Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Good morning, Laguna Beach. Welcomethe Stairway to Heaven. My name is
Don Shortino, pastor of Laguna BeachNetworks. And each week we listen to
a song or two recognize these lyricsof heart cries or prayers that are coming
to humanity. I call them themesof the heart. Life's the journey that
invites and demands us to financers beyondourselves, giving us the love and help
(00:24):
we need so we can live andlove as God intended. My desire is
to give us some help and hope, connecting our heart cries with Heaven.
Today, I want to continue ourseries called People Help the People. It's
a reminder to focus on the poorand to take a look out of hearts
towards them, how we're doing towardsaccepting and embracing and even helping them.
(00:48):
You know, it's so easy tomiss the people all around us who are
poor and needy. And poor andneedy doesn't mean just people who are on
the streets. We're all poor andneedy one way or another, a certain
in certain seasons more so than others. You know, a lot of times
when we're poor and needy, webecome the invisible people you know. And
(01:08):
I always say my job and ourjob is to make the invisible people visible,
and we do that by just spendingtime and trying to help them as
much as we can. You know, the ones that we pretend aren't there,
knows what I mean by the invisiblepeople. My hope is that this
series will help us to see thepoor and the needy all around us and
(01:30):
do something to help them. I'mgonna say that again. My hope in
this series is that we would seethe poor and needy all around us and
do something to help them, togive of ourselves in such a way that
will make them visible. And here'sa song that's so beautiful that really I
think that's the tone for this talk. It's called Mercy Now by a man
(01:55):
named Mike Faris, And here's someof the lyrics. My father could use
a little mercy. Now. Thefruits of his labor fall and rot here
on the ground. His work isalmost over. Pretty soon he won't be
around. I love my father.He could use a little mercy now.
Here's the second verse. My brothercould use a little mercy now. He's
(02:17):
a stranger. The freedom shockle tohis fears and doubts. The pain that
he lives in it's almost more thanliving will allow. And I love my
brother. He could use a littlemercy now. The third verses, every
living thing could use a little mercy. Now only the hand of grace can
(02:38):
end the race towards this mushroom cloud. The people in power, they'll do
anything to keep their crown. Ilove life, and life itself could use
a little mercy now, and thenthe chorus says, everything could use a
little mercy. Now this is agreat song. It's a great blue song.
And hope you enjoy it. Ahcould use a little versed now the
(03:13):
fruit of his leaver falling rock herewrong grad his work is almost ober.
Pretty soon he won't be an myfather. He could use a little versing.
(03:46):
Now, my brother, you usea little verse. And night,
(04:08):
he's a strange and of freed onshackle to his feet and die the pay
that he lives he it's almost moreand living with a love, And I
(04:34):
love my brother. You can usea little verse. Oh yes, he
(05:19):
could you use a little verseon night, holy the hand of grace. If
this raised time the bushroom clib allthe be all the time, I in
(05:47):
a f I keep back around thelifelself could use a little version, could
(06:14):
you believe? Say don't we don'tdeserve it, but we need in a
high who we have in the bancan't go to boy one of us could
(06:54):
use a little Burson? Could you? Did you use a little mercy?
(07:25):
Nah? You know I love thatthat song. It touches my heart and
just awakens my heart again to thereality is that we really are called to
(07:47):
help each other as much as wecan. And I believe God orchestrates and
gives us people to love, andthey become tests as well as opportunities for
our growth and for our hearts toexpel and and to be about love.
You know, when it's all saidand done, you know, how do
we do loving people? You know, that's the way that I want to
(08:07):
look at my life. Did Ilove the people that God brought it to
me? Did I received the lovethat they came to give me? Was
that a good friend, was agood husband, was a good dad,
was a good pastor. You know, there's a beautiful story it's called the
Powable of the Good Samaritan in theGospels, and you know, it's a
(08:31):
story that Jesus told us to seeand help the homeless all around us.
So I'm going to read it toyou. Jesus replied with the story.
A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalemdown to Jericho, and he was attacked
by bandits. They stripped him ofhis clothes, beat him up, and
(08:52):
left him half dead beside the road. By chance, the priest came along,
but when he saw the man lyingthere, he crossed to the other
side of the road, passed himby, just avoided him. And then
a temple assistant walked over and lookedat him lying there, but he also
passed by on the other side.Then at the spies, Samaritan came along.
(09:16):
The Samaritans and the Jews didn't haverelationship at all, and when he
saw the man, he felt compassionfor him. When he saw the man,
he felt compassion for him. Goingover to him, the Samaritans soothed
his wounds with olive oil and wineand bandaged him. Then he put the
man on his donkey took him toan end where he took care of him.
(09:39):
The next day, he handed theinnkeeper two silver coins, telling him
take care of this man. Ifhis bill runs higher than this, I'll
pay you the next time I'm here. Now, which of these three would
you say was a neighbor to theman who was attacked by bandits, Jesus
asked. The man replied, theone who showed him mercy. Then Jesus
(10:01):
said, yes, Now go anddo the same. So you see,
each day we have choices that wemake, and these choices will bring a
richness to our lives if we makethe right ones. They could also bring
a lock to our lives, andthe choices ours. And the story shows
how the first two men saw theman, but did nothing to help them.
(10:24):
They crossed on the other side ofthe street. Their hearts were not
moved at all. They missed theman and the opportunity to make a difference
to help them the unlikely man,the one who was a culturally an enemy
to each other. That the unlikelyman saw the man, crossed the street
and did what he could. Hedidn't miss an opportunity to be loved to
(10:48):
another person, one who was invisibleto others, And Jesus said he was
a good neighbor. You know,one of the hard cries of people here
on earth is won't you be myneighbor? And I know mister Rodgers picked
that up and used it in awonderful way, and I think he taught
a lot of young people how tobe neighborly. And I think we have
(11:09):
to be reminded of that as wegrow older. You know, how am
I doing being a neighbor? Youknow, we have a response and a
responsibility to people in our city andour neighborhoods, certainly our family. How
we do and helping people, seeingthem rightly, accepting that they're needy,
and looking at our hearts and ourresources and say how could I help?
(11:35):
You know, life will bring usto the reality that we need help from
another. Hopefully we have memories ofpeople being sent our way to help us
when we were hurting, when wewere alone and afraid, feeling overwhelmed and
powerless. And hopefully we have memoriesof being there for another person when they
(11:56):
were hurting. We helped them,and in so doing we were so fulfilled,
felt very special. You know,People help the people is more than
a great song that will play shortly. It's our song for our series.
It's a hard cry of heaven andit's a hard cry from earth. I
believe God has made us and He'sspeaking to us in all kinds of situations.
(12:20):
You know, people help the people, and I believe He's set that
up that we're to have a responseand a responsibility toward one another. You
know, I believe it's a hardcry from earth. We can hear different
ones, single moms, We canhear the people on the streets, We
can hear people that have gotten diagnosisthat are poor and terminal. Even we
(12:43):
can hear it in the mental eel. We can hear it in all kinds
of people. Just listen to tobeyond the words, listen to their emotion,
listen to their hearts, and thenwe can learn a lot and we
can respond properly. See when wesay yes to helping another, we experienced
(13:03):
some of God's best for us.This is a high call for our lives
to give of ourselves to another,those that are in need. And so
let's allow this story to remind andencourage us to be loved and to bring
love to others. You know,my definition of love is simple. To
love is to serve and to serviceto love. To love is to serve
(13:26):
and to service to love. Andthat's what Jesus came to earth and shows
us how to live a life oflove, and he did it in all
kinds of ways, but all kindsof people. Some people were rich monetarily,
had a lot of things, butthey were poor in other ways,
and Jesus met them where they werepoor and helped them to receive something that
(13:48):
he had to give them. Andother people were sick, and other people
were tied up in all kinds offears and mental illness and evil spirits that
were influencing them. Life was hardand bad. They were in dark places
and chains, and Jesus came andbrought freedom to them by just bringing love,
(14:09):
God's words and God's love, God'spower to them. And so we
have the opportunity all through the day, every day to be about love and
to bring love to another person.And as we do that, you know,
we are accruing bank account, soto speak. That when we're in
need, I believe God will beso so generous and sending help our way,
(14:35):
and it'll be something that we'll recognize. You know, I'm receiving something
that i've I've sown now I'm reapingit. It's a good, good way
to live. So I want toencourage you to be about love, to
be about helping people. We'll continuethis series in the next couple of weeks,
(14:56):
but here's our serious song. It'scalled people Help the People by Bertie.
God knows boy is hiding in thoseweak and drunken hearts. Gets he
kissed the girls and made them quires, hard face creams of misadventure. God
knows what is hiding in those weakand sunken lights. Fiery throws of mutinelanders,
(15:26):
giving love but getting nothing back.Of peace he boom, help the
peace, he book, and ifyour homesake, give me your hand,
and now holding peace he bow,help the peace, he bow. Nothing
(15:50):
will drag you down, and everymy head to break, if my head
brain I becall as a stone,reach and a fool. In turn those
school to go. Those one hidingin this world of little coat went behind
(16:23):
the teas, inside the lights,and thousand slow and dive and sunset.
God, those one is hiding inthose weak and drunken hearts and sloane in
the game knocking. No one needsto be no singing and pa he bown
(16:45):
the peace he bow, and inyour bones give me your hand, and
now wounding bee bo he peple thatwe'll try to out when in my head
(17:07):
to break, when in my headI because I just don't rich as the
fool it turn those good comes peepbo, peep bo, give your boes,
(18:15):
give me your head enough deep thepee book jack. And if my
head to break, my head tobreak, I'd be called as a stone
(18:37):
ranches a fool to do those cocoons. That's such a great song. So
I want to invite you to touh uh serve with us in any way
you'd like to. Or a nonprofitin tarent called Networks and we helped the
(18:59):
homeless. We work with single moms. We have two nonprofit stores that we're
about helping people and proceeds as well, and so there's opportunities to serve.
Every other week we do a beachclean up with the homeless and we're about
the city, just trying to dogood and bring a lot of love into
the city. We welcome you tojoin us. Feel free to call me
(19:22):
at nine four nine three two eightseven two three zero. Come and visit
us on the Sunday morning at theWomen's Club just behind Ralph's Supermarket at ten
am. We're a Christian community inLaguna Beach wanting to be followers of Jesus,
making him visible and relevant to ourcity and beyond. Look forward to
talking with you next Sunday at seventhirty am our Next Stairway to Heaven broadcast,
(19:48):
and also come to our two nonprofitstores in Laguna, Laguna Exchange on
the corner of Anita PC the Treasuresof Laguna on Broadway. We're a by
selling trade store featuring trendy, upscalevintage clothes for women and men, and
profits from both stores help us helppeople in Laguna come into a new season
(20:11):
of life. Have a great week.
Good morning, Laguna Beach. Welcomethe Stairway to Heaven. My name is
Don Shortino, pastor of Laguna BeachNetworks. And each week we listen to
a song or two recognize these lyricsof heart cries or prayers that are coming
to humanity. I call them themesof the heart. Life's the journey that
invites and demands us to financers beyondourselves, giving us the love and help
(00:24):
we need so we can live andlove as God intended. My desire is
to give us some help and hope, connecting our heart cries with Heaven.
Today, I want to continue ourseries called People Help the People. It's
a reminder to focus on the poorand to take a look out of hearts
towards them, how we're doing towardsaccepting and embracing and even helping them.
(00:48):
You know, it's so easy tomiss the people all around us who are
poor and needy. And poor andneedy doesn't mean just people who are on
the streets. We're all poor andneedy one way or another, a certain
in certain seasons more so than others. You know, a lot of times
when we're poor and needy, webecome the invisible people you know. And
(01:08):
I always say my job and ourjob is to make the invisible people visible,
and we do that by just spendingtime and trying to help them as
much as we can. You know, the ones that we pretend aren't there,
knows what I mean by the invisiblepeople. My hope is that this
series will help us to see thepoor and the needy all around us and
(01:30):
do something to help them. I'mgonna say that again. My hope in
this series is that we would seethe poor and needy all around us and
do something to help them, togive of ourselves in such a way that
will make them visible. And here'sa song that's so beautiful that really I
think that's the tone for this talk. It's called Mercy Now by a man
(01:55):
named Mike Faris, And here's someof the lyrics. My father could use
a little mercy. Now. Thefruits of his labor fall and rot here
on the ground. His work isalmost over. Pretty soon he won't be
around. I love my father.He could use a little mercy now.
Here's the second verse. My brothercould use a little mercy now. He's
(02:17):
a stranger. The freedom shockle tohis fears and doubts. The pain that
he lives in it's almost more thanliving will allow. And I love my
brother. He could use a littlemercy now. The third verses, every
living thing could use a little mercy. Now only the hand of grace can
(02:38):
end the race towards this mushroom cloud. The people in power, they'll do
anything to keep their crown. Ilove life, and life itself could use
a little mercy now, and thenthe chorus says, everything could use a
little mercy. Now this is agreat song. It's a great blue song.
And hope you enjoy it. Ahcould use a little versed now the
(03:13):
fruit of his leaver falling rock herewrong grad his work is almost ober.
Pretty soon he won't be an myfather. He could use a little versing.
(03:46):
Now, my brother, you usea little verse. And night,
(04:08):
he's a strange and of freed onshackle to his feet and die the pay
that he lives he it's almost moreand living with a love, And I
(04:34):
love my brother. You can usea little verse. Oh yes, he
(05:19):
could you use a little verseon night, holy the hand of grace. If
this raised time the bushroom clib allthe be all the time, I in
(05:47):
a f I keep back around thelifelself could use a little version, could
(06:14):
you believe? Say don't we don'tdeserve it, but we need in a
high who we have in the bancan't go to boy one of us could
(06:54):
use a little Burson? Could you? Did you use a little mercy?
(07:25):
Nah? You know I love thatthat song. It touches my heart and
just awakens my heart again to thereality is that we really are called to
(07:47):
help each other as much as wecan. And I believe God orchestrates and
gives us people to love, andthey become tests as well as opportunities for
our growth and for our hearts toexpel and and to be about love.
You know, when it's all saidand done, you know, how do
we do loving people? You know, that's the way that I want to
(08:07):
look at my life. Did Ilove the people that God brought it to
me? Did I received the lovethat they came to give me? Was
that a good friend, was agood husband, was a good dad,
was a good pastor. You know, there's a beautiful story it's called the
Powable of the Good Samaritan in theGospels, and you know, it's a
(08:31):
story that Jesus told us to seeand help the homeless all around us.
So I'm going to read it toyou. Jesus replied with the story.
A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalemdown to Jericho, and he was attacked
by bandits. They stripped him ofhis clothes, beat him up, and
(08:52):
left him half dead beside the road. By chance, the priest came along,
but when he saw the man lyingthere, he crossed to the other
side of the road, passed himby, just avoided him. And then
a temple assistant walked over and lookedat him lying there, but he also
passed by on the other side.Then at the spies, Samaritan came along.
(09:16):
The Samaritans and the Jews didn't haverelationship at all, and when he
saw the man, he felt compassionfor him. When he saw the man,
he felt compassion for him. Goingover to him, the Samaritans soothed
his wounds with olive oil and wineand bandaged him. Then he put the
man on his donkey took him toan end where he took care of him.
(09:39):
The next day, he handed theinnkeeper two silver coins, telling him
take care of this man. Ifhis bill runs higher than this, I'll
pay you the next time I'm here. Now, which of these three would
you say was a neighbor to theman who was attacked by bandits, Jesus
asked. The man replied, theone who showed him mercy. Then Jesus
(10:01):
said, yes, Now go anddo the same. So you see,
each day we have choices that wemake, and these choices will bring a
richness to our lives if we makethe right ones. They could also bring
a lock to our lives, andthe choices ours. And the story shows
how the first two men saw theman, but did nothing to help them.
(10:24):
They crossed on the other side ofthe street. Their hearts were not
moved at all. They missed theman and the opportunity to make a difference
to help them the unlikely man,the one who was a culturally an enemy
to each other. That the unlikelyman saw the man, crossed the street
and did what he could. Hedidn't miss an opportunity to be loved to
(10:48):
another person, one who was invisibleto others, And Jesus said he was
a good neighbor. You know,one of the hard cries of people here
on earth is won't you be myneighbor? And I know mister Rodgers picked
that up and used it in awonderful way, and I think he taught
a lot of young people how tobe neighborly. And I think we have
(11:09):
to be reminded of that as wegrow older. You know, how am
I doing being a neighbor? Youknow, we have a response and a
responsibility to people in our city andour neighborhoods, certainly our family. How
we do and helping people, seeingthem rightly, accepting that they're needy,
and looking at our hearts and ourresources and say how could I help?
(11:35):
You know, life will bring usto the reality that we need help from
another. Hopefully we have memories ofpeople being sent our way to help us
when we were hurting, when wewere alone and afraid, feeling overwhelmed and
powerless. And hopefully we have memoriesof being there for another person when they
(11:56):
were hurting. We helped them,and in so doing we were so fulfilled,
felt very special. You know,People help the people is more than
a great song that will play shortly. It's our song for our series.
It's a hard cry of heaven andit's a hard cry from earth. I
believe God has made us and He'sspeaking to us in all kinds of situations.
(12:20):
You know, people help the people, and I believe He's set that
up that we're to have a responseand a responsibility toward one another. You
know, I believe it's a hardcry from earth. We can hear different
ones, single moms, We canhear the people on the streets, We
can hear people that have gotten diagnosisthat are poor and terminal. Even we
(12:43):
can hear it in the mental eel. We can hear it in all kinds
of people. Just listen to tobeyond the words, listen to their emotion,
listen to their hearts, and thenwe can learn a lot and we
can respond properly. See when wesay yes to helping another, we experienced
(13:03):
some of God's best for us.This is a high call for our lives
to give of ourselves to another,those that are in need. And so
let's allow this story to remind andencourage us to be loved and to bring
love to others. You know,my definition of love is simple. To
love is to serve and to serviceto love. To love is to serve
(13:26):
and to service to love. Andthat's what Jesus came to earth and shows
us how to live a life oflove, and he did it in all
kinds of ways, but all kindsof people. Some people were rich monetarily,
had a lot of things, butthey were poor in other ways,
and Jesus met them where they werepoor and helped them to receive something that
(13:48):
he had to give them. Andother people were sick, and other people
were tied up in all kinds offears and mental illness and evil spirits that
were influencing them. Life was hardand bad. They were in dark places
and chains, and Jesus came andbrought freedom to them by just bringing love,
(14:09):
God's words and God's love, God'spower to them. And so we
have the opportunity all through the day, every day to be about love and
to bring love to another person.And as we do that, you know,
we are accruing bank account, soto speak. That when we're in
need, I believe God will beso so generous and sending help our way,
(14:35):
and it'll be something that we'll recognize. You know, I'm receiving something
that i've I've sown now I'm reapingit. It's a good, good way
to live. So I want toencourage you to be about love, to
be about helping people. We'll continuethis series in the next couple of weeks,
(14:56):
but here's our serious song. It'scalled people Help the People by Bertie.
God knows boy is hiding in thoseweak and drunken hearts. Gets he
kissed the girls and made them quires, hard face creams of misadventure. God
knows what is hiding in those weakand sunken lights. Fiery throws of mutinelanders,
(15:26):
giving love but getting nothing back.Of peace he boom, help the
peace, he book, and ifyour homesake, give me your hand,
and now holding peace he bow,help the peace, he bow. Nothing
(15:50):
will drag you down, and everymy head to break, if my head
brain I becall as a stone,reach and a fool. In turn those
school to go. Those one hidingin this world of little coat went behind
(16:23):
the teas, inside the lights,and thousand slow and dive and sunset.
God, those one is hiding inthose weak and drunken hearts and sloane in
the game knocking. No one needsto be no singing and pa he bown
(16:45):
the peace he bow, and inyour bones give me your hand, and
now wounding bee bo he peple thatwe'll try to out when in my head
(17:07):
to break, when in my headI because I just don't rich as the
fool it turn those good comes peepbo, peep bo, give your boes,
(18:15):
give me your head enough deep thepee book jack. And if my
head to break, my head tobreak, I'd be called as a stone
(18:37):
ranches a fool to do those cocoons. That's such a great song. So
I want to invite you to touh uh serve with us in any way
you'd like to. Or a nonprofitin tarent called Networks and we helped the
(18:59):
homeless. We work with single moms. We have two nonprofit stores that we're
about helping people and proceeds as well, and so there's opportunities to serve.
Every other week we do a beachclean up with the homeless and we're about
the city, just trying to dogood and bring a lot of love into
the city. We welcome you tojoin us. Feel free to call me
(19:22):
at nine four nine three two eightseven two three zero. Come and visit
us on the Sunday morning at theWomen's Club just behind Ralph's Supermarket at ten
am. We're a Christian community inLaguna Beach wanting to be followers of Jesus,
making him visible and relevant to ourcity and beyond. Look forward to
talking with you next Sunday at seventhirty am our Next Stairway to Heaven broadcast,
(19:48):
and also come to our two nonprofitstores in Laguna, Laguna Exchange on
the corner of Anita PC the Treasuresof Laguna on Broadway. We're a by
selling trade store featuring trendy, upscalevintage clothes for women and men, and
profits from both stores help us helppeople in Laguna come into a new season
(20:11):
of life. Have a great week.
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