1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,240 Good morning. 2 00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:07,040 My name is Scott, and I have the opportunity from time to time, 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,780 roughly every eight weeks, to share. 4 00:00:09,780 --> 00:00:12,260 And I really enjoy that. 5 00:00:12,260 --> 00:00:18,560 Pastor Greg is celebrating a birthday with one of his kiddos. 6 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:23,280 So we're so glad that he gets to do that and enjoy that time. 7 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,560 And I'm so glad the other Hamptons are with us. 8 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:28,440 Yay! 9 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,680 So it's great to have them with us. 10 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:33,720 A little bit about me. 11 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,200 Again, my name is Scott. 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,280 I am a quadriplegic. 13 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,800 I have been going on nine years now. 14 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,760 So a couple ways that that affects me is I usually 15 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,080 stay leaned back in my chair pretty far, 16 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,960 so that I don't pass out from low blood pressure. 17 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,800 So that's for both of our benefits. 18 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,760 I take quite a few sips of water, 19 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:58,880 because my mouth gets pretty dry. 20 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,800 And I also usually leave my hood up. 21 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,480 And it's not a fashion statement, so much as it is 22 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,480 that I get really cold really easy. 23 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:11,840 So I like to always give that disclaimer. 24 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,520 So that's a little bit about me. 25 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,720 Starting this morning, during two minutes for one question, 26 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,920 we mentioned a way that we've been 27 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:30,160 part of a team or a group that sticks in our mind. 28 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,560 And another word for that could be unity. 29 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,800 And that's what we're discussing today, is unity, a group 30 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,520 that we feel unity with. 31 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,720 Now, one of the groups that comes to mind for me, 32 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:50,600 I'll steal Chris's and say that there was a group that I went 33 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:52,720 through for school as well. 34 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:54,520 There were about eight of us. 35 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:57,800 And we went through that during COVID. 36 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:04,160 And it was a group of Catholic brothers and sisters. 37 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,960 It was a Catholic master's program, 38 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:11,160 well, a pastoral theology program, but through Ambrose. 39 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:13,240 And so it was really interesting to me, 40 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:18,320 because it was during COVID, we weren't attending church live 41 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:19,840 and things like that. 42 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,400 So I became a part of a Catholic community 43 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,120 and experienced unity with them in a really cool way, which 44 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:28,680 was new for me. 45 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,280 So that was really fun. 46 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:37,400 Now, Jesus, in chapter 17 of John, is praying about unity. 47 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,440 And first, he prays about the unity 48 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:41,640 between him and the Father. 49 00:02:41,640 --> 00:02:45,840 Then he prays about unity for his disciples. 50 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,480 And then he prays an interesting part. 51 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:51,880 He prays for future believers. 52 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,280 So right there in his prayer together with them, 53 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,760 he prays for those of us in the future 54 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:02,000 who would hear the message, which includes us, 55 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,120 that we would have unity. 56 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:10,320 Now, we think about unity in a general sense. 57 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:12,560 But John was writing to them. 58 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,760 This prayer was about unity in a specific way. 59 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:19,800 They were going through an important transition 60 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:21,080 in their community. 61 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,400 And part of that transition was how they would be, 62 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,960 what community they would worship with. 63 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,960 And one of the issues that came up was the synagogue, 64 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:36,880 whether they would continue to worship in the synagogue. 65 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,960 This was an issue that was dividing the community 66 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:41,800 and that they were wrestling with. 67 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,640 And part of the reason they were wrestling with this 68 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,960 is that the synagogue had a very special place 69 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,400 in the culture at that time. 70 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,960 This synagogue, they had an exception in the Roman Empire 71 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,280 for how they were allowed to worship. 72 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:05,680 They were allowed to worship one God, the God of Israel, 73 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,400 which was different from the expectations 74 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:10,640 for a lot of other religious groups. 75 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:14,600 And that's because they were considered an ancient religion. 76 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,440 Ancient religions were respected by the Romans 77 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,920 and were given a special classification 78 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,000 so that they wouldn't have to follow all the customs 79 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,080 that others did. 80 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:29,400 And so they were given that special custom. 81 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:35,640 But there was an issue with Christians now coming in. 82 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,720 Some of the Christians were Gentiles. 83 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:43,480 And some of the Christians came from different people groups. 84 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:47,720 And so for them to come in and start coming to synagogue 85 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:49,960 caused some questions for those already 86 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,720 worshiping in the synagogues. 87 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:54,840 They'd had this special classification, 88 00:04:54,840 --> 00:05:00,120 but by different groups coming in, it put that in jeopardy. 89 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:01,960 Part of the reason that I underline that 90 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:07,440 is we read about the issues with the synagogue in John. 91 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:11,240 And it's easy to just think of it as a religious issue, 92 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:12,520 but it was more than that. 93 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,440 It was a political issue as well. 94 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:18,160 By having different groups of people come in, 95 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,880 it put their safety in danger. 96 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,040 It put them politically in danger 97 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,920 that their synagogues could be shut down 98 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,520 by having different groups in there. 99 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:35,080 So safety, the freedom to worship, 100 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,160 these different things were at issue 101 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,800 for whether the Christians were worshiping there. 102 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,000 Safety, that's a pretty big issue, right? 103 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,720 I visited the Tri-City Jewish Center not long ago, 104 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:56,200 and synagogues continue to face issues with safety today. 105 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:57,160 Why did I go? 106 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,920 I went because I had not visited a synagogue before. 107 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,200 And that started to strike me as very strange 108 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:05,400 the more I thought about it. 109 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,840 I wanted to speak to a rabbi about some of the questions 110 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:13,240 that I had and that I wrestled with. 111 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:14,960 And I felt like there was perspective 112 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,960 that I could get from a rabbi that I probably 113 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,440 couldn't get from anyone else. 114 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:25,960 Because it had to do with issues that the Jewish community had 115 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:28,360 gone through. 116 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:33,900 And so as I went, I had to buzz in to come in. 117 00:06:33,900 --> 00:06:36,440 And the first question that was asked 118 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,920 is if I had any weapons on me. 119 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:40,920 And at first, that seemed strange to me. 120 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:44,320 I didn't understand why I was being asked that. 121 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:48,360 But then I realized that it was because of the issue 122 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:54,560 that synagogues have faced here in our country today. 123 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,680 We usually wouldn't have to check with people 124 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,880 to check what their intentions are if they 125 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:02,200 came in to our church. 126 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:06,160 Very rarely churches do see violence. 127 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,440 But in the Jewish community, that's 128 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,240 a much more likely issue. 129 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:15,320 And I could sense a certain amount of, 130 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,400 I don't want to say suspicion, but I 131 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:22,840 think that's maybe fair as to what my intentions were. 132 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,680 Again, because of issues that have been faced, 133 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:30,320 especially recently by Jewish communities, 134 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:36,440 by people making statements and acting in ways that are hateful. 135 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,640 So I sat down with Rabbi Linda, who's 136 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,000 the rabbi over of two different congregations, 137 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,160 at the Tri-City Jewish Center. 138 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:47,080 And I began to speak to her. 139 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:53,760 And I made a statement to me that was really funny. 140 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,000 I knew better than this, but in the moment I froze, 141 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,400 I asked her a question about the Old Testament. 142 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,120 And I knew when I was saying that I was not 143 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:07,120 using the correct term to say to a rabbi. 144 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:08,920 But I froze, and I couldn't think. 145 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:14,160 And so she gently said, we call that the Hebrew Bible. 146 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,960 All right, that's fair. 147 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,480 And I guess it is for us too, isn't it? 148 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,760 As we read it, it's the Hebrew Bible. 149 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,640 It's not just the Old Testament. 150 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:27,920 I don't think we call it that in a pejorative way. 151 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,320 But it could be taken that way, especially when 152 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,920 you're talking to a rabbi. 153 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,880 And so I learned, but as I reflected on that, 154 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,080 going back to John, when we read the issues in John, 155 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,120 and the issues with synagogue, it 156 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,840 wasn't just an issue of being mean to Christians 157 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,600 or discriminating against them. 158 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,000 The issues that were coming up as to how they should worship 159 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:58,400 together was an issue of safety, of safety for them. 160 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,680 Again, whether their synagogues would be shut down, 161 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:04,040 whether they would face persecution 162 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,480 throughout the empire, and whether they 163 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:11,360 would be in physical danger because of who worshiped 164 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,160 with them and what those people were saying. 165 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,960 If the Christians are coming in and saying Jesus is Lord, 166 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:23,560 directly in contradiction to Caesar as Lord, to recognizing 167 00:09:23,560 --> 00:09:26,440 Caesar as the authority, that would raise some issues, 168 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:27,760 wouldn't it? 169 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,200 That could cause some problems. 170 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:34,320 And if they were saying a Jew that had been crucified 171 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:38,920 was the Messiah that was prophesied about in the Hebrew 172 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:43,040 Bible, that could also raise some big issues, 173 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:44,640 not only in the Jewish community, 174 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:48,400 but in the other community because Christians were not 175 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:54,000 understood at all by the Roman culture at that time. 176 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,080 So those are some of the issues that they were facing. 177 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,760 But that also meant that John's Christian community 178 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,000 that he was writing to were also dealing 179 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,960 with issues of their identity, who they worshiped with, 180 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,160 how they worshiped, these different issues. 181 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,360 Would the community be divided to a point 182 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,080 where it couldn't survive? 183 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:19,680 Or would they be able to put unity in such a place 184 00:10:19,680 --> 00:10:23,680 that they could survive together? 185 00:10:23,680 --> 00:10:27,280 Now, when we think about unity today, 186 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:30,800 are there any things that threaten unity in the church 187 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,240 today? 188 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,520 We can probably think of a few. 189 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,840 Some of the issues that we face are certainly 190 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,440 in the political climate were pressured 191 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,440 from different parts of the church each way 192 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:50,080 that we need to support a certain group 193 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:57,040 or we may not be putting proper priority on our faith. 194 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:00,360 If you look on Facebook, you can see both ways, right? 195 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:04,440 Especially as we approach a presidential election. 196 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,880 And I'm not going to name names. 197 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,440 I'm not going to try to influence it all. 198 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:14,120 So you can let your blood pressure come down a little bit. 199 00:11:14,120 --> 00:11:16,240 Even online, probably, if you're watching, 200 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:18,560 when I hear someone talk about these issues, 201 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:19,800 I tense up a little bit. 202 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:23,320 All right, what are we going to do here? 203 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:27,160 But it's not an issue of encouraging 204 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:31,280 where you should find. 205 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,600 Again, I'm trying to choose my words carefully. 206 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:41,320 This isn't an issue of pointing you in a certain direction, 207 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:46,320 but of recognizing this can be a threat to unity. 208 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,840 They even have religious folks on the different news networks 209 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:50,880 that I watch. 210 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:55,360 And I try to watch different ones of people presenting 211 00:11:55,360 --> 00:12:00,480 why they believe that certain communities are right or wrong 212 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,520 or even just recognizing the issues 213 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:07,920 that we're having with unity in the church. 214 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:11,520 And we hear language that is so inflammatory, 215 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:17,240 even just on a political side that raises the stakes. 216 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:19,480 A threat to democracy. 217 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:23,000 The most important election of our times. 218 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:26,760 The greatest danger America has ever faced. 219 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:28,760 And again, I watch more than one source, 220 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,960 and I've heard it on both sides. 221 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,120 Absolutely heard it, so we can't take this and say 222 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:39,120 we're pointing to one or the other. 223 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:45,760 Now, I'd like to take history into account for just a moment. 224 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,680 We went through the Civil War, didn't we? 225 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:54,160 And the church was divided between North and South. 226 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:59,480 Congregations divided between North and South 227 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:03,720 on moral and political issues. 228 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:07,640 But did the church survive it? 229 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:12,600 Did healing happen between congregations? 230 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:16,800 Have we found ways to find peace through that? 231 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,040 I hope the answer is yes. 232 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:20,840 Have we reached a perfect place? 233 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:23,040 Of course not. 234 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:25,920 But the church was able in our country 235 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:31,320 to find a way to seek healing through that. 236 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,960 I think of the Civil Rights Movement. 237 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:38,560 Were there moral issues there that had to be faced? 238 00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:40,640 Absolutely. 239 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:45,160 Were there divides in the church as to how to respond to it? 240 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,880 How the church should be involved? 241 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,200 Whether we should be involved in politics 242 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:52,520 when it came to that issue? 243 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,640 Those were all issues that were faced. 244 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,960 But was the church able to survive through that? 245 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:02,920 Were we fractured to such a place 246 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:08,600 that we were no longer able to worship together? 247 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:10,120 No. 248 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,400 We were able to find healing through that. 249 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:16,440 Will the church survive the issues 250 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:21,480 that are happening today and the things that divide us? 251 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:26,560 Whichever way things go, will we be able to persevere? 252 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:31,720 And the answer is already yes. 253 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:33,200 The answer is already yes. 254 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,760 It's already been decided. 255 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,760 Now one thing that we're also wrestling through 256 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:42,760 are some of the pains of COVID 257 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,640 and the way that different churches handle that. 258 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:50,760 And I hope that we can begin to start to look back on that 259 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:55,120 and learn from it and seek healing. 260 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,200 There's still healing in my heart 261 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,920 that needs to be done over that. 262 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:02,840 There's a church that I was part of 263 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,560 that ultimately I was told, 264 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:09,680 and I'll say I think this was the right decision, 265 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:14,640 but I was told by a pastor as I expressed my concerns, 266 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:16,720 it doesn't sound like we're a good fit 267 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,800 for each other anymore. 268 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,720 It doesn't sound like we're going to get to a place 269 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:26,520 where we're not divided. 270 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:29,320 And I realized that in him saying that, 271 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,960 that I was a threat to the unity of that church, 272 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,920 of the path that they had decided to take 273 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:38,960 and the positions that I held 274 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:43,280 and I wasn't willing to compromise on. 275 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:47,040 And so I had to find a new church. 276 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,760 And I saw someone from that church the other day 277 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,800 who I wasn't expecting to see. 278 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,680 And I've not yet sought reconciliation with that person. 279 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:00,080 They were a leader in that church 280 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,080 where I disagreed with how the situation was handled. 281 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:08,560 And that pain rose up in my heart again. 282 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:14,680 Of the divide that we felt and how that was responded to. 283 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:19,680 Is my point to determine what paths were correct 284 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,440 or even what paths I'm talking about? 285 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,880 No. 286 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:28,080 But did it hurt the church's unity? 287 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,320 Yes. 288 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,840 But have we begun to come through that? 289 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:35,560 Yes. 290 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:39,600 And are churches finding ways to worship and love one another 291 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:43,280 even though we were divided on that issue? 292 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:45,520 Yes. 293 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,560 And so as we think of the issues today, 294 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:49,960 as we look at the issues of unity, 295 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:51,960 was the early church, 296 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:55,840 as they decided how their community would worship, 297 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:57,840 what it looked like for them, 298 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:00,200 did they survive? 299 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:01,680 Yes. 300 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,560 Was Jesus' prayer for future believers effective? 301 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:07,520 Yes. 302 00:17:07,520 --> 00:17:13,920 Will we continue to struggle with unity going forward? 303 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:16,040 Of course. 304 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:21,480 But is it something that will tear our church apart 305 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:24,360 to a place where we can't recover? 306 00:17:24,360 --> 00:17:28,000 Nationally, locally, globally? 307 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:29,560 No. 308 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,480 Because the Spirit is still at work. 309 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,240 Now we can resist that. 310 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,800 We can resist unity, 311 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:42,720 or we can follow the Spirit and continue to be healing, 312 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,960 continue to seek to show love, 313 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,160 even when we disagree, 314 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:52,760 and even when we come on to the other side of a disagreement. 315 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:54,520 Amen? 316 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:55,920 All right. 317 00:17:55,920 --> 00:18:25,640 Now a brief intermission while I take a drink. 318 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,680 I now want to focus for a moment on, 319 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:34,560 I really wrestled with in this message, unity. 320 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:38,280 Because unity can be used so broadly. 321 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:40,280 When we talk about unity, 322 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:43,400 what are we talking about? 323 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,760 Now there are lots of groups and organizations 324 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:52,560 that take pride in being an accepting community, 325 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:57,320 or take pride in sharing certain beliefs. 326 00:18:57,320 --> 00:18:59,320 And that's a good thing. 327 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:00,760 But it raises the question, 328 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,680 what makes the church unique? 329 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,840 What is it about this group of people 330 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,600 that is different from, for example, 331 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:11,440 I'm part of the Kiwanis Club, 332 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:12,760 where our saying is, 333 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,000 serving the children of the world. 334 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,720 That's a great cause, right? 335 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:20,480 But can the church be, 336 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:23,120 we know it should be, more than that. 337 00:19:23,120 --> 00:19:25,520 But I think at times of seeking unity, 338 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:30,760 we can risk paring down 339 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,440 what those things we are unified by 340 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:37,880 to try to build common ground. 341 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:39,160 And what I came to, 342 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,040 not for this sermon, 343 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:42,160 but just in general, 344 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:43,760 I was asking people, 345 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:47,160 what do you think it means to be a Christian? 346 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:48,920 What makes us Christian? 347 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:50,880 What are the beliefs that we can say, 348 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:55,440 hey, these are what we really cling to? 349 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:57,160 And ultimately, I decided that 350 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,680 that's not what Jesus was talking about here. 351 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:02,720 He was not trying to promote 352 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:04,400 a certain set of beliefs. 353 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:07,080 I think our beliefs are very important. 354 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:11,600 But Jesus' focus here was the Spirit. 355 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,400 The Holy Spirit being what unites 356 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:18,640 and ties Christians together. 357 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:20,360 So I want us to think about that 358 00:20:20,360 --> 00:20:22,600 as I share what I'm going to next, 359 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,560 is that what really tied the church together 360 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:30,800 was an experience of the Holy Spirit. 361 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:32,480 Now, I'd like to share a little bit 362 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:36,120 about how I see the Spirit at work 363 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:38,080 in our church today. 364 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,720 I thought I saw Eric earlier. 365 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:44,200 Did I imagine that? 366 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:48,600 Okay, that could be. 367 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:50,240 We'll all look at you 368 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,480 while I talk about Eric. 369 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,400 No. 370 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,760 That could be. 371 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,800 But Eric preached a message 372 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,240 over a year ago now, 373 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:10,640 where he talked about 374 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:13,720 not waiting until there was some sign 375 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:18,160 where the heavens opened, my words, 376 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:22,200 to obey something God had put in our heart to do 377 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:24,320 that we shouldn't wait to do something 378 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:29,080 that's right until you see 379 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:31,320 three different signs that prove it. 380 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,360 And I realized as he preached that 381 00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:37,040 that that was true of me. 382 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,640 I had been batting around the idea 383 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,600 of starting a nonprofit 384 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,600 to advocate for accessibility 385 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,040 in the community. 386 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,920 I was waiting for the right time. 387 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,560 I was waiting for the right motivation. 388 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,400 I was waiting for different things. 389 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,200 And I realized, okay, 390 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:00,840 the Spirit's put this in your heart. 391 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:03,800 Stop playing around and do it. 392 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:04,800 So I did it. 393 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,760 I researched it and I incorporated 394 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:11,960 my nonprofit Quad Cities Advocates. 395 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,960 And I printed up business cards. 396 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,040 And thus far, I haven't used that to raise money. 397 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,760 I haven't used it to do any other things. 398 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,720 But it gives a name for me to identify 399 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,280 what I'm trying to do. 400 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:29,760 And I've been able to make some positive influences 401 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:31,880 in the community through that. 402 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:35,960 But the point is that by Eric preaching that message, 403 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,360 the Spirit impressed on me 404 00:22:38,360 --> 00:22:40,840 that I needed to take another step. 405 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,880 I needed to do something more. 406 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:45,720 And God has worked in my heart 407 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:48,760 in the community through that. 408 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:50,480 That's an example of God, 409 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,600 the Spirit working through our community. 410 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:56,520 And that being something that unifies us. 411 00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:00,240 Someone who's not in our congregation now, 412 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:02,360 but was for many years far before 413 00:23:02,360 --> 00:23:05,840 when we came here, 414 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:08,600 sent a text to my wife 415 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,760 on a day that we had a very important appointment 416 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:15,400 saying, I was up last night praying for you, 417 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:17,000 and I don't know why, 418 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,960 but I wanted to let you know. 419 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:21,320 And it had been a little while 420 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,360 since I'd heard something like that. 421 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:25,960 And it really impressed upon me 422 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,760 of how the Spirit was working 423 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:32,920 and moving in our situation. 424 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:34,120 And how I needed that, 425 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:37,120 that even across states, 426 00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:39,720 even across there being distance 427 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:43,440 and time and communication, 428 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,120 still the Spirit was working 429 00:23:46,120 --> 00:23:48,960 amongst people in our congregation, 430 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,600 even that aren't still attending together, 431 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:57,760 to encourage, to bless, and to act. 432 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:00,880 And that person texted me this morning. 433 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:02,920 She just continues to bless 434 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:04,840 and listen to the Spirit. 435 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:06,360 And how awesome that someone, 436 00:24:06,360 --> 00:24:09,320 even after they moved to a different congregation, 437 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:13,800 the Spirit still has tied them to us. 438 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:15,680 We're still in their prayers. 439 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:20,680 We're still being worked in. 440 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:21,920 And I think that's awesome. 441 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:26,040 And I want to give one more small example, 442 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:29,240 and then I'll close out. 443 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,320 Ramps. 444 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:33,320 Now as I talk about ramps, 445 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:35,320 I'd like you, there should be a prayer 446 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,400 on every table for unity. 447 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,400 Would you take a picture of that on your phone, 448 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:42,000 if you would? 449 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,600 There's two reasons for that. 450 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:46,920 One, you can take it with you. 451 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:51,040 And two, I didn't want to print it for everybody. 452 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:52,560 And I wrote it yesterday, 453 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:54,040 so I didn't have time to get it up 454 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:57,040 on the old projector. 455 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:58,920 So I didn't want to print that many of them. 456 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,480 But this way, one, we can read it together 457 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:05,360 without all having to huddle around each other. 458 00:25:05,360 --> 00:25:07,080 And two, you can take it with you, 459 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:10,080 which I think is great. 460 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,360 When we went to, I think it was, 461 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:14,200 no, maybe it was two weeks ago, 462 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,720 when we went to a community table 463 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:19,520 and were together, 464 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:23,480 the Korczaks were determined to make ramps 465 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:25,480 for me to go into their house. 466 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,000 And I had tried to assure them, 467 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,600 I can't go in most houses. 468 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:32,720 Like that's not a huge deal to me. 469 00:25:32,720 --> 00:25:36,320 It's not something I expect. 470 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,400 David built a ramp for me last year 471 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:41,080 to get up on their patio. 472 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:43,080 That was terrifying. 473 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:49,840 But I was determined to make it. 474 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,520 I thought surely, 475 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:55,200 and he worked at John Deere for some reason, 476 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,360 I just assume that means 477 00:25:57,360 --> 00:26:01,240 that he knows how to build stuff. 478 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:07,920 I think that's not what he does there. 479 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:09,600 But I flew up the ramp. 480 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:10,440 I survived. 481 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,120 I made it back down. 482 00:26:12,120 --> 00:26:15,280 And this year, he still had the ramp. 483 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:17,360 And he said he widened it 484 00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:22,520 and he put little guard rails on the side. 485 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:24,640 And so he improved it even more, 486 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:25,800 even though I'd said, 487 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:27,880 hey, I can sit out in the yard. 488 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:29,920 He wanted me on his patio. 489 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:32,600 Last year, he thought when he got me up on the patio 490 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:35,240 that that meant I'd be able to go into his house. 491 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:36,120 But I explained to him, 492 00:26:36,120 --> 00:26:38,760 hey, look, if I go over the barrier 493 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:42,320 of your sliding door, I will crush it. 494 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:43,680 I will bend it. 495 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:46,440 You probably won't be able to use your door the same way. 496 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:48,760 So let's not do that. 497 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:53,080 But this time, Brennan took measurements 498 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:59,160 and with his 3D printer built, Brennan Korczak, 499 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:00,880 I see some confusion back there. 500 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:05,080 Yeah, right, not that one. 501 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,000 Yes, no. 502 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,200 It was not Brennan Hampton. 503 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:14,760 It was not. 504 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:22,200 So Brennan Korczak used his 3D printer 505 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:29,200 and built ramps that fit over the sliding door rail 506 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:33,280 and would get me into their house. 507 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,520 And I was so impressed. 508 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:41,520 Again, they were about at this incline and back down. 509 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:45,520 And is any Baldrige in here? 510 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:48,480 She's in nursery. 511 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:52,320 She clearly thought I was going to die when I went over it. 512 00:27:52,320 --> 00:27:56,000 But I was going to. 513 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:56,840 Why? 514 00:27:56,840 --> 00:28:00,960 Because those are the types of small acts 515 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:05,640 and the types of love that happen in a church 516 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:07,960 where the spirit is at work. 517 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:11,160 That even things like ramps, 518 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,600 wanting someone to be able to go on your patio, 519 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:15,520 get into your house, 520 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:18,600 is something that's important. 521 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:20,760 Important enough for you to take measurements 522 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:22,560 and spend hours doing. 523 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:24,640 And you know, as much as I said, 524 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,040 it wasn't important for me to go in their house. 525 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,880 And I believed that when I said it. 526 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:32,840 It was so cool and it was such an honor 527 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:35,680 because they wanted me to be able to be in there. 528 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:38,400 It was a lot of fun. 529 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:41,960 So we've talked some about the big ways 530 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:43,600 that the spirit works. 531 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:45,840 We will be able to go through 532 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:48,240 and continue healing from COVID 533 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:50,200 as a church and as a nation. 534 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:55,080 We will be able to go through and continue to heal 535 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:59,040 as we go through the next political challenges 536 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:02,320 and churches feel strongly different ways. 537 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:07,600 And the spirit is at work in our church. 538 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:11,320 Even in our church at work through different states. 539 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,920 Even in our church through ramps 540 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:16,160 and getting into each other's houses. 541 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:21,120 So I encourage you to continue to listen through the spirit. 542 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:23,200 And I asked myself the question, okay, 543 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,840 how do we ask for the Holy Spirit? 544 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:29,480 How do we want to move Him to move greater 545 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:30,320 in our congregation? 546 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:33,080 And I thought, well, we ask. 547 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:35,840 We ask the Father. 548 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:38,640 And so that's what we're gonna do 549 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:39,480 through this prayer. 550 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:42,560 So that's what we're gonna do through this prayer now. 551 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:44,920 So if you'll go ahead, let's stand. 552 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,760 I don't know why, but it just feels like we should stand. 553 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:51,120 And we'll pray this together. 554 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:55,480 And Pastor Jen, if you would come join me 555 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,720 because we're gonna do communion in a moment. 556 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:05,000 I don't have the prayer pulled up, 557 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:06,960 so give me just a moment. 558 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:10,800 Yeah, I sure do. That's great. 559 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:12,800 All right, let's pray together. 560 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:15,720 Heavenly Father, we pray for healing 561 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:18,760 between the churches and our community. 562 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:21,680 Help us to refocus on your call 563 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,960 to be united in proclaiming your love for us 564 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:27,720 and our love for one another. 565 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:31,120 We pray that the Holy Spirit would guide us 566 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,080 as we move toward greater unity. 567 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:38,080 We pray for the house, please increase the work 568 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:41,040 of the Spirit in our congregation 569 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:43,760 and bring us to greater unity. 570 00:30:43,760 --> 00:31:04,760 In Jesus' name we pray, amen.