1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:05,040 So we are going to talk some about loneliness and the 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:09,320 message, and this is a short message, is that you are not 3 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:15,880 alone and I know many. Of us regardless. 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:21,040 Of our current state, whether married, with family or 5 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:25,080 whatever, many of us feel alone, and acutely so at different 6 00:00:25,080 --> 00:00:29,520 times. And that breaks my. 7 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,720 Heart I I grieve for you. And I know how it feels. 8 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:39,680 You can be in a crowded room and still feel all alone. 9 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,040 Sometimes it it happens even when you. 10 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,200 Are a mature. Christian and you've been 11 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,640 walking with the Lord for a long time. 12 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:51,240 You can still feel that distance. 13 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,600 You can. Feel that distance with others. 14 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:56,520 You can feel that distance with the Lord. 15 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,760 I want to just. Give one big idea tonight that 16 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,320 might. Help alleviate. 17 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:05,920 Some of that and I. Hope to blow. 18 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,280 Your minds with this one big idea and then we can just talk. 19 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,520 About it for the. Rest of the time. 20 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:16,160 You have probably heard. The surgeon general says that we 21 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,080 have a loneliness epidemic or the last surgeon general said 22 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:20,800 this. Who knows what the current one 23 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,600 says, but. There was a. 24 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,120 A loneliness epidemic declared in the in the US, you may have 25 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:31,160 heard that loneliness is. Deadly as deadly. 26 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:36,920 As smoking 15. Cigarettes a day as deadly as. 27 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,720 As being obese. As deadly as. 28 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:48,840 Alcoholism you may have. Also heard that a whole. 29 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:54,760 New group of social scientists have run the data and they think 30 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:58,680 that the loneliness epidemic data is wrong and so now there 31 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,720 is a. Big debate about whether there. 32 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:05,240 Is a loneliness epidemic or not? Classic, right? 33 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,440 This is the world that we live in, and particularly the city 34 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:12,440 that we live in. Who cares, right? 35 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:14,040 I. Say unto you. 36 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,720 Who cares? Loneliness. 37 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:17,960 Is a serious. Problem. 38 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,400 Whether it's an epidemic or not, it. 39 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:22,040 Is a serious. Problem. 40 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:24,760 Whether it is? Acute or chronic in our. 41 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:31,400 Society, the reality for us. Is that many of our members? 42 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:35,680 Regularly feel. Lonely and many more of our 43 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,840 neighbors around us. Regularly feel it as well, so 44 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:40,840 regardless. Of whether this is a national 45 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:42,720 epidemic. It is a. 46 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:46,400 Priority concern for us in this. Church for the. 47 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:49,680 Clergy and for. All of us. 48 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:51,880 As a church family, for we are one. 49 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,720 Body as Paul. Writes and says again and again, 50 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,200 particularly in First Corinthians, but all over the 51 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,280 place, right? We are one body and if one 52 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:04,600 member suffers all. Suffer together so on behalf. 53 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,120 Of the clergy and staff, I want you to know that we. 54 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:12,000 Love you, we care about you. We don't want for any of you to 55 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,600 feel alone, so we. Have set aside the rest. 56 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:17,840 Of the evening tonight to talk. About this. 57 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,440 And obviously want. To to be. 58 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:28,400 Present for you in other times as well as tonight, so here's. 59 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:29,880 Here. Here's the. 60 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,840 Big idea and the big idea. Is that the church? 61 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:39,720 Is your primary. Social Affiliation. 62 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:45,080 Or your primary identity marker above any other one. 63 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:50,640 The church is your. Primary family. 64 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,360 Your primary. City. 65 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,560 Your primary ethnic. Group your. 66 00:03:57,560 --> 00:03:59,480 Primary identity. The church. 67 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:04,920 Is #1 and the reason for that. Is because it is the. 68 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,880 One thing. Above all others, that will 69 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:12,520 last, it will last. It will outlast. 70 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:14,520 All of the others it will outlast. 71 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,240 The city it will outlast. This nation. 72 00:04:17,519 --> 00:04:21,160 It will outlast. Your marriage, if you have one. 73 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,880 It will outlast. Your children, if you have them. 74 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,600 The church will outlast all of. Those things, think about George 75 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:30,040 Washington. He was. 76 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,160 A lot of things, wasn't he? He was a son, he was a husband, 77 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,440 he was an uncle, he was a farmer, he was a businessman. 78 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,880 I think he was a cartographer or mapper or something like that, 79 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,080 right? He was. 80 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:50,520 Apparently a great equestrian, he was a military genius and 81 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,400 general and had a lot of experience in those ways. 82 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:59,280 What is he remembered for? Yeah, he's the. 83 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:02,760 President right, like that is the thing that lasts and for 84 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,680 anybody who becomes. President, right, That's what 85 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:06,800 they're. Remembered for. 86 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:09,880 That's the identity. That will outlast all of the 87 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,880 others. And if you are a Christian, your 88 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:17,080 situation is similar to that. You are. 89 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:20,720 Many other things, whether at home or. 90 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:24,680 At school or at work? In the Academy, in the 91 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:29,520 government, one thing. Will outlast all. 92 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:34,000 Of the other things, one identity marker 1 affiliation. 93 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:35,840 Will outlast all of those others. 94 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,760 And that is your membership in the church, not? 95 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:41,800 Church of the. Resurrection, but the one holy, 96 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:48,080 Catholic and Apostolic Church that began a long time ago and 97 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:52,000 will continue to grow and grow and take over. 98 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,240 All things. It is the one thing. 99 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:56,920 That will last. The church is permanent. 100 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:58,760 Everything else is temporary now. 101 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:01,040 This. Is hard for us to understand. 102 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,880 Because we have. So many social bonds. 103 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:10,080 And so the New Testament makes this case over and over and over 104 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:14,720 again in a lot of different ways, using different images, 105 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:16,960 framing the permanence of the church in different ways. 106 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:22,640 For example, as I mentioned, the church is often described in the 107 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,680 New Testament as a new. Holy City. 108 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,320 The New Jerusalem. The old. 109 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,880 City of Jerusalem wasn't. Bad there were. 110 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,240 Wonderful things that happened in it, and it was. 111 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:40,160 Celebrated as. Beautiful and majestic in the 112 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:43,240 Psalms and in other places back in its. 113 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:47,400 Day but. It wasn't eternal, was it? 114 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:53,280 It was sacked. By the Romans in 70 AD, but a 115 00:06:53,280 --> 00:06:54,560 new. City. 116 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:01,080 A city. That cannot be sacked is being. 117 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:06,080 Built by the Lord, it is a city. That cannot be shaken. 118 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:07,760 Read the. Last several chapters of 119 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:09,560 Hebrews. And pay attention. 120 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,760 To what it says about how? Abraham was looking for a city 121 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,680 that has foundations and how that city is coming and that 122 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:19,720 city cannot be shaken. Read the. 123 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:21,880 Book of Revelation and think about. 124 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:25,600 All that it says about the. City that is to come and you 125 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:29,280 find. That there is the idea of city. 126 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:34,120 And then there is the. Telos of city the trajectory of 127 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:38,520 city, what city will. Be when everything. 128 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:42,960 That is, vapor is. Gone and everything else. 129 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:47,280 That is, solid is left. When the king has come to reign 130 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,600 again. There will be a city. 131 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:52,920 That is permanent, that cannot be shaken. 132 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:56,320 And that city. Is the church. 133 00:07:58,120 --> 00:07:59,400 That's one way the New Testament. 134 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,720 Talks about this. For our purposes tonight, I want 135 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,640 to draw your attention to another way the New Testament 136 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:09,960 frames the permanence of the church, and that is in terms of 137 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,240 family. The. 138 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:17,160 Tellos, the trajectory. Of the family. 139 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:23,040 Is the church the tellos of? Every family. 140 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:27,120 Is the church because the church is the. 141 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:32,320 Family of God and the family. Of God will outlast. 142 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,880 Every other family. So we see. 143 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,120 This in reading Ephesians. Chapter 5, right? 144 00:08:41,799 --> 00:08:45,680 Clearly, marriage is something. That is sacred. 145 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,680 Within the Christian. Church, of course. 146 00:08:49,680 --> 00:08:54,720 It's something that is honored and there is some material in 147 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:56,760 the New Testament that is. Dedicated to how? 148 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:00,920 Marriage should be and that builds on all that is written in 149 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,920 the Old Testament about the sacredness of marriage to 150 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:08,960 marriage continues. Clearly after the. 151 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:14,000 First advent of Jesus. But Paul says. 152 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:17,400 That the present. Roles of. 153 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:21,840 Husbands and wives are important. 154 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,440 For how they will play. Out in the. 155 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,680 Future especially he's got a. Future orientation. 156 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,240 What is the tell us? Of the story of marriage. 157 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:36,000 What is the trajectory of that story? 158 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,320 It is the. Family of God. 159 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:40,280 Right. Do you hear how? 160 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:45,480 He is saying this in chapter. Five the church. 161 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,760 As the church submits to. Christ so also. 162 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:53,440 Wives should submit in everything to their husbands in 163 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,520 the same way husbands should. Love their wives. 164 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,800 As their own bodies and so on for no one. 165 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:02,680 Ever hated? His own flesh, but nourishes it 166 00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:05,400 and cherishes. It just as Christ does the 167 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:10,320 Church. Paul goes on to say this mystery 168 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:13,520 is profound, and I'm saying it. Refers to Christ. 169 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:15,040 And the church. What is? 170 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:19,160 What is Paul pointing us to? He is pointing us to a family. 171 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,920 That will outlast. Every marriage. 172 00:10:22,560 --> 00:10:24,960 That we see. Right now, I'm so excited about 173 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:26,840 the weddings that are to come this summer. 174 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,560 That's wonderful news. I'm so much more. 175 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:33,520 Excited. About the marriage supper of the 176 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,400 Lamb. Because that's what. 177 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,360 Each one of them points to every marriage. 178 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:41,160 Here at res. Is a temporary institution. 179 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,640 Till death do you part. But there's another marriage 180 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:48,480 that's coming that's not temporary, and that's the 181 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,000 marriage of the Messiah, King Jesus. 182 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:56,520 To his bride the Church. Now, how do we know that the 183 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:01,200 Mormons are wrong about having planets and everybody has a 184 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,880 family? The families rule the planets in 185 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:10,080 the consummation. Jesus talks about this. 186 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:15,360 Doesn't he in in? The Gospels he scolds the 187 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:21,400 sadducees for their crazy Riddle that they. 188 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:24,640 Asked him about the resurrection, they came to mark 189 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:29,640 chapter 12 to him Sadducees who say that there is no 190 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:31,240 resurrection. They asked him a question, 191 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:35,360 saying Teacher Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies 192 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,800 and leaves a wife but leaves no child, the man must take the 193 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:39,800 widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 194 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,040 Now there were seven brothers. The first took. 195 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:44,760 A wife and when he died left no offspring and the second? 196 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,720 Took her. And died leaving no offspring, 197 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,560 and the third likewise, and the seven left no offspring. 198 00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:53,400 Last of all. The woman also died in the 199 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,880 resurrection. When they rise again, Whose 200 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:57,080 wife? Will she be? 201 00:11:57,080 --> 00:11:58,920 For the seven had. Her as wife. 202 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:02,960 And Jesus said to them, is this not the reason you are wrong? 203 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:05,920 Because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of. 204 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:08,240 God, you idiots. And it doesn't say that 205 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:12,720 actually, but for when they rise from the dead, they neither 206 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:16,360 marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 207 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:24,280 Because. There is another marriage that 208 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:26,360 is to come. That is the. 209 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:28,880 Greater marriage of Christ and the Church. 210 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:35,120 So we will not have planets, we will not have husbands and wives 211 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:38,280 ruling those planets. But rather, we will be. 212 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:42,640 With King. Jesus forever He will be the 213 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:44,280 groom. And the bride. 214 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,440 Will be the bride. We are all a part of that bride. 215 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,760 No individual marriage is in the resurrection. 216 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:59,480 So Jesus gets that the tell us of. 217 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:05,480 Marriage and family points to something greater and. 218 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:10,240 He he teaches this. And he treats marriage as. 219 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:12,800 Sacred and holy. You know his first miracle is at 220 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:20,280 a wedding in Cana of Galilee. But he prioritizes church over 221 00:13:20,560 --> 00:13:24,080 biology. He prioritizes church over 222 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:25,680 biology. In the present. 223 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:27,280 As well. As in the. 224 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,480 Future because. He understands the. 225 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,160 Tell us the. Trajectory of marriage and he 226 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:33,920 models. These priorities for us so. 227 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:36,600 I'll take you to another passage in Mark's. 228 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:39,520 Gospel chapter 3. And it's a. 229 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,520 Really. Fascinating chapter, but. 230 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,920 We get to. I'll just read you the very end 231 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:50,600 of it where Jesus, mother Mary and his brothers came and 232 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,320 they're outside. He's inside, they're standing 233 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:59,720 outside, which is a pun, which means that they're crazy. 234 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,640 It's. Ecstasis. 235 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:07,080 Ecstasy is the word we. Have in Greek or English so his 236 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:09,800 mothers and brothers came and they're standing outside and 237 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:13,800 they sent to him and and called him and the crowd was sitting 238 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:16,280 around Jesus and they said to him, your mother and your. 239 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,520 Brothers are outside. Seeking you and he answered 240 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:22,400 them, who are my mother and my brothers and looking about. 241 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:23,960 At those who. Sat around him. 242 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:26,760 He said. Here are my mother and my. 243 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:29,080 Brothers for whoever does the will of God. 244 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:32,600 He is my brother and sister and mother. 245 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:37,680 Intense. Right now, we know. 246 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:41,720 That later Jesus. Honors his mother. 247 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,560 At the. Crucifixion, we read in John's. 248 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:49,520 Gospel that Jesus taps the beloved disciple. 249 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,440 Presumably John to be. The caretaker for. 250 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:54,600 His mom after. Jesus's death. 251 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:58,160 And so we know that this is. A. 252 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,440 A relative. Kind of of. 253 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:04,200 Prioritization. Jesus Still. 254 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:09,360 Honors his biological mother. But he puts the church first. 255 00:15:10,240 --> 00:15:13,800 Do you see that He puts the church first? 256 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:17,480 Jesus. Didn't stop loving Mary even 257 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:21,480 during his crucifixion, but he didn't stop loving the. 258 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,760 Bride either. And it was. 259 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:25,960 For the bride. That he died. 260 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:34,440 The church. Is my first family, the church 261 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:39,320 is my first marriage. That's the concept. 262 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,680 That's the. Big idea that we all have to get 263 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,240 it is a. Big change, especially if you 264 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,120 come out of American evangelicalism, is a. 265 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:53,200 Very big change. It sounds even. 266 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:57,200 Almost like heresy. Focus on the family. 267 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:05,280 Of God right focus. On the church. 268 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:09,840 Because the church. Is my first family. 269 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:13,680 Other relationships are important, but they're 270 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,040 secondary. I don't neglect my wife or my 271 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,720 kids, but I mustn't pour all of my love and my time and 272 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:28,160 resources into them. Only that is not practicing. 273 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:29,120 What? Jesus? 274 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:31,800 Teaches us. In the gospels, nor is it 275 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:34,160 practicing what Paul. Models for. 276 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:37,440 Us in the. Epistles over the years I. 277 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,240 Have observed many of you putting this into practice in 278 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,400 countless. Ways so. 279 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:49,520 Many I could suspend the rest of the time outlining them. 280 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,760 We're talking about children's ministry a lot right now. 281 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:59,840 I love how many people have volunteered A gazillion hours. 282 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,400 To care for kids. That are not their biological. 283 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:06,319 Kids. The church. 284 00:17:06,319 --> 00:17:09,839 Is my first family and kids and youth by the. 285 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:12,160 Way because we have a. Great youth group now. 286 00:17:13,599 --> 00:17:18,359 Same for the Steven ministers who are brothers and. 287 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:23,880 Sisters to those who. Are hurting, grieving in need in 288 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:26,800 one way or another, and they are not biological. 289 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,320 Brothers or sisters? It's awesome. 290 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:35,240 What a gift. Those who cook and deliver meals 291 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:40,160 to people in the church who need essentially mom to make them a 292 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,160 meal. And mom maybe isn't living 293 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,640 anymore, or mom doesn't live here. 294 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:49,320 And so we become mom for one another. 295 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:51,880 Right. What a great gift. 296 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:59,320 When we begin to live. As if the church is our first. 297 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:05,640 Family some of the anguish of hearing somebody else got 298 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,160 engaged and it wasn't me, somebody else had a. 299 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:10,680 Baby. And it wasn't me. 300 00:18:11,160 --> 00:18:14,680 Some of that anguish becomes diminished because if you think 301 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,480 about it, you can be a parent to. 302 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:21,880 That child too. And you don't have to change 303 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:26,280 their diapers all the time. You can be a. 304 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,960 Part of this. Family in meaningful. 305 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:34,320 Ways right, but it is it. It has to be real you. 306 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:36,120 Have to step into it. You have. 307 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:42,160 To be courageous. And sharing your. 308 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:44,360 Life with others. In a deep. 309 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:50,160 Way the place to. Start is on Sundays. 310 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:54,400 I've sent out this article by Rebecca McLaughlin before. 311 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:56,080 I'll send it out again. I hope you'll. 312 00:18:56,080 --> 00:19:00,480 Read it she. Points out how important it. 313 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,200 Is that we? Care for one another on Sundays. 314 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:09,240 You guys are such secure. Independent people, why do you 315 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,680 become so insecure on Sundays? I don't understand it you. 316 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:15,000 Have to sit. With one another and you can't 317 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,920 sit with somebody new? That boggles my mind. 318 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:24,680 Would you please? Would you please prioritize 319 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,920 people who? Are not the same people. 320 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:32,960 That you have sat with every. Other time for so long, there is 321 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:36,480 no reason if you're If your kids are old enough to sit with 322 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:39,160 others, there's no reason why they couldn't sit with somebody 323 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,240 else and you. Could spread yourself. 324 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:47,440 Around in the article that Rebecca McLaughlin writes, she 325 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:51,520 talks about someone who was alone and came to church and 326 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:56,560 when when people in the church found out, they went and sat, 327 00:19:56,640 --> 00:20:00,640 not two of them on one side. Of of this. 328 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,520 Woman or man, I can't remember, but they went and sat on either. 329 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:08,000 Side to say hey, you're. A part of our family now, and 330 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,560 it's a beautiful picture of that kind of embrace. 331 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,800 We should just do that. We if if you don't start doing 332 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:19,480 it, I'm going to. Stop the service. 333 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:21,360 I'm going to find out who the new people are. 334 00:20:21,360 --> 00:20:27,000 I'm going to make you do it. So that's right. 335 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:29,280 That's right. So. 336 00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:31,400 That's Sunday's, but not just on Sundays. 337 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:35,520 How can you? Be a brother or a sister to 338 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:36,840 others. Midweek. 339 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:41,120 There are so many ways. This is one of the reasons that 340 00:20:41,120 --> 00:20:42,320 rest. Groups exist. 341 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:46,400 You should be in one Lena's vision. 342 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:47,880 Is a great. Vision. 343 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:49,400 Thank you, Lena. It. 344 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,960 It should be. Everybody's vision. 345 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,520 I. When Ashley May was in Scotland 346 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,720 and she was studying there, she would send us photos and texts 347 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,120 and things from Sundays in Scotland. 348 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,200 Which would be church. And then going. 349 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:07,840 To eat a cold. Casserole at somebody's. 350 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:10,960 House that. Had been made on Saturday and 351 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:13,760 then falling asleep on their sofa. 352 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:17,320 It was like. Every Sunday and she just said. 353 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:18,800 This is so. Weird, and it is. 354 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:22,480 So great. To be together on Sundays, this 355 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,360 is the kind of life. That we should have at Rez so 356 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:28,160 great that. We can do it three Sundays in 357 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:29,840 the summer. Could we do it? 358 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:33,240 Every Sunday in the in the fall. Wouldn't that be wonderful? 359 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:37,800 OK, so. The big idea? 360 00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:41,720 The church. Is my primary. 361 00:21:42,360 --> 00:21:47,680 Social. Identity It is my first family 362 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,760 before any other family, not only. 363 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:55,240 Because Jesus is Lord, but also because the Church is the. 364 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:59,160 Only body. That will last forever. 365 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:08,000 Every other social group will. Crumble and fall, this is the 366 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,360 one that lasts. So you want to make a good 367 00:22:10,360 --> 00:22:13,120 investment, Invest in this family. 368 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:15,520 This is the one that will last beyond. 369 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,720 Others Jesus sees. Eternity Jesus prioritizes. 370 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:24,320 The Church over biology his way. Is the antidote to the 371 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:30,400 loneliness epidemic. Or whatever it is, it is his way 372 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,200 that will heal. Us he models this love. 373 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:35,440 For us he calls his disciples to. 374 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:39,040 Do the same thing so I. Just put it to you, will you 375 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,960 follow Jesus? In prioritizing. 376 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:45,400 Church over biology.