1 00:00:00,060 --> 00:00:03,560 Back. Good morning, everyone. 2 00:00:03,630 --> 00:00:09,220 My name is good morning. I'm Annabelle Edward, and I am 3 00:00:09,230 --> 00:00:11,800 so honored to be here with you all this morning. 4 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:18,990 Let's pray before we begin. Lord, we thank You for this time 5 00:00:19,050 --> 00:00:22,710 to hear Your word. Open our hearts and our minds to 6 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:27,340 receive Your truth. Speak through me, Lord, and let 7 00:00:27,410 --> 00:00:31,670 every word bring glory to You. May your Spirit move among us 8 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:39,560 today in Jesus name, Amen. Now let's dive into our passage 9 00:00:39,570 --> 00:00:43,270 today. It is Luke 1038 to 42. 10 00:00:44,890 --> 00:00:50,280 Jesus visits Martha and Mary. As Jesus and his disciples were 11 00:00:50,290 --> 00:00:53,100 on their way, he came to a village where a woman named 12 00:00:53,110 --> 00:00:57,990 Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary who 13 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,440 sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 14 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,510 But Martha was distracted with all the preparations that had to 15 00:01:04,519 --> 00:01:10,470 be made, so she but so she came to him and asked, Lord, don't 16 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:14,210 you care that my sister has left me to do all the work myself? 17 00:01:14,300 --> 00:01:19,940 Tell her to help me, Martha. Martha, the Lord answered. 18 00:01:20,010 --> 00:01:24,380 You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are 19 00:01:24,390 --> 00:01:28,590 needed, or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, 20 00:01:29,390 --> 00:01:30,910 and it will not be taken from her. 21 00:01:33,010 --> 00:01:41,950 This is the Lord of the Lord. Sometimes life can feel like 22 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:44,650 you're being pulled into so many directions. 23 00:01:45,260 --> 00:01:48,670 I know I have been feeling this a lot as I prepared for this 24 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,510 sermon. I'm a full time student at the 25 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,840 University of Guelph, worked 2 jobs on the side, try to spend 26 00:01:55,850 --> 00:01:59,400 time with friends, go to church, and sometimes make it out to a 27 00:01:59,410 --> 00:02:02,400 few Christian events on campus with the Christian group I 28 00:02:02,410 --> 00:02:03,760 joined. Thank you. 29 00:02:05,850 --> 00:02:08,460 I am being. Sometimes it feels like I'm 30 00:02:08,470 --> 00:02:12,100 being divided up to into parts, trying and more often than not 31 00:02:12,110 --> 00:02:16,960 failing to do everything. And I know I'm not the only one. 32 00:02:17,390 --> 00:02:23,640 Many of you most likely have so much to do at work, at home, at 33 00:02:23,650 --> 00:02:25,350 church, with the kids, at school. 34 00:02:26,660 --> 00:02:30,470 There are 1000 expectations, things that need to get done, 35 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,160 time you just don't seem to have. 36 00:02:34,180 --> 00:02:36,550 And these aren't necessarily bad things either. 37 00:02:36,620 --> 00:02:39,250 I am blessed to go to a university, work during the 38 00:02:39,260 --> 00:02:43,510 semester, have friends, be a part of a church community, and 39 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,190 have the privilege to go to a Christian group on campus. 40 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:49,010 Most likely this is the same for you. 41 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,710 That all the things that are filling up your calendar are 42 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,510 good things, but the accumulation of everything can 43 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,120 sometimes feel like you're being pulled apart in so many 44 00:02:58,130 --> 00:03:01,910 directions. This is likely how Martha was 45 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:04,650 feeling. Martha had a lot going on. 46 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:10,640 Not only did she have Jesus in her home, Jesus, but everyone 47 00:03:10,650 --> 00:03:13,880 who comes with him. There were a lot of preparations 48 00:03:13,890 --> 00:03:17,760 that needed to be done. All good and necessary things 49 00:03:18,050 --> 00:03:21,690 that need to be done when you're hosting people in your home. 50 00:03:22,510 --> 00:03:26,240 But the accumulation of everything like in our own lives 51 00:03:26,290 --> 00:03:31,660 our stressing her out, pulling her in 1000 directions. 52 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,170 Jesus clearly lays this out by saying to Martha you are worried 53 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:41,290 and upset about many things. 2 words worried and upset that 54 00:03:41,300 --> 00:03:45,010 literally translate to being pulled apart in many directions. 55 00:03:46,310 --> 00:03:48,680 I think that's why we feel so drawn to Martha. 56 00:03:49,130 --> 00:03:54,220 Like, OK, Mary is doing what Jesus says is better, but come 57 00:03:54,230 --> 00:03:59,190 on, Martha isn't wrong, is she? There's a lot to get done. 58 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:01,750 Again, think of all the people that are in her house. 59 00:04:03,420 --> 00:04:06,990 I for one now know coming out of Thanksgiving that it can take a 60 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:12,810 small army to feed one. Yes I had these same thoughts 61 00:04:12,820 --> 00:04:17,829 all the but if this applies to my life, is Jesus saying to just 62 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:19,800 quit my job and pray all the time? 63 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,290 Because that doesn't feel quite right either. 64 00:04:24,980 --> 00:04:28,590 That is not what Jesus is saying in this passage at all. 65 00:04:28,900 --> 00:04:32,770 He's not saying that Martha is bad and wrong and Mary is the 66 00:04:32,780 --> 00:04:35,660 epitome of all that is good and everything a Christian should 67 00:04:35,670 --> 00:04:41,330 ever be, But Jesus is saying that what Mary is doing is 68 00:04:41,340 --> 00:04:45,270 better. What Martha was doing was not 69 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:48,320 bad. She knew her role, knew what the 70 00:04:48,330 --> 00:04:52,040 Jewish law required of her, knew what hospitality looked like. 71 00:04:53,010 --> 00:04:55,820 Unlike the priest or the Levites from the Good Samaritan passage 72 00:04:55,830 --> 00:04:59,520 last week who knew all the head knowledge, all the facts of 73 00:04:59,530 --> 00:05:03,740 generosity and service, but did not act on it, Martha was 74 00:05:03,750 --> 00:05:06,920 actively doing it. She was living out her head 75 00:05:06,930 --> 00:05:09,460 knowledge of hospitality and service. 76 00:05:09,530 --> 00:05:15,700 And yet Jesus still says what Mary is doing is better. 77 00:05:17,790 --> 00:05:21,460 Jesus is demonstrating in a powerful way how radically 78 00:05:21,470 --> 00:05:26,050 different his Kingdom is, a Kingdom that is for the outcast. 79 00:05:26,150 --> 00:05:32,000 The Samaritan orphan woman in Jesus affirming Mary's right to 80 00:05:32,010 --> 00:05:36,200 sit at his feet to Martha. He is affirming her right to the 81 00:05:36,210 --> 00:05:40,100 Kingdom of God. And T Wright puts it like this 82 00:05:40,110 --> 00:05:44,780 in his book Luke for Everyone. Mary has quietly taken her place 83 00:05:44,950 --> 00:05:48,920 as a would be teacher and preacher of the Kingdom of God 84 00:05:49,790 --> 00:05:54,940 by sitting quietly at his feet as an apprentice or a student 85 00:05:54,990 --> 00:05:59,120 would. A place that in Jewish custom 86 00:05:59,130 --> 00:06:04,050 was only ever meant for men. Jesus is showing us sneak peek 87 00:06:04,060 --> 00:06:08,150 into how radical his Kingdom is. He is showing that His Kingdom 88 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,050 is for everyone, that the new order he is rushing in will 89 00:06:12,060 --> 00:06:14,790 break long held barriers and expectations. 90 00:06:16,030 --> 00:06:20,140 Not only that, but he's also saying, with this quiet, gentle 91 00:06:20,150 --> 00:06:25,260 correction of Martha, that the Kingdom is not only about doing. 92 00:06:26,500 --> 00:06:30,550 For we can never do enough work enough, volunteer enough, pray 93 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,170 enough, go to church every Sunday enough be pulled enough 94 00:06:33,180 --> 00:06:37,350 directions to ever earn a spot in heaven. 95 00:06:38,770 --> 00:06:43,030 Even if what we are doing is good work, it can never be 96 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:47,850 enough. Mark 1230 to 31 says Love the 97 00:06:47,860 --> 00:06:51,320 Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your 98 00:06:51,330 --> 00:06:53,820 strength, and with all your soul and with all your mind. 99 00:06:53,890 --> 00:06:58,580 The second is this. Love your neighbor as yourself. 100 00:06:58,850 --> 00:07:01,050 There is no commandment greater than these. 101 00:07:03,130 --> 00:07:06,600 Service is good, loving your neighbor. 102 00:07:06,610 --> 00:07:12,380 Everyone is the call of Jesus, but you get there by first 103 00:07:12,430 --> 00:07:16,880 loving the Lord your God, knowing and being known by Him, 104 00:07:16,890 --> 00:07:22,640 spending time in His presence, sitting quietly at His feet, and 105 00:07:22,650 --> 00:07:26,030 learning from Him. Because of our ticket to heaven 106 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,110 is based solely on our deeds alone. 107 00:07:28,180 --> 00:07:31,350 If discipleship and spreading the gospel to all nations is 108 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,650 solely based on our own knowledge and strength, we will 109 00:07:34,660 --> 00:07:43,720 never get there. We need God, Matthew 722 to 23 110 00:07:43,730 --> 00:07:46,690 says. On that day many will say to me, 111 00:07:47,630 --> 00:07:51,140 Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and cast out 112 00:07:51,150 --> 00:07:54,860 demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? 113 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,030 And then I will declare to them, I never knew you. 114 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:01,810 Depart from me, workers of lawlessness. 115 00:08:03,430 --> 00:08:07,950 I never knew you. This is why knowing and being 116 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:12,450 known by Jesus is vital. Jesus didn't look at Martha and 117 00:08:12,460 --> 00:08:15,030 tear her down because of how she was going about being 118 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,500 hospitable. No, He gently told her that what 119 00:08:18,510 --> 00:08:22,660 her sister was doing was better. He's saying stop striving to 120 00:08:22,670 --> 00:08:27,400 earn what you can never earn because we can't earn our way 121 00:08:27,410 --> 00:08:30,630 through good deeds or prophesying in Jesus's name or 122 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:37,140 doing many mighty works. Service and hospitality have 123 00:08:37,150 --> 00:08:39,520 value. Don't get me wrong, this is not 124 00:08:39,530 --> 00:08:41,840 a sermon to tell you to stop volunteering at church or 125 00:08:41,850 --> 00:08:45,020 helping your neighbor until you know for sure that you are known 126 00:08:45,110 --> 00:08:49,330 and know God. As Fred Craddock says, there is 127 00:08:49,340 --> 00:08:53,560 a time to go and do. There is a time to listen and 128 00:08:53,570 --> 00:08:56,390 reflect. If we only listen and reflect, 129 00:08:56,400 --> 00:09:00,070 we will sit there forever. And if we only go and do without 130 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:04,650 knowing and being known by God, how can we possibly pursue His 131 00:09:04,660 --> 00:09:08,460 Kingdom? So of course going and doing as 132 00:09:08,470 --> 00:09:14,580 the Samaritan did is good, but we cannot go and do without 133 00:09:14,590 --> 00:09:20,000 continually pursuing, knowing and being known by Jesus, 134 00:09:20,290 --> 00:09:25,560 sitting quietly at his feet. David Jeffries says it well when 135 00:09:25,570 --> 00:09:28,580 he says well. Active service of the Lord 136 00:09:28,590 --> 00:09:31,470 coupled with love of 1's neighbor is the hallmark of the 137 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:35,330 disciples life. None can long be practiced, none 138 00:09:35,340 --> 00:09:38,910 can long practice it rightly, without sitting at the feet of 139 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:47,940 the Lord. At this point in the sermon, 140 00:09:48,290 --> 00:09:51,760 you're probably sitting there and thinking, amazing, OK, that 141 00:09:51,770 --> 00:09:53,620 I need to know and be known by Jesus. 142 00:09:53,630 --> 00:09:59,240 Got it. Great, But how? 143 00:09:59,610 --> 00:10:01,880 What does that actually look like? 144 00:10:01,950 --> 00:10:05,610 And really, how does this apply to my life on a random Tuesday? 145 00:10:06,660 --> 00:10:10,660 All fair questions, all ones I asked myself. 146 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,630 In fact, I was going through some old notebooks other week 147 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,770 and I found something that I must have written when I was 11 148 00:10:16,780 --> 00:10:20,580 or 12. I wrote I want to be closer to 149 00:10:20,590 --> 00:10:26,760 him, Him being Jesus, but how? How do I meditate in him? 150 00:10:27,630 --> 00:10:31,740 Do I just sit there? I laughed when I read this, 151 00:10:31,810 --> 00:10:34,730 mostly because I guess someone told 11 year old Annabelle that 152 00:10:34,740 --> 00:10:38,080 we must meditate in the Lord and I was so utterly confused. 153 00:10:38,820 --> 00:10:42,810 But also because this resonated with me during my sermon prep 154 00:10:43,820 --> 00:10:46,550 because it shows that we all have these questions. 155 00:10:47,530 --> 00:10:51,450 See, little me knew the facts, knew that I wanted to be known 156 00:10:51,460 --> 00:10:54,450 by God, that I wanted to know Him, that I wanted a 157 00:10:54,460 --> 00:10:59,460 relationship with Him, But I didn't know how to actually do 158 00:10:59,470 --> 00:11:03,200 that. Little me like us was asking but 159 00:11:03,210 --> 00:11:07,480 what does spending time with Jesus, knowing and being known 160 00:11:07,490 --> 00:11:14,320 by him actually look like? I like to think in actionable 161 00:11:14,330 --> 00:11:17,480 terms. Things I can do today, not wait 162 00:11:17,490 --> 00:11:20,040 for the perfect moment cause let's be honest, there never 163 00:11:20,050 --> 00:11:23,720 will be 1. This can look different for each 164 00:11:23,730 --> 00:11:26,540 one of us because we're all at different stages and phases in 165 00:11:26,550 --> 00:11:28,950 our life. As I mentioned, I'm in the 166 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,520 middle of university, desperately trying to keep my 167 00:11:31,530 --> 00:11:33,760 head above all the coursework and midterms that all seem to 168 00:11:33,770 --> 00:11:38,670 happen on the same week, which is not ideal. 169 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:43,890 But so in this part of my life, an actionable thing that I can 170 00:11:43,900 --> 00:11:48,690 do individually to spend time with Jesus is listen to Lectio 171 00:11:48,700 --> 00:11:55,170 365, a daily devotional app, on the way to the bus, on the bus 172 00:11:55,660 --> 00:11:59,980 to school. And now maybe there is a better 173 00:11:59,990 --> 00:12:03,180 time and where and when I'm listening to it is not ideal or 174 00:12:03,190 --> 00:12:07,800 free of distractions, but it is a solid time where I can sit and 175 00:12:07,810 --> 00:12:11,200 listen to God. It's a guided prayer that gives 176 00:12:11,210 --> 00:12:16,080 me a few minutes every day to intentionally spend time at the 177 00:12:16,090 --> 00:12:20,870 feet of Jesus. For you, this could like go look 178 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:24,130 like going for a walk in nature, finding a quiet place in your 179 00:12:24,140 --> 00:12:28,800 house to read your Bible, listen to worship, music, prayer. 180 00:12:29,950 --> 00:12:32,630 What works for one might not work for another, and what works 181 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:36,380 for you in one season might not work for you in another season. 182 00:12:38,350 --> 00:12:42,840 But intentionally carving out time to sit at the feet of Jesus 183 00:12:43,170 --> 00:12:48,270 is crucial. And in carving out this time, we 184 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:52,690 build a strong foundation, a strong relationship with Jesus. 185 00:12:53,490 --> 00:12:56,940 Building a strong foundation, filling up your cup to then go 186 00:12:56,950 --> 00:13:02,770 and fill up others, it is a fundamental practice to the work 187 00:13:02,780 --> 00:13:08,050 of the church. Burnout is real and it is hard. 188 00:13:08,790 --> 00:13:12,280 If we do not have this strong foundation of knowing and being 189 00:13:12,290 --> 00:13:16,030 known by Jesus, it is a slippery slope into complete burnout. 190 00:13:17,250 --> 00:13:21,320 Martha was doing all the right things, serving and being 191 00:13:21,330 --> 00:13:24,460 hospitable, but she did not have the right foundation. 192 00:13:25,830 --> 00:13:28,960 Instead, she was saying in her confrontation to Jesus and her 193 00:13:28,970 --> 00:13:31,800 sister, Look at all that I am doing. 194 00:13:32,050 --> 00:13:35,590 Haven't I proven myself? We do the same thing. 195 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,590 Look at all this volunteering I have done, all this work I have 196 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:43,510 done all in order to try and continue to prove ourselves, 197 00:13:43,740 --> 00:13:46,020 prove that our hearts are in the right place. 198 00:13:47,340 --> 00:13:51,190 This is not a healthy cycle for volunteering at church or 199 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:56,950 anywhere is good work, but we have to build a strong 200 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:00,530 foundation on knowing and being known by Jesus, filling up our 201 00:14:00,540 --> 00:14:06,340 cups to then go and do it out of want and love, not out of guilt 202 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:13,970 and a wish to prove ourselves. So we talked about things that I 203 00:14:13,980 --> 00:14:18,430 personally, you personally can do, but let's not forget that 204 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,590 Mary wasn't alone. In fact, she was probably in a 205 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:25,450 room of most likely all of Jesus's disciples, a community 206 00:14:25,460 --> 00:14:28,330 of people who wanted to learn and grow in their faith. 207 00:14:30,090 --> 00:14:34,000 So well yes, having quiet time to pray or listen to, in my case 208 00:14:34,010 --> 00:14:38,640 Lectio 365 is great. It doesn't always have to be 209 00:14:38,650 --> 00:14:44,530 alone, as Matthew 1820 says. For where two or three are 210 00:14:44,540 --> 00:14:47,730 gathered in my name, there I am with them. 211 00:14:48,820 --> 00:14:53,760 Community is just as crucial in our journey of knowing and being 212 00:14:53,770 --> 00:14:58,870 known by Jesus. I don't know about you, but I 213 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,670 have struggled to put in the work to know Jesus, to sit at 214 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,070 his feet and spend time with Him. 215 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,260 A few years ago, I would read my Bible every morning. 216 00:15:08,930 --> 00:15:11,440 In fact, I remember a conversation I had with someone 217 00:15:11,450 --> 00:15:13,820 where I could. I told them that how drastically 218 00:15:13,830 --> 00:15:16,880 this changed my days, that I could pinpoint the days where I 219 00:15:16,890 --> 00:15:19,070 forgot with how much more anxious I was. 220 00:15:20,310 --> 00:15:23,980 But somewhere along the last few years I stopped and it felt 221 00:15:23,990 --> 00:15:27,790 exponentially harder to start up again instead of just letting 222 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:34,210 the business consume my life. It was not until recently that a 223 00:15:34,220 --> 00:15:36,430 mentor of mine challenged me to try again. 224 00:15:37,610 --> 00:15:41,360 I was telling her how hard I found it, that I knew I wanted 225 00:15:41,370 --> 00:15:45,520 to spend intentional time with Jesus, that I knew I felt so 226 00:15:45,530 --> 00:15:49,820 much more at peace when I did. But without someone actually 227 00:15:49,830 --> 00:15:53,410 holding me accountable, it was easy to let that be the thing 228 00:15:53,420 --> 00:15:55,680 that slipped through the cracks when life got hectic. 229 00:15:56,990 --> 00:16:00,940 She was actually the one that introduced me to Lectio 365, and 230 00:16:00,950 --> 00:16:03,600 to be honest, I sort of just started doing it because I knew 231 00:16:03,610 --> 00:16:06,120 she'd probably ask about it the next time I saw her. 232 00:16:07,780 --> 00:16:11,810 But accountability and community is not a weakness. 233 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,370 It does not reflect that you're not strong enough to do it 234 00:16:14,380 --> 00:16:18,610 yourself, Hebrews 10/24 to 25 says. 235 00:16:18,780 --> 00:16:22,710 And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love 236 00:16:22,780 --> 00:16:26,470 and good deeds, not giving out meaning together as some are in 237 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:28,860 the habit of doing, but encouraging one another, 238 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:35,270 pursuing, knowing and being known by Jesus doesn't have to 239 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:39,450 be a journey we go on alone. In fact, the Bible clearly say 240 00:16:39,460 --> 00:16:42,760 it's that encouraging one another is crucial as well. 241 00:16:44,100 --> 00:16:47,070 I know I will continue to struggle in this journey of 242 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:51,400 learning and spending time at the feet of Jesus, but I also 243 00:16:51,410 --> 00:16:54,420 know that I have a community of people who are on the same 244 00:16:54,430 --> 00:16:58,420 journey. We are not meant to walk this 245 00:16:58,430 --> 00:17:02,370 walk alone. That doesn't mean that it is 246 00:17:02,380 --> 00:17:05,569 easy. Today, maybe now more than ever, 247 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:09,750 people find themselves tackling loneliness and isolation. 248 00:17:10,099 --> 00:17:14,390 Our country greatly values individuality. 249 00:17:14,740 --> 00:17:20,290 We have a culture that thrives on it, but we need community. 250 00:17:20,700 --> 00:17:26,109 We need a village. We need it for our everyday 251 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,110 lives, and we need it for our walk with Jesus. 252 00:17:31,130 --> 00:17:33,340 And a village isn't just gonna show up on your doorstep. 253 00:17:34,220 --> 00:17:42,210 Actively building it is key. Taking actionable steps is key, 254 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:47,050 just as we take actionable steps in our relationship of knowing 255 00:17:47,060 --> 00:17:52,880 and being known by God. Mary did not wait to be invited 256 00:17:52,890 --> 00:17:55,760 into that room. She sat herself right at the 257 00:17:55,770 --> 00:17:58,520 feet of Jesus and surrounded herself with the people there. 258 00:17:59,540 --> 00:18:04,860 Do not wait to be invited. Build a village that supports 259 00:18:04,870 --> 00:18:08,920 one another in this walk. Take actionable steps. 260 00:18:09,090 --> 00:18:11,840 Go to a Bible study. Invite over those friends you 261 00:18:11,850 --> 00:18:13,920 haven't seemed to have time to see. 262 00:18:14,450 --> 00:18:17,360 Volunteer or food cupboard and meet other volunteers. 263 00:18:17,510 --> 00:18:22,000 Find and be a mentor. There are so many ways to build 264 00:18:22,050 --> 00:18:27,350 community, and actively building this village brings that 265 00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:31,690 accountability, that care, that support that. 266 00:18:31,700 --> 00:18:36,080 We need a place to wrestle with those questions and dive deeper 267 00:18:36,090 --> 00:18:41,890 into knowing God together. Both having private moments with 268 00:18:41,900 --> 00:18:46,030 God and making time to sit at the feet of Jesus together in 269 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:49,960 community truly shape our relationship with Him in 270 00:18:49,970 --> 00:18:55,710 extraordinary ways. But also both building, building 271 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,550 this community, building this strong foundation and knowing 272 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:02,970 and being known as Jesus. Being known, knowing and knowing 273 00:19:02,980 --> 00:19:06,350 Jesus in community and individually helps us move 274 00:19:06,360 --> 00:19:08,510 forward in the going and the doing. 275 00:19:10,410 --> 00:19:16,930 We want to be a people who go and do a people of welcome, 276 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:22,690 hospitality, generosity. The common thread of all of Luke 277 00:19:22,700 --> 00:19:27,000 so far has been about hospitality, the Good Samaritan 278 00:19:27,270 --> 00:19:32,100 speak, Jesus speaking to and healing outcasts, feeding the 279 00:19:32,110 --> 00:19:35,510 5000. It is fundamental. 280 00:19:35,900 --> 00:19:40,800 It is the call of the Church, but it cannot happen well 281 00:19:40,970 --> 00:19:46,140 without knowing and being known by Jesus, and it cannot last 282 00:19:46,210 --> 00:19:50,150 without a community intent on knowing and being known by God, 283 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:54,920 Ruth Barton says in her book Sacred Rhythms. 284 00:19:55,670 --> 00:19:59,790 How had I gotten this far into the spiritual life without 285 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:03,690 anyone having told me that it was OK to stop talking and to 286 00:20:03,700 --> 00:20:07,740 stop doing and to just be in God's presence? 287 00:20:09,850 --> 00:20:14,760 When we get so caught up in the doing, we forget that loving the 288 00:20:14,770 --> 00:20:17,230 Lord our God is our greatest commandment. 289 00:20:18,410 --> 00:20:21,440 When we feel like we are being pulled apart by the many things, 290 00:20:21,450 --> 00:20:23,710 we forget the most important one. 291 00:20:24,970 --> 00:20:29,690 We must pursue knowing God to pursue His radical Kingdom. 292 00:20:31,090 --> 00:20:33,670 Because Jesus is Kingdom, is radical. 293 00:20:34,380 --> 00:20:38,550 It is transformative. It brings in outcasts, gives 294 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:42,490 voices to the oppressed, loves thy neighbor, every neighbor. 295 00:20:43,820 --> 00:20:48,970 Christian hospitality needs to be one that is radical, but it 296 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:54,670 also is why we must know Him, because how can we possibly 297 00:20:54,680 --> 00:21:02,470 pursue his Kingdom without him? We individually and we the 298 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:07,020 church need to be radically hospitable, just as Jesus's 299 00:21:07,030 --> 00:21:13,710 Kingdom is radically different. But to do so, we must know and 300 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:17,870 be known by Jesus. We must spend time in His 301 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,760 presence. And the even better part, He 302 00:21:21,770 --> 00:21:25,440 wants it too. He didn't correct Martha to tell 303 00:21:25,450 --> 00:21:27,960 her she was wrong. He did it to show her what was 304 00:21:27,970 --> 00:21:30,960 better. He wanted to spend time with 305 00:21:30,970 --> 00:21:34,060 her. Just as he wants to spend time 306 00:21:34,070 --> 00:21:38,800 with us. Jesus desires to spend time with 307 00:21:38,810 --> 00:21:44,430 you, me, us. The God of the universe wants to 308 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:49,450 know us wholly and completely. He wants a relationship with us. 309 00:21:50,660 --> 00:21:54,610 We individually and we as a community are not alone in 310 00:21:54,620 --> 00:21:57,370 pursuing, knowing, and being known by Jesus. 311 00:21:57,860 --> 00:22:05,580 He is right there beside us. So today, what is one thing you 312 00:22:05,590 --> 00:22:09,280 are going to do to seek out knowing and being known by God? 313 00:22:10,190 --> 00:22:14,470 And who is one person you're gonna tell about trying it? 314 00:22:15,380 --> 00:22:19,930 Let's pray. Thank you, Lord, for this time 315 00:22:19,940 --> 00:22:23,260 together. Lord, I pray that each one of us 316 00:22:23,310 --> 00:22:27,520 is able to dive into knowing and being known by youth this week. 317 00:22:28,330 --> 00:22:32,410 Lord, we want to know you and you want to know us. 318 00:22:33,120 --> 00:22:37,250 You want to spend time with us and we are forever grateful for 319 00:22:37,260 --> 00:22:42,100 this God. As we seek you this week, speak 320 00:22:42,110 --> 00:22:46,690 to us, speak through us. Let us be your people of 321 00:22:46,700 --> 00:22:50,330 generosity and hospitality and welcome. 322 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,390 Thank you in Jesus name, Amen.