WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:24.295 Alright. So all I have to say, I forget sometimes that people, I forget, I get so caught up in tasks that you can kind of forget people are the point. That's where I was going. And so, several years ago, when we first moved into the home we're living in right now, Ray Lynn and I, we were walking, we live right around the road, and so we were walking to Publix, if I'm not mistaken. And, as we were going by our neighbor's garage, he calls out. 00:00:25.380 --> 00:00:55.635 And you know how we had just moved in, had a lot going on, still unpacking that kind of stuff. And as we're walking by, it was kind of, I was hoping that I could just do a wave and keep on moving. And, he had other plans because his name was Salim and he started talking to us, told us about his family, asked us about our family. And eventually he asked what I do for a living. I hate telling people what I do for a living when I first meet them, because people change. 00:00:56.090 --> 00:01:13.885 Like, suddenly everybody gets on their best behavior when you tell somebody you're a pastor. They start apologizing for the language that they just used. They start asking, they start confessing their sins sometimes. And I'm like, oh no no no no no no, wrong priest. I am not a priest. 00:01:13.885 --> 00:01:39.125 I am I am a pastor. And, that is awkward when that happens. But it didn't seem awkward for Salim at all because from that point on, he started calling me holy man. Seriously, he still calls me holy man to this day, or holy father if he's really feeling special. And, man, when he started doing that, I I knew immediately we were gonna become friends, and and we did. 00:01:39.125 --> 00:02:00.320 Our our family started having dinners together, and Salim and his family, they're Palestinian. And so we got... We were introduced to the wonders of Palestinian food, and we got to introduce them to Southern fare. And our families became really close to the point where our daughter became their nanny for a little bit. And we just, we really, we became very tight. 00:02:00.320 --> 00:02:20.660 And their friendship was one of those kind of relationships where I don't have to be Don the Pastor. I just get to be Don the human being. I get to be me. And it's amazing having relationships in your life like that. And Salim, he is the kind of person who pursues people. 00:02:20.900 --> 00:02:50.740 He really sees people. And as a Muslim, he has a deep, deep respect for Jesus. We talk about Jesus more than I talk about Jesus with most of my friends. I mean, and, and I have to tell you that when Salim reached out to us and started talking to us and started loving our family, Salim was acting a lot more like Jesus than I was. See, I was hoping to keep waving, just wave and just keep walking. 00:02:50.740 --> 00:02:58.100 That's what I wanted to do. I didn't want to be bothered. I had things to do. I had places to go. I had shopping that needed to happen. 00:02:59.185 --> 00:03:18.060 And Salim, he actually wanted to know who we were. I wonder how often do I miss out on friendships that are going on around me? How often does God bring somebody into my life? And all I can think about is what do I need to do next? Or where do I need to be next? 00:03:18.940 --> 00:03:40.905 See, I want to love my neighbors. We all want to love our neighbors. But too often I want it to be convenient. I want it to be done, the way I want it to be done. And I just walked by hoping that no, I'll walk out of the house taking the dog out and just hope none of my neighbors are outside. 00:03:42.550 --> 00:04:00.245 And that kind of breaks my heart. So I want you to look at the series graphic. We are Avalon. We're in a series looking at what does it mean to be Avalon or to be an Avalonian, which just is a funny word. And, because who are we? 00:04:00.245 --> 00:04:38.130 We're we're a people who are following Jesus. We're people learning to trust him and be shaped by Jesus. But we're also a people that are becoming family, growing together, being present together, learning patience and practicing forgiveness, giving the benefit of the doubt to one another. But this family also is one that is blessing our neighbors because this family right here, it has room for more. When every seat in this building is filled, we still have room for more. 00:04:39.810 --> 00:04:58.205 Because God is sending us into other people's lives. And see Salim reminds me of that. I texted him this week because I was like, hey man, can I share the story of how we first met? I don't think he's actually ever heard the part I told you today. Slim, are you here? 00:04:58.365 --> 00:05:28.075 No, okay. That would have been cool. But he reminds me of the power of initiating, the power of reaching out, getting to know our next door neighbors, and those who we work with, and those who we go to school with. People we might be tempted to just wave at and then walk right past. And so we began this series, with Jesus' invitation, come, follow me. 00:05:28.395 --> 00:05:47.730 But today we're gonna hear him say, as the father sent me, I also send you. And so what we're going to do, let's open up to John 20. If you have a Bible or you have an app, you're welcome to open up. All of the scriptures will be on the screen as well. And so in John 20, it is Sunday evening. 00:05:48.605 --> 00:06:13.360 Jesus had been crucified just two days earlier on Friday. And the disciples are gathered together in this room, and, you got to remember like their their frame of mind. They had given up everything to follow Jesus. And Jesus was supposed to change everything. He was the Messiah, but now He was dead. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:30.225 And they didn't know what happens now, what's next. So let's begin. We're gonna begin reading in in verse 19. And it says, that Sunday evening, the disciples, were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. I mean, think about it. 00:06:30.385 --> 00:06:50.125 They were afraid of the leaders who just had Jesus killed. I mean, were they gonna be next? Were His followers gonna be next? Have you ever been in a place in your life where you were both sad and scared? Grieving what happened, but worried about what happens next. 00:06:50.605 --> 00:07:08.720 A spouse died or left. A job suddenly ended. And you're grieving the loss, you're grieving what what you had that you no longer have, but you're also worried about making ends meet. You're worried about your family. You're worried you're worried about the future. 00:07:09.520 --> 00:07:33.680 And that is exactly where the disciples were. And the verse continues, suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them, and he says, Shalom. Peace be with you. And you got to imagine this moment, the doors are all locked. Nobody's opened them, and Jesus is suddenly standing right there in the midst of them, and he says, peace. 00:07:34.080 --> 00:07:56.185 That is the last thing they were experiencing. Peace was farther than they could ever imagine, and he says, peace be with you. And then in verse 20, he showed them his wounds. He showed them the wounds in his hands and in his side. And you could just imagine how stunned they were just processing what is going on. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:08:07.280 And then it hits them. Next slide. It says they, they were filled with joy. The moment they recognize, they realize what was happening, it's Him. It's Jesus. 00:08:07.440 --> 00:08:26.940 Jesus is alive. In verse 21, it says, again they said or again Jesus said, peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am now sending you. Have peace. Shalom, God's blessing in your life. 00:08:27.420 --> 00:08:50.325 Live without worry about what's going to happen tomorrow. Live without worry about if you're going to be able to, afford food for tomorrow. Stop being anxious. Go in my name in peace. Yeah, it might be risky going as Jesus went. 00:08:50.325 --> 00:09:45.465 It was risky for Jesus too. But as the Father sent me, as He sent me to love you, to pour into you, to serve you and wash your feet, and even to give my life for you, That's how I am sending you to do the same, to bless as you have been blessed. And when Jesus says these words, when Jesus says this, he is hinting back to God's purpose from the very beginning of Israel's story, where God said blessing he a people who would bring blessing to the world. That's the purpose that Jesus is fulfilling right now. It's the purpose that goes all the way back to Abraham, the father of the Israelites. 00:09:45.465 --> 00:10:14.025 And He says in Genesis 12, God made Abram a promise. He said, I will bless you, and you will be a blessing to others. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you. You are blessed. You are chosen, but not because you're more worthy, he's saying, not because you're better. 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:33.975 I am blessing you and I am choosing you because I wanna work through you. You are blessed for a purpose. You are chosen for a purpose. God's blessing has always been meant to be passed on to others. We have never been meant to be the people who receive blessing and it stops with us. 00:10:35.175 --> 00:11:05.285 Doug said it last week. It was just such a beautiful, beautiful phrase that God has sung a song over your life, and now your job is to sing that song over others. Ain't that beautiful? That God has said, he has sung a very specific song over your life. It's a song that he has sung over nobody else's life, that he has done things in you and for you and through you that are just for you, but you were not the end goal of that song. 00:11:06.005 --> 00:11:28.185 Now you get to sing that song over others for your whole life. And you don't have to do this in your own strength. You don't have to do what you have no power to do. Because in verse 22, it explains. It says, Jesus breathed on them. 00:11:29.305 --> 00:11:49.635 And he said, receive the Holy Spirit. I mean, this moment right here, I think John is trying to create, an image that that makes you think all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Because at creation, what what did God do? He breathed life into the human. And what did the human do? 00:11:49.635 --> 00:12:17.565 He went and he did what was right in his own eyes. And he went and sin came into the world. But now Jesus brings new creation, restoring what sin ruined. And now he breathes his spirit into them, and what is dead is now being brought back to life. Church, what is dead inside of you and inside of me? 00:12:17.965 --> 00:12:32.320 Jesus is saying, no, it does not have to be... It does not have to stay dead. We sang the song that that that the breath... It comes... God's breath comes in and makes dead bones come alive. 00:12:32.560 --> 00:12:47.035 And that's what Jesus is saying. Jesus, he's bringing new creation, restoring what sin is ruined, bringing what was dead back to life. As the father sent you, or as the father sent me, I am sending you. What? That is incredible. 00:12:47.275 --> 00:13:10.170 That as the Father sent Jesus to live His kingdom on earth, to reveal His kingdom on earth, so I am sending you to live like Jesus, to love like Jesus, to forgive like Jesus. I mean, look at 23. This is this is quite a verse because it also... The next verse says, if you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. 00:13:10.355 --> 00:13:26.050 And that's a tough one. I have to admit, I spent a lot of time this week going, what exactly does that mean? I mean, do I have the power to forgive sins? Do I have the power to say no? Or am I a conduit of Jesus as I have sent you? 00:13:27.250 --> 00:14:08.705 Or as the father sent me, I am sending you. I am going in his name. And I I I'm beginning to understand that as Jesus entrusts us, his followers, to make his forgiveness known, not just by our mouth, but even by the way we live forgiveness. To live it out through our words, to live it out in the way we treat people, to live it out in the way we forgive when frankly nobody, somebody, they haven't earned our forgiveness, but we forgive. We don't ignore sin, and we don't pretend it doesn't hurt people, but we also don't leave people defined by their worst moments either. 00:14:09.985 --> 00:14:37.495 We point them to Jesus through whom forgiveness is available and new beginnings are possible. See, this is so good because it's not in my power. Man, one of the things I've learned as a pastor is that I have no power. We'll talk in a finance meeting and we're like, wow, the finances are really low. And I'm like, I feel absolutely responsible to have the finances go up. 00:14:37.495 --> 00:15:03.135 And then I realized really quickly, I have no power to do anything. Like I go to visit people in the hospital and they're asking questions, why would a good God allow this to happen? And I'm like, I don't know either. I have no power at all. Thank God, I don't have to go in my own power. 00:15:03.695 --> 00:15:16.270 Thank God this church is not gonna grow or not grow based on my power. Amen? Like this is the Holy Spirit's church. This is Jesus' church. This is God's church. 00:15:16.510 --> 00:15:40.630 I get the privilege of pointing to Him, and I get the privilege of sharing with you, most weeks. But the reality is I have no power. All I have is witness. I am a witness to who Jesus is, and I I have to submit to him. I need him more than I've ever needed him in my life. 00:15:41.430 --> 00:16:07.300 Not in my power. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit who is working in you and who is working in me and who is working in them. Even the people who aren't following Jesus, the Holy Spirit. I believe with all of my heart that the Holy Spirit is having conversations with all of the people of the world constantly, all the time, and they don't even know it. Heck, half the time, I don't even know it. 00:16:07.300 --> 00:16:30.565 When he's having a conversation with me and later on I look back and go, you're pretty good God, I didn't see that one coming. This is how God works. He works in people. He works through people so that we can be a blessing to people. At Avalon and many churches use the same acronym, but we use an acronym called BLESS. 00:16:30.565 --> 00:16:53.085 Five practices to help us love our neighbors and invite them to discover life in Jesus. Inviting them to discover life in Jesus together with us. And I just want to share just real quick because it all begins in prayer. See, this is what I think a lot of times we forget that very impactful. We are joining God's work. 00:16:53.565 --> 00:17:23.235 Your neighbor, God is already working in their life, forming questions that nobody could have ever imagined that the Apostle Paul would become who he became. That he was this guy persecuting Christians, yet God was working in him and stirring in him and creating questions in him. He's doing that every day, all the time. And so our prayer, as we begin in prayer, our prayer is, God, help me to know you. Help me to become like you. 00:17:23.955 --> 00:17:39.095 And Lord, help me notice those around me. And I'm serious, like, right now. What a prayer. God, help me know you. Help me become like you, and help me notice the people who are around me. 00:17:39.335 --> 00:18:23.570 Help me to love them well. Help me to to be motivated not to walk by and hope nobody sees me, or just that I can just wave and keep going. But give me the courage to stop and maybe have a conversation, to reach out. And if we begin in prayer, we're making ourselves available that even when, that even when we we think we know what the day is gonna look like, we're willing to change our plans if that's what the Lord is doing because we're joining him. And then as we do that, as as we pray and as we pray for us that we would see where God is working and as we would pray for our neighbors that that God would bless them and open up their hearts to him. 00:18:24.450 --> 00:18:47.045 And then we engage in relationship not by talking, but doing exactly what Celine did. He introduced himself and he said, tell me about your family. And he started listening. And that's probably one of the most amazing things that we can do to bless people is to just listen to them. Give them our attention, ask questions, get to know people. 00:18:47.205 --> 00:19:05.040 I mean, how are you doing really? What's really happening in your life? And listening is resisting the urge to always feel like you have to solve their problems. Or immediately go into your own story. Me too. 00:19:05.295 --> 00:19:28.170 Let me tell you what happened to me and one upping people all the time. That's not listening. But it's really about giving attention to people, seeing people for who they are, and becoming friends with people, which often revolves around food and coffee. And I will tell you that eating is a spiritual practice that is probably my favorite. I have mastered it. 00:19:28.170 --> 00:20:02.225 In fact, I think I have a seminary degree in eating. And in eating with coworkers, eating with neighbors, I can get behind this any day. Sitting with somebody as students, if you're in here, sitting with somebody at school who usually eats alone is probably the greatest gift that you could give. Because I remember there were days when I was in high school or especially middle school that I would go and I would have several friends who were absent on a certain day. And all of a sudden I found myself sitting alone at the lunch table. 00:20:02.945 --> 00:20:17.320 And I left, I got up and I was like, I'm not doing this because I felt like the whole room was looking at me. And so just looking at and saying, why don't you join us? Hey, we're gonna have a barbecue. We're we're gonna watch the Dolphins play. No, nobody. 00:20:17.320 --> 00:20:39.365 They're they're not on TV anymore. We're gonna we're gonna watch, you know, your favorite team play. Why don't you come over and let's let's eat together. You laugh, but I'm a Dolphins fan and have only seen one game this year and it was at somebody else's house because they haven't been on TV. Anyway, I'm not venting for too long. 00:20:39.365 --> 00:21:05.465 Okay, But no, so food and drink. The reason I think eating is so powerful is that food and drink slow us down. Like you're sitting around a table and you can have a two minute conversation, but then because you're eating, it just slows everything down. It makes room for conversation. There's something binding about eating together that's just a beautiful thing or just having coffee together. 00:21:06.345 --> 00:21:30.005 And then as we get to know them, we get to know what they need and what they're good at. And so that's when we get to S, serve them. And then be served by them. Offering a ride or helping somebody move or asking for a ride or asking somebody to help us move. See, some of us in here and a lot of times people in churches, you know who you are. 00:21:30.165 --> 00:21:57.135 You're the kind of person who you like to give and you like to serve and you never want to be served and a lot of people in this room are like that. But what happens is, I am like that too. I usually don't like to be served because I feel like now I owe you something, it's crazy. But here's what I wanna point out, is that often when we have the need to serve or and we don't let anybody serve us. It can be a control thing. 00:21:57.135 --> 00:22:11.550 I wanna control the relationship. See, if I let you serve me, I'm in debt or I'm in need, I'm vulnerable. So what we do is we go, no, no, no, And we kinda look really good. No, no, I will serve you. I'll pay, I'll drive, I'll do this. 00:22:12.030 --> 00:22:35.190 And maybe the best thing we can do sometimes is allow somebody else to serve us. Because your neighbors are the same way. If all they do is receive from you, and they don't ever get to participate, and they don't ever get to serve you, that's not a relationship. I mean, feels more transactional. And so serving people is being served by people. 00:22:35.350 --> 00:22:52.025 And that might be offering to babysit so that a neighbor can have a much needed date night. Or bringing a meal after a surgery, or just sitting with somebody in the waiting. Salim blessed me. He made room for me. He became my friend. 00:22:52.185 --> 00:23:14.490 I didn't become his friend. He reached out to me. See, we all have something to give and we all have something that we need. And so as we make room and as we we begin in prayer and listen and eat and serve, what happens is we we we begin to earn the right to to really get into each other's lives and share stories. Sharing their story and our story with each other. 00:23:14.655 --> 00:23:52.605 Stories about what's really going on in life, stories about faith and what we're struggling with in faith, and even about sharing what Jesus has done in our lives. And it becomes an opportunity to invite people to explore Jesus. So maybe you create a standing coffee appointment on a weekly or every other week basis where you're like, hey, can we get together? And can we share these stories or read a book together, read the gospel together, maybe invite somebody to small church. But once you begin sharing stories and getting into each other's lives, begin to know how can I love this person? 00:23:54.365 --> 00:24:06.100 And how can I receive love from this person? That's the blessed strategy. And whether or not somebody accepts your invitation on any of this, we keep loving them. We keep showing up. We keep being a friend. 00:24:06.740 --> 00:24:35.840 And so what I wanna ask us to do as close and I'd love to invite worship team to go ahead and start coming on up. I wanna ask you to think about one person. Start with one person, a neighbor, a coworker, a friend at school. And think about their name and pray for them by name. Asking God, God, would you help me to know what you're doing in their life so that I can love them? 00:24:35.840 --> 00:24:56.475 Or Lord, may maybe the prayer is, would you show me where you're working around me so that I can join you? And then take a step, ask a question, share a meal, offer hope. Ellie reminded us you don't have to change the whole world. Start with one person. Just love one person. 00:24:57.350 --> 00:25:25.555 That's what small church does together. Hosting a party together or inviting other friends, creating a meal train for a family going through a tough time. One of the things I want to ask, if you are in a small church, I would love for you to take a challenge that I would love to see every small church pray together and come up with a very specific way they can bless the world around them. It might be supporting a ministry together. It might be hosting a Halloween party together in the neighborhood. 00:25:26.550 --> 00:25:43.305 Have that conversation though. Pray about it. Choose a step that you can take together. And maybe you're in the room and you're like, I don't know if I buy this stuff. I'm not sure if I'm a follower of Christ, But you're still asking questions and trying to figure out what you believe. 00:25:43.385 --> 00:26:11.125 And I want you to know, we are so glad you're here. This is always a safe place to be able to try to figure it out and to ask questions. And we are grateful that we get to be part of your journey. So maybe something today has you wondering, is the new beginnings that Jesus offers real and is this for me? And like he did for his disciples, Jesus invites us all. 00:26:11.445 --> 00:26:31.130 He invites you to follow him, to receive his forgiveness, to receive his spirit, and to begin walking in a new way of life. The beauty is you don't have to have everything figured out. I don't have everything figured out. But you can begin with a conversation. And so Church, I want to invite you. 00:26:31.130 --> 00:26:55.340 Would you just pray with me? Would you just ask that you close your eyes? Just kinda, this is between you and God right now. And if it's your first time or your hundredth time, would you just be willing to say to the Lord, Jesus, I want to know you. I want to follow you. 00:26:56.220 --> 00:27:38.155 Lord, I go my own way so often, But I need the forgiveness of what you provided on the cross. I need new life through your resurrection. I need your spirit to fill me and flow out of me into the world around me. Help me trust in father in you. Lord, there are people in this room, all of us actually, who sometimes we struggle to to follow you, to to bless our neighbors in your name. 00:27:38.155 --> 00:27:56.420 We get really caught up in our own stuff. And I just want to pray for us as a church right now. Lord, I I don't want to be a selfish church. I want to be a selfless, self sacrificing church that points to you consistently. Lord, we want to be spirit filled. 00:27:56.420 --> 00:28:33.325 We want you, your power to work not just in us changing us from the inside out but we want, we would love for you to do a work through us so that this Avalon Heart community is blessed and people find life. We would love for you to use us to restore broken marriages, not because of anything we do, but because of your power. We just wanna say yes. We would love to be involved with you and what you're doing to help families special needs, find community. To We would love to be a part of what you're doing in this community. 00:28:34.285 --> 00:29:11.470 To meet needs and to help families who are struggling and dead and to help families where they're single parents who are working their fingers to the bone trying to make ends meet and don't feel like they can. God, we live in a community that is so, so broken. We are part of that community. We are we can be so broken and so what we pray Would you bring life in us and allow that life to overflow? We wanna be a blessing through you. 00:29:11.630 --> 00:29:23.095 In your name we pray. We're gonna... As the father sent me, so I send you. Isn't that the kind of church we wanna be? That was lame. 00:29:23.095 --> 00:29:33.655 I heard two people. Come on. Is it just me? Is that the kind of church we want to be? It's the kind of church that blesses a community that loves the unlovable? 00:29:33.655 --> 00:29:53.875 Because let me tell you church, I know you. We were pretty unlovable some of us. I was pretty unlovable. People loved us and god loved us. The spirit fills us and we have an opportunity to close with our benediction. 00:29:54.995 --> 00:30:06.180 Church, may you go as people who are following Jesus, becoming family, and blessing your neighbors. Kingdom come through your life.