Won't You Be my Neighbor?

Welcome.

Walk out in my Mr Rogers outfit to the theme song to Mr’ Roger’s Neighbor Change shoes and sing song.

Well Hello Harbor Light Neighbor!

Good Morning

Today we start a new series called “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

This will be a 3 week series

This series was birthed as our church staff was ask to share a church conference next month about what our secret sauce is.

*JD’S Salsa Guacamole seasoning*

What is the thing that Harbor Light does that makes it special.

As we discussed it we realized the secret sauce is in our name is in our name. Habor Light Community Chapel.

We came to the conclusion that there is a lot of things that make HLCC special but the thing that stuck out is our connection with the community.

The different community event we offer throughout the year.

Our connection with the local homeless shelter and substance abuse centers.

Our Christian school that has representation from around 20 different churches in the area.

Our support and connection with other community organizations like Love Inc, Petoskey pregnancy center, young life Manna Yearly serve days and highway clean up and the list that goes on

The cool thing HLCC is not just represented as an organization but by you.

You guys the body of Christ and being the hands and feet in our community you are making the connection. you guys are the secret sauce.

Thank You Harbor Light.

In fact you guys are stuck with me speaking this morning because there is a church in Goodhart that is without a pastor right now. Pastor Gary was asked to help them this morning by speaking.

Isn’t that great. That is the body of Christ working together. We are on the same team.

* CHRIS HASS*

our series will be ending on Aug 15th with one service outdoors at the end of the parking lot at 10 am

We will have tent ready to go and will have chairs down there ready to go for you. Coffee connection will be ready with coffee and donuts as usual. It will be an opportunity to worship together as one large congregation.

These one services are great because it allows us to spend a little more time together and build relationships and sometimes see who we go to church with.

Mr Rogers Neighborhood

How many remember Mr Rogers neighborhood?

Back in 2018 a documentary came out about the life of Fred Rogers otherwise known as Mr’ Rogers.

PICTURE

If you have not seen it I would highly recommend it.

Tom Hanks “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”

“Mr Rogers was my Neighbor.”

Children’s Show

Almost 40 years 62-01 hosted his children’s show.

-40 Honorary degrees

-Earned a Masters of Divinity

-Multiple awards including the Peabody award

-Presidential metal of Freedom

-In the TV Hall of fame

-His show is listed as one the top 50 greatest tv starts

he responded to every fan letter he recieved.

FRED ROGERS ALWAYS MADE SURE TO ANNOUNCE THAT HE WAS FEEDING HIS FISH FOR A VERY SPECIFIC REASON.

-His famous sweater in displayed in the Smithsonian

-As a kid he was bullied and nicknamed fat Freddie

After attending 1 year of college and the rise of TV's being in more and more homes he declared he wanted to work in television

He started work on the sets different shows and after seeing the violence and unfruitful shows that were being produced for children he started working on a show of his own.

First in Canada and then later moving it to the US where not only wrote the music script and voiced the puppets but he then hosted the show.

-He wanted to make a show that made kid and really an one who watched feel like neighbors.

-He was not an entertainer and even as a kid I though that I was more of a Sesame street kid

-He was not a politician

-He was a man that wanted to make a difference in the life of kids

-Through the years there were stories that he was an ex military sniper who always wore sweaters to cover his tattoos .

-Anybody ever hear that?

-They weren't true.

- He ended up being a ordained Presbyterian minister.

- he felt his ministry was television reaching out to children

-He wanted children to know

“They are truly loved and capable of loving”

he was not afraid to talk about hard topics with children

haircut

racism

death

divorcee

There is so much more and if you will watch the documentary you may be moved to tears at the incredible who loved God and people.

Every day he started his show whit a question?

Do you know what that question was?

Won’t You be my Neighbor?

It is the question we want to look at today?

Its is similar to a question posed to Jesus.

If you have you bible open up to Luke 10:25-37

This a parable of Jesus and probably one of the most recognized and familiar parables.

It is the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

But don’t tune me out because it is familiar Let the truth of scripture encourage you, challenge you, convict you, correct you.

Let’s Pray

25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

This Question is a pretty common question of the time and one I bet Jesus was asked often.

We see the same question asked in Matthew 22 and Mark 12 but here in Luke it is recorded a little differently Leading me to believe it is a different incident then in Matthew and Mark

The religious expert is well versed int he law and is asking the question to see what Jesus would say and potentially have the opportunity to correct him.

Jesus different then Matthew and Mark responds with a question knowing this man knew the law

26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

27 The man answered, “ ‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

the core of the love is not duty but love.

Pastor alex

we will be know by our love

Mr Rogers 143

The expert in the law is quoting

“And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” Dt. 6:5

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” Lev. 19:18

take note :It is interesting some strict Jewish rabbis added to this and hate your enemy

28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by.

32 A Temple (Levite) assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.

34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Who is my neighbor?

Is the question the lawyer asks.

For the lawyer, “neighbor” is a noun. “Neighbor” is an object that is a duty —simply someone that requires a sacrifice of him. They are a burdensome duties that the he desires to avoid.

a task to accomplish not a relationship to cultivate

Its just a who?

Who Farted?

Youth group story 2 night ago at a bonfire.

Who’s your who?

Who is the person you are avoiding and viewing as a burden as trouble as a hopeless cause

For Jesus, “neighbor” is a verb, a way of behaving toward people in need that gives life to both giver and receiver.

For Jesus, one does not have a neighbor;

one is a neighbor, or better, becomes a neighbor.

The parable does not require us to convert every enemies into friends,

to do everything for everyone,

to solve the problems of the world.

To be a neighbor is not a condition we are just stuck with.

but a choice we get to make to give the tangible help we are able able to give to those in need of it, and to give it unconditionally no matter their of ethnic, religious, racial, political differences .

So who are we in this parable?

Priest / Levite

Samaritan

In Matthew 25:31-46 The Story of the sheep and the goats

Funny story Keith Green/ Steve Green

Hungry

Thirsty

Stranger

naked

sick and in prison

Church we are called to love the least of these and we do it because at one point in our lives we were the least of these and Christ did it for us.

Mr Rogers started every show with the question, Won’t you be my neighbor?

He was asked about that in an interview?

He said because it was in invitation.

Church the secret sauce for us is not a program, projector or event Although those are import and and helpful and we will continue to do them.

The secret sauce is you and I being willing to ask the question to the people in our lives

Won’t you be my neighbor?

It is you continuing to be willing to extend the invitation to those around you?

Are you willing to be the secret sauce?

When you came in you should have recieved elements for communion.

if you didn’t raise your hands and the ushers will be happy to bring you some.

The story of the good Samaritan paints a picture of the gospel message for us.

We were all broken and beaten left for dead. some physically or relationally some emotionally and spiritually.

God saw us in our brokenness with no way out and didn't go to the other side of the road but came to us in the form of Jesus.

He had compassion

soothed our wounds

took our burden our sin and shame upon himself and paid the price we couldn't so that we could be made whole again

Maybe you are the man left for dead in our parable today.

I want you to know Jesus is here today with compassion to sooth your wounds to take your sin and shame and to not only call you neighbor but family.

you know those expanding dinner tables the ones with the leafs

Today we celebrate communion together as family We sit a the Lords table eating the bread and drinking the cup recognizing and remembering His body broken and blood shed that we can have life.

We do it remembering when we are willing to ask the question Won’t you be my neighbor. it open the doors for others to join us. It cause the table to get longer.

Pray.

But Maybe you are the the broken man in need of a neighbor.