LOOKING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER

She got to her apartment complex and park the car and went into the building and stuck her key into the door and the door swung open on its own. She entered the apartment.

and startled the person who was in there. In the person stood up. And she being a police officer responded with what she knew how to do she Drew her service revolver and fired Two Shots one hitting the gentleman in the chest and killing him.

Botham Jean He was sitting in his living room. Watching TV eating ice cream.

Someone entered his apartment suddenly and he is he was standing up to see what was going on. He got shot in the chest.

And he died.

Where you can imagine? an unarmed man in his living room his own living room being shot and killed by a police officer you could imagine the drama that created across this nation because they were A different race. That was a big deal. And then all the trials and all the tribulations and all the news media and all the legal stuff that went on with that and I'm not going to fill in all those blanks you guys watch the news you guys know what happened you guys know the event which I'm talking about but as we prayed earlier this morning with Jeff and and we prayed earlier this morning before the service The Divide in America is ripped wider and wider wide open. In the middle of all that for the very end. And we don't know what happens actually cuz we weren't there in the moment when that shooting occurred. We don't know why it occurred. We kind of know how it occurred. We don't know why the things happen as they happen. We don't know the intentions of people's hearts. We don't know any of that. But what we do know is a jury found the police officer guilty and sentenced her to 10 years in prison, they found her guilty of murder and sentenced her to 10 years in prison.

And then God showed up. Show me you guys may know what I'm talkin about. Some of you may not. And when we talk about some of the things Jeremy's been unpacking in the Book of Genesis, and when we talked about some of those things when we know that Christ is the answer for all things.

after the sentencing Victim Impact statements were given and there was a fellow by the name of Grant Jean who is the brother. Of the gentleman who was shot and killed in his own household. Having done nothing wrong. And this is the statement the brand Jean gave to the courts.

He says I don't want to say twice or for the hundredth time and he's addressing the shooter has been found guilty. How much you taken from us? I think you know that. but I just

I hope you go to God with all the guilt.

All the bad things you may have done in the past. each and every one of us may have done something we're not supposed to do. if you talking to the shooter are truly. Sorry I speak for myself. I forgive you.

if you go to God and ask him he

will forgive you. And I don't think anyone can say. And I'm only speaking for myself.

But I love you. Just like I love everyone else.

And I'm not going to stay. That I hope you rot and die just like my brother did. I personally want what's best for you.

I wasn't going to ever say this in front of my family or anyone. but I don't even want you to go to jail.

I want what's best for you because I know that's exactly what awesome the one that was killed. would want you to do And the best would be to give your life. to Christ I think giving your life to Christ would be the best thing that Botham would want you to do again. I love you as a person. I don't wish anything bad for you. many paws and he looked to the judge and said I don't even know if this is possible.

What can I give her a hug? please please

after Branson motional statements and as the courtroom cleared judge Tammy Kemp walk down from the bench to meet Geiger. She also spoke with jeans family members. The judge also hugged the former Dallas police officer. And gave her a Bible. Reading her a passage of John 3:16. For God so loved the world. That he gave his one and only son. But whoever believes in him should not perish. But have everlasting life.

This is not a political commentary at all. This is how followers of Christ respond. when bad things happen they respond with forgiveness. They respond with hope they respond with their eyesight on eternity. And what that brings together? Is the bonds of peace? I don't know about you, but when we talk week after week about the foundational elements of the things were early learning in the Book of Revelation some of the things Jeremy in the last couple weeks specifically have mentioned.

He talked about the Imago Dei.

Are we image God for the world and it's an activity as what he's called us to do in the same way. This brother image Christ to an entire courtroom in for that matter to an entire nation. We are called to do the same thing. You've heard me preach before that. Jesus loved from the cross.

He loved his mother and made sure she was taken care of from the cross when he's in the worst pain. You could possibly imagine Jesus love from the cross. He loved the other Thief that was crucified next to him and promised him a place. In Paradise with him, he love those who actually put the nails in his hands and scourged him and crucified him and he declared forgiveness overhead then while they were dying on the cross. And that's exactly what we're called to do ourselves. Our world is split drastically based on race based on political ideation based on what you believe about this and what you believe about that but in the kingdom of God, we have no place for that because we're supposed to be the ones that said I don't care what anybody else says. I don't even know my family agrees with this, but I love you and I want what's best for you and I want you to repent and come to know Christ. I've never known that kind of love personally that I've seen face-to-face I got to be honest. That's pretty rare. But that's exactly what I believe that God calls us to do. In the body of Christ. We want the World to Change. It's not an election. If we want the world to change its not New spokespeople if we want the World to Change, we don't change the news media if we want the World to Change we image Christ. Germany's also talked about the secret place. The Sacred Space the fact that God's walk with his people individually. That's what the Garden of Eden originally was about and we talked about that.

He also talked about how in the New Testament that's us in the body of Christ.

We are the Temple of the holy spirit in the spirit of Christ dwells within us. We are the Sacred Space to the world around us. We are that place where people can have communion with God and it's not only while we're here but it's in the normal traffic patterns of our lives and it's the plan traffic patterns of Our Lives to go do things that are entirely different.

That is what God has called us to be in do. I don't know about you. I don't do so. Well, can I be honest I have a pinion. about politics I have opinions about all kinds of things.

I'm somewhat of a political News Junkie. I know the stuff is being argued about in the world. But when it comes to how I'm supposed to respond to any of that.

for me to live is Christ and when I die, I will be great game. but today for me to live needs to be Christ. We want the World to Change. None of those things that are put together by a man will do that. It's only in Christ here's what I'm calling you to do. I'm calling you to look out for one another.

we Live in a world where nobody looks out for anybody and I know that's it's not a hundred percent extreme, but overall when someone's in trouble, it's someone else's responsibility when something's going on someone else is supposed to do that. If we want something fixed we go to the government we want to be different. We send them to a counselor or something somewhere else. We don't get our hands dirty. We don't get ourselves in people's lives. Like we need to we don't love the way we need to was the body of Christ and then we wonder why the people not recognize Christ in us, we wonder why the world doesn't change we decentralized our Safety and Security of the First Responders and police if someone falls down is dying we call 911 and wait for 911 to show up now, there's some people that help but most of us to step aside and don't offer any assistance. I know those are concrete Little Things. But I think that speaks to a prevailing attitude in our world in our country that we wait for somebody else to do the things that happened right in front of us in the normal traffic patterns of our lives and I'm asking you to look around the room and look out for one another and I'm asking you to be the neighbor going to go to Genesis chapter 1 verses 27 and 28 and I'm going to connect everything we're talking about to where we've been and I'm going to move past that. for God I need to stop there for a minute. I know we've read this passage everything I'm talking about makes zero sense. If God's not involved, let me just say that out loud. If you are the product of evolutionary Natural Science is based on physical properties in a lot of random events. Then there's no reason for you to hear anything we're talking about because none of it makes sense. There's got to be a God that created everything that we know and put all this in place. For God created we talked about that and unpack that a long time ago. One of the things Jeremy is taught us what He created as is. A temple narrative that the creation stories at Temple narrative. The creation of of the world in the Garden of Eden was to be a place where God dwells with mankind that he dwells with us and he created for him to be with us.

In his own image we talked about that already where the image him to the world around us. He created them male and female he created them and God bless them and said to them be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish is sea or the birds of heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth. God has called us to be called priest co-creators chaotic and bring it into subjection to a guy would have it to be in we do that because in the New Testament in the body of Christ, we are that sacred place now probably say that a lot but that's really important. We are that Sacred Space for the world. Let me look around this room. We should see the most glorious amazing temple of God, we could ever imagine and it's not in this building and is not on these chairs and it's not anything else that's in the lives of the people that lived because that's the way God intended it to be that's who we are.

Ephesians this is a new testament kind of version of what I just read when it comes to us being a Sacred Space and Jesus.

Might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross there by killing the hostility. Now in this particular instance, they're talking about the history between the Jews and the Greeks the Jews and the Gentiles but what he's saying is when Jesus came he put to death the hostility in the body of Christ. There's no room for I'm a Republican or a Democrat in the body of Christ. There's no room for on this race run that race in the body of Christ. There's no room for rent from here. I am from there. It doesn't mean those things don't matter doesn't mean those things are important. What it means is there's no room for the dividing wall of hostility because of those cuz I killed it with the cross when he put a spirit in it. He was honest and he came and preached. Peace. to all who are far off and peace to those who are near For through him we both have access and one Spirit to the father everybody no matter where they're from no matter what they do. They have the exact same access. We'd have to the father. Is anybody else?

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens. But you are fellow citizens with the Saints and the members of the household of God. Built on the foundation of the Apostles in the prophets that's bringing the Old and New Testaments together the apostles being New Testament the prophecy mean Old Testament and I just love that picture because when New Jerusalem the new heaven comes down from heaven and merges with the Earth is going to be based on the foundation of the Apostles and they gates are going to be the prophets of the tribes of Israel that we get into. It's all together. He's demonstrating that all the way across Christ himself is the Cornerstone look at this and whom the whole structure being joined together all the division. All the fighting all the anger grows into a holy Temple of the lord we are. the Temple of the Holy Spirit and the spirit of Christ dwells in you in him also are being built together into a Dwelling Place of God. By the spirit, this is an identity statement. This is in Christ who you are.

Just saw Jesus. Brought this to us and this is not anything you guys haven't heard before very often when I speak I speak of things you've heard before hurry up and I speak of things that are common sense because I don't know about you. Sometimes I need a refresher. Sometimes you hear me say things over and I know I'm saying them over even I talk to my wife a little bit. She said you said some of those things before instruments does. Yeah, but that's what God has put on my heart and learn so I'm going to say something over and over again. Is that okay? And Jesus came and said to them. This is after he died after he is resurrected is getting ready to ascend in the heavens and he said all authority in Heaven and Earth has been given to me and boy Jeremy painted the picture what the heavens and the Earth really mean and how much authority Jesus has a man. It has been given to Jesus and our his command to us. Is it take the chaos? and bring it in to order go there for and make disciples not the imperative here is make disciples not going literally what it means is as you go that's where I got the normal traffic patterns of your lies in the normal traffic patterns of your lies and make disciples baptizing them a representation of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the name of the father Son and the Holy Spirit the godhead three-in-one teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and lo I Am With You Always to the very end of the age what they're talking about is This is the Sacred Space and because we're in the Sacred Space because we image Christ. Our responsibility is to go as We Go Make Disciples of the world around us. I know we hear that all the time and churches. I know I was raised in a church that taught that all the time but I was taught that more cookie cutter then what do I do when I go to work? What do I do when I go to the store? What do I do when I go wherever I go? How do I do those kinds of things and what he saying is As You Go Make Disciples and that's a hole bigger conversation that I have time here. But what I want to imprint in your brain and what I want you to consider in your thinking is it what does that mean to me? That as I go? I'm supposed to make disciples in Christ. It's not an option. It's mandatory. That's what we're getting. Let me move on.

This is about the church now. I'm always told and I laugh about this every because I'm a pastor and because I get pastor periodicals and you know, my social media sites just pour me in with your seven steps to make your grow your church grow big ears 9 steps to get your offering to increase double in the next three months. Here's this year's I mean everyone's got a plan to do with the church needs to do and when I go to the scripture that say God, what do you say to us about a local church this applies the local church in the truce Universal. What what are you saying to me about what needs to happen in the church has a hole so will be what God wants us to be so the world will know that were genuine and real and true that you really came and then we actually are your disciples. What is that take that take me standing on a street corner and shouting Will it take me handing out tracks in restaurants made some of those things are okay depending on where you're at in the circumstance, but that's not what it takes years what it takes years what Jesus said and I and I love this conversation and I bring it up all the time because Jesus is having the last face-to-face meeting until after his resurrection with his disciples and he's trying to tell them some of the most important things they need to hear things that are coming and this is one of the things he says, he says it's a new commandment. I give to you that you love one another just as I have loved you, you're also to love one another by this will all people know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another so how's the world going to know where his disciples?

The question is what is love response in the circumstance that I'm in. I'm going to tell you Brandt Jean. And if you saw the video of him saying what he say, he was very nervous and didn't want to say this in front of his family at all. He stood firm and said and I believe God told me to do what he did. I'm going to love you. Even though you kicked in the door of my brother's apartment and you shot him dead, but let me tell you what that is. I'm going to love you because that's what Jesus would want me to do.

Imma, just this guy I ran prisons for years that's hard for me to say that just being honest. It's probably hard for you to say that too but that's the kind of love Jesus called us to be I say this all the time. Jesus loved from the cross.

Put that image in your mind. the next thing Jesus told his disciples and this is in his what we call his high Priestly prayer. He said he said a prayer for his disciples. I'm at very last night and it's a beautiful prayer recorded in John chapter 17. And if you want to read it, it's amazing. You want to know how Jesus this isn't the Lord's Prayer teaching is to pray. This is Jesus praying to his father. In part of what he says then there is this I do not ask for these only meaning the disciples that currently surround him at the moment. But also for those who believe in me through their word he was praying for us. Because they spread the word and the disciples after them spread the word and the generation after them spread the word and the generation after them for the word and yada yada yada. Guess what? We're in Christ. He saying based on the natural normal spread of the gospel of Christ. I'm praying for them as well. Those who come to believe in you and me through there were then he says that they may be one now listen to this Oneness. Just as you father are and me and I and you know, that's pretty one.

Jesus called us to be he didn't say agree on everything. You said we need to be one.

that they may also be in us so that the world may believe what

this is overwhelming to me. I don't know how to fix this. I don't know how to make the church in unity. I don't know how to do it. I look across America and all the nominations and all the divisions in all the fighting a doctor and all those things. I don't have the power know how to fix it. I don't know. I want to know and of course if I knew I'd develop a 25-point plan will be walking down the road and that's probably why we don't know. And what we're talking about is is completely and totally dependent on us submitting ourselves to the lordship of Jesus Christ in the Oneness with him. So when I look at another person in the body of Christ, I need to say We Are One Instead of an idiot. Come on, you do it. Or I wish you didn't believe that way. What kind of jerk is that guy? Did you ever say that about other believers? I'm just going to leave that hanging.

Now what are some of the concrete things one of these things I've already talked about. And one of these things that I haven't talked about in a long while but I want to go to 1st Timothy 2 just a handful of weeks ago last time I think this is one of the passages I used in the passage of prayer and prayer is that thing that completely humble ourselves before God when we recognize that God I can do nothing without you you have to do it all you know, I need you to work in this that's the only thing I can deal with unity. But what is Paul stated Timothy who's getting ready to take over the pastor of the church? First of all, then I heard you that supplications prayers and recessions and Thanksgiving be made for all people and that's a big bold statement, but what he saying in all people How many people are all? That's an overwhelming task. I don't quite know how to do that either when I read this. I'm always reminded of Dwayne Aaron. Can I say this Dwayne? Will you let me?

Just one of the things I talked about recently is how we teach preschoolers to pray and he said he loved that cuz it's so simple he knows what to do and it is wheat we have to preschoolers. What is prayer? What's the answer? I'll give you the answer talking to God. So what is prayer?

Do you have to send him an email? The answer is no you have to call him on the phone. The answer is no. You have to write him a letter. Can you talk to him in your mind? You have to say it out loud.

So when can you talk to God? Anytime we're can you talk to God? What can you talk to God about? I was just talking to God like a child talks to his father. Then what's wrong with us? I spent my years trying to have my prayers. Holy enough to get what I'm saying. There's not a thousand easy. And if I have wrong attitudes, I don't want to pray and you know, you really want to be good at praying before you pray, God said is you know, it's like a little child suffer the little children to come unto me because of such is the kingdom of God. Yeah, come like that and how does a child come to god? Dad? Dad dad dad dad dad dad doesn't drive you crazy. Yes, but I promise it doesn't drive God crazy. But if that's where you're at in your life when you need to talk to God, what I'm going to tell you is to what do that?

Anywhere Anytime Anyplace that's what we're called to do. Then he goes on to say for King this one we start stepping on feet cuz I know how to tell you this. We have to pray for our government and our president and the staff and we have to pray for them not against them.

Even if you don't like them and disagree with them and think they're horrible human beings. What are you supposed to do right for them? I hear more Christians. Kill our current political environment through their Facebook posts and through their social media posting through their mouth. And yes, it's called Murder. If you do it read The Sermon on the Mount if you do that out loud is supposed to pray for them convicting you of that cuz we want America to change. It can't be through human beings that can only be through.

And why do we pray for him? Do you want to lead a peaceful and quiet life Godly and dignified in every way? You don't do it by arguing about moral values in America. You don't do by voting a president you do it by praying for the leaders in our governing Authority.

I know this is being pretty in your face, but it's in my face when you had speaks to me and I say that out loud. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our savior. Who desires why does he want us to pray this way? all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. So we're not seen people saying no crisis because they're not praying for all people in the governing authorities. We're not praying for them in the normal traffic patterns of our lives in the normal traffic patterns, as you can do it every minute every day. I can see someone and the thought that comes in your head, even if it's you're an idiot. You can stop that and say wait a minute. I'm not supposed to be thinking that person's India to God forgive me for that and I want to pray for them. Did you kind of follow what I'm saying? You are not your thoughts you're over your thoughts you can control your side. You can take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ. That's how I know. You're not your thoughts. Your thoughts are part of who you are just like your finger is does that make sense? But you that's not who you are you can pray. For there is one God and why do we need to pray? There's only one God there's only one mediator between the god the man Jesus Christ who gave himself a ransom for all. Which is the testimony given at the proper time? For this I was appointed a preacher and this is Paul telling Timothy. What I just said about praying is the main reason I was appointed as a passer he sang. This is one of my very main focuses cuz you need to understand that the only hope for the world is Christ. Not found anyone else.

I love this one too, and I love a lot of things.

Did you know? I don't care how you got here. I don't care how you live here or where you live or where your place or what's going on? God put you here. Even if it was because you did stupid things and made bad decisions and we're put an exile. Can I say that what I'm getting ready to read was the nation of Israel putting their Exile near put an exile cuz they did bad things. They do wrong thing. They sinned against God and God put them in a place where they where you want them to be because I needed the time out and let me tell you what you don't want to be in a 7th of your time out. They got a 70-year time out as a nation because of the Rebellion against God. But here's what he says that says the Lord the host of God of Israel to all the Exiles whom I have sent into Exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. They were in the place where the Sacred Space was and got moved them away from the Sacred Space and put them in a place where they were surrounded by a bunch of pagans people that hated them people that treated them as slaves and let me say that people that treated them is almost refuge and garbage. That's where they were there in the middle of that environment. And here's what he says to them. Make a life. Build houses live in that plant Gardens eat the pros make a life get jobs Agricultural Society you following him saying get jobs produce food. Take care of your families take wise and have sons and daughters takes wife your sons and give your daughters in marriage that they made their sons and daughters multiply there. And do not decrease what he's telling them is this no matter where you find yourself, even if it's because of your Disobedience. There's a lot of people that will tell me I have disobedient. So therefore God will not bless me anymore in this is a word for you be where you're at at that moment in time. Stay there make alive do the things, you know, you're supposed to do increase the light right in the midst of all that Bad stuff the surrounding you.

I love this. What do you supposed to do when you're in the worst place of all? We don't like where you live where you think everyone around you is a bunch of idiots. They're corrupt their evil. They don't think like you. You're supposed to seek the welfare of that place. What?

Are we supposed to seek the welfare of the city we live in? Notice, he didn't say Seek the destruction of are we supposed to seek the welfare of the United States of America if God's places in that country? Yes, we are. Where is that you in Exile? Even if you're there because of punishment? And pray the Lord on his behalf. Because then it's welfare. What are you going to find? It's Welfare, your welfare. You want to find welfare where you're at quit complaining about where you're at in the reasons. You got there. I'm being pretty direct. I know. And seek the welfare and will welfare is is is is is the Hebrew word Shalom and it means seek the peace seek the the the the security of the place to take the probability of the places included in that turn another were sick the overall welfare of where you're at. And that's pretty convicting this there where everything around them is contrary to what they believe in thinking do that's where they're sitting. And God says you know what even there.

Be the sacred place be the Sacred Space even their imprint the Imago Dei.

This how we do that. This is not easy. Let us not grow weary in well-doing. When do season we will reap if we do not give up. So then as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone especially to those who are of the household of faith. Think about that for a minute. How many you want to give up for trying to do the right thing? Because it doesn't seem to get anywhere. That's that's what happened. I'm going to tell you a story. I got permission to share this but there's a young woman that's been attending my small group. Her name is David. And she's been coming because she's been helping Barbara get David. And we assume you guys know David O'Brien. He had a stroke a few years back. He's not the man. He used to be this vibrant walking talking brilliant man spends most of his life in a chair or in the bed because he can't move so much. But he wanted to come to the small group again. He started coming and so the family's health and David has been very instrumental. She's a caregiver that did this working with him to get them to get them to the small group. We've been sitting and they were in our small group before all this happened, but they've been sitting in the small group, and we've been learning together and a few a few weeks back. Navi told me this is what I'm talking about. You know when I first started coming to this group. I didn't think I was going to like it. I just didn't think I was going to like it but man I like this. You know God's talking to me. Well, I'm here. And then she came a little bit further and she said, you know, I'm David.

When I work with him, we read the Bible together everyday.

He's been talking to me. about Jesus

she trusts Christ. Two numbers when she was a little girl when she was of a different face. You go down the park and one of the churches to do activities and she do that until stories and she forgot all about it as her and David have been sitting down and have him having conversations. She's remembering the same stories and guys beginning to move and work in his life. And I'm going to say this in our culture in America that the very people we want to almost cast out because they're stuck in chairs and stuck in beds and can't move David in the normal traffic patterns of her life is not grown weary in well-doing. He's witnessing to this amazing young girl who who is who is caring for him? And it's having a difference in your life him and his wife Barbara pray every night for their family. They pray together every night for this church. They pray together every night for what's going on in our country. And sometimes I can't even get my rear end out of bed to do that kind of stuff. And here's a man that I love but he hasn't grown weary in well-doing. We need to be the Sacred Space in the image of Christ.

For the world around us in the if you really don't believe me. Remember the parable of the prodigal son in this will be quick.

an Israelite

Got the Daylights beat out of him and stole in the left of the side of the road three people walk by when was the priest this guy was supposed out. He was a professional minister, right? He was supposed to stop and help didn't didn't want to get involved didn't want to pollute himself. A levite kind of same thing a helper in the temple those kind of things into the law on yada yada yada. He went by and didn't do anything, but then you know who came by

Let me let me use this just for illustrative purposes. And please don't take this is a statement of what I believe or don't believe it would be like and all the way left when you're in all the way right winger and one of them at one of the other side got beat off and led to the side of the road and everyone who follows in that person's vein and thinking go by and recognize them know who he is. No, he believes like then they pass them by and then the one all the way on the other side who they hate. Whoever went into his wife hate comes by and stops and binds up and binds up his wounds and the And takes care of him cuz Jesus said love you Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself in a lawyer said will who's my neighbor and Jesus told that story and then he asked this question. Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor the one that everyone hates?

The one that no one wanted to be around the fact we hated him so bad the Samaritans we go around their country to get there to get the southern Israel because I couldn't even stand to walk through the land. They inhabited that's how much we hated them. Who proved to be the neighbor the other couch dream?

And he said the one who showed Mercy. Jesus said go. And do likewise and I wanted to use this as an illustration to say this.

This isn't just to those you love. This is to those you hate. even though you hate you are to be the Sacred Space for Christ in you the hope of glory even for those that you hate you are to be the image of Christ to them, you know, if that means binding up the wounds of someone you can't stand anything they believe when you think they're going to hell because of how horrible they are as human beings, even those you who you hate your supposed to be that person.

And if I said this easily like I started this where I'm going to end. Look out for one another. Can you do that?