1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:00,980 *** AUTOMATED TRANSCRIPTION *** 2 00:00:07,435 --> 00:00:10,635 Kevin O'Dea: 6 to 8 is what I'm being told to say. 6 to 8 is all access 3 00:00:10,635 --> 00:00:12,955 Kevin O'Dea: conference, which I'm probably going to say it again in a second because I think 4 00:00:12,955 --> 00:00:16,715 Kevin O'Dea: it's my first slide. Oh, this is my slide. Hey guys, we have a conference 5 00:00:16,715 --> 00:00:20,509 Kevin O'Dea: coming up. It's Church 7th through 10th and I hear that the kids are 6 00:00:21,070 --> 00:00:24,830 Kevin O'Dea: the teens and the youth and the kids are going to have some 7 00:00:24,830 --> 00:00:28,675 Kevin O'Dea: fun things planned during that time as well so you need to make 8 00:00:29,135 --> 00:00:32,015 Kevin O'Dea: a plan to be there. I don't think you'll regret it, okay? Are you glad 9 00:00:32,015 --> 00:00:35,559 Kevin O'Dea: to be in the house of the Lord this morning? It is a 10 00:00:35,559 --> 00:00:39,079 Kevin O'Dea: good pray. It is a good day. If you're joining us on 11 00:00:39,079 --> 00:00:42,815 Kevin O'Dea: livestream, thank you for joining us. Hey, in conjunction to 12 00:00:42,895 --> 00:00:46,655 Kevin O'Dea: our conference, we also have this thing called the Business Collective that we are launching 13 00:00:46,655 --> 00:00:50,440 Kevin O'Dea: here at Spring House. If you are a leader, a 14 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:52,860 Kevin O'Dea: manager, an owner of a business, 15 00:00:54,364 --> 00:00:57,720 Kevin O'Dea: Spirit leader, would you raise your hand? Leader, owner, 16 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:01,504 Kevin O'Dea: manager, Okay, lots of you in the room, okay? This is for you, this is 17 00:01:01,504 --> 00:01:05,185 Kevin O'Dea: for you. We would like you to sign up for this. Pastor Justin, as well 18 00:01:05,185 --> 00:01:08,980 Kevin O'Dea: as Josh McLeod are going to team up and they're going to be leading this 19 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,520 Kevin O'Dea: business collective on this particular day. We're God to free breakfast and 20 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,034 Kevin O'Dea: giveaways and giveaways. Yes, pray, okay, 21 00:01:17,034 --> 00:01:20,475 Kevin O'Dea: giveaways and stuff and yeah, it's going to be it's going to be great. 22 00:01:20,795 --> 00:01:24,280 Kevin O'Dea: Just an opportunity to connect with other business leaders and talk about how you can 23 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:27,800 Kevin O'Dea: advance the kingdom within your business and your leadership principles. So, 24 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,100 Kevin O'Dea: come and be a part of that on that Saturday morning of the conference. 25 00:01:31,645 --> 00:01:35,405 Kevin O'Dea: Also, I've not actually been up the last, well, that's not 26 00:01:35,405 --> 00:01:38,604 Kevin O'Dea: true. I just spoke long the 1st week, and the 2nd week, I didn't get 27 00:01:38,604 --> 00:01:41,200 Kevin O'Dea: a chance to say this because I was out of town last week, but we 28 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,799 Kevin O'Dea: are in the middle of Lent and how many has anybody taken part in 29 00:01:44,799 --> 00:01:48,479 Kevin O'Dea: looking at the Lent devotional videos? Okay, good. Okay, so you found 30 00:01:48,479 --> 00:01:51,975 Kevin O'Dea: those on our app. We are in the middle of Lent and our kids and 31 00:01:51,975 --> 00:01:55,735 Kevin O'Dea: youth department have taken over those videos and man, 32 00:01:55,735 --> 00:01:59,570 Kevin O'Dea: I tell you what, never negate the Holy Spirit's 33 00:01:59,570 --> 00:02:03,350 Kevin O'Dea: power to speak through the kids and through the youth. They're 34 00:02:03,730 --> 00:02:07,475 Kevin O'Dea: a minute and a half to 5 minutes long. Every day there's a video posted 35 00:02:07,475 --> 00:02:10,435 Kevin O'Dea: except for on Sunday, so go on the app and you can go back and 36 00:02:10,435 --> 00:02:14,200 Kevin O'Dea: watch them respectively, but you definitely want to be in that routine. I would encourage 37 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,960 Kevin O'Dea: you to do that as part of your journey through Lent, okay? And 38 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,695 Kevin O'Dea: then also Pastor Justin started a series on Thursday from 39 00:02:21,695 --> 00:02:25,475 Kevin O'Dea: 6 to 7 in here, called Lessons from the Table. And 40 00:02:26,370 --> 00:02:30,069 Kevin O'Dea: I was actually with the youth this last week, but I watched it online and 41 00:02:30,129 --> 00:02:33,890 Kevin O'Dea: it's powerful. You want to be a part of that gathering 42 00:02:33,890 --> 00:02:37,485 Kevin O'Dea: and, you can go back and catch the last one online, but come and be 43 00:02:37,485 --> 00:02:41,085 Kevin O'Dea: a part of our midweek gathering, 6 to 7, as we, as 44 00:02:41,085 --> 00:02:44,765 Kevin O'Dea: this also prepares us for Theater, okay? Lots of 45 00:02:44,765 --> 00:02:48,590 Kevin O'Dea: opportunity theatre. And then of course, no better preparation than a daily active 46 00:02:48,590 --> 00:02:52,350 Kevin O'Dea: relationship with the word of God. Spring House Church, do we believe in the word 47 00:02:52,350 --> 00:02:55,885 Kevin O'Dea: of God? Do we believe that it is true? Do we believe it's 48 00:02:55,885 --> 00:02:59,405 Kevin O'Dea: alive and active? We need to be in it daily, daily, 49 00:02:59,405 --> 00:03:02,850 Kevin O'Dea: okay? This is our reading plan for this year. If you need this resource, it's 50 00:03:02,850 --> 00:03:06,610 Kevin O'Dea: available online or on our app as well. So we are in 51 00:03:06,610 --> 00:03:10,305 Kevin O'Dea: a series through the entire year, we are talking 52 00:03:10,305 --> 00:03:13,905 Kevin O'Dea: about His word, we've already talked about His word, we're talking about His 53 00:03:13,905 --> 00:03:17,425 Kevin O'Dea: life right now, and then after Theater, we're going to be talking about His church 54 00:03:17,425 --> 00:03:21,250 Kevin O'Dea: for the remainder of the year, and I have been just learning 55 00:03:21,250 --> 00:03:24,690 Kevin O'Dea: and growing so much about Jesus' life and looking at Jesus' 56 00:03:24,690 --> 00:03:28,405 Kevin O'Dea: character and what He said and what He did, and I hope that you have 57 00:03:28,405 --> 00:03:32,245 Kevin O'Dea: also been gleaning some of the instruction from the word about watching 58 00:03:32,245 --> 00:03:36,084 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus and how his life, how he modeled his life. And so 59 00:03:36,084 --> 00:03:39,930 Kevin O'Dea: the 1st week of the series, we talked about that Jesus was always about 60 00:03:39,989 --> 00:03:43,510 Kevin O'Dea: His Father's business. So, and what is the Father's business? God is in the 61 00:03:43,510 --> 00:03:47,275 Kevin O'Dea: business of loving people. God is in the business of 62 00:03:47,275 --> 00:03:51,034 Kevin O'Dea: loving people, and so the 1st week we talked about that we 63 00:03:51,034 --> 00:03:54,254 Kevin O'Dea: ought to be also about the Father's business, which is also 64 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,300 Kevin O'Dea: loving, loving people. In week 2 we talked about selfless living. 65 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,360 Kevin O'Dea: Selfless living, selfless love requires nothing in 66 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,025 Kevin O'Dea: return. Selfless love requires nothing in 67 00:04:06,025 --> 00:04:09,705 Kevin O'Dea: return. Jesus modeled this so perfectly in the way that he even 68 00:04:09,705 --> 00:04:12,890 Kevin O'Dea: went to the point of laying down his life for each of 69 00:04:13,190 --> 00:04:16,950 Kevin O'Dea: us. Even though we didn't deserve it, amen? He did that for us. 70 00:04:16,950 --> 00:04:20,010 Kevin O'Dea: Last week Pastor Allen spoke and he talked about compassion. 71 00:04:20,615 --> 00:04:24,294 Kevin O'Dea: Compassion requires us to do something. When we see a 72 00:04:24,294 --> 00:04:27,514 Kevin O'Dea: need, when we see somebody in front of us, Jesus was always 73 00:04:27,974 --> 00:04:31,650 Kevin O'Dea: entertaining the needs that were presented to him, he was never too 74 00:04:31,650 --> 00:04:35,490 Kevin O'Dea: busy to entertain what was exactly in front of the people that were 75 00:04:35,490 --> 00:04:39,185 Kevin O'Dea: right in front of him, and compassion requires us to do something. And as 76 00:04:39,185 --> 00:04:42,965 Kevin O'Dea: Pastor Allen would say, it's not just for us uns, it's for 77 00:04:43,031 --> 00:04:46,820 Kevin O'Dea: Ghost uns too out there, okay? So we're going to look 78 00:04:46,820 --> 00:04:50,340 Kevin O'Dea: at Jesus today and we're going to look at the portions of his life we're 79 00:04:50,340 --> 00:04:54,120 Kevin O'Dea: going to look at how his, how he embodied this love 80 00:04:54,260 --> 00:04:58,005 Kevin O'Dea: that he had for sinners who qualifies 81 00:04:58,005 --> 00:05:01,765 Kevin O'Dea: for as a sinner body in the room. Okay, so would you stand 82 00:05:01,765 --> 00:05:04,985 Kevin O'Dea: with me? We're going to read with gusto from John theater 15 83 00:05:05,550 --> 00:05:09,150 Kevin O'Dea: probably a familiar passage, for some of 84 00:05:09,150 --> 00:05:12,884 Kevin O'Dea: you. Let's read together. Now the tax collectors 85 00:05:13,025 --> 00:05:16,429 Kevin O'Dea: and sinners were all gathered around to hear Jesus, 86 00:05:17,104 --> 00:05:20,485 Kevin O'Dea: but the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 87 00:05:20,930 --> 00:05:24,770 Kevin O'Dea: this man welcomes sinners and eats with them.' Let's stop there for just 88 00:05:24,770 --> 00:05:28,530 Kevin O'Dea: a second, let me go ahead and preach. If we notice the first part 89 00:05:28,530 --> 00:05:30,675 Kevin O'Dea: of this, who was the group that 90 00:05:40,310 --> 00:05:43,990 Kevin O'Dea: I'll use myself as a Pharisee, it'd be as if we had some people walk 91 00:05:43,990 --> 00:05:47,270 Kevin O'Dea: in who have no idea who Jesus is and they're more interested to hearing from 92 00:05:47,270 --> 00:05:50,995 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus than I am, okay? Or maybe perhaps you are, 93 00:05:50,995 --> 00:05:54,835 Kevin O'Dea: okay? It was the tax collectors and sinners that wanted to hear 94 00:05:54,835 --> 00:05:58,650 Kevin O'Dea: from Jesus. Here's Jesus' response. Jesus told them 95 00:05:58,650 --> 00:06:02,490 Kevin O'Dea: this parable, suppose one of you has a 100 sheep 96 00:06:02,490 --> 00:06:05,985 Kevin O'Dea: and loses one of them, doesn't he leave the 97 00:06:05,985 --> 00:06:09,585 Kevin O'Dea: 99 in the open country and go after the 98 00:06:09,585 --> 00:06:13,180 Kevin O'Dea: lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds 99 00:06:13,180 --> 00:06:16,780 Kevin O'Dea: it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes 100 00:06:16,780 --> 00:06:20,615 Kevin O'Dea: home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together 101 00:06:20,675 --> 00:06:24,435 Kevin O'Dea: and says, rejoice with me, I have found my lost 102 00:06:24,435 --> 00:06:28,050 Kevin O'Dea: sheep. I tell you that in the same way, 103 00:06:28,270 --> 00:06:31,870 Kevin O'Dea: there will be more rejoicing in Heaven over 1 sinner 104 00:06:31,870 --> 00:06:35,435 Kevin O'Dea: who repents than over 99 righteous persons 105 00:06:37,835 --> 00:06:41,595 Kevin O'Dea: Father, I'm so grateful for Your word and that it is 106 00:06:41,595 --> 00:06:45,230 Kevin O'Dea: alive and active today. Lord, I pray that you would use 107 00:06:45,230 --> 00:06:49,070 Kevin O'Dea: the words that I'm about to speak, Lord, to change people's hearts and lives, 108 00:06:49,070 --> 00:06:52,725 Kevin O'Dea: God, and that you would give us eyes to see others the way 109 00:06:52,725 --> 00:06:56,505 Kevin O'Dea: you see them. We love you today in Jesus name, 110 00:06:57,125 --> 00:06:59,545 Kevin O'Dea: amen. You may be seated. 111 00:07:03,030 --> 00:07:06,550 Kevin O'Dea: There are there are many 112 00:07:06,550 --> 00:07:10,175 Kevin O'Dea: different cultures around the world, many different 113 00:07:10,474 --> 00:07:13,534 Kevin O'Dea: types of lifestyles, experiences, cultures 114 00:07:14,395 --> 00:07:17,770 Kevin O'Dea: all across this globe, some that we understand, some we don't 115 00:07:17,770 --> 00:07:21,610 Kevin O'Dea: understand, and I wanted to kind of examine some of the cultures 116 00:07:21,610 --> 00:07:25,385 Kevin O'Dea: that you might run into here, especially here in America. We, 117 00:07:25,665 --> 00:07:29,165 Kevin O'Dea: you know, we champion the melting pot of cultures 118 00:07:29,945 --> 00:07:33,220 Kevin O'Dea: that we have here. But let's look at maybe some of the traditions around the 119 00:07:33,220 --> 00:07:36,660 Kevin O'Dea: world of some of the cultures that we have. Now, this is a thing now, 120 00:07:36,665 --> 00:07:38,120 Kevin O'Dea: pray, so let's just 121 00:07:41,095 --> 00:07:42,555 Kevin O'Dea: it does match my shirt. 122 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:50,160 Kevin O'Dea: Vonda. Alright. Some 123 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,759 Kevin O'Dea: tribes in China follow a tradition where the 124 00:07:53,759 --> 00:07:56,645 Kevin O'Dea: husband carries his wife and walks over burning coals. 125 00:07:58,224 --> 00:08:01,845 Kevin O'Dea: These tribes believe that this practice would help the wife have painless 126 00:08:01,905 --> 00:08:05,400 Kevin O'Dea: labor, and some believe that walking over burning coals prevents 127 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,080 Kevin O'Dea: natural disasters. Some choose to do this as the husband and 128 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:12,235 Kevin O'Dea: wife take their Ghost step into their new home, and some choose to do it 129 00:08:12,235 --> 00:08:16,014 Kevin O'Dea: when they know that the wife is pregnant. The husband usually does this barefoot 130 00:08:16,074 --> 00:08:19,610 Kevin O'Dea: with his wife on his back. In a yearly 131 00:08:19,610 --> 00:08:23,290 Kevin O'Dea: festival in Spain, men dressed in yellow, yellow run and jump 132 00:08:23,290 --> 00:08:26,995 Kevin O'Dea: over babies. During this festival, babies born 133 00:08:26,995 --> 00:08:30,755 Kevin O'Dea: in the previous year are placed in arranged rows of pillows spaced 134 00:08:30,755 --> 00:08:34,355 Kevin O'Dea: out down on a public street. The men dressed in bright yellow 135 00:08:34,355 --> 00:08:38,150 Kevin O'Dea: costumes and masks began to run down the street jumping over the rows of 136 00:08:38,150 --> 00:08:41,830 Kevin O'Dea: children like Olympic hurdles hurdlers. This tradition 137 00:08:41,830 --> 00:08:45,595 Kevin O'Dea: started in the early 1600s as the villagers obedience that this keeps the 138 00:08:45,595 --> 00:08:47,134 Kevin O'Dea: devil away from these children. 139 00:08:49,115 --> 00:08:52,175 Kevin O'Dea: Everyone grieves differently after the loss of a loved one 140 00:08:53,290 --> 00:08:57,050 Kevin O'Dea: But the women in Indonesia have quite a unique and severe way of dealing with 141 00:08:57,050 --> 00:09:00,730 Kevin O'Dea: grief when they lose a loved one the top joint of the woman's 142 00:09:00,730 --> 00:09:04,345 Kevin O'Dea: finger is amputated String will be tightly tied around the 143 00:09:04,345 --> 00:09:07,384 Kevin O'Dea: finger until it goes numb, and then a family member, often a sibling or a 144 00:09:07,384 --> 00:09:11,140 Kevin O'Dea: parent, will cut off the top of the finger. The wound is then burnt 145 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,800 Kevin O'Dea: to stop the bleeding and prevent infection. This process is carried out to symbolize the 146 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:18,595 Kevin O'Dea: pain suffered after the loss of a loved one. In the 147 00:09:18,595 --> 00:09:22,435 Kevin O'Dea: Arab culture, greeting a friend or meeting a new person consists of 3 gentle 148 00:09:22,435 --> 00:09:26,149 Kevin O'Dea: nudges or rubs of the nose. The importance of the nose in the 149 00:09:26,149 --> 00:09:29,990 Kevin O'Dea: Arab culture cannot be overstated, it symbolizes pride and honor, and is 150 00:09:29,990 --> 00:09:33,495 Kevin O'Dea: even used as a metaphor in the Arabic language to describe a 151 00:09:33,495 --> 00:09:36,555 Kevin O'Dea: person who has high self esteem and is proud. 152 00:09:37,255 --> 00:09:41,080 Kevin O'Dea: Placed in the center of the face, the nose carries profound symbolism, making it the 153 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:43,900 Kevin O'Dea: the place to greet someone with the utmost respect. 154 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,600 Kevin O'Dea: Lastly, in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, a boy does 155 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:49,860 Kevin O'Dea: not become a man unless he can withstand being stung by a swarm of bullet 156 00:09:49,860 --> 00:09:50,460 Kevin O'Dea: ants. This ant, 157 00:09:54,865 --> 00:09:58,445 Kevin O'Dea: Ghost say that the 158 00:09:58,445 --> 00:10:02,065 Kevin O'Dea: sting is just as excruciating as being shot by a bullet. The 159 00:10:02,065 --> 00:10:05,685 Kevin O'Dea: initiation ritual includes the boy sticking their hands in a glove full 160 00:10:05,685 --> 00:10:09,415 Kevin O'Dea: of bullet ants while they dance. Moreover, this tradition is not 161 00:10:09,415 --> 00:10:12,775 Kevin O'Dea: a one time thing. The boy must go through this routine as many times as 162 00:10:12,775 --> 00:10:16,480 Kevin O'Dea: it takes for him not to cry during the process. The day 163 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:20,320 Kevin O'Dea: he can adore this torture without shedding a single tear is the day 164 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,100 Kevin O'Dea: he becomes a real man. 165 00:10:26,375 --> 00:10:30,215 Kevin O'Dea: Now we hear those cultural and 166 00:10:30,215 --> 00:10:33,990 Kevin O'Dea: traditional experiences that people have 167 00:10:33,990 --> 00:10:37,290 Kevin O'Dea: and many of us in this room would look and say man, that is so 168 00:10:37,589 --> 00:10:40,825 Kevin O'Dea: weird, that is so odd, that is so 169 00:10:40,965 --> 00:10:44,805 Kevin O'Dea: strange and to some of us it really is, but 170 00:10:44,805 --> 00:10:48,630 Kevin O'Dea: it's not to them. We 171 00:10:48,630 --> 00:10:52,090 Kevin O'Dea: are a people whose stories are woven 172 00:10:52,150 --> 00:10:55,985 Kevin O'Dea: based on our cultural experiences and where 173 00:10:55,985 --> 00:10:59,285 Kevin O'Dea: we grew up and who we were assigned to and the places 174 00:10:59,345 --> 00:11:02,930 Kevin O'Dea: geographically we live. And so our 175 00:11:02,930 --> 00:11:06,709 Kevin O'Dea: experiences and our culture is vastly 176 00:11:06,770 --> 00:11:10,450 Kevin O'Dea: different than our brothers and sisters, let me reiterate, our 177 00:11:10,450 --> 00:11:14,214 Kevin O'Dea: brothers and sisters around the globe. And 178 00:11:14,214 --> 00:11:17,834 Kevin O'Dea: we have a very different obedience, but just because we have a different 179 00:11:18,430 --> 00:11:22,030 Kevin O'Dea: experience doesn't necessarily mean that whatever they 180 00:11:22,030 --> 00:11:25,730 Kevin O'Dea: are doing is wrong. It simply 181 00:11:26,415 --> 00:11:30,015 Kevin O'Dea: helps us understand and opens our mind to while there 182 00:11:30,015 --> 00:11:33,535 Kevin O'Dea: are many different cultures and many different ways to do 183 00:11:33,535 --> 00:11:35,635 Kevin O'Dea: things and many different ways to handle circumstances and situations. 184 00:11:41,140 --> 00:11:44,815 Kevin O'Dea: Everybody has a story and we cannot 185 00:11:44,875 --> 00:11:48,095 Kevin O'Dea: be quick to judge that which we do not understand. 186 00:11:49,595 --> 00:11:53,410 Kevin O'Dea: We ought not be quick to judge that which we do 187 00:11:53,410 --> 00:11:57,170 Kevin O'Dea: not understand. We had a foreign exchange student, his name 188 00:11:57,170 --> 00:12:00,210 Kevin O'Dea: was Nai Fu, he was from China, he came, lived with us, this was probably 189 00:12:00,210 --> 00:12:03,935 Kevin O'Dea: a decade ago, And I remember one of the Ghost mornings that he was with 190 00:12:03,935 --> 00:12:07,615 Kevin O'Dea: us, or 1st week he was with us, he had grabbed all of 191 00:12:07,615 --> 00:12:11,190 Kevin O'Dea: his underwear and he took it to our kitchen sink and took a wooden 192 00:12:11,190 --> 00:12:14,870 Kevin O'Dea: spoon and started washing his underwear in our sink with a 193 00:12:14,870 --> 00:12:18,710 Kevin O'Dea: wooden spoon and soap because he didn't know how to use 194 00:12:18,710 --> 00:12:22,425 Kevin O'Dea: a washing machine and so I had to go to 195 00:12:22,425 --> 00:12:25,964 Kevin O'Dea: knife and pray oh no. No, no, this is not how we wash our underwear 196 00:12:26,024 --> 00:12:29,610 Kevin O'Dea: here in the United States and so I began to teach 197 00:12:29,610 --> 00:12:33,449 Kevin O'Dea: him and show him to go into the washing machine. He felt so bad. He 198 00:12:33,449 --> 00:12:36,985 Kevin O'Dea: felt he felt so ashamed and so and so bad that that he did 199 00:12:36,985 --> 00:12:40,525 Kevin O'Dea: that simultaneously we had another boy he was from Brazil 200 00:12:40,745 --> 00:12:44,285 Kevin O'Dea: he was a little more wealthier and 201 00:12:44,770 --> 00:12:47,730 Kevin O'Dea: his underwear stood in the middle of the floor of the hallway. And I said, 202 00:12:47,730 --> 00:12:50,790 Kevin O'Dea: Antonio, you need to clean your underwear. And he said, no, that's for your wife. 203 00:12:54,345 --> 00:12:58,185 Kevin O'Dea: And in our culture in the United States when you 204 00:12:58,185 --> 00:13:01,645 Kevin O'Dea: say something like that you're on a plane on the way back home. 205 00:13:05,130 --> 00:13:08,589 Kevin O'Dea: Both boys were excellent and we were so glad to have them in our house. 206 00:13:09,290 --> 00:13:12,935 Kevin O'Dea: They had to acclimate to our culture. They 207 00:13:12,935 --> 00:13:16,694 Kevin O'Dea: had to acclimate to that acclimate to to 208 00:13:16,694 --> 00:13:20,440 Kevin O'Dea: the way that we do things here and we learned about their culture and 209 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:24,040 Kevin O'Dea: how they did things from where they were. They have a 210 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:27,660 Kevin O'Dea: story you have a story 211 00:13:28,255 --> 00:13:31,475 Kevin O'Dea: Everyone has a story. In addition, 212 00:13:31,855 --> 00:13:35,695 Kevin O'Dea: everyone is a sinner. Doesn't matter what your background is, 213 00:13:35,695 --> 00:13:39,360 Kevin O'Dea: where you come from, what color, nationality, creed, everyone on planet 214 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:43,060 Kevin O'Dea: Earth has got the same chronic issue. 215 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,555 Kevin O'Dea: We are all sinners. We are all 216 00:13:46,855 --> 00:13:50,535 Kevin O'Dea: sinners Romans 3 says this for all have all means 217 00:13:50,535 --> 00:13:54,020 Kevin O'Dea: all for all Ascend and fallen short of the 218 00:13:54,020 --> 00:13:57,779 Kevin O'Dea: glory of God and because of this truth because we have 219 00:13:57,779 --> 00:14:01,540 Kevin O'Dea: sinned and fallen short of the glory of God not only does everybody have 220 00:14:01,540 --> 00:14:04,355 Kevin O'Dea: a story not not only is everybody sinned, 221 00:14:04,975 --> 00:14:08,275 Kevin O'Dea: everybody needs a Savior. Everybody 222 00:14:08,895 --> 00:14:12,520 Kevin O'Dea: needs a Savior. And 223 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:16,120 Kevin O'Dea: so as we examine cultures and as we think 224 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,560 Kevin O'Dea: about different people and different body, 225 00:14:20,315 --> 00:14:24,074 Kevin O'Dea: it's not so far different than the person who's sitting next to you 226 00:14:24,074 --> 00:14:27,290 Kevin O'Dea: or behind you or in front of you that you're not 227 00:14:27,610 --> 00:14:31,149 Kevin O'Dea: daily connected to and the fact that they have a story, 228 00:14:31,769 --> 00:14:35,449 Kevin O'Dea: a pathway, a journey that they have walked that you may 229 00:14:35,449 --> 00:14:39,115 Kevin O'Dea: not know all the details about, you may not know all 230 00:14:39,115 --> 00:14:42,875 Kevin O'Dea: the circumstances of, but somehow that brought them their 231 00:14:42,875 --> 00:14:46,710 Kevin O'Dea: story, their pathway, their journey brought them to Smyrna, Tennessee at a small 232 00:14:46,710 --> 00:14:49,930 Kevin O'Dea: church on Old Nashville Highway this morning called Spring House Church. 233 00:14:51,430 --> 00:14:55,095 Kevin O'Dea: All of us have a story. We all have different circumstances. Why is it 234 00:14:55,095 --> 00:14:58,855 Kevin O'Dea: then Christians, Christian meaning being like Ghost, why is it 235 00:14:58,855 --> 00:15:02,670 Kevin O'Dea: then Christians that we look at people and we do not give 236 00:15:02,670 --> 00:15:06,350 Kevin O'Dea: them the empathy that they need to understand they 237 00:15:06,350 --> 00:15:10,024 Kevin O'Dea: have a story just like we do? Why is it that 238 00:15:10,165 --> 00:15:13,785 Kevin O'Dea: when certain behaviors are expressed by people who 239 00:15:14,084 --> 00:15:17,765 Kevin O'Dea: might believe or may not believe, people have gone astray, people have denied 240 00:15:17,765 --> 00:15:21,129 Kevin O'Dea: Christ, why then is there an automatic expectation, 241 00:15:21,990 --> 00:15:25,755 Kevin O'Dea: after we've given our life to Christ, that we say they have got to 242 00:15:25,835 --> 00:15:29,515 Kevin O'Dea: perform with excellence, just like the Pharisees expected the people of that 243 00:15:29,515 --> 00:15:32,895 Kevin O'Dea: time to perform with excellence and follow every rule to the T. 244 00:15:33,540 --> 00:15:36,980 Kevin O'Dea: The indicator on whether or not you know the Lord has everything to do with 245 00:15:36,980 --> 00:15:40,259 Kevin O'Dea: your behavior, and so since I see certain behaviors that don't line up with the 246 00:15:40,259 --> 00:15:42,695 Kevin O'Dea: word, you must not love the Lord, and I'm going to make sure you know 247 00:15:42,695 --> 00:15:43,515 Kevin O'Dea: about and everybody else does. 248 00:15:47,575 --> 00:15:49,435 Kevin O'Dea: I wonder how many of us 249 00:15:50,980 --> 00:15:54,360 Kevin O'Dea: enjoy the benefit of the grace, the bevy of grace 250 00:15:54,740 --> 00:15:58,475 Kevin O'Dea: that Jesus gives us, but once we succumb to that grace 251 00:15:58,475 --> 00:16:02,074 Kevin O'Dea: and once we acknowledge him as our Lord and Savior, and once we take what 252 00:16:02,074 --> 00:16:05,850 Kevin O'Dea: we need from him, then we go get the pharise cynical garban 253 00:16:05,910 --> 00:16:09,589 Kevin O'Dea: and we walk around as Pharisees trying to preach to everybody else pointing the 254 00:16:09,589 --> 00:16:13,204 Kevin O'Dea: finger this way. Now, some would 255 00:16:13,204 --> 00:16:16,884 Kevin O'Dea: say, oh, here goes another little soft message that we're going to do at Spring 256 00:16:16,884 --> 00:16:20,665 Kevin O'Dea: House about how we're supposed to love others. 257 00:16:23,190 --> 00:16:26,790 Kevin O'Dea: I would argue that this is the most important message that Christians could 258 00:16:26,790 --> 00:16:30,365 Kevin O'Dea: ever hear The way that we are 259 00:16:30,365 --> 00:16:34,125 Kevin O'Dea: supposed to treat others because Jesus Christ came and spread his blood not only so 260 00:16:34,125 --> 00:16:37,565 Kevin O'Dea: that we can be reconciled to him, so that we can be reconciled to one 261 00:16:37,565 --> 00:16:41,270 Kevin O'Dea: another, so that we can be reconciled to one another, and 262 00:16:41,270 --> 00:16:44,810 Kevin O'Dea: so there was an accusation made of Jesus and it was this, Jesus 263 00:16:44,950 --> 00:16:48,774 Kevin O'Dea: is a friend of sinners. Now we 264 00:16:48,774 --> 00:16:52,135 Kevin O'Dea: look at that pray, especially on this side of salvation, this side of the story, 265 00:16:52,135 --> 00:16:55,495 Kevin O'Dea: and we look at that and say, well that is actually a compliment. Jesus is 266 00:16:55,495 --> 00:16:59,110 Kevin O'Dea: friend of sinners. It was not used as a compliment when it was said to 267 00:16:59,110 --> 00:17:02,550 Kevin O'Dea: him, it was an accusation. Because the Pharisees saw 268 00:17:02,550 --> 00:17:06,285 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus proclaiming God, teaching about God, yet he was hanging out 269 00:17:06,285 --> 00:17:09,825 Kevin O'Dea: with those people. Can I tell you I am one of those people? 270 00:17:10,204 --> 00:17:14,040 Kevin O'Dea: You are one of those people? And it seems to be that those 271 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:17,720 Kevin O'Dea: people, those people were more interested in hearing what Jesus 272 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:21,534 Kevin O'Dea: had to say than the people who knew more about Jesus themselves because of 273 00:17:21,534 --> 00:17:24,274 Kevin O'Dea: what they've studied and what they and what they knew. 274 00:17:25,294 --> 00:17:28,115 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus was a friend of sinners. 275 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:33,060 Kevin O'Dea: But a lot of times when we look at this we look at this phrase 276 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:36,880 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus friend of sinners if we're honest with ourselves. We read it our mind 277 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,565 Kevin O'Dea: doesn't contemplate Jesus our mind doesn't really even contemplate 278 00:17:40,625 --> 00:17:44,465 Kevin O'Dea: friend our eyes and our mind is drawn right to sinners. And then 279 00:17:44,465 --> 00:17:47,905 Kevin O'Dea: we build a wall right in between us and everybody else who qualifies for 280 00:17:47,905 --> 00:17:51,650 Kevin O'Dea: sinner. I want you to know that we qualify a 281 00:17:51,650 --> 00:17:55,170 Kevin O'Dea: sinner all have sinned, right? So just for a few 282 00:17:55,170 --> 00:17:59,014 Kevin O'Dea: moments just for me and for us today and just lay a framework. I 283 00:17:59,014 --> 00:18:02,375 Kevin O'Dea: want to eliminate the preposition there and I want to just talk about Jesus as 284 00:18:02,375 --> 00:18:05,110 Kevin O'Dea: a friend. I wanna talk just a moment 285 00:18:06,690 --> 00:18:09,430 Kevin O'Dea: about Jesus as a friend. Jesus 286 00:18:11,010 --> 00:18:14,675 Kevin O'Dea: defines friendship in a way that is 287 00:18:14,675 --> 00:18:18,035 Kevin O'Dea: counter church to the way we define friendship here in 288 00:18:18,035 --> 00:18:21,850 Kevin O'Dea: America and probably around the globe. The word 289 00:18:21,850 --> 00:18:25,309 Kevin O'Dea: that is used in scripture for friendship all throughout the New Testament 290 00:18:25,850 --> 00:18:29,595 Kevin O'Dea: is the word phileo phileo And phileo 291 00:18:29,895 --> 00:18:33,335 Kevin O'Dea: has a very Spirit meaning when it 292 00:18:33,335 --> 00:18:37,115 Kevin O'Dea: comes to friendship and I want to read this to you. Phileo 293 00:18:37,255 --> 00:18:40,090 Kevin O'Dea: love is shown within close friendships. 294 00:18:41,510 --> 00:18:45,270 Kevin O'Dea: This is a generous and affectionate love that seeks to 295 00:18:45,270 --> 00:18:48,455 Kevin O'Dea: make the other person happy with no 296 00:18:48,674 --> 00:18:52,455 Kevin O'Dea: expectation for the acts of kindness to be returned. 297 00:18:52,595 --> 00:18:56,400 Kevin O'Dea: Now, we can stop right there. I'm your 298 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,240 Kevin O'Dea: friend and I want you to be happy and I want 299 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,700 Kevin O'Dea: to be generous to you, but I am measuring the reciprocation 300 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,775 Kevin O'Dea: every day That is not phileo love. 301 00:19:07,775 --> 00:19:11,455 Kevin O'Dea: It's not the love. He's talking about it's not really the supernatural kingdom minded love 302 00:19:11,455 --> 00:19:15,090 Kevin O'Dea: we're supposed to have for one another. Remember selflessness 303 00:19:15,390 --> 00:19:18,909 Kevin O'Dea: requires nothing in return. So to 304 00:19:18,909 --> 00:19:22,725 Kevin O'Dea: continue. David and Jonathan are one 305 00:19:22,725 --> 00:19:26,565 Kevin O'Dea: of the Bible's best examples of phileo love within a friendship in 1 306 00:19:26,565 --> 00:19:30,280 Kevin O'Dea: Samuel 18:1-three it describes their friendship and it says in part 307 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:33,740 Kevin O'Dea: that the soul of Jonathan was knit 308 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:37,720 Kevin O'Dea: to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him 309 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:41,304 Kevin O'Dea: as his own soul. Then Jonathan made a 310 00:19:41,304 --> 00:19:45,065 Kevin O'Dea: covenant or a promise with David because he loved him as 311 00:19:45,065 --> 00:19:48,880 Kevin O'Dea: his own soul. Now, we don't understand this, this is kind of like, 312 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:52,720 Kevin O'Dea: this is kind of like me, us walking on coals with our spouses on 313 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:56,534 Kevin O'Dea: our backs, this is counter cultural that you would have a 314 00:19:56,534 --> 00:20:00,375 Kevin O'Dea: friend, a deep friendship with somebody that would be 315 00:20:00,375 --> 00:20:04,110 Kevin O'Dea: intimate enough that you would be connected by 316 00:20:04,110 --> 00:20:07,570 Kevin O'Dea: soul. But Jesus Christ came to obliterate 317 00:20:07,789 --> 00:20:11,195 Kevin O'Dea: the cultural bias and lens, the cultural 318 00:20:11,415 --> 00:20:15,175 Kevin O'Dea: definition of love and friendship and relationship, he came to obliterate 319 00:20:15,175 --> 00:20:18,555 Kevin O'Dea: that and redefine it in the way that he saw it. 320 00:20:19,330 --> 00:20:23,010 Kevin O'Dea: And if we would embrace supernaturally the way that 321 00:20:23,010 --> 00:20:26,230 Kevin O'Dea: God sees friendship and sees, sees relationship, 322 00:20:26,690 --> 00:20:30,445 Kevin O'Dea: we would see some things happen in us that would allow us to heal 323 00:20:30,445 --> 00:20:33,885 Kevin O'Dea: from past wounds, heal from Ghost brokenness, heal 324 00:20:33,885 --> 00:20:37,105 Kevin O'Dea: crevices in our lives in ways that you would never imagine possible. 325 00:20:38,110 --> 00:20:41,790 Kevin O'Dea: Have you ever had a friend Ghost stepped into 326 00:20:41,790 --> 00:20:45,365 Kevin O'Dea: your life and said I'm willing to give everything to 327 00:20:45,365 --> 00:20:49,125 Kevin O'Dea: you. I'm willing to do anything for you. I love you because 328 00:20:49,125 --> 00:20:52,565 Kevin O'Dea: of who you are despite what you 329 00:20:52,565 --> 00:20:55,409 Kevin O'Dea: do for me to me or with me in return. 330 00:20:56,750 --> 00:21:00,429 Kevin O'Dea: And the truth of the matter is those friends are very, very far and 331 00:21:00,429 --> 00:21:04,105 Kevin O'Dea: few between if you even have them but everybody 332 00:21:04,164 --> 00:21:06,825 Kevin O'Dea: in the room longs to have one like that. 333 00:21:08,085 --> 00:21:10,745 Kevin O'Dea: Everyone in the room longs to have a relationship 334 00:21:11,750 --> 00:21:15,430 Kevin O'Dea: like that. And so, let's look at some of the list of the 335 00:21:15,430 --> 00:21:19,190 Kevin O'Dea: qualities of a good friend. Let's just very basic, pray, so I 336 00:21:19,190 --> 00:21:22,145 Kevin O'Dea: want you to think everybody, I'm gonna have you raise your hand, 337 00:21:22,605 --> 00:21:26,284 Kevin O'Dea: but I would say everybody in here has friends and some of you would say, 338 00:21:26,284 --> 00:21:29,950 Kevin O'Dea: man, I've got, you know, I've got let's just pretend right now. 339 00:21:29,950 --> 00:21:33,789 Kevin O'Dea: We're all friends. Pray. We're all friends. Pray, even 340 00:21:33,789 --> 00:21:36,425 Kevin O'Dea: if you don't like the person you're sitting next to right now, we're our friends, 341 00:21:36,425 --> 00:21:40,265 Kevin O'Dea: okay? Everybody's friends in this room, okay? We start on this list and 342 00:21:40,265 --> 00:21:43,960 Kevin O'Dea: we go down this road of friendship and I want you to notice 343 00:21:44,500 --> 00:21:48,180 Kevin O'Dea: as it gets harder the base of friendships gets 344 00:21:48,180 --> 00:21:51,965 Kevin O'Dea: lower and lower. Let's watch. The first qualification friends 345 00:21:51,965 --> 00:21:55,805 Kevin O'Dea: should be refreshing. Friends should be refreshing when you get into your 346 00:21:55,805 --> 00:21:59,530 Kevin O'Dea: friends presence man it should be something where there's laughter. There's joy. There's a refreshing 347 00:21:59,530 --> 00:22:02,670 Kevin O'Dea: element that comes friends should be encouraging. 348 00:22:04,250 --> 00:22:07,904 Kevin O'Dea: Encouraging nothing like a friend that comes in and Ghost spouts out discouragement to you 349 00:22:07,904 --> 00:22:11,044 Kevin O'Dea: all the time. I think that's abuse. That's not friendship. 350 00:22:13,424 --> 00:22:16,910 Kevin O'Dea: Friends should be helpful. Oh, we just eliminated. 351 00:22:17,110 --> 00:22:20,890 Kevin O'Dea: Pray, there's 20%. Why is there 352 00:22:20,890 --> 00:22:24,145 Kevin O'Dea: 20% gone because all friends say I'll be there anytime you need me. But when 353 00:22:24,145 --> 00:22:27,925 Kevin O'Dea: the rubber hits the road doesn't always act that way doesn't always look that way. 354 00:22:28,305 --> 00:22:30,945 Kevin O'Dea: Do you got some friends that you can call up in a moment's notice and 355 00:22:30,945 --> 00:22:33,180 Kevin O'Dea: they will be there no matter what's going on. 356 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,920 Kevin O'Dea: You can't be that for body, but you got some 357 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:41,580 Kevin O'Dea: friends that you call up and it's they're there. 358 00:22:44,075 --> 00:22:47,674 Kevin O'Dea: Friends should be affectionate. Tell you what, you saw that Pray picture up there, 359 00:22:47,674 --> 00:22:49,934 Kevin O'Dea: somebody got real queasy because of our culture. 360 00:22:53,299 --> 00:22:56,980 Kevin O'Dea: But friends should be able to be affectionate. Bible even talks 361 00:22:56,980 --> 00:23:00,825 Kevin O'Dea: about greeting each other with a holy kiss. We have so perverted 362 00:23:01,044 --> 00:23:04,725 Kevin O'Dea: affection in our culture that we dismiss the 363 00:23:04,725 --> 00:23:07,784 Kevin O'Dea: healing properties and powers in affectionate love. 364 00:23:09,250 --> 00:23:11,510 Kevin O'Dea: Just dismiss another 40% of that group. 365 00:23:13,810 --> 00:23:16,550 Kevin O'Dea: Trustworthy. Well now we're down to just a few. 366 00:23:18,515 --> 00:23:22,275 Kevin O'Dea: What do you mean? Trustworthy means that if I am in 367 00:23:22,275 --> 00:23:26,035 Kevin O'Dea: relationship with you, if I'm in friendship with you and I have 368 00:23:26,035 --> 00:23:29,170 Kevin O'Dea: beared my all and I have given you all this information 369 00:23:29,710 --> 00:23:33,410 Kevin O'Dea: about what's going on inside my life, then you take that information 370 00:23:33,550 --> 00:23:36,815 Kevin O'Dea: and decide, I'm I'm just gonna go carry this on to this person that has 371 00:23:36,815 --> 00:23:40,655 Kevin O'Dea: no clue, no idea, or no relationship with 372 00:23:40,655 --> 00:23:44,470 Kevin O'Dea: this person, and then the trust is severed and broken because you took 373 00:23:44,470 --> 00:23:47,210 Kevin O'Dea: the information outside of the context of the relationship. 374 00:23:48,550 --> 00:23:52,325 Kevin O'Dea: Friends should be trustworthy. I was just trying to help you. I 375 00:23:52,325 --> 00:23:56,085 Kevin O'Dea: didn't give you permission to do that. Go to 376 00:23:56,085 --> 00:23:56,745 Kevin O'Dea: the lord. 377 00:23:59,930 --> 00:24:03,770 Kevin O'Dea: Now, we're really getting low. Friends should be 378 00:24:03,770 --> 00:24:04,270 Kevin O'Dea: forgiving. 379 00:24:07,835 --> 00:24:10,975 Kevin O'Dea: You wronged me and so I'm out of here 380 00:24:14,100 --> 00:24:17,780 Kevin O'Dea: Until you realize how much the blood 381 00:24:17,780 --> 00:24:20,600 Kevin O'Dea: of Jesus Christ covered your own sin. 382 00:24:22,985 --> 00:24:26,264 Kevin O'Dea: How many have had a friend that really just blew it or maybe you were 383 00:24:26,264 --> 00:24:29,885 Kevin O'Dea: a friend that you just blew it? I mean, you just completely 384 00:24:31,790 --> 00:24:35,010 Kevin O'Dea: and you had a friend who offered grace and forgave you 385 00:24:36,510 --> 00:24:38,530 Kevin O'Dea: despite the circumstance and the situation. 386 00:24:40,165 --> 00:24:43,845 Kevin O'Dea: Forgiveness. A few more attached with the 387 00:24:43,845 --> 00:24:47,445 Kevin O'Dea: actual verses because we're getting real slim on our on our 388 00:24:47,445 --> 00:24:51,240 Kevin O'Dea: on our pool looks like. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your 389 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:54,440 Kevin O'Dea: mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs. You 390 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,720 Kevin O'Dea: know, I'm going to say something that's probably God to hit hard for some of 391 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:01,385 Kevin O'Dea: you And it's probably just because I'm how I'm wired but 392 00:25:02,405 --> 00:25:06,245 Kevin O'Dea: the jabs that we make at one another the sarcastic remarks that we make 393 00:25:06,245 --> 00:25:09,760 Kevin O'Dea: at one another the things where that are actually hurtful were 394 00:25:09,820 --> 00:25:13,600 Kevin O'Dea: words are powerful God used words to create the world words 395 00:25:14,060 --> 00:25:17,595 Kevin O'Dea: are powerful. And I would solicit to 396 00:25:17,595 --> 00:25:21,434 Kevin O'Dea: you just allow the Lord to maybe minister to your mind that 397 00:25:21,434 --> 00:25:25,159 Kevin O'Dea: when you're jabbing and when the other person's laughing, you may 398 00:25:25,159 --> 00:25:28,440 Kevin O'Dea: actually be hurting them on a deep level that you don't understand because they don't 399 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:32,120 Kevin O'Dea: know how to respond. The Bible 400 00:25:32,120 --> 00:25:35,904 Kevin O'Dea: says don't let any don't let some unwholesome talk come out of 401 00:25:35,904 --> 00:25:39,105 Kevin O'Dea: your mouth as long as you're with these people. No. Don't let any unwholesome talk. 402 00:25:39,105 --> 00:25:42,385 Kevin O'Dea: Guys, there is enough in this culture that beats people down. Why would we need 403 00:25:42,385 --> 00:25:45,670 Kevin O'Dea: to do that in the church? Why do we need to do that to each 404 00:25:45,670 --> 00:25:49,030 Kevin O'Dea: other? Let's put each other 405 00:25:49,030 --> 00:25:52,855 Kevin O'Dea: up. Again, Do 406 00:25:52,855 --> 00:25:56,075 Kevin O'Dea: nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit rather in humility 407 00:25:56,215 --> 00:25:59,800 Kevin O'Dea: value others above yourself. I'm 408 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:03,640 Kevin O'Dea: putting your needs above mine. And here's 409 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:07,000 Kevin O'Dea: the real kicker. Jesus said this greater love has no one than 410 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,505 Kevin O'Dea: this that he laid down one's life for his 411 00:26:10,505 --> 00:26:14,205 Kevin O'Dea: friend. Went and played in an escape room recently 412 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,960 Kevin O'Dea: with James actually and, we were in this this 413 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,919 Kevin O'Dea: spaceship or whatever and at the end we got to the end and it was 414 00:26:21,919 --> 00:26:25,745 Kevin O'Dea: like countdown and I realized when we were in there I just 415 00:26:25,745 --> 00:26:29,585 Kevin O'Dea: as I was putting all of it together somebody's gonna have to sacrifice their 416 00:26:29,585 --> 00:26:33,010 Kevin O'Dea: life in order to win this somebody has to go into where the bomb 417 00:26:33,390 --> 00:26:36,850 Kevin O'Dea: Ghost off and the door has to shut and as soon as I realized 418 00:26:36,850 --> 00:26:40,465 Kevin O'Dea: that I took the thing I opened the door and I threw myself in the 419 00:26:40,465 --> 00:26:43,505 Kevin O'Dea: room and closed it so that he could live now sounds kind of like a 420 00:26:43,505 --> 00:26:47,185 Kevin O'Dea: like pat me on the back story. But it 421 00:26:47,185 --> 00:26:50,179 Kevin O'Dea: is a picture. It is a picture 422 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,720 Kevin O'Dea: of when the rubber hits the road. And there's 423 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:58,405 Kevin O'Dea: got to be a sacrifice made for friendship. Do you have somebody in your 424 00:26:58,405 --> 00:27:02,105 Kevin O'Dea: life? That's willing to no matter what take the key and jump in 425 00:27:03,045 --> 00:27:06,890 Kevin O'Dea: and close the door. It's no conversation. There's no There's 426 00:27:06,890 --> 00:27:08,750 Kevin O'Dea: just I'm going to do this. 427 00:27:12,730 --> 00:27:15,645 Kevin O'Dea: Fileo love, phileo love 428 00:27:16,285 --> 00:27:19,565 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus was a friend a phileo friend to 429 00:27:20,665 --> 00:27:24,200 Kevin O'Dea: sinners. To the people with 430 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:27,960 Kevin O'Dea: stories, to the people with the mess, to the people 431 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:31,420 Kevin O'Dea: who did not measure up according to the Pharisees, Jesus 432 00:27:31,865 --> 00:27:35,545 Kevin O'Dea: was a friend to sinners and if Jesus was a friend to 433 00:27:35,545 --> 00:27:38,205 Kevin O'Dea: sinners, how ought we be treating one another? 434 00:27:40,370 --> 00:27:44,050 Kevin O'Dea: Now Jesus did not condone sin. He did not 435 00:27:44,050 --> 00:27:47,730 Kevin O'Dea: endorse sin. Jesus never participated in sin, but 436 00:27:47,730 --> 00:27:51,465 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus covered sin. Jesus covered 437 00:27:51,765 --> 00:27:55,605 Kevin O'Dea: sin so that we would have a pathway to him in 438 00:27:55,605 --> 00:27:59,400 Kevin O'Dea: relationship. Jesus covered our sin so that 439 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,919 Kevin O'Dea: a dialogue and a conversation could happen. The word 440 00:28:02,919 --> 00:28:05,980 Kevin O'Dea: says come, let us reason together, 441 00:28:06,904 --> 00:28:10,664 Kevin O'Dea: let us discuss the matter at hand. God has 442 00:28:10,664 --> 00:28:14,440 Kevin O'Dea: not, He has not relented chasing after those who are 443 00:28:14,679 --> 00:28:18,360 Kevin O'Dea: running from him, who are confused by him, who have questions that are 444 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:22,039 Kevin O'Dea: unanswered, who don't really know what they're doing, who are headed 445 00:28:22,039 --> 00:28:25,555 Kevin O'Dea: to destruction, he has not split the sky because there is a dying world out 446 00:28:25,555 --> 00:28:28,615 Kevin O'Dea: there that needs to know the truth of Jesus 447 00:28:28,729 --> 00:28:32,115 Kevin O'Dea: Ghost. And as we discovered a few weeks 448 00:28:32,115 --> 00:28:35,500 Kevin O'Dea: ago, God's chosen instrument is people. 449 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:40,440 Kevin O'Dea: He wants to use you to convey His love to 450 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:44,284 Kevin O'Dea: a dying world. And so I think 451 00:28:44,284 --> 00:28:48,044 Kevin O'Dea: of people in scripture Jesus going up and seeing 452 00:28:48,044 --> 00:28:51,750 Kevin O'Dea: Zacchaeus in the tree, Zacchaeus who stole 453 00:28:51,750 --> 00:28:54,970 Kevin O'Dea: money who probably had lots of insecurities 454 00:28:55,350 --> 00:28:58,730 Kevin O'Dea: inside him and Jesus says I've got to come to your house today. 455 00:28:59,765 --> 00:29:03,524 Kevin O'Dea: I think of Mary Magdalene who appeared at dinner when 456 00:29:03,524 --> 00:29:07,270 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus is reclining at the table and pours out expensive perfume 457 00:29:07,270 --> 00:29:11,050 Kevin O'Dea: all over Jesus's feet because Jesus was compassionate 458 00:29:11,270 --> 00:29:14,935 Kevin O'Dea: and allowed her to have a story that was 459 00:29:14,935 --> 00:29:18,295 Kevin O'Dea: of brokenness and he was offering the opportunity for 460 00:29:18,295 --> 00:29:22,135 Kevin O'Dea: healing. Nobody at the table understood that, you know what they saw? You're spending 461 00:29:22,135 --> 00:29:22,620 Kevin O'Dea: and 462 00:29:26,940 --> 00:29:30,080 Kevin O'Dea: I think of the woman who was caught in the middle of adultery. 463 00:29:31,245 --> 00:29:34,925 Kevin O'Dea: Everybody with a stone, not one person taking a moment to 464 00:29:34,925 --> 00:29:38,765 Kevin O'Dea: find out what the circumstances or what the story behind it, all we 465 00:29:38,765 --> 00:29:42,530 Kevin O'Dea: see is the sin and we're ready to cast the stone. Is that 466 00:29:42,530 --> 00:29:45,350 Kevin O'Dea: how we're living our lives, church, today? 467 00:29:46,130 --> 00:29:49,915 Kevin O'Dea: Because it's not how Jesus rolled. It's not how 468 00:29:49,915 --> 00:29:53,755 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus operated when he found other people going through 469 00:29:53,755 --> 00:29:57,435 Kevin O'Dea: things. Jesus always made time and made room 470 00:29:57,435 --> 00:30:00,560 Kevin O'Dea: and made space to just be. 471 00:30:01,500 --> 00:30:04,940 Kevin O'Dea: So what I want you to understand today is when we cross 472 00:30:04,940 --> 00:30:08,665 Kevin O'Dea: people who are mixed up in all sorts of mess, I want you 473 00:30:08,665 --> 00:30:12,445 Kevin O'Dea: to understand that you have a story, a journey too. 474 00:30:13,465 --> 00:30:17,030 Kevin O'Dea: You have a journey as well. And everybody is 475 00:30:17,030 --> 00:30:20,550 Kevin O'Dea: walking this journey out empathy is the 476 00:30:20,550 --> 00:30:24,150 Kevin O'Dea: ability to understand and be sensitive to the 477 00:30:24,150 --> 00:30:26,294 Kevin O'Dea: experiences of somebody 478 00:30:27,595 --> 00:30:31,254 Kevin O'Dea: else. Now you might not know the details 479 00:30:31,315 --> 00:30:35,130 Kevin O'Dea: of somebody else's story, but you know that they've got a 480 00:30:35,130 --> 00:30:38,650 Kevin O'Dea: story and you can empathize that everyone has a 481 00:30:38,650 --> 00:30:42,010 Kevin O'Dea: story. Everyone is a sinner and everyone needs a 482 00:30:42,010 --> 00:30:45,315 Kevin O'Dea: savior Just like you needed a savior. 483 00:30:46,735 --> 00:30:50,515 Kevin O'Dea: In my life guys. My life was not radically 484 00:30:50,575 --> 00:30:54,130 Kevin O'Dea: changed because I was messing up on the side of the road. I was 485 00:30:54,130 --> 00:30:57,410 Kevin O'Dea: doing XY and Z and somebody just put a big flashlight on my life and 486 00:30:57,410 --> 00:31:00,995 Kevin O'Dea: had a stone ready to say you're messing up. You need to get your life 487 00:31:00,995 --> 00:31:03,735 Kevin O'Dea: together. Look what's going on. 488 00:31:05,395 --> 00:31:08,135 Kevin O'Dea: Pay attention Kevin wake up. You need to get it together. 489 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:14,580 Kevin O'Dea: Love changed my life. Love 490 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,795 Kevin O'Dea: changed my life and 491 00:31:18,795 --> 00:31:22,555 Kevin O'Dea: for some reason guys we tend to get in this 492 00:31:22,555 --> 00:31:26,095 Kevin O'Dea: thing that we we see God's amazing 493 00:31:26,235 --> 00:31:29,890 Kevin O'Dea: grace in His love The word talks about His banner 494 00:31:29,890 --> 00:31:33,510 Kevin O'Dea: over me His love right? And so, we see this amazing 495 00:31:33,650 --> 00:31:35,750 Kevin O'Dea: love that He has placed in our life. 496 00:31:38,775 --> 00:31:41,915 Kevin O'Dea: Upon salvation. And we get under here 497 00:31:42,455 --> 00:31:46,179 Kevin O'Dea: and we realize how really good it is. And we 498 00:31:46,179 --> 00:31:49,860 Kevin O'Dea: initially really realize it because when you're out in the 499 00:31:49,860 --> 00:31:53,620 Kevin O'Dea: world, and some of you have these types of testimonies and stories, when you're 500 00:31:53,620 --> 00:31:57,465 Kevin O'Dea: out in the world and you recognize what 501 00:31:57,465 --> 00:32:01,305 Kevin O'Dea: God has saved you from and you recognize all 502 00:32:01,305 --> 00:32:04,800 Kevin O'Dea: of the pain and depression and defeat and all of the the destruction you're added 503 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,400 Kevin O'Dea: toward and you realize now that you have life, when we get 504 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:12,240 Kevin O'Dea: over here it is eye opening, it is Marshall up there 505 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:15,605 Kevin O'Dea: saying my life is made new. My life is made 506 00:32:15,605 --> 00:32:18,965 Kevin O'Dea: new. And you revel and you are 507 00:32:18,965 --> 00:32:22,720 Kevin O'Dea: so excited to be under the banner of his 508 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:26,080 Kevin O'Dea: love because he has changed your life from the 509 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:29,840 Kevin O'Dea: inside out. Justin come on up here, James 510 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:31,620 Kevin O'Dea: come up here, John come up here, please. 511 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:41,910 Kevin O'Dea: Like one of you just sit on the bench and the other 2 just kind 512 00:32:41,910 --> 00:32:42,900 Kevin O'Dea: of hang out. 513 00:32:53,255 --> 00:32:55,115 Kevin O'Dea: So what happens here is we get 514 00:32:57,509 --> 00:33:01,210 Kevin O'Dea: these guys are mixed up in sin. Doesn't it look like it? 515 00:33:04,385 --> 00:33:08,225 Kevin O'Dea: These guys are mixed up in sin and they're rolling together and 516 00:33:08,225 --> 00:33:11,665 Kevin O'Dea: they're and they're every type of every type 517 00:33:11,665 --> 00:33:15,330 Kevin O'Dea: of you fill in the blank because you can think of a million whatever 518 00:33:15,330 --> 00:33:19,010 Kevin O'Dea: this whatever your sin of church is Baskin Robbins here 31 519 00:33:19,010 --> 00:33:21,990 Kevin O'Dea: flavors choose 1. They're mixed up in this, okay? 520 00:33:23,265 --> 00:33:26,065 Kevin O'Dea: But the pray, but the thing I want you to understand is while they're mixed 521 00:33:26,065 --> 00:33:29,745 Kevin O'Dea: up in this sin, John has his own story. He pray 522 00:33:29,745 --> 00:33:33,520 Kevin O'Dea: end up ended up in the same place, but he has his own story. Justin 523 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:36,900 Kevin O'Dea: may have ended up in the same place, but he has his own story. 524 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:41,140 Kevin O'Dea: James may end up in the same place, but they all have their own 525 00:33:41,544 --> 00:33:45,085 Kevin O'Dea: story that the Lord wants to redeem. 526 00:33:45,385 --> 00:33:49,225 Kevin O'Dea: It's interesting how sin will bring us to the similar place, the 527 00:33:49,225 --> 00:33:51,210 Kevin O'Dea: similar hole of destruction, won't it? 528 00:33:53,450 --> 00:33:57,049 Kevin O'Dea: And so all of a sudden all of a sudden let's say 529 00:33:57,049 --> 00:34:00,865 Kevin O'Dea: John, he goes to some revival, right? And John all 530 00:34:00,865 --> 00:34:04,545 Kevin O'Dea: of a sudden is introduced to Jesus and everything has changed in his 531 00:34:04,545 --> 00:34:08,085 Kevin O'Dea: life. He is now living under the banner of God's 532 00:34:08,449 --> 00:34:11,889 Kevin O'Dea: love. The word tells us in the book of Psalms that the boundary lines of 533 00:34:11,889 --> 00:34:15,705 Kevin O'Dea: my life have fallen in pleasant pray, and now for John, it has 534 00:34:15,705 --> 00:34:19,465 Kevin O'Dea: fallen for him in pleasant places. He is so 535 00:34:19,465 --> 00:34:23,145 Kevin O'Dea: excited about this new life, this abundant life that he has that 536 00:34:23,145 --> 00:34:26,989 Kevin O'Dea: is so far in contrast to the life he was living over 537 00:34:26,989 --> 00:34:30,690 Kevin O'Dea: here. So John gets, John gets saved, 538 00:34:31,335 --> 00:34:34,555 Kevin O'Dea: John is over here under the banner of God's love, 539 00:34:35,015 --> 00:34:38,695 Kevin O'Dea: and he is now confronted with the people that are 540 00:34:38,695 --> 00:34:41,960 Kevin O'Dea: living Ghost lifestyle that that he used to live. 541 00:34:42,340 --> 00:34:46,020 Kevin O'Dea: Now what so many of us do is we grab such a 542 00:34:46,020 --> 00:34:49,855 Kevin O'Dea: hold of God's love here and we stay right here and we look 543 00:34:49,855 --> 00:34:53,535 Kevin O'Dea: and we shout and we say, get your life 544 00:34:53,535 --> 00:34:56,594 Kevin O'Dea: together, fix your problems. 545 00:34:57,710 --> 00:35:01,550 Kevin O'Dea: Good job, buddy. Yeah, you don't have to yell. It's fine. 546 00:35:01,550 --> 00:35:05,205 Kevin O'Dea: Yeah. And we 547 00:35:05,205 --> 00:35:07,945 Kevin O'Dea: and we put we put everything at arm's length 548 00:35:08,885 --> 00:35:12,085 Kevin O'Dea: because we're not going to abandon this. It's like no. This is this is banner 549 00:35:12,085 --> 00:35:15,880 Kevin O'Dea: of God's love. I'm here. I am stable, I'm secure, I don't 550 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:18,280 Kevin O'Dea: want anything to do, I don't want anything It's good that you don't want anything 551 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:21,875 Kevin O'Dea: to do with that. But the problem is, John, is not only are you 552 00:35:22,035 --> 00:35:25,715 Kevin O'Dea: responsible for the Lord moving in your life and changing your life, but He 553 00:35:25,715 --> 00:35:29,495 Kevin O'Dea: has commissioned you to go out into the world 554 00:35:29,750 --> 00:35:33,430 Kevin O'Dea: and spread His love and His gospel. You see, it continues to give, it's not 555 00:35:33,430 --> 00:35:36,470 Kevin O'Dea: a selfish love, it is a selfless love that you have to give because now 556 00:35:36,470 --> 00:35:40,185 Kevin O'Dea: you have, you've been over overcome by the blood of the lamb and the 557 00:35:40,185 --> 00:35:43,645 Kevin O'Dea: word of your testimony. And so if you're staying here, 558 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:48,680 Kevin O'Dea: they're over there dying. And you know they're dying because you 559 00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:52,520 Kevin O'Dea: used to be dying with them. I have no idea, I've got 560 00:35:52,520 --> 00:35:56,265 Kevin O'Dea: my sin stuff is over here. I've got my own stuff. So I've got a 561 00:35:56,265 --> 00:35:59,945 Kevin O'Dea: group of people I'm ministering to over here because I can relay. I 562 00:35:59,945 --> 00:36:03,700 Kevin O'Dea: can empathize with the story that's happening over here, but 563 00:36:03,700 --> 00:36:07,460 Kevin O'Dea: you can empathize with their story because you walk those paths. It 564 00:36:07,460 --> 00:36:10,020 Kevin O'Dea: will be so interesting because when you open your eyes, the Lord will, all of 565 00:36:10,020 --> 00:36:13,605 Kevin O'Dea: a sudden, all the people that you're walking with inside, they're just right there. 566 00:36:13,744 --> 00:36:16,945 Kevin O'Dea: All the access to all the stuff that you used to be apart, right there, 567 00:36:16,945 --> 00:36:19,470 Kevin O'Dea: so easy for you to grab. Why do you think that is? It's because the 568 00:36:19,524 --> 00:36:23,150 Kevin O'Dea: Holy Spirit wants to use you as an agent of his grace. And 569 00:36:23,150 --> 00:36:26,735 Kevin O'Dea: so what we do, well, now we have 2 choices. You can step out of 570 00:36:26,735 --> 00:36:30,255 Kevin O'Dea: the banner of love and pray, well, that was good for a minute and you 571 00:36:30,255 --> 00:36:33,050 Kevin O'Dea: can sit right back down and Welcome home. 572 00:36:35,050 --> 00:36:38,830 Kevin O'Dea: Dive right back into that lifestyle and guys a lot of people do that. 573 00:36:39,930 --> 00:36:43,724 Kevin O'Dea: A lot of people do that they get sidetracked and they get right back into 574 00:36:43,724 --> 00:36:47,405 Kevin O'Dea: their lifestyle or come back over here. You can 575 00:36:47,405 --> 00:36:50,464 Kevin O'Dea: understand that God has given you the ability 576 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:54,900 Kevin O'Dea: to be covered under his love 577 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,340 Kevin O'Dea: and you go and you sit. 578 00:36:59,965 --> 00:37:03,665 Kevin O'Dea: Now, there's a difference here body. There's a difference here. 579 00:37:05,245 --> 00:37:08,450 Kevin O'Dea: You're covered and you're hanging out here 580 00:37:09,550 --> 00:37:13,230 Kevin O'Dea: and Justin has a story and your job 581 00:37:13,230 --> 00:37:16,945 Kevin O'Dea: isn't to beat him to death with all of 582 00:37:16,945 --> 00:37:20,785 Kevin O'Dea: your new life and all your new living and all this stuff. Our job is 583 00:37:20,785 --> 00:37:24,625 Kevin O'Dea: to sit down and empathize with Justin. Now here's the 584 00:37:24,625 --> 00:37:27,250 Kevin O'Dea: here's the thing, Justin was your best friend. 585 00:37:28,510 --> 00:37:32,130 Kevin O'Dea: And so Justin's not very happy that you're coming back around with this. 586 00:37:32,815 --> 00:37:34,835 Kevin O'Dea: And so he pushes you off the bench 587 00:37:36,735 --> 00:37:40,435 Kevin O'Dea: and he hurts you. Ghost what your response is? 588 00:37:40,655 --> 00:37:44,160 Kevin O'Dea: Go right back to the bench and sit down. Justin 589 00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:47,680 Kevin O'Dea: talks bad about you, says all types of hurtful things about you, 590 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:51,515 Kevin O'Dea: spends your business that you told him that he wasn't supposed to know, pushes you 591 00:37:51,515 --> 00:37:55,194 Kevin O'Dea: off the bench and scars you again. Guess why that 592 00:37:55,194 --> 00:37:58,635 Kevin O'Dea: doesn't bother you? Because the Lord is taking care of all of your wounds and 593 00:37:58,635 --> 00:38:01,260 Kevin O'Dea: all of the things and all of that pride that was in there is all 594 00:38:01,260 --> 00:38:05,020 Kevin O'Dea: going down and he's redeeming all of that. So Ghost what you're limping and you're 595 00:38:05,020 --> 00:38:07,600 Kevin O'Dea: scarred up and guess what you come right back here and you sit down. 596 00:38:09,795 --> 00:38:13,635 Kevin O'Dea: Once more Justin isn't taking it so he just knocks you out just completely 597 00:38:13,635 --> 00:38:15,335 Kevin O'Dea: knocks you out right? 598 00:38:17,780 --> 00:38:20,920 Kevin O'Dea: And John, you continue to get up, but it's not in your own strength, 599 00:38:21,780 --> 00:38:25,140 Kevin O'Dea: because greater is He who is in you than He is in the world, and 600 00:38:25,140 --> 00:38:28,405 Kevin O'Dea: God has given you a supernatural a supernatural strength by the Holy Spirit 601 00:38:28,785 --> 00:38:32,325 Kevin O'Dea: to get up and keep coming back. And eventually, 602 00:38:33,025 --> 00:38:36,874 Kevin O'Dea: Justin doesn't coming back? And eventually, Justin doesn't have any more 603 00:38:36,874 --> 00:38:39,849 Kevin O'Dea: in him to dish out to you where he eventually begins to break and concede 604 00:38:40,230 --> 00:38:43,915 Kevin O'Dea: and the concession, the reason he's conceding is why would 605 00:38:43,915 --> 00:38:47,675 Kevin O'Dea: you be so kind to keep coming back 606 00:38:47,675 --> 00:38:51,369 Kevin O'Dea: and enduring the abuse I'm giving you after 607 00:38:51,369 --> 00:38:55,070 Kevin O'Dea: years Listen to me, people, sometimes 608 00:38:55,210 --> 00:38:58,725 Kevin O'Dea: you have to walk with people for years while they're 609 00:38:58,725 --> 00:39:02,165 Kevin O'Dea: walking through their sin and their mess and their muck and their 610 00:39:02,165 --> 00:39:05,690 Kevin O'Dea: mire, you keep showing up, you keep 611 00:39:05,849 --> 00:39:08,910 Kevin O'Dea: sitting down because it's a part of their story. 612 00:39:10,170 --> 00:39:13,690 Kevin O'Dea: And so, the Holy Spirit starts to get involved here and 613 00:39:13,690 --> 00:39:17,265 Kevin O'Dea: Justin starts to pray because you did not give up on him, 614 00:39:17,265 --> 00:39:21,105 Kevin O'Dea: and all of a sudden, you are the agent that he uses to hand a 615 00:39:21,105 --> 00:39:24,799 Kevin O'Dea: gift of salvation over to Justin. All of a sudden, Justin now has the gift 616 00:39:24,799 --> 00:39:27,540 Kevin O'Dea: of salvation and he too is now covered. 617 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:31,780 Kevin O'Dea: And now you can walk to the banner of His love 618 00:39:32,845 --> 00:39:36,305 Kevin O'Dea: together and you can be healed. 619 00:39:38,204 --> 00:39:39,905 Kevin O'Dea: Now James is going to hell. 620 00:39:42,140 --> 00:39:43,519 Kevin O'Dea: I'm kidding, I'm kidding. 621 00:39:47,180 --> 00:39:50,775 Kevin O'Dea: But look at this power. Now you got 2 brothers in the 622 00:39:50,775 --> 00:39:54,535 Kevin O'Dea: same situation, been set free, and this guy's over 623 00:39:54,535 --> 00:39:57,829 Kevin O'Dea: here, and he's been the big thug of them all, he's actually started the whole 624 00:39:57,890 --> 00:40:01,569 Kevin O'Dea: mess over here. He's got the big guns. And guys, you come over and sit 625 00:40:01,569 --> 00:40:04,849 Kevin O'Dea: down, James, you come over and you start to get around him. And guys, it 626 00:40:04,849 --> 00:40:08,535 Kevin O'Dea: might take years, it might take but my experience 627 00:40:08,535 --> 00:40:12,315 Kevin O'Dea: has been that the Holy Spirit's contagious, Jesus is contagious, 628 00:40:12,535 --> 00:40:15,470 Kevin O'Dea: and so you start getting enough of the people, the Lord starts moving in our 629 00:40:15,470 --> 00:40:18,910 Kevin O'Dea: life, all of a sudden exponentially things start to change around that group 630 00:40:18,910 --> 00:40:22,609 Kevin O'Dea: because nobody, whether they're in sin or not, wants to be isolated 631 00:40:23,615 --> 00:40:27,375 Kevin O'Dea: and alone. It will drive you to the pit of sin, but 632 00:40:27,375 --> 00:40:30,975 Kevin O'Dea: when you see that there is a gift of salvation out there that there is 633 00:40:30,975 --> 00:40:34,800 Kevin O'Dea: something better that is attractive. You'll jump on board and then they begin to 634 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:38,640 Kevin O'Dea: offer Him and they bring Him over here also into the 635 00:40:38,640 --> 00:40:42,180 Kevin O'Dea: banner of of His love and so, and then there's freedom, 636 00:40:42,405 --> 00:40:46,005 Kevin O'Dea: There's freedom, right? Thank you guys so 637 00:40:46,005 --> 00:40:46,505 Kevin O'Dea: much. 638 00:40:52,540 --> 00:40:54,400 Kevin O'Dea: They're not leaving without their covering. 639 00:41:01,154 --> 00:41:04,835 Kevin O'Dea: Jesus said that when the owner of the 640 00:41:04,835 --> 00:41:08,260 Kevin O'Dea: sheep found the lost one. He 641 00:41:08,260 --> 00:41:11,940 Kevin O'Dea: didn't yell at the sheep. He didn't kick the sheep. He didn't 642 00:41:11,940 --> 00:41:15,480 Kevin O'Dea: slaughter the sheep because you messed up. He joyfully 643 00:41:15,780 --> 00:41:19,525 Kevin O'Dea: picked it up on its shoulders. Let me let me let me He 644 00:41:19,525 --> 00:41:23,365 Kevin O'Dea: picked it up and put it on his shoulders because he says, you don't have 645 00:41:23,365 --> 00:41:26,970 Kevin O'Dea: the strength to come home alone. You need my strength 646 00:41:27,350 --> 00:41:31,110 Kevin O'Dea: in order to make it home. And after carrying the 647 00:41:31,110 --> 00:41:34,765 Kevin O'Dea: burden for the sheep, the first thing out of the 648 00:41:34,765 --> 00:41:38,224 Kevin O'Dea: mouth when the sheep comes back into the fold isn't, 649 00:41:38,605 --> 00:41:42,319 Kevin O'Dea: let me tell you what this sheep did. Let me tell you what 650 00:41:42,319 --> 00:41:46,000 Kevin O'Dea: this sheep got into. Let me just expose everything that's 651 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:49,839 Kevin O'Dea: been going on. No. He says, rejoice with me I have 652 00:41:49,839 --> 00:41:53,635 Kevin O'Dea: found my lost sheep. Rejoice with 653 00:41:53,635 --> 00:41:57,315 Kevin O'Dea: me because that which was lost has 654 00:41:57,315 --> 00:42:00,700 Kevin O'Dea: now been found, Has now 655 00:42:01,720 --> 00:42:05,320 Kevin O'Dea: been found. Guys, we learn, Kol, come on, we learn over in 656 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:08,675 Kevin O'Dea: Romans 2 this, God's kindness is 657 00:42:08,675 --> 00:42:11,415 Kevin O'Dea: intended to lead us to repentance. 658 00:42:12,595 --> 00:42:16,435 Kevin O'Dea: It is his kindness that's intended to lead 659 00:42:16,435 --> 00:42:19,450 Kevin O'Dea: us to repentance, notice there, it's God's 660 00:42:19,829 --> 00:42:23,670 Kevin O'Dea: kindness. If Jesus was being kind to all of 661 00:42:23,670 --> 00:42:26,329 Kevin O'Dea: these people in order to get them to a place of repentance, 662 00:42:27,525 --> 00:42:31,065 Kevin O'Dea: what type of tools do we think we're using on the people that we see 663 00:42:31,205 --> 00:42:32,185 Kevin O'Dea: who have gone astray? 664 00:42:36,690 --> 00:42:40,150 Kevin O'Dea: We have to exercise the power of empathy, 665 00:42:40,530 --> 00:42:44,205 Kevin O'Dea: understanding that we are not the one doing the 666 00:42:44,205 --> 00:42:47,965 Kevin O'Dea: transformation or the work, it is Christ Jesus himself. He 667 00:42:47,965 --> 00:42:51,565 Kevin O'Dea: is the one who changes lives. He uses us as 668 00:42:51,565 --> 00:42:55,320 Kevin O'Dea: willing vessels to go out into the world and, guess what, be 669 00:42:55,320 --> 00:42:59,160 Kevin O'Dea: under the blood of the lamb and the word of our 670 00:42:59,160 --> 00:43:02,934 Kevin O'Dea: testimony, our story. Marshall, you had a story. 671 00:43:03,154 --> 00:43:06,755 Kevin O'Dea: God is going to use that story to advance the kingdom. There are people who 672 00:43:06,755 --> 00:43:10,080 Kevin O'Dea: have been down the dark roads that you've gone in, people you've hung out with, 673 00:43:10,160 --> 00:43:13,920 Kevin O'Dea: people you've rubbed the elbows with, people you've probably drank with, buddy, people that you 674 00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:16,640 Kevin O'Dea: just sat with in a pit and guess what? They're looking at you like, let 675 00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:20,464 Kevin O'Dea: me see if this is really real. But guess what? Love 676 00:43:20,464 --> 00:43:23,905 Kevin O'Dea: is exuding out of your life right now, joy is exuding out of your life, 677 00:43:23,905 --> 00:43:26,785 Kevin O'Dea: the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the spirit is exuding out of your 678 00:43:26,785 --> 00:43:30,370 Kevin O'Dea: life and it is attractive, and it is attractive, and so you 679 00:43:30,370 --> 00:43:33,570 Kevin O'Dea: keep getting back there. You go to that bench every single time. You just sit 680 00:43:33,570 --> 00:43:36,850 Kevin O'Dea: there. Let them push you off. Let them talk bad about you guys. That's called 681 00:43:36,850 --> 00:43:40,555 Kevin O'Dea: suffering for Christ, just so you know. When people push 682 00:43:40,555 --> 00:43:44,395 Kevin O'Dea: back, when people say, our lives are not supposed to necessarily just be cushy lives 683 00:43:44,395 --> 00:43:48,140 Kevin O'Dea: where we're just all about how we can build wealth for ourselves. We are supposed 684 00:43:48,140 --> 00:43:51,980 Kevin O'Dea: to be used as vessels to to minister and show 685 00:43:51,980 --> 00:43:55,505 Kevin O'Dea: Christ to a dying world. That's why we're here. That's why this message is 686 00:43:55,505 --> 00:43:59,204 Kevin O'Dea: so stinking important. Jesus, 687 00:43:59,345 --> 00:44:03,000 Kevin O'Dea: he came to see the unseen. He came 688 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:06,760 Kevin O'Dea: to see the broken and I don't know where you are today because I believe 689 00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:10,120 Kevin O'Dea: there's probably some people in here on their journey and you are 690 00:44:10,120 --> 00:44:13,525 Kevin O'Dea: confused. You have questions that have gone unanswered. 691 00:44:14,625 --> 00:44:18,325 Kevin O'Dea: You have prayed and prayed and prayed and it seems like God is distant. 692 00:44:19,770 --> 00:44:23,450 Kevin O'Dea: And in all of those pray, in all of those things you keep coming back 693 00:44:23,450 --> 00:44:26,805 Kevin O'Dea: and you don't necessarily know why you're coming back, but the reason you're coming back 694 00:44:26,805 --> 00:44:30,585 Kevin O'Dea: is because he has always rendered kindness. He has always 695 00:44:30,645 --> 00:44:32,744 Kevin O'Dea: been kind in all of those situations. 696 00:44:34,630 --> 00:44:37,369 Kevin O'Dea: So I ask Cole to do this song. 697 00:44:40,390 --> 00:44:44,035 Kevin O'Dea: So that we can recollect and remember 698 00:44:44,035 --> 00:44:45,895 Kevin O'Dea: that we too have a story 699 00:44:47,635 --> 00:44:51,410 Kevin O'Dea: and God is a significant part of our story in 700 00:44:51,410 --> 00:44:53,750 Kevin O'Dea: how he responded to us. Go God ahead. 701 00:44:59,865 --> 00:45:03,405 Kevin O'Dea: All he's ever been is kind. 702 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:10,860 Kevin O'Dea: Cross culturally, across all experiences, 703 00:45:11,880 --> 00:45:15,515 Kevin O'Dea: circumstances, and stories, God renders kindness. 704 00:45:17,575 --> 00:45:20,935 Kevin O'Dea: What's the goal? So that we would turn away from 705 00:45:20,935 --> 00:45:23,800 Kevin O'Dea: the destruction of this world and 706 00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:28,460 Kevin O'Dea: receive an abundant love that we can't even comprehend. 707 00:45:30,680 --> 00:45:34,385 Kevin O'Dea: You have a story. And that story doesn't 708 00:45:34,385 --> 00:45:38,145 Kevin O'Dea: just belong to you. God comes in, redeems 709 00:45:38,145 --> 00:45:40,885 Kevin O'Dea: your story, and He uses it for a dying world. 710 00:45:42,210 --> 00:45:45,570 Kevin O'Dea: So I don't know if you've gone astray or that you know somebody who's gone 711 00:45:45,570 --> 00:45:49,250 Kevin O'Dea: astray or maybe you're working with people that have no 712 00:45:49,250 --> 00:45:52,735 Kevin O'Dea: clue. But I encourage you, 713 00:45:53,675 --> 00:45:55,615 Kevin O'Dea: keep sitting back down at the bench. 714 00:45:57,195 --> 00:46:00,839 Kevin O'Dea: Keep going back to the mat. You're not supposed to do that with 715 00:46:00,839 --> 00:46:04,440 Kevin O'Dea: everyone. Who's the Lord put in your 716 00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:08,220 Kevin O'Dea: path? I don't know who He's put in my path. Ask Him. 717 00:46:09,000 --> 00:46:12,825 Kevin O'Dea: Ask the Lord, Lord, who have you put in my path? And 718 00:46:12,825 --> 00:46:16,425 Kevin O'Dea: to begin to exercise that phileo love we 719 00:46:16,425 --> 00:46:20,160 Kevin O'Dea: talked about. This joy, unexplainable. 720 00:46:21,740 --> 00:46:25,340 Kevin O'Dea: And lastly, I would pray, if you have a friend, you know, 721 00:46:25,340 --> 00:46:28,855 Kevin O'Dea: we tend to be we tend to be 722 00:46:28,855 --> 00:46:32,615 Kevin O'Dea: harsh to the people we're closest with because 723 00:46:32,615 --> 00:46:35,040 Kevin O'Dea: we expect them to give us a margin of grace. 724 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:40,260 Kevin O'Dea: But if you have a friend in your life who is Thileo, 725 00:46:40,880 --> 00:46:41,860 Kevin O'Dea: some of you do, 726 00:46:45,055 --> 00:46:48,895 Kevin O'Dea: Thank the Lord. Express to them what it means to 727 00:46:48,895 --> 00:46:52,670 Kevin O'Dea: you. Allow that to continue to be. And if you don't have that 728 00:46:52,670 --> 00:46:56,430 Kevin O'Dea: type of friend, if you don't have that type of friend, start being that 729 00:46:56,430 --> 00:47:00,130 Kevin O'Dea: type of friend to someone and watch the Lord 730 00:47:00,130 --> 00:47:03,835 Kevin O'Dea: do exponential things with it. Would you stand 731 00:47:03,835 --> 00:47:05,855 Kevin O'Dea: with me? I am going to give you a blessing this morning. 732 00:47:13,820 --> 00:47:16,960 Kevin O'Dea: May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 733 00:47:17,580 --> 00:47:20,404 Kevin O'Dea: the one who breathes stars and spins the planets. 734 00:47:21,585 --> 00:47:25,045 Kevin O'Dea: May this very big, huge, sovereign, 735 00:47:25,184 --> 00:47:28,990 Kevin O'Dea: almighty God remind us of the 736 00:47:28,990 --> 00:47:32,750 Kevin O'Dea: moment when he sat right next to us in our mess and pulled 737 00:47:32,750 --> 00:47:36,465 Kevin O'Dea: us out of the muck and mire and set people in 738 00:47:36,465 --> 00:47:40,065 Kevin O'Dea: our path that we can share his good loving grace 739 00:47:40,065 --> 00:47:43,900 Kevin O'Dea: with. Thank you for your kindness, Lord. Jesus name, 740 00:47:43,900 --> 00:47:46,000 Kevin O'Dea: amen. Be blessed Spirit House.