1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:05,520 We are going to be in, back in. We're going to make it a long 2 00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:06,720 way. We're actually going to make it 3 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:10,000 to verse 11 tonight, and we should make it. 4 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:15,680 Brethren, I write no new, no new commandment to you, but an old 5 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,440 commandment which you have had from the beginning. 6 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,040 The old commandment is the word which you heard from the 7 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,760 beginning, and again a new commandment I write to you. 8 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:27,880 Which thing is true in him and in Jew? 9 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,360 Because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is 10 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,120 already shining. He who says he is in the light 11 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:36,720 and hates his brother is in darkness. 12 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,760 Until now. He who loves his brother and is 13 00:00:41,160 --> 00:00:44,960 loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for 14 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,920 stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is 15 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,720 in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where 16 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,280 he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 17 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:57,200 And Lord, I just lift up tonight. 18 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:06,280 I lift up just everybody here, Lord, everybody at home. 19 00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:11,840 Lord, I lift up Sandpoint and just this community as a whole. 20 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,200 Lord, that you would just shine your light here. 21 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,360 Lord, that you would open eyes, that you would give the blind 22 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,480 the ability to see, or that you would guide and direct each and 23 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:26,000 every one of us to to be out about your business or, and that 24 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,960 we would be faithful to to follow you where you want us to 25 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:31,360 go. And I pray this in Jesus name, 26 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:36,440 Amen. So verse 7 brethren, I write no 27 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,120 new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have 28 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:42,400 heard from the beginning. The old commandment is the word 29 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:43,800 which you heard from the beginning. 30 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,120 And so it's kind of funny because you guys, verse 7 is I 31 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,240 write no new commandment. Verse 8 is again a new 32 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:56,280 commandment I write you. So John is obviously doing doing 33 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:01,600 something here. But this this idea of loving is 34 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:07,200 and in the beginning, right, this is a this is this whole 35 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,280 idea of loving your brother is Old Testament love, right? 36 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,680 This isn't God didn't come up with Jesus. 37 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:18,520 Did I guess that that idea that you hear people say the Old God 38 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:22,720 of the Old Testament was judgment and fury and, and Jesus 39 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,960 is all love? And that's untrue, right? 40 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,840 The God of the Old Testament is the exact same God of the New 41 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,080 Testament because Jesus was in the beginning of that, right? 42 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:37,960 But Leviticus 1918 says you shall not take vengeance nor 43 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,640 bear any grudge against the children, your people, but you 44 00:02:41,640 --> 00:02:43,920 shall love your neighbor as yourself. 45 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:50,680 I am the Lord. And but like us, the Israelites 46 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,040 had come up with ways to fit their flesh into that statement, 47 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,280 right? And Matthew, Matthew 543, this 48 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:02,440 is Jesus speaking and it says you have heard that it was said 49 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,080 you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 50 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,480 And Jesus here, if you, if you read, he is not quoting 51 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,120 Scripture, He is quoting teaching. 52 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,280 He's saying he said you have heard. 53 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,760 He didn't say it is written. And the reason he said that is 54 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:22,440 that it's the Jews heard love your neighbor, which was written 55 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:26,680 and they taught that means you can hate your enemy because 56 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:28,720 there's two camps, right? There's there's your neighbor. 57 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,880 You have to love your neighbor, but there's this other camp over 58 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:37,920 here and you'd hate them. So and, and we as as Christians, 59 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:40,880 because we always know that the Pharisees are the ones wearing 60 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,400 the black mask whenever they're doing something like this, we're 61 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:45,360 always in the Boo crowd and going, well, they're just, 62 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:47,600 they're just making things up. They always do that. 63 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:53,680 We never do that. You know, it's it's they they 64 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,880 looked at the rest of the world and they said the rest of the 65 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,720 world is evil and condemned it to hell. 66 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:04,320 And and does that sound like anybody, you know, right? 67 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,960 Does that sound like what, what the church is guilty of a lot, 68 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,000 right? Is that that we are, we are the 69 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:16,079 chosen people and not in a not in it's like so I because I 70 00:04:16,079 --> 00:04:21,800 don't, because I don't do these things, God blesses me and and 71 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,200 because you do those things, you're, you're condemned to hell 72 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:30,280 forever. And Jesus is, and that's my, the 73 00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:32,880 name of this one. I think I have it on my other 74 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,800 notes, but I was going to, I didn't, I didn't put it up on 75 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,760 anything. Is Jesus is going to clear this 76 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,440 up, right. And that's it. 77 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:44,760 That's I think Jesus clears it up. 78 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,360 I think is what I wrote for my my corny title. 79 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:58,720 But Jesus is pointing points to this thinking and rebukes it in 80 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,040 Luke, right? We'll go back to the Matthew 81 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:05,440 story in a minute, but this is Jesus pointing out that you got 82 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,240 nothing. You didn't bring nothing to this 83 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:13,320 game. And Luke 18-9 says also he 84 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:18,000 spoke, spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves 85 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:21,480 that they were righteous and despised others. 86 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,280 And we've all heard this story. Two men went up to the temple to 87 00:05:25,280 --> 00:05:27,960 pray. 1A Pharisee and the other tax collector. 88 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:30,640 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. 89 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,840 God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, 90 00:05:34,840 --> 00:05:38,720 unjust adulterers or even as tax collectors. 91 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,080 I love the fact that it said that the way Jesus words this, a 92 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:47,680 Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, right? 93 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,480 That means he he literally that his prayers are bouncing off the 94 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:53,240 ceiling. He's just talking to himself. 95 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,400 He says I fast twice a week. I give ties of all that I 96 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,760 possess. And the tax collector standing 97 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:05,800 afar off would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but 98 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:09,280 beat his breast saying, God be merciful to me, a Sinner. 99 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,480 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather 100 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,320 than the other. For everyone who exalts himself 101 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,640 will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. 102 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:23,040 And actually, after I did the study and stuff, I was killing. 103 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,000 I was killing some time. And that was why I watched that 104 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,320 Alistair Begg one that I'm sure you guys have all all seen. 105 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,600 When the when the guy in the middle cross or when the guy 106 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,120 that the thief on the cross ended up in heaven, What did he 107 00:06:37,280 --> 00:06:39,160 what did he say? His reason for being there was, 108 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:43,320 you know, the first Angel got there and said, so why are you 109 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:44,640 here? I don't know. 110 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,280 Well, do you believe? Do you believe this? 111 00:06:48,280 --> 00:06:50,080 Do you believe that? I don't know. 112 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:52,840 Why are you here? Well, I got to get a manager. 113 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:54,280 So he goes and gets another Angel. 114 00:06:54,280 --> 00:06:56,640 And the angel's like, well, do you believe in the Scriptures? 115 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,240 I don't know. So why are you here? 116 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:04,040 He goes because the man on the middle cross said I could come. 117 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:06,440 That's the only reason we got guys. 118 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,200 That's it, right? There is no, there is no other 119 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,560 reason. If if when you get to heaven and 120 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:21,280 you're asked why are you here and you start off with I, you 121 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:23,600 missed the point. You know, I've done this, I've 122 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,320 done that. You haven't done nothing right. 123 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,920 There are things that we we are used by Christ to do, but that 124 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:33,440 stuff we get to do right? And it and it's the man on the 125 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,440 middle cross said we could go and and Jesus, that's what he's 126 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,560 pointing out. This tax collector got that. 127 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:45,160 It's like, Lord, I am a Sinner and I have nothing to offer. 128 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:49,920 And the Pharisee literally is telling God, I fast twice a 129 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:51,760 week. So you know, you owe me heaven. 130 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:58,040 You owe me what what I get. And Can you imagine having that 131 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:05,920 conversation? So Jesus is telling Israel what 132 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,120 makes you blessed is God. God does not bless you because 133 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,800 you earned his blessing. And and Israel, I mean, there's 134 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:19,080 a great parallel between Israel and the church over the 135 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:24,520 centuries of that getting blurry of God. 136 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:31,440 When God blesses us, it's because he's God and I'm blessed 137 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:37,200 to be in his presence. I am never the I am not blessed 138 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,600 because Nick is special, right? There is nothing. 139 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:44,280 There is nothing. I mean in God's eyes we are. 140 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,760 I mean in God's eyes, each and every one of us are, are, are 141 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,920 his kids and we are special. So that is being said. 142 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:53,960 But we but I am not more special than Mark. 143 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:59,120 Mark might be more special than me, but but it is it's that 144 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:02,000 point of when you look at someone else and you decide that 145 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:05,880 you have something on them. That's that you know that judge, 146 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:09,120 that you be not judged. That gets misquoted all the 147 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,560 time. The point of that verse is not 148 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:16,080 that we are not to judge sin. It is at no point are you 149 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:20,360 supposed to look at somebody and go, you are the most worthless 150 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,280 person I have ever met because you're doing this thing. 151 00:09:23,560 --> 00:09:27,360 No, we can all fall to whatever sin that we're going to fall to 152 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:31,720 right it there is never a point that in my own flesh that I have 153 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:33,760 the ability to be a better person. 154 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:40,800 Now John is just going back through this and reminding us 155 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:46,520 that in the beginning, this isn't this commandment that he's 156 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:51,400 that he's going to to bring out isn't old or is old, right. 157 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:57,280 It is it is from the beginning and I love the fact that Jesus 158 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:02,840 truly not only tells them about it, but he he demonstrates it 159 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:07,640 right. And in Romans 5/8 it says, but 160 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:11,040 God demonstrated his own love towards us in that while we were 161 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:14,200 still sinners, Christ died for us, right. 162 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,000 So when you think about loving others. 163 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:25,480 So that's that's the bar, right, Is that are we willing to love 164 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:30,720 people that don't love us or even worse, we won't love people 165 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,400 that hate us. And in the beginning, right, 166 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:38,080 this happened in the very beginning. 167 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:42,040 And it is all who dwell on the earth, when this is Revelation 168 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,200 13/8. All who dwell on the earth will 169 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:48,520 worship him whose name have been, whose names have been 170 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:53,240 written in the book of life, of the Lamb slain from the 171 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:56,360 foundations of the world. You can't get much more in the 172 00:10:56,360 --> 00:11:02,960 beginning than that, right? So nothing Nick did nothing, 173 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:10,040 nothing they did, nothing Mark did, nothing Carl did, is why 174 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,960 the land, why my name was written in the book of Life? 175 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:17,960 It was because it was God's plan from the foundation of the 176 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:23,160 world, right? But then it says in verse 8, it 177 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,880 goes on and then says and again, a new commandment I write to 178 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:29,640 you, which thing is true in him and in you? 179 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:32,400 Because the darkness is passing away and the true light is 180 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,400 already shining. And this, the idea here isn't 181 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:39,240 that it isn't that it's new and different. 182 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:43,680 It is new and explained in the sense that that's that idea of 183 00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:46,760 the darkness is passing away and the true light has already come. 184 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:51,520 It's where Jesus says you search the Scriptures, but they speak 185 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:58,240 of me, right? And this is Jesus and Matthew 186 00:11:58,880 --> 00:12:04,640 548 He tells them, you know, you heard this, hate your enemies. 187 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:09,160 And then this is the part that let me clean that up for you 188 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:14,040 because this is Jesus says, but that's not in the Scriptures. 189 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:19,800 Let me clean up the teaching on my word that I said and what it 190 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:21,920 actually means, right? Because this is Jesus. 191 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:28,120 Jesus is teaching them what what was meant back in Leviticus and 192 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:32,360 the understanding that they didn't have but that was there. 193 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:38,920 So the next verse, verse 44. But I say to you, love your 194 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,720 enemies, bless those that curse you, do good to those who hate 195 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:44,840 you. Pray for those who spitefully 196 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:48,160 use you and persecute and persecute you, that you may be 197 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,120 sons of the Father of your Father in heaven. 198 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:55,680 For he makes his sin rise on the evil and on the good and since 199 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:57,960 his reign on the just and on the unjust. 200 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:01,360 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? 201 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,360 Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 202 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,360 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you, what do you 203 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,760 do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors 204 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:17,080 do? So Jesus here crushes any idea 205 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:21,280 of justifying hate of any group, right? 206 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:27,440 It's brethren, neighbors, enemies, those who curse you. 207 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:33,240 We bless those who hate us, we do good for those who spitefully 208 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:37,960 use us or persecute us. We pray for and then and then he 209 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:42,120 modeled it right in in Luke 2334. 210 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,440 It says, then Jesus said, father, forgive them for they do 211 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,760 not know what they are doing and they divide as they and they 212 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,440 divided his garments and cast lot so as he's being crucified. 213 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:59,200 This isn't this. I had a story, didn't have a 214 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:03,240 story at a moment. Years back, 2005, we took a team 215 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:09,560 to the Katrina relief for spring break. 216 00:14:09,560 --> 00:14:15,920 It was a high school team and there was big group. 217 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:21,560 But my few of us, we ended up on a different plane and we ended 218 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,560 up there about an hour, hour and a half later than everybody 219 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:27,280 else. Well, our bags all got there. 220 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,720 Their bags didn't. So I had, I don't remember, 221 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:36,400 there was 30 kids and their bags didn't show up. 222 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:40,880 And so if you've ever been with high schoolers, love them or 223 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:45,600 hate them, they, they might get a little whiny, they might get a 224 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,760 little cry, right. And God is God is really good 225 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:52,000 though. He's, he's got a way of using 226 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:56,320 everything on a mission trip like that, but it's hard for me 227 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:02,040 from for as the, as the one of the leaders to look at him and 228 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,600 say, you know, quit whining. You know, there, there's a, 229 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:09,440 there's a, a silver lining, whatever, because I had my stuff 230 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,800 right? And so I, I was kind of a well, 231 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:17,560 Jesus here. He can tell us because he did it 232 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:20,240 right. The, the silver lining or the, 233 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:27,560 the end of that story real quick is that we went out on a tour on 234 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:29,280 the Sunday. So they, they did the switch 235 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,320 over at the, at the relief camp on Sunday. 236 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:37,080 So another group would come in and the group that was there 237 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,000 would serve that group on that Sunday. 238 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,480 And that son and that group would get acclimated and be able 239 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:45,560 and go out and do kind of a tour of the area and see things well. 240 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,080 So we had 30 high schoolers that got to go out and see people 241 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:53,720 that lost everything. And I mean everything. 242 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:58,280 And you know, it was impactful to say the least. 243 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:02,840 And when we got back to the compound, in the middle of the 244 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,320 compound was all of their stuff stacked up. 245 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:12,200 So they just went out and saw, met probably 20-30 people that 246 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:14,920 will never get their stuff back. Their stuff is gone. 247 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:21,640 And those people had hope and joy and my high schoolers had 248 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,840 been whining and crying for a good 18 hours straight and when 249 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:28,560 they got back, their stuff was all there so they couldn't stand 250 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:30,440 to be without their stuff for 18 hours. 251 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:34,960 It was an incredibly great start to a week on the mission field 252 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:36,760 right. It gave them that check. 253 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:39,400 So I mean, that's just one of those that you get AC God work 254 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,680 and working kids lives and it's it's a awesome thing right when 255 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,040 he works and is our lives. But this is that point where no 256 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:51,360 one can look at Jesus and say when he says when he says that 257 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,280 we are to bless those who curse us. 258 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:59,280 He did that right when we are supposed to do good for those 259 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:00,760 who hate us. He did that right. 260 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:06,040 You know, when spitefully uses or pure persecute us, pray for 261 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:07,440 him. He's doing that. 262 00:17:08,319 --> 00:17:11,839 So it's not this isn't Jesus telling somebody to do something 263 00:17:11,839 --> 00:17:14,280 and him not doing it. He's showing us how to do it. 264 00:17:16,599 --> 00:17:20,720 So what that hat, what happens with that is he takes all the 265 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:25,599 wiggle room out of our feelings because love is not about 266 00:17:25,599 --> 00:17:28,680 feelings, right? If we try, if we try to act like 267 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:35,760 a Christian outside of Christ, we will fail because our self 268 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:42,840 will want to have a say and then we will be in darkness because 269 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:46,840 our self will definitely turn out and, and our self does not 270 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,560 want to curse or does not want to bless those that curse us. 271 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:53,600 You know it doesn't want to do good for people that hate us, 272 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:54,960 right? I, I use that at work. 273 00:17:54,960 --> 00:18:00,760 Is is, you know that people come up with all well, I don't have 274 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,240 to because of this. I don't have to when he says 275 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,320 bless your enemies, he's talking about the person that doesn't 276 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:10,280 like you, that's actively trying to stab you in the back and take 277 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:14,760 your job. That that person, that's who 278 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:16,320 Jesus is talking about here, right? 279 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,600 He isn't talking about a sweet Oh, they're they they cut me off 280 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,520 in traffic person. But this is somebody that 281 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,960 doesn't like you and you're supposed to take care of your 282 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,240 neighbor and you're supposed to take care of your brothers and 283 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:33,360 sisters, right? But he he takes it to your enemy 284 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:48,640 and it's about it's about being surrendered and yielded to be 285 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:53,480 aimed at God and not aimed in the wrong direction right in 286 00:18:53,480 --> 00:19:00,000 here I have God's goal is other centered and self goal self 287 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:02,840 self's goal is self-centered right? 288 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:09,160 And and the point of that is why are we here verse 9 he says he 289 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,680 who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in darkness 290 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:19,200 until now. So Jesus is always going to you 291 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:22,280 going to point us to a higher road, right? 292 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:25,280 He is always going to to correct us. 293 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:29,680 And sometimes he does it in light nudges and other times he 294 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:35,400 does it in open rebukes. And John is is known the guy 295 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,640 that wrote this book is known as the apostle of love. 296 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,360 It is not how He started out, right? 297 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:44,920 Him and his brother. Him and his brother were a 298 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,120 little bit on the rowdy side that Jesus called him the sons 299 00:19:48,120 --> 00:19:53,240 of Thunder. And in Luke 951 through 56 it 300 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:54,560 said. Now it came to pass, when the 301 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:59,440 time had come for him to be received up, that He steadfastly 302 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,440 set his face to go to Jerusalem, and He sent messengers before 303 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:06,080 his face, and as they went they entered the village of 304 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,400 Samaritans. To prepare for him. 305 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,280 But they did not receive him, because his face was set for the 306 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:14,160 journey to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and 307 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:17,880 John saw this, they said, Lord, do you want us to command fire 308 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:20,920 to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah 309 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:24,320 did? But he turned and rebuked them 310 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,480 and said, You do not know what manner of spirit you are. 311 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,640 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to 312 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:33,800 save them. And they went to another 313 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:38,040 village. So John and James wanted and 314 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:41,240 This Is Us guys. They wanted to condemn others 315 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,720 because of their position with Christ. 316 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:49,640 And we have a position in Christ and from the position of with 317 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,560 Christ in their case or in Christ in our case, we get the 318 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:57,920 idea that we have power to point out sin and condemn others 319 00:20:58,120 --> 00:21:02,480 instead of from the position, their position with Christ to 320 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:06,120 save as many as they could, which would be to tell people 321 00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:10,600 about this guy they're with, they're with the, the only one 322 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,080 that has the words of God, right? 323 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:15,680 I mean, they, they know who they're with, they're with the 324 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,560 Son of God and they, they, they know who he is. 325 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,720 And, and what they want to do is condemn a village instead of 326 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,240 saying, what are you guys doing? Do you know who I have with me? 327 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,320 Right? And encouraging them to come. 328 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:34,400 You know, when Jesus rebukes him and says, you do not know what 329 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,360 manner of spirit you are. Jesus is not telling them that 330 00:21:37,360 --> 00:21:39,280 they switched teams and have a demon. 331 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:42,320 He is telling them they're kicking it at the wrong goal. 332 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:49,160 And if you've ever watched like AI don't know U4 soccer game, 333 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:52,160 you can watch that where they they start going the wrong 334 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:54,080 direction. The the kids are now going to 335 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:59,160 the wrong goal, right? And and that is that is what we 336 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,520 we have a tendency of doing that right, that we get the idea. 337 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:03,960 We get the cart before the horse. 338 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:10,720 We we forget the point and and his whole point of common guys 339 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:16,760 are for people to know him and how are they going to know him 340 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,800 by his body telling them about it right. 341 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:26,040 And the body of Christ should be known for our love for one 342 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:30,720 another first right? And that's John 1334 and 35 and 343 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:33,160 I know we've all heard this one a new commandment I give to you 344 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,720 that you love one another is I have loved you that you also 345 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:40,120 love one another by this all will know that you are my 346 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:42,600 disciples if you have love for one another. 347 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,800 So Jesus calls this a new commandment because he is 348 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,080 talking to those who will become his body, the church. 349 00:22:50,120 --> 00:22:53,240 And there's there's three parts to this love right there is 350 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:57,960 we're supposed to so you and I should be known in this church 351 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:00,960 as loving one another. So if that being said, you, I'm 352 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,040 sure everybody's, I think we have a pretty awesome church 353 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,560 here, but I don't know everything that goes on. 354 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:11,520 But you, you've all watched shows and, and had been at 355 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,560 churches where there is infighting in the building. 356 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,960 And that is that is we shouldn't, that shouldn't even 357 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:22,760 be named among us, right? And if that is named among you, 358 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:25,840 if that's named among me, what we should be doing is having 359 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:31,440 those conversations with those people in love, but upfront, 360 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:33,120 right? Those conversations because that 361 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:36,160 Jesus says we should be known by our love for one another. 362 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:42,840 And we should be also known for our love for how did I put it 363 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,800 for our Christian community in Sandpoint in Idaho in the United 364 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:49,880 States. So Bridges Sandpoint should be 365 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:54,440 known because we love the other believers in this town, that we 366 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,280 love the other believers in Idaho, that we love the other 367 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:01,120 believers in the United States. And I, I use, I use the, the, 368 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:08,440 the Saul and David. David was about God's business 369 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:11,080 while Saul was still king on the throne. 370 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:17,600 And Saul had Saul had an army, Saul had captains, he had 371 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:21,080 generals. And David was not against the 372 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:22,800 captains and the generals of Saul. 373 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:27,800 He was for God and God's plan and he loved Israel. 374 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:35,640 And in that process, David, David had real battles with real 375 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:40,080 Philistines that really went on. But he wasn't out hunting Saul 376 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:45,560 and and out campaigning against the this all in the room, right? 377 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,120 What he was doing is out about God's business, and that's what 378 00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:51,800 we should be out about. We should be not be known for 379 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,240 what we are against. We should be known but for what 380 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:57,600 we're for. Now, there are things that we 381 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:01,240 are for that automatically make us against something else. 382 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,480 But we don't have to chant on what we're against if we're just 383 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:06,600 loud about what we're for, right? 384 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,680 I'm for babies, right? I'm for babies living right 385 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:15,000 there is automatically a what I'm against, but we can just 386 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:16,040 talk about one. I'm four. 387 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:20,480 I like life right you know, and so but we don't have I don't 388 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:26,880 have to because the the the the abortionist, the they're sinners 389 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:31,920 who need Jesus. I months back they did that 390 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:37,640 hope, hope, medical hope medical thing and the the guy that that 391 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,080 came to talk he was an abortionist. 392 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:47,200 He did abortions and got saved, but until he got saved, when he 393 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:52,880 started doing abortions, it was sold to him as as he was doing, 394 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:58,720 he was doing good work. He was doing good work and 395 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,160 taking care of these ladies and making good money, doing it 396 00:26:02,360 --> 00:26:04,880 right. Lost and dying. 397 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:08,720 Billy said it last week. Where on Sunday do you get mad 398 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:14,600 at the guy, the blind guy that trips on the curb, right, lost 399 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:16,800 and dying. They need to know the truth and 400 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:19,080 how do they know the truth by what we're for? 401 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:23,960 They get to hear what we're for, right and and be loving in that 402 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:28,320 conversation. But that is there. 403 00:26:28,360 --> 00:26:31,000 There is a process in that, right? 404 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:35,520 And 3rd, we should be known for a love for the body in distance, 405 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:39,480 land, distant lands, right in, in places that we can't, we 406 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,520 can't go, but we can be praying for them. 407 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:47,120 We can be ministering as best we can, but we should be in that 408 00:26:47,120 --> 00:26:49,000 fight any way we can be there, right? 409 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,800 And that goes for all of that's going on in the Middle East 410 00:26:53,800 --> 00:26:55,880 right now. You know, there are there are 411 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:59,240 believers that are there, there are missionaries that are there 412 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:02,520 that are in need of prayer, right? 413 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,040 We, we can't go there. You can't send the money. 414 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:06,960 You can't do any of that. But what we can be doing is 415 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:11,960 praying for him right and be doing that be be active in that 416 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:18,040 prayer fight because it matters. And John 1513 Jesus says greater 417 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:23,240 love has no one than this than to lay down one's life for his 418 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:27,120 friends. So laying down my life while 419 00:27:27,120 --> 00:27:32,920 still here is love. And and that's The thing is that 420 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:38,880 it is, I don't know when I first got saved dying for Jesus, that 421 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,280 would be easy. It's living for him that's hard. 422 00:27:43,120 --> 00:27:47,280 And what I mean by that is dying, you know, if I got to run 423 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:50,160 into a hail of bullets, that's a one time decision. 424 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:53,240 And I know what that decision is. 425 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,040 Now I've never had to do that, so I don't know if I would, but 426 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,920 I, I would think that that would, you know, that's a one 427 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:03,280 time decision. It's it's the, what do I, how do 428 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:06,840 I have that conversation? You know, it's, it's the, it's 429 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:09,680 the little conversations that are hard, which we'll, we'll get 430 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:17,200 into some of those. But but Jesus tells us that if 431 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:20,400 anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up 432 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,760 his cross daily and follow me for whoever desires to save his 433 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:27,000 life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for 434 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:33,200 my sake, we'll save it. And what that means is if, if I 435 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:38,920 want the most out of this world, I get it by getting it by by 436 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:43,840 being the most obedient to him. And that's because that's where 437 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,240 joy is. Guys, I, I wouldn't trade. 438 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:51,440 I wouldn't trade the last 20 years of my life for 60 years 439 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:57,400 before that of, of the life I had because I didn't have the 440 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:03,760 joy I've had as a believer of, of watching people's lives 441 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:08,000 change, of watching my life change and just watching him 442 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:12,560 work and, and knowing, I mean that simple story about, about 443 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:17,360 Katrina and just watching kids lives change in an instant. 444 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:23,040 And, and that group of kids, that group of kids, I got to go 445 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:25,120 all the way through their high school years with them. 446 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:30,120 And that group of kids were, were to this day. 447 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:34,120 There's, there's numerous of them that are still in ministry. 448 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:39,040 1 is a, a pastor that I, I talked to in he's in Grants 449 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:43,200 Pass. But they fell in love with 450 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:45,560 service. They fell in love with serving 451 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,640 people and they did. And when they got there, let me 452 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:51,960 tell you, some just spoiled rotten little brats, right? 453 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:57,200 But God had a plan and, and watching lives change, right? 454 00:29:57,280 --> 00:29:58,960 That is worth its weight in gold. 455 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:06,040 And, but unless we're dead to self, we can't love others as 456 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:10,400 Jesus would, right? If we, if, if my, if my wants 457 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,360 and my desires get in there, I will. 458 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,600 I'll pull the punches. I won't do it the way he wants 459 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,360 it done. Jesus talks about love a lot, 460 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,720 but not as a feeling. Love is an action, right? 461 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:27,880 When we talk about love in this world, very often it is a, it is 462 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:32,640 a happy feeling that is just ooey and gooey and sunshine and 463 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:35,560 rainbows, right? And that's not what Jesus talks 464 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:37,360 about. He doesn't talk about love like 465 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,680 that. He talks about it as there there 466 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:47,720 is there is a action to love. You know if you love someone, 467 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:54,000 there will be proof of it. James 14 or 214 through 16 and 468 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,720 we've heard this one. But this is what does it profit 469 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:58,960 my brethren. If someone says he has faith but 470 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:01,240 does not have works can face save him. 471 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:06,080 If a brother or sister is naked or destitute of daily food and 472 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:09,480 one of you says to them, depart in peace and be warmed and 473 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:13,000 filled, but you do not give them the things which they need for 474 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:14,880 the your body, what does that profit? 475 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:22,240 So love is doing the best for someone and sometimes the best 476 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:27,520 isn't easy, right? And and what I mean by that is 477 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:34,040 very often the best, the most loving thing for someone is to 478 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:38,600 tell them no, right? The most loving thing for 479 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:44,720 someone is to judge their sin and say that's killing you. 480 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:49,520 The most loving thing very often for my children was punishment 481 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:52,160 or rebuking, right? That happened. 482 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:59,080 Now sometimes there's there's the need to pick somebody up 483 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:02,360 there. There's times to that they just 484 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:05,600 need their handheld or shoulder to cry on. 485 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:13,080 And that's all valid, right? But it's not love is not 486 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,400 feelings. It's doing the best for someone 487 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:21,720 else and the best is not what makes them happiest at the 488 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:23,560 moment. It's what's the best for them, 489 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:27,040 right? First Corinthians 13 We've all 490 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:31,960 heard it, but you'll find that I I I was going to say that my 491 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:39,000 original sentence said not one feeling all actions, but the 492 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:41,600 don't envy. You guys can decide if envy is a 493 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:46,400 feeling or not. Love suffers long love is kind. 494 00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:49,680 Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself love 495 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:53,560 love is not puffed up. Love does not behave rudely. 496 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:57,120 Love does not seek its own love is not provoked. 497 00:32:57,120 --> 00:33:00,400 Love thinks no evil. Love does not rejoice in 498 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:02,800 iniquity. Love rejoices in truth. 499 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:06,440 Love bears all things. Love believes all things, love 500 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,160 hopes all things. Love endures all things. 501 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:15,840 So love is something that you can see you, you can see, right? 502 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:18,680 I don't just tell Faye I love her, I show Faye I love her, 503 00:33:19,640 --> 00:33:21,760 right. I don't, I don't tell you guys I 504 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:24,520 love you. I, I try to show that right, 505 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:28,160 that that is a that is conversations time spent with 506 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:31,360 each other and and there's going to be times over the years that 507 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:35,800 in in showing that I love a congregation is going to be hard 508 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:37,760 conversations that have to be had. 509 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:44,640 Pastor Steve, decades ago, before I was there, there was a 510 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:47,680 one of my buddies tells the story, but they're in a smaller 511 00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:51,720 building and there was some guy that stood up and started to say 512 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,320 on a Wednesday night like this and Steve's like, what are you 513 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:56,840 doing? Sit down. 514 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:01,680 You got to leave because the guy was trying to be disruptive in 515 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:04,600 in a service that that wasn't his position, right? 516 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:08,840 And Steve is the loving thing for the is it awkward? 517 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:11,080 Yes. Is that hard to do? 518 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:13,159 Yes. But that was the loving thing to 519 00:34:13,159 --> 00:34:15,960 do for the congregation was as the shepherd. 520 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:21,440 His job was not not to to pander to that guy and make him feel 521 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:25,000 good was to take care of the the congregation. 522 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,239 Now he may have had a convert. I don't know the rest of the 523 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:29,040 story, but he may had a conversation with that guy 524 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:32,560 afterwards. You don't know, but being 525 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:38,679 willing to do those hard things is still loving, right? 526 00:34:39,120 --> 00:34:44,480 Loving is not is not this watered down ridiculousness that 527 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:49,280 we call love today, right? It's not flowers and balloons. 528 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:57,280 It is, it's doing the hard stuff that's love right now in that 529 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:04,200 being said, when you look at that list and you figure out 530 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:08,440 pretty quick that the love bar is set so high, the only way I'm 531 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:11,640 getting there is by surrendering to to Jesus. 532 00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:14,880 Because we've done all that where you put your name in where 533 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:17,000 love is and you figure out pretty quick, you're not any of 534 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:20,280 those things, right? I don't suffer long very well. 535 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:24,200 I'm, I, I'm, I'm really kind to ask my wife. 536 00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:30,720 I try not to envy things. I try not to parade. 537 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:37,160 I never get puffed up. I, I behave rudely just in just 538 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:38,880 with me. Anyway, you guys kind of get the 539 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:41,000 idea right? It, it's pretty easy to fail 540 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:43,360 pretty quickly if, if you're going to, if you're going to set 541 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:45,320 that and go, I'm going to be that guy. 542 00:35:45,680 --> 00:35:47,160 I'm just going to do all that stuff. 543 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:50,960 And, and I'll tell you if that's your goal, Jesus will very 544 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:53,320 quickly put things in front of you that explain to you, you 545 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:59,040 can't do it. And, and it says in verse 10, he 546 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:02,400 who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause 547 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:05,280 for stumbling in him. So the only way to love your 548 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:07,920 brother the way Jesus wants you to love him is if you are 549 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:12,160 surrendered to Jesus, letting him overpower your selfishness 550 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:16,320 with his spirit and understanding that if we are 551 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:20,320 making excuses on why I cannot love someone, I am aiming at the 552 00:36:20,320 --> 00:36:24,480 wrong goal. And the question is, Gee, the 553 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:29,680 question we should be asking is Jesus, how am I to love them? 554 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:34,600 Not, not how do I love them, but Jesus, how am I supposed to love 555 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:37,800 them? What, what, what actions do you 556 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:41,560 want me to use in their life? And, and you have to give me the 557 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:45,040 power to do that, right? I, I will tell you that, that 558 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:48,160 that kind of love and that conversation about the, the 559 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:50,160 congregation and the shepherding and that stuff. 560 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:53,880 Guys, that's the conversation I had with Pastor Steve coming up 561 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:55,440 here said that scares me to death. 562 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:57,960 That is, that is the hard stuff, right? 563 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:02,320 Standing in those points where I am the guy that has to protect 564 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:04,000 you guys. I'm we're pretty quiet right 565 00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,720 now. So, but I'm that guy that has to 566 00:37:06,720 --> 00:37:12,400 do those things and the only way I'm going to do that right is if 567 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:14,000 Jesus is doing it through me right? 568 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:16,920 If I decide that I'm big enough and I can just figure it out on 569 00:37:16,920 --> 00:37:18,600 my own, guys, I'm going to fail miserably. 570 00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:22,800 So making sure that that's our heart. 571 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,160 Lord, what do you want? How do you want me to do this? 572 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:28,760 Because if not, then verse 11 applies when I'm just going to 573 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:31,880 do it my way. And that is, but he who hates 574 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:34,960 his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and does not, 575 00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:39,400 does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded 576 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:41,120 his eyes. And that is when your 577 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:44,840 perspective gets off and you think you can do it or, or there 578 00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:49,760 is they're not really that loving or they did this to me or 579 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:51,760 they're really evil or they're back. 580 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:54,720 When any of that is a conversation you've set, you've 581 00:37:54,720 --> 00:37:58,360 moved the bar from where Jesus put it and you've given yourself 582 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:01,560 an excuse, right. And when we think at any time 583 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:06,560 hate is in Christ, we are shooting at the wrong goal 584 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:13,120 anytime and that's that's over any hate at a person hated a 585 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:17,240 sin, that's a different story right hating sin, hating murder 586 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:22,440 that is that's that is spoke about in the Bible that God 587 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:27,760 hates murder right he hates he hates sin doesn't hate sinners. 588 00:38:32,120 --> 00:38:35,760 Our flesh is driving. So when when we are shooting at 589 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:39,160 the wrong goal, that's our flesh is driving our eye. 590 00:38:39,240 --> 00:38:43,760 And that's the eye he's talking about here has blinded his eyes. 591 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:48,960 That that word for eyes is Ophomas, which is not how you 592 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:54,520 pronounce it, but it's, it's, yeah, anyway, which is 593 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:58,720 perception, understanding or perspective and aiming at a 594 00:38:58,720 --> 00:39:03,600 target with the wrong perspective, with the wrong, 595 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,880 with the wrong perception of where that target is. 596 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:11,400 You're never going to hit it. And with an without an 597 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:15,240 understanding, right. And Matthew 622 through 23, and 598 00:39:15,240 --> 00:39:17,880 this is 1 years back that I studied and studied trying to 599 00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:22,080 figure out what this was. And it's just one of those that 600 00:39:22,080 --> 00:39:24,320 I look at it today and go, how did I not understand that? 601 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:29,440 But that's because it's because Jesus reveals stuff to you and 602 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:32,680 it's nice. The lamp of the body is the eye. 603 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:36,760 If there if therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be 604 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:38,920 full of light. But if your eye is bad, your 605 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:40,760 whole body will be full of darkness. 606 00:39:40,760 --> 00:39:45,240 If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is 607 00:39:45,240 --> 00:39:47,680 that darkness? So if your perception and your 608 00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:53,160 understanding or your perspective is is dark and not 609 00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:56,200 and self focused and self-centered and what you're 610 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:59,560 looking at this level instead of it, that Jesus level, you are 611 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:02,480 going to fail every time because you think that you've got 612 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:07,400 something to bring to the table. And Billy, Billy had all kinds 613 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:09,240 of cool stuff that you guys are going to hear all about. 614 00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:13,600 But that it's that when you're focused on that box of stuff and 615 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:16,440 things that self focus that you're going to get to heaven 616 00:40:16,440 --> 00:40:18,160 and open up and figure out there's nothing in it. 617 00:40:19,440 --> 00:40:23,040 Right, that's, that's when your eyes are focused on the wrong 618 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:25,240 thing and there's that darkness, right. 619 00:40:25,240 --> 00:40:28,120 Then you think you have the ability to dislike people. 620 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:33,240 When you have the ability, you have the right, you deserve to, 621 00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:37,760 to dislike your brother to they've, they've wronged me, 622 00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:39,160 they've hurt me. They've done this. 623 00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:42,440 Now, that doesn't mean that you put yourself back in harm's way. 624 00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:45,200 That means that you don't hate them, right? 625 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:54,400 I, I use the, I use the, the, the, I don't know the 626 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:58,120 illustration because it's, it's not offensive in any way. 627 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:02,800 And I don't have to. If, if you're a banker or if you 628 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:06,240 know a banker and they steal all the money at the bank they have 629 00:41:06,240 --> 00:41:09,720 embezzled. And once they have embezzled, 630 00:41:09,720 --> 00:41:13,600 they get caught and they go to prison and they serve their time 631 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:16,640 and they're forgiven. Or they, they, they repent and 632 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:19,080 they're forgiven. But they're, they serve their 633 00:41:19,080 --> 00:41:20,520 time. They, they do their stuff. 634 00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:25,280 When they get out of prison, what are they never going to be 635 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:27,120 again? A banker. 636 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:29,040 And why are they not going to be a banker? 637 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:32,840 Because nobody trusts them. They may forgive them, but 638 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:35,000 nobody trusts them. I mean, I would guarantee you 639 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:40,480 that if Bernie Madoff ever opened a fund, no one's given 640 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:45,000 him any money, right? Because he, he robbed him 641 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:50,640 billions of dollars. And my point of that is, and 642 00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:52,960 that goes for all of the different sins out there. 643 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:55,360 When we, when we look at somebody, it's not when we 644 00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:59,120 forgive them, it isn't you forgive them and then you open 645 00:41:59,120 --> 00:42:03,840 the door to the, the bank vault again, they are forgiven. 646 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:08,440 But but in their true, if they are truly repentant, they don't 647 00:42:08,440 --> 00:42:11,360 want to go anywhere near a bank vault, right? 648 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:14,880 And that, and you guys can extrapolate that on the on, on 649 00:42:14,880 --> 00:42:18,920 all the other awful sins out there that they shouldn't want 650 00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:22,640 to even be in that area, right? If, if they are, if they're 651 00:42:22,640 --> 00:42:25,960 truly repentant, they should be as far from that stuff as 652 00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:30,400 possible. And but what Jesus is talking 653 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:34,960 about here when he talks about the lamp of the body or the the 654 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:38,360 eye and, and in context, what he's talking about here is do 655 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:41,120 not lay in. That's the the verses before 656 00:42:41,120 --> 00:42:43,000 that. Do not lay up for yourselves 657 00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:46,160 treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy and where 658 00:42:46,160 --> 00:42:49,400 thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures 659 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:54,920 in heaven, where neither moth or rust destroy and where thieves 660 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:58,120 do not break in and steal. So what is the treasure we 661 00:42:58,120 --> 00:43:02,640 should be storing up? The only thing we can take with 662 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,440 us is others. That's it. 663 00:43:07,280 --> 00:43:11,560 And, and when we look at life, whenever it's, I don't want to 664 00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:14,440 forgive or I, I don't like somebody or any of that stuff, 665 00:43:14,440 --> 00:43:16,920 it is because they have offended my flesh. 666 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:20,040 They have made, they have hurt my feelings. 667 00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:22,040 They have, they have done something to me. 668 00:43:22,040 --> 00:43:24,800 And and when we go through of all the things that Jesus says 669 00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:27,720 they can do to you, there is none of them that passed the bar 670 00:43:27,720 --> 00:43:32,560 that doesn't say you're supposed to love them because that's what 671 00:43:32,560 --> 00:43:36,600 he did. So we don't, I mean, this is 672 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:39,280 specifically talking about brothers, but Jesus took it to 673 00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:42,840 enemies, which pretty much means there is nobody in between, 674 00:43:42,840 --> 00:43:44,480 right? There is people. 675 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:46,960 I love that. Absolutely. 676 00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:51,200 I from a from a worldly position would say Faye deserves my love. 677 00:43:51,240 --> 00:43:52,960 She's awesome. She takes care of me. 678 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:57,120 She's great to the guy that's actively trying to stab me in 679 00:43:57,120 --> 00:44:00,800 the back over here and everybody in the middle because I mean 680 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:04,040 Jesus, I love that he just like he cleared that up. 681 00:44:04,440 --> 00:44:08,360 Let me let me clear it up for y'all everybody right? 682 00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:14,360 And the reason we can love everybody is because he did and 683 00:44:14,360 --> 00:44:19,800 we're in him and in Christ. We have the power to love people 684 00:44:19,800 --> 00:44:23,480 that are unlovable. But outside of Christ, we do not 685 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:26,960 have that power because our flesh will want to say right. 686 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:32,880 And we are his body and he he came to save the lost and dying. 687 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:38,920 And today I, I was going through this and I, I will tell you the 688 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:44,880 the prayer I have for us for this church, for Bridges 689 00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:50,760 Sandpoint is that if there's anything in here that needs to 690 00:44:50,760 --> 00:44:54,160 be any relationships in our body that need to be healed or or 691 00:44:54,160 --> 00:44:56,000 repaired, Lord that those would happen. 692 00:44:58,240 --> 00:45:02,440 And let us be a unifying body that reaches out in obedience to 693 00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:06,000 you and your word in Sandpoint ID in the United States mean 694 00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:10,480 worldwide is the body of Christ and actively be out in our 695 00:45:10,480 --> 00:45:16,080 community seeking the lost and dying, having our eyes on things 696 00:45:16,080 --> 00:45:19,320 above and not on things below. And that's Colossians 3 one 697 00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:24,520 through three. If then you were raised with 698 00:45:24,520 --> 00:45:28,120 Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is 699 00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:30,920 sitting at the right hand of God. 700 00:45:31,400 --> 00:45:35,520 Set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth, for 701 00:45:35,520 --> 00:45:39,480 you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 702 00:45:40,560 --> 00:45:44,000 When we remember our position, it is easy to love because we 703 00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:48,440 are loved. It is easy to forgive because we 704 00:45:48,440 --> 00:45:52,920 are forgiven. It is easy to go because He came 705 00:45:53,840 --> 00:45:56,680 and it easy. It is easy to share because He 706 00:45:56,680 --> 00:46:02,080 is able. And when we struggle we look to 707 00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:05,160 our example and say, Lord, I can't, but I know you will if I 708 00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:10,320 am willing. And and remember why he came 709 00:46:10,760 --> 00:46:16,000 right in in three. 7 John 317 For God did not send his Son 710 00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:19,920 into the world to condemn the world, but that the world 711 00:46:19,960 --> 00:46:24,080 through him might be saved. That's why we're still here. 712 00:46:25,160 --> 00:46:27,080 We're not here to win the battle. 713 00:46:27,400 --> 00:46:30,280 We're here to win souls to save people. 714 00:46:30,440 --> 00:46:36,520 Jesus already won the battle. So if we're not out loving 715 00:46:36,520 --> 00:46:39,680 people into the Kingdom and loving people into the Kingdom, 716 00:46:39,680 --> 00:46:46,720 like I said, is not ooey gooey mushy sunflowers and and and 717 00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:50,920 fluff. It's loving people into the 718 00:46:50,920 --> 00:46:58,000 Kingdom and that is, I skipped it at some point in my study. 719 00:46:59,840 --> 00:47:05,640 Paul, this is this is an example of what that looks like Paul 720 00:47:05,640 --> 00:47:10,320 writing to the 1st or the 1st Corinthians says to and there's 721 00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:13,520 talking about the man that is sleeping with his mother with 722 00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:16,680 his stepmom or his mom and they're thinking they're good 723 00:47:16,680 --> 00:47:20,760 because they're loving him and letting him come to church. 724 00:47:21,680 --> 00:47:24,160 And Paul is like that is disgusting. 725 00:47:25,680 --> 00:47:29,760 I that the Gentiles think you were weird and and what does he 726 00:47:29,760 --> 00:47:34,320 say deliver such a one to Satan for destruction of the flesh. 727 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:40,200 That doesn't sound loving that his spirit may be saved in the 728 00:47:40,200 --> 00:47:47,320 day of the Lord in the date. His spirit may be saved in the 729 00:47:47,320 --> 00:47:55,200 day of the Lord Jesus, which is love him enough to not pat him 730 00:47:55,200 --> 00:47:58,320 on the back and say that's OK, he's going to hell right now. 731 00:47:59,280 --> 00:48:04,080 Love him enough to get him to to kick him out and get him, get 732 00:48:04,080 --> 00:48:06,880 him to face the fact that he's in sin. 733 00:48:09,440 --> 00:48:12,000 And that's love. That isn't easy guys. 734 00:48:13,400 --> 00:48:15,440 But that's the kind of love we're supposed to have for our 735 00:48:15,440 --> 00:48:19,600 brothers and sisters, that that love that's willing to confront, 736 00:48:19,720 --> 00:48:23,160 willing to willing to come alongside and hold hands and 737 00:48:23,160 --> 00:48:27,320 take care of when you're sick. And and that is love, but love 738 00:48:27,320 --> 00:48:30,560 that's willing to confront when it needs to confront, love 739 00:48:30,560 --> 00:48:34,480 that's willing to challenge and sharpen. 740 00:48:35,960 --> 00:48:38,320 So, so Lord, I just thank you for tonight. 741 00:48:38,640 --> 00:48:41,520 Thank you for everybody here and bless this time. 742 00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:44,480 Lord, be be with us. Lord, fill us with your spirit 743 00:48:44,520 --> 00:48:46,640 guide and direct us. Help us to stand in those 744 00:48:46,640 --> 00:48:51,200 places. Lord, help us to make a 745 00:48:51,200 --> 00:48:54,160 difference in this community. I praise in Jesus name, Amen.