May 23, 2025 • 24 mins
This message by Pastor Lonnie challenges us to embody the life and love of Jesus in practical, tangible ways. Using the imagery of Jesus’ feet, hands, mouth, and spine, it highlights how He walked toward the outcast, touched the untouchable, spoke words of peace, and stood with unwavering persistence. The message calls modern-day Christ-followers to live out their faith by going where grace is needed most, serving others with compassion, speaking life, and remaining steadfast in a world that often resists true love. It’s an invitation to not just believe in Jesus, but to move like Him.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Let's be real.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Okay, let's be real when we say we're Christian. Let's
just talk not talking about a list of religious options,
but the very expression Christian. We're saying we are christ followers,
(00:30):
christ followers. So the word Christian is essentially a lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
It is a lifestyle, and.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
It is choosing to do at least three things if
it is to follow Christ. If it is a lifestyle,
it is choosing, I would say, to walk.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Where Jesus walked. It is touching what Jesus touched, and
it is.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Speaking speaking how Jesus spoke, how Jesus spoke.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So what does it look like to follow Jesus?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
As you all know, we have our faith walk in
our campus woods, let's have a faith walk in this building, in.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
This place right now. What does it look like to
follow Jesus?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Well, let me just ask the question, where did Jesus's
feet take him? Okay, where did they take him? Have
you ever noticed that Jesus had the world's most rebellious feet?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Have you ever heard that before? I think he's had
the most rebellious feet.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Seriously, if you were tracking Jesus on a GPS, you
would think that guy's lost.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Where is he going?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
He kept walking into places where good religious people would
never go. They never go there, tax collectors, houses for
dinner parties.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Dinners were prousted. Who it's were present?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
And then he went on a high to Samaria and
had a conversation with Samaritans. In Samaria, gaunet, Jesus, that.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Is enemy territory. What are you doing there? He would
hang out with lepers. His feet took him there to
the outer edges of grace.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
They took him to people who were told you don't belong.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
And guess what.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
It's right in the text, Jesus made religious people very uncomfortable.
Can you imagine in inviting Jesus, maybe you've got a
small group or one of the Bible seting groups that
you're a part of, and you invite Jesus, Jesus, come
come and join us, be with us. Lord show up
(04:12):
at our gathering, and where would Jesus would come in?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
With zach kiss with zach Uh, Jesus, why did you.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Bring this character? He's a trader. Don't you know that?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
He's like an i RS agent on steroids and he
pockets a lot of stuff for himself.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Get him out of here.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Or maybe he shows up with that woman that everyone
whispers about, and Jesus walks towards them, not away from them.
And one of the expressions that was given to Jesus
(05:01):
it was meant to be a put down. Oh Jesus,
he's the friend of sinners. Read that a few times
in your Bible. Haven't you the friend of sinners?
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Well it was meant.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
To be an insult, But I think Jesus wore that
that was his name, tag.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Friend of sinners.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
That's what I am wearing, because that's how he lived, folks, And.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
As they called him the friend of sinners.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
You can't but think of what Isaiah said that we
heard earlier in that remarkable way that Eddie reads scripture,
where this is.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
How beautiful in the mountains are those the feet of
those who bring what good news? Not judge you not
good news?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
And it was also quoted and the New Testament passage
that Eddie.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Wrote read beautiful feet.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
That's what Jesus had done, not because he had a
good pedicure, but because the steps of those feet they
brought something, They brought hope.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I think of one day a woman.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
There was that woman who thought that she was too
far gone, too.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Far gone for grace.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
And she cried on his feet and wiped them with
her hair. That image is not awkward, but is really
a symbol of our worship to God. We kneel at
his feet, we realize how undeserving we are, and those
tears are actual tears, not of sorrow. There are tears
(06:59):
of joy, and wipe his feet with them. Well, friends,
if we follow Jesus, our feet needs to be moving
in the same direction towards people, especially the ones that
(07:27):
others would avoid.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
That's a feat. How about his hands?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
What did Jesus's hand to open the scriptures, let the
Bible speak. Jesus had hands that didn't just heal people,
not just the healer.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
They not only healed people. They held people. One thing
to heal, another thing to hold them, hold them.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
There's a moment if you go into Matthew's Gospel and
you'll find they're there.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
There's a story of the leper.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Who walks up to Jesus, and in that culture, we
need to realize that that lepers, those with leprosy, they
had to shout out, They had to be known that
they were unclean, and that which was the word they
if they saw anyone approtein, they'd have to say unclean, unclean,
which was saying stay ten feet away from me, stay away.
(08:39):
They were untouchable and people wouldn't get within ten feet
of them. It's it's kind of like like if we
acted the early COVID days we didn't know what was
going on.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Was they stay away, and you'll go stay away, stay away,
stay away.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Well that's what leprosy was like, Okay, stay away.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Now it's interesting that.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
When this person with leprosy comes to Jesus, Jesus.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Does it flint.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
He doesn't step back, but he reaches how it he
touched him. Now, I'm not adplicating that we should touch
people when there's a terrible disease going. I'm not saying,
but this is Jesus here, Okay, this is the model.
He reaches out and he touches him. Now, I don't
(09:34):
think Jesus had to touch him to heal him. I
don't think it was depended upon the touch. But Jesus
knew that's what was needed.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
He could have just spoken healing, and I believe it would.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Have come to that person.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
But he touches him because now, get this, I don't
think Jesus just wants to heal our skin. I think
Jesus wanted to restore dignity, and with a touch of Jesus,
dignity was restored.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
To this person that was unclean.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Ah Jesus, Oh, he used his hand for messy stuff,
washing smelly feet, cooking breakfast on a beach post resurrection.
(10:38):
This disciple member, he's cooking breakfast as they come in
for the Sea of Galilee.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
And ultimately getting nailed on the cross. That's his hand.
Now think about.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Your own hands. What are your hands doing? What are
they doing that honors God. We have opportunities to.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Serve the church. They're there.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Perhaps you can mo a neighbors lawn, or write an
encouraging note to someone who's discouraged, or maybe bake or
build or create something for a person that that may
become a tool of grace and relationship.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Or could even be delivering a prayer quill. Maybe you've
requested a prayer quilt is one thing to deliver.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
I had enormous joy this last week, you know, last
Sunday we had a prayer quilt for my brother in
law and Nicaragua. He's flying into Texas to have spine.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Surgery, Big Chilles. He's not going to get it done there.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
So it was a joy just to mail to the
address where he'll be staying a prayer quilt saying, want
you to know our community of Christ followers are praying
for you.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
That's the kind of stuff that makes a difference. Maybe
your hand can write a check.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
That you realize will make a big difference for what
God is able to do through that generosity, time, talent, treasure,
Jesus's hands.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
We're always doing something for someone else. What are yours
up to?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
So the feet, the hands, now the hard one, the mouth,
the mouth? Oh my, what did if we want to
follow Jesus?
Speaker 1 (12:57):
What did he say? What came from his mouth? One
thing it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
It wasn't a lot of esulteric religious jargon that few
people could understand where he was getting.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
It wasn't that.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
He said is most common.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
A couple of most common phrases was the Kingdom of
God is at hand.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
That was his.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Dominant sermon, And the other thing was your faith has
saved you. Go in peace, over and over again. Jesus
opened his mouth.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
And peace came out.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Going to John's gospel, go on the twentieth chapter there.
I think it is instructive. And this is after the Resurrection.
We read the text a few weeks ago. Actually it
was the Sunday after Easter. And he goes into that
room where the disciples are and they're scared. The doors
are locked, and he goes in there and the first
(14:05):
thing that Jesus says to his frightened disciples who have
no idea of his resurrection, they're still hiding behind locked doors.
Jesus comes in and he says, peace be with you.
We didn't hear him say I told you so. He
(14:27):
didn't say where were you when I needed you?
Speaker 1 (14:32):
What did Jesus say?
Speaker 2 (14:34):
You want to say, you're a Christian? You want to
follow Jesus? How about learning from that example?
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Now? I want us to get real uncomfortable.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
For just a moment, okay, and that is.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
How often do our words bring peace? Okay? That can
be very uncomfortable.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
It could be very uncomfortable. And I got to share something.
What do you say on Facebook in your post?
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Are they words of peace?
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I have read some from Christ followers or declare to
be Christ followers.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
That's quite embarrassing. What I hear they're saying, in the
name of God, how often do our words bring peace? Now?
Speaker 2 (15:43):
In a world that we live in now that is
full of unlined arguments, heated texts, and constant noise.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Being a mouth.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Of peace might be the most radical thing that could
be done today. Speak peace at work, speak peace in traffic. No,
don't do that, that's a hard one.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
But be someone whose words heal.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Okay, if you can't say words that heal, please and
the name of God be quiet.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Just popped in my mind.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Remember there used to be bumper stickers or you saying
religious bumper stickers.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
I remember this one.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
It says, if you love Jesus, tithe anyone can hank
yo do something, don't die, don't hawk by the stuff
you post, don't go there, speak peace at work, and
(17:09):
be someone.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Whose words heal and not hurt. And then, finally, because
I know times running out, there's a lot going on.
We could keep this going.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
But there's another another thing about what about Jesus's spine.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Okay, this backbone. There were someone to say, oh, religion,
that's just a crush.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It's not a crutch, it's a backbone. Our faith in
God is a backbone.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Of life.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
But what about the spine of Jesus, Because quite frankly,
following Jesus is not for the feint of heart.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
You need the.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Guts, you need the grits, and you need that kind
of backbone that he had.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
See, Jesus didn't plan.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
When people walked away from him. You know, he we
read a lot of the we framed thee the successes,
but not everyone was thrilled with what Jesus was about.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
And he didn't give up. He didn't give up when.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Seeds that were sold didn't sprout overnight. Remember his parable,
like to kind of conclude with that, his parable the
seeds that hit rocky ground, some were snatched away, some
(18:45):
seed just got choked out. But the sower that kept
sowing consistently year after year.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Believed that somewhere, some some seed would land on some
good soil.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
And it will grow. And we should never be impatient
with God's timing.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
At this church.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Some seeds grow, other seeds don't. But it's God's timing.
And perhaps some of you have been praying for someone
or something that's been a burden, a hurt, and you've
been praying for years about it.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
You're getting It's like, how long do I have to
be patient with this?
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Some of you may be trying to follow Jesus at
work and or maybe there's a tough relationship, or maybe
you're trying to heal from it church hurt.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
You know someone who is a Christ follower? You go,
what no more? Get out of here. I'm out of there,
don't quit. Don't we need a spine?
Speaker 3 (20:20):
He kept on.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
And he offers it. So the concluding question for this morning,
which part do you need? Take a breath, Look at.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Your feet, your hands, think about your mouth or what
you've been texting or writing or posting, your spine? HM,
which one do you think you could use more of today?
(21:06):
That you could ask God for some grace.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
And hear him say, hey, peace, peace, peace.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Maybe the feet needs direction, maybe your hands need a purpose,
and maybe your heart is strong, but the spine.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Is just tired. The spine's just tired. Ask him.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
My experience is that Jesus isn't stingy with himself. He'll
walk with you, he'll touch your life, he'll speak peace
all over you, and when you feel like giving up,
(22:11):
he'll give you the strength to keep going. Let us
pray Lord Jesus, you really did walk where no one
else would walk.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
You touched what no one else dared to touch.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
You spoke life for others, spoke judgment, and still.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
You move straight to the margins into the mess.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
But today, Lord, we ask for your feet as a
church and as individuals, give us the courage to go
where grace is most needed, even when it's uncomfortable, even
when it's costly.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
We ask for your hands.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Teach us not just to heal, but to hold, not
just to do good, but to restore dignity.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
And we ask for your voice.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Let peace be the loudest thing that comes from our mouths,
even when the world is shouting. And Jesus, we ask
for your spine, because some days they're hard, some prayers
take years, some soil looks too dry. But you didn't quit,
(24:03):
and neither will. We make us people of movement, of mercy,
of meaning, people who walk, touch, speak, and stand like you.
(24:28):
That your grace stretch us all the way to the edges.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
And maybe even a little further. In your name, we pray, Ahmen,
Let's be real.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Okay, let's be real when we say we're Christian. Let's
just talk not talking about a list of religious options,
but the very expression Christian. We're saying we are christ followers,
(00:30):
christ followers. So the word Christian is essentially a lifestyle.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
It is a lifestyle, and.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
It is choosing to do at least three things if
it is to follow Christ. If it is a lifestyle,
it is choosing, I would say, to walk.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Where Jesus walked. It is touching what Jesus touched, and
it is.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Speaking speaking how Jesus spoke, how Jesus spoke.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
So what does it look like to follow Jesus?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
As you all know, we have our faith walk in
our campus woods, let's have a faith walk in this building, in.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
This place right now. What does it look like to
follow Jesus?
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Well, let me just ask the question, where did Jesus's
feet take him? Okay, where did they take him? Have
you ever noticed that Jesus had the world's most rebellious feet?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Have you ever heard that before? I think he's had
the most rebellious feet.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Seriously, if you were tracking Jesus on a GPS, you
would think that guy's lost.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Where is he going?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
He kept walking into places where good religious people would
never go. They never go there, tax collectors, houses for
dinner parties.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Dinners were prousted. Who it's were present?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
And then he went on a high to Samaria and
had a conversation with Samaritans. In Samaria, gaunet, Jesus, that.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Is enemy territory. What are you doing there? He would
hang out with lepers. His feet took him there to
the outer edges of grace.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
They took him to people who were told you don't belong.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
And guess what.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
It's right in the text, Jesus made religious people very uncomfortable.
Can you imagine in inviting Jesus, maybe you've got a
small group or one of the Bible seting groups that
you're a part of, and you invite Jesus, Jesus, come
come and join us, be with us. Lord show up
(04:12):
at our gathering, and where would Jesus would come in?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
With zach kiss with zach Uh, Jesus, why did you.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Bring this character? He's a trader. Don't you know that?
Speaker 2 (04:29):
He's like an i RS agent on steroids and he
pockets a lot of stuff for himself.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Get him out of here.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Or maybe he shows up with that woman that everyone
whispers about, and Jesus walks towards them, not away from them.
And one of the expressions that was given to Jesus
(05:01):
it was meant to be a put down. Oh Jesus,
he's the friend of sinners. Read that a few times
in your Bible. Haven't you the friend of sinners?
Speaker 1 (05:14):
Well it was meant.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
To be an insult, But I think Jesus wore that
that was his name, tag.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Friend of sinners.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
That's what I am wearing, because that's how he lived, folks, And.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
As they called him the friend of sinners.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
You can't but think of what Isaiah said that we
heard earlier in that remarkable way that Eddie reads scripture,
where this is.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
How beautiful in the mountains are those the feet of
those who bring what good news? Not judge you not
good news?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
And it was also quoted and the New Testament passage
that Eddie.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Wrote read beautiful feet.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
That's what Jesus had done, not because he had a
good pedicure, but because the steps of those feet they
brought something, They brought hope.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I think of one day a woman.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
There was that woman who thought that she was too
far gone, too.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Far gone for grace.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
And she cried on his feet and wiped them with
her hair. That image is not awkward, but is really
a symbol of our worship to God. We kneel at
his feet, we realize how undeserving we are, and those
tears are actual tears, not of sorrow. There are tears
(06:59):
of joy, and wipe his feet with them. Well, friends,
if we follow Jesus, our feet needs to be moving
in the same direction towards people, especially the ones that
(07:27):
others would avoid.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
That's a feat. How about his hands?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
What did Jesus's hand to open the scriptures, let the
Bible speak. Jesus had hands that didn't just heal people,
not just the healer.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
They not only healed people. They held people. One thing
to heal, another thing to hold them, hold them.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
There's a moment if you go into Matthew's Gospel and
you'll find they're there.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
There's a story of the leper.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Who walks up to Jesus, and in that culture, we
need to realize that that lepers, those with leprosy, they
had to shout out, They had to be known that
they were unclean, and that which was the word they
if they saw anyone approtein, they'd have to say unclean, unclean,
which was saying stay ten feet away from me, stay away.
(08:39):
They were untouchable and people wouldn't get within ten feet
of them. It's it's kind of like like if we
acted the early COVID days we didn't know what was
going on.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Was they stay away, and you'll go stay away, stay away,
stay away.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Well that's what leprosy was like, Okay, stay away.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
Now it's interesting that.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
When this person with leprosy comes to Jesus, Jesus.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Does it flint.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
He doesn't step back, but he reaches how it he
touched him. Now, I'm not adplicating that we should touch
people when there's a terrible disease going. I'm not saying,
but this is Jesus here, Okay, this is the model.
He reaches out and he touches him. Now, I don't
(09:34):
think Jesus had to touch him to heal him. I
don't think it was depended upon the touch. But Jesus
knew that's what was needed.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
He could have just spoken healing, and I believe it would.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Have come to that person.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
But he touches him because now, get this, I don't
think Jesus just wants to heal our skin. I think
Jesus wanted to restore dignity, and with a touch of Jesus,
dignity was restored.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
To this person that was unclean.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Ah Jesus, Oh, he used his hand for messy stuff,
washing smelly feet, cooking breakfast on a beach post resurrection.
(10:38):
This disciple member, he's cooking breakfast as they come in
for the Sea of Galilee.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
And ultimately getting nailed on the cross. That's his hand.
Now think about.
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Your own hands. What are your hands doing? What are
they doing that honors God. We have opportunities to.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
Serve the church. They're there.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
Perhaps you can mo a neighbors lawn, or write an
encouraging note to someone who's discouraged, or maybe bake or
build or create something for a person that that may
become a tool of grace and relationship.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Or could even be delivering a prayer quill. Maybe you've
requested a prayer quilt is one thing to deliver.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
I had enormous joy this last week, you know, last
Sunday we had a prayer quilt for my brother in
law and Nicaragua. He's flying into Texas to have spine.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Surgery, Big Chilles. He's not going to get it done there.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
So it was a joy just to mail to the
address where he'll be staying a prayer quilt saying, want
you to know our community of Christ followers are praying
for you.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
That's the kind of stuff that makes a difference. Maybe
your hand can write a check.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
That you realize will make a big difference for what
God is able to do through that generosity, time, talent, treasure,
Jesus's hands.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
We're always doing something for someone else. What are yours
up to?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
So the feet, the hands, now the hard one, the mouth,
the mouth? Oh my, what did if we want to
follow Jesus?
Speaker 1 (12:57):
What did he say? What came from his mouth? One
thing it wasn't.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
It wasn't a lot of esulteric religious jargon that few
people could understand where he was getting.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
It wasn't that.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
He said is most common.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
A couple of most common phrases was the Kingdom of
God is at hand.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
That was his.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Dominant sermon, And the other thing was your faith has
saved you. Go in peace, over and over again. Jesus
opened his mouth.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
And peace came out.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Going to John's gospel, go on the twentieth chapter there.
I think it is instructive. And this is after the Resurrection.
We read the text a few weeks ago. Actually it
was the Sunday after Easter. And he goes into that
room where the disciples are and they're scared. The doors
are locked, and he goes in there and the first
(14:05):
thing that Jesus says to his frightened disciples who have
no idea of his resurrection, they're still hiding behind locked doors.
Jesus comes in and he says, peace be with you.
We didn't hear him say I told you so. He
(14:27):
didn't say where were you when I needed you?
Speaker 1 (14:32):
What did Jesus say?
Speaker 2 (14:34):
You want to say, you're a Christian? You want to
follow Jesus? How about learning from that example?
Speaker 1 (14:42):
Now? I want us to get real uncomfortable.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
For just a moment, okay, and that is.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
How often do our words bring peace? Okay? That can
be very uncomfortable.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
It could be very uncomfortable. And I got to share something.
What do you say on Facebook in your post?
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Are they words of peace?
Speaker 2 (15:23):
I have read some from Christ followers or declare to
be Christ followers.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
That's quite embarrassing. What I hear they're saying, in the
name of God, how often do our words bring peace? Now?
Speaker 2 (15:43):
In a world that we live in now that is
full of unlined arguments, heated texts, and constant noise.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Being a mouth.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Of peace might be the most radical thing that could
be done today. Speak peace at work, speak peace in traffic. No,
don't do that, that's a hard one.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
But be someone whose words heal.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Okay, if you can't say words that heal, please and
the name of God be quiet.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Just popped in my mind.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Remember there used to be bumper stickers or you saying
religious bumper stickers.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
I remember this one.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
It says, if you love Jesus, tithe anyone can hank
yo do something, don't die, don't hawk by the stuff
you post, don't go there, speak peace at work, and
(17:09):
be someone.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Whose words heal and not hurt. And then, finally, because
I know times running out, there's a lot going on.
We could keep this going.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
But there's another another thing about what about Jesus's spine.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Okay, this backbone. There were someone to say, oh, religion,
that's just a crush.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
It's not a crutch, it's a backbone. Our faith in
God is a backbone.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Of life.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
But what about the spine of Jesus, Because quite frankly,
following Jesus is not for the feint of heart.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
You need the.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Guts, you need the grits, and you need that kind
of backbone that he had.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
See, Jesus didn't plan.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
When people walked away from him. You know, he we
read a lot of the we framed thee the successes,
but not everyone was thrilled with what Jesus was about.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
And he didn't give up. He didn't give up when.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Seeds that were sold didn't sprout overnight. Remember his parable,
like to kind of conclude with that, his parable the
seeds that hit rocky ground, some were snatched away, some
(18:45):
seed just got choked out. But the sower that kept
sowing consistently year after year.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
Believed that somewhere, some some seed would land on some
good soil.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
And it will grow. And we should never be impatient
with God's timing.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
At this church.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Some seeds grow, other seeds don't. But it's God's timing.
And perhaps some of you have been praying for someone
or something that's been a burden, a hurt, and you've
been praying for years about it.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
You're getting It's like, how long do I have to
be patient with this?
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Some of you may be trying to follow Jesus at
work and or maybe there's a tough relationship, or maybe
you're trying to heal from it church hurt.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
You know someone who is a Christ follower? You go,
what no more? Get out of here. I'm out of there,
don't quit. Don't we need a spine?
Speaker 3 (20:20):
He kept on.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
And he offers it. So the concluding question for this morning,
which part do you need? Take a breath, Look at.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Your feet, your hands, think about your mouth or what
you've been texting or writing or posting, your spine? HM,
which one do you think you could use more of today?
(21:06):
That you could ask God for some grace.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
And hear him say, hey, peace, peace, peace.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Maybe the feet needs direction, maybe your hands need a purpose,
and maybe your heart is strong, but the spine.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
Is just tired. The spine's just tired. Ask him.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
My experience is that Jesus isn't stingy with himself. He'll
walk with you, he'll touch your life, he'll speak peace
all over you, and when you feel like giving up,
(22:11):
he'll give you the strength to keep going. Let us
pray Lord Jesus, you really did walk where no one
else would walk.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
You touched what no one else dared to touch.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
You spoke life for others, spoke judgment, and still.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
You move straight to the margins into the mess.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
But today, Lord, we ask for your feet as a
church and as individuals, give us the courage to go
where grace is most needed, even when it's uncomfortable, even
when it's costly.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
We ask for your hands.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Teach us not just to heal, but to hold, not
just to do good, but to restore dignity.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
And we ask for your voice.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
Let peace be the loudest thing that comes from our mouths,
even when the world is shouting. And Jesus, we ask
for your spine, because some days they're hard, some prayers
take years, some soil looks too dry. But you didn't quit,
(24:03):
and neither will. We make us people of movement, of mercy,
of meaning, people who walk, touch, speak, and stand like you.
(24:28):
That your grace stretch us all the way to the edges.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
And maybe even a little further. In your name, we pray, Ahmen,
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