.
There will be tribulations, butwhat I would like for you to
ponder on is the gift of peacethat you can have in the middle
(09:46):
of any struggle.
I remember a woman came to mewhen I was really young in the
ministry and she said that herdaughter, who was 13, had been
taken by a 30 year old man andthey left the state of Florida
(10:09):
and she didn't know what washappening to her daughter and
whether she'd be safe orreturned home or what.
And I'll be honest with you,church, I'm a young pastor and
they didn't teach anything likethat in Bible school.
You know that someone wouldcome to you that devastated this
woman didn't know where else togo after going to the police.
(10:32):
So she just showed up at thechurch and I was the pastor on
call and I met her there and itjust rose up in me to say we
need to make our requests knownto God.
And her and I just lamented,like you would see a mother do
(10:53):
and you would with someone youcare about when there's such
real stakes, such real fearpotentially to overtake you, and
we prayed and I read thatscripture let's pray, and the
peace of God, which passesunderstanding, would guard our
(11:13):
hearts and our minds in ChristJesus.
Now it's just sometimes abumper sticker or a scripture
that you've heard people quote,but at that moment it was real
to her and I.
We looked at each other and webegan to smile and we felt like
something had happened in thespirit.
(11:34):
And how can you even reallyunderstand this?
It's just a passage ofunderstanding, because she still
was in that same circumstance.
She didn't know where herdaughter was, but God had
shifted and given us somethingthat we could have in the middle
of struggle, because you caneither worry yourself sick, get
(11:56):
no sleep, be tormented, orreally go to the only one that
can do anything anyway and thenallow that exchange of your
burden for God's peace, and I'llnever forget that we walked
away from that just reallyalmost unable to communicate
what had happened.
(12:16):
And it wasn't just a few hourslater she called and she was
laughing.
She goes the sheriff's calledme from North Georgia and
they've got my daughter in theircar and they're driving her
back now, and there was daysthat she didn't know where that
girl was.
Now I don't claim that myprayers were the reason, but I
(12:41):
will tell you that our prayersconnected with God's sovereign
power and strength, and duringthat whole place of torment, we
were able to have peace.
And I want that for you, and Iwant you to think about where we
just sacrifice peace or wedon't rely on it or draw on it
(13:05):
in the middle of and, and so I Icouldn't begin to promise you
that you wouldn't go withoutstruggle, but I can tell you
that you can have a peace thatpasses understanding, and that
is, you know, just like lastweek, what we talked about
having hope.
Without hope, we, we perish,you know, and without uh, peace
(13:26):
there, there, uh, uh, there's, Imean, there's just it's misery.
And so I want to remind youthat these are the things that
god gave you, and so in that Ican be sustained I love that in
this particular text, it remindsus that peace may look
different than you thought itwas.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Because if this young baby, if this child is going to
prepare the way of peace Idon't know if you have this
experience, but this is mine andthe people that I know there's
nothing more disruptive than ababy.
I mean, you're living your life, you're doing it how you want
to do it, and then a baby comesin and they just take over.
This is not peaceful at all.
This is complete anarchy.
Everything is now about whatthis baby wants, how this baby
(14:10):
feels, how we can.
I mean, if you say this is howpeace comes, it's not a real
life person baby.
I mean that is not peaceable.
And here the invitation is toallow there to be, like a
greater thought, an expansion oflove, an expansion of what do
we think peace actually is.
And Zachariah says over thisbaby, you're going to be the
prophet of the most high and youwill bring peace Now, fast
(14:33):
forward.
You and I both know that Johnthe Baptist was not what we
would call a peacemaker.
He stirred everybody up and soif you were going to say you are
going to be a peacemaker,really, that is really what
peace does.
It upends the things that arewrong in our life.
It upends oppression.
It upends ways that we keeppeople in bondage.
But he's saying to you know,prophesying over this baby that
(14:55):
you're going to bring peacebecause we're going to prepare
the way of the Lord.
And it says that Annas andCaiaphas were the high priests.
So they're giving us a veryspecific point in time.
At this time, a message from Godcame to John, the son of
Zechariah, who was living in thewilderness.
And he's not just like weird.
(15:15):
John has forsaken Jerusalembecause that's where people
thought God dwelt was in thetemple.
God dwelt in a temple.
Here is where we keep God.
And John was like I'm followingGod and he's not in that temple
.
I just want to tell you andJohn goes to the wilderness, we
also see Jesus then going to thewilderness.
The spirit actually leads himout of the structure, out of the
(15:38):
place that we said that God was, and John is living in the
wilderness.
And then John went from place toplace on both sides of the
Jordan River, preaching thatpeople should be baptized to
show they had repented of theirsins and turn to God to be
forgiven.
He begins to say things likelisten, if you have two coats,
(16:00):
one of them belongs to yourbrother, who has none If you are
in the service of the military.
If somebody asks you to go onemile, go two.
He begins to say to us thatreally, to be baptized in the
way of John, to into this life,it's into the life of equity,
it's into the life of turningfrom oppressive systems and into
(16:22):
a way that is somethingdifferent.
And so John, this little babythat Zechariah says, you're
going to prepare the way of theLord.
And John is upending things andpeople are like this is getting
messy.
In fact, people are hearingthis, and then they keep coming
to John, they're leaving thecity, they're going to listen to
him, and then even politiciansstart coming out, and that's
where the trouble begins.
I mean, I'm sure it beganbefore then, but that's where
(16:44):
his trouble begins, a bigtrouble begins.
I don't know if his motherwanted him to move to the
wilderness.
I'm not sure about that.
Maybe there was some troublethere, but he's living in the
wilderness, he's wearing superweird clothes and he's eating
locusts and honey.
So he wasn't a vegan, we knowthat.
But it was super weird andpeople knew him for his wild
(17:05):
teaching and for his strangeclothing.
And so I want us to be veryaware that sometimes the word of
the Lord comes to us in waysand by messengers that we would
never have expected it.
This is what John was preachingthat they should repent.
And repentance is not say sorry.
Repentance is turn away fromthat thought and come into a
(17:29):
higher thought.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
This is what Jesus offers us to you know, uh, I was
on the text, uh thread with aone of my dearest friends from
when I was a young kid, injunior high, and, um, he said to
me one of the things was thathe was really bothered because,
and feeling bad because, hehadn't yet been baptized.
(17:50):
And so I said, well, next timeI get in town we'll handle that.
But I don't believe that God isjust requiring of us to have
the baptism as the ceremony.
You know.
So when I see John preachingthis in verse 3, preaching that
people should be baptized toshow the baptism is the outward
(18:14):
sign of that inward decisionthat I'm going to, as it says in
verse 3, that I'm going torepent of my sins and turn to
God.
That is the thing that we needto be immersed in.
You know, baptism is that waterthat you immerse in, but for
(18:35):
you and I we could have dippedin the water, but are we plunged
in repentance?
You know, turning to God forforgiveness.
You know that that is the lifethat John is preaching for us,
and so a lot of times, you know,that's where people like John
(18:57):
get in trouble, and you can.
Maybe is we get in trouble withthe religious because the
religious are fine with doingthe dip is we get in trouble
with the religious?
Because the religious are finewith doing the dip but they're
not immersing their life in thetransforming message.
And so if the message is bebaptized, what am I being
immersed into?
And so it's not as important.
(19:18):
Now I'm not saying for myfriend or for you not to be
baptized, but understand thatwhat that is is you saying to
everyone on the outside.
This is what I'm about.
And so I'm asking you in thisseason, can we hear the message
of John again and remember thatit's a lifestyle of repentance,
(19:38):
of turning from my sins on aregular basis, turning to God
and living in that place offorgiveness.
And to me, living in the placeof forgiveness is a battle,
because it's easy to live in aplace of shame, it's easy to
live in a place of guilt, but toreally endeavor to understand
(20:03):
the power of grace andforgiveness and to walk in that
with a heart of peace.
You know that can be work onour part, because we have to
silence our mind and thoughts ofshame that come in.
No, I have repented.
(20:24):
Amen.
Anyone with me?
Or are we done with the chubbyguy talking?
Speaker 1 (20:31):
John went from place to place on both sides of the
Jordan River preaching thatpeople should be baptized to
show that they had repented oftheir sins and turned to God to
be forgiven.
Also, just a little tag hereRemember that when Jesus was
talking about John, jesus saidthere was not a better human
that has ever lived.
So we should pay attention tothe way that John lived, the way
(20:52):
that he understood things, andJesus himself said I'll be
baptized into John's baptism,into understanding that my life
and how I live is marked bygenerosity, my life and how I
lived.
Isaiah had spoken of John whenhe said Now I want to ask this
(21:27):
beautiful message that Isaiahpreaches about that John
actually reiterates and he saysclear the road for him.
What can we do now with that?
But we can clear our mind ofthings that impede the work of
the spirit in rebuilding thekingdom in our minds, in
rebuilding, rebuilding our lives.
It is up to us to clear theroad for him.
Pay attention to the fact thatin John's humility, john says
(21:51):
that I'm not even worthy tocarry Jesus's sandals and Jesus
said that John is the bestperson that ever lived.
And what you see here is anincredible invitation into a
life of humility, into a life ofbringing yourself low so that
Jesus so that light, so thatlove can be exalted.
And then he begins to say againthis is the prophet Isaiah.
(22:14):
The valleys will be filled andthe mountains and the hills made
level and the curves will bestraightened and the rough
places made smooth, and then allpeople will see the salvation
sent from God.
All people will see thesalvation sent from God, not
(22:36):
just some.
All people will see this.
And this is an invitation forus to really see.
We see this, to really allowour vision to not be what we see
with our eyes but what we seewith our heart, to allow that
inner vision, that inner kingdom, to be established among us.
In this time of Advent, is thispaying attention?
How do we see?
(22:56):
Do we only see in this temporalplace, in this reality, that
things are here today and gonetomorrow?
We're invited into the eternal,we're invited into hope, we're
invited into peace, andsometimes peace means telling
people listen, there is anotherway to live, it is the way that
(23:17):
Jesus has offered us.
It is this hope, it is new life, and then all people will see
the salvation sent from God.
What a beautiful hope.
If there was a message that ispeace, it is.
Salvation comes through the wayof jesus christ from philippians
(23:38):
, chapter one.
Every time I think of you, Igive thanks to my god and
whenever I pray, I make myrequests for all of you with joy
, for you have been my partnersin spreading the good news about
Christ from the first time youheard it until now, and I am
certain that God, who began agood work within you, will
(23:59):
continue his work until it isfinally finished, on the day
when Christ returns.
This is a very hopeful message,beloved.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou pray over your children.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou pray over yourself.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou pray over your children.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou pray over yourself.
It is a beautiful prayer thatyou can pray over the world.
I am certain that God, whobegan his work within you, will
(24:20):
continue it until it is finallyfinished, on the day when Christ
returns.
This work is the work of God.
It is the work of love.
It is not finished, but do notgive up, do not lose heart.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
What does it look like?
The work of God in you?
Do you have any imagination ofwhat that would be like?
Have you been around workbefore?
When you live in Chicago, awarm weather means just one
(24:54):
thing Road work, construction.
And you'll be driving down theEisenhower at 50 miles an hour
and there'll be two cones andyou look on the other side of
the cone and there's a 30-foothole in the road and you're like
I'm not going to go.
And those cones are really tokind of remind you to drive a
little bit slower and be careful.
And I think around many of us,if we could just walk around
(25:17):
with some cones All of us hadour cones Maybe you wouldn't be
so freaked out when someone's sogrumpy in the line Because, man
, there's so much going on,there's so much work that's
taking place, and so what doesit look like?
You know what's it look likethat that um work is is.
(25:37):
It's weirdly messy that you'rerenovating a house but yet
there's dust everywhere, there'sbroken pieces and and
unfinished things everywhere,and when I wait a minute, I
thought that this work was goingto beautify the home.
It's a wreck.
Well, wait, because you're inmid-process here, if you trust
(25:58):
the person doing theconstruction, you can say it's
going to get better.
Well, it's going to have to getbetter because this place is a
mess and I think that we forgetthat God's doing this work in us
.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
We pause here for a moment to thank you for joining
us today.
If you're finding this episodemeaningful, would you take a
moment to share it with a friend?
This podcast is made possiblethanks to the generosity of
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If you would like to supportthe ongoing work of First Love
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(26:33):
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subscribe.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
And I think about how , like every time an angel comes
to somebody in Scripture, theangel's first thing is what
Chill out, no peace.
You know why?
Because they're Chill out, nopeace.
You know why?
Because they're freaking out,an angel must be uber scary.
They fall down and they're likeget up, it's all right, come on
(27:01):
, we're going to do some stuff.
And see, I think that for us,sometimes we think that it's
only in the smooth road that Godis present, or it's only in the
finished product, where God iswith us during renovation, you
know, and and when God shows up,we need peace.
(27:25):
So I would like to ask you toconsider this that maybe in the
areas that feel so much ofturmoil, might be the very place
that God is already showed upin, because what does work look
like?
What does construction looklike?
(27:46):
Wait a minute, it looks like mylife.
It's turmoil.
There's a lot of unansweredquestions, there's a lot of fear
and confusion, and that's why Ineed to hold on to that first
word spoken peace, that even inthe middle of this work that
he's promising to do in you.
(28:09):
But I seem to resist it becauseI just want the banging to stop
.
I'll never forget the lot nextdoor.
They decided to start buildingthe house on the one day a week.
I get to sleep late Saturdaymornings back in that old house
and at 6.30, deep, deep, deepdeep the big backhoe is clear in
(28:31):
the land.
I wanted to go outside and at6.30, deep, deep, deep, deep,
the big backhoe is clear in theland.
I wanted to go outside and justrack one of my rifles or a
shotgun or something, but I knewI'd go to jail.
I mean, it was so tormenting, Ijust wanted it to stop so I
could go back to sleep.
(28:52):
But nothing gets done in myslumber and some of us we want
peace more than we want to allowGod to have that work, or we
want sleep more than we want Godto have a work in us.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
And I believe that you can have peace in this work
in us and I believe that you canhave peace in this work.
Amen.
I think the peace that isoffered to us is this
understanding that God is atwork within us.
This is the peace that God isoffering us, this new way of
living, offering us this advent.
Here is a message, and so bemindful that when God's
(29:29):
messengers show up and we callcall them angels here, and
there's many understandings likein the book of Revelation when
an angel shows up, it isterrifying.
They're winged creaturescovered with eyeballs, and if a
messenger like that showed upfor me, I would have a panic
attack.
But sometimes the messengershows up in ways that we don't,
and maybe we don't see it, butwe feel it in a diagnosis or in,
(29:51):
uh, in an understanding that,wait, the way that I've been
thinking about something.
I need a change in myperspective, and that's
frightening because I lived mywhole life with this one
perspective and now allowingthat messenger to interrupt us
and say this is the new way,this life that you wanted, this
life that is the kingdomestablished.
(30:11):
It's going to look like anupending of how everything used
to be and it is an invitationinto the holy, it's an
invitation into the work.
That is Christ.
So it is right that I would feelabout all of you, for you have
a special place in my heart.
You share with me the specialfavor of God.
Pay attention to this.
We're talking about disruption.
You share with me the specialfavor of God.
(30:32):
Pay attention to this.
We're talking about disruption.
You share with me the specialfavor of God and in our minds we
would mean like then that wouldbe no trouble and then, if you
had special favor from God, youwould have everything that you
need and you would never, ever,in any way lack and you would
probably have some power.
And he's saying the favor fromGod is imprisonment.
The favor from God is having todefend and confirm the truth of
(30:53):
the good news.
The favor is work, and it isdifficult and many of us don't
want that kind of favor.
We want something else.
We want a placebo, and theinvitation that Paul is also
offering us is hope, the hopethat is Christ, this work that
is upending everything.
This is because God is building, not a house that like just
(31:17):
renovations that we have, butGod is building God's kingdom
within us, and it's thisbeautiful invitation into a new
way of living.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
Yeah, I would just interject here that I feel like
God is inviting all of us tothis ascension, even in this
life, to rise above just carnalliving and to be somebody that
can be bearers of God's joy andpeace in the world.
And by that I mean youdistribute it and some of you
(31:49):
operate in that.
I know that about you.
But I wonder if we realize thatthere is a cost to that.
There is imprisonment, there isme deciding to let go of the
things that I think are valuableand go ahead and submit to the
(32:14):
work being done in me, thetransformation, because to
ascend I have to let go andoff-put some things that I
thought were valuable and werethe most important things in my
life, and so that's a fearfuland painful process, but it's
holy and beautiful, and so let'sdon't shy away from it just
(32:36):
because it's difficult.
What God's doing and havingGod's perfect work in us, that
we'd be whole, complete, lackingnothing.
That's speaking of maturity,you know, speaking of you know
the effectiveness that we canhave.
I want to be that kind offather and grandfather in this
(33:00):
next stage of my life.
By the grace of God, that stillonly happens as I'm willing to
shed my stubborn, carnal ways ofdoing things.
Don't shut me down because I'mpreaching real good.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
God knows how much I love you and long for you.
With the tender compassion ofChrist Jesus, I pray that your
love will overflow more and moreand that you will keep on
growing in knowledge andunderstanding.
And here is how the churchfathers that give us the
liturgical season and put thesetogether remind us that this is
(33:38):
the intention that we would allembody love, that our love would
begin to be not just for us butfor the whole world, for
everyone, for our enemies, thatthis would be something
overflowing more and more andthat you would keep on growing
and that you would understandmore and that you would increase
(33:59):
in this way.
And it's an invitation, and Ithink that it really puts an
invitation out there to thepeople that are young and to the
people that are old, and sayingfor all of us, the invitation
is more love, the invitation isa greater and an expansive
understanding of how God'skingdom comes, because I want
you to understand what reallymatters and I was meditating on
(34:21):
this all week and thisparticular point was something
that just kind of came alive forme.
I want you to understand whatreally matters and that invites
us to think that there are somethings that don't really matter
and very often we prioritizethings that do not matter, and
the invitation is do the thingsthat really matter.
(34:42):
In Dennis and our particularlife and our family, there has
been something that we've beenaware of and when it comes to
our consciousness, we remindeach other of this, but it is
our intention to only put themost effort into things that
matter in eternity.
How your socks are folded willnot matter in eternity, and we
(35:02):
can get all upset about it andwe can tell people they're
folding their socks wrong, or wecan just say it doesn't matter
in eternity, do it how you likeit and close the door so no one
has to see it, because maybe youlike your socks in a certain
way.
But the idea is what matters ineternity?
Beloved people matter ineternity.
Relationships matter ineternity.
(35:23):
This is our father's world andeternity reminds us that God's
intention is that God will dwellhere, that love will dwell here
, that the spirit is stillhovering over the chaos.
But it says I want you tounderstand what really matters,
so that you may live pure andblameless lives until the day of
(35:44):
Christ's return.
Advent is, for us, a practiceof listening to the ancient
saying how long will you be, ohLord, till you come.
And for us, now, jesus has come.
And now we're also with therest of the world who say how
long, lord Jesus, until you comeagain.
And here we are reminded we areto live about what really,
(36:05):
truly matters, and we are tolive pure and blameless lives
until the day of Christ's return.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
You know, and this takes real intention and
practice, you know, for me as afather, there are things when my
sons live at home, there arethings that they do that I can
allow to aggravate me and notthat they're not wonderfully
perfect, but it's just that Ihave a way that I think things
ought to be done, and if they'redone outside of that way, then
(36:32):
I can let that escalate me ordistract me, or I can begin to
focus on that, and really whatI've tried to do is will that
matter in eternity?
The thing that I'm worriedabout, and sometimes I can try
to justify it, but the truth is,you know, I can ask myself, and
sometimes I can try to justifyit, but the truth is I can ask
(36:54):
myself how can I serve them?
And then I try to figure out away to serve, and I'm not always
successful at it.
But I got to tell you thatHeather and I it wasn't lost on
us today that our rhythm sectionin the band were our sons, and
not only did they play, but theywanted to be here playing with
each other and with us, and Ithink that I could win some
(37:15):
battles at home that aren'tnecessarily worth anything, but
I could feel a victory.
You know, I told them and youknow this is the way it's going
to be by God, and it'd be thatway, but at what cost, you know,
because none of that matters ineternity.
But I think what matters to meis that when I'm gone and
(37:37):
they're going, I remember whenwe used to jam with Dad.
Now, I remember when he used tokick us out of the house
because we didn't fold our socksright.
So I think that if you couldmake this stuff real for you and
practical, you know, then itthen uh, there's, there's.
For years my pet peeve was thatthey wouldn't wash, and not
(38:01):
just those two, the rhythmsection, but the whole, the
whole band.
Well, couldn't seem to rinse aplate off, you know, and then
you'd be all stuck when it wasput in the and so for years of
preaching how just a littlerinsing of a plate can make it
come off the dishwasher so mucheasier, and all that ineffective
(38:21):
preaching that I did.
Now I just wash the plates inthe sink and I serve my family
and I shut my mouth.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
We follow the path of Zechariah.
Sometimes you just be quietabout it.
You don't have to say the thing.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
And I'm telling you and the craziest thing has
happened, not that all of asudden now they're all rinsed,
but all of a sudden I realizedhow fortunate I am that there
are people in my house that Ican wash dishes of.
So something shifted.
So, instead of a focus of thisthing that, by God, I'm going to
make happen at all costs andall whatever, now something
(39:00):
shifts in me where I become aservant, which is what I'm
called to anyway, right, and allof a sudden the joy of having a
family is overtaking me.
So who loses in this situation?
My pride, probably, maybe my ego, but what matters in eternity
(39:25):
is being sustained and being andI'm not saying that my kids are
messy all the time, but I'mjust trying to use some little
example to explain that you'regoing to have when you live with
people.
You're going to have somethingthat's going to rub you the
wrong way and if we can work inthat, let God bring a
(39:46):
transformation.
He can be turned around in youand be a place of really
celebration and joy and justwhat matters the kingdom, the
love.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Amen.
May you always be filled withthe fruit of your salvation.
May you always be filled withthe fruit of your salvation.
What is the fruit of yoursalvation?
What is the spirit?
Be filled with the Holy Spirit.
That's the invitation for allof us Be filled with the Holy
Spirit.
To be filled with the HolySpirit means our lives are going
to look different, therighteous character produced by
(40:23):
your life in Jesus Christ.
For this will bring much gloryand praise to God.
I remind you, beloved, thatsaying praise God is not
bringing praise to God.
I remind you, beloved, thatsaying praise God is not
bringing praise to God.
Living like Jesus lived, thatis bringing praise to God.
Doing the works of mercy thatwe see Jesus did, that is praise
to God.
(40:45):
Silas is not here this morning.
He is recovering, and so Ishare this about him.
We have been at Outreach and ithas been a part of his life
since he was tiny.
He has been a part of thischurch for 24 years.
We go to Outreach and he metthe grandson of somebody at
Outreach and they are fastfriends Ashton, a little boy his
age, and they talk about thingsthat little boys talk about,
(41:06):
like video games, and this oneboy talked to him about this
video game and said I reallylove this, it's the best ever.
And he said have you played it?
And the boy said no, I don'town that game.
And he goes, but I know it'sthe best and he's heard the
things and he and Silas havethis big conversation about it.
But this boy, ashton, does notown it.
So Silas crushes cans for usand then gets the money.
And he crushed all these cansand he got the money for it and
(41:39):
he said this money is for Ashtonto have that game.
Can you take me to the store soI can buy for Ashton the game
that he does not have now?
This is simple and silly and Iwould tell you that nobody needs
a video game.
That's just my very.
I know.
I know I need to be healed ofthings too, but I would tell you
that to another 11 year old boy.
This is what needs to be done.
And so what does he do?
He takes the money that is his.
That's all the money he has.
He doesn't have another job andsays this is for someone else.
Immediately recognize this isnot for me.
(42:00):
This is not so I can hide more,have more.
This is here because I see aproblem and I can remedy this.
This also involves me because,as you know, he doesn't drive.
He's 11, and so in my day Ihave to go to the video game
store, which, again, not on myagenda.
But am I going to tell thisperson, no, it's.
I don't have time for you to dothese acts of mercy, for you to
be generous in your life.
(42:20):
No, this means now.
It's my job too.
Now I'm making sure and now I'mwaiting at Best Buy.
And, lord, that is a type ofhell.
It really is, at least it isfor me.
It is not the work of Christthere.
The kingdom is not there, andmaybe I need to go there more
with more light and love, butthere's no one to be found and I
can't find this thing and Ifeel in me and in patience and
beloved.
That is not Christ, though weknow that love is patient, and
(42:42):
so what I needed was a baptismin my mind of going what my job
right now on the earth should be, to inconvenience myself on
behalf of an 11-year-old boy whowants to do what is right.
All of us.
How are we being people who saywhat I need to do is make sure
that little people, that youngpeople, in the faith, that
(43:03):
people all over know that myagenda, my ego, my plans do not
run the show.
Love runs the show.
We went to outreach last month.
This is the last one and wehave an outreach coming and you
can be a part of it On the 18thright, On the 18th and we went
there last month.
We were handing out all the foodand then Silas said to him
Ashton, I have something for you.
(43:25):
And he gave him that littlecard that said that this was the
video game.
And he goes why are you showingthis to me?
And he goes because I bought itfor you.
And that little boy's eyesopened up.
He goes Silas, you bought thisfor me.
And he said, yeah, he goes.
Did your mom do it?
(43:46):
And he said no.
He said this is what I want togive you.
And that boy threw his armsaround Silas like he had given
him a gift.
And why do I tell you that?
Because this is what thescripture says when somebody
else receives the gift, thatthey will begin to thank God.
They will see this is bigger.
This is not your mom making youdo something.
This is an invitation toexpanding your heart toward
(44:08):
generosity, toward life, towardpaying attention to other
people's needs and listening tothem.
And in these practices ofservice, listen to Zachariah's
father say this is the way ofthe Lord.
And now Zachariah's fathercan't sleep at night because
he's got a baby in the house,you know.
And now, zachariah and this wasbefore washing machines and
disposable diapers.
There was a lot of work to bedone and and this, this is the
(44:31):
work of the Lord.
Now he's at the temple.
He's probably late in themorning because the baby decided
that it was going to dosomething else and this is the
preparing of the way, it is theupending of our lives.
This is the hope for all of usthat the status quo would be
leveled and that Jesus would beallowed to reign in us.
(44:51):
This is the hope of the world.
This is Advent.
This is where peace comes,where we clear the path, where
we get our minds off of thethings that they've always been
on and say baptize me in thisnew way of living, in this hope
that is coming and embodyingreal love.
Speaker 2 (45:10):
You know, there's a practice that I found here the
past couple weeks.
Something shifted in me and myunderstanding.
And here it says may you alwaysbe filled with the fruit of the
spirit of salvation.
You know, and I always thoughtyou know, like maybe you know I
knew what that was.
You know, like Heather said,being at the Best Buy, she
(45:31):
recognized something that wasn'tthe fruit of the Spirit.
Yes, you know that impatienceand that's something that
shifted in me over the past fewweeks, that I've began to
realize within myself when I amexperiencing fruits of the
(45:51):
Spirit and when I'm not.
And my will, you know, the whoI am, the me that gets to make a
decision, not just experiencehis life, but that one stops
being an observer and startsmaking some decisions and follow
me here.
I'm probably not communicatingthis super clear, but it's
(46:13):
because it's kind of a newprinciple to me that I just I
kind of have been realizing waita minute, that's not a fruit of
the Spirit that I'mdemonstrating right now.
And so if it's not a fruit ofthe Spirit, it's bad, it's
carnal, it's worldly and fleshlyand I don't want any part of it
(46:36):
.
So I'm realizing, ooh, theanger came up, not just all that
anger?
No, I don't want that energy, Idon't want that.
I want joy, god, I'm asking,and so I think that a practice
for you and I could be to torecognize cause we're we've.
Last week we talked about hopeand how that's such a gift from
(46:59):
God, and how peace, you know.
And when I'm not experiencingpeace, what am I experiencing?
Anxiety, what is anxiety?
It's fear about an uncertainfuture.
Wait a minute, church, yourfuture is certain.
You're in Christ.
There is certainty for us,there is peace for us.
(47:20):
Now, you know, I can't worryabout an outcome, because, no
matter how the outcome is aboutan outcome, because no matter
how the outcome is, I'm still inchrist, I still, I still win.
You know, I get, uh, um, tohave peace.
And so if, if you can kind ofsee where I'm going with this,
(47:41):
there's, there's just a, if youwill allow it, just as you begin
to have these emotions, justrecognize and affirm within you
oh man, the spirit of god ishere right now.
Yeah, I don't, can't evenexplain it, but I'm just.
You know, heather and I arewalking around and you feel that
joy, just feel god's presence.
(48:01):
Thank you, lord.
Speaker 1 (48:02):
And then a value it go ahead and it's just quick as
changing your mind that's's itright.
It is as quick as that, Ialways said the best buy.
And again I will tell you Ijudged it as it's a hellscape.
Speaker 2 (48:12):
The whole thing is.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
And really, when you listen to me say it that way,
you understand that that's myego speaking, because I judge
everything about that store.
I judge the way that they staffthat store.
We need more people in there.
That place is huge and huge andyou can't see anybody because
(48:35):
it's stacked really high and youdon't need to hear about my
judgments.
But when I recognize in myselfthat I am impatient at what I
judge is inefficiency, oh mygosh, oh, you will just pray for
me people.
This idea of efficiency issomething that has to be
uprooted in my life, because oneof the things that Advent will
teach you is it's not aboutefficiency.
We're not here to produce aproduct.
We are here to live in love andto be in love.
But in this store, I recognizein myself an impatience and I
can feel it like right here.
(48:56):
I don't know where you feelimpatience, but I feel it right
here.
It almost feels like it'schoking me.
Let's get someone.
Let's get someone to help usright now.
Stop whatever you're doing andhelp me.
To just call it what it is.
I do not need to be served bythe best boy or the best by or
however.
I need to serve other people.
So when I recognize I can feelit right here like this,
impatience is coming.
(49:16):
It's as quick as going.
This is not my place to standhere and judge people for not
doing it right.
I can be a beacon of love.
I can be patient.
I can choose to be light here.
I can be a beacon of love.
I can be patient.
I can choose to be light here.
I can encourage the generosityin someone else.
I can do all these things.
(49:36):
I don't have to be.
A lot of times we're dictated bya clock.
One of the things that isdictates and we need to just
leave them at the altar.
We are people who are dictatedby love and sometimes love takes
a long time and I sometimeswish it didn't, but it does.
It even has shown us in ourraising of our babies.
I mean, zachariah's legacy isJohn, not his efficiency at the
(50:01):
table or at the temple.
And so this invitation intoliving in love and bringing
ourselves to Christ.
It just takes a moment tochange that thought and go.
I am here to love, I am here tobe light and not just light.
You know, this is the Adventstory.
It's the light of the Gentilesfor the whole world.
(50:22):
This is the invitation thateveryone would see the light of
Christ.
Speaker 2 (50:27):
And so it's just a practice that we could, you know
, maybe start to consider beingaware.
Like what?
What am I just maybe givingover to or surrendering?
I'm just allowing myself to beagitated, you know, allowing
myself.
I've been noticing too that, uh, cause it's a rabbit hole, you
know, the the deeper you go here, you've been noticing too that
(50:49):
I want to tell negative stories,bad things that happen, and
I'll hear myself doing it andstart to cringe.
The other day, somebody didsomething and I was thinking
about it and I started to say toHeather why do you think they
would do that?
And I go, why do you think theywould do that?
And I, just I go.
(51:09):
Why do you think, never mind,and she knew that we're working
on this, you know and she goesyep, we got to let it go.
I'm doing the same thing andwe're just laughing because it's
like, do I really want to trademy joy for a little bit of
gossip or a little bit ofventing?
Because all that did is bringme back to this energy and
(51:35):
moment from which I was wounded,you know, and then I'm back to
feeling anxious and upset, or Icould just you know what I'm
giving, that to God, I'm notgoing to rehearse that.
I'm going to live in this joythat God has given me.
And so it is.
It's a conscious choice.
Now some of you might say Idon't know how to do that.
I mean you, you know, I thinkit's the elephant deal.
I mean we just got to trainourselves.
You know, we train ourselves tothink negatively all the time,
you know, and just kind of be inthat place.
(51:55):
But there's a joy for you and I.
Let's train ourselves to walkin that gift that God has given.
Speaker 1 (52:01):
And the invitation is for us to think about things
that are lovely, kind, beautifulof a good report.
The best report that was evergiven is Jesus has come.
The light of the world is here.
There is peace on earth becauseJesus has come.
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
(52:23):
online at firstlovechurchorg.
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