September 6, 2025 • 42 mins
What happens when the rules we've established to maintain order become barriers to showing love? In this thought-provoking exploration of Luke 14, we witness Jesus deliberately stepping into a trap set by religious leaders only to turn their test back on them.
The scene unfolds at a prominent Pharisee's home during a Sabbath meal. Everyone watches intently, hoping to catch Jesus breaking religious law. When confronted with a suffering man with swollen limbs, Jesus poses a piercing question to the legal experts present: "Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath?" Their telling silence speaks volumes about the disconnect between their religious system and genuine compassion.
Through this encounter, Jesus demonstrates that love must supersede rules. He challenges us to examine where our priorities truly lie - in maintaining systems and traditions, or in responding to human suffering with compassion. As he pointedly asks, if your child or even your animal fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn't you rescue them immediately? Why shouldn't the same urgency apply to alleviating human suffering?
The teaching extends beyond healing to transform how we practice hospitality. Jesus observes guests competing for positions of honor and tells a parable about humility. But his most radical challenge comes when he instructs his host to stop inviting friends, relatives, and wealthy neighbors who can return the favor. Instead, "invite the poor, the outcast, the handicapped, the blind - those who could never repay you."
This radical vision of hospitality directly confronts systems that render suffering invisible. It calls us to intentionally see those society overlooks and to "trouble ourselves" on their behalf. We're invited to create "outposts of the kingdom of heaven" in our neighborhoods by considering who's missing from our tables and community.
How might our lives change if we followed Jesus in breaking down social barriers? What healing and transformation could happen if we truly welcomed everyone to our tables? Join us as we explore what it means to practice the radical hospitality of Jesus in today's world.
This podcast is made possible, thanks to the generosity of our donors. If you would like to support the ongoing work of First Love Church you can donate at https://www.firstlovechurch.org/giving
In the service of LOVE,
Pastors Dennis and Heather Drake
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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
.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Good morning everybody.
Welcome to First Love Church inperson.
Thank you guys for being here.
Everybody say yippee, good job.
Thank you guys for being here.
Thank you guys for being here.
If you're online, thank you forbeing here online.
Thank you for watching us.
Thank you for participatingonline.
Thank you for sharing, thankyou for commenting.
Even those little things can allof a sudden affect a bunch of
(00:31):
other things.
Circles overlap and Ocala is acertain size to where, all of a
sudden, you know everybody allthe time, always.
So you know just stuff on thenight that happens too.
So we appreciate you guys there.
So you know just stuff on thenight that happens too.
So we appreciate you guys there.
So did you guys know it's the12th Sunday from Pentecost?
Good, I'm glad that everyone'skeeping track, but the 12th
(00:58):
Sunday of Pentecost has made mereally think about where the
overlap is between where theHoly Spirit wants us to be and
where we're okay to be.
So some people would keep thosethings separate.
Right, the Holy Spirit wants usto be here, but it's okay if
we're where we're at.
Does that make sense?
And I think that kind of tiesinto what the Holy Spirit does
(01:21):
and that's a welcoming,wonderful spirit.
It's a spirit that hashospitality in its nature.
It's a spirit that really doeswelcome everybody who walks.
There is a really uniqueopportunity when we step into
this relationship with the HolySpirit is that we get to do
uncomfortable things.
We get to do things we don'twant to do, and if that sounds
(01:43):
exciting to you, you're in theright place.
If it doesn't sound exciting toyou, perhaps we can invite you
to more opportunities topractice the uncomfortable.
Does that make sense?
If you guys want to know aboutuncomfortable, buckle up.
It's pumpkin spice season atStarbucks.
(02:04):
Okay, it has tripled ourbusiness in one week.
Okay, and there is one drinkthat I have made five times in
one week and every time I makeit it makes me uncomfortable.
It is a Venti hot pumpkin spicelatte.
Venti is 20, 20 ounces.
(02:24):
It is a Venti hot pumpkin spicelatte Venti is 20, 20 ounces.
Okay, this person wants one lessshot of coffee, so less coffee.
And she wants 12 pumps ofpumpkin spice inside of the
drink.
12 pumps of pumpkin spice isroughly 10 ounces.
One shot of espresso is roughlyone ounce, so she's getting 10
ounces of pumpkin spice.
(02:44):
And on Tuesday, when I madethis drink, I was like yuck,
this is gross, I deem this gross.
And then she came back onWednesday and got the exact same
thing and I could do this dancethat we're all doing right now,
going yuck, right.
Or what we could do is we couldpractice something that the Holy
(03:05):
Spirit made me do in thatmoment, which is bless that
person, bless that person, thatthis is the fuel that fuels them
, because we don't know whatfuel fuels people.
Does that make sense?
Because there are people whoare fueled by different things
and there's people who arefueled by the Holy Spirit and
there's people who are not.
Does this all make sense?
We have an opportunity topractice this dance of Holy
(03:27):
Spirit, this uncomfortable,wonderful opportunity to be able
to welcome everybody.
The definition of hospitalityis welcoming everybody, okay,
welcoming friend, welcomingneighbor and welcoming stranger.
And there are a lot of strangepeople who come through the
doors at Starbucks and we haveto welcome them in, regardless
of whatever weird request theyhave.
(03:48):
Amen, okay, I'm done.
You guys want to read with me?
This morning, we're going toread basically, three separate
parts.
Is everybody ready with me?
I had to say that because I hadto remind myself Keep on loving
each other as brothers andsisters.
Don't forget to showhospitality to strangers, for
(04:12):
some of you have entertainedangels without realizing it.
Remember those in prison as ifyou were there yourself.
Remember also those beingministrated as if you felt their
yourself.
Remember also those beingministrated as if you felt their
pain in your own bodies.
Don't love money.
Be satisfied with what you have, for God has said I will never
(04:37):
fail you, I will never abandonyou.
So we can say with confidencethe Lord is my helper, so I will
have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?
Remember your leaders whotaught you the word of God.
Think of the God has come fromtheir lives and follow their
(05:01):
example of faith.
Jesus Christ is the sameyesterday, today and forever,
for this world is not ourpermanent home.
We are looking forward to ahome yet to come.
Therefore, let us offer,through Jesus, a continual
(05:23):
sacrifice of praise to God,proclaiming our allegiance to
his name, and don't forget to dogood and to share with those in
need.
These are sacrifices thatplease God.
Amen, right, okay, would youguys like to welcome my mom and
(05:45):
dad?
Just mom, okay, just mom.
All the applause to my mom.
She loves the applause, sheloves attention.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
I'm grateful that you're here with us today, this
12th Sunday of Pentecost.
I was talking with Sarah beforethe church and she says when is
ordinary time?
And I'm like this is ordinarytime.
There are many different waysto express this particular
season and this is the season ofordinary time, but in our
language we use the wordordinary like plain, or this is
(06:18):
ordinary, and then they'respecial, and in the original
calendar, ordinary meant andstill has this meaning, but is
understood as the most important.
This is the primary, this ishow you build everything on, and
so, in using the language thatwe're doing right now, saying
this is the season of Pentecost,I think for us in this
particular culture, it remindsus this is the season of spirit,
(06:40):
where we practice living in andliving by the Holy Spirit, and
so I'm so grateful again thatwe've been practicing for 12
weeks, attuning ourselves to thesacred spirit, attuning
ourselves, opening ourselves upto how the spirit would speak to
us.
But now that we're in this 12thweek of Pentecost, in this
(07:03):
ordinary time, there's actuallya subset.
There's actually one month herethat is so special.
It starts September the 1st andit goes until October, and I'm
going to invite all of us to payattention to this particular
portion of the year, and this isthe season of creation, and we
pay attention here, fromSeptember October, particularly
(07:26):
to whatever creation witnessesto us.
But there are practices that wedo In this season.
We're supposed to do somethingthat gives back to creation,
something that gives back Well,that could be weeding something
or picking up litter, thingsthat are not supposed to be a
part of creation, but this is apractice that we do for this
particular month that reminds usof this creation that is
(07:49):
continually witnessing to usthat the creation that
continually provides for us, thecreation that continually holds
all of us as God's belovedfamily, and so it's with joy
that we will begin to practicethis and begin to listen to the
creation speak to us of theSpirit.
I'm grateful this morning that,for those of you who are here
(08:13):
in person, you got to sing thehymns with us, and I think that
there is a practice of sacredattunement where we listen to
the attuning work of the Spirittogether in the singing of songs
, and so I hope that you noticestrange birds in your yard, and
by that I don't mean the cranesand the ones that come and sound
like dinosaurs, but I mean, Ihope that you go outside and you
(08:34):
listen to the birds enough,where, if another one flies in
and sings a different song,you'll notice.
And I bless you this season tobe able to listen to this
witness and to allow it toinspire you to this witness and
to allow it to inspire you Again.
I am so grateful to be in yourpresence this morning.
We begin this part of theservice in the lineage of Mary
(08:55):
Magdalene, to whom Jesus said goand tell the story, tell the
brothers what you know.
And so this morning, belovedfamily, I am here to tell the
story.
Clouds break and reveal themoon.
(09:18):
As light spills across thewater, rousing the quiet land,
old roots stir and ancient treesand stone canyons find their
voices.
Island folk emerge fromshelters and whale songs fill
the saltwater evenings.
What began with light isrenewed in radiance and from sea
depth and cavern rise thebreath of earth's joy.
(09:39):
There is hope for us thismorning in remembering that
witness of creation and what itreminds us, what it brings us
into a posture of ancientremembering In this season.
There is a verse of scripture,or a portion of scripture, that
is how the church fathers andmothers have created this time
(10:01):
they were like.
Pay attention to thisparticular scripture during this
month.
We often read Isaiah during themonth of Advent, but in this
month of creation we also readfrom the prophet Isaiah.
This is Isaiah, chapter 32.
I won't read the whole thing,but I encourage you during the
month to at least take a glanceat it or pay attention.
But again, the words of theprophet Isaiah look a righteous
(10:26):
king is coming and honestprinces will rule underneath him
and he will shelter those fromthe storm and the wind and he
will refresh her as a river inthe desert and as a cool shadow
of a large rock in a hot andweary land.
And then everyone who can seewill be looking for God and
(10:50):
those who can hear will listento God's voice.
Even the hotheads among themwill be full of sense and
understanding and those whostammer in uncertainty will
speak plainly.
In that day, ungodly fools willnot be heroes.
Wealthy cheaters will not berespected as outstanding
(11:14):
citizens.
Everyone will recognize theungodly fools for what they are.
They spread lies about our Lordand they deprive the hungry of
food and they give no water tothe thirsty.
And the smooth tricks of theseevil people will be exposed,
including all the lies they useto oppress the poor in the
(11:34):
courts, but good people will begenerous to others and God will
bless them for all they do, andthe palace and the city will be
deserted and the busy towns willbe empty and herds of donkeys
and goats graze upon the hillswhere the watchtowers are Until,
at last, the Spirit of God ispoured out upon them from heaven
(11:56):
, and then the wilderness willbecome a fertile field and the
fertile field will become a lushand fertile forest, and justice
will rule in the wilderness andrighteousness will rule in the
fertile fields, and therighteousness will bring peace
and quiet.
Confidence will fill the landforever and my people will live
(12:17):
in safety, quietly at home, andthey will be at rest.
What a hopeful thought.
What a hopeful thought.
What grace we are reminded ofthat God has a plan of
restoration and that we aspeople are invited into that
(12:38):
plan.
I invite you during this monthto read the entire text if you
want.
But in Isaiah, chapter 32, andwe'll begin to rehearse that and
remind ourselves in any placethat we see wasteland there is a
promise that the spirit iscoming and God is making all
things new, and that is suchincredible hope for us.
(13:00):
I am so grateful again to be inyour presence and to share the
word of the Lord with you.
In Luke's gospel, chapter 14,.
One day, jesus was on his wayto dine with a prominent
religious leader for the Sabbathmeal.
Everyone was watching him tosee if he would heal anyone on
the Sabbath.
This is a setup.
(13:21):
Beloved Jesus is walking into atrap.
This is a setup, and the writerof the story tells us this.
Now, jesus also is a rabbi andhas people following him, but
here's a prominent rabbi.
And so we listened to the storyand it tells us right away that
there's a hierarchy here thatis going to be disturbed, that
(13:41):
Jesus has come and that Jesus issaying there is another way.
But Jesus is invited to thisdinner and there are prominent
people there and everyone waswatching.
Is he going to do what we thinkhe's going to do?
Can we trap him?
And just then, standing infront of him was a man suffering
(14:10):
with his limbs swollen withfluid Beloved.
I think just these two versesshould cause our hearts to break
when we're inviting people todinner and when we're making
plans to figure out who believeswhat or what they do.
There are people sufferingright in front of us and this is
(14:34):
where the attunement to spiritmatters.
Jesus was filled with the HolySpirit, jesus was filled with
God and right here he's beingtested, and right here there is
a man suffering.
Over and over again in thescriptures we see the way of
Jesus is actually to see thesuffering Beloved.
This is the hope of theChristian faith.
(14:56):
We do not turn away from thosewho suffer, but we stand with
and in solidarity with thesuffering and we bring whatever
peace we have, whatever comfortwe have, and we call within us
the power of the Holy Spirit tosoothe, to heal, to bless.
And Jesus asked the experts ofthe law and the Pharisees who
(15:18):
were present I love this aboutJesus they said we're going to
test him, we're going to invitehim to dinner, we're going to
trap him.
And Jesus says now the test isfor you, going to trap him.
And Jesus says now the test isfor you.
Jesus asked the experts of thelaw and the Pharisees who were
present is it permitted withinthe law to heal a man on the
Sabbath day?
(15:38):
Is it right or is it wrong?
The answer is, according to thelaw, no.
If you see someone suffering,it's the Sabbath.
There is no work on that day.
Healing is a work.
Everyone knew that.
And Jesus is asking them wait asecond.
(15:59):
Your laws say is it permittedfor me to heal the man on the
Sabbath day?
Is it right or is it wrong?
And no one dared to answer.
Beloved, sometimes our silenceis the answer.
Be mindful when you are justsilent, there is a leading of
(16:21):
the Spirit to not say something,and that is one thing.
But there is another time whenwe do not speak up for those who
suffer, when we do not healthose who need healing, when we
do not bring justice to thosewho are oppressed, that is
something completely different.
No one dared to answer andJesus turned to the sick man,
(16:42):
took hold of him and releasedhealing to him and then sent him
on his way.
Beloved, right here this manreceived healing, supernatural
healing, from the edema that waskeeping him trapped in his own
body, and the rules told thepeople around him that that
(17:07):
should not have been done.
Jesus reminds us of this truth.
Beloved, love the answer.
Love is higher than any otherthing.
It is unloving to watch someonesuffer and then say but the
rules prevent me from aidingthis person in their suffering.
And Jesus said to all of themI'm sure they felt uncomfortable
(17:29):
at that moment, because I'msure that's not the first time
they saw that man with theswollen limbs.
They may have known him and hisfamily, but they followed their
rules and he stayed insuffering.
And Jesus, in front of them,does a miracle, releases the
healing power of the Holy Spiritinto that person and they are
(17:50):
healed.
And then Jesus says to all ofthem if one of your children or
one of your animals fell into awell, wouldn't you do all you
could to rescue them, even if itwas the Sabbath?
Jesus begins to ask us to useour good brains, our
intelligence, our inner gut tobe able to say if it was one of
(18:13):
mine, I would have demanded thework be done, the rule be set
aside.
And Jesus is reminding us thatwe are all one.
We are a part of each other.
Our children are our children,my children, your children, all
children.
They're our children.
We are a family.
We are humanity.
It is a grace to us.
(18:34):
One of the beautiful benefitsin community is we begin to
expand our capacity to love.
We begin to know people'sstories and our hearts begin to
open toward them and love themand bring peace to them.
Many of you in the churchservice for those who are
present my children are grown,or growing at this particular
(18:57):
time and they're adult men andmy beautiful friends Joni and
Dove have Dwayne and in thehallway last year Joni told me
that she was expecting a babyand I was so excited about this
little person that we had met.
We loved him from the momentthat she said that they were
having a baby.
It was so joyous.
And then she had this beautifulDwayne and Joni and Dove have
(19:20):
brought him to church and to thecommunion table and about I
think it was three weeks ago, Ialmost choked and like fell down
because I saw something soincredibly beautiful.
Dove had I'm not sure Dove orJoni.
One of you had Dwayne with themat the communion line and this
little baby that we heard aboutfrom the very you know, just
(19:42):
like there's a miracle comingand here comes Dwayne and we get
to see him every week and hesings with us and he's just
precious and I want to remindyou, beloved.
This is how the world changes.
But he reached for thecommunion bread and I felt my
knees go weak and I thought whata miracle that I got to see
someone, from the very firsttime they're offered, be in the
(20:04):
house of the Lord, and over andover again.
No, this is what we do.
This is where we go when weneed to be fed, when we need to
be included, when we need to beloved, when we need to be
affirmed, we do it at thecommunion table.
And it's so beautiful, beloved,that we're a part of a
congregation that says everysingle one of us is welcomed at
(20:25):
the table of the Lord.
This is a hospitality that theSpirit offers to us, but we
don't come in together, gathered, singing our songs, without
noticing the people around us.
I love that.
Not only is Dwayne assisted byhis parents to learn how to come
to the table of the Lord, butby everyone who waits, because,
(20:48):
although he wanted to take thebread, he was hesitant and I
thought good for you, little man, look to your parents and to
hear them say, yes, it's okay.
And he didn't take it andthat's okay.
Next time, maybe and all of oureyes will be on him going will
he take communion.
Will he remember and I believe,all of us?
(21:08):
This is a call during thisseason to a very ancient
remembering.
I remember the last time thatmy littles were in our arms
while we were taking communion.
But, beloved, that time doesn'tlast very long.
Very soon they're servingcommunion and hopefully making
more communities out on theirown.
But but that with our eyes, weget to witness community
(21:30):
together.
We get to witness the healingpower of God.
And Jesus says if one of yourchildren and I love that, he
added the animals, becausesometimes you just had it with
your kids, I guess and so he'slike but your dog, but your
animal, but your cat, butwhatever it is that you love,
but your animal, but your cat,but whatever it is that you love
(21:51):
, jesus is saying but if whatyou love fell into a well,
wouldn't you do all you could torestore them?
Yes, because love tells us.
This is what our purpose is isto restore everyone to the
thriving, to the goodness, tothe wholeness that God has
brought to us.
We pause here for a moment tothank you for joining us today.
(22:15):
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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Visit us online atfirstlovechurchorg, reminding
(22:36):
you to like, follow andsubscribe.
And there was nothing theycould say.
All were silenced.
And when Jesus noticed how theguests of the meal were all
vying for the seats of honor, heshared a story with his guests
around the table.
This story is so much abouthospitality In fact, the story
(22:57):
of Jesus is so much abouthospitality Everyone welcomed to
the table of the Lord, everyonewelcomed back home to the
Father, back into oneness, backinto peace.
And Jesus is there.
He's just done this healing ofthis man.
He's just confronted this ideaof how things are.
(23:18):
We have to follow rules and wedon't look at the suffering of
other people, we don't recognizeour own power in the spirit to
bring hope, to bring miracles,to bring peace.
And Jesus begins talking aboutthe hierarchy of the table.
He's watching Again.
If you read the story, look athow many times Jesus just stands
(23:40):
there watching and then, by thespirit, he sees.
He sees the suffering.
He sees the mother who isweeping because she has lost her
son.
He sees families suffering.
He sees a woman who needsassistance and Jesus is there
(24:01):
bringing peace.
This is the way of Jesus.
But Jesus noticed the guestswere vying for seats of honor.
Now, in this culture, I don'tknow that you could imagine that
we ever would behave like this,that someone would be anxious
for something of honor.
But I do want to remind youthat in this culture,
particularly with Rome and thatempire, not only with Rome, but
(24:23):
particularly everything was atrade.
Everything was you do this forme and I'll do this for you, and
the corruption and the evil wasso great and Jesus is
absolutely confronting culturehere.
When you are going to be eatinga meal and Jesus starts telling
this story when you're invitedto an important social function,
(24:47):
do not be quick to sit near thehead of the table choosing the
seat of honor.
What will happen when someonemore distinguished than you
arrives?
The host will then bring himover to where you are sitting
and ask for your seat, saying infront of all the guests you're
(25:07):
in the wrong place.
Please give this person yourseat and, disgraced, you'll have
to take whatever seat is left.
Again, in this culture, thisseating chart was really
important.
Every time there was a bigpublic function, you wanted to
see who was sitting where,because who had the favor of the
emperor, who had the favor ofthat person.
(25:30):
And this is what Jesus isconfronting in all of us.
Ego, this idea of I have toscramble, I have to earn, I have
to make connections.
I want to be first and Jesus isreminding us an ancient
remembering we are loved, eachone of us, worthy enough.
We do not have to play the gamethat empire says that we should
(25:53):
play.
We do not have to say there aresome that are worthy and there
are some that are disgraced.
Jesus is asking us to allow himto heal our eyes, to allow him
to heal our eyes.
Instead, when you're invited toa banquet, you should choose to
sit in the lowest place so thatwhen your host comes and sees
(26:13):
you there, he would say myfriend, come with me and let me
seat you in a better place, andthen, in front of all the other
guests at the banquets, you'llbe honored and seated in the
place of highest respect.
I remind you of Jesus' motherMary, who said oh, this one that
(26:36):
is going to come from God, heis going to drag the proud from
their thrones and he is going tolift up the lowly, the ones who
are meek, the ones who arehumble.
Jesus is coming to exalt them.
But Jesus also is coming toremind us that pride and that
ways that we include each otheronly for our own profit.
(26:58):
That is not how the kingdomworks, and Jesus is reminding us
of the kingdom of God andanother way, a higher way of
living.
Remember this, I remind you.
If Jesus said we should remembersomething, it's a good idea to
rehearse it.
It's a good idea to keep thatkind of in the front of our
(27:23):
memory, of our memory.
Everyone with a lofty opinionof who he is and who seeks to
raise himself up, will behumbled before all, and everyone
with a modest opinion of who heis, chooses to humble himself,
will be raised up before all.
(27:44):
I want you to think about thisin the fact that we know the
rest of the story.
Jesus said take up your crossand come and follow me.
Jesus, the humblest of allpeople, chose to humble himself
and was raised up on a cross.
We, as people, crucified himand God raised him up from the
(28:09):
mess that we left him in.
And this is the hope for all ofus beloved that we would follow
the way of Jesus and that wewould choose humility, that we
would choose not bragging aboutwho we are not being flashy
about who we know or what we cando for someone.
That is not the way of Christ,that is not the way of the
(28:31):
kingdom of heaven.
And the invitation is to love,love that supersedes every law.
The greatest of these is love.
I remind you of 1 Corinthians,chapter 13, where the apostle
tells us that without love,everything I do is just like a
clanging cymbal.
Without love, I am nothing.
And so the invitation of Jesusis into more, is into thriving.
(28:55):
Look what it would be for allof us if we could join in to
this practice of humility, thispractice of humbling ourself,
this practice of making surethat everyone is invited.
And Jesus turned to his host andsaid now, I do want to remind
(29:15):
you that this was a prominentPharisee.
This was someone who had set upa party so that Jesus could be
trapped, could be trapped.
This is someone whose partyinvitation included trapping
Jesus.
I want to remind us it's veryimportant where we put ourselves
(29:40):
in the story, how we see it.
I always want to be the goodguy.
I really do.
I don't want to play thevillain, I don't want to be the
bad guy, but very often, if I'mnot careful, I will miss what
the Spirit is telling me if Iautomatically assume I am the
(30:00):
one that is doing right.
What is it possible that Jesuscould be telling me?
When you throw a banquet, don'tjust invite your friends,
relatives or rich neighbors, forit is likely they will return
the favor.
It is better to invite thosewho never get an invitation.
Jesus said remember this,remember this as people who are
(30:24):
going to practice hospitality,as people who are going to
practice hospitality, as peoplewho are going to practice this
way of living.
It is better to invite thosewho never get an invitation.
Invite the poor to your banquet, along with the outcast, the
handicapped, the blind and thosewho could never repay you the
(30:47):
favor.
This is not a social media planbeloved, not this one.
Jesus is saying this is a planfor how the kingdom of heaven
comes among you.
This is a plan for how thespirit makes all things new.
This is a plan for how theSpirit makes all things new.
(31:08):
This is a plan for the lifethat you want to lead, of
purpose and renewal.
Invite include Invite the poorto your banquet.
(31:29):
Jesus was confronting a systemhere where we wanted to make
sure that we didn't see the poor, that we don't see the
suffering, that we don't see thehomelessness, that we don't see
those who are without and Jesuswas remarking about this and
saying that's wrong.
Those who have less need to bebrought into our tables.
Those who are unfortunate.
We need to take the privilegeor the fortune we have and
(31:51):
extend it on their behalf.
This is the way of Jesus youinvite.
See, a lot of us really wouldlove the fact like if somebody
else could do the inviting thenwe could be off the hook because
they didn't invite.
But I was just invited too, soI didn't really wanna fact like
if somebody else could do theinviting then we could be off
the hook because you know theydidn't invite but I was just
(32:13):
invited too, so I didn't reallywant to.
Let's ask for our plus one.
If I'm coming, can I also bring?
And what is the banquet?
I mean, I love for us to beable to say we don't go to
banquets anymore.
That doesn't happen.
We do beloved all the time,anytime you're gathered around a
table To the church, to thecommunity, what are we doing to
make sure that the poor, theoutcast, the handicapped, the
(32:34):
blind?
How are we making thingsaccessible?
How are we inviting people.
One of the things that I loveabout our particular community
and thank you for everyone whocame out Wednesday to help us
with the feeding is that we arewilling to feed and take on the
responsibility of getting it tothe people who need it.
It's great to be able to say wehave food here, but there are
(32:55):
people who do not have a way toget here for the food so beloved
.
It is our job to take it tothem.
It is our job, when someone isbrokenhearted, to bring peace to
them.
And how do we do that?
We invite them to the banquet.
We invite them to the tablethat jesus is mating making, and
so the hope for all of us isnot just inviting them to this
community, but what communityare you building?
(33:18):
Where is the little outpost ofthe kingdom of heaven that is on
your block, because your houseis there, and who is being
invited to the banquet that youare setting?
Jesus said remember this this isbetter, better than hobnobbing
with those who have.
Jesus said this is the way.
Open your eyes and see thefriendships that can happen
(33:43):
among all of us.
This is the hope for us.
Cosmo and Sherry are here andthey're sitting in the back
today and if you need to knowthem, somebody will direct you
to them.
But they're beautiful and theyare working with Father, thank
(34:04):
you.
And they are cooking onSeptember 18th and if you want
to volunteer to serve the food,there's going to be about 150
meals that need to be served topeople there and they can give
you all the details.
And I just love our servicecommunities.
I love the people here who arewilling to say, yeah, I'll go
(34:24):
and I'll do that.
And I want to tell you thatserving 150 people by yourself
is overwhelming, but together wecould do 150 service meals
easily.
And there are people still inOcala who are hungry.
Beloved.
This should not be.
And while it is, we are goingto feed the people.
(34:45):
I love the story of Jesus.
He had done miracles of feedingand people were coming and they
were hungry.
And then his disciples said toJesus so what are you going to
do about it?
Like, are you going to do amiracle Because the people are
hungry?
We know you can.
Can you feed them?
And Jesus said to Philip notthat, philip, I mean, I'm sure
(35:07):
Jesus speaks to you, but thatwas not the time but Jesus said
to his friend Philip, what's inyour hand, what's in your pouch,
what's in your lunchbox and Ibelieve the spirit of the Lord
is still saying that to us todaywhat is within you?
What do you have that you couldgive?
How can you be a part of thisbetter way of living?
(35:31):
Jesus is reminding us about thehospitality that all of us have
within us, that we would openour tables to everyone, that we
would intentionally invite,choose.
We would intentionally invite,choose, help those who have
needs.
(35:51):
We do that together as acommunity.
But is it even on your radar topay attention to the suffering
person right in front of you?
This is the invitation into abetter way of living.
This is the invitation into God, into oneness.
Jesus prayed for us that wewould be one, the same way that
(36:16):
he and the Father and the Spiritare one, and I want to tell you
where Jesus was.
There were miracles, and theinvitation, beloved, is that we
also, one with God and spirit,would be people of miracles,
that we would be able to see theenlightenment, the eyes that
are being opened because of thelight that is within us.
(36:37):
Beloved, I remind you of whatJesus said you are the light of
the world, you are the mercy.
You are the one who goes outand sees that person doesn't
have an invitation.
Well, I'm inviting.
I also want to remind you ofthe work it takes to invite
someone.
It has to do with intention.
(37:00):
Who will I invite into myfriendship?
Who will I invite into my hope?
Who will I invite into my hope?
There was a lizard yesterday.
It was little.
I can take on the little ones,the ones that are big, I have to
call for someone else's help,but I can do the little ones.
And it had fallen into the pooland it was little, and I went
(37:22):
to get him and as soon as I wentto get him, he swam away.
I thought, dude, you don't havethe stamina for this whole pool
.
I know you think that I'm goingto hurt you, but I'm not.
So then I had to trouble myself.
You heard that right.
I had to trouble myself.
I wasn't prepared to go afterthis little one, but I had seen
it Beloved.
(37:45):
When your eyes are open and youhave seen someone suffering, we
are called to trouble ourselves.
In fact, the scripture saysthis.
God says this to the people ofIsrael.
This is the thing I haveagainst you that you will not
(38:15):
trouble yourself on my behalf.
Now, all of us would say onbehalf of God, I would trouble
myself.
Whatever God wants, whateverJesus wants, I'm there.
And Jesus said whatever you'vedone unto the least of these, my
brother, you have done it to me.
Jesus is asking to be invited toyour banquet.
(38:38):
Jesus is asked to be invited tothe banquets that we all are
throwing, and he's saying I amgoing to be found in the least
of these.
It is better to invite thosewho never get an invitation.
Invite the poor to your banquet, along with the outcast, the
handicapped, the blind, thosewho could never repay you the
(38:59):
favor, and then you willexperience a great blessing in
this life.
And at the resurrection of thegodly, you will receive your
full reward.
Beloved, the things of thisworld, the trophies of this
world will amount to nothing,but at the resurrection of the
(39:21):
godly, you will receive yourfull reward.
Beloved, jesus is challenging usto be people so full of love
and mercy and grace that,everywhere we go, that we would
see suffering, that we would bepeople who have the miracles
with us.
We know a God who is able.
(39:42):
We are people of immenseresources, every single one of
us, maybe not in ourselves, butin who we know and the resources
that we can connect them to andto the table of the Lord.
In fact, one of the biggest,most beautiful and sacred things
that we do every time we'retogether is we honor this
(40:05):
banquet.
We honor this telling.
We remember when we come and wereceive from God's table.
It is an ancient remembering.
Our soul remembers there isenough, that there is abundance
in this world and there is goodstill here and beloved.
(40:26):
We are to be the good Infollowing Jesus.
We are to be people who showour good works, who bring this.
Jesus said I've done thesethings.
Even greater works will you dowhen you go out and see these
things.
In fact, the scripture tells usthis is what you were born for.
There were good works alreadyordained for you Before the
(40:47):
world was formed.
You were put here intentionallyto be people of good works.
We are to be people who likeJesus and see the suffering and
release the spirit into them ofhealing.
And to those who suffer, weinvite them not only to the
table of the Lord but to ourtable Because, beloved, we are
(41:11):
the church, every single one ofus.
Peter said the church of JesusChrist is not made with physical
stones, but each one of usliving stones.
Jesus, the chief cornerstone.
Jesus is who we're followingand beloved.
(41:32):
When you come to the communiontable today, I hope that you
receive from Jesus a vision ofwho you could bring to the
communion table, who you couldsay has forgotten, been excluded
, and you can say I will invite,I will offer you communion with
(41:54):
God, I will offer you communionwith brothers and sisters,
beloved.
Oneness is where we are headed,because Jesus said that is the
plan for us.
As Jesus said that is the planfor us, father, make them one,
as you and I are one, beloved.
This is how the world changes.
(42:14):
We bring everybody into thepresence of divine love.
We all return to the love fromwhich we were formed and we
remember.
Jesus said every time you cometo this table, every time you do
this, do this and remember me.
(42:35):
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
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
.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Good morning everybody.
Welcome to First Love Church inperson.
Thank you guys for being here.
Everybody say yippee, good job.
Thank you guys for being here.
Thank you guys for being here.
If you're online, thank you forbeing here online.
Thank you for watching us.
Thank you for participatingonline.
Thank you for sharing, thankyou for commenting.
Even those little things can allof a sudden affect a bunch of
(00:31):
other things.
Circles overlap and Ocala is acertain size to where, all of a
sudden, you know everybody allthe time, always.
So you know just stuff on thenight that happens too.
So we appreciate you guys there.
So you know just stuff on thenight that happens too.
So we appreciate you guys there.
So did you guys know it's the12th Sunday from Pentecost?
Good, I'm glad that everyone'skeeping track, but the 12th
(00:58):
Sunday of Pentecost has made mereally think about where the
overlap is between where theHoly Spirit wants us to be and
where we're okay to be.
So some people would keep thosethings separate.
Right, the Holy Spirit wants usto be here, but it's okay if
we're where we're at.
Does that make sense?
And I think that kind of tiesinto what the Holy Spirit does
(01:21):
and that's a welcoming,wonderful spirit.
It's a spirit that hashospitality in its nature.
It's a spirit that really doeswelcome everybody who walks.
There is a really uniqueopportunity when we step into
this relationship with the HolySpirit is that we get to do
uncomfortable things.
We get to do things we don'twant to do, and if that sounds
(01:43):
exciting to you, you're in theright place.
If it doesn't sound exciting toyou, perhaps we can invite you
to more opportunities topractice the uncomfortable.
Does that make sense?
If you guys want to know aboutuncomfortable, buckle up.
It's pumpkin spice season atStarbucks.
(02:04):
Okay, it has tripled ourbusiness in one week.
Okay, and there is one drinkthat I have made five times in
one week and every time I makeit it makes me uncomfortable.
It is a Venti hot pumpkin spicelatte.
Venti is 20, 20 ounces.
(02:24):
It is a Venti hot pumpkin spicelatte Venti is 20, 20 ounces.
Okay, this person wants one lessshot of coffee, so less coffee.
And she wants 12 pumps ofpumpkin spice inside of the
drink.
12 pumps of pumpkin spice isroughly 10 ounces.
One shot of espresso is roughlyone ounce, so she's getting 10
ounces of pumpkin spice.
(02:44):
And on Tuesday, when I madethis drink, I was like yuck,
this is gross, I deem this gross.
And then she came back onWednesday and got the exact same
thing and I could do this dancethat we're all doing right now,
going yuck, right.
Or what we could do is we couldpractice something that the Holy
(03:05):
Spirit made me do in thatmoment, which is bless that
person, bless that person, thatthis is the fuel that fuels them
, because we don't know whatfuel fuels people.
Does that make sense?
Because there are people whoare fueled by different things
and there's people who arefueled by the Holy Spirit and
there's people who are not.
Does this all make sense?
We have an opportunity topractice this dance of Holy
(03:27):
Spirit, this uncomfortable,wonderful opportunity to be able
to welcome everybody.
The definition of hospitalityis welcoming everybody, okay,
welcoming friend, welcomingneighbor and welcoming stranger.
And there are a lot of strangepeople who come through the
doors at Starbucks and we haveto welcome them in, regardless
of whatever weird request theyhave.
(03:48):
Amen, okay, I'm done.
You guys want to read with me?
This morning, we're going toread basically, three separate
parts.
Is everybody ready with me?
I had to say that because I hadto remind myself Keep on loving
each other as brothers andsisters.
Don't forget to showhospitality to strangers, for
(04:12):
some of you have entertainedangels without realizing it.
Remember those in prison as ifyou were there yourself.
Remember also those beingministrated as if you felt their
yourself.
Remember also those beingministrated as if you felt their
pain in your own bodies.
Don't love money.
Be satisfied with what you have, for God has said I will never
(04:37):
fail you, I will never abandonyou.
So we can say with confidencethe Lord is my helper, so I will
have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?
Remember your leaders whotaught you the word of God.
Think of the God has come fromtheir lives and follow their
(05:01):
example of faith.
Jesus Christ is the sameyesterday, today and forever,
for this world is not ourpermanent home.
We are looking forward to ahome yet to come.
Therefore, let us offer,through Jesus, a continual
(05:23):
sacrifice of praise to God,proclaiming our allegiance to
his name, and don't forget to dogood and to share with those in
need.
These are sacrifices thatplease God.
Amen, right, okay, would youguys like to welcome my mom and
(05:45):
dad?
Just mom, okay, just mom.
All the applause to my mom.
She loves the applause, sheloves attention.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
I'm grateful that you're here with us today, this
12th Sunday of Pentecost.
I was talking with Sarah beforethe church and she says when is
ordinary time?
And I'm like this is ordinarytime.
There are many different waysto express this particular
season and this is the season ofordinary time, but in our
language we use the wordordinary like plain, or this is
(06:18):
ordinary, and then they'respecial, and in the original
calendar, ordinary meant andstill has this meaning, but is
understood as the most important.
This is the primary, this ishow you build everything on, and
so, in using the language thatwe're doing right now, saying
this is the season of Pentecost,I think for us in this
particular culture, it remindsus this is the season of spirit,
(06:40):
where we practice living in andliving by the Holy Spirit, and
so I'm so grateful again thatwe've been practicing for 12
weeks, attuning ourselves to thesacred spirit, attuning
ourselves, opening ourselves upto how the spirit would speak to
us.
But now that we're in this 12thweek of Pentecost, in this
(07:03):
ordinary time, there's actuallya subset.
There's actually one month herethat is so special.
It starts September the 1st andit goes until October, and I'm
going to invite all of us to payattention to this particular
portion of the year, and this isthe season of creation, and we
pay attention here, fromSeptember October, particularly
(07:26):
to whatever creation witnessesto us.
But there are practices that wedo In this season.
We're supposed to do somethingthat gives back to creation,
something that gives back Well,that could be weeding something
or picking up litter, thingsthat are not supposed to be a
part of creation, but this is apractice that we do for this
particular month that reminds usof this creation that is
(07:49):
continually witnessing to usthat the creation that
continually provides for us, thecreation that continually holds
all of us as God's belovedfamily, and so it's with joy
that we will begin to practicethis and begin to listen to the
creation speak to us of theSpirit.
I'm grateful this morning that,for those of you who are here
(08:13):
in person, you got to sing thehymns with us, and I think that
there is a practice of sacredattunement where we listen to
the attuning work of the Spirittogether in the singing of songs
, and so I hope that you noticestrange birds in your yard, and
by that I don't mean the cranesand the ones that come and sound
like dinosaurs, but I mean, Ihope that you go outside and you
(08:34):
listen to the birds enough,where, if another one flies in
and sings a different song,you'll notice.
And I bless you this season tobe able to listen to this
witness and to allow it toinspire you to this witness and
to allow it to inspire you Again.
I am so grateful to be in yourpresence this morning.
We begin this part of theservice in the lineage of Mary
(08:55):
Magdalene, to whom Jesus said goand tell the story, tell the
brothers what you know.
And so this morning, belovedfamily, I am here to tell the
story.
Clouds break and reveal themoon.
(09:18):
As light spills across thewater, rousing the quiet land,
old roots stir and ancient treesand stone canyons find their
voices.
Island folk emerge fromshelters and whale songs fill
the saltwater evenings.
What began with light isrenewed in radiance and from sea
depth and cavern rise thebreath of earth's joy.
(09:39):
There is hope for us thismorning in remembering that
witness of creation and what itreminds us, what it brings us
into a posture of ancientremembering In this season.
There is a verse of scripture,or a portion of scripture, that
is how the church fathers andmothers have created this time
(10:01):
they were like.
Pay attention to thisparticular scripture during this
month.
We often read Isaiah during themonth of Advent, but in this
month of creation we also readfrom the prophet Isaiah.
This is Isaiah, chapter 32.
I won't read the whole thing,but I encourage you during the
month to at least take a glanceat it or pay attention.
But again, the words of theprophet Isaiah look a righteous
(10:26):
king is coming and honestprinces will rule underneath him
and he will shelter those fromthe storm and the wind and he
will refresh her as a river inthe desert and as a cool shadow
of a large rock in a hot andweary land.
And then everyone who can seewill be looking for God and
(10:50):
those who can hear will listento God's voice.
Even the hotheads among themwill be full of sense and
understanding and those whostammer in uncertainty will
speak plainly.
In that day, ungodly fools willnot be heroes.
Wealthy cheaters will not berespected as outstanding
(11:14):
citizens.
Everyone will recognize theungodly fools for what they are.
They spread lies about our Lordand they deprive the hungry of
food and they give no water tothe thirsty.
And the smooth tricks of theseevil people will be exposed,
including all the lies they useto oppress the poor in the
(11:34):
courts, but good people will begenerous to others and God will
bless them for all they do, andthe palace and the city will be
deserted and the busy towns willbe empty and herds of donkeys
and goats graze upon the hillswhere the watchtowers are Until,
at last, the Spirit of God ispoured out upon them from heaven
(11:56):
, and then the wilderness willbecome a fertile field and the
fertile field will become a lushand fertile forest, and justice
will rule in the wilderness andrighteousness will rule in the
fertile fields, and therighteousness will bring peace
and quiet.
Confidence will fill the landforever and my people will live
(12:17):
in safety, quietly at home, andthey will be at rest.
What a hopeful thought.
What a hopeful thought.
What grace we are reminded ofthat God has a plan of
restoration and that we aspeople are invited into that
(12:38):
plan.
I invite you during this monthto read the entire text if you
want.
But in Isaiah, chapter 32, andwe'll begin to rehearse that and
remind ourselves in any placethat we see wasteland there is a
promise that the spirit iscoming and God is making all
things new, and that is suchincredible hope for us.
(13:00):
I am so grateful again to be inyour presence and to share the
word of the Lord with you.
In Luke's gospel, chapter 14,.
One day, jesus was on his wayto dine with a prominent
religious leader for the Sabbathmeal.
Everyone was watching him tosee if he would heal anyone on
the Sabbath.
This is a setup.
(13:21):
Beloved Jesus is walking into atrap.
This is a setup, and the writerof the story tells us this.
Now, jesus also is a rabbi andhas people following him, but
here's a prominent rabbi.
And so we listened to the storyand it tells us right away that
there's a hierarchy here thatis going to be disturbed, that
(13:41):
Jesus has come and that Jesus issaying there is another way.
But Jesus is invited to thisdinner and there are prominent
people there and everyone waswatching.
Is he going to do what we thinkhe's going to do?
Can we trap him?
And just then, standing infront of him was a man suffering
(14:10):
with his limbs swollen withfluid Beloved.
I think just these two versesshould cause our hearts to break
when we're inviting people todinner and when we're making
plans to figure out who believeswhat or what they do.
There are people sufferingright in front of us and this is
(14:34):
where the attunement to spiritmatters.
Jesus was filled with the HolySpirit, jesus was filled with
God and right here he's beingtested, and right here there is
a man suffering.
Over and over again in thescriptures we see the way of
Jesus is actually to see thesuffering Beloved.
This is the hope of theChristian faith.
(14:56):
We do not turn away from thosewho suffer, but we stand with
and in solidarity with thesuffering and we bring whatever
peace we have, whatever comfortwe have, and we call within us
the power of the Holy Spirit tosoothe, to heal, to bless.
And Jesus asked the experts ofthe law and the Pharisees who
(15:18):
were present I love this aboutJesus they said we're going to
test him, we're going to invitehim to dinner, we're going to
trap him.
And Jesus says now the test isfor you, going to trap him.
And Jesus says now the test isfor you.
Jesus asked the experts of thelaw and the Pharisees who were
present is it permitted withinthe law to heal a man on the
Sabbath day?
(15:38):
Is it right or is it wrong?
The answer is, according to thelaw, no.
If you see someone suffering,it's the Sabbath.
There is no work on that day.
Healing is a work.
Everyone knew that.
And Jesus is asking them wait asecond.
(15:59):
Your laws say is it permittedfor me to heal the man on the
Sabbath day?
Is it right or is it wrong?
And no one dared to answer.
Beloved, sometimes our silenceis the answer.
Be mindful when you are justsilent, there is a leading of
(16:21):
the Spirit to not say something,and that is one thing.
But there is another time whenwe do not speak up for those who
suffer, when we do not healthose who need healing, when we
do not bring justice to thosewho are oppressed, that is
something completely different.
No one dared to answer andJesus turned to the sick man,
(16:42):
took hold of him and releasedhealing to him and then sent him
on his way.
Beloved, right here this manreceived healing, supernatural
healing, from the edema that waskeeping him trapped in his own
body, and the rules told thepeople around him that that
(17:07):
should not have been done.
Jesus reminds us of this truth.
Beloved, love the answer.
Love is higher than any otherthing.
It is unloving to watch someonesuffer and then say but the
rules prevent me from aidingthis person in their suffering.
And Jesus said to all of themI'm sure they felt uncomfortable
(17:29):
at that moment, because I'msure that's not the first time
they saw that man with theswollen limbs.
They may have known him and hisfamily, but they followed their
rules and he stayed insuffering.
And Jesus, in front of them,does a miracle, releases the
healing power of the Holy Spiritinto that person and they are
(17:50):
healed.
And then Jesus says to all ofthem if one of your children or
one of your animals fell into awell, wouldn't you do all you
could to rescue them, even if itwas the Sabbath?
Jesus begins to ask us to useour good brains, our
intelligence, our inner gut tobe able to say if it was one of
(18:13):
mine, I would have demanded thework be done, the rule be set
aside.
And Jesus is reminding us thatwe are all one.
We are a part of each other.
Our children are our children,my children, your children, all
children.
They're our children.
We are a family.
We are humanity.
It is a grace to us.
(18:34):
One of the beautiful benefitsin community is we begin to
expand our capacity to love.
We begin to know people'sstories and our hearts begin to
open toward them and love themand bring peace to them.
Many of you in the churchservice for those who are
present my children are grown,or growing at this particular
(18:57):
time and they're adult men andmy beautiful friends Joni and
Dove have Dwayne and in thehallway last year Joni told me
that she was expecting a babyand I was so excited about this
little person that we had met.
We loved him from the momentthat she said that they were
having a baby.
It was so joyous.
And then she had this beautifulDwayne and Joni and Dove have
(19:20):
brought him to church and to thecommunion table and about I
think it was three weeks ago, Ialmost choked and like fell down
because I saw something soincredibly beautiful.
Dove had I'm not sure Dove orJoni.
One of you had Dwayne with themat the communion line and this
little baby that we heard aboutfrom the very you know, just
(19:42):
like there's a miracle comingand here comes Dwayne and we get
to see him every week and hesings with us and he's just
precious and I want to remindyou, beloved.
This is how the world changes.
But he reached for thecommunion bread and I felt my
knees go weak and I thought whata miracle that I got to see
someone, from the very firsttime they're offered, be in the
(20:04):
house of the Lord, and over andover again.
No, this is what we do.
This is where we go when weneed to be fed, when we need to
be included, when we need to beloved, when we need to be
affirmed, we do it at thecommunion table.
And it's so beautiful, beloved,that we're a part of a
congregation that says everysingle one of us is welcomed at
(20:25):
the table of the Lord.
This is a hospitality that theSpirit offers to us, but we
don't come in together, gathered, singing our songs, without
noticing the people around us.
I love that.
Not only is Dwayne assisted byhis parents to learn how to come
to the table of the Lord, butby everyone who waits, because,
(20:48):
although he wanted to take thebread, he was hesitant and I
thought good for you, little man, look to your parents and to
hear them say, yes, it's okay.
And he didn't take it andthat's okay.
Next time, maybe and all of oureyes will be on him going will
he take communion.
Will he remember and I believe,all of us?
(21:08):
This is a call during thisseason to a very ancient
remembering.
I remember the last time thatmy littles were in our arms
while we were taking communion.
But, beloved, that time doesn'tlast very long.
Very soon they're servingcommunion and hopefully making
more communities out on theirown.
But but that with our eyes, weget to witness community
(21:30):
together.
We get to witness the healingpower of God.
And Jesus says if one of yourchildren and I love that, he
added the animals, becausesometimes you just had it with
your kids, I guess and so he'slike but your dog, but your
animal, but your cat, butwhatever it is that you love,
but your animal, but your cat,but whatever it is that you love
(21:51):
, jesus is saying but if whatyou love fell into a well,
wouldn't you do all you could torestore them?
Yes, because love tells us.
This is what our purpose is isto restore everyone to the
thriving, to the goodness, tothe wholeness that God has
brought to us.
We pause here for a moment tothank you for joining us today.
(22:15):
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
people just like you.
If you would like to supportthe ongoing work of First Love
Church and the continued work ofour podcast.
Visit us online atfirstlovechurchorg, reminding
(22:36):
you to like, follow andsubscribe.
And there was nothing theycould say.
All were silenced.
And when Jesus noticed how theguests of the meal were all
vying for the seats of honor, heshared a story with his guests
around the table.
This story is so much abouthospitality In fact, the story
(22:57):
of Jesus is so much abouthospitality Everyone welcomed to
the table of the Lord, everyonewelcomed back home to the
Father, back into oneness, backinto peace.
And Jesus is there.
He's just done this healing ofthis man.
He's just confronted this ideaof how things are.
(23:18):
We have to follow rules and wedon't look at the suffering of
other people, we don't recognizeour own power in the spirit to
bring hope, to bring miracles,to bring peace.
And Jesus begins talking aboutthe hierarchy of the table.
He's watching Again.
If you read the story, look athow many times Jesus just stands
(23:40):
there watching and then, by thespirit, he sees.
He sees the suffering.
He sees the mother who isweeping because she has lost her
son.
He sees families suffering.
He sees a woman who needsassistance and Jesus is there
(24:01):
bringing peace.
This is the way of Jesus.
But Jesus noticed the guestswere vying for seats of honor.
Now, in this culture, I don'tknow that you could imagine that
we ever would behave like this,that someone would be anxious
for something of honor.
But I do want to remind youthat in this culture,
particularly with Rome and thatempire, not only with Rome, but
(24:23):
particularly everything was atrade.
Everything was you do this forme and I'll do this for you, and
the corruption and the evil wasso great and Jesus is
absolutely confronting culturehere.
When you are going to be eatinga meal and Jesus starts telling
this story when you're invitedto an important social function,
(24:47):
do not be quick to sit near thehead of the table choosing the
seat of honor.
What will happen when someonemore distinguished than you
arrives?
The host will then bring himover to where you are sitting
and ask for your seat, saying infront of all the guests you're
(25:07):
in the wrong place.
Please give this person yourseat and, disgraced, you'll have
to take whatever seat is left.
Again, in this culture, thisseating chart was really
important.
Every time there was a bigpublic function, you wanted to
see who was sitting where,because who had the favor of the
emperor, who had the favor ofthat person.
(25:30):
And this is what Jesus isconfronting in all of us.
Ego, this idea of I have toscramble, I have to earn, I have
to make connections.
I want to be first and Jesus isreminding us an ancient
remembering we are loved, eachone of us, worthy enough.
We do not have to play the gamethat empire says that we should
(25:53):
play.
We do not have to say there aresome that are worthy and there
are some that are disgraced.
Jesus is asking us to allow himto heal our eyes, to allow him
to heal our eyes.
Instead, when you're invited toa banquet, you should choose to
sit in the lowest place so thatwhen your host comes and sees
(26:13):
you there, he would say myfriend, come with me and let me
seat you in a better place, andthen, in front of all the other
guests at the banquets, you'llbe honored and seated in the
place of highest respect.
I remind you of Jesus' motherMary, who said oh, this one that
(26:36):
is going to come from God, heis going to drag the proud from
their thrones and he is going tolift up the lowly, the ones who
are meek, the ones who arehumble.
Jesus is coming to exalt them.
But Jesus also is coming toremind us that pride and that
ways that we include each otheronly for our own profit.
(26:58):
That is not how the kingdomworks, and Jesus is reminding us
of the kingdom of God andanother way, a higher way of
living.
Remember this, I remind you.
If Jesus said we should remembersomething, it's a good idea to
rehearse it.
It's a good idea to keep thatkind of in the front of our
(27:23):
memory, of our memory.
Everyone with a lofty opinionof who he is and who seeks to
raise himself up, will behumbled before all, and everyone
with a modest opinion of who heis, chooses to humble himself,
will be raised up before all.
(27:44):
I want you to think about thisin the fact that we know the
rest of the story.
Jesus said take up your crossand come and follow me.
Jesus, the humblest of allpeople, chose to humble himself
and was raised up on a cross.
We, as people, crucified himand God raised him up from the
(28:09):
mess that we left him in.
And this is the hope for all ofus beloved that we would follow
the way of Jesus and that wewould choose humility, that we
would choose not bragging aboutwho we are not being flashy
about who we know or what we cando for someone.
That is not the way of Christ,that is not the way of the
(28:31):
kingdom of heaven.
And the invitation is to love,love that supersedes every law.
The greatest of these is love.
I remind you of 1 Corinthians,chapter 13, where the apostle
tells us that without love,everything I do is just like a
clanging cymbal.
Without love, I am nothing.
And so the invitation of Jesusis into more, is into thriving.
(28:55):
Look what it would be for allof us if we could join in to
this practice of humility, thispractice of humbling ourself,
this practice of making surethat everyone is invited.
And Jesus turned to his host andsaid now, I do want to remind
(29:15):
you that this was a prominentPharisee.
This was someone who had set upa party so that Jesus could be
trapped, could be trapped.
This is someone whose partyinvitation included trapping
Jesus.
I want to remind us it's veryimportant where we put ourselves
(29:40):
in the story, how we see it.
I always want to be the goodguy.
I really do.
I don't want to play thevillain, I don't want to be the
bad guy, but very often, if I'mnot careful, I will miss what
the Spirit is telling me if Iautomatically assume I am the
(30:00):
one that is doing right.
What is it possible that Jesuscould be telling me?
When you throw a banquet, don'tjust invite your friends,
relatives or rich neighbors, forit is likely they will return
the favor.
It is better to invite thosewho never get an invitation.
Jesus said remember this,remember this as people who are
(30:24):
going to practice hospitality,as people who are going to
practice hospitality, as peoplewho are going to practice this
way of living.
It is better to invite thosewho never get an invitation.
Invite the poor to your banquet, along with the outcast, the
handicapped, the blind and thosewho could never repay you the
(30:47):
favor.
This is not a social media planbeloved, not this one.
Jesus is saying this is a planfor how the kingdom of heaven
comes among you.
This is a plan for how thespirit makes all things new.
This is a plan for how theSpirit makes all things new.
(31:08):
This is a plan for the lifethat you want to lead, of
purpose and renewal.
Invite include Invite the poorto your banquet.
(31:29):
Jesus was confronting a systemhere where we wanted to make
sure that we didn't see the poor, that we don't see the
suffering, that we don't see thehomelessness, that we don't see
those who are without and Jesuswas remarking about this and
saying that's wrong.
Those who have less need to bebrought into our tables.
Those who are unfortunate.
We need to take the privilegeor the fortune we have and
(31:51):
extend it on their behalf.
This is the way of Jesus youinvite.
See, a lot of us really wouldlove the fact like if somebody
else could do the inviting thenwe could be off the hook because
they didn't invite.
But I was just invited too, soI didn't really wanna fact like
if somebody else could do theinviting then we could be off
the hook because you know theydidn't invite but I was just
(32:13):
invited too, so I didn't reallywant to.
Let's ask for our plus one.
If I'm coming, can I also bring?
And what is the banquet?
I mean, I love for us to beable to say we don't go to
banquets anymore.
That doesn't happen.
We do beloved all the time,anytime you're gathered around a
table To the church, to thecommunity, what are we doing to
make sure that the poor, theoutcast, the handicapped, the
(32:34):
blind?
How are we making thingsaccessible?
How are we inviting people.
One of the things that I loveabout our particular community
and thank you for everyone whocame out Wednesday to help us
with the feeding is that we arewilling to feed and take on the
responsibility of getting it tothe people who need it.
It's great to be able to say wehave food here, but there are
(32:55):
people who do not have a way toget here for the food so beloved
.
It is our job to take it tothem.
It is our job, when someone isbrokenhearted, to bring peace to
them.
And how do we do that?
We invite them to the banquet.
We invite them to the tablethat jesus is mating making, and
so the hope for all of us isnot just inviting them to this
community, but what communityare you building?
(33:18):
Where is the little outpost ofthe kingdom of heaven that is on
your block, because your houseis there, and who is being
invited to the banquet that youare setting?
Jesus said remember this this isbetter, better than hobnobbing
with those who have.
Jesus said this is the way.
Open your eyes and see thefriendships that can happen
(33:43):
among all of us.
This is the hope for us.
Cosmo and Sherry are here andthey're sitting in the back
today and if you need to knowthem, somebody will direct you
to them.
But they're beautiful and theyare working with Father, thank
(34:04):
you.
And they are cooking onSeptember 18th and if you want
to volunteer to serve the food,there's going to be about 150
meals that need to be served topeople there and they can give
you all the details.
And I just love our servicecommunities.
I love the people here who arewilling to say, yeah, I'll go
(34:24):
and I'll do that.
And I want to tell you thatserving 150 people by yourself
is overwhelming, but together wecould do 150 service meals
easily.
And there are people still inOcala who are hungry.
Beloved.
This should not be.
And while it is, we are goingto feed the people.
(34:45):
I love the story of Jesus.
He had done miracles of feedingand people were coming and they
were hungry.
And then his disciples said toJesus so what are you going to
do about it?
Like, are you going to do amiracle Because the people are
hungry?
We know you can.
Can you feed them?
And Jesus said to Philip notthat, philip, I mean, I'm sure
(35:07):
Jesus speaks to you, but thatwas not the time but Jesus said
to his friend Philip, what's inyour hand, what's in your pouch,
what's in your lunchbox and Ibelieve the spirit of the Lord
is still saying that to us todaywhat is within you?
What do you have that you couldgive?
How can you be a part of thisbetter way of living?
(35:31):
Jesus is reminding us about thehospitality that all of us have
within us, that we would openour tables to everyone, that we
would intentionally invite,choose.
We would intentionally invite,choose, help those who have
needs.
(35:51):
We do that together as acommunity.
But is it even on your radar topay attention to the suffering
person right in front of you?
This is the invitation into abetter way of living.
This is the invitation into God, into oneness.
Jesus prayed for us that wewould be one, the same way that
(36:16):
he and the Father and the Spiritare one, and I want to tell you
where Jesus was.
There were miracles, and theinvitation, beloved, is that we
also, one with God and spirit,would be people of miracles,
that we would be able to see theenlightenment, the eyes that
are being opened because of thelight that is within us.
(36:37):
Beloved, I remind you of whatJesus said you are the light of
the world, you are the mercy.
You are the one who goes outand sees that person doesn't
have an invitation.
Well, I'm inviting.
I also want to remind you ofthe work it takes to invite
someone.
It has to do with intention.
(37:00):
Who will I invite into myfriendship?
Who will I invite into my hope?
Who will I invite into my hope?
There was a lizard yesterday.
It was little.
I can take on the little ones,the ones that are big, I have to
call for someone else's help,but I can do the little ones.
And it had fallen into the pooland it was little, and I went
(37:22):
to get him and as soon as I wentto get him, he swam away.
I thought, dude, you don't havethe stamina for this whole pool
.
I know you think that I'm goingto hurt you, but I'm not.
So then I had to trouble myself.
You heard that right.
I had to trouble myself.
I wasn't prepared to go afterthis little one, but I had seen
it Beloved.
(37:45):
When your eyes are open and youhave seen someone suffering, we
are called to trouble ourselves.
In fact, the scripture saysthis.
God says this to the people ofIsrael.
This is the thing I haveagainst you that you will not
(38:15):
trouble yourself on my behalf.
Now, all of us would say onbehalf of God, I would trouble
myself.
Whatever God wants, whateverJesus wants, I'm there.
And Jesus said whatever you'vedone unto the least of these, my
brother, you have done it to me.
Jesus is asking to be invited toyour banquet.
(38:38):
Jesus is asked to be invited tothe banquets that we all are
throwing, and he's saying I amgoing to be found in the least
of these.
It is better to invite thosewho never get an invitation.
Invite the poor to your banquet, along with the outcast, the
handicapped, the blind, thosewho could never repay you the
(38:59):
favor, and then you willexperience a great blessing in
this life.
And at the resurrection of thegodly, you will receive your
full reward.
Beloved, the things of thisworld, the trophies of this
world will amount to nothing,but at the resurrection of the
(39:21):
godly, you will receive yourfull reward.
Beloved, jesus is challenging usto be people so full of love
and mercy and grace that,everywhere we go, that we would
see suffering, that we would bepeople who have the miracles
with us.
We know a God who is able.
(39:42):
We are people of immenseresources, every single one of
us, maybe not in ourselves, butin who we know and the resources
that we can connect them to andto the table of the Lord.
In fact, one of the biggest,most beautiful and sacred things
that we do every time we'retogether is we honor this
(40:05):
banquet.
We honor this telling.
We remember when we come and wereceive from God's table.
It is an ancient remembering.
Our soul remembers there isenough, that there is abundance
in this world and there is goodstill here and beloved.
(40:26):
We are to be the good Infollowing Jesus.
We are to be people who showour good works, who bring this.
Jesus said I've done thesethings.
Even greater works will you dowhen you go out and see these
things.
In fact, the scripture tells usthis is what you were born for.
There were good works alreadyordained for you Before the
(40:47):
world was formed.
You were put here intentionallyto be people of good works.
We are to be people who likeJesus and see the suffering and
release the spirit into them ofhealing.
And to those who suffer, weinvite them not only to the
table of the Lord but to ourtable Because, beloved, we are
(41:11):
the church, every single one ofus.
Peter said the church of JesusChrist is not made with physical
stones, but each one of usliving stones.
Jesus, the chief cornerstone.
Jesus is who we're followingand beloved.
(41:32):
When you come to the communiontable today, I hope that you
receive from Jesus a vision ofwho you could bring to the
communion table, who you couldsay has forgotten, been excluded
, and you can say I will invite,I will offer you communion with
(41:54):
God, I will offer you communionwith brothers and sisters,
beloved.
Oneness is where we are headed,because Jesus said that is the
plan for us.
As Jesus said that is the planfor us, father, make them one,
as you and I are one, beloved.
This is how the world changes.
(42:14):
We bring everybody into thepresence of divine love.
We all return to the love fromwhich we were formed and we
remember.
Jesus said every time you cometo this table, every time you do
this, do this and remember me.
(42:35):
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
online at firstlovechurchorg.
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