October 24, 2025 • 37 mins
What if most of our daily conflict could be diffused by one hard choice: dropping judgment and choosing forgiveness? We open with Jesus’s words from Matthew 7 and move into the real places where accusation takes root—traffic, politics, and even the kitchen sink at home. The challenge is blunt and freeing: the measure you use will be used on you. Lay down the habit of judging, and you’ll recover the clarity to see your own blind spots and the courage to forgive.
From there we lean into a better operating system: life in the Spirit. Jesus didn’t leave a rulebook; he promised his Spirit. We talk about prayer that listens as much as it asks, how silence becomes a doorway to guidance, and why hope matters when change feels slow. The persistent widow reframes perseverance, not as nagging a reluctant God but as staying focused on the only One who can help. Justice, in Jesus’s vision, looks like mercy embodied and cruelty rejected—and it arrives with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
We also wrestle with the tension between zeal and doctrine. Tithing and study matter, but not at the expense of the weightier matters: justice, mercy, and faith. A vivid story shows how stubborn love can turn outrage into connection, revealing a revolution that doesn’t wait on better leaders or systems. It starts with us, at the table and in our neighborhoods, where communion trains us to be known by love. If God is love, then our faithfulness is measured by how we love our enemies, our neighbors, and ourselves.
Listen for practical ways to forgive quickly, pray with attention, and act justly without cruelty. Share this with someone who needs hope today, and if it speaks to you, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it on so others can find their way home to 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_01 (00:00):
Welcome to the First Love Church podcast.
This is a collection of Sundayteachings inspired by the
revised Common Lectionary andrecorded weekly in Ocala,
Florida.
This is such a beautiful joy tobe with here this morning.
For those of you who have beenhere before, welcome home.
For those of you who have neverbeen here, welcome home.
(00:21):
This is the grace that lovereminds us of.
We are every one of us welcomedin God's presence.
Every one of us beloved.
Every one of us made in the veryimage of Jesus.
And so I'm so grateful thismorning to be in the presence of
light with you.
There are lots of beautifulbabies and small children in our
(00:44):
congregation this morning.
And I just want to remind youwhat a joy and a privilege that
is.
Especially what a privilege itis to be with ones so fresh from
God.
And they remember so many thingsabout the source.
And so it is with open heartsand with lots of grace we invite
all of ourselves into thesanctuary this morning.
(01:05):
I am again so grateful to be inyour presence this 19th Sunday
of Pentecost.
Why do I bring that up?
For 19 Sundays we have beenpracticing, not just Sundays,
during the week as well, what itlooks like to be people who
attune our hearts to the HolySpirit, what it looks like to be
(01:26):
people who pay attention to thework of the Spirit among us,
what it looks like to be peoplewho live and move and have our
being in spirit.
This morning, it is withincredible grace that we invite
you to this portion of ourservice while we will look at
(01:47):
the text together, that we willlisten to the words of Jesus.
And we like to refer to thistype of or portion of the
service as your weekly amnesiatherapy.
During the week, you may haveforgotten who you are, whose you
are, and how we invite eachother to live.
(02:08):
And this is an invitation tohear the words of Jesus
together.
Together we're going to readthis portion of the scripture,
and then we I will read you oneslater.
But together we read this: Matthew 7. (02:20):
undefined
Refuse to be a critic, full ofbias toward others, and judgment
will not be passed on you.
For you will be judged by thesame standard that you use to
judge others.
The measurement you use on themwill be used on you.
(02:45):
Why would you focus on the flawin someone else's life and yet
fail to notice the glaring flawsof your own?
How could you say to yourfriend, Let me show you where
you're wrong when you're guiltyof even more?
At this point, I like to justput my eyes down.
(03:09):
And then we can all pray theprayer together, Lord have
mercy.
Christ have mercy, Lord havemercy.
You're being hyper-critical anda hypocrite.
First, acknowledge your ownblind spots and deal with them.
And then you'll be capable ofdealing with the blind spot of
(03:31):
your friend.
Who would hang earrings on adog's ear or throw pearls in
front of wild pigs?
They'll only trample them undertheir feet and turn around and
tear you to pieces.
These are the words of Jesusreminding us of this truth that
(03:52):
we are to be mindful, not toinvolve ourselves in the
criticism of others, not to beso full of our own personal bias
that we miss the light of Christthat is shining for us.
And this is an invitation intothe practice of real love.
SPEAKER_00 (04:12):
I don't know if uh maybe uh any of you or very few
of you really believe thatverse.
And I would really challenge youon that.
Uh that if you didn't judgeother people, you wouldn't be
judged.
Because I think if you reallybelieved that, you wouldn't say,
look at that idiot the waythey're driving.
(04:34):
Can you believe that guy?
Can you believe that lady infront of me?
Could you know I can't believewhat these politicians are
doing.
I can't, you know, come on.
What the scripture's saying tous is incredible.
If you would stop judging otherpeople, you yourself would not
(04:56):
be judged.
I don't want to be judged.
So all I gotta do is lay thatdown, and I gotta tell you how
deep it runs.
Because I think for most of mylife I've had accusations
against my sons.
From the time they were littlekids.
I told you, how many times did Itell you not to bring plates up
(05:17):
into your room?
It's gonna get ants.
But you know, they're they're upthere just disrespecting me.
They're up there, you know, theydon't care what I say, they have
no honor of their father.
All this stuff, all thisaccusation, when the truth is,
aren't they just a bunch of kidswho was in the middle of a show
and wanted a snack?
(05:38):
And maybe my booming wordsaren't as important to them as I
think they are to me.
But there's accusations that wehave.
And I know for me, I was asneaky kid, and I'd had an
accusation that my kids wereconstantly sneaking, it was
wicked, it was wrong, and Irealized that I was trapped, and
(06:02):
I was trapping them because whenI judge, I set the example of
that's how you're to behave.
And when I judge, I receive thatjudgment.
Are you hearing me that youcould cut out the majority of
your problems by just lettingdown that one guilty pleasure of
(06:24):
judging everyone and everything?
SPEAKER_01 (06:27):
And can I add that there's a really beautiful
practice?
Because that's great in theory,beloved.
But how do we really practicethat?
The practice is forgiveness.
The practice is I see it and Ichoose forgiveness.
This is what Jesus offered us.
This is why we're here, beloved.
We are to be light, we are to belove, and we are to be people of
(06:50):
forgiveness.
We are to be the people whoforgive.
In fact, the scripture tells usif you forgive someone's sin,
it's already forgiven.
So there is so much power thatwe are leaving on the table in
forgiveness and intransformation, but in all of
us, listening to the words ofJesus saying, do not judge.
(07:12):
Look at your own self.
Take care of the telephone polesin your own eyes before you're
looking for splinters in otherpeople's eyes.
In fact, take care of thetelephone poles and you'll be
able to see yourself a lotbetter.
And this is the invitation intoreflection, into hearing the
words of Jesus.
(07:33):
Together in this season ofPentecost, we read and we hear
what Jesus is teaching us aboutthe Holy Spirit, that we are to
be people full of the Spirit.
In fact, when Jesus is startingthe church, when Jesus is
saying, This is what it lookslike to be people who live a
different way, inviting us intothe kingdom.
(07:55):
Jesus does not give hisdisciples a book.
He doesn't give them a set ofrules, he doesn't give them even
a tabernacle or a church.
He said, You will be the church.
But Jesus said, What I'm gonnagive you is my spirit.
Beloved, we are to be peopleattuned to Holy Spirit.
We are to be people who listento the voice of spirit and to be
(08:19):
people who are animated by thatspirit.
SPEAKER_00 (08:22):
You know, I just want to remind you that God has
not left you orphaned, but Godgave you the Holy Spirit for
this life.
And this life is difficult tonavigate.
And if we don't learn and trainourselves to hear voice of
spirit, we don't learn to beable to follow the Holy Spirit,
then we're certainly gonna haverun run-ins, we're gonna have
(08:46):
struggles and we're gonna havedifficult times.
And maybe some of you findyourself in a very difficult
time.
And I assure you that God hasmade a way of escape for us.
And the the power of the HolySpirit is available to you and
I.
And um, so much of the time thatthat's downplayed, even in
church.
You know, we stand up here andwe preach the word every week,
(09:06):
but if the word were not metwith the Holy Spirit, it would
be useless.
Do you understand?
It's the Holy Spirit that comesupon the word that makes it
alive and helps you understandand activate it.
And so, as followers of Christ,we ought to be uh interested,
concerned, and learning aboutthe mystical, about the
(09:26):
supernatural, that that is partof this walk.
And we sometimes I think livetoo natural, and so we miss the
very presence of God, the verydirection of God, the very
assistance that he's provided,because he knows that there's
there's struggles in this earth.
Amen?
SPEAKER_01 (09:42):
Amen.
So one day Jesus taught theapostles to keep praying, never
stop, or lose hope.
And you have to ask yourselfright here, why is this
important to Jesus?
Because we as people often losehope.
(10:03):
The things around us do notchange or they're difficult, and
so it causes us to lose hope,and Jesus is reminding us don't
lose hope.
I hope that you hear that thismorning, not as a command, but
as a gentle invitation, as ifJesus were standing right in
front of you, looking at you,seeing you, and saying, Don't
(10:24):
lose hope.
Beloved, hope is the evidence ofthings that are unseen.
It allows us to be people offaith.
It allows us to be people whoare moved by love.
Jesus one day taught thedisciples to keep praying.
Beloved, I know you have prayedbefore.
Keep praying.
(10:45):
I know that you've prayed foryears.
Keep praying.
This is the invitation of Jesusinto a life of prayer.
And what really is prayer?
Prayer is connection, communion,and communication with the Holy
Spirit.
SPEAKER_00 (11:00):
You know, we have uh on Wednesday nights, we've been
doing, you know, just for aseason, we're doing a prayer and
meditation class.
And it's uh really to help us uhuh expound on really the
understanding of what prayer is.
Because I think when I cameamong the charismatics, I was
taught uh, and and tell tell meif this rings true with many of
you, that it almost felt likelearning scriptures and the
(11:22):
promises of God were to recallso that I could hold God
accountable to his words so thathe'd have to give me what he
said he was gonna give me.
And if I didn't put in thatdemand, Hebrews chapter 11, you
know, like a vending machine,you know, A12, and then I get my
my Wrigley Spearmint chewinggum, falls down on the thing,
(11:44):
and I reach in and grab it, orit gets stuck and you gotta
shake the machine.
So, how many of you felt likeyou were shaking the machine,
but you're not getting the stuffout that you promised, you know?
Because that's all prayer waslearning a promise from God,
memorizing it and repeating itback until you think you were
gonna get it.
And you know, uh part of prayercertainly is meditating on God's
(12:05):
word.
But but you know, I think a veryimportant part of prayer, and
when he says continuallypraying, you know, there's a
there's a part of just beingquiet.
How are you gonna get an answerunless you shut up long enough
to hear it?
Amen.
But if I'd given my laundry listto God and telling God exactly
how he needs to fix all myproblems, as if I could fix any
(12:25):
of them or I would already havedone it.
So my ways and my plan probablyare gonna pale in comparison to
the living God, amen?
So what if we learn to be quietand understood that that was
part of prayer?
Then we could see how you couldpray without ceasing.
Be quiet a little bit more.
Listen.
(12:46):
You know?
And so I want you to understandwhen he says pray without
ceasing.
This isn't, oh no, I gotta, youknow, you know, listen to Larry
Lee's pray one hour without whatwas that, Terry Knott or
something?
I don't know.
I can't remember what it was.
But the thing is, you know, wemake these like rules and plans
and stuff on how that we got,and we make it very regimented
(13:07):
when it's a lifestyle, amen.
Just just uh naturally flowingout of you, amen.
You're all looking at me like acow looks at a new fence.
SPEAKER_01 (13:16):
This is an invitation, though, for all of
us.
It's an invitation to practicebeing aware of the presence of
God.
It's one of the reasons whynature is so important to us as
a witness, as a reminder.
The trees and the earth and theskies and everything witnessing
(13:40):
to us, testifying, you areloved.
There is abundance here, aninvitation into the mystery.
One day Jesus taught theapostles to keep praying, never
stop or lose hope.
And he shared this illustration.
In a certain town, there was acivil judge, a thick-skinned, a
godless man who had no fear ofothers' opinions.
(14:04):
And there was a poor widow inthat town who kept pleading with
the judge grant me justice andprotect me against my oppressor.
This woman who is an outcast,this woman who society has done
wrong.
In this particular culture,widows had lost everything, all
of their rights, all of theirdefenses, everything.
(14:26):
And Jesus is talking about amarginalized people, people who
the system, the empire, hasabsolutely taken advantage of.
And Jesus is saying, payattention to how this widow, how
this marginalized one behaves,and emulate that.
What you're gonna see here isthe faithfulness of this person
(14:50):
who cannot count on thegovernment, who cannot count on
any system, even her culture, totake care of her.
And so there is for us aninvitation.
Jesus begins to tell ussomething, and I want to remind
you of something the prophetMicah said.
God has told you, oh man, whatis good and what the Lord
(15:10):
requires of you, that you wouldlove mercy, that you would do
justice, and that you would walkhumbly with your God.
This is something the peoplethere already knew that God's
intention for mankind was thatwe would be people who love
mercy.
Not that we would be people whoare excited about a judgment,
(15:33):
but we are people loving mercy,we are people loving justice,
and we are people who understandthe power it is to walk in the
presence of God.
SPEAKER_00 (15:45):
You know, I want you to see here too, because I think
this passage of scripture ismisunderstood sometimes in our
own mind.
I'm like, you know, am I justsupposed to keep pestering God
until he decides to go ahead anddo something nice for me?
You know, and I think that wecan misunderstand that uh that
that it's uh because I've heardpeople say you just gotta keep
on pestering after God, justkeep on asking, keep on asking.
(16:08):
But but really it's the it's theunderstanding that this woman
had that this judge had theability to help.
And so she wasn't gonna lookelsewhere, and she was going to
maintain her focus on the onewho had her answer.
(16:30):
Is anyone tracking with me?
That that you and I aren't tobeg as if God will just throw
scraps to you.
You were his son, you're hisdaughter.
What it proves to you and andthe resolve is I'm not looking
elsewhere.
God is my answer.
(16:50):
Amen?
And I'm gonna stay focused andI'm gonna keep my trust there.
Because I think so much of thetime we're in and out.
We're very washed with thewaves, the in and out of
sometimes we're on fire,sometimes we're ice cold,
sometimes we really believe thisstuff, and sometimes it really
doesn't seem to be real to us.
And is there a place where youcan settle in your heart?
(17:10):
I'm going nowhere else.
That I trust God.
This is the one I'm connectingmy heart with, and this is where
my trust lies.
Amen.
SPEAKER_01 (17:22):
We pause here for a moment to thank you for joining
us today.
If you're finding this episodemeaningful, would you take a
moment to share it with afriend?
This podcast is made possiblethanks to the generosity of
people just like you.
If you would like to support theongoing work of First Love
Church and the continued work ofour podcast, visit us online at
(17:44):
firstlovechurch.org, remindingyou to like, follow, and
subscribe.
That's an interestingproposition.
And I think that's one of thereasons why Jesus had to come,
because he had to remind us ofhow good God was.
God is.
That God is love, beloved,nothing else.
God is love.
And love is the answer to everyquestion that you have.
(18:06):
What should I do about whatwould love do?
What should I think about, whatwould love think?
What should I share?
What would love share?
This is the invitation for usthat love is the fulfillment of
every single law.
The judge ignored her pleas forquite some time, but she kept
asking.
I like that part very much.
(18:27):
She knew, and you do too,beloved, you knew, you know in
yourself what is wrong and whatis right.
The Holy Spirit has already toldyou, you know what is merciful
and what is cruel.
And beloved, cruelty has noplace in our humanity.
Cruelty is not from God.
Cruelty is not who we aresupposed to be.
We are to be people formed bylove.
(18:49):
He ignored her plea for quitesome time and she kept acting.
Eventually, he said to himself,This widow keeps annoying me,
demanding her rights.
That's a little I don't know, itmakes me want to inhale, like
really big.
Demanding her rights.
(19:11):
He knew he was standing againsther rights.
He knew exactly what he wasdoing, and Jesus is showing us
this parable.
He said, I'm tired of listeningto her.
And even though I'm not areligious man and I don't care
about the opinions of others,I'll just get her off my back by
answering her claims forjustice, and I'll rule in her
(19:34):
favor, then she'll leave mealone.
The Lord continued, did you hearwhat the ungodly judge said?
That he would answer herpersistent request.
Don't you know?
And again, here is one of Jesus'main goals for us that we would
(19:57):
unlearn things that we havelearned about God.
So Jesus is teaching ussomething about God that we did
not know.
Did you not know that God, thetrue judge, will grant justice
to all his beloved ones who cryout to him night and day, and he
(20:19):
will pour out his spirit uponthem.
The prophet Joel also said this.
Your sons and your daughterswill prophesy, your old men will
dream dreams, and your young menwill have visions.
(20:41):
And there is an invitation to usto imagine a world without
hierarchy, to imagine a world ofequality, to imagine a world
where God's spirit is poured outupon all flesh.
Jesus is telling the people whoare listening, listen, in answer
to the unjustice, in answer toyour prayers, God will pour out
(21:04):
his spirit upon you, and he willnot delay to answer you, and he
will give you what you ask for.
SPEAKER_00 (21:10):
What's it look like when God's Spirit is poured out
on people?
I want you to kind of askyourself, get some kind of a
vision.
What does that look like?
Because if God is love, I don'texactly know how it's gonna
flesh out, but I know it's gonnainvolve God's love.
It's gonna be loving.
His people are going to beloving.
(21:32):
That is going to be how we win.
Because God is love.
Amen.
So if we would actually be Himin this world, we'd have to be a
lot more loving.
That's we're gonna have tosurrender to Spirit for that to
be accomplished.
I had this dream that I justcouldn't figure it out for a
while, almost like a week ormore.
I had this dream that that therewas a uh a calamity happened,
(21:57):
and there was all these peoplerunning towards it instead of
away.
And they were all super angryand they were just yelling, and
they were running, and and I andI and I one guy kind of caught
my gaze and he just was angryand he was screaming at me.
And I and I felt the urge toyell back because you know I
could come up with a sarcasticremark or two.
(22:18):
I've been known to have one evenloaded in the chamber for such
an occasion.
But I was prompted to just say,No, I love you.
And he yelled and I said, No, Ilove you.
And he yelled more, and I said,No, look at me.
I love you.
And it was like somethingdrained off of this person, and
(22:41):
he and he smiled and he startedto cry.
He goes, I love you too.
And he quit running towards thecalamity, and he turned and he
started looking at at otherpeople that were running, and he
started saying it to them.
And I started grabbing somebodyelse because it started to make
sense to me.
You mean instead of us trying tofix all the calamities and
(23:01):
trying to vote all the rightpeople and trying to do all the
stuff, we just have to be lovingright here?
And other people are gonna bedrawn to that goodness, and that
that kind of movement cannot bestopped by any kind of
government, any politician, anykind of uh uh uh uh you know
laws that are put out there.
Nothing can stop us when weunderstand the power of what we
(23:24):
have and the influence we have.
And and I think to myself that,you know, I spend so much time
thinking, I can't make adifference.
Because how am I gonna go and atmy age and become a politician
and make things?
Or am I gonna go out and and andand make a whole denomination
and do and I miss the fact thatthe Spirit of God lives on the
(23:46):
inside of me.
And the way this works is notthat you and I go change them,
but we allow ourselves to bechanged, and then we invite
everybody to the revolution.
Oh, you want to come?
It's already here.
Not down the road, it's alreadyhere.
SPEAKER_01 (24:03):
Jesus said this.
The spirit.
SPEAKER_00 (24:06):
I was gonna quote John Lennon, but I think it's
better you go quote Jesus.
Go ahead.
No, God, you were way betterthan me.
SPEAKER_01 (24:13):
I was gonna remind you, beloved, that Jesus said,
the kingdom is already here.
It's already here.
We just have to awaken to it.
And I love that you invited usto the revolution because love
is the revolution, it always hasbeen.
That is what Jesus came and did,and that's why people missed
him.
Because they wanted anothersomething.
And God said, This is Jesus.
(24:35):
I will anoint this way.
This way of being in the world,this nonviolent love, this way
of looking at things different.
And this is what Jesus wentabout doing healing people,
doing good.
Beloved, our eyes, all of uscollectively, need to be healed
so that we would see things forwhat they actually are.
(24:56):
And that's what it means to beattuned to the voice of spirit,
that you can see what really ishappening, and that you are
invited into what Jesus isoffering all of us.
And he will pour out his spiritupon them, and he will not delay
to answer you or to give youwhat you ask for.
God will give swift justice tothose who don't give up.
(25:20):
So be ever praying, everexpecting, just like the widow
was with the judge.
And yet, when the Son of Mancomes back, will he find this
kind of persistent faithfulnessin his people?
Jesus is asking a question, andit's the question that he's been
asking for a few chapters here.
(25:42):
When the Son of Man comes back,will he find faithfulness?
Will he find you being faithfulto love?
What you began in love, don'tfollow it up with rules.
The invitation that Jesus gaveus is to receive love and then
to stay in love.
That we would be people only whoare modeled and energized by the
(26:06):
love that Christ has given us.
This invitation that Jesus isasking all of us.
Can you be faithful in this?
Can you be faithful to stay inlove?
Beloved, I just want to tell youthis is the truth.
It is easier to fall in lovethan to stay in love.
(26:30):
Anyone who's been married morethan 40 years would tell you it
takes more effort to stay inlove than it does to fall into
love.
Is it worth it?
Absolutely positively.
But I want to remind you that itis beautiful.
I think this is why we lovebabies.
Oh my gosh, they're so cute, andthey never talk back, and they
(26:54):
only I mean they're justadorable, and they have those
big eyes, and we're in love withthem.
Those babies turn intobeautiful, wonderful teenagers
with those big, beautiful eyes,and their soft complexions in
(27:14):
their cheeks, and they justadore you, and they only want
you to be in their presence.
It's not true.
But I just reminding you ourhearts do not have to change.
Our hearts need to stay in thatsame kind of love and not in the
ability of our own self.
This is the power of the HolySpirit.
(27:34):
This is why during the season ofPentecost we talk about love.
The Spirit empowers us to lovedifferently, to love ourselves,
to love our enemies, and to loveour neighbors.
SPEAKER_00 (27:47):
I heard somebody say if they could build a time
machine, would they go back andkill baby Hitler?
And they said they couldn't killa baby, but they could kill
teenage Hitler.
SPEAKER_01 (27:58):
No, beloved, the answer is love.
It is not, it is it is never,ever murder.
This is the reason, in fact,that we see what happened with
the Empire.
That's why Empire killed Jesus.
Jesus was perfect love.
And the Empire said, That has tostop.
We're going to kill it.
And so Jesus offers us anotherway.
(28:20):
Jesus offers us another life.
God will give swift justice tothose who don't give up.
So be ever praying, everexpecting, just like the widow
was with the judge.
Yet when the Son of Man comesback, will he find this kind of
persistent faithfulness in hispeople?
(28:41):
I read to you from Matthew 23.
What sorrow awaits you teachersof the religious law and you
Pharisees, hypocrites.
I always like to disclude myselfin that rack.
When I read things like that,I'm like, that's for someone
else, because that's not who Iam.
I would like to say, Well,that's I hope those people,
(29:04):
those people.
Anytime you say those people,beloved, that should be a little
indication of something.
I wish those people would listento Jesus.
SPEAKER_00 (29:13):
We might be judging.
SPEAKER_01 (29:15):
We also might be those people.
That's the truth of it.
We are all one in this idea ofseparateness that we can get
over a line in.
So Jesus is saying, there's asorrow that waits for you
because you're careful to titheeven the tiniest income from
your herb gardens.
And this was a practice becausetithing was, this is how the
(29:37):
temple was actually taken careof, but it was how social
programs actually worked.
How people had bread and foodthat was given to them was
because people tithed.
And Jesus said, Listen, youpeople who are looking and
taking even a mint leaf andcounting the ten leaves and then
tithing the eleventh.
You ignore the more important.
(30:00):
Aspects of the law, justice,mercy, and faith.
You should tithe, yes.
This is the words of Jesus.
But don't neglect the moreimportant things.
When you do the importantthings, justice, and you love
(30:22):
mercy and you walk with God, youwill be generous.
But do not think for one minuteyou can just give one part and
withhold justice from somewhereelse.
This is the invitation of Jesusinto wholehearted living.
Jesus said this, yes, youshould.
You should be generous.
(30:43):
But you should also not neglectjustice, mercy, faith.
This is an invitation for us tosay, I will be careful.
I will hear the warning of Jesusand I will do these things.
SPEAKER_00 (30:58):
You know, when I first came to the Lord, I was so
filled with zeal that uh, youknow, just going to church on
Wednesday night, Sunday morning,and Sunday night wasn't enough.
I had a couple Bible studies atmy house.
I had some Bible study duringthe week for people at our
church, and then I had anotherBible study for my metalhead
friends who wouldn't go tochurch, and then I'd have a
Bible study with my family.
(31:19):
And I mean, I just every day andevery minute, and I remember
this one older uh saint that Ireally admired said to me, He
said, I really love your zeal.
And he said, Don't let thechurch people steal your zeal.
And I was like, Wait, you know,what are you talking about?
You know, I'm on fire and stuff.
And then, you know, I've beenaround this thing for a little
(31:41):
while, and now I know exactlywhat he's talking about.
People are like, oh, take iteasy, brother.
What are you doing preaching,you know, at Bible studies?
You don't even know, you know,all the books.
Have you ever read all thebooks?
I didn't know how many books ofthe Bible there were.
I didn't read it, you know.
I just, I would just getsomething that I was excited
about and I started talkingabout it, you know.
And oh, well, you better take iteasy, you better go learn, you
(32:02):
know, and and then all of asudden you I go to Bible school
and I'm thinking, oh, Bibleschool is just gonna help us
get, you know, learn about allthis stuff.
And all they did was sit andtell you, stop preaching, learn
our doctrine.
And then doctrine are just ideasthat men, uh, yeah, and
traditions that men uh read theBible and and deciphered, and
(32:25):
then all of a sudden I began soweighted down with those
doctrines, I I I was afraid tosay anything to anyone.
I didn't have confidence to goout and just witness to people,
and I'd realized that that thatthat teachers of the law, and
I'm not saying you shouldn'tlearn doctrine, but I'm gonna
tell you something.
I want you to understand that ifit's if you trade your zeal for
(32:47):
it, you've done something wrong.
Or if or if just all the rulesand stuff or what you really,
you know, just consumingdoctrine and knowing more is you
then you've you've derailed.
Because just that sounds good toI want to learn more about God.
But what you do is you learnyourself into this place of
solitude where you know so muchmore than everybody else, and
(33:08):
and so they're all foolish and Idon't talk to them, then you're
missing our our our calling.
It's to just go out and lovepeople.
And sometimes you have to reallyjust smile and and uh and in a
in a sentence or two that thosepeople make, you have to decide
which one of those foolishthings should I address.
SPEAKER_01 (33:29):
Or none of them.
SPEAKER_00 (33:30):
Or none of them.
And just love them and smile andand and think about those people
that loved you when you wereyoung and just loved you even
though you were just a young,foolish person.
You know, and and so I want usto kind of wake up out of that,
that really where the church hasbeen, I think, is just in this
place of consuming knowledge forjust to get doctrine, which
(33:54):
paralyzes us and makes us quiet.
Can we just find the one thingthat ignites us?
And I believe what unites us andand ignites us is the love of
God.
That we are all equal and we'reall one.
Amen.
SPEAKER_01 (34:14):
On another whole note, I remind you that the zeal
that Dennis is talking about isthe zeal for love, is the zeal
for the knowledge that allpeople would known they come
home to God, that you can comeback to God.
You can leave where you are andyou can come home.
The table is already set foryou.
(34:34):
You can leave where you are inyour famine, in your hunger, and
you can come home.
The Father has already set atable for you.
Beloved, that is the zeal thatwe have.
Set me as a seal upon your arm.
That's what it says one of theancient mystics remind us that
(34:57):
love is stronger than the grave.
That's what Jesus showed us.
That love is the strongest forcein the world, and it invites us
not into domination, but itinvites us into Holy Spirit
transformation, that thecreation that God is waiting for
is all of us turning back tothat kind of love.
(35:18):
There is such a hope for us insaying the table that we
practice here together is thetable that we're setting for the
whole world, and we're invitingyou into the mystery, into this
place of holy communion.
We're inviting you to practicehere so that what you have
received here, you will go outin the world, and you will
(35:39):
remember that you yourselves areloved, and that we are to be
people known by our love.
In fact, Jesus said, This is theonly test.
You're gonna be known asdisciples or followers by your
love.
How loving are you?
All of us would like to say thatwe're really good at loving, and
(36:02):
that's why it's really importantto be a part of a community
because all of a sudden you willfind where the edges of your
love are.
You will find, oh, not that one.
And that one is supposed to beyours too.
And this is the invitation ofthe church that we would expand
our love because we expand ourcapacity to know each other's
(36:25):
stories.
And that's what the table of theLord does for us.
It invites us into this holymystery.
SPEAKER_00 (36:31):
You know, when we see these verses talking about
the the religious teachers andthe Pharisees, and we always
assume that there's someoneelse.
But what if you need anawakening?
What if you need an awakening oflove?
What is gonna shake us awakewith that beautiful kiss from
(36:52):
God?
And just reminder that you aredeeply loved.
SPEAKER_01 (36:56):
We hope you've enjoyed this week's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
online at firstlovechurch.org.
Welcome to the First Love Church podcast.
This is a collection of Sundayteachings inspired by the
revised Common Lectionary andrecorded weekly in Ocala,
Florida.
This is such a beautiful joy tobe with here this morning.
For those of you who have beenhere before, welcome home.
For those of you who have neverbeen here, welcome home.
(00:21):
This is the grace that lovereminds us of.
We are every one of us welcomedin God's presence.
Every one of us beloved.
Every one of us made in the veryimage of Jesus.
And so I'm so grateful thismorning to be in the presence of
light with you.
There are lots of beautifulbabies and small children in our
(00:44):
congregation this morning.
And I just want to remind youwhat a joy and a privilege that
is.
Especially what a privilege itis to be with ones so fresh from
God.
And they remember so many thingsabout the source.
And so it is with open heartsand with lots of grace we invite
all of ourselves into thesanctuary this morning.
(01:05):
I am again so grateful to be inyour presence this 19th Sunday
of Pentecost.
Why do I bring that up?
For 19 Sundays we have beenpracticing, not just Sundays,
during the week as well, what itlooks like to be people who
attune our hearts to the HolySpirit, what it looks like to be
(01:26):
people who pay attention to thework of the Spirit among us,
what it looks like to be peoplewho live and move and have our
being in spirit.
This morning, it is withincredible grace that we invite
you to this portion of ourservice while we will look at
(01:47):
the text together, that we willlisten to the words of Jesus.
And we like to refer to thistype of or portion of the
service as your weekly amnesiatherapy.
During the week, you may haveforgotten who you are, whose you
are, and how we invite eachother to live.
(02:08):
And this is an invitation tohear the words of Jesus
together.
Together we're going to readthis portion of the scripture,
and then we I will read you oneslater.
But together we read this: Matthew 7. (02:20):
undefined
Refuse to be a critic, full ofbias toward others, and judgment
will not be passed on you.
For you will be judged by thesame standard that you use to
judge others.
The measurement you use on themwill be used on you.
(02:45):
Why would you focus on the flawin someone else's life and yet
fail to notice the glaring flawsof your own?
How could you say to yourfriend, Let me show you where
you're wrong when you're guiltyof even more?
At this point, I like to justput my eyes down.
(03:09):
And then we can all pray theprayer together, Lord have
mercy.
Christ have mercy, Lord havemercy.
You're being hyper-critical anda hypocrite.
First, acknowledge your ownblind spots and deal with them.
And then you'll be capable ofdealing with the blind spot of
(03:31):
your friend.
Who would hang earrings on adog's ear or throw pearls in
front of wild pigs?
They'll only trample them undertheir feet and turn around and
tear you to pieces.
These are the words of Jesusreminding us of this truth that
(03:52):
we are to be mindful, not toinvolve ourselves in the
criticism of others, not to beso full of our own personal bias
that we miss the light of Christthat is shining for us.
And this is an invitation intothe practice of real love.
SPEAKER_00 (04:12):
I don't know if uh maybe uh any of you or very few
of you really believe thatverse.
And I would really challenge youon that.
Uh that if you didn't judgeother people, you wouldn't be
judged.
Because I think if you reallybelieved that, you wouldn't say,
look at that idiot the waythey're driving.
(04:34):
Can you believe that guy?
Can you believe that lady infront of me?
Could you know I can't believewhat these politicians are
doing.
I can't, you know, come on.
What the scripture's saying tous is incredible.
If you would stop judging otherpeople, you yourself would not
(04:56):
be judged.
I don't want to be judged.
So all I gotta do is lay thatdown, and I gotta tell you how
deep it runs.
Because I think for most of mylife I've had accusations
against my sons.
From the time they were littlekids.
I told you, how many times did Itell you not to bring plates up
(05:17):
into your room?
It's gonna get ants.
But you know, they're they're upthere just disrespecting me.
They're up there, you know, theydon't care what I say, they have
no honor of their father.
All this stuff, all thisaccusation, when the truth is,
aren't they just a bunch of kidswho was in the middle of a show
and wanted a snack?
(05:38):
And maybe my booming wordsaren't as important to them as I
think they are to me.
But there's accusations that wehave.
And I know for me, I was asneaky kid, and I'd had an
accusation that my kids wereconstantly sneaking, it was
wicked, it was wrong, and Irealized that I was trapped, and
(06:02):
I was trapping them because whenI judge, I set the example of
that's how you're to behave.
And when I judge, I receive thatjudgment.
Are you hearing me that youcould cut out the majority of
your problems by just lettingdown that one guilty pleasure of
(06:24):
judging everyone and everything?
SPEAKER_01 (06:27):
And can I add that there's a really beautiful
practice?
Because that's great in theory,beloved.
But how do we really practicethat?
The practice is forgiveness.
The practice is I see it and Ichoose forgiveness.
This is what Jesus offered us.
This is why we're here, beloved.
We are to be light, we are to belove, and we are to be people of
(06:50):
forgiveness.
We are to be the people whoforgive.
In fact, the scripture tells usif you forgive someone's sin,
it's already forgiven.
So there is so much power thatwe are leaving on the table in
forgiveness and intransformation, but in all of
us, listening to the words ofJesus saying, do not judge.
(07:12):
Look at your own self.
Take care of the telephone polesin your own eyes before you're
looking for splinters in otherpeople's eyes.
In fact, take care of thetelephone poles and you'll be
able to see yourself a lotbetter.
And this is the invitation intoreflection, into hearing the
words of Jesus.
(07:33):
Together in this season ofPentecost, we read and we hear
what Jesus is teaching us aboutthe Holy Spirit, that we are to
be people full of the Spirit.
In fact, when Jesus is startingthe church, when Jesus is
saying, This is what it lookslike to be people who live a
different way, inviting us intothe kingdom.
(07:55):
Jesus does not give hisdisciples a book.
He doesn't give them a set ofrules, he doesn't give them even
a tabernacle or a church.
He said, You will be the church.
But Jesus said, What I'm gonnagive you is my spirit.
Beloved, we are to be peopleattuned to Holy Spirit.
We are to be people who listento the voice of spirit and to be
(08:19):
people who are animated by thatspirit.
SPEAKER_00 (08:22):
You know, I just want to remind you that God has
not left you orphaned, but Godgave you the Holy Spirit for
this life.
And this life is difficult tonavigate.
And if we don't learn and trainourselves to hear voice of
spirit, we don't learn to beable to follow the Holy Spirit,
then we're certainly gonna haverun run-ins, we're gonna have
(08:46):
struggles and we're gonna havedifficult times.
And maybe some of you findyourself in a very difficult
time.
And I assure you that God hasmade a way of escape for us.
And the the power of the HolySpirit is available to you and
I.
And um, so much of the time thatthat's downplayed, even in
church.
You know, we stand up here andwe preach the word every week,
(09:06):
but if the word were not metwith the Holy Spirit, it would
be useless.
Do you understand?
It's the Holy Spirit that comesupon the word that makes it
alive and helps you understandand activate it.
And so, as followers of Christ,we ought to be uh interested,
concerned, and learning aboutthe mystical, about the
(09:26):
supernatural, that that is partof this walk.
And we sometimes I think livetoo natural, and so we miss the
very presence of God, the verydirection of God, the very
assistance that he's provided,because he knows that there's
there's struggles in this earth.
Amen?
SPEAKER_01 (09:42):
Amen.
So one day Jesus taught theapostles to keep praying, never
stop, or lose hope.
And you have to ask yourselfright here, why is this
important to Jesus?
Because we as people often losehope.
(10:03):
The things around us do notchange or they're difficult, and
so it causes us to lose hope,and Jesus is reminding us don't
lose hope.
I hope that you hear that thismorning, not as a command, but
as a gentle invitation, as ifJesus were standing right in
front of you, looking at you,seeing you, and saying, Don't
(10:24):
lose hope.
Beloved, hope is the evidence ofthings that are unseen.
It allows us to be people offaith.
It allows us to be people whoare moved by love.
Jesus one day taught thedisciples to keep praying.
Beloved, I know you have prayedbefore.
Keep praying.
(10:45):
I know that you've prayed foryears.
Keep praying.
This is the invitation of Jesusinto a life of prayer.
And what really is prayer?
Prayer is connection, communion,and communication with the Holy
Spirit.
SPEAKER_00 (11:00):
You know, we have uh on Wednesday nights, we've been
doing, you know, just for aseason, we're doing a prayer and
meditation class.
And it's uh really to help us uhuh expound on really the
understanding of what prayer is.
Because I think when I cameamong the charismatics, I was
taught uh, and and tell tell meif this rings true with many of
you, that it almost felt likelearning scriptures and the
(11:22):
promises of God were to recallso that I could hold God
accountable to his words so thathe'd have to give me what he
said he was gonna give me.
And if I didn't put in thatdemand, Hebrews chapter 11, you
know, like a vending machine,you know, A12, and then I get my
my Wrigley Spearmint chewinggum, falls down on the thing,
(11:44):
and I reach in and grab it, orit gets stuck and you gotta
shake the machine.
So, how many of you felt likeyou were shaking the machine,
but you're not getting the stuffout that you promised, you know?
Because that's all prayer waslearning a promise from God,
memorizing it and repeating itback until you think you were
gonna get it.
And you know, uh part of prayercertainly is meditating on God's
(12:05):
word.
But but you know, I think a veryimportant part of prayer, and
when he says continuallypraying, you know, there's a
there's a part of just beingquiet.
How are you gonna get an answerunless you shut up long enough
to hear it?
Amen.
But if I'd given my laundry listto God and telling God exactly
how he needs to fix all myproblems, as if I could fix any
(12:25):
of them or I would already havedone it.
So my ways and my plan probablyare gonna pale in comparison to
the living God, amen?
So what if we learn to be quietand understood that that was
part of prayer?
Then we could see how you couldpray without ceasing.
Be quiet a little bit more.
Listen.
(12:46):
You know?
And so I want you to understandwhen he says pray without
ceasing.
This isn't, oh no, I gotta, youknow, you know, listen to Larry
Lee's pray one hour without whatwas that, Terry Knott or
something?
I don't know.
I can't remember what it was.
But the thing is, you know, wemake these like rules and plans
and stuff on how that we got,and we make it very regimented
(13:07):
when it's a lifestyle, amen.
Just just uh naturally flowingout of you, amen.
You're all looking at me like acow looks at a new fence.
SPEAKER_01 (13:16):
This is an invitation, though, for all of
us.
It's an invitation to practicebeing aware of the presence of
God.
It's one of the reasons whynature is so important to us as
a witness, as a reminder.
The trees and the earth and theskies and everything witnessing
(13:40):
to us, testifying, you areloved.
There is abundance here, aninvitation into the mystery.
One day Jesus taught theapostles to keep praying, never
stop or lose hope.
And he shared this illustration.
In a certain town, there was acivil judge, a thick-skinned, a
godless man who had no fear ofothers' opinions.
(14:04):
And there was a poor widow inthat town who kept pleading with
the judge grant me justice andprotect me against my oppressor.
This woman who is an outcast,this woman who society has done
wrong.
In this particular culture,widows had lost everything, all
of their rights, all of theirdefenses, everything.
(14:26):
And Jesus is talking about amarginalized people, people who
the system, the empire, hasabsolutely taken advantage of.
And Jesus is saying, payattention to how this widow, how
this marginalized one behaves,and emulate that.
What you're gonna see here isthe faithfulness of this person
(14:50):
who cannot count on thegovernment, who cannot count on
any system, even her culture, totake care of her.
And so there is for us aninvitation.
Jesus begins to tell ussomething, and I want to remind
you of something the prophetMicah said.
God has told you, oh man, whatis good and what the Lord
(15:10):
requires of you, that you wouldlove mercy, that you would do
justice, and that you would walkhumbly with your God.
This is something the peoplethere already knew that God's
intention for mankind was thatwe would be people who love
mercy.
Not that we would be people whoare excited about a judgment,
(15:33):
but we are people loving mercy,we are people loving justice,
and we are people who understandthe power it is to walk in the
presence of God.
SPEAKER_00 (15:45):
You know, I want you to see here too, because I think
this passage of scripture ismisunderstood sometimes in our
own mind.
I'm like, you know, am I justsupposed to keep pestering God
until he decides to go ahead anddo something nice for me?
You know, and I think that wecan misunderstand that uh that
that it's uh because I've heardpeople say you just gotta keep
on pestering after God, justkeep on asking, keep on asking.
(16:08):
But but really it's the it's theunderstanding that this woman
had that this judge had theability to help.
And so she wasn't gonna lookelsewhere, and she was going to
maintain her focus on the onewho had her answer.
(16:30):
Is anyone tracking with me?
That that you and I aren't tobeg as if God will just throw
scraps to you.
You were his son, you're hisdaughter.
What it proves to you and andthe resolve is I'm not looking
elsewhere.
God is my answer.
(16:50):
Amen?
And I'm gonna stay focused andI'm gonna keep my trust there.
Because I think so much of thetime we're in and out.
We're very washed with thewaves, the in and out of
sometimes we're on fire,sometimes we're ice cold,
sometimes we really believe thisstuff, and sometimes it really
doesn't seem to be real to us.
And is there a place where youcan settle in your heart?
(17:10):
I'm going nowhere else.
That I trust God.
This is the one I'm connectingmy heart with, and this is where
my trust lies.
Amen.
SPEAKER_01 (17:22):
We pause here for a moment to thank you for joining
us today.
If you're finding this episodemeaningful, would you take a
moment to share it with afriend?
This podcast is made possiblethanks to the generosity of
people just like you.
If you would like to support theongoing work of First Love
Church and the continued work ofour podcast, visit us online at
(17:44):
firstlovechurch.org, remindingyou to like, follow, and
subscribe.
That's an interestingproposition.
And I think that's one of thereasons why Jesus had to come,
because he had to remind us ofhow good God was.
God is.
That God is love, beloved,nothing else.
God is love.
And love is the answer to everyquestion that you have.
(18:06):
What should I do about whatwould love do?
What should I think about, whatwould love think?
What should I share?
What would love share?
This is the invitation for usthat love is the fulfillment of
every single law.
The judge ignored her pleas forquite some time, but she kept
asking.
I like that part very much.
(18:27):
She knew, and you do too,beloved, you knew, you know in
yourself what is wrong and whatis right.
The Holy Spirit has already toldyou, you know what is merciful
and what is cruel.
And beloved, cruelty has noplace in our humanity.
Cruelty is not from God.
Cruelty is not who we aresupposed to be.
We are to be people formed bylove.
(18:49):
He ignored her plea for quitesome time and she kept acting.
Eventually, he said to himself,This widow keeps annoying me,
demanding her rights.
That's a little I don't know, itmakes me want to inhale, like
really big.
Demanding her rights.
(19:11):
He knew he was standing againsther rights.
He knew exactly what he wasdoing, and Jesus is showing us
this parable.
He said, I'm tired of listeningto her.
And even though I'm not areligious man and I don't care
about the opinions of others,I'll just get her off my back by
answering her claims forjustice, and I'll rule in her
(19:34):
favor, then she'll leave mealone.
The Lord continued, did you hearwhat the ungodly judge said?
That he would answer herpersistent request.
Don't you know?
And again, here is one of Jesus'main goals for us that we would
(19:57):
unlearn things that we havelearned about God.
So Jesus is teaching ussomething about God that we did
not know.
Did you not know that God, thetrue judge, will grant justice
to all his beloved ones who cryout to him night and day, and he
(20:19):
will pour out his spirit uponthem.
The prophet Joel also said this.
Your sons and your daughterswill prophesy, your old men will
dream dreams, and your young menwill have visions.
(20:41):
And there is an invitation to usto imagine a world without
hierarchy, to imagine a world ofequality, to imagine a world
where God's spirit is poured outupon all flesh.
Jesus is telling the people whoare listening, listen, in answer
to the unjustice, in answer toyour prayers, God will pour out
(21:04):
his spirit upon you, and he willnot delay to answer you, and he
will give you what you ask for.
SPEAKER_00 (21:10):
What's it look like when God's Spirit is poured out
on people?
I want you to kind of askyourself, get some kind of a
vision.
What does that look like?
Because if God is love, I don'texactly know how it's gonna
flesh out, but I know it's gonnainvolve God's love.
It's gonna be loving.
His people are going to beloving.
(21:32):
That is going to be how we win.
Because God is love.
Amen.
So if we would actually be Himin this world, we'd have to be a
lot more loving.
That's we're gonna have tosurrender to Spirit for that to
be accomplished.
I had this dream that I justcouldn't figure it out for a
while, almost like a week ormore.
I had this dream that that therewas a uh a calamity happened,
(21:57):
and there was all these peoplerunning towards it instead of
away.
And they were all super angryand they were just yelling, and
they were running, and and I andI and I one guy kind of caught
my gaze and he just was angryand he was screaming at me.
And I and I felt the urge toyell back because you know I
could come up with a sarcasticremark or two.
(22:18):
I've been known to have one evenloaded in the chamber for such
an occasion.
But I was prompted to just say,No, I love you.
And he yelled and I said, No, Ilove you.
And he yelled more, and I said,No, look at me.
I love you.
And it was like somethingdrained off of this person, and
(22:41):
he and he smiled and he startedto cry.
He goes, I love you too.
And he quit running towards thecalamity, and he turned and he
started looking at at otherpeople that were running, and he
started saying it to them.
And I started grabbing somebodyelse because it started to make
sense to me.
You mean instead of us trying tofix all the calamities and
(23:01):
trying to vote all the rightpeople and trying to do all the
stuff, we just have to be lovingright here?
And other people are gonna bedrawn to that goodness, and that
that kind of movement cannot bestopped by any kind of
government, any politician, anykind of uh uh uh uh you know
laws that are put out there.
Nothing can stop us when weunderstand the power of what we
(23:24):
have and the influence we have.
And and I think to myself that,you know, I spend so much time
thinking, I can't make adifference.
Because how am I gonna go and atmy age and become a politician
and make things?
Or am I gonna go out and and andand make a whole denomination
and do and I miss the fact thatthe Spirit of God lives on the
(23:46):
inside of me.
And the way this works is notthat you and I go change them,
but we allow ourselves to bechanged, and then we invite
everybody to the revolution.
Oh, you want to come?
It's already here.
Not down the road, it's alreadyhere.
SPEAKER_01 (24:03):
Jesus said this.
The spirit.
SPEAKER_00 (24:06):
I was gonna quote John Lennon, but I think it's
better you go quote Jesus.
Go ahead.
No, God, you were way betterthan me.
SPEAKER_01 (24:13):
I was gonna remind you, beloved, that Jesus said,
the kingdom is already here.
It's already here.
We just have to awaken to it.
And I love that you invited usto the revolution because love
is the revolution, it always hasbeen.
That is what Jesus came and did,and that's why people missed
him.
Because they wanted anothersomething.
And God said, This is Jesus.
(24:35):
I will anoint this way.
This way of being in the world,this nonviolent love, this way
of looking at things different.
And this is what Jesus wentabout doing healing people,
doing good.
Beloved, our eyes, all of uscollectively, need to be healed
so that we would see things forwhat they actually are.
(24:56):
And that's what it means to beattuned to the voice of spirit,
that you can see what really ishappening, and that you are
invited into what Jesus isoffering all of us.
And he will pour out his spiritupon them, and he will not delay
to answer you or to give youwhat you ask for.
God will give swift justice tothose who don't give up.
(25:20):
So be ever praying, everexpecting, just like the widow
was with the judge.
And yet, when the Son of Mancomes back, will he find this
kind of persistent faithfulnessin his people?
Jesus is asking a question, andit's the question that he's been
asking for a few chapters here.
(25:42):
When the Son of Man comes back,will he find faithfulness?
Will he find you being faithfulto love?
What you began in love, don'tfollow it up with rules.
The invitation that Jesus gaveus is to receive love and then
to stay in love.
That we would be people only whoare modeled and energized by the
(26:06):
love that Christ has given us.
This invitation that Jesus isasking all of us.
Can you be faithful in this?
Can you be faithful to stay inlove?
Beloved, I just want to tell youthis is the truth.
It is easier to fall in lovethan to stay in love.
(26:30):
Anyone who's been married morethan 40 years would tell you it
takes more effort to stay inlove than it does to fall into
love.
Is it worth it?
Absolutely positively.
But I want to remind you that itis beautiful.
I think this is why we lovebabies.
Oh my gosh, they're so cute, andthey never talk back, and they
(26:54):
only I mean they're justadorable, and they have those
big eyes, and we're in love withthem.
Those babies turn intobeautiful, wonderful teenagers
with those big, beautiful eyes,and their soft complexions in
(27:14):
their cheeks, and they justadore you, and they only want
you to be in their presence.
It's not true.
But I just reminding you ourhearts do not have to change.
Our hearts need to stay in thatsame kind of love and not in the
ability of our own self.
This is the power of the HolySpirit.
(27:34):
This is why during the season ofPentecost we talk about love.
The Spirit empowers us to lovedifferently, to love ourselves,
to love our enemies, and to loveour neighbors.
SPEAKER_00 (27:47):
I heard somebody say if they could build a time
machine, would they go back andkill baby Hitler?
And they said they couldn't killa baby, but they could kill
teenage Hitler.
SPEAKER_01 (27:58):
No, beloved, the answer is love.
It is not, it is it is never,ever murder.
This is the reason, in fact,that we see what happened with
the Empire.
That's why Empire killed Jesus.
Jesus was perfect love.
And the Empire said, That has tostop.
We're going to kill it.
And so Jesus offers us anotherway.
(28:20):
Jesus offers us another life.
God will give swift justice tothose who don't give up.
So be ever praying, everexpecting, just like the widow
was with the judge.
Yet when the Son of Man comesback, will he find this kind of
persistent faithfulness in hispeople?
(28:41):
I read to you from Matthew 23.
What sorrow awaits you teachersof the religious law and you
Pharisees, hypocrites.
I always like to disclude myselfin that rack.
When I read things like that,I'm like, that's for someone
else, because that's not who Iam.
I would like to say, Well,that's I hope those people,
(29:04):
those people.
Anytime you say those people,beloved, that should be a little
indication of something.
I wish those people would listento Jesus.
SPEAKER_00 (29:13):
We might be judging.
SPEAKER_01 (29:15):
We also might be those people.
That's the truth of it.
We are all one in this idea ofseparateness that we can get
over a line in.
So Jesus is saying, there's asorrow that waits for you
because you're careful to titheeven the tiniest income from
your herb gardens.
And this was a practice becausetithing was, this is how the
(29:37):
temple was actually taken careof, but it was how social
programs actually worked.
How people had bread and foodthat was given to them was
because people tithed.
And Jesus said, Listen, youpeople who are looking and
taking even a mint leaf andcounting the ten leaves and then
tithing the eleventh.
You ignore the more important.
(30:00):
Aspects of the law, justice,mercy, and faith.
You should tithe, yes.
This is the words of Jesus.
But don't neglect the moreimportant things.
When you do the importantthings, justice, and you love
(30:22):
mercy and you walk with God, youwill be generous.
But do not think for one minuteyou can just give one part and
withhold justice from somewhereelse.
This is the invitation of Jesusinto wholehearted living.
Jesus said this, yes, youshould.
You should be generous.
(30:43):
But you should also not neglectjustice, mercy, faith.
This is an invitation for us tosay, I will be careful.
I will hear the warning of Jesusand I will do these things.
SPEAKER_00 (30:58):
You know, when I first came to the Lord, I was so
filled with zeal that uh, youknow, just going to church on
Wednesday night, Sunday morning,and Sunday night wasn't enough.
I had a couple Bible studies atmy house.
I had some Bible study duringthe week for people at our
church, and then I had anotherBible study for my metalhead
friends who wouldn't go tochurch, and then I'd have a
Bible study with my family.
(31:19):
And I mean, I just every day andevery minute, and I remember
this one older uh saint that Ireally admired said to me, He
said, I really love your zeal.
And he said, Don't let thechurch people steal your zeal.
And I was like, Wait, you know,what are you talking about?
You know, I'm on fire and stuff.
And then, you know, I've beenaround this thing for a little
(31:41):
while, and now I know exactlywhat he's talking about.
People are like, oh, take iteasy, brother.
What are you doing preaching,you know, at Bible studies?
You don't even know, you know,all the books.
Have you ever read all thebooks?
I didn't know how many books ofthe Bible there were.
I didn't read it, you know.
I just, I would just getsomething that I was excited
about and I started talkingabout it, you know.
And oh, well, you better take iteasy, you better go learn, you
(32:02):
know, and and then all of asudden you I go to Bible school
and I'm thinking, oh, Bibleschool is just gonna help us
get, you know, learn about allthis stuff.
And all they did was sit andtell you, stop preaching, learn
our doctrine.
And then doctrine are just ideasthat men, uh, yeah, and
traditions that men uh read theBible and and deciphered, and
(32:25):
then all of a sudden I began soweighted down with those
doctrines, I I I was afraid tosay anything to anyone.
I didn't have confidence to goout and just witness to people,
and I'd realized that that thatthat teachers of the law, and
I'm not saying you shouldn'tlearn doctrine, but I'm gonna
tell you something.
I want you to understand that ifit's if you trade your zeal for
(32:47):
it, you've done something wrong.
Or if or if just all the rulesand stuff or what you really,
you know, just consumingdoctrine and knowing more is you
then you've you've derailed.
Because just that sounds good toI want to learn more about God.
But what you do is you learnyourself into this place of
solitude where you know so muchmore than everybody else, and
(33:08):
and so they're all foolish and Idon't talk to them, then you're
missing our our our calling.
It's to just go out and lovepeople.
And sometimes you have to reallyjust smile and and uh and in a
in a sentence or two that thosepeople make, you have to decide
which one of those foolishthings should I address.
SPEAKER_01 (33:29):
Or none of them.
SPEAKER_00 (33:30):
Or none of them.
And just love them and smile andand and think about those people
that loved you when you wereyoung and just loved you even
though you were just a young,foolish person.
You know, and and so I want usto kind of wake up out of that,
that really where the church hasbeen, I think, is just in this
place of consuming knowledge forjust to get doctrine, which
(33:54):
paralyzes us and makes us quiet.
Can we just find the one thingthat ignites us?
And I believe what unites us andand ignites us is the love of
God.
That we are all equal and we'reall one.
Amen.
SPEAKER_01 (34:14):
On another whole note, I remind you that the zeal
that Dennis is talking about isthe zeal for love, is the zeal
for the knowledge that allpeople would known they come
home to God, that you can comeback to God.
You can leave where you are andyou can come home.
The table is already set foryou.
(34:34):
You can leave where you are inyour famine, in your hunger, and
you can come home.
The Father has already set atable for you.
Beloved, that is the zeal thatwe have.
Set me as a seal upon your arm.
That's what it says one of theancient mystics remind us that
(34:57):
love is stronger than the grave.
That's what Jesus showed us.
That love is the strongest forcein the world, and it invites us
not into domination, but itinvites us into Holy Spirit
transformation, that thecreation that God is waiting for
is all of us turning back tothat kind of love.
(35:18):
There is such a hope for us insaying the table that we
practice here together is thetable that we're setting for the
whole world, and we're invitingyou into the mystery, into this
place of holy communion.
We're inviting you to practicehere so that what you have
received here, you will go outin the world, and you will
(35:39):
remember that you yourselves areloved, and that we are to be
people known by our love.
In fact, Jesus said, This is theonly test.
You're gonna be known asdisciples or followers by your
love.
How loving are you?
All of us would like to say thatwe're really good at loving, and
(36:02):
that's why it's really importantto be a part of a community
because all of a sudden you willfind where the edges of your
love are.
You will find, oh, not that one.
And that one is supposed to beyours too.
And this is the invitation ofthe church that we would expand
our love because we expand ourcapacity to know each other's
(36:25):
stories.
And that's what the table of theLord does for us.
It invites us into this holymystery.
SPEAKER_00 (36:31):
You know, when we see these verses talking about
the the religious teachers andthe Pharisees, and we always
assume that there's someoneelse.
But what if you need anawakening?
What if you need an awakening oflove?
What is gonna shake us awakewith that beautiful kiss from
(36:52):
God?
And just reminder that you aredeeply loved.
SPEAKER_01 (36:56):
We hope you've enjoyed this week's sermon.
If you would like moreinformation about us, visit us
online at firstlovechurch.org.
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