The Practice of Service | November 3, 2024

We brought nothing

into this world and we

will take nothing out.

Just this right here.

Well, not even

this flesh gets

to go right.

Just this heart.

And man, what a

gift that we have

to give to the Lord.

Hit praise and

adoration and love.

It's pretty

awesome stuff.

Well, we've been

talking about the

Jesus Way, right?

Practicing the ways of

Jesus as an apprentice

of Jesus the Savior.

Now, last week we

had a really neat

time talking about

generosity and a

couple of ladies

shared from their

trip to the hurricane

relief, and then I

had a chance to preach

for about 15 minutes.

Eric, Derek,

come on up here.

Blake.

Blake.

Hey Chris.

Go grab Derrick Blake,

would you come on

up here, man, come.

No, come up here.

I need you.

Grace.

Grace, I need

your help.

Come here.

I just, I wanna,

I wanna honor the

people who serve.

Because if you stay

with me, this is

a segue, serve.

Don't lose sight

of that word.

There's a lot of

people who work

hard and serve as

part of White Rock,

uh, all week long

doing lots of stuff.

And especially

on a Sunday.

There's lots of

moving parts.

And these guys up

here, people on the

worship team and the

sound booth next door,

huge crew working with

the kids, greeters,

all kinds of stuff.

Coffee bar stuff

people are serving

all the time.

Youth ministry

during the week and

children's ministry

stuff all over.

Like great,

great stuff.

So there's a lot

of people who serve

really hard and their

hearts for service

are beautiful.

And so try to listen

real intently.

Last Sunday, I had

about 15 minutes after

the ladies were done

to share with you

generosity, right?

And I was excited

because this beautiful

picture of the hand

posture, which is

really the heart

posture of generosity,

is this open

handedness, right?

That everything I

have is the Lord's

whatever he wants,

whatever he chooses.

My hands are open.

They're not balled

up in a fist

holding my stuff

towards God, but.

Man, my, my hands

are open, ready to

receive what he wants,

but to take anything

that's his 'cause.

It's all his, right,

everything I have

and I was excited to

unpack, you know, I

only got 15 minutes,

but that's okay.

I knew that the Lord

would use it, but as

soon as the ladies

went down the stairs,

my good friend Derrick

Blake in the back

by the door, right

where Daniel is.

Daniel, I'm gonna

have to have you

help a minute.

Okay.

You watching Derek

started doing this.

Okay.

Right, right.

To which I thought

maybe this is my

friend Derek harassing

me because what

does this mean?

Hurry up.

Thank you.

Yes.

So, uh, uh, uh,

just, just a second.

Keep it rolling.

No hurry up.

Right?

So couple minutes

went by and Derek's

looking through the

window and then he

steps out the entryway

and then he comes

back and again, does.

Right.

So I start

talking faster.

Well, by the

seventh time

you're walking by.

Yeah.

Yeah.

It's a gift, right?

It is a gift.

Should have been this

Sunday, because we're

all gonna be hungry

an hour earlier.

Right.

But by the seventh

time, I was pretty

certain that we had

an ambulance out

there and somebody

in real trouble

and a real problem.

And I better wrap

this crazy sermon

up and go, right.

So I get done, I

start to walk to

the back, and I look

down on my watch and

I have my phone and

it's 1124, right?

And 1130 is our

normal time.

I'm like, dude, I went

as fast as I could.

And Derek's first

words were What?

Oh, keep going.

You almost, you

almost made it, man.

You missed it because

what were you trying

to tell me to do?

Well keep it going.

Keep it rolling.

Stretch it out.

Yeah.

Stretch it out.

Yeah.

Stretch it out.

Yeah.

Keep going.

Stretch it out.

Keep going.

Stretch it out, right?

Keep going.

Yep.

So, just because I

want to give Eric

some props, because

these two guys, if

you know him, they,

they're, they're like.

Same brother,

different mother

kind of thing, right?

So walking across

the parking lot after

harassing Derek for

a few minutes, I see

Eric walk by and I

said, Eric, Eric,

what does this mean?

I mean, you want

to keep going.

You want that?

Yeah, that's

what he said.

Like, stretch it

out, keep it going.

I just want to

acknowledge as we

talk for a few minutes

today about the

practice of service so

many people who serve,

and we are gonna work

on our hand signals.

So we get this

squared away.

We'll have a little

laminated sheet

in the back, but

big round applause

for these guys.

We work hard.

Thank you fellas.

And uh, I'm just

looking forward to it.

About five

years, everybody.

Yeah.

Everybody's gonna be

doing this, right?

Like, yeah, yeah.

No, they're not.

No, no.

Almost stretch it out.

You guys do

this to me.

Jamie, you start

doing this.

I'm stretching it out.

I just want you

to know I learned.

I learned.

So if you got to lunch

early last week, thank

Derek because, uh, I

was really worried and

it, it all worked out.

It was beautiful.

Put your hands in

your pocket buddy.

Put your hands

in your pocket.

So service is actually

the pro the practice

that we're gonna talk

just a little bit

about this morning.

We've got some special

things we're gonna

do, but if we go

to Mark chapter 10,

Mark 10 · chapter mention

Jesus says that for

even the son of man

did not come to be

served, but to serve

and to give his life

as a ransom for many.

And so Jesus, the

master, showed

us his servants.

That service is

what it really means

to be a disciple

and a follower

and an apprentice.

If you go back to

August 25th, we talked

about these little

silver rings, ss, and

we are talking about

the big church picture

of Sunday worship

gathering and small

group discipleship

and serving.

And we went in depth

in a lot of ways

talking about what

it means to serve.

And specifically we

looked at the idea of

serving one another.

That was to to serve

the body of Christ,

the family of God,

and to not neglect.

The family of God in

our service and to

really make sure that

we engage in that.

So serving within

our faith community,

super important thing.

And this morning I

want to stretch this

thought a little bit

and kind of expand

our boundaries just

a little bit to look

more at service to

our whole community

as followers of

Jesus Christ.

'cause man, our

world needs the

love of Jesus.

And the biggest way we

get a chance to share

his love is in serving

others and loving our

neighbor as ourself.

So I'm gonna invite

Jackie Allen to sneak

up here and uh, I'll

take a back seat to

her for a few minutes

and we've been kind

of coordinating over

the last few weeks

when best to give you

this shot at some fun.

But Jackie and Abby

Savoy and Maria

Hunt all oversee

our really cool rock

solid families, family

advocacy ministry.

And so Jackie's gonna

share some exciting

things, some cool

things, and uh,

then I'm gonna wrap

up just a little

bit at the end.

Well, thank you guys.

I'm so excited to be

here this morning.

Um, so we wanted to

take a few minutes

this morning, um, to

kind of reintroduce

this ministry.

This is something that

has been in existence

for about four years

and I think it kind

of comes in waves

when we have a lot

of work and a lot of

ministry that we do.

And then we kind

of have some

downtime in between.

So, um, we kind of

wanted to start by

just reintroducing

what this ministry

is for those of

you who may not be

familiar with it.

Um, and yeah, we'll

talk about that.

Um, I know Maria

would've loved

to be here.

Mark, we're continuing

to pray for her

healing this week,

and I know Abby is not

complaining about not

being on the stage.

So I said I would

be happy to do this

myself this morning.

Yes.

So we're gonna

start out with

a short video.

We work in partnership

with a ministry called

Hands of Hope, which

is headquartered

in Noblesville,

which is awesome.

They work throughout

the state of Indiana.

Um, and so they

have put together

this video.

So let's start here.

Meet Abby.

She's a foster child

and like 400,000 other

children in the United

States just like her.

She stands in

line for a foster

care system that

struggles mightily

to provide children

with loving homes.

The cost of

that struggle

is staggering.

Did you know that

over 60% of American

children caught up in

sex trafficking come

out of foster care,

or that there are

several states where

over half the prison

inmates come from

the foster system,

or that the majority

of girls who age out

of foster care become

pregnant within two

years, perpetuating

the cycle of

generational poverty.

Abby needs more than

a roof over her head.

She needs a home.

She needs more

than this state.

She needs a father

and a mother.

She needs consistent

and sincere

love, nurturing,

accountability,

and hope.

Hands of hope exists

to defend the cause

of the fatherless

and encourage

the oppressed.

Based off the

biblical directive

in Isaiah one 17,

we are committed

to be the hands of

hope specifically

for foster care.

When we compare

the number of kids

in need of homes

with the number of

churches in America,

a simple arithmetic

becomes clear.

If each church could

raise up one foster

family, we would

be able to take all

children in the foster

system and place

them in the care

of a loving home.

Hands of hope

exists to encourage

and equip these

churches to raise

up loving families

and volunteers

committed to caring

for kids like Abby.

We will achieve

this in three ways.

First, we use church

awareness campaigns to

inspire new families

to express God's love

by giving homes to

children in need.

Second, we provide

an engineered care

community to surround

foster families

with love and

support, which keeps

approved families

fostering longer.

Third, and finally, we

provide many practical

opportunities in which

anyone can love and

serve these children.

Abby needs help.

Churches want to help.

Hands of hope helps

churches by giving

them clear direction

and concrete actions

to take hands of

hope, helps Abby

and many more like

her by raising up

families who want to

defend and encourage

by taking action.

The need is great.

The time is now.

Let us be the hands

of hope together.

All right, so I think

that video does a

really good job of

just kind of painting

the overall picture

of how desperate

this need is in

the United States.

Um, these are some

recent numbers

though, which are,

think are helpful.

So in August of 2024

in Hamilton County

specifically, there

were 158 children

who needed services

from DCS, which

is the Department

of Child Services.

And 44 of those

were needing home

out of home slash

non-relative

foster care.

Um, if we look in the

Bible, we see right

here in Mark nine

that Jesus was taking

the child in his arms

and he said to them.

Whoever welcomes

one of these little

children in my

name welcomes me.

And whoever welcomes

me does not welcome

me, but welcomes

the one who sent me.

And so we believe

that caring for

vulnerable families

is very important to

Jesus and should also

be important to us

here at White Rock.

Um, so like I

mentioned about four

years ago, we launched

a ministry that we,

uh, called Rock Solid

Families, and we

prayed about it and

decided that Matthew

7 24 to 25 would

kind of be the basis

for this ministry.

And so it says,

therefore, everyone

who hears these words

of mind and puts them

into practice is like

a wise man who built

his house on the rock.

The rain came down

and the streams rose,

and the winds blew

and beat against that

house, yet it did

not fall because it

had its foundation

on the rock.

Recently, we've been

talking a lot about

these practices

of Jesus, of being

an apprentice of

Jesus and caring

for families and

children in need is

an important part

of these practices.

So what can we do?

Um, we kind of have a

three-pronged ministry

that is, they already

kind of mentioned

in that video,

but let me mention

it to you again.

So one element is

church awareness

and education.

So yesterday for

example, we were

able to put on a,

um, training called

A Place to Belong.

Thank you to everyone

who came to that.

I know there were

people that did not,

were not able to

attend yesterday,

and it was, honestly,

it was super good.

I want even better

than I anticipated.

So we're hoping to

start doing that

at least a couple

times a year, maybe

even quarterly.

So keep an eye

out for that.

We're hoping to

do another one in

January or February.

Um, and that training

was specifically

regards to.

How can we be more,

like the term is

trauma informed, but

how can we be more

aware of how can

we help children,

especially who've

come from backgrounds

of trauma, um, and

treat them in a way

that is effective

to sharing the love

of Jesus with them.

I would say too,

Jackie, that the,

what, 16 or 18 people

that were there like

probably stole a

couple really good

parenting tips that

were just basic

principles that were

really well presented

in the material.

So even people who

weren't looking

at foster care or

specifically working

with trauma, uh,

walked away with a lot

of really good stuff.

So there's some really

big picture valuable

resources that were

offering in this

thing too, that Yeah,

I think we had just

that the trainings

that they do, I think

are so concrete that

they give really good,

just like practical

tools, not just like

big picture, but hear

how you can get down

on the floor, face to

face with a child and

interact with them in

a way that is really

helpful, whether

that child comes

from a foster system.

Or not, you know,

any child who walks

through our doors, we

wanna be showing them

the love of Jesus.

So you're saying

like, the next time

we offer one of these

people would be smart

just to check it out?

Hundred percent

for free.

Okay.

It is free.

Just wanna put a

little plug in there.

And we even had

coffee and donuts.

We'll probably

do that again.

So it's always

the draw.

All right, so then

the second pro prong

of our, kind of the

work that we do as

service projects.

So, um, we've done

different service

projects in the past.

We're hoping to

keep doing more, but

something that we

just did recently

and, um, this happened

on the day I took my

son to the hospital.

So I did not, wasn't

really in the right

state of mind to get

photos, unfortunately,

but every October is,

um, a month in which

we kind of put focus

toward appreciating

the staff who work

for the Department

of Child Services.

As you can imagine,

um, especially

licensed clinical

social workers like

Renee, um, do a

lot of very, uh.

Uh, difficult,

stressful work, um,

with taking children,

trying to remove them

from these places

of abuse and neglect

and bring them into

a place of safety.

Um, and it is

taxing on their

own mental status.

And so we try to

really just, um,

even just, we took

them lunch from

Michelangelo's,

the missions board

helped us fund that.

We wrote some cards

of appreciation for

them, um, just to

help them know that

they're not forgotten

and the work that they

do is appreciated,

um, by those of us

who are not doing

that work every day.

Mm-Hmm.

And then the last

big thing that we do

is care communities.

And so this is

probably something

that you guys have

been more familiar

with, but we're

gonna talk a little

bit more about

this this morning.

Um, and this is just

kind of a really

cool model where we

can come and do what

we call wraparound

care, specifically

for adoptive and

foster families.

Um, the people that

are, you know, on

the front lines of

actually welcoming

these children into

their homes, um, being

there through all

the ups and downs and

the court hearings.

Um, the therapy

appointments, meeting

with their, um, what

am I looking for?

Their parents and all

of those, yeah, their

birth parents and

all of those pieces.

So it's a big

responsibility.

It's a lot of work

for these families.

And so for those of

us who maybe, maybe

you're feeling like,

I don't have the time

or the ability, or

really the calling

to actually step

full time into foster

care, but I still

care about this.

What can I do?

Um, joining one of

these communities

to come around and

do some practical

work on this front

is something that

we have felt very

honored to do.

And so the biggest

point here is

that everyone

can do something.

So we've got a quick

video here that's

more specifically

says, why do care?

Communities matter.

We're gonna

watch that here.

The foster care

situation in the

United States is dire.

Over the past

20 years, at any

given moment, there

have been 400,000

or more children

in state custody

across the country.

Most states have a

significant shortage

of homes for the

children flooding

their child welfare

systems, systems that

are oftentimes broken

or functioning at

a strain capacity.

In some states,

children end up

sleeping at the

child welfare office

or in extended

stay hotels because

there aren't enough

available homes.

Now, each of

these children has

experienced trauma.

Simply the fact that

they've been removed

from their family and

everything they've

ever known and held

dear is traumatic.

Caring for children

from hard places

and working within a

sometimes frustrating

system makes fostering

and adopting an

isolating journey.

A journey.

Foster parents all

too often give up on

across the nation.

Only 50% of foster

families will continue

fostering after

their first year.

However, when foster

families are well

supported with an

equipped, organized,

and committed

care community,

more than 90% will

continue beyond

that first year.

Committing to serve in

a care community will

make an incredible

difference in the life

of a foster family.

We know well-supported

families foster

longer and stronger.

All right, so what

is a care community?

Basically, this is a

group that's a team

of individuals in

various roles who

support the needs of

family and children.

So you're gonna have

one person who acts

as a team leader,

that's kind of the

liaison to help with

the communication.

They send an email

every week they call

the foster family

or adoptive family,

and just talk with

them about what

are your needs?

How can we

pray for you?

How can we

support you?

You're gonna

have some family

helpers who provide

practical details.

This is a big piece

that a lot of people

feel like this is

something I can do.

Um, we pick one day

a week, so let's say

Tuesday for example,

and every Tuesday

somebody brings

that family a meal.

Um, and I know

that that has been

something that is

a small detail that

goes a really long

way for our families.

Um, we've also had

people help with

housework and yard

work, whether that's.

Us picking up

around the lawn

or doing laundry.

Um, I know when

Derek Blake was on a

team with us, um, he

offered to do help

with vehicle issues,

um, for that whole

year, for that family.

Um, we also try to

have a couple people

who are specifically

child mentors.

And so these are

people that are more

intentional about

spending time with

the children who

are involved here,

whether that's with

childcare or tutoring

that could just be

taking them out for

ice cream every now

and then and spending

time with them in

a specific way.

And then we also try,

if we're able to have

an interim caregiver,

somebody, um, maybe

that's an individual

or a couple who

might be willing to

even just provide an

evening or a night.

Um, if able may be

a longer stretch

of time where they

can actually give

some respite to that

family and take those

children off their

hands for a period

of time so that they

can actually get

some rest for their

mental health as well.

So this provides

prayer, encouragement,

meals, connections

with the kids, and

overall just tangible

support that, um, just

helps this family know

that they're not alone

with all of these,

the good, hard work

that they're doing.

So, real fast, I

wanted to show you

some quick pictures.

Most of you guys

are gonna recognize

the people in

these photos.

What has our impact

been here in the

last four years?

We've had the

privilege of

caring for four

separate families

in our church.

Uh, Nate, Amy and

Oliver Harshman.

Um.

Ollie was adopted

from China several

years ago and we

were, they were kind

of our test case.

Uh, he was already

with them when we

started this ministry.

Um, and Amy was going

through some hard

work having surgery

on her knee and they

needed the support.

And so we were

excited to kind

of start out this

ministry with them.

Uh, Joel Jewel,

Lily Matthew and

Silas Williamson.

Um, we were excited

to share this, um,

ministry with them and

provide some care for

them when they were

first getting Matthew

and before Silas

was born actually.

But we are excited to

share that with them.

Um, mark, Maria,

Chris, John Lana,

and James Hunt.

Uh, when they did

some fostering, we

were able to provide

some support for them.

And then Ryan, Sarah,

Jason and Hailey

Christopher, uh,

they were our first

family that has

fostered to adopt

here in a long time.

Um, and we're so

thankful that we are

able to support them

through the whole long

process of welcoming

these children into

their home, going

through everything

that's involved

in fostering and

eventually allowing

them to adopt.

So, yeah.

Amen.

That's pretty

cool stuff.

So here's the big

picture question.

What is next?

Well, as I watched

your video, it was

clear to me that

if every church

in America helped

one family and we

just did like one,

two, like we're

done, we're done.

Job White Rock.

We did it.

If only that's

how it worked.

Oh.

Oh.

But I think we're

bored, right?

Are we bored?

A little bit.

Little bored, right?

We don't really

have anybody on

our radar at the

moment that is in

our church community

that's meeting this.

Well, it was fun

to help people in

our church family.

That was cool, right?

Super cool.

But what if, and we

started having this

conversation, which

is super cool, right?

What if instead of

helping a foster

family and white rock,

which we're gonna do,

if the Lord raises

that up, don't worry.

But what if.

We could come

alongside an

unchurched family

who has no church

affiliation at all, or

maybe even interest.

And as the church of

Jesus Christ, create

a care community to

come along alongside

of them as they

walk through this

fostering thing.

Wouldn't that

be awesome?

That'd be super cool.

What's next, Jackie?

Absolutely.

Uh, what a great

idea, Andy.

We should really

look into that.

I, that's what

an original idea.

Um, so yes, that's

really what we

are hoping to do.

So one of our, um,

Ashley, who's our

church liaison with

Hands of Hope, this

is something that has

been a possibility

and been on our radar

since we started

this ministry.

Um, but we, she

started talking to

us about it a few

months ago that there

are some specific

families that are

in our area who are

struggling, who are

fostering currently,

who need some support.

Um, and is that

a possibility?

Is that something that

White Rock can do?

Um, and I felt like

we just needed to

sort out the timing,

but I know the DNA

of our church and I

know the hearts of the

people who are here

and how awesome you

guys are at stepping

up to love people

in so many active

ways, people that

you know, and people

that you don't know.

And so we, um, see

if I can press the

right button here.

We need you, um, God

cares deeply about

our families and

children, and you can

participate in the

work he's doing by

joining a team that

we are forming for a

local care community.

Um, we, I would love

to get a couple teams

started, but at the

very least, we have

one family that we

know of that's in

the Carmel area that

we are hoping to

go ahead and start

building a team for.

Um, some of you guys

who have been on care

communities before,

I've already reached

out and we're starting

to put those, put that

team together, but we

need some more people

than what we have.

Um, and so it's

not complicated.

Uh, basically there's

basically an hour long

orientation video and

some questions which

are done on your time.

Just to kind of

help give you some

more background.

You don't have to be

a foster parent to

know, you know, you

don't have to have

lots of training

to be part of this.

Um, there's a virtual

launch meeting once

we get everybody

on the same page to

form this team to

share our passions

and make plans.

Um, 'cause everybody

kind of has

something that maybe

God is stirring

in your heart.

What can you bring

to the table?

As I mentioned, Derek

Blake has, you know,

skills with auto, what

am I trying to say?

Autos, cars, vehicles.

I know nothing about

that, so I can't

fix anybody's car.

I can put gas in it.

That's about as

far as I can get.

But if you, if you

have a skill or a

talent or a gift that

you wanna bring to

the table, um, we

would love to find a

way to plug you in.

Um, well eventually

we're gonna connect

with this family.

I don't even know

their names yet.

So we're gonna connect

with them and get in

touch and actually

have a meet and greet

meal with this family.

Um, and then our

goal is to serve

them for a year.

Um, we'll see what

comes from that, but,

um, but really it's

more just kind of the

meetings and the time

on the front end once

it gets launched.

Um, it's really

just a week to

week situation.

Maybe that means that

you get an email and

you pray for this

family on a regular

basis and then you

take them a meal

once, a once a month.

Um, so I would say

the commitment level

is not that high.

And given how serious

the need is and how

much Jesus cares

about this, I think

that it's really

important for our

church body to yeah,

step up and be able

to participate here.

Plus super

cool, right?

To just get to

love people really

hard who are open

to it, but they're

not open to church.

Like how awesome is

that you guys, we

get a chance to just

like wrap our arms

around this community

and show 'em or this,

this family and say,

Jesus loves you.

You.

That's why we're

doing this.

'cause Jesus loves

you and that's it.

And there's no, no

strings attached.

You don't have to

come to our church.

You don't have to

listen to our stupid

YouTube channel.

That's fine.

We don't care.

We're just

gonna love you.

What an awesome

opportunity that is.

I mean, not that it's

not cool to serve

one another, it is

cool, but when we

get the door open up

to serve those who

are disinterested

in Christ.

Wow.

Super cool.

So how can they get

in touch with you,

Jackie, about this?

Absolutely.

If they have some

interest or, well,

you can come talk

with me this morning.

I will be here until

the end of church

'cause until the

doors are locked,

basically that's me.

I'll be here.

So you can talk

to me anytime.

But also Maria and

Abby and I, you're

welcome to send any of

us an email or a text.

Um, and we would just

really, like our goal

is to try to get this

launched and moving in

the next couple weeks

before the holidays.

So, um, so yeah, I

would ask you to just.

Pray about that and

see what the Lord

might be doing in your

heart in that area.

Super cool.

Hey, big round

of applause for

Jackie and the

whole team helping

to meet all that.

Thank you.

I'm gonna shake

your hands, make it

really appreciate.

Thank you, Jackie.

That was very

official.

Yes.

Thank you.

Super cool.

And, uh, Jackie had

one more thing in her

presentation that I

asked her if she could

take it out because it

was what I was gonna

share this morning.

And so we arm

wrestled, she won,

but she was gracious.

And let me do it,

uh, because as we

wrap up this thought

on serving, um, and

it, I don't know

if you'll listen to

anything I have to

say because hopefully

the rest of the time

you're sitting there

thinking, wow, God,

how cool, how cool

of an inroad, how

neat, what could I do?

What should I do?

How could I get

involved with what

you're doing in

this situation?

Oh, how could I

love my neighbor

even better?

How could I serve

people around me?

This would be great.

Oh, he prayed.

We're done.

That's okay.

If that's you, I'm

good with that.

'cause what the

Holy Spirit wants

to do is better than

what I gotta say.

But I do want to tell

you something Jesus

said about this idea

of serving, and I

think it's pretty

powerful, comes from

Matthew Chapter 25.

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

And it's a parable.

Jesus tells That's

really not a parable.

It's sort of a

picture of what life

is gonna be like

one day as we stand

before the throne,

and it's commonly

referred to as the

sheep and the goats.

And it goes like this.

Jesus is speaking

and he says, when

the son of man comes

in his glory, right?

When Jesus comes

at the end of time

to take all people

to stand before his

throne of judgment,

and all the angels

are with him, he's

gonna sit on his

glorious throne and

all nations will

gather before him.

Every man, woman,

child who's ever been.

Will stand before

the throne of God

acknowledging who

Jesus is as Lord

and judge over all,

and he will separate

the people one from

another as a shepherd

separates the sheep

from the goats.

Now, years ago, I

was told this in

some historic book

in Israel, that sheep

and goats, while

today they look very,

very distinct back

in the time of Jesus,

sheep and goats kind

of mingled together

pretty consistently.

And as they got

fluffier and fluffier

and hairier and

hairier, you couldn't

always distinguish

easily the difference

between the sheep and

the goats, but the

shepherd always could,

and he did it based

on their behaviors

and their demeanor.

Kind of an

interesting time.

But Jesus uses this

picture that at the

end of the age sitting

on his throne, he

separates the sheep

from the goats.

And he says this,

he'll put the

sheep on his right.

And the goats

on his left.

Now, as much as you

wanna make this a

political moment,

please don't do that.

Okay?

Um, right-leaning,

left-leaning.

That's not what

this is about.

And me bringing it

up might have tipped

my hand a little bit,

but just look away.

He will put his sheep

on the right and his

goats on the left,

and then the king

will say to those on

his right, the sheep,

this is what he says.

Come you who are

blessed by my father.

Take your inheritance,

the kingdom

prepared for you.

Since the creation

of the world,

take your reward.

Why?

Well, for I was

hungry and you gave

me something to eat.

I was thirsty

and you gave me

something to drink.

I was a stranger and

you invited me in.

I needed clothes.

You clothed me.

I was sick.

You looked after me.

I was in prison and

you came to visit me.

And the sheep ask

a very interesting

question.

And Jesus subtly

shifts this to

righteousness now.

Right?

The righteous and the

unrighteous, the sheep

and the goats, the

righteous the sheep.

Ask this question,

huh uh Lord, when did

we see you hungry?

When did we see

you get thirsty?

When a stranger, when

needing clothing, when

sick, when in prison,

when maybe we helped

a lot of people?

Maybe we did a

lot of serving and

making a difference

in the lives in

the community.

But God, I feel like

if you were sitting

there in prison, I

would've picked up

on the fact that the

radiant king of all

glory was shining in

the prison cell, and

I'd have been happy to

visit with you, right?

Or that when you

came to my door

and you knocked in,

in your radio and

glory, I saw you.

I immediately prepared

a meal for you because

of who you were, but I

never, never saw you.

Never noticed.

You didn't realize

when, when, when did

I do these things?

Now, remember,

they're receiving

their inheritance.

They've been commended

for their behavior

and their action

and their service.

They have no idea

what the king is

talking about, and

this is what he says.

The king will reply.

Truly, I tell you,

whatever you did for

one of the least of

these brothers and

sisters of mine,

you did for me.

When you love and when

you serve even the

least of these, you're

not just doing it for

them and you're not

just doing it to them,

you're doing it to me.

Then the king

looks to the left,

to the goats, to

the unrighteous.

He says, depart from

me, you who are cursed

into the eternal

fire prepared for the

devil and his angels.

Why?

Well, I was hungry and

you gave me nothing.

I was thirsty and

you gave me nothing.

I was a stranger.

You didn't

invite me in.

I needed to close.

You didn't clothe me.

I was sick.

I was in prison.

And much like

the righteous,

they said, whoa.

Well, when I'll

abbreviate the

next verse for you.

When, Lord, if you

would've showed

up in your radiant

glory at our door

and knocked and said,

can you help me?

I would've helped you.

I would've helped

you in a heartbeat.

Come on when you

never were there.

And he says the

same to the goats,

I tell you, whatever

you did not do.

To the least of these

brothers and sisters

of mine, you did not

do for me what you

didn't do for the

least of these, you

didn't do for me.

Then they will go

away into eternal

punishment.

Jesus says, but the

righteous to eternal

life, and I love the

simplicity of this

illustration 'cause

we can get caught up

in all the theology

of works-based

faith and blah,

blah, blah, blah,

blah, blah, blah.

But in Jesus's

telling of this, it's

super simple, right?

It's a two letter

word, do the

distinguishing factor

between the goat, the

sheeps, the righteous,

the unrighteous

is what you did

and did not do.

See, Jesus is serious

about serving others,

about loving our

neighbor as ourself.

Jesus isn't

joking about that.

He's not throwing out

some fancy doctrinal

words that sound

pretty about what

it looks like to

live a saintly life.

He's serious about

what we do or what

we don't do, and

it somehow matters

for all eternity.

And he gives us

this great picture,

doesn't he?

Hungry, thirsty,

stranger, clothed,

sick prison.

This is a great

list to kind

of work off of.

Is it all inclusive?

Do you have to

do everything

on the list?

I kind of tend to

think, maybe we should

stop asking those

dumb questions and

just say, let's do

something on the list.

Right?

Forget about, did you

check every box or is

there a different box?

I should check?

Let's do

something right.

Hey, I just wanna

say this as an

encouragement church.

'cause I think there's

a point of conviction

here for all of

us that we have to

own a little bit.

And I think we should,

but I also wanna

say like hungry.

Maybe thirsty fits

in there too, right?

But, but hungry.

You guys do an amazing

job of trying to

bring food and get

food to other people,

and we do food.

Uh, drives and

different things

all the time to

try to help keep

the pantry stocked

and help people.

You guys do a lot of

things outside of the

organized efforts of

our church to try to

help meet people's

needs in the way that

they need food, right?

Some basic necessities

and thirsty.

I love this idea, like

giving a cup of cold

water in Jesus' name

doesn't go unnoticed,

but man, the amount

of, uh, lemonade and

water and tea you

distribute during

vacation Bible schools

and during events

and activities in our

community and helping

people, like you guys

are doing some really

great things there.

Clothing.

A couple times a

year we're rocking

this place with

clothing giveaways and

trying to get people

things as a, as a.

Organized body

collectively

trying to meet some

of those needs.

You guys are amazing

when it comes to

people who are

sick between prayer

and visitation,

encouragement and

providing meals and

trying to support and

come alongside people.

Epic job there.

You know, since Covid,

it's been a bummer

'cause we used to

do, uh, Christmas

dinner at the jail and

Easter dinner at the

jail, and we haven't

been able to do those

things again since

that whole piece.

But there's people

involved in some

prison efforts and

some things, and maybe

that's an area where

you have a heart for

that and maybe God

wants to stir some

more of that in you.

That's a cool piece.

And I love this

idea of welcoming

the stranger, the

foreigner, the alien.

I think a, as a

church, you guys

are incredible

at loving people.

Anybody God brings

in these doors

and on this place,

whether it's our

daycare families or

just random people

who walk in off the

street and have no

idea what they're

getting into, right?

Like just trying

to love people.

Well, you do an

awesome job of that.

But I was also

thinking about this

Sunday, or this

Tuesday, we're gonna

have the election, uh,

polling place in here.

Um, I'm gonna give

you a chance today,

actually at the

end of the service

if you want to

serve a stranger.

I'm gonna invite you

to stack the chair

next to you and

help get the chair

stacked in here so

that people can come

in here and vote.

And, and actually if

you wanna be part of

our Tuesday coffee

bar rotation, let me

know if you're free

on Tuesday and you

wanna come for an hour

or something, help

serve coffee to people

in the community.

'cause let me just say

to you as a polling

place, we're gonna

have a whole lot of

people in here that

are strangers and

aliens and foreigners

and are on the other

side of the aisle

than you, no matter

what side of the

aisle you're on.

People who are

different than us,

and Jesus calls us to

serve those people.

One of the things

that's fascinating

to me is sitting

here some days on

these polling days

and watching people

come in and having

conversation, and

it's not too hard to

pick up pretty quick

how passionately

they're driven.

In values that are

totally opposite

of mine, and yet

still giving 'em a

cup of coffee and

trying to encourage

their day and show

'em a little love.

And man, that's a big

piece of what's gonna

play out on Tuesday

too, guys, that God

calls you in the land

of darkness to shine

your light brightly.

And I don't think