Who are we called to be as followers of Jesus? Pastor Jen explores how the movie “One Life” challenges us to make a difference with the one life God gives us here on earth. The world is complex and heavy, but our response is simple– love God and love people!
Notes 📓✏️:
How is the church to respond in dark times?
Who are we called to be as followers of Jesus?
Luke 10:27: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself.”
John 16:33 (NIV): “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Isaian 26:3 (NLT): “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!”
When we love Jesus first it becomes the filter for everything we do and say.
Loving your neighbor begins with what you see.
Luke 10:30-35: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said, “and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”
An army of the ordinary.
The person in need will be on the path.
The pain will be on the path.
The problem will be on the path.
What do you SEE?
Ordinary people see what is in front of them and use what they have.
It is the small things that can change things.
It’s just doing the next thing.
Frederick Buechner: “One life on this earth is all that we get, whether it is enough or not enough, and the obvious conclusion would seem to be that at the very least we are fools if we do not live it as fully and bravely and beautifully as we can.”
How are you going to live your One Life?
Discussion Questions 📝❓:
- In Luke 10:27, Jesus states we should love God with all our heart, soul, strength, mind, and love our neighbor as ourselves. How do you think these two commandments work together to guide our actions in difficult times?
- The sermon discusses how Nicholas Winton was and ordinary person who saw something he couldn’t unsee and took action. Why is it hard sometimes to step up and take action when we find ourselves in the same situation?
- Pastor Jen mentioned several reasons why people might “step over” needs instead of helping, including busyness, familiarity, selfishness, greed, and comfort. Which of these do you think is the biggest barrier in our society?
- How can fixing our eyes on Jesus rather than the chaos around us change the way we respond to difficult situations in our world?