Jesus' Teaching on Community and Authority

Speaker 1 0:31

We're back into Matthew . Those of you who are new with us happy new year . I mean , this is fun . I'm looking around , it's like the gym . Everyone just shows up and like it's new year , new you . I'm totally in . This is good .

Speaker 1 0:43

We have been going through the book of Matthew , which is the first book in the New Testament . Matthew was a disciple of Jesus . That wasn't a disciple of Jesus and was specifically called and he asked Matthew to follow him . And then he chronicles the teaching and the word and the deed of Jesus . And so what we've been doing is what we do every week . We've been opening up scripture and we've just been going verse by verse to just understand and learn from Jesus and who he is and what he's about . And so we've been using the book of Matthew as a reference . It's called expository teaching , where we're taking our time . We're not skipping over anything . We're talking about all of the fun stuff and all the weird stuff and all the hard stuff and trying to understand what did this mean then and what does this mean for us as 21st century followers or potential followers today , and how Jesus literally can change and transform our life .

Speaker 1 1:38

So we're in Matthew 18 . Don't feel like you've missed anything , even though it feels like you've missed 18 chapters , you have it . These are like one offs too . You get to hop right in and there's something that we're gonna learn from this . We actually started this back in August of 2021 . We're gonna finish in 2030 . It's gonna be great . We have lots to do . Still , we actually started Matthew 18 back in September that chapter . So we're gonna be hopping in just a little bit into it . So I'm gonna go ahead and just hop in where we're at right now . That's kind of an overview . So there's this map that we've used and this is kind of where we're at in this journey in the life of Jesus and his disciples .

Speaker 1 2:18

You can see right here that chapters 17th or 20 , these four chapters , what I'm calling the road to Jerusalem . This is where Jesus has really turned his attention and now is making his march towards Passover . What he came to do and he doesn't go and do just the stuff up by the sea at Galilee anymore In chapter 17 , he's about as far north as we ever know he was . He was at Caesarea of Philippi , which is right near the border of Syria , modern day . He has had this crucial conversation with his disciples that he had with him about who he is , that he is the Messiah , he is the king of Israel , he's the king of the world . But the way he was going to become king , inaugurated as king , was a point of conflict and tension . Because at this point on right , here is what we see in this conversation Jesus now starts this road trip to Jerusalem down south .

Speaker 1 3:11

In all four of these chapters , jesus is having to address these fundamental misunderstandings that the disciples have about him . I have about him because for him to go to Jerusalem to become the enthroned king for Jesus means something really really different than it did for the disciples , than what they had in their minds , because they think king , ruler , conqueror , victory , like kingdom . Here we go and Jesus keeps having to tell them I'm here to announce an upside down kingdom and the kingdom is a kingdom of the suffering servant and Jesus is going to assert his rule over the world by dying . And so everything's just so scrambled for the disciples and the way that they're thinking in . It takes four chapters of Jesus trying to address that . And because the disciples have this fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be king for Jesus . Therefore , they have this misunderstanding of what it means to be a community under a servant and with a servant king . So that kind of finds us where we're at in this picture and what he's trying to break apart and re-explain .

Speaker 1 4:30

You see it in chapter 18 , the first question that the disciples ask him is this Jesus , who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ? It's like how do we get to be number one and who's the best ? Like tell us , where are we matching up against each other ? And what we see in the beginning of chapter 18 , he uses a child and he brings it into the center of this discussion as this new understanding , like this new frame of mind . And we talked about this back in September in a message titled True Greatness . If you were wanting to go back and catch up on any of this chapter , you can actually go back on YouTube and catch up on the whole thing if you want to . But if you're wanting to just go back to this chapter , you can go see that , check it out . But overall it's really important to understand that chapter 18 flows together . It's hard to kind of chop it up like we're chopping it up , but there's just so much here . But this is one conversation that we are chopping up over the next four weeks or to the end of January . And it's important to note that he's talking about the same idea within the same context of community .

Speaker 1 5:31

These aren't separate stories that we hear that are to make unassociated points , and I think it's so essential for us to actually connect the passage for today of the lost sheep with a passage of discipline or correction that we're gonna be doing next week , that Jeff's gonna be sharing about , or really even connect it with the final week of chapter 18 , which is on forgiveness , because all of this has to do with , as a community of followers of Jesus , how we are to interact with one another in the purpose for our witness of the gospel going forth with power , and how we deal with one another and how we love one another towards that ideal that we have in King Jesus , that it greatly impacts the power of the church and its authority or it undermines the authority . And so , to start with today , let me just read you a little bit of our passage and we'll dive in . We'll kind of keep chopping it up as we go . It starts in verse 10 , chapter 18 , verse 10 . This is Jesus saying this . See that you do not despise one of these little ones . Now I'm gonna pause real quick just on the little ones , little ones . He's already established is a disciple . He's saying you're the little ones , it's not like a child , you're a disciple , you're a part of this community . So do you not despise one of my people , my little ones , for I tell you that their angel in heaven always see the face of my father in heaven . Pause again real quick . So that's verse 10 .

Community and Witness in the Bible

Speaker 1 7:06

Some of you in your electronic bibles or your paper bibles will notice and this happens quite a few times in the scripture , just for you Bible nerds to understand , like why did we skip ? We go from verse 10 to verse 12 . I put there in italicist there what some manuscripts have in there , which is from Luke 1910 , which is for the son of man came to seek and save the lost . Not in Matthew , but it's noted that it's in other transcripts of Matthew . So see that you do not despise any of the little ones , for I tell you that their angel in heaven always sees the face of my father in heaven .

Speaker 1 7:43

So the little ones here are talking about the community of disciples . And so you read this and you're like okay , so am I not supposed to look down on anyone else in the church community because they have , like , a guardian angel . How many of you guys are ever familiar ? You've heard of the term guardian angel ? You have guardian angel , okay , couple of you guys . This is kind of where this came from , this idea . But as I'm like reading this and studying this , you gotta ask okay , so where does a guardian angel need to be to guard someone ? That wasn't a rhetorical question . With them , right , these be with you to guard you . Where are these angels In heaven ? Yeah , in the presence of God . They're not talking about he's not talking about here . Like angels with children , the little ones are disciples , and so I'm gonna try to now use a very practical idea to explain what Jesus is depicting right here .

Speaker 1 8:38

Think of the person that you like the least at Northgate . I'm not kidding , I'm being so serious right now . Think of the person that you like the least here at this church , and Jesus says don't for a second , elevate yourself above that person . You're messing with the wrong person . He says that person has a personal advocate before God in his heavenly courtroom . He has an ear to the king . You mess with them . You're messing with the wrong person .

Speaker 1 9:15

This is what Jesus is saying that that person that you like the least has a special advocate before God in angel . Don't mess with them for their sake , because they are so important to me , they are so valued and loved that I would send one of the highest of highs in angel to serve them and be an advocate for them . And don't mess them for your sake , but mostly their sake . And here's why he says well , what do you think ? If a man owns a hundred sheep and one of them wonders away , will he not leave the 99 on the hills and go look for the one that wandered off ? Then , if he finds it , truly , I tell you he'll be happier about the one sheep than the 99 that did not wander off .

Speaker 1 9:59

So Jesus's point so far in chapter 18 is the greatest is to become like a child . That you better not make any of my little ones , any of my people , stumble and don't even for a moment elevate yourself above another , or you will have just violated rule number one of the kingdom , which is to make it all about yourself . So the moment you do that , god then gives special attention and care and love to the person that we are looking down on . Why ? Because God loves people more than you do Not . Honestly , I don't know if you can imagine this , but God actually loves the people you love a lot more than you do . So the first image he gives us to make that point is one of an angel . Then he uses the same point . To make the same point , he uses the image of a sheep , that they have a shepherd Some of you came here today and this is really all you needed to hear as you are so loved , as you are so valued that when you are one of his little ones , that there is an angel in heaven it's prepared to serve you , that there's a shepherd that desires to leave everyone else and go find you lost , vulnerable , broken , hurt , wandering , black sheep . You are so valued .

Speaker 1 11:26

So today and the rest of this chapter is about community . This is like a family conversation . I'm gonna say some things . I'm gonna say actually all the things . If you haven't figured that out yet , we're gonna go over there . It's kind of like the best example that I can give is I had a step-grandma and she was a raging alcoholic and she thought no one knew . And you know how you're like , everyone knows , but it's like we don't talk about it . So then you like have to just say the things , and we're gonna say them out loud , so that's kind of what's gonna happen . So let's go , here we go . This is a family community conversation . The first time here . Welcome to the family , all right .

Speaker 1 12:02

So today , the rest of this is about community , a faith community , how we're supposed to relate to one another and grow and learn and love one another . It says in verse 14 , in the same way , your father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones , my people , should perish . This idea that we consider today , I would argue , is viewed incredibly negatively by the culture around us , and what keeps , actually , I think , a lot of us , many of you , from engaging with those who are around you , and that is in the pursuit of lost sheep ? It is the idea of evangelism , and I would say witness , and witness is what we're actually called to be . Acts 1-8 talks about so you will be my witnesses unto the ends of the earth . And when I think about how we think about evangelism today , it's often seen by the church and her critics as this archaic manipulation , telling people what they should believe .

Speaker 1 12:59

I actually had a conversation a couple of weeks ago with a woman that I saw in a bookstore . She was next to me . We were talking about this section of books and different authors . We got choppin' it up a nerd talk and I was like all of a sudden I was like , oh man , I really love CS Lewis . And she was talking about this different stuff and all of a sudden she was like , oh , I don't like CS Lewis . And her whole demeanor changed and I'm like why don't you like what do I not know ? Why don't you like CS Lewis ? And I was even talking about as I'm older , you've ever read CS Lewis when you're young , as you're older , rereading it . It's really beautiful . And she was like you know , I don't mind like the metaphysical or like the spiritual readings , but I don't like someone telling me what I ought to believe . And the sweet woman , all of a sudden it was like this switch went off and then I was like please , god , don't let her ask me what I do for a living , because it's like funny , I was actually gonna tell you what you have to believe right now .

Community and Reaching the Lost

Speaker 1 13:51

But the thing is , is that's just the critics outside of the church ? But the church has taken the same attitude because we're controlled by the cultural norms and it's the norm of tolerance . I think a more appropriate name is that of apathy . I think tolerance actually equals apathy . It's a lack of care , a disinterest , a self-interest that's actually overridden , an interest and concern for others and seeing them . So I'm just gonna say the thing there are people that you know , there are people that you will break bread with and yet are okay with watching their life fall apart and saying and doing nothing about it . And the sick part is , for some of us , it brings us comfort because we're like well , I know I'm doing okay , but yet we're willing to break bread and have a party and be happy and cheery . Jesus actually had something to say about that as well .

Speaker 1 14:55

In a parable in Luke , he says to some of you , confident in your own righteousness , look down on everyone else . Jesus told this parable . Two men went up to the temple to pray , one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector , which was seen as the low , messy person . The Pharisees stood by himself and prayed God , thank you that I'm not like other people robbers , evil doers , adulterers or even like this tax collector . I fast twice a week and I give a tenth of all I get , but the tax collector stood at a distance . He wouldn't even look up to heaven but beat his breast and said God , have mercy on me , a sinner . Jesus said . I tell you that this man , rather than the other , went home justified before God , for all of those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted .

Speaker 1 15:41

And honestly , I think the other sick part is that when we don't engage and we have a disinterest and self-interest is overridden the interest and concern for others , that what we're saying is that it's actually okay that you're disconnected from the church . You know , unlike a church person you're not it's okay that you're disconnected from the church and God forever . And this is why Jesus spends four chapters trying to slap the sick out of us . The rise of individualism has become the death of community . The rise of collectivism has become the death of community , where these two extremes you actually find , honestly , throughout the church history , is either apathy , which leads to carnality , and then you have , like this , you know , domineering power , which in control , which leads to cult , which I think no one wants either of those two realms , or abuse that leads to harm of the community , and it's harm of community rather than building up and what Jesus does in these passages before us is he eradicates both the individual and the collective , for he leaves the 99 for the one . He says it's not good . It's like he goes all the way back to Genesis , from the very beginning . He says it's not good for man to be alone , it's not good wayward , dysfunctional , drifting sheep that you're by yourself . Because we are marked by two things a need for Jesus and the availability of Jesus . And so he says go after which means that we go after because we're the hands and feet of Christ Says go after the one and bring them back into community , because it's not the collective either , it's not the loss of identity of a person , but it's the discovery , when we're actually in community with each other , of who we're meant to be in the context of relationships with one another . So let me read this again what do you think if a man owns a hundred sheep and one of them wonders away , will he not leave the 99 on the hills and go look for the one that wandered off ? And if he finds it , truly I tell you he's happier about the one than the 99 that did not wander off . In the same way , your father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish . So here's a couple of other things to note about this passage .

Speaker 1 18:04

In Luke's gospel you find a similar account about a shepherd who left the 99 to go after . The one In Luke's version is much more evangelistic . It's about people who are lost , people who don't know Jesus , people who have never experienced the love of Christ . And the shepherd will leave heaven . And the church should do the same thing as what God does is that I'm gonna leave the comforts . The church should leave the comforts . God leaves , the comforts of heavens to go find the one , the one who doesn't know Jesus . And that's the heartbeat of our church .

Speaker 1 18:40

But in Matthew it has a different aspect to it . It's not evangelistic , it's pastoral , and that's why it kind of goes along with this entire chapter of what Jesus is doing right here . His point is not to go find those who are lost , but those who are wondering , in the sense of people who already know him or have experienced him , maybe have given their life to Jesus or were part of a church and experienced him , and to go after them . And this is the heartbeat of our church the wonderer , what sociologists call the de-churched , and our church is filled with people like this . You know people like this and our vision is to go and then re-present Jesus to that person , the Jesus that has left heaven for you and for them . That person who has pushed Christianity off because of the church , because of hurt in the church or by a person , or because of the lack of honesty or , like we learned last week , hypocrisy , which really goes back to a lack of honesty , which really just means a lack of vulnerable community that's not interested in being a people in process and Jesus is going . Do you know how hard my heart beats for people like that ? I will leave the 99 .

Speaker 1 20:06

I think it's interesting that sometimes to go for the one , you have to do stuff that makes the 99 squirm . I can't tell you how many times I've had this question why do we do things like that ? And usually the why do we do things like that is like from the professional churchgoers , like the ones that were like born in the pew , like they've been in church their whole life . I think the one that got the most feathers ruffled this last year was we did a thing for men , called Jesus on Tap . Let me tell you the squirm that happened from the 99 .

Speaker 1 20:44

I had people and they were like you understand , we have recovery here and why would you do this ? And I don't understand . There's people like I'm gonna leave the church and we're gonna boycott . And I was like you don't think I would have talked to our recovery people . In fact , did you know that half of the recovery people actually came to our event , had a root beer and said this is one of the best things we've ever done to reach my friends ? I guess crazy , but yeah , it is good . Cause they were like I didn't know that . Now I was like no , this is for real . I had this conversation a dozen times .

Importance of Community and Evangelism

Speaker 1 21:13

The 99 squirm is to go for the one , the 99 squirm . And so we have this call to evangelism to recognize that there are people all around us and this is one of the things that we see when we look at this passage is that there are people lost . There are people that are drifting . People walk out of this church all of the time , people that you know , people that are part of your community and you did nothing to come around them . And then I get the email that's my fault because I let the people down . And people will say I'm incredibly hurt by you . I haven't come for the last three months and you didn't even reach out to me , and this is what I want to say . This is why being in community is so important . It's because it's how someone is cared for , not like this in Rose , Because I'm like asking like , were you connected at all ?

Speaker 1 22:10

I mean like , the stuff we talk about and we read about on Sunday is not a gathering of the masses , it was about life in small , caring groups . This is how you love and know that you are loved , and it happens all the time . It breaks my heart . It breaks my heart . There'll either be someone that will have a loss , or someone to go into the hospital and tell me because I didn't like see it on social media or have like a magic ball that know that this happened , that they were hurt and so they wandered away from the church and from Jesus . That breaks my heart . I'm like why didn't you just tell me ? Or more , why are we not the collective , we taking care of one another and seeing that and coming alongside it ? This is what it looks like .

Speaker 1 22:55

Just this past week , I had someone reach out to me in their small group and say hey , I just want to let you know . You don't have to do a whole lot about it , but there's a woman that just lost her father . Here's a number if you want . Got to call him , and then she got to let me know . I've had so many . I have such a great group that's come around me . I feel so cared for , I feel so loved . I'm like that's what this looks like . Now I'll tell you .

Speaker 1 23:15

I'm happy to take the hit every time , because we look at it and we're like well , you're the shepherd . No , no , no , we'll get there in a second . It's a royal priestess . We're all going to play that part . I'm happy , though , to take that hit every time if you're fulfilling your responsibility as a community of faith , because we , together at the church , are desperate . We have a desperate need for Jesus and an availability to Jesus . He calls us to be a people who go after , to be a people who are marked by a service that knows no bounds , that will not let people slip through the cracks , because how could we possibly know as a pastoral stuff , even with as many people as we have on staff , how could we possibly know everyone ? I deeply desire to , but it's impossible . But if we all actually took care of the people within our realm of influence , like Jesus is actually talking about , within the community , there would be a lot less hurt . I think apathy is affected . Evangelism our witness . I know for a fact , based on stats that we looked at last week , that's impacted someone you know , someone you love . But here's the thing this is all directly connected to discipline .

Speaker 1 24:29

Discipline is like a word most people cringe at . Isn't that funny ? Discipline is a word that we think immediately with a negative connotation , and yet we say someone is a disciplined thinker . We mean it in a positive way . It means that they've learned to focus their mind on a task at hand . Or we talk about they're just a disciplined person , that they have a disciplined temperament , and it means that this person is marked by the incredible self-control . Or there's this person who is physically disciplined like an athlete . And what do we say to them ? Well , yeah , they've learned to , you know like , take their beat , their bodies into submission to do incredible things , and we admire that . But still , yet for us , in an apathetic age , it holds negative connotations . We admire people that we're unwilling to be like . We want it , but we're unwilling to do what it takes . We're not willing to enter into the self-sacrifice necessary to achieve , and that's why discipline always at its root . That's kind of like a negative idea , but we need to understand .

Speaker 1 25:31

I think the discipline is directly connected to a very positive word that I don't think we ever think negatively about , and what that word is is disciple , learner , follower . Growth is actually what we're called to be a part of as church , as the church is called to grow in our likeness of Jesus as part of growth , just like any student which we all , by the way , are students for the rest of our lives , and our growth isn't just dependent on love . It sounds good , but growth just doesn't look over mistakes , because then you can't grow , you can't learn from your mistakes . Now let me explain . I think that a passage like this , and sometimes a message like this , can be frustrating for a group of people , because you're like , oh , I hate this .

Speaker 1 26:25

Talk about church , it's all grace . It's like , oh , he left the 99 . It's all the feels and you're loved , it doesn't matter what you did , you're wandering sheep , let me give you a bath . And you're like , oh , and there's a group of people that's like come on , this is so sloppy , like sloppy grace . Where's the truth ? Give them in a shape . It was their own mistake . Let them eat it Like they'll deal with it , suck it up Right Now .

Speaker 1 26:52

So for those in your room that , like that kind of talk , makes you puke in your mouth a little bit , there's a second way to look at this text . Let's remember that these sheep served a purpose to these shepherds , which was a financial asset , which means if they lost them , the shepherd's work doesn't get done . So here's the second way for all of you that don't like the lovey-dovey reason that God goes after the wandering sheep . He pursues it because there is work to be done in the world from his people and he wants you to take your life . And , if you're wondering , he wants you to get back on track and back in purpose , because the world needs his church , that you are an asset to him , to accomplish what he's trying to accomplish in the world , not because he loves you , but because he needs you to be salt and light to the world , to serve , to redeem . The world needs his witness , your witness in the church , the love of the church and the message of the church . And so he's saying wonder , get back on track . And here's the deal about love , and I love it . Love chases the good regardless of the wrong . You see wayward sheep , black sheep if you will .

Speaker 1 28:10

That's often the problem . Sheep in the flock is the one who typically falls into the trappings and the driftings . The problem is when someone enters into a behavior that's like really blatantly broken , they're often crying out for help . And when the community doesn't recognize and they become apathetic to their brokenness . This is why most people have left Northgate or another church is because they didn't feel cared for in their brokenness . They just didn't , until you are suddenly thrown into the same brokenness and you find yourself begging for apathy for yourself or your loved one that's experiencing that brokenness .

Speaker 1 28:50

I've had people come to me and share with me how I didn't make them feel cared for in their brokenness and when it's truly been my fault , I've had to repent and say I'm so sorry . I'm so sorry . You're right . I just , like everyone else , get self-centered or self-focused or lose sight of the world around me . But in order to engage as a community , we need to be a seeking and serving community . We need to be marked by a seeking and serving love . We don't let people just walk away in pain and anger and bitterness , because it's easier if they're not around . We don't just let problem people walk away , because at the bottom line , we're all problem people at some level and , yes , some of you are more problem than others . I actually wanted to give you a list . I see so many of you I've um , we're saying all the things Happy New Year . Here we go .

Speaker 1 29:56

I've run into people in the community and you know like they give that awkward look of avoidance and I'm like do we press in on this or like do we just give them space ? And they've left this church honestly because they felt hurt by things that were just not true and then they never asked and then they're like they don't know how to break the awkward moment . So they're just like I got some like friends and stuff and I found them and it just made sense and you know I'm now I'm going to First Baptist or New Harbor and it's just , it's great and I could just say whoa , whoa , I love that , I love Pastor Matt , I love Pastor Kelly , I'm just glad that you're going to a church and you're happy and you're healthy . Maybe I wish you would have emailed me , because I would have known then you were gone because I didn't know until just now , or I wish that you wouldn't have believed gossip that caused you hurt that didn't need to cause you hurt . That would have been so simple to clear up , which makes me feel bad about myself , which was not your intent .

Speaker 1 30:56

But , friends , there are people in this community who are upset about something that happened relationally , and there are some of you who have seriously broken relationships within the church that you would rather let that person drift off to never , never , land than deal with the pain of getting real and honest with that friend , and you'd rather let the blame shift over to the leadership of the church , because you are unwilling to actually engage as part of the church and part of the solution . And what I want us to understand and seeing this passage that Jesus says we that he accomplishes his task , essentially of drawing people , the lost , back to himself . It's not just those that haven't had the saving grace of Jesus , but those who have drifted from it , because drifting is the easiest thing to do . That Jesus tells us that he or she may have given up , but you have no right , as a follower , to give up on them , because I go after them through you , and so just think about this .

Speaker 1 31:59

Often the reason that the sheep is lost that has left the safety of the fold is because there's unresolved conflict and unwillingness on our behalf to actually get into and dive into the mess of another person's life . And honestly , you guys , when I started working on this message , I started writing out a list of people and I'm like I actually need to go after some of these people on the on the list that have personally walked away and for the church for a multitude of reasons , and most of them had no validity in walking away . But what happens is it becomes validated when we don't pursue them , because then they just could say they don't care whether it's valid or not . I don't feel cared for . I've even started showing up at people's house to talk to them . Now , if I come over to your house , I just want to visit . I promise it's not a bad thing . You guys , there is no way for the pastoral staff to know all these people who have wondered off . But honestly , I believe that if we get this right , the back door of Northgate will be smaller than the front door .

Living Out Our Vision Together

Speaker 1 33:12

I am , I think , a lot about our routine . I think a lot of our rotating tating people is because we as a community aren't doing a good enough job at recognizing that we're the royal priesthood of the church . Peter talks about this , that we're the royal priesthood , which means that we're all participants in the restoring and the seeking and the serving of love , and the love of Jesus there were all actually the shepherds . You're a . You're a shepherd as well . In our vision that we get to live out as a community is to be a people who are set on representing Jesus and our willingness to be the hands and the feet of Christ and to care for and to welcome back and to call back into this grace filled community to engage with us in the work that he wants to do in us and through us . And it takes vulnerability , it takes transparency , it takes honesty , you know , because a lot of people stay away because they're like oh , you're hypocrites , we . You can't say you're a hypocrite if you're just honest , being like hey , we're on the slot together , we're just figuring this out together . Now let's come walk together . I think it's a 10 .

Speaker 1 34:34

I think it's interesting that first , thessalonians 515 says make sure nobody pays back wrong for wrong , but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else . So as this , is there ever bad ? Is it ever bad for there to be restoration , is it ? No , that's not a trick question . Is it ever bad ? I love this picture , no strings attached . No strings attached . So let me just give you something to chew on as we end , if you're not already chewing . Not doing what should be done is doing what is wrong .

Speaker 1 35:21

We are very selective in our sanctification , aren't we ? Too often , we excuse our unwillingness to be a witness to the gospel , our unwillingness to talk boldly about our love for Jesus or Jesus' love for us , and there is something fundamentally wrong with that . Either you don't really believe the gospel or you do not understand it , because the gospel knows no bounds in pursuit of the lost , the broken and the wondering . So that's why we need to represent . That's our vision we're going to live out . It's not the prettiest . You don't have to be perfect , but you get to represent what that looks like . Be like a child , not cause anybody to stumble , not look down . Let yourself be greater than Do whatever it takes . Make people squirm To go , reconcile , bring back , scoop up , care for Love . And it's beautiful when that all happens with the community , because Jesus is saying . This is what this looks like for us , those of you who are part of the fold , and so don't miss this . Would you allow right now , in this moment , the Holy Spirit , now , in this moment , to confront us , convict us , empower us to represent , and go find the one to represent Jesus and what it looks like in a faith community like this ? That's our vision . That's honestly the way we get to live it out together .

Speaker 1 37:04

So it might be something you're able to do today . It might be something you're able to do this week . You have a name , you have a number , you have an email , you have a face , you have an image . Maybe you have a person in here that's just teetering on the edge . Who is it ? Ask the spirit to stir in you . So who's the one ? And with that , maybe , just like I , have repented .

Finding Comfort and Love in Community

Speaker 1 37:34

Now , if you come into that moment , I'll tell you real quick . It's very simple for me . I'm not trying to put a lot of pressure on other people . It's just to let them know that they're cared for and loved . My honest line has been to some people I'm sorry . If you want to talk or there's something that you want to understand , I'm here . I just want you to know you can come home , it's safe , you're welcome , you have a seat at the table , you're loved , your value . Come home Now they can do whatever they want to do with that . It's no longer mine to do anything with .

Speaker 1 38:09

Can I pray for us , father ? Thank you that you actually give us some hard things to chew on , some hard things to break the way that we are . You know us so well , father . Maybe we learn , just like the disciples , that we're your little ones , that you care for us and you teach us how to care for one another in our community . So wait , we have clarity today , like maybe we haven't had before , about what it actually means to love each other and to care for each other and to push all the other stuff and noise to the side . Father , would you just let your spirit confront us and comfort us , maybe even those that are feeling hurt in the room right now in our teetering . We're all yours , god . I mean the things that we do give you honor and glory , father . Actually , we desire just to make you proud of your little one , your name . We pray Amen .