November 8, 2024 • 43 mins
Have you ever wondered why our expectations of divine intervention often clash with a greater purpose? Join us on a thought-provoking journey as we unpack the beautiful complexity of trusting a divine plan that transcends our understanding. Drawing inspiration from the life of Jesus and his disciples, we explore how our desires for worldly assurance often conflict with the path laid before us—a journey marked by faith, humility, and diverse partnerships. Together, we’ll reflect on personal stories and the courage it takes to take the next step, even when the end is not in sight.
Imagine a life led by service rather than power, where love and humility are the guiding forces. This episode poses a paradigm shift in leadership, challenging traditional notions of success. By recounting transformative experiences, we illustrate how embodying the spirit of servanthood can lead to profound personal growth, particularly in relationships and community life. Delve into stories where acts of selfless service and generosity redefine greatness, echoing the timeless teachings of Jesus. Our discussions reveal how love, the heartbeat of God's kingdom, can transform lives and communities.
Let the stories of spontaneous kindness and generous hearts inspire you to become an instrument of love. Envision the communion table as a symbol of grace and open arms, welcoming all to partake in a life marked by service and compassion. Through poignant anecdotes, we uncover the power of showing up for others, especially in their moments of uncertainty, and how these acts can serve as an answer to unspoken prayers. Together, we explore the sacred opportunity to let grace permeate our lives and interactions, encouraging a world where every encounter is touched by divine love.
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
.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Where in our lives are we really wanting God to
just, you know, bust some skullsor rule with this iron fist or
rule in the way that systems andgovernments work in this realm?
And he said no, no, you don'tunderstand, it's totally
different.
But yet we're always trying tocram God into our way of doing
(00:36):
things and we want it to happen.
And he's offering a differentpath.
And I see that, and every timeI get off base, it's when I'm
trying to work my way or thesystem that was handed to me in
this world, that there's a paththat God is inviting you to that
(00:57):
is different, amen.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
And that's what we want to talk about a little bit
today.
When we're listening to thedisciples here, have this
conversation now, this is thetwo of them.
They've pulled Jesus aside.
Can you do us a favor?
When you come into your glory,we want to be on either side of
you.
And Jesus says to them youdon't have a clue what you're
asking for.
(01:22):
I just want to remind you whenwas Jesus in the most glory?
When he was on that cross?
They did not want to be theones on either side.
They did not want to do that.
And again Jesus begins talkingabout these kind of things.
But they have ideas about howit's going to be done and for
many of us we do the same thing.
I have a friend whose favoriteprayer and bless her is fix it
(01:47):
Jesus.
That's her prayer foreverything.
She's like fix it Jesus, fix itJesus.
Which is great, and it's kindof funny.
And then it I look at her allthe time ago yeah, but what are
we gonna do, you and me?
Because it's great to say fixit Jesus, but where are the
loaves and fishes in our hands?
What are we going to do?
Yeah, and I was listening to afriend the other day it it was
right after the storm and all ofus were kind of on this
heightened place of almostanxiety.
You could feel it in your bodylike we are watching, like hawks
(02:10):
, you know, for any kind of newsor what we can do to prepare.
We felt, I think, so vulnerableas a people.
And there is a portion ofscripture where Jesus teaches
and he says when you haveanxiety, consider the lilies of
the field and how beautiful theyare, consider the birds of the
air.
But my friend had a prayer andshe wrote it to me and she said,
lord Jesus, you said, considerthe lilies of the field.
(02:31):
I have and it's not helping.
And I thought what a truthfulprayer, what a truthful prayer.
But here's why it's not helpingBecause we are attached to a
different outcome.
The invitation is consider thelilies of the field, look at the
James Webb telescope, look atcreation and remind yourself we
(02:52):
are loved.
God has a plan.
And Jesus said to them you don'thave a clue what you're asking
for.
Are you prepared to drink fromthe cup of suffering that I am
about to drink and are you ableto endure the baptism of death
that I am about to drink, andare you able to endure the
baptism of death that I am aboutto experience?
I mean, jesus is being verywhat seems to us plain, but
we're here in history and weknow what's happened and these
(03:15):
people have not.
So Jesus is saying things likeI'm going to die, and they're
like yeah, yeah, yeah, okay onwith the fact that we're when
your kingdom is established, andhe's saying to them are you
able to endure this same kind ofbaptism?
He's giving reference here alsoto John the Baptist, because
Jesus was baptized into the wayof John the Baptist.
This way of you do what's rightand your head might be handed
(03:38):
to someone else on a platter.
This is the way of of the world, and Jesus is telling them
there is a different plan.
But Jesus' rebuke of them isyou don't even have a clue what
you're asking for.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
You know, I want to really challenge you on that
idea that you don't have a clue.
You know, could you maybeconsider that might be true, and
that's okay, you know, becauseall you need to do is know the
next step, and that is by theunction of the Holy Spirit, yes,
and for us to really trust thatthe Holy Spirit will show you
(04:12):
the next thing.
You know, I couldn't havepossibly known, you know, when I
was 21, 22 years old and I metHeather, that the partnership
that her and I could form andjust how desperately I needed
the kind of personality that shedaily aggravates me with this
(04:35):
is true, beloved.
And how could she have knownthat she needed all this?
Speaker 1 (04:42):
This is also true, but it's true.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I mean, oftentimes people see, you know Heather's
gifts and they wonder, you know,or they just kind of go good,
good job tagging along.
But you know, there's thingsabout the both of us that you
know.
I have that tendency andwillingness to jump pretty much
at any time and Heather has atendency to jump never.
So there's that, that, thatpartnership that helps hold me
(05:05):
back sometimes but helps get herto move when she maybe never
would.
You know, and and her abilityto help me hold my tongue is
beautiful.
But my willingness to go aheadand step out and do those things
, so that partnership, how couldwe have known anything other
than to take the next step inthat partnership?
And how could we have known thekind of family that we could
(05:26):
have and the kind of churchfamily that we could have when
we were sitting aroundfrustrated in Chicago, knowing
that there was something that wehad to step out into but having
no idea what it was?
But we didn't need to know theultimate plan.
And even now there's who knowswhere this will go?
But there's a place now oftrust, of going.
I only need to know and andlearn to really trust.
(05:50):
And what is that next step?
What's the next breath, what'sthe next word?
You know, and for you thatmight seem like too much of a
risk, but I tell you it is inthe following god.
That is, that is what isbeautiful, and really to embrace
the idea.
You know, I don't really have agood plan.
(06:11):
You know, or or I have no ideawhat I'm doing really.
I mean, every plan I have, it'syour plan, it's as good as you
can come with, or would you wantto allow God to impart to you,
you know, a plan that is muchmore well thought out, much more
well provided for in provisionand whatnot, and so there really
(06:36):
has to be that you know kind ofwillingness to shift, you know,
from I know what I going to door you know what I don't, and
that's okay because I can trustthe next step.
And you know, could we get tothat place, anyone?
Could you?
Do you see the invitation?
(06:57):
Do you see the beauty of it?
Speaker 1 (06:59):
And they replied yes, we are able.
Yeah, real quickly, before theyeven knew what they were
talking about.
Yes, we are able.
And Jesus said to them you willcertainly drink from the cup of
my sufferings and be immersedinto my death, but to have you
sit in the position of highesthonor is not mine to decide.
It is reserved for those whomgrace has prepared them to have
(07:22):
it Now.
The other 10 disciples overheardthis and they became angry and
began to criticize Jacob andJohn.
And so they were like this isnot how you do it.
You don't take them aside.
And then you guys get the bestseats or you guys get to be the
prime ministers.
We're in this together.
You don't get more power thanwe get.
That's not how it works.
And they begin to be angry.
(07:48):
And this is this invitation intothis beautiful look at how
humanity works, what it lookslike in families, what it looks
like in cities, what it lookslike in countries, what it looks
like to be part of the humanfamily.
When we hear someone else isgetting or what they think is
getting ahead.
It then tells us that we willnot have what we need.
It provides a fear in us thatmakes us angry.
(08:08):
Well, if they get something,then that means I won't have and
beloved.
I need to tell you a truth thatthere is a God who is abundant
in mercy and grace and provisionand all of the things.
There is no scarcity in God.
So because someone else isblessed does not mean that then
you will then do without.
There is a scarcity in God, sobecause someone else is blessed
does not mean that then you willthen do without.
There is a hope for us inpaying attention to this.
(08:29):
And then, of course, what theybegin to do is criticize.
So be mindful of that too.
This is not the way of Jesus.
But they begin to criticizetheir brothers and I think
probably they're a little upsetthat they got it in first.
They may have had their ownplans to ask, but these two got
it first.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You know, I was convinced when I first got saved
that if I could just, you know,get out of the secular world
and work at a church, thenthings would be so heavenly, I'd
be around Christian people andit would just be amazing, you
know.
And then it come to find outevery time you get in a place
where there's positions, there'speople jockeying for said
(09:08):
positions and there's peoplewilling to flush anyone they can
flush in order to get a littlebit more of a leg up.
And I was devastated when I sawit in the church because I
thought for sure this would notexist.
But it's not a problem in thechurch, it's a problem in the
hearts of mankind, amen.
I was talking to a man lastnight at the wedding that I was
(09:30):
doing and he was saying one ofthe hard things about his
secular life, not because he wasin military for six years.
And he said you know, Iprepared the Black Hawk
helicopters for flight and thenI rode with them and he goes do
you know, forgetting somethingcould cost my brothers and
(09:50):
sisters on that helicopter theirlives.
So he goes, I'd look atsomething and if I wasn't, if I
had some feeling, I'd asksomebody else look at this is
this and he goes.
And we just depended on eachother and we just looked out for
each other, for our very lives,and he goes.
And he goes because I asked himhow he was doing in his new
secular found world.
(10:11):
Because it's so hard to watchpeople just phone it in for a
paycheck or just not care aboutanyone but themselves.
And you know, I've had uhoutlaw bikers come into this
church and give their hearts tothe Lord, and ex-military people
and I've seen those people bethe most beautiful Christians
(10:32):
because they kind of justunderstand, hey, we're about the
collective here.
You know, those bikers look outfor themselves, you look out
for each other.
I mean, you know them, theirgroup there, and I find that so
much of the times we we'remissing that in in church and so
and so understand that that's aproblem in our heart or in the
(10:53):
heart of mankind, that we'reworried about someone else
getting a better position.
Oh, wait a minute.
You know, if you, if you workeduh an hour and I all day, why
are we getting the same pay?
This is addressed so many timesin Scripture.
But for us to really I love thatvideo on the Internet Worry
(11:15):
About Yourself, rose.
I don't know if you've seenthat little girl in the back
seat trying to tell the dad howto drive.
Worry about yourself, rose.
You need to worry aboutyourself and and and just allow.
Know that god's going to takecare of it.
And it's so, so easy to getdistracted by the peripheral
(11:36):
somebody's getting a betterposition at a job.
Well, sometimes that's betterthat they move up and move on,
so that so that God can bringyou to the place.
Or maybe that was never eventhe goal and the plan, but you
thought that would be the be-all, end-all if you could be stuck
in that little place for therest of your life when God has
so much more for you.
So there's that place of trustwhen we stop worrying about the
(12:00):
only thing you should reallyworry about is if the people
around you have enough to eatand if they're doing all right,
not worried about them gettingmore than us.
And so that's what we're seeinghere as reminding us again in
Scripture.
That is the nature of us, butGod is giving us what A new
nature.
Amen.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Jesus begins to see this might be a problem, and so
he does what Jesus does hegathers them all together.
So remind yourself when therefeels like division, when it
feels like maybe you can't see,to gather yourself together and
go.
What would Jesus teach us to do?
So Jesus says to them thoserecognized as rulers of the
people and those who are in topleadership positions rule
(12:42):
oppressively over their subjects, but this is not the example
that you are to follow.
Now this is to us the samecharge what example are you
following?
Whose example are you following?
Is Jesus your rabbi, yourteacher?
Are you following the spirit ofGod?
This becomes something of abeautiful recheck or reset for
(13:07):
us to be able to say who is theexample that I am following,
into a life that is abundant andfull.
Jesus said I have come that thecaptives would be set free.
I have come to liberate thosewho are bound.
I have come to bring freedomand I have come that you would
have life to the full.
This is the hope for all of usand this, if we are following
(13:32):
Jesus, leads us to re-center orto have an eye exam and say who
am I following?
Maybe I need to pay attentionto this.
We had a situation last weekwhere somebody was following us
and we have a kind of a nondescript car, just a silver
minivan, and they startedfollowing someone else because
it was also another car likeours and we had no way to get in
(13:53):
touch with them and we werejust thinking to ourselves we
hope it's good wherever they endup, because and I see that
sometimes like if we don't knowwho we're following beloved
that's why we have to look toJesus.
We have to look to thescriptures to show us who Jesus
is, that Jesus is God and Jesusis light and love and spirit.
And if we find the way of love,then we have found the way of
(14:15):
Christ.
In fact, in 1 John, john saysthis he said God is love and
whoever loves is born of God andknows God.
If you do not love, then you donot know God.
No-transcript.
You are to lead by a differentmodel, and here is where Jesus
(14:36):
is healing their sight.
Here is where Jesus is askingus.
You are going to have to bepeople who look differently.
You're following a differentplan.
Your lives are not going to bethe same.
You are not going to make thesame choices because you're
following a different model.
Now, here is where all of usremind ourselves that our
allegiance is to the kingdom ofGod, to the kingdom of love, to
(14:57):
the kingdom of love that Jesustold us about and said that it's
here, available to us as closeas our very breath.
If you want to be the greatestone, then live as one called to
serve others, beloved.
This is the Jesus way, thislife of service, this way of
saying I'm going to bring myselflow in order that God would
(15:18):
lift me up, but this idea isrevolutionary.
Still this day, 2000 yearslater, and people are trying to
make plans on how they can exaltthemselves.
And Jesus said hey, my way isgoing to be live as one called
to serve everyone.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
You know I'm going to say something that might be a
little offensive or difficult,but I want you to hear my heart
and hear what I'm saying.
You know, over the years,heather and I have had
relationships with people thatare kind of like-minded and
like-experienced, you know.
And so we, as a young couplewith young babies, had friends
(15:55):
with young couples with youngbabies and of course, our kids
got older and then new youngones came along and we've had
several friends that have beenlike oh, I'm so glad when the
kids get out of the house so wecan get our life back and we can
start doing the things we wantto do.
And in fact I had severalpeople say to do and and in fact
(16:16):
I had several people say to meand and, heather, when silas was
born, oh, I feel so sorry foryou.
You were almost out and thenthey put you back in.
And I'm like and and I wassuper offended and to this day
I'm super offended that youwould say that you would not
celebrate the fact that I get tohave a relationship with Silas
(16:37):
and I get a second chance atdadding, and it has just been
the delight of my life to findout that the greatest, the most
well-kept secret in the world isbeing an old dad, and I didn't
know that that was going to be athing and that I would love it
so much.
But my point to you is that Isee people viewing, you know,
(16:59):
that season as something thatyou get past and then you get
something back.
And then there's been a few oddballs in my life that have been
a different example that, andtwo of them happen to be here
today.
Uh, pastor lee and carol matson, and I, I watched them continue
to serve and, in fact, I wouldalmost say, maybe serve more.
(17:23):
And and I and I've come torealize that us having children
was just training ground for forus to learn what it is to serve
, because everybody before youhad kids.
You were busy, do you rememberthat?
And you just didn't have timeand you just didn't know how you
could possibly do what you wereasked to do by anybody else.
(17:44):
And all of a sudden you havechildren and you go oh, my god,
I am not going to sleep again.
What you know and this personis just needs for their entire
life.
And you go, you level up severallevels on the serving ladder
and, just by by, you know you're, you're forced into it and then
(18:08):
that thing really produces inus, hopefully, the idea that we
can serve and give way more thanwe thought we could and that
there's a potential through love, because that's what causes
mama to get up in the middle ofnight and dad to do to do that
Right.
It's just that overwhelming.
I love that, that child and andand.
(18:29):
So if that becomes the trainingground, how can we for the rest
of our lives and that's what Iwant to challenge you that, uh,
that that there's a new way ofleading, it's different, it's
not getting older to well, well,now I get this position and all
these old kids can come backand praise me for keeping them
alive, and now they serve me andtake care of me.
But no, now I'm warming up tohow can I now serve them as they
(18:54):
have children, and how can I beselfless to a whole other level
?
Amen.
I didn't think you'd get toomany amens, but that's some good
stuff and I want to ask youhave you considered how can I
become more Christ-like?
Or are we trying to winsomething back, Because there's
no backseas on that?
Speaker 1 (19:15):
No, there are no backseas.
That's good, I'm on that.
No, there are no backseas.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
That's good.
I'm just digging myself deeper,so I'm going to quit, but it's
good right.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
We have people make solicitation calls to the church
because our number is publishedand they want to sell us things
as a church all the time.
And some of it's laughablebecause I know who we are and
they're like we want you to beable to have this because it's
for your platform and we wantyour platform to be the platform
that everybody looks at andthat you have all the attention.
I said, well, there is noplatform in our church.
(19:45):
And they're like why?
I'm like?
Because we intended it that way, because we're not above
anybody else.
And then they'll call andthey'll say you have to have
this particular service.
And they're like because youdon't want to be the one
cleaning up.
And I'm like but I am the onecleaning up and I do want to be
the one.
And though I sometimesappreciate help, there is this
idea that to be someone who isfollowing Jesus means our life
(20:06):
is service.
Our life is service not just toourselves, but to the world, to
people who don't deserve, or atleast first of all, we should
get the idea of deserving out ofour head, but like people who
don't deserve or at least firstof all we should get the idea of
deserving out of our head, butlike people who don't contribute
to us.
In fact, dietrich Bonhoeffersaid that the church exists for
those outside of the church,that we become together, that we
become loving, that we becomethe people that God has us to do
(20:28):
, not just for us, but so thatus includes everyone.
So there are no divisions, sothat where unity is that the
Lord commands the blessing.
But he says if you want to bethe greatest, then live as one
called to serve others.
But I had this gentleman callthe other day and he said I need
you to have this curriculum ofleadership and you need to teach
it to your people becauseeverybody needs to know that the
(20:49):
way of God is that we would allbe leaders.
And I said to him I'm a littleconfused because I was just
studying this week about we'reall called to be servants and he
goes well, this curriculum willnot fit you.
And I said I did not think so.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I appreciate your time because this curriculum is
not for a life of service, butthis is the curriculum that
Jesus offered to us service foreveryone that all of us would
become so willing to say what isin my hand and how can I offer
it I do want to say, though,that you know, throughout the
years, people have told heatherand I how to have a big church
(21:22):
yes, they have, and I was likeyou've got to get away from
doing that.
You got to delegate all thisstuff and I, and I will say to
you you know, in truth, you know, I don't know if you, if you
wonder, like, how did thebathrooms get clean?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
but 99 of the time pastor heather does that and
when they're not cleaned, it'sbecause I haven't got it.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
So, lord, have mercy and and you know, and the things
that break get I I love to andwilling to fix those and and a
lot of people will look and say,well, that you know that's
that's wrong.
You know that that's not howyou build a big church, but I
personally think god shouldbuild the church yes, this is
the church of us, with ourschemes, not of us and I think
(21:59):
that god requires that kind ofwillingness for us to.
You know, I've been in ministrya long time, longer than I've
not been in ministry and I, Istill want to and don't feel
above you that I, that youshould be the one who's fixing
things or cleaning up orwhatever, that that, that, as
long as Heather and I have thetime and the strength and the
(22:21):
ability to do it, if you want tocome help, I'm not saying you
can't, but what I am saying isthat why do we try to position
ourselves out of service orsomehow get the idea that that
is the life, that that you'reshooting for when laying your
life down?
There could be no greaterexample than Christ laying his
(22:43):
life down for us and we kind ofsniffing around for another path
.
Do you think there's anotherpath to a healthy relationship
than you laying everything downTo really connecting with your
children?
You know, long haul it's.
It's laying our uh, our, ourlife down and and granted, it's
not a big shout hallelujahmessage, but and it might make
(23:06):
some people aggravated, but it'struth and you know in your
heart it is and then, andthere's nothing more beautiful
than when you can justselflessly serve those people
that you say that you love, butwhat an awesome thing to really
love them in that capacity toserve their needs.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
That's a hallelujah moment.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
All right, we'll take it.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
The path to promotion and prominence comes by having
the heart of a bond slave whoserves everyone.
This is the invitation.
This is how we ascend.
This is what Jesus is asking usto do.
The path to this other way ofthinking, to understand the way
of God, is by having a heart ofa bond slave who serves everyone
(23:53):
.
For even the Son of man did notcome expecting to be served by
everyone, and this is a goodmind shift for all of us,
because we're like he's Jesus.
We should do this for him.
And Jesus is saying I don'tcome expecting you to serve me,
I come to serve you.
And this is beautiful about ourGod who bends low, who comes to
(24:15):
be with us in our humanity, whocomes to be with us in our
struggles.
God with us, for the Son of mandid not come expecting to be
served by everyone, but to serveeveryone and to give his life
as the ransom price in exchangefor the salvation of many.
In exchange for the salvationof many.
(24:38):
Oh, what a beautiful hope thatJesus was intending to give his
own life for our salvation, forus.
And this is the pattern, then,and this is what we do when we
follow the way of Jesus.
There's an ancient rabbinicblessing and it says may you
always be covered in the dust ofyour rabbi.
And what it means is and again,if you understand this, it was
(25:00):
a very dusty place, this ancientIsrael that you would be
following him so closely thathis dust, from where he was
walking, would be kicked up onyou.
And may you be covered in thedust of your rabbi, your teacher
.
And this is the hope for us.
If we will allow God's spirit,if we will allow the spirit of
God to teach us, to lead us.
(25:21):
May we always be covered in thedust of spirit.
May we always be people whoco-create this beautiful world
that Jesus is offering us.
But I am here to remind us thismorning this formation that we
are being offered is to beformed into the image of Christ.
Not to be formed into the imageof Christ, not to be formed
into the image of our cultureand whatever says that.
(25:41):
This is what success looks like.
In fact, paul says this to usbe renewed, be transformed by
the changing of your mind.
Beloved, come before the throne, come before Jesus and allow
Jesus to change your mind aboutthings, allow him to heal your
sight so that you can actuallysee what is available, what is
(26:01):
there and how the kingdomactually loves.
We pause here for a moment tothank 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
people just like you.
If you would like to supportthe ongoing work of First Love
(26:22):
Church and the continued work ofour podcast, visit us online at
firstlovechurchorg, remindingyou to like, follow and
subscribe.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
You know, one of the most beautiful things about you
and I as human beings is that wehave the ability to change
Change our minds.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Change our actions, you know, because a dog was born
a dog and it's going to die adog.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
You may learn some tricks.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Along the way, but they're dog tricks because it's
a dog, do you know?
It is a dog trick and I'mtelling you that that's
beautiful about you and it'sjust amazing.
You know, I I think about whenheather and I first got married
and and I see it when we counsel, and it's just, I think it's, I
(27:09):
think it's the average way thata human being evolves, but I
just couldn't help but feel atsome level in competition with
her.
Like you know, she was wrongand so I needed to tell her she
was wrong.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
I need to help her because you're a kind of
generous person you know you'rejust wrong on this.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I know I'm right and so that our conflicts become my
passionate desire to correct her.
And she knew she was right andso she was going to just tell me
how.
You know, and we're doing thisthing to try to win from the
other person.
You know, and when you do that,you both lose.
(27:45):
You know, and you try to makeyour point.
You try to strive for thatindividuality and you try to
strive to get some respect.
You know, if I just got somerespect, or you just could trust
me, or you know, and we juststand on these things that we
feel like we really need andthis invitation to a different
way of thinking, that the beautyof being a human being is that
(28:07):
we can do things differently,and it's that place of that I
know that Heather and I haveshifted in our marriage where if
we're trying to outdo oneanother and top one another,
it's it's in serving each otherand you have to lay down the
accounts of of what's owed to meor or how much I did.
(28:30):
A servant wakes up and servesDoesn't say well, I served
enough yesterday, that I'm done.
You're a servant If you'll buyinto that as a life and your
relationships with your children, you know, and it doesn't mean
that it has to be reciprocal,because you're a servant, you're
(28:55):
just going to serve.
There's something that happenedwith Heather and I that we said
that we would just pastorwhoever God sent.
And a lot of my pastor friendssaid well, if they ain't part of
your sheepfold, if they ain'tgiven, tell them to get on down
the road.
We did not.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
We did not say that I'm like, well, somehow that
don't make sense to me becauseI'm given an opportunity to
minister.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I'm not so busy that I can't minister to you because
I'm ministering to somebody else.
So when people come on my path,heather and I just decided
we're going to minister towhoever, whether they're there
for that moment, they're part ofour group and and that our
family just has this idea we'regoing to serve people.
And then I couldn't figure outbut how every month our bills
(29:45):
get paid and our family seems tobe happy and living in some
kind of weird bubble.
And then it kind of dawned onme, mcfly, after a little while,
that boy, you just make thisarrangement with God that you'll
just serve, and it's not likeI'm going to serve you.
(30:05):
So you better kick up.
You know, I want a taste ofeverything you make because I
helped you one time.
It's free and somehow, throughthe weirdest ways, god gets
resources to our family and welive way better than we should,
way better than we deserve, andwe live in that place and and
we're just deciding that and andit's caught on, our kids live
(30:28):
that way.
And now in other countries,katherine could be, could be
doing anything.
No one has to know.
She's a pastor's kid, no onehas to know she.
But when the church said we'rehaving a conference and we need
people to serve in thechildren's class, you know what
happened to her heart?
It was stirred because she's,that's who she is, and so there
(30:53):
she could have been quiet.
But she, you know, but there'ssomething, and and watch her,
watch god, just bless her withthe, the life that that she has,
and watch that happen to you ifyou'll just lay down that
accounting that you have.
Well, if it wasn't done to meback then, no, no, you know.
Now, I'm not saying that yougive and pour into an abusive
relationship If you're unsafe oryou're.
(31:16):
You know, I'm not talking aboutthat.
That's not a servant, that is aslave or a victim.
Right, you know I'm not sayingthat.
But I'm talking about, you know, when you feel like you've done
enough and you know, and sowe've gotten into some
accounting there, and what wecan say is, no, I am a servant
(31:37):
and I'm amping this thing up andI'm excited about serving my
kids, and for a while I had thisidea well, I'll do this for a
while and it'll catch on andthey'll start pushing me out of
the way and doing that, and thenI'm like well, even if
something like that neverhappens, it's my privilege while
they're at my house.
That I did to bless and god isso merciful and so good.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
If you don't have children that are your own, he
gives you the children of theworld.
There is somebody's childaround, and not just children,
it's people.
We can serve each other, andone of the ways that we practice
this and we're aware of this iswe every week, we come and we
celebrate the sacrament of holycommunion.
Every week we come and we saywe are going to wait together
(32:17):
and we're going to sit at thismystery, at this table that love
has heaped up for us.
Every week, we're going to comeand we're going to give
financially.
We're going to do these thingsEvery week, we're going to pray
together.
Every week we're going to allowJesus to be formed in our sight
and in us.
And even if you don't havelittle ones in your house that
you are practicing serving,there are other people, anyone
(32:39):
who has need.
In fact, we were looking atthis a few weeks ago.
The idea of the poor inscripture is written from the
beginning to the very end.
It is a big concern for God.
In fact, it is the thing thatGod cares about the most is who
will take care of the poor, butin our particular culture, we
like to rate things we're likewell, how poor are they?
You, in our particular culture,we like to rate things we're
like well, how poor are they?
You know like?
What kind of poor are they?
And we want to see if someoneis deserving or not.
(32:59):
And the poor, literally in thetranslation, just means someone
who has a need, someone who hasa need.
That means all of us have aneed.
In fact, I have a need, youhave a need, all of us.
And Jesus said, blessed arethose who are poor in spirit.
And so Jesus is reminding usthat the invitation into a
formed life, into a discipleship, into a person who is
(33:21):
experiencing their humanity andalso their divinity and
following the spirit of God, isa person who will serve and who
will serve the world.
And if you're asking yourself,then who do I serve?
Look around you and who has aneed and who has a need, that's
something that you can do.
Maybe it's holding the door forsomeone.
It can be as simple as that.
(33:41):
Maybe it's listening to someone, maybe it's praying for someone
.
Do the things that are in yourhand to do, but be aware of the
fact that this is the path tofollowing Jesus.
You are to lead by a differentmodel.
If you want to be the greatestin God's kingdom, then live as
one called to serve others.
(34:03):
This is the intention.
One of the things we do in HolyCommunion together is we serve
others.
Part of our service is justwaiting waiting for someone else
to receive what they have fromthe Lord.
Part of our service is holdingthe space, the space to be able
to say this is what it lookslike for all of us to come with
a need and to meet with the HolyOne, to meet with the Spirit of
(34:26):
God, to hear a good word aboutourselves and about where we
belong.
We bring our broken hearts tothe Lord and Jesus meets us at
the table, the broken-heartedGod who weeps with us.
This is the invitation for usto live differently, to follow
the way of Christ.
In 2 Corinthians, paul iswriting to the group of people
(34:49):
and he said here's my point Astingy sower will reap a meager
harvest, but the one who sowsfrom a generous spirit will reap
an abundant harvest.
Let giving flow from your heart, not from a sense of religious
duty.
Let it spring up freely, justfrom the joy of giving all,
because God loves hilariousgenerosity.
(35:11):
Yes, god is more than ready tooverwhelm you with every form of
grace so that you will havemore than enough of everything.
Every moment and every way, hewill make you overflow with
abundance in every good thingyou do.
Just as the scripture says aboutthe one who trusts in him
(35:32):
because he is sown extravagantlyand given to the poor, his
kindness and generous deeds willnever be forgotten.
This generous God, who suppliesabundant seed for the farmer,
which becomes bread for ourmeals, is even more extravagant
toward you.
First he supplies every needplus more, and then he
(35:53):
multiplies the seed as you sowit.
So the harvest of yourgenerosity will grow.
You will be abundantly enrichedin every way as you give
generously on every occasion,for when you take your gifts to
those in need, it causes many togive thanks to God.
This is the hope for us thatthe table that love has set for
(36:16):
us is an invitation for us topractice here and then go into
the whole world with anabundance in our life,
remembering that the generousGod who gave us our very breath,
who gives us the ability to getwealth, who gives us the
ability to find answers toquestions, who gives us the
ability to live differently,that God is offering a life in
(36:42):
the kingdom, god's good kingdom,for those who will follow the
way of spirit.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
You know, many of you guys know that I've done
stand-up comedy for a while andthrough doing that I met a guy
and he kind of I watched himkind of transform his.
You know, in that world there'sa lot of people that are really
kind of anti-God, you know, andhe was, you know, stirring a
relationship with God throughnavigating it through that and,
(37:10):
you know, not taking any creditfor it, but, as you know,
relationship with him throughthe navigating it through that
and and you know, not taking anycredit for it, but, as you know
, relationship with him andencouraging him.
You know he he came to thischurch and was baptized and uh,
and so I was driving downyesterday to do his wedding and
he's getting married.
He got married, you know,yesterday and, and so you know
they're, they're not a part ofour church, but that's I pastor
(37:33):
them when the opportunity isthere.
You know, and it's just amazinghow god puts that and and uh,
and so I want to challenge youin that, like you know, when
there's an opportunity to serve,those are the people.
You know, it's not like I'msigning up.
I will serve these people ifyou want to serve god's people.
All people are god's people.
And so just you know, if youknow, it's not like I'm signing
up I will serve these people.
(37:53):
If you want to serve god'speople, all people are god's
people.
And so just you know, if youlimit it, then you'll limit the
blessings that god can gothrough you, the way god can use
you.
I mean, either limit it ordon't.
I would recommend not, you know,and and so I left for that
wedding and of course I leftlate because I was trying to get
some stuff done for today forchurch, and then the car needed
(38:13):
gas.
So I get over there and I'mputting the gas in the car and
all of a sudden the lady next tome said Sir, you know, could
you help me?
I'm trying to get down to Tampaand I have no gas and I'm nine
months pregnant.
She was out to here and I said,absolutely she she said just a
little bit would help me.
So much, you know.
And so I, uh, you know, put mycard in, was doing that, and I
(38:37):
just went around and I put thecard in and filled her uh, gas
up and was talking to her andfinishing mine up and and
getting that, and then shewatched and hers was ringing up
and she goes oh, don't put thatmuch, I'm not asking you for
that.
And I said well, you know, Iwon't, I'll fill it up for you.
You know, and honestly I I lookat it like at that moment that's
(38:59):
not my money, it was her money,that I had, that I happen to
have and I'm a steward ofbecause we had it, but it's.
But just because you have itdoesn't mean it's yours and it's
, you know but but it doesn'tmean you can't have it either.
It's just kind of it's.
But just because you have itdoesn't mean it's yours and it's
, you know, but but it doesn'tmean you can't have it either.
It's just kind of it's a it'schanging the frame of, of kind
of how you exist, because I'mnot everybody's pastor but at
(39:21):
any moment I might be somebody'spastor and I happen to be her
servant and her pastor at thattime and and she, uh, you know,
she was talking to me and I wastalking to her and I just said,
I said I just, you know, she wastalking to me and I was talking
to her and I just said, I saidI just.
She said I don't want you to dothat.
I said no, you're my sister andI love you and, more
(39:42):
importantly, jesus loves you.
And she was so overwhelmed bygetting that full tank of gas
that she's standing at the pumpjust weeping and it was so and
the smile on her face and it wasso beautiful and it was so
authentic.
You know, you couldn't havecreated that, you know, like a
(40:04):
fake if you tried, and it wasjust a beautiful moment of kind
of navigating through life andyou don't have to go hunt it
down and you can just kind ofexist and watch opportunities
show up, but don't, but don'tmiss them, you know, don't blow
past them.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
I just want to share one thing, because I thought you
were going to share the storyabout your other friend at
Austin's.
Dennis was in working somecomedy, doing some comedy
routines, and I would go withhim and just sit there while
they all did stand up, and onetime I put my bag in something
and the entire shelf on thiscoffee house fell down.
Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, allthese games.
And we look at that.
(40:44):
And he was very embarrassed.
He was like I'm sorry and hejust needed to get that mean, to
get to that, but that's, youknow, not happening at his
coffee shop, like everythingjust fell over.
So middle of the week, dennisshows up with an entire trailer,
all new wood.
He comes in there, he's goingto start fixing these shelves
and the owner says to him I gotto go outside, I was already
outside and he starts having afit in the alley and his fit is
(41:07):
this Do not, do not, do not.
And he's yelling like this Donot do this to me, lord, he goes
, you and I have an agreement,he goes.
No, he goes.
You stay over there, I stayover here.
You don't care for me, I don'tcare for you, you stay there and
you don't come here.
And he's mad and he doesn'tknow.
I'm sitting out there and he'sfurious and he's in the alley
(41:28):
and he's pacing and he's angryat God and he said don't you do
this, don't you bring help to me, when I know that's not who you
are.
But you know, beloved all of us.
When you said that, you heardhis heart.
What he had experienced in hislife, what he had told himself
was that God did not care.
But when Dennis pulls up with atrailer and wooden shelves now
(41:48):
beloved, that's not foreverybody.
Dennis pulls up with a trailerand wooden shelves Now beloved
that's not for everybody, butfor this man he said don't come
here, don't make me hope thatthat is who you are.
So then he's standing therecrying and then we're standing
praying in the alley going thisis really who God is, because if
you have wooden broken shelves,you might need a guy who knows
how to fix wooden broken shelvesand sometimes you don't have
(42:11):
the time or the space or theskills or the resources to do it
but you need someone and thatbeloved is the body of Christ.
Very often we need to show upand we are someone else's answer
to prayer.
We are someone and maybe theydon't even know how to pray.
Maybe they're praying likethese two jokers in the earlier
part.
Give us the right side and theleft side of you in the earlier
(42:31):
part.
Give us the right side and theleft side of you, you know like
they're praying the wrong way.
And so he's praying.
Stay over there.
Don't encroach on what I know.
And really what he needs is allthe love of Christ to come and
to be with him.
And that is the communion tablefor us.
Beloved, we come.
We didn't set this table, jesusdid, and Jesus said everyone's
welcome and at this table youwill be seen and at this table,
(42:53):
love will encroach on what yousaid or how far you allow God to
come.
But there is a grace for us atthe table and in our practices
of generosity to go.
What are we allowing Jesus toreframe for us?
How will we let him heal oureyesight?
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's sermon.
(43:13):
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):
Where in our lives are we really wanting God to
just, you know, bust some skullsor rule with this iron fist or
rule in the way that systems andgovernments work in this realm?
And he said no, no, you don'tunderstand, it's totally
different.
But yet we're always trying tocram God into our way of doing
(00:36):
things and we want it to happen.
And he's offering a differentpath.
And I see that, and every timeI get off base, it's when I'm
trying to work my way or thesystem that was handed to me in
this world, that there's a paththat God is inviting you to that
(00:57):
is different, amen.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
And that's what we want to talk about a little bit
today.
When we're listening to thedisciples here, have this
conversation now, this is thetwo of them.
They've pulled Jesus aside.
Can you do us a favor?
When you come into your glory,we want to be on either side of
you.
And Jesus says to them youdon't have a clue what you're
asking for.
(01:22):
I just want to remind you whenwas Jesus in the most glory?
When he was on that cross?
They did not want to be theones on either side.
They did not want to do that.
And again Jesus begins talkingabout these kind of things.
But they have ideas about howit's going to be done and for
many of us we do the same thing.
I have a friend whose favoriteprayer and bless her is fix it
(01:47):
Jesus.
That's her prayer foreverything.
She's like fix it Jesus, fix itJesus.
Which is great, and it's kindof funny.
And then it I look at her allthe time ago yeah, but what are
we gonna do, you and me?
Because it's great to say fixit Jesus, but where are the
loaves and fishes in our hands?
What are we going to do?
Yeah, and I was listening to afriend the other day it it was
right after the storm and all ofus were kind of on this
heightened place of almostanxiety.
You could feel it in your bodylike we are watching, like hawks
(02:10):
, you know, for any kind of newsor what we can do to prepare.
We felt, I think, so vulnerableas a people.
And there is a portion ofscripture where Jesus teaches
and he says when you haveanxiety, consider the lilies of
the field and how beautiful theyare, consider the birds of the
air.
But my friend had a prayer andshe wrote it to me and she said,
lord Jesus, you said, considerthe lilies of the field.
(02:31):
I have and it's not helping.
And I thought what a truthfulprayer, what a truthful prayer.
But here's why it's not helpingBecause we are attached to a
different outcome.
The invitation is consider thelilies of the field, look at the
James Webb telescope, look atcreation and remind yourself we
(02:52):
are loved.
God has a plan.
And Jesus said to them you don'thave a clue what you're asking
for.
Are you prepared to drink fromthe cup of suffering that I am
about to drink and are you ableto endure the baptism of death
that I am about to drink, andare you able to endure the
baptism of death that I am aboutto experience?
I mean, jesus is being verywhat seems to us plain, but
we're here in history and weknow what's happened and these
(03:15):
people have not.
So Jesus is saying things likeI'm going to die, and they're
like yeah, yeah, yeah, okay onwith the fact that we're when
your kingdom is established, andhe's saying to them are you
able to endure this same kind ofbaptism?
He's giving reference here alsoto John the Baptist, because
Jesus was baptized into the wayof John the Baptist.
This way of you do what's rightand your head might be handed
(03:38):
to someone else on a platter.
This is the way of of the world, and Jesus is telling them
there is a different plan.
But Jesus' rebuke of them isyou don't even have a clue what
you're asking for.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
You know, I want to really challenge you on that
idea that you don't have a clue.
You know, could you maybeconsider that might be true, and
that's okay, you know, becauseall you need to do is know the
next step, and that is by theunction of the Holy Spirit, yes,
and for us to really trust thatthe Holy Spirit will show you
(04:12):
the next thing.
You know, I couldn't havepossibly known, you know, when I
was 21, 22 years old and I metHeather, that the partnership
that her and I could form andjust how desperately I needed
the kind of personality that shedaily aggravates me with this
(04:35):
is true, beloved.
And how could she have knownthat she needed all this?
Speaker 1 (04:42):
This is also true, but it's true.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I mean, oftentimes people see, you know Heather's
gifts and they wonder, you know,or they just kind of go good,
good job tagging along.
But you know, there's thingsabout the both of us that you
know.
I have that tendency andwillingness to jump pretty much
at any time and Heather has atendency to jump never.
So there's that, that, thatpartnership that helps hold me
(05:05):
back sometimes but helps get herto move when she maybe never
would.
You know, and and her abilityto help me hold my tongue is
beautiful.
But my willingness to go aheadand step out and do those things
, so that partnership, how couldwe have known anything other
than to take the next step inthat partnership?
And how could we have known thekind of family that we could
(05:26):
have and the kind of churchfamily that we could have when
we were sitting aroundfrustrated in Chicago, knowing
that there was something that wehad to step out into but having
no idea what it was?
But we didn't need to know theultimate plan.
And even now there's who knowswhere this will go?
But there's a place now oftrust, of going.
I only need to know and andlearn to really trust.
(05:50):
And what is that next step?
What's the next breath, what'sthe next word?
You know, and for you thatmight seem like too much of a
risk, but I tell you it is inthe following god.
That is, that is what isbeautiful, and really to embrace
the idea.
You know, I don't really have agood plan.
(06:11):
You know, or or I have no ideawhat I'm doing really.
I mean, every plan I have, it'syour plan, it's as good as you
can come with, or would you wantto allow God to impart to you,
you know, a plan that is muchmore well thought out, much more
well provided for in provisionand whatnot, and so there really
(06:36):
has to be that you know kind ofwillingness to shift, you know,
from I know what I going to door you know what I don't, and
that's okay because I can trustthe next step.
And you know, could we get tothat place, anyone?
Could you?
Do you see the invitation?
(06:57):
Do you see the beauty of it?
Speaker 1 (06:59):
And they replied yes, we are able.
Yeah, real quickly, before theyeven knew what they were
talking about.
Yes, we are able.
And Jesus said to them you willcertainly drink from the cup of
my sufferings and be immersedinto my death, but to have you
sit in the position of highesthonor is not mine to decide.
It is reserved for those whomgrace has prepared them to have
(07:22):
it Now.
The other 10 disciples overheardthis and they became angry and
began to criticize Jacob andJohn.
And so they were like this isnot how you do it.
You don't take them aside.
And then you guys get the bestseats or you guys get to be the
prime ministers.
We're in this together.
You don't get more power thanwe get.
That's not how it works.
And they begin to be angry.
(07:48):
And this is this invitation intothis beautiful look at how
humanity works, what it lookslike in families, what it looks
like in cities, what it lookslike in countries, what it looks
like to be part of the humanfamily.
When we hear someone else isgetting or what they think is
getting ahead.
It then tells us that we willnot have what we need.
It provides a fear in us thatmakes us angry.
(08:08):
Well, if they get something,then that means I won't have and
beloved.
I need to tell you a truth thatthere is a God who is abundant
in mercy and grace and provisionand all of the things.
There is no scarcity in God.
So because someone else isblessed does not mean that then
you will then do without.
There is a scarcity in God, sobecause someone else is blessed
does not mean that then you willthen do without.
There is a hope for us inpaying attention to this.
(08:29):
And then, of course, what theybegin to do is criticize.
So be mindful of that too.
This is not the way of Jesus.
But they begin to criticizetheir brothers and I think
probably they're a little upsetthat they got it in first.
They may have had their ownplans to ask, but these two got
it first.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You know, I was convinced when I first got saved
that if I could just, you know,get out of the secular world
and work at a church, thenthings would be so heavenly, I'd
be around Christian people andit would just be amazing, you
know.
And then it come to find outevery time you get in a place
where there's positions, there'speople jockeying for said
(09:08):
positions and there's peoplewilling to flush anyone they can
flush in order to get a littlebit more of a leg up.
And I was devastated when I sawit in the church because I
thought for sure this would notexist.
But it's not a problem in thechurch, it's a problem in the
hearts of mankind, amen.
I was talking to a man lastnight at the wedding that I was
(09:30):
doing and he was saying one ofthe hard things about his
secular life, not because he wasin military for six years.
And he said you know, Iprepared the Black Hawk
helicopters for flight and thenI rode with them and he goes do
you know, forgetting somethingcould cost my brothers and
(09:50):
sisters on that helicopter theirlives.
So he goes, I'd look atsomething and if I wasn't, if I
had some feeling, I'd asksomebody else look at this is
this and he goes.
And we just depended on eachother and we just looked out for
each other, for our very lives,and he goes.
And he goes because I asked himhow he was doing in his new
secular found world.
(10:11):
Because it's so hard to watchpeople just phone it in for a
paycheck or just not care aboutanyone but themselves.
And you know, I've had uhoutlaw bikers come into this
church and give their hearts tothe Lord, and ex-military people
and I've seen those people bethe most beautiful Christians
(10:32):
because they kind of justunderstand, hey, we're about the
collective here.
You know, those bikers look outfor themselves, you look out
for each other.
I mean, you know them, theirgroup there, and I find that so
much of the times we we'remissing that in in church and so
and so understand that that's aproblem in our heart or in the
(10:53):
heart of mankind, that we'reworried about someone else
getting a better position.
Oh, wait a minute.
You know, if you, if you workeduh an hour and I all day, why
are we getting the same pay?
This is addressed so many timesin Scripture.
But for us to really I love thatvideo on the Internet Worry
(11:15):
About Yourself, rose.
I don't know if you've seenthat little girl in the back
seat trying to tell the dad howto drive.
Worry about yourself, rose.
You need to worry aboutyourself and and and just allow.
Know that god's going to takecare of it.
And it's so, so easy to getdistracted by the peripheral
(11:36):
somebody's getting a betterposition at a job.
Well, sometimes that's betterthat they move up and move on,
so that so that God can bringyou to the place.
Or maybe that was never eventhe goal and the plan, but you
thought that would be the be-all, end-all if you could be stuck
in that little place for therest of your life when God has
so much more for you.
So there's that place of trustwhen we stop worrying about the
(12:00):
only thing you should reallyworry about is if the people
around you have enough to eatand if they're doing all right,
not worried about them gettingmore than us.
And so that's what we're seeinghere as reminding us again in
Scripture.
That is the nature of us, butGod is giving us what A new
nature.
Amen.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Jesus begins to see this might be a problem, and so
he does what Jesus does hegathers them all together.
So remind yourself when therefeels like division, when it
feels like maybe you can't see,to gather yourself together and
go.
What would Jesus teach us to do?
So Jesus says to them thoserecognized as rulers of the
people and those who are in topleadership positions rule
(12:42):
oppressively over their subjects, but this is not the example
that you are to follow.
Now this is to us the samecharge what example are you
following?
Whose example are you following?
Is Jesus your rabbi, yourteacher?
Are you following the spirit ofGod?
This becomes something of abeautiful recheck or reset for
(13:07):
us to be able to say who is theexample that I am following,
into a life that is abundant andfull.
Jesus said I have come that thecaptives would be set free.
I have come to liberate thosewho are bound.
I have come to bring freedomand I have come that you would
have life to the full.
This is the hope for all of usand this, if we are following
(13:32):
Jesus, leads us to re-center orto have an eye exam and say who
am I following?
Maybe I need to pay attentionto this.
We had a situation last weekwhere somebody was following us
and we have a kind of a nondescript car, just a silver
minivan, and they startedfollowing someone else because
it was also another car likeours and we had no way to get in
(13:53):
touch with them and we werejust thinking to ourselves we
hope it's good wherever they endup, because and I see that
sometimes like if we don't knowwho we're following beloved
that's why we have to look toJesus.
We have to look to thescriptures to show us who Jesus
is, that Jesus is God and Jesusis light and love and spirit.
And if we find the way of love,then we have found the way of
(14:15):
Christ.
In fact, in 1 John, john saysthis he said God is love and
whoever loves is born of God andknows God.
If you do not love, then you donot know God.
No-transcript.
You are to lead by a differentmodel, and here is where Jesus
(14:36):
is healing their sight.
Here is where Jesus is askingus.
You are going to have to bepeople who look differently.
You're following a differentplan.
Your lives are not going to bethe same.
You are not going to make thesame choices because you're
following a different model.
Now, here is where all of usremind ourselves that our
allegiance is to the kingdom ofGod, to the kingdom of love, to
(14:57):
the kingdom of love that Jesustold us about and said that it's
here, available to us as closeas our very breath.
If you want to be the greatestone, then live as one called to
serve others, beloved.
This is the Jesus way, thislife of service, this way of
saying I'm going to bring myselflow in order that God would
(15:18):
lift me up, but this idea isrevolutionary.
Still this day, 2000 yearslater, and people are trying to
make plans on how they can exaltthemselves.
And Jesus said hey, my way isgoing to be live as one called
to serve everyone.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
You know I'm going to say something that might be a
little offensive or difficult,but I want you to hear my heart
and hear what I'm saying.
You know, over the years,heather and I have had
relationships with people thatare kind of like-minded and
like-experienced, you know.
And so we, as a young couplewith young babies, had friends
(15:55):
with young couples with youngbabies and of course, our kids
got older and then new youngones came along and we've had
several friends that have beenlike oh, I'm so glad when the
kids get out of the house so wecan get our life back and we can
start doing the things we wantto do.
And in fact I had severalpeople say to do and and in fact
(16:16):
I had several people say to meand and, heather, when silas was
born, oh, I feel so sorry foryou.
You were almost out and thenthey put you back in.
And I'm like and and I wassuper offended and to this day
I'm super offended that youwould say that you would not
celebrate the fact that I get tohave a relationship with Silas
(16:37):
and I get a second chance atdadding, and it has just been
the delight of my life to findout that the greatest, the most
well-kept secret in the world isbeing an old dad, and I didn't
know that that was going to be athing and that I would love it
so much.
But my point to you is that Isee people viewing, you know,
(16:59):
that season as something thatyou get past and then you get
something back.
And then there's been a few oddballs in my life that have been
a different example that, andtwo of them happen to be here
today.
Uh, pastor lee and carol matson, and I, I watched them continue
to serve and, in fact, I wouldalmost say, maybe serve more.
(17:23):
And and I and I've come torealize that us having children
was just training ground for forus to learn what it is to serve
, because everybody before youhad kids.
You were busy, do you rememberthat?
And you just didn't have timeand you just didn't know how you
could possibly do what you wereasked to do by anybody else.
(17:44):
And all of a sudden you havechildren and you go oh, my god,
I am not going to sleep again.
What you know and this personis just needs for their entire
life.
And you go, you level up severallevels on the serving ladder
and, just by by, you know you're, you're forced into it and then
(18:08):
that thing really produces inus, hopefully, the idea that we
can serve and give way more thanwe thought we could and that
there's a potential through love, because that's what causes
mama to get up in the middle ofnight and dad to do to do that
Right.
It's just that overwhelming.
I love that, that child and andand.
(18:29):
So if that becomes the trainingground, how can we for the rest
of our lives and that's what Iwant to challenge you that, uh,
that that there's a new way ofleading, it's different, it's
not getting older to well, well,now I get this position and all
these old kids can come backand praise me for keeping them
alive, and now they serve me andtake care of me.
But no, now I'm warming up tohow can I now serve them as they
(18:54):
have children, and how can I beselfless to a whole other level
?
Amen.
I didn't think you'd get toomany amens, but that's some good
stuff and I want to ask youhave you considered how can I
become more Christ-like?
Or are we trying to winsomething back, Because there's
no backseas on that?
Speaker 1 (19:15):
No, there are no backseas.
That's good, I'm on that.
No, there are no backseas.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
That's good.
I'm just digging myself deeper,so I'm going to quit, but it's
good right.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
We have people make solicitation calls to the church
because our number is publishedand they want to sell us things
as a church all the time.
And some of it's laughablebecause I know who we are and
they're like we want you to beable to have this because it's
for your platform and we wantyour platform to be the platform
that everybody looks at andthat you have all the attention.
I said, well, there is noplatform in our church.
(19:45):
And they're like why?
I'm like?
Because we intended it that way, because we're not above
anybody else.
And then they'll call andthey'll say you have to have
this particular service.
And they're like because youdon't want to be the one
cleaning up.
And I'm like but I am the onecleaning up and I do want to be
the one.
And though I sometimesappreciate help, there is this
idea that to be someone who isfollowing Jesus means our life
(20:06):
is service.
Our life is service not just toourselves, but to the world, to
people who don't deserve, or atleast first of all, we should
get the idea of deserving out ofour head, but like people who
don't deserve or at least firstof all we should get the idea of
deserving out of our head, butlike people who don't contribute
to us.
In fact, dietrich Bonhoeffersaid that the church exists for
those outside of the church,that we become together, that we
become loving, that we becomethe people that God has us to do
(20:28):
, not just for us, but so thatus includes everyone.
So there are no divisions, sothat where unity is that the
Lord commands the blessing.
But he says if you want to bethe greatest, then live as one
called to serve others.
But I had this gentleman callthe other day and he said I need
you to have this curriculum ofleadership and you need to teach
it to your people becauseeverybody needs to know that the
(20:49):
way of God is that we would allbe leaders.
And I said to him I'm a littleconfused because I was just
studying this week about we'reall called to be servants and he
goes well, this curriculum willnot fit you.
And I said I did not think so.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
I appreciate your time because this curriculum is
not for a life of service, butthis is the curriculum that
Jesus offered to us service foreveryone that all of us would
become so willing to say what isin my hand and how can I offer
it I do want to say, though,that you know, throughout the
years, people have told heatherand I how to have a big church
(21:22):
yes, they have, and I was likeyou've got to get away from
doing that.
You got to delegate all thisstuff and I, and I will say to
you you know, in truth, you know, I don't know if you, if you
wonder, like, how did thebathrooms get clean?
Speaker 1 (21:33):
but 99 of the time pastor heather does that and
when they're not cleaned, it'sbecause I haven't got it.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
So, lord, have mercy and and you know, and the things
that break get I I love to andwilling to fix those and and a
lot of people will look and say,well, that you know that's
that's wrong.
You know that that's not howyou build a big church, but I
personally think god shouldbuild the church yes, this is
the church of us, with ourschemes, not of us and I think
(21:59):
that god requires that kind ofwillingness for us to.
You know, I've been in ministrya long time, longer than I've
not been in ministry and I, Istill want to and don't feel
above you that I, that youshould be the one who's fixing
things or cleaning up orwhatever, that that, that, as
long as Heather and I have thetime and the strength and the
(22:21):
ability to do it, if you want tocome help, I'm not saying you
can't, but what I am saying isthat why do we try to position
ourselves out of service orsomehow get the idea that that
is the life, that that you'reshooting for when laying your
life down?
There could be no greaterexample than Christ laying his
(22:43):
life down for us and we kind ofsniffing around for another path
.
Do you think there's anotherpath to a healthy relationship
than you laying everything downTo really connecting with your
children?
You know, long haul it's.
It's laying our uh, our, ourlife down and and granted, it's
not a big shout hallelujahmessage, but and it might make
(23:06):
some people aggravated, but it'struth and you know in your
heart it is and then, andthere's nothing more beautiful
than when you can justselflessly serve those people
that you say that you love, butwhat an awesome thing to really
love them in that capacity toserve their needs.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
That's a hallelujah moment.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
All right, we'll take it.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
The path to promotion and prominence comes by having
the heart of a bond slave whoserves everyone.
This is the invitation.
This is how we ascend.
This is what Jesus is asking usto do.
The path to this other way ofthinking, to understand the way
of God, is by having a heart ofa bond slave who serves everyone
(23:53):
.
For even the Son of man did notcome expecting to be served by
everyone, and this is a goodmind shift for all of us,
because we're like he's Jesus.
We should do this for him.
And Jesus is saying I don'tcome expecting you to serve me,
I come to serve you.
And this is beautiful about ourGod who bends low, who comes to
(24:15):
be with us in our humanity, whocomes to be with us in our
struggles.
God with us, for the Son of mandid not come expecting to be
served by everyone, but to serveeveryone and to give his life
as the ransom price in exchangefor the salvation of many.
In exchange for the salvationof many.
(24:38):
Oh, what a beautiful hope thatJesus was intending to give his
own life for our salvation, forus.
And this is the pattern, then,and this is what we do when we
follow the way of Jesus.
There's an ancient rabbinicblessing and it says may you
always be covered in the dust ofyour rabbi.
And what it means is and again,if you understand this, it was
(25:00):
a very dusty place, this ancientIsrael that you would be
following him so closely thathis dust, from where he was
walking, would be kicked up onyou.
And may you be covered in thedust of your rabbi, your teacher
.
And this is the hope for us.
If we will allow God's spirit,if we will allow the spirit of
God to teach us, to lead us.
(25:21):
May we always be covered in thedust of spirit.
May we always be people whoco-create this beautiful world
that Jesus is offering us.
But I am here to remind us thismorning this formation that we
are being offered is to beformed into the image of Christ.
Not to be formed into the imageof Christ, not to be formed
into the image of our cultureand whatever says that.
(25:41):
This is what success looks like.
In fact, paul says this to usbe renewed, be transformed by
the changing of your mind.
Beloved, come before the throne, come before Jesus and allow
Jesus to change your mind aboutthings, allow him to heal your
sight so that you can actuallysee what is available, what is
(26:01):
there and how the kingdomactually loves.
We pause here for a moment tothank 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
people just like you.
If you would like to supportthe ongoing work of First Love
(26:22):
Church and the continued work ofour podcast, visit us online at
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subscribe.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
You know, one of the most beautiful things about you
and I as human beings is that wehave the ability to change
Change our minds.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
Change our actions, you know, because a dog was born
a dog and it's going to die adog.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
You may learn some tricks.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Along the way, but they're dog tricks because it's
a dog, do you know?
It is a dog trick and I'mtelling you that that's
beautiful about you and it'sjust amazing.
You know, I I think about whenheather and I first got married
and and I see it when we counsel, and it's just, I think it's, I
(27:09):
think it's the average way thata human being evolves, but I
just couldn't help but feel atsome level in competition with
her.
Like you know, she was wrongand so I needed to tell her she
was wrong.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
I need to help her because you're a kind of
generous person you know you'rejust wrong on this.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
I know I'm right and so that our conflicts become my
passionate desire to correct her.
And she knew she was right andso she was going to just tell me
how.
You know, and we're doing thisthing to try to win from the
other person.
You know, and when you do that,you both lose.
(27:45):
You know, and you try to makeyour point.
You try to strive for thatindividuality and you try to
strive to get some respect.
You know, if I just got somerespect, or you just could trust
me, or you know, and we juststand on these things that we
feel like we really need andthis invitation to a different
way of thinking, that the beautyof being a human being is that
(28:07):
we can do things differently,and it's that place of that I
know that Heather and I haveshifted in our marriage where if
we're trying to outdo oneanother and top one another,
it's it's in serving each otherand you have to lay down the
accounts of of what's owed to meor or how much I did.
(28:30):
A servant wakes up and servesDoesn't say well, I served
enough yesterday, that I'm done.
You're a servant If you'll buyinto that as a life and your
relationships with your children, you know, and it doesn't mean
that it has to be reciprocal,because you're a servant, you're
(28:55):
just going to serve.
There's something that happenedwith Heather and I that we said
that we would just pastorwhoever God sent.
And a lot of my pastor friendssaid well, if they ain't part of
your sheepfold, if they ain'tgiven, tell them to get on down
the road.
We did not.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
We did not say that I'm like, well, somehow that
don't make sense to me becauseI'm given an opportunity to
minister.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I'm not so busy that I can't minister to you because
I'm ministering to somebody else.
So when people come on my path,heather and I just decided
we're going to minister towhoever, whether they're there
for that moment, they're part ofour group and and that our
family just has this idea we'regoing to serve people.
And then I couldn't figure outbut how every month our bills
(29:45):
get paid and our family seems tobe happy and living in some
kind of weird bubble.
And then it kind of dawned onme, mcfly, after a little while,
that boy, you just make thisarrangement with God that you'll
just serve, and it's not likeI'm going to serve you.
(30:05):
So you better kick up.
You know, I want a taste ofeverything you make because I
helped you one time.
It's free and somehow, throughthe weirdest ways, god gets
resources to our family and welive way better than we should,
way better than we deserve, andwe live in that place and and
we're just deciding that and andit's caught on, our kids live
(30:28):
that way.
And now in other countries,katherine could be, could be
doing anything.
No one has to know.
She's a pastor's kid, no onehas to know she.
But when the church said we'rehaving a conference and we need
people to serve in thechildren's class, you know what
happened to her heart?
It was stirred because she's,that's who she is, and so there
(30:53):
she could have been quiet.
But she, you know, but there'ssomething, and and watch her,
watch god, just bless her withthe, the life that that she has,
and watch that happen to you ifyou'll just lay down that
accounting that you have.
Well, if it wasn't done to meback then, no, no, you know.
Now, I'm not saying that yougive and pour into an abusive
relationship If you're unsafe oryou're.
(31:16):
You know, I'm not talking aboutthat.
That's not a servant, that is aslave or a victim.
Right, you know I'm not sayingthat.
But I'm talking about, you know, when you feel like you've done
enough and you know, and sowe've gotten into some
accounting there, and what wecan say is, no, I am a servant
(31:37):
and I'm amping this thing up andI'm excited about serving my
kids, and for a while I had thisidea well, I'll do this for a
while and it'll catch on andthey'll start pushing me out of
the way and doing that, and thenI'm like well, even if
something like that neverhappens, it's my privilege while
they're at my house.
That I did to bless and god isso merciful and so good.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
If you don't have children that are your own, he
gives you the children of theworld.
There is somebody's childaround, and not just children,
it's people.
We can serve each other, andone of the ways that we practice
this and we're aware of this iswe every week, we come and we
celebrate the sacrament of holycommunion.
Every week we come and we saywe are going to wait together
(32:17):
and we're going to sit at thismystery, at this table that love
has heaped up for us.
Every week, we're going to comeand we're going to give
financially.
We're going to do these thingsEvery week, we're going to pray
together.
Every week we're going to allowJesus to be formed in our sight
and in us.
And even if you don't havelittle ones in your house that
you are practicing serving,there are other people, anyone
(32:39):
who has need.
In fact, we were looking atthis a few weeks ago.
The idea of the poor inscripture is written from the
beginning to the very end.
It is a big concern for God.
In fact, it is the thing thatGod cares about the most is who
will take care of the poor, butin our particular culture, we
like to rate things we're likewell, how poor are they?
You, in our particular culture,we like to rate things we're
like well, how poor are they?
You know like?
What kind of poor are they?
And we want to see if someoneis deserving or not.
(32:59):
And the poor, literally in thetranslation, just means someone
who has a need, someone who hasa need.
That means all of us have aneed.
In fact, I have a need, youhave a need, all of us.
And Jesus said, blessed arethose who are poor in spirit.
And so Jesus is reminding usthat the invitation into a
formed life, into a discipleship, into a person who is
(33:21):
experiencing their humanity andalso their divinity and
following the spirit of God, isa person who will serve and who
will serve the world.
And if you're asking yourself,then who do I serve?
Look around you and who has aneed and who has a need, that's
something that you can do.
Maybe it's holding the door forsomeone.
It can be as simple as that.
(33:41):
Maybe it's listening to someone, maybe it's praying for someone
.
Do the things that are in yourhand to do, but be aware of the
fact that this is the path tofollowing Jesus.
You are to lead by a differentmodel.
If you want to be the greatestin God's kingdom, then live as
one called to serve others.
(34:03):
This is the intention.
One of the things we do in HolyCommunion together is we serve
others.
Part of our service is justwaiting waiting for someone else
to receive what they have fromthe Lord.
Part of our service is holdingthe space, the space to be able
to say this is what it lookslike for all of us to come with
a need and to meet with the HolyOne, to meet with the Spirit of
(34:26):
God, to hear a good word aboutourselves and about where we
belong.
We bring our broken hearts tothe Lord and Jesus meets us at
the table, the broken-heartedGod who weeps with us.
This is the invitation for usto live differently, to follow
the way of Christ.
In 2 Corinthians, paul iswriting to the group of people
(34:49):
and he said here's my point Astingy sower will reap a meager
harvest, but the one who sowsfrom a generous spirit will reap
an abundant harvest.
Let giving flow from your heart, not from a sense of religious
duty.
Let it spring up freely, justfrom the joy of giving all,
because God loves hilariousgenerosity.
(35:11):
Yes, god is more than ready tooverwhelm you with every form of
grace so that you will havemore than enough of everything.
Every moment and every way, hewill make you overflow with
abundance in every good thingyou do.
Just as the scripture says aboutthe one who trusts in him
(35:32):
because he is sown extravagantlyand given to the poor, his
kindness and generous deeds willnever be forgotten.
This generous God, who suppliesabundant seed for the farmer,
which becomes bread for ourmeals, is even more extravagant
toward you.
First he supplies every needplus more, and then he
(35:53):
multiplies the seed as you sowit.
So the harvest of yourgenerosity will grow.
You will be abundantly enrichedin every way as you give
generously on every occasion,for when you take your gifts to
those in need, it causes many togive thanks to God.
This is the hope for us thatthe table that love has set for
(36:16):
us is an invitation for us topractice here and then go into
the whole world with anabundance in our life,
remembering that the generousGod who gave us our very breath,
who gives us the ability to getwealth, who gives us the
ability to find answers toquestions, who gives us the
ability to live differently,that God is offering a life in
(36:42):
the kingdom, god's good kingdom,for those who will follow the
way of spirit.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
You know, many of you guys know that I've done
stand-up comedy for a while andthrough doing that I met a guy
and he kind of I watched himkind of transform his.
You know, in that world there'sa lot of people that are really
kind of anti-God, you know, andhe was, you know, stirring a
relationship with God throughnavigating it through that and,
(37:10):
you know, not taking any creditfor it, but, as you know,
relationship with him throughthe navigating it through that
and and you know, not taking anycredit for it, but, as you know
, relationship with him andencouraging him.
You know he he came to thischurch and was baptized and uh,
and so I was driving downyesterday to do his wedding and
he's getting married.
He got married, you know,yesterday and, and so you know
they're, they're not a part ofour church, but that's I pastor
(37:33):
them when the opportunity isthere.
You know, and it's just amazinghow god puts that and and uh,
and so I want to challenge youin that, like you know, when
there's an opportunity to serve,those are the people.
You know, it's not like I'msigning up.
I will serve these people ifyou want to serve god's people.
All people are god's people.
And so just you know, if youknow, it's not like I'm signing
up I will serve these people.
(37:53):
If you want to serve god'speople, all people are god's
people.
And so just you know, if youlimit it, then you'll limit the
blessings that god can gothrough you, the way god can use
you.
I mean, either limit it ordon't.
I would recommend not, you know,and and so I left for that
wedding and of course I leftlate because I was trying to get
some stuff done for today forchurch, and then the car needed
(38:13):
gas.
So I get over there and I'mputting the gas in the car and
all of a sudden the lady next tome said Sir, you know, could
you help me?
I'm trying to get down to Tampaand I have no gas and I'm nine
months pregnant.
She was out to here and I said,absolutely she she said just a
little bit would help me.
So much, you know.
And so I, uh, you know, put mycard in, was doing that, and I
(38:37):
just went around and I put thecard in and filled her uh, gas
up and was talking to her andfinishing mine up and and
getting that, and then shewatched and hers was ringing up
and she goes oh, don't put thatmuch, I'm not asking you for
that.
And I said well, you know, Iwon't, I'll fill it up for you.
You know, and honestly I I lookat it like at that moment that's
(38:59):
not my money, it was her money,that I had, that I happen to
have and I'm a steward ofbecause we had it, but it's.
But just because you have itdoesn't mean it's yours and it's
, you know but but it doesn'tmean you can't have it either.
It's just kind of it's.
But just because you have itdoesn't mean it's yours and it's
, you know, but but it doesn'tmean you can't have it either.
It's just kind of it's a it'schanging the frame of, of kind
of how you exist, because I'mnot everybody's pastor but at
(39:21):
any moment I might be somebody'spastor and I happen to be her
servant and her pastor at thattime and and she, uh, you know,
she was talking to me and I wastalking to her and I just said,
I said I just, you know, she wastalking to me and I was talking
to her and I just said, I saidI just.
She said I don't want you to dothat.
I said no, you're my sister andI love you and, more
(39:42):
importantly, jesus loves you.
And she was so overwhelmed bygetting that full tank of gas
that she's standing at the pumpjust weeping and it was so and
the smile on her face and it wasso beautiful and it was so
authentic.
You know, you couldn't havecreated that, you know, like a
(40:04):
fake if you tried, and it wasjust a beautiful moment of kind
of navigating through life andyou don't have to go hunt it
down and you can just kind ofexist and watch opportunities
show up, but don't, but don'tmiss them, you know, don't blow
past them.
Speaker 1 (40:23):
I just want to share one thing, because I thought you
were going to share the storyabout your other friend at
Austin's.
Dennis was in working somecomedy, doing some comedy
routines, and I would go withhim and just sit there while
they all did stand up, and onetime I put my bag in something
and the entire shelf on thiscoffee house fell down.
Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, allthese games.
And we look at that.
(40:44):
And he was very embarrassed.
He was like I'm sorry and hejust needed to get that mean, to
get to that, but that's, youknow, not happening at his
coffee shop, like everythingjust fell over.
So middle of the week, dennisshows up with an entire trailer,
all new wood.
He comes in there, he's goingto start fixing these shelves
and the owner says to him I gotto go outside, I was already
outside and he starts having afit in the alley and his fit is
(41:07):
this Do not, do not, do not.
And he's yelling like this Donot do this to me, lord, he goes
, you and I have an agreement,he goes.
No, he goes.
You stay over there, I stayover here.
You don't care for me, I don'tcare for you, you stay there and
you don't come here.
And he's mad and he doesn'tknow.
I'm sitting out there and he'sfurious and he's in the alley
(41:28):
and he's pacing and he's angryat God and he said don't you do
this, don't you bring help to me, when I know that's not who you
are.
But you know, beloved all of us.
When you said that, you heardhis heart.
What he had experienced in hislife, what he had told himself
was that God did not care.
But when Dennis pulls up with atrailer and wooden shelves now
(41:48):
beloved, that's not foreverybody.
Dennis pulls up with a trailerand wooden shelves Now beloved
that's not for everybody, butfor this man he said don't come
here, don't make me hope thatthat is who you are.
So then he's standing therecrying and then we're standing
praying in the alley going thisis really who God is, because if
you have wooden broken shelves,you might need a guy who knows
how to fix wooden broken shelvesand sometimes you don't have
(42:11):
the time or the space or theskills or the resources to do it
but you need someone and thatbeloved is the body of Christ.
Very often we need to show upand we are someone else's answer
to prayer.
We are someone and maybe theydon't even know how to pray.
Maybe they're praying likethese two jokers in the earlier
part.
Give us the right side and theleft side of you in the earlier
(42:31):
part.
Give us the right side and theleft side of you, you know like
they're praying the wrong way.
And so he's praying.
Stay over there.
Don't encroach on what I know.
And really what he needs is allthe love of Christ to come and
to be with him.
And that is the communion tablefor us.
Beloved, we come.
We didn't set this table, jesusdid, and Jesus said everyone's
welcome and at this table youwill be seen and at this table,
(42:53):
love will encroach on what yousaid or how far you allow God to
come.
But there is a grace for us atthe table and in our practices
of generosity to go.
What are we allowing Jesus toreframe for us?
How will we let him heal oureyesight?
We hope you've enjoyed thisweek's sermon.
(43:13):
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
online at firstlovechurchorg.
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