1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,120 Today I get to introduce you to my high school youth pastor. 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,320 Yes, I went to church as a teenager, as many of you know, 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,560 and there was someone that had to put up with me. 4 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:11,360 He was paid. 5 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:12,880 Payed! 6 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,720 Paid to put up with me. 7 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:15,200 No, no, no. 8 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:16,800 It was in the resume. 9 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,120 You shall be paid to put up with children like Greg Hampton. 10 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:21,620 Yes. 11 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:27,520 Reverend Michael Ammenauer has been a pastor for three plus decades. 12 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,680 He spent seven of those years at First United Presbyterian, the church that I grew up at, 13 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:38,400 that I spent from three and a half to eighteen at, and then when I moved back, he had moved on, 14 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:43,600 and so had all of the young people, and so I ended up trying out other churches after that. 15 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:48,560 And then when I planted this church, I knew at a certain point that I wanted to be reconnected to 16 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:53,680 people that were from my roots, and I asked Mike if he would be one of my spiritual overseers and 17 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:58,160 one of the spiritual guides for our church, and he very graciously said yes. 18 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,480 And so we talk on the phone regularly. 19 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:05,840 I went out to visit him in Woodland, California, a few years ago when I was on sabbatical. 20 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:10,160 He's been the pastor at Woodland Presbyterian Church for the last four years, 21 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,480 and he's been married to his lovely wife, Jennifer, for how many? 22 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:15,120 Twenty-nine? 23 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:15,600 Thirty-two. 24 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:16,480 Thirty-two years. 25 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:17,520 Almost thirty-two. 26 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:18,480 Thirty-two years. 27 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:19,280 Very, very good. 28 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:24,800 And one of the roles of an overseer is to come out occasionally and visit this church, 29 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:26,960 and so he's very graciously now come out twice. 30 00:01:26,960 --> 00:01:30,400 The first time that he came out, some of you may remember, 31 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,120 it was the first Sunday that Illinois locked down for COVID. 32 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,960 And so he flew out so that he could preach to an empty room 33 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:46,720 and preach to you via this camera online, and so it was just really ironic to us that he had left—well, 34 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:51,360 he was at a church in Texas then, and he left Texas to get here to preach to me and Jen, 35 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,080 and I think Chris Britton was in the room, and so it was just absolutely hilarious. 36 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,880 So I really love that we have a full room, and I know that at the end of today that we'll have full 37 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:03,840 hearts after we hear a word from the book of John by Reverend Michael Omenar. 38 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:05,120 Will you please welcome him? 39 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:11,120 Well, since I am an overseer, are there any complaints or concerns that you have? 40 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:13,040 Yes, hands up. 41 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:14,160 Yes, I see the hands. 42 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:19,840 Yes, I can greet you after the service so that I can take those down with me to our committee. 43 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:22,640 It is a pleasure to be here. 44 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:28,240 When Greg invited me out four years ago, he told me that he had a church in Texas, 45 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,560 and he said, you know, I'm going to be there. 46 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:35,360 When Greg invited me out four years ago, he told me that he had a church. 47 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:44,160 So when I got here, I was expecting to see people, and it was a room with three other people. 48 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:51,200 It felt like I was back at seminary preaching for the committee that I had to preach for to 49 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,920 see if I was going to be good enough to be a pastor. 50 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:59,200 Very, very ironic to be there that day. 51 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,760 But we are, Jennifer and I are glad to be back. 52 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:04,560 We lived here, as Greg said, for about seven years. 53 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:08,720 And it is one of the few places that when we left, we wept. 54 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,160 We wept on the plane. 55 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,000 We had two little kids at the time. 56 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:17,760 And as we were flying, our children, two years old and nine months, 57 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:19,600 didn't cry the whole plane flight. 58 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:22,480 She and I wept the whole time. 59 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,560 We were wondering who were the parents and who were the children on the plane. 60 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:28,480 But so it is good to be back. 61 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:32,640 Before we look at this text, would you join me in a moment of prayer? 62 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:40,240 Gracious and abundant God, thank you for this beautiful day. 63 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:47,040 Thank you for this precious time to be together with family and friends and to celebrate your 64 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:50,080 goodness, to celebrate your mercy. 65 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:59,200 And to be here with brothers and sisters in Christ is always empowering, always reminding 66 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,640 us that in you, the wind is always at our back. 67 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:11,680 So, Lord, as we look at a few of these verses from this section in John's Gospel, may you 68 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:19,440 open not only our eyes and our ears, but more importantly, will you open our hearts and 69 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:25,280 flood in your truth and your grace and your mercy today. 70 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:32,720 May you speak to us in more than just the words I share. 71 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:41,680 May we feel your presence and may we respond as people that you've called us to be. 72 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:42,960 In your name we pray. 73 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:43,760 Amen. 74 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:49,840 Now, normally I would stare at the screen and have this scripture memorized, but I've 75 00:04:49,840 --> 00:04:56,880 been on vacation, so I don't do well trying to memorize scripture on vacation very well. 76 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:02,800 So if you don't mind, I'm going to read a portion of the whole section that Greg and 77 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:04,800 your church is going through. 78 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:08,880 It'll be John chapter 1, verses 29 through 42. 79 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:10,080 You follow along on your phone. 80 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,320 I know there's Bibles on the table. 81 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:18,240 Or you could just listen to the melodic sound of my voice, whatever you are inspired to 82 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:18,740 do. 83 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:20,880 Hear now God's word to us. 84 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:28,800 The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, look, the Lamb of God who takes 85 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:30,240 away the sin of the world. 86 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:39,440 This is the one who, when I said, a man comes after me, a man has surpassed me because he 87 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:40,400 was before me. 88 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:45,920 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was so that he 89 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:48,480 might be revealed to Israel. 90 00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:53,280 Then John gave this witness or this testimony. 91 00:05:53,840 --> 00:06:00,080 I saw the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 92 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:06,640 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me 93 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:14,240 the man on whom the Spirit remains is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. 94 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:20,560 I have seen and I testify, I witness that this is God's chosen one. 95 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:29,600 The next day, John was there again with two of his disciples and he saw Jesus passing 96 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,840 by and said again, look, the Lamb of God. 97 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:40,960 The Lamb of God. And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 98 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:46,400 And turning around, Jesus saw them and asked, what do you want? 99 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:52,880 They said, Rabbi, which means teacher, where are you staying? 100 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,040 Come, he replied, and you will see. 101 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:02,800 So they went and saw where he was staying and they spent that day with him. 102 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:05,200 It was about four in the afternoon. 103 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:13,440 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had 104 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:15,360 now was following Jesus. 105 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:22,240 And the first thing Andrew did was to go and find his brother Simon and tell him, 106 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:29,680 we have found the Messiah, that is the Christ, and he brought him to Jesus. 107 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:34,560 And then Jesus looked at him and said, you are Simon, son of John. 108 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:39,440 You will be called Cephas, which when translated is Peter. 109 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,320 This is the wonderful word of God. 110 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:43,620 Amen. 111 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:53,040 The story is told of a man who was in a park and he was on his hands and knees looking for 112 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:54,000 his wallet. 113 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:58,560 And so he was crawling around in the park and looking for his lost wallet. 114 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:05,120 And about five minutes into this search, another man came up to him and asked him, 115 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:06,960 what are you looking for? 116 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,000 And the first man said, oh, my wallet. 117 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:15,440 The second man, after a few minutes of helping him look, said, well, where did you lose it? 118 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,840 And the first man said, over there. 119 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,520 And he said, well, why are you looking for it over here? 120 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:24,560 Well, because the light's better over here. 121 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:33,120 That's the question I want us to think about today is what are you looking for? 122 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:36,560 What are you searching for? 123 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:44,400 Now, the beginning of the summer months, some of I know you have just finished school. 124 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,000 Maybe school has another week. 125 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,840 Where I come from, I think this is the final week of school. 126 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:53,520 But we're nearing the official start of summer. 127 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:58,480 Summer does not start on Memorial Day weekend, contrary to what Hallmark will tell you. 128 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:06,000 Summer officially starts June 21st, but it really ends when or it starts when school 129 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:06,640 has ended. 130 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,520 So we're about to start summer. 131 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:14,880 And summer is one of the few times of the year where many people start over again. 132 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:15,440 Right? 133 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,040 There's new routines. 134 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:22,800 You don't have to get up, I don't think, as early as you did, say, in February and March. 135 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,160 You're starting maybe a new job. 136 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,600 June 1st is a time when many people are starting a new job. 137 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:32,000 It's a new season. 138 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:37,680 Maybe you are one of the gifted people that gets to go to summer school this month. 139 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:39,760 Yeah, I did that a few times. 140 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:40,720 Oh, yeah. 141 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:47,360 But summer can be a time when you reevaluate what you are looking for. 142 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:53,680 So I ask the question, what are you looking for today? 143 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:56,640 What were you looking for a week ago? 144 00:09:57,360 --> 00:09:59,360 What were you looking for a year ago? 145 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,640 Four years ago, right when COVID started. 146 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,600 What were you looking 10 years ago? 147 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:07,120 What were you looking for 20 years? 148 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,120 Had you been looking at the summer? 149 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:10,720 What were you looking for 20 years? 150 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:12,720 Has it changed over time? 151 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:21,360 What you were looking for in 2004, are you still looking for that in 2024? 152 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:24,560 And if it hasn't changed, why not? 153 00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:25,600 It's not a bad thing. 154 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:27,120 Maybe it hasn't changed. 155 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:27,760 I don't know. 156 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:37,120 But to ask that question is to begin to think about how might I reorient my life. 157 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,080 Now, Jesus asks that question. 158 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,320 Now, it might not seem that way, but He does. 159 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,000 What are you looking for? 160 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:56,240 Because that question has the power to reorient our lives and maybe even begin to change the 161 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:58,240 world around us. 162 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:06,720 Now, the answer to that question, I won't ask you to shout out your answer, but I want 163 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:07,920 you to shout out your answer. 164 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:15,280 But the answer to that question will reveal more about yourself, more about your life, 165 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:21,520 more about your relationships and the world more than the things that you are looking 166 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:22,320 for. 167 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:24,320 Do you understand what I mean by that? 168 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:29,840 The answer to that question might reveal more about who you are than what's going on in 169 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:31,360 the world around you. 170 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:36,880 That could be a good thing, and that could be a not so good thing. 171 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:46,480 It's a diagnostic question because whatever you're looking for can and does set the direction 172 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:48,880 for your life. 173 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,720 It asks something of us. 174 00:11:52,720 --> 00:12:00,160 It helps us to maybe reevaluate our life, our direction, our heart. 175 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:06,640 So how would you, quietly in your own heart, how would you answer that question? 176 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,600 What are you looking for? 177 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:15,920 Jesus asks two followers that very question. 178 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:21,840 One of them is Andrew, the other one we don't know, but if we had to make an educated guess, 179 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,760 we would assume that it's the gospel writer John. 180 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:26,560 Could be. 181 00:12:26,560 --> 00:12:27,360 It may not be. 182 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,280 Scholars are all over the map on that. 183 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:34,960 It really doesn't matter, but for argument's sake, let's just say it's John, okay? 184 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:42,640 So Andrew and John are asked this question, what are you looking for? 185 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,880 Jesus actually says, what do you want? 186 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:50,560 Now that seems like an odd question, doesn't it? 187 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:56,640 Because these are the actual first words that are recorded of Jesus speaking in the gospel 188 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:57,840 of John. 189 00:12:57,840 --> 00:12:59,520 You don't hear anything else. 190 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:05,120 Jesus hasn't talked about how he's come to redeem and how he's come to save and heal 191 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:06,240 and do all these. 192 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:08,960 His first words are, what do you want? 193 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,240 Yeah, striking, isn't it? 194 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:13,440 What do you want? 195 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,080 What are you looking for? 196 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:20,960 Shouldn't Jesus, I mean, if I was writing the gospel, nobody's asked me, but I'm waiting, 197 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:26,800 but if I was writing the gospel, I probably would have had Jesus saying, yo, how's it 198 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:27,800 going? 199 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:29,720 Do you want to come on a walk with me? 200 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:31,840 I would have had that kind of, what's up? 201 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:32,840 What's going on? 202 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:35,160 Not, why are you following me? 203 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:36,720 Why are you stalking me? 204 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:40,680 Yeah, leave me alone even better. 205 00:13:40,680 --> 00:13:46,440 But he says, what are you looking for? 206 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:52,720 Stranger still is the response the two disciples give to him. 207 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:54,200 What are you looking for? 208 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:57,160 And they go, where are you staying? 209 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,680 Now I was raised, I'm a little older than most of you. 210 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:06,320 I was raised in a generation that if some adult asks you a question, you do not respond 211 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,200 to them with another question. 212 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,920 That is rude, okay? 213 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:16,520 I could only imagine had I done that once to another adult. 214 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:20,920 I can only imagine what would have been the response. 215 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:22,640 Why are you following me? 216 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:24,320 What do you want? 217 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:25,320 Where are you staying? 218 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:30,360 Like, is this conversation even happening? 219 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:35,000 You know, maybe they're asking, hey, Jesus, what Airbnb are you staying at? 220 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:40,440 The question that Jennifer and I got when we first landed here in the Quad Cities this 221 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,120 weekend is where are you staying? 222 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:49,160 And what if I were to say to them, well, what's your favorite hotel in Moline? 223 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:50,820 That's not a proper response, right? 224 00:14:50,820 --> 00:14:56,520 You would tell them where you are staying. 225 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:04,840 Now John the Baptist has clearly stated twice in the text that I read that Jesus, this is 226 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:08,320 the Lamb of God. 227 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:12,560 John knows who or what he is looking for. 228 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:20,860 He already knows, but his followers, John's followers don't yet know who Jesus is. 229 00:15:20,860 --> 00:15:23,560 They just wanted to follow Jesus. 230 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:26,480 They just wanted to follow him to his man cave. 231 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:30,800 They wanted to see where does this guy really live? 232 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:37,580 And notice again, this strange conversation, Jesus doesn't give them a direct answer. 233 00:15:37,580 --> 00:15:40,040 Someone asked me, where are you staying this weekend? 234 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:44,120 We tell them we're staying at Stony Creek Lodge. 235 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:45,120 Is that what it's called? 236 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:46,120 Stony Creek? 237 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:48,360 Okay, Stony Creek over Moline. 238 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,040 We give them the address, we give them the name of the hotel. 239 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:52,720 Jesus doesn't do that. 240 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:53,720 He doesn't tell them where. 241 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:55,800 He says, yeah, follow me. 242 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:59,280 Come and you will see. 243 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:01,160 Come and see. 244 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:08,560 You see, Jesus is asking them in a unique kind of way that if you really want to know 245 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:12,920 what this life is about, come and see. 246 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:18,360 He wants to make sure they're following him for the right reasons. 247 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:26,540 You know, perhaps Andrew and John are looking for some military hero who's going to conquer 248 00:16:26,540 --> 00:16:35,260 the evil Roman Empire and ride in on a white stallion, kind of like the Lone Ranger from 249 00:16:35,260 --> 00:16:38,920 many generations ago. 250 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:44,840 Maybe they were just simply searching for a miracle worker who could heal them or others 251 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:46,940 that they know. 252 00:16:46,940 --> 00:16:52,400 Maybe they were just looking for a teacher who would explain everything that they had 253 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:59,380 to do to earn righteousness in the eyes of God. 254 00:16:59,380 --> 00:17:06,800 But of course, Jesus came for a whole lot more, thank God, than just those things. 255 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:12,360 So Jesus says, come and you will see. 256 00:17:12,360 --> 00:17:18,320 He invites these very first witnesses to join him in a journey. 257 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:24,360 Now it might initially look like he's just inviting them over to the man cave that he's 258 00:17:24,360 --> 00:17:25,680 got there. 259 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:31,800 But really it's an invitation to come and see not only where Jesus is staying, but also 260 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:35,520 where he is going. 261 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:41,020 It's also an invitation to see what Jesus is going to be saying and what Jesus is going 262 00:17:41,020 --> 00:17:46,640 to be doing in the coming days. 263 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:55,320 He's inviting them to come and see and join in this adventure. 264 00:17:55,320 --> 00:18:02,680 Jennifer and I are blessed with three now adult children, all three college graduates. 265 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:08,280 There is a time when we were living in a little town called Folsom. 266 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:16,560 Down the street, there were some neighborhood kids playing in a large pile of leaves. 267 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:18,120 I enjoy trees. 268 00:18:18,120 --> 00:18:23,340 I just don't like them in my yard because they're a lot of work. 269 00:18:23,340 --> 00:18:25,320 Sometimes I'm fearful they're going to fall over. 270 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:26,760 That's another story. 271 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:30,180 So they're playing in this giant pile of leaves down the street. 272 00:18:30,180 --> 00:18:34,760 We have to go somewhere, so we walk down the street three or four hours down to go get 273 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,560 them, to bring them back to our house. 274 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:40,920 As we're... It's a Saturday afternoon. 275 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:45,500 As we're trying to say goodbye and thank the neighbors for letting them play in their giant 276 00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:49,080 mess pile of leaves that they're going to have to rake up again, and I'm not jealous 277 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:51,000 of that. 278 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:57,800 Our oldest son, Jonathan, at the time is eight, something like that, and he turns to the kids 279 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:03,560 as he's saying goodbye to them and says, you guys should come to our church because we 280 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:05,440 got donuts. 281 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:06,800 Yeah. 282 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:10,560 We got donuts. 283 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:15,320 The next day, this family shows up at church. 284 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:20,400 It took a while, but eventually they joined the church and they pointed back to the very 285 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:25,720 first invitation from an eight-year-old boy who said, you should come and see our church. 286 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:27,600 We have donuts. 287 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:32,880 Now, that doesn't always work for those of us who are diabetic. 288 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:38,600 That will not be a huge, important invitation, but for others that could be. 289 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:40,000 Come and see. 290 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:44,520 And isn't that what Jesus says to you and I as well? 291 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:47,080 Come and you will see. 292 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:48,080 Come and see. 293 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,400 You won't see it all. 294 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:53,800 You won't even see all of it right away. 295 00:19:53,800 --> 00:20:00,440 In fact, what will happen if you've followed Jesus for any time longer than about five 296 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:09,680 minutes, you will know that you will begin to have more and more and more questions. 297 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,620 There are so many questions. 298 00:20:13,620 --> 00:20:19,560 The thing I've discovered in this journey with Jesus is that faith doesn't take away 299 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,560 the mystery of life. 300 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,760 It doesn't. 301 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:28,520 What it does is it opens our eyes and it opens our hearts and our ears. 302 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:34,660 It opens us up to the whole mystery of life. 303 00:20:34,660 --> 00:20:42,860 In fact, the great mystery and wonder of this God-created world becomes that much bigger 304 00:20:42,860 --> 00:20:46,400 when we enter into a faith with Jesus Christ. 305 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:53,400 Jesus says, come and see that following Jesus begins a journey into a life that is filled 306 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:58,240 with grace and mercy and the love of God. 307 00:20:58,240 --> 00:20:59,840 That's always right there. 308 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:07,160 It's always right here, right in front of us, sometimes even right under our noses. 309 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:11,680 Or as somebody said, it hides in plain sight sometimes. 310 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:16,440 Come and see and you will find what you have been looking for. 311 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:24,920 Now, the reason I read this very long section was to point out this, is that in these 13, 312 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:32,980 14 verses that I read, there are five different Greek words to describe seeing. 313 00:21:32,980 --> 00:21:35,880 In English, we have one, to see. 314 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:42,560 But in Greek, they have at least five and John uses all five in this section. 315 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:50,620 Now I am the product, my mother's best friend was an AP English teacher at my high school. 316 00:21:50,620 --> 00:21:53,520 I did not take AP English. 317 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:58,440 I don't think she would have allowed me, this teacher, to take it with her because my mother 318 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:00,620 was her best friend. 319 00:22:00,620 --> 00:22:07,520 So I know that she is yelling in my ear, make sure you tell the folks this, that there were 320 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:11,580 all these different ways of saying to see. 321 00:22:11,580 --> 00:22:14,560 But in English, we only say to see. 322 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:22,860 And so the gospel writer uses all five of these as a way so that we might grasp that 323 00:22:22,860 --> 00:22:27,600 seeing Jesus is a big deal. 324 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:34,200 We can see Jesus is all that He came to do and all that He came to be, to see from these 325 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:40,120 different angles and these different perspectives. 326 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:49,120 And it gives so much weight to the response of Jesus' question to come and see. 327 00:22:49,120 --> 00:22:57,240 Because if you want to come and see the Word made flesh, then come and see Jesus. 328 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:02,000 If you want to know what love is like, come and see Jesus. 329 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:07,440 If you want to experience God's glory, if you want to be filled with the bread that 330 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:15,000 never perishes, if you want to be quenched of your thirst with living water, if you want 331 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:23,120 to abide in a love that you have never experienced before, come and see Jesus. 332 00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:27,880 And if you want to go out into the world, because it's not just about coming inside 333 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:32,560 and having our holy huddle, as important as that is. 334 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:40,760 But if you want to go out into the world and offer that to others, you know, donuts, come 335 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:42,940 and see Jesus. 336 00:23:42,940 --> 00:23:44,360 Do you seek healing? 337 00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:46,860 Do you seek wholeness? 338 00:23:46,860 --> 00:23:48,400 Come and see. 339 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:50,060 Are you looking for forgiveness? 340 00:23:50,060 --> 00:23:56,700 If you are hoping for reconciliation, come and see. 341 00:23:56,700 --> 00:23:59,960 Are you looking for justice and for change? 342 00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:05,880 Are you seeking out justice for others and hope and help and encouragement for others? 343 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:09,640 Then come and see. 344 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:18,220 Now, I've known Greg for almost 32 years. 345 00:24:18,220 --> 00:24:23,120 He is a lot different today than he was as a teenager. 346 00:24:23,120 --> 00:24:27,380 Thank God we all are, right? 347 00:24:27,380 --> 00:24:34,160 So I've been following his life and his ministry ever since you graduated high school, not 348 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:36,120 stockingly, but I'm aware. 349 00:24:36,120 --> 00:24:38,840 I'm aware of what you do. 350 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:43,560 And I love the story of how this community of faith comes together. 351 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:49,560 In fact, I've told Greg many times when I grow up, I want to be a pastor just like him. 352 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:54,040 So everything I'm learning today has a great deal. 353 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:58,120 I am so privileged to be a part of Greg's faith journey. 354 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:05,380 I take tremendous pride, spiritual pride, knowing that I had a hand in helping Greg 355 00:25:05,380 --> 00:25:06,880 be where he is today. 356 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:12,560 And he's had a lot of hands, a lot stronger hands than mine for sure. 357 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:20,360 But I love the story of this community of faith, celebrating your 10-year anniversary 358 00:25:20,360 --> 00:25:22,540 this last year. 359 00:25:22,540 --> 00:25:23,580 Do you know the story? 360 00:25:23,580 --> 00:25:26,620 Are you familiar with that? 361 00:25:26,620 --> 00:25:33,960 How God brought together this community of faith to be a gathering place for people not 362 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:39,900 just in Rock Island, but throughout the Quad Cities and even beyond? 363 00:25:39,900 --> 00:25:48,300 You are a church that speaks to the community of Rock Island and the Quad Cities and greater 364 00:25:48,300 --> 00:25:51,100 surrounding areas. 365 00:25:51,100 --> 00:25:57,780 In your way, you too are saying, come and see. 366 00:25:57,780 --> 00:25:59,780 Come and see. 367 00:25:59,780 --> 00:26:00,880 Come and see Jesus. 368 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:05,780 Come and help us live out our love of God. 369 00:26:05,780 --> 00:26:15,000 Come and help us seek out our welcoming of all people from every vantage point and direction 370 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,740 in life. 371 00:26:17,740 --> 00:26:18,740 Come and see. 372 00:26:18,740 --> 00:26:21,040 And it won't be easy. 373 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:22,040 It won't. 374 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:23,040 Greg will tell you. 375 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:24,260 The staff will tell you. 376 00:26:24,260 --> 00:26:29,620 Some of you could tell me, it hasn't been easy, has it? 377 00:26:29,620 --> 00:26:33,720 It hasn't been, what do we say, roses, puppy dogs, and lollipops. 378 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:35,680 I know it hasn't. 379 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:37,860 I know it hasn't. 380 00:26:37,860 --> 00:26:41,840 And not just in the life of your church, but in your own individual lives. 381 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,940 This has been a rough journey. 382 00:26:44,940 --> 00:26:45,940 There have been trials. 383 00:26:45,940 --> 00:26:47,500 There have been tragedies. 384 00:26:47,500 --> 00:26:49,140 There have been misunderstandings. 385 00:26:49,140 --> 00:26:50,140 There's been hurt. 386 00:26:50,140 --> 00:26:51,420 There are all sorts. 387 00:26:51,420 --> 00:26:57,440 You all could name those. 388 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:03,260 But you still gather together as disciples of Jesus Christ. 389 00:27:03,260 --> 00:27:05,620 And I know that that's not easy. 390 00:27:05,620 --> 00:27:11,540 And I know that there are some days when you gather here that you'd rather not be here. 391 00:27:11,540 --> 00:27:14,380 I'm not going to ask you to raise your hands, by the way. 392 00:27:14,380 --> 00:27:17,740 Because when I was a teenager, our pastor would ask, anyone feel like they don't want 393 00:27:17,740 --> 00:27:19,660 to be here? 394 00:27:19,660 --> 00:27:26,340 My hand, he goes, we sat third row on the piano side, so my hand always went up. 395 00:27:26,340 --> 00:27:28,740 I didn't want to be there. 396 00:27:28,740 --> 00:27:34,260 But do you know what I've learned over these 40 years since that time? 397 00:27:34,260 --> 00:27:38,940 Is that even when I didn't want to be here, there was someone else who did. 398 00:27:38,940 --> 00:27:45,380 There was someone else who went out of their way to welcome me, to shake my hand, to smile, 399 00:27:45,380 --> 00:27:46,380 to hand me a donut. 400 00:27:46,380 --> 00:27:49,980 It's probably why I'm diabetic. 401 00:27:49,980 --> 00:27:52,440 Welcome me, say glad you're here. 402 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:57,260 There are days as a pastor I don't always want to be in the pulpit. 403 00:27:57,260 --> 00:27:59,740 But there's always somebody there. 404 00:27:59,740 --> 00:28:00,900 Always. 405 00:28:00,900 --> 00:28:04,600 It's not always the same person, but it's always somebody. 406 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:06,580 That's why the church gathers together. 407 00:28:06,580 --> 00:28:13,580 That is why being a community of one doesn't work real well to follow Jesus. 408 00:28:13,580 --> 00:28:16,580 Hermits really struggle following Jesus. 409 00:28:16,580 --> 00:28:17,580 Do you know why? 410 00:28:17,580 --> 00:28:20,500 It's because of this. 411 00:28:20,500 --> 00:28:27,740 Every time on those days when I don't feel like being there, every time I go home, always 412 00:28:27,740 --> 00:28:29,940 say, I'm glad I was there. 413 00:28:29,940 --> 00:28:35,180 I didn't feel like it, but I am so glad because it was people just like you. 414 00:28:35,180 --> 00:28:39,300 And I know you're nodding your head so you've had that same experience. 415 00:28:39,300 --> 00:28:43,220 Maybe you've been the one to be encouraged, and I can tell that there are some of you 416 00:28:43,220 --> 00:28:47,420 who are really the strong encouragers. 417 00:28:47,420 --> 00:28:49,820 And you serve together. 418 00:28:49,820 --> 00:28:53,720 That's exciting. 419 00:28:53,720 --> 00:29:00,660 Meaning to widen the table so that others might come and be a part of that. 420 00:29:00,660 --> 00:29:01,660 That. 421 00:29:01,660 --> 00:29:07,540 That is what God has called you to do, and I am excited to see how you continue to do 422 00:29:07,540 --> 00:29:09,780 that. 423 00:29:09,780 --> 00:29:13,260 It is awesome. 424 00:29:13,260 --> 00:29:22,020 As you are a holy people here, you don't just gather here, but you gather in other places 425 00:29:22,020 --> 00:29:24,260 in this community. 426 00:29:24,260 --> 00:29:26,140 That's a big deal. 427 00:29:26,140 --> 00:29:28,240 Don't stop doing that. 428 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:34,460 Don't just gather here, but gather in those other places in the community, seeking to 429 00:29:34,460 --> 00:29:38,560 invite others to come and to see. 430 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:44,420 So may we all respond to Jesus' question, not with another question. 431 00:29:44,420 --> 00:29:50,300 May we all respond to Jesus' question, what are you looking for by following the one who 432 00:29:50,300 --> 00:29:56,180 calls us to imitate Him and to help others to come and see. 433 00:29:56,180 --> 00:30:00,220 There are others who would like to come and see, but are for some reason are having a 434 00:30:00,220 --> 00:30:01,380 difficult time. 435 00:30:01,380 --> 00:30:04,820 May we be the ones to help encourage them. 436 00:30:04,820 --> 00:30:09,220 May we go to them more than they come here. 437 00:30:09,220 --> 00:30:13,540 That's a hard thing to do, I know. 438 00:30:13,540 --> 00:30:23,100 Come and see, Jesus says, as we go out into the world and take on others' burdens, as 439 00:30:23,100 --> 00:30:29,020 we seek to relieve suffering, as we go out and feed those who are hungry and thirsty 440 00:30:29,020 --> 00:30:33,980 and not just for food and water. 441 00:30:33,980 --> 00:30:36,140 And here's the other thing. 442 00:30:36,140 --> 00:30:42,840 May we stand with others who are different. 443 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:44,500 Here's the other side of that coin. 444 00:30:44,500 --> 00:30:50,800 Not just stand with others who are different, but to let them stand with us. 445 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:54,420 Let them help us. 446 00:30:54,420 --> 00:30:58,560 And really, you can't have one without the other. 447 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:06,280 So we stand with those who are different and let them stand with us and help us. 448 00:31:06,280 --> 00:31:11,720 There is no more appropriate response. 449 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:21,980 No more appropriate calling in life, despite what commencement speakers will tell you. 450 00:31:21,980 --> 00:31:29,620 There is nothing more worthy than to be a witness for Jesus Christ. 451 00:31:29,620 --> 00:31:31,760 Period. 452 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:35,380 Would you pray with me, please? 453 00:31:35,380 --> 00:31:43,100 Gracious God, I thank you for this community of faith that continues to widen the table 454 00:31:43,100 --> 00:31:50,280 and invite so many others to sit and to have fellowship and to connect with each other 455 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:52,620 and more importantly, to connect with you. 456 00:31:52,620 --> 00:32:00,200 Lord, thank you for the ministry that you give to each of us to come and see and to 457 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:02,900 bring others with us. 458 00:32:02,900 --> 00:32:05,060 Help us to do that, oh God. 459 00:32:05,060 --> 00:32:11,000 Thank you to work in the hearts and minds of this incredible community of faith with 460 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:17,940 its pastors, with its staff, with its ministry leaders, with all of those who make up the 461 00:32:17,940 --> 00:32:18,940 house. 462 00:32:18,940 --> 00:32:26,980 Lord, may you continue to be the wind in their sails and take them to places that they've 463 00:32:26,980 --> 00:32:29,180 never dreamed of. 464 00:32:29,180 --> 00:32:35,340 Thank you, oh God, for this privilege to be with your people, your children, and your 465 00:32:35,340 --> 00:32:36,340 church. 466 00:32:36,340 --> 00:32:37,340 In your name we pray. 467 00:32:37,340 --> 00:32:38,340 Amen. 468 00:32:38,340 --> 00:33:02,740 We all just thank Mike for his message.