WEBVTT 00:01.516 --> 00:04.896 Welcome to the Valley Baptist Church sermon podcast. 00:04.896 --> 00:06.396 We're so glad you're here, 00:06.396 --> 00:08.356 and we hope this message inspires you, 00:08.356 --> 00:09.476 builds your faith, 00:09.476 --> 00:12.536 and moves you toward a deep relationship with God. 00:12.536 --> 00:15.616 Today, you'll find great insight into the Bible 00:15.616 --> 00:18.316 and learn how you can apply it straight to your life. 00:18.316 --> 00:21.456 So welcome and enjoy the message. 00:21.456 --> 00:23.036 If you have your Bible, 00:23.036 --> 00:26.996 please open it with me to Matthew chapter 22 00:26.996 --> 00:30.396 in a message I'm calling Love Your Neighbor. 00:30.625 --> 00:47.105 This morning we're interrupting our series of going verse by verse through the book of 1 Thessalonians in order to kick off a church-wide emphasis that we're going to have for the next month or so leading up to Easter that we're calling Reach Your Street. 00:48.293 --> 00:52.473 Lord willing, we'll pick up in 1 Thessalonians next Sunday morning. 00:52.613 --> 00:55.273 We'll cover the end of chapter 4. 00:55.393 --> 01:01.593 In fact, the end of chapter 4 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture in all of God's Word. 01:01.733 --> 01:04.573 And so you're not going to want to miss next Sunday morning. 01:05.303 --> 01:08.183 But for today, we're in Matthew chapter 22. 01:08.383 --> 01:20.763 And whenever we come to Matthew chapter 22, we see that Jesus had just entered into Jerusalem a few days earlier in what is called the triumphal entry. 01:21.023 --> 01:23.963 He was, that was the last week leading up to the cross. 01:23.963 --> 01:28.963 Now, at this point, the religious leaders of the day were out to get Jesus. 01:29.063 --> 01:34.663 And so on Tuesday of that week, they came to him with what we might call some gotcha questions. 01:35.203 --> 01:39.043 One after one, they drilled Jesus with these questions, 01:39.043 --> 01:44.663 and Jesus answered them with incredible wisdom, silencing his critics. 01:45.382 --> 01:51.542 Well, one of the questions came from a lawyer, a person who was an expert in the law of Moses. 01:51.682 --> 01:56.442 And he asked Jesus, he said, what is the greatest commandment in the law? 01:57.102 --> 01:59.302 And Jesus responded in verse 37. 01:59.522 --> 02:05.362 Jesus said to him, he said, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. 02:05.742 --> 02:07.602 This is the first and great commandment. 02:08.095 --> 02:09.435 The second is like it. 02:09.835 --> 02:11.835 You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 02:12.235 --> 02:15.755 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 02:16.634 --> 02:19.814 Now at this point, I think the religious leaders were sort of dumbfounded 02:19.814 --> 02:25.394 because Jesus had just summarized the entire law of God in only a few words. 02:25.594 --> 02:28.034 Love God and love people. 02:28.634 --> 02:33.274 And he said, on these two commandments hang all of the law and the prophets. 02:33.414 --> 02:36.674 So Jesus connected these two commandments together 02:36.674 --> 02:42.194 because he knew that a person can't really love God without loving people. 02:42.908 --> 02:48.328 And a person can't really love people properly without loving God. 02:49.203 --> 02:52.803 Now, in today's message, I don't want to focus on the greatest commandment, 02:52.863 --> 02:56.183 to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. 02:56.263 --> 02:58.843 Instead, I want to focus on the second greatest commandment, 02:59.503 --> 03:02.783 that you and I are to love our neighbor as ourself. 03:03.343 --> 03:05.443 Galatians 5, verse 14 says, 03:05.443 --> 03:09.603 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, 03:10.083 --> 03:13.303 you shall love your neighbor as yourself. 03:14.262 --> 03:16.622 Think about the commandments of God for a moment. 03:16.742 --> 03:19.162 You shall not commit adultery. 03:19.262 --> 03:20.402 That's rooted in love. 03:20.722 --> 03:22.162 You shall not commit murder. 03:22.282 --> 03:23.462 That's rooted in love. 03:23.522 --> 03:24.541 You shall not lie. 03:24.542 --> 03:25.181 Rooted in love. 03:25.182 --> 03:26.582 You shall honor your father and mother. 03:27.022 --> 03:28.141 Rooted in love. 03:28.142 --> 03:30.942 Every commandment in the Bible is rooted in love. 03:31.742 --> 03:35.562 Rooted in loving God and loving one another. 03:35.562 --> 03:36.384 Right? 03:36.385 --> 03:45.725 Now, in our culture, we use this word love and we throw it out in so many different circumstances that we sort of cheapen the word. 03:46.285 --> 03:52.985 I mean, I can say I love my wife and the very next sentence I can say I love pizza, which, by the way, I do love pizza. 03:52.985 --> 03:59.985 If you're curious, linguistically, it looks the same, even though the meaning is very, very different, isn't it? 04:00.500 --> 04:04.360 Now, love is admittedly difficult to define. 04:04.780 --> 04:10.600 In fact, you can search the scriptures and you will not find a definition of love. 04:10.700 --> 04:14.320 The Bible doesn't define love, but it does describe it. 04:14.320 --> 04:15.580 In fact. 04:15.974 --> 04:20.954 The greatest description on love, we don't have time to read it today, but I encourage you to read it on your own. 04:21.274 --> 04:25.494 It's 1 Corinthians chapter 13, this beautiful description of love. 04:25.494 --> 04:32.934 And whenever we see a description of love within Scripture, we see that it involves attitude and action. 04:34.115 --> 04:41.195 Now, many in our culture think that love is an uncontrollable feeling, and so it can't 04:41.195 --> 04:42.895 really actually be commanded. 04:43.775 --> 04:47.215 Sometimes, and occasionally in adultery, will even tell me, 04:47.255 --> 04:51.115 "'Pastor, I can't help it. We fell in love.'" 04:52.087 --> 04:54.867 According to God, though, that's not true, is it? 04:54.987 --> 04:58.747 Because love is not a feeling that has control over us. 04:58.887 --> 05:00.867 It's a decision we make. It's a choice. 05:01.287 --> 05:04.087 Whenever God commands us to do anything, what he is doing is, 05:04.087 --> 05:07.407 the implication of that is he's giving us a choice to make. 05:07.687 --> 05:11.327 So when Jesus says, I want you to love your neighbor as yourself, 05:11.447 --> 05:14.727 he's saying, I want you to make a decision to love. 05:14.947 --> 05:17.987 He's commanding us, decide to love. 05:18.867 --> 05:20.967 Now, the question becomes, 05:21.803 --> 05:22.963 Who's my neighbor, right? 05:23.663 --> 05:27.603 In fact, earlier in Christ's ministry, he was asked that very question. 05:27.723 --> 05:32.023 A man came up to Jesus and he said, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 05:32.023 --> 05:40.203 Now, this guy was off the moment he asked the question because there's nothing that we can do to have eternal life. 05:40.619 --> 05:42.579 It's only something that God can do. 05:42.659 --> 05:43.919 It's a gift from him, right? 05:44.219 --> 05:45.619 Eternal life is a gift from him. 05:45.799 --> 05:47.059 It's not something we earn. 05:47.159 --> 05:48.679 It's something we receive. 05:49.139 --> 05:50.159 You see, we're all sinners. 05:50.759 --> 05:55.059 Every one of us has failed and missed the heart of God. 05:55.159 --> 05:58.699 We've broken the will of God and the commandments of God, and so we're sinners. 05:58.699 --> 06:00.579 And what we need is a Savior. 06:01.659 --> 06:03.999 Now, Jesus entertains this question, though. 06:04.139 --> 06:05.859 He says, he asks him another question. 06:05.939 --> 06:07.059 He said, what's written in the law? 06:07.720 --> 06:11.540 And the man summarized the law as Jesus certainly had done within his ministry. 06:11.720 --> 06:15.420 He said, you need to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. 06:15.540 --> 06:16.580 And Jesus said, you're right. 06:17.280 --> 06:18.380 Do this and live. 06:18.460 --> 06:22.400 And the man asked, he said, but who's my neighbor? 06:23.840 --> 06:26.540 In other words, do I have to love everyone? 06:28.493 --> 06:33.853 Now, Jesus responded by telling one of the most famous parables in the New Testament, 06:34.033 --> 06:36.893 what we now call the parable of the Good Samaritan. 06:36.893 --> 06:43.973 He said there was a man traveling from Jerusalem down that steep hill that goes down to Jericho. 06:44.453 --> 06:50.493 And while he was on his way to Jericho, some thieves, some robbers, jumped him. 06:50.937 --> 06:55.017 And they robbed him, they beat him up, they took all of his clothes, all of his belongings, 06:55.177 --> 06:57.797 they left him half dead on the side of the road. 06:58.097 --> 07:04.737 And then a priest came down that same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side of the road. 07:05.657 --> 07:08.697 Then a Levite man came, and he got a little closer. 07:08.837 --> 07:15.057 In fact, he went over, he stooped down, and he looked at the man who was half dead, and he just kept walking. 07:15.710 --> 07:21.390 And then a third man, a Samaritan man, came along that same exact road, 07:21.390 --> 07:25.990 and as he passed by, he saw the man there in the gutter, and he had compassion on him. 07:26.650 --> 07:32.150 He cleaned his wounds up, and he bandaged him up, and Jesus said he put him on his animal. 07:32.290 --> 07:34.970 He put him on his donkey, and he carried him away. 07:35.070 --> 07:37.090 He took him in, and he took care of him. 07:37.170 --> 07:42.350 And so Jesus said, which of these three men was a neighbor to the man who was robbed? 07:42.350 --> 07:43.384 He said, the man who was robbed. 07:43.385 --> 07:46.545 And he said, well, the man who showed mercy on him. 07:46.545 --> 07:49.925 And Jesus said, go and do likewise. 07:49.925 --> 07:54.645 Well, what was Jesus teaching us with the parable? 07:54.645 --> 07:58.645 His point was everyone is your neighbor. 07:58.645 --> 08:01.445 Everyone is your neighbor. 08:01.445 --> 08:03.785 The Samaritans, they were hated by the Jews. 08:03.785 --> 08:06.385 There was this intense racial animosity 08:06.385 --> 08:07.585 between these two groups. 08:07.585 --> 08:11.645 And yet the Samaritan clearly is the hero of the story, right? 08:11.735 --> 08:14.375 Jesus is saying, loving your neighbor, 08:14.375 --> 08:17.235 it crosses the racial lines. 08:17.235 --> 08:21.855 It crosses the social barriers that society has erected. 08:21.855 --> 08:25.235 Those who live in Africa, 08:25.235 --> 08:28.995 we are called upon to love like we love ourselves. 08:28.995 --> 08:32.035 Those who live in Russia, we are loved like ourselves. 08:32.035 --> 08:33.695 Those who live in China, 08:33.695 --> 08:34.955 those who live in the Middle East, 08:34.955 --> 08:36.895 in South America, in Central America, 08:36.895 --> 08:38.015 on and on we could go. 08:38.015 --> 08:40.955 We are called to love everyone as our neighbor. 08:41.671 --> 08:43.891 Those who look very different than us. 08:44.571 --> 08:46.791 Those who dress different than us. 08:46.851 --> 08:48.411 Who speak different than us. 08:48.731 --> 08:50.230 Those who are older. 08:50.231 --> 08:51.610 Those who are younger. 08:51.611 --> 08:53.131 Those who are poor. 08:53.331 --> 08:54.671 Those who are wealthy. 08:54.851 --> 08:55.891 Those who are oppressed. 08:56.271 --> 08:58.171 And yes, those who are the oppressor. 08:58.671 --> 09:01.971 In fact, Jesus said, Matthew chapter 5 verse 44, he said, 09:01.971 --> 09:04.651 But I say to you, love your enemies. 09:05.151 --> 09:06.671 Bless those who curse you. 09:06.791 --> 09:09.171 Do good to those who hate you and pray. 09:09.532 --> 09:12.492 for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. 09:12.952 --> 09:16.972 I don't think Jesus could have made it much clearer than that. 09:17.052 --> 09:22.592 We are to love everyone, whether our friends, our family, our co-workers, our enemies. 09:22.852 --> 09:24.252 We are to love everyone. 09:24.572 --> 09:26.092 Everyone is your neighbor. 09:26.932 --> 09:31.612 But did you also know that your neighbor is your neighbor? 09:34.304 --> 09:36.884 Now that sounds a little bit strange to say, 09:36.964 --> 09:39.424 but I think it actually needs to be said in our culture. 09:39.944 --> 09:45.844 Your actual next door neighbor is your neighbor who Jesus told you, 09:45.924 --> 09:48.444 you are to love them like you love yourself. 09:50.740 --> 09:52.640 I want to do something a little bit different today. 09:52.760 --> 10:00.680 I'm going to invite Pastor Jeremy, our missions pastor, to come up and share with us just a little bit about something God has been putting on his heart. 10:01.260 --> 10:03.040 And then I'll be back up after him. 10:03.120 --> 10:04.239 Pastor Jeremy. 10:04.240 --> 10:05.842 Thank you, Pastor Andrew. 10:05.843 --> 10:13.323 Well, I moved to Bakersfield in 2003, and I moved here to study at Cal State Bakersfield and to wrestle there. 10:13.703 --> 10:16.283 And my first week in town, I was invited by my teammate. 10:16.523 --> 10:18.943 Some of you might know him. His name is Brian Busby. 10:19.663 --> 10:25.543 I was invited him to this church, and when I came to this church, I absolutely loved it. 10:25.863 --> 10:31.663 And very early on, Brian started taking me out on Tuesday nights to share the gospel in our city. 10:31.763 --> 10:35.343 And to be honest, this was very scary for me. 10:35.662 --> 10:41.762 But over time, Brian taught me how to share the gospel, and I really grew to love sharing the gospel. 10:42.302 --> 10:47.102 After graduating college, marrying my wife Kelsey, and eventually buying a home, 10:47.482 --> 10:51.982 I recognized that we needed to share the gospel with our neighbors as well. 10:52.402 --> 10:54.442 And we were doing a decent job of this. 10:54.722 --> 10:58.482 We were sharing the gospel with those who were closest to us. 10:58.622 --> 11:03.602 I could tell you several of our neighbors' names, where they were at spiritually. 11:04.079 --> 11:06.999 because I'd had gospel conversations with them. 11:07.419 --> 11:11.299 But one day, while I was on my way home, driving down my street, 11:11.399 --> 11:16.199 it really hit me that there were a lot of other neighbors on our street 11:16.199 --> 11:19.199 that we had never even met before. 11:19.503 --> 11:21.703 Home after home was filled with people, 11:21.703 --> 11:25.003 and we didn't even know their names. 11:25.003 --> 11:28.063 Opportunities for the gospel that I'd been passing up 11:28.063 --> 11:30.603 every single day. 11:30.603 --> 11:31.803 So when I got home that day, 11:31.803 --> 11:34.263 I decided to get on Google Maps, 11:34.263 --> 11:37.903 and I took a screenshot of our entire street. 11:37.903 --> 11:39.923 And it wasn't in the satellite view, 11:39.923 --> 11:42.423 but the view where all the homes are grayed out, 11:42.423 --> 11:43.783 if you've ever seen that. 11:43.786 --> 11:52.506 And I printed that out on a piece of paper, and I began going house by house, outlining the homes of the neighbors that I knew by name. 11:52.726 --> 11:56.126 I wrote their names on their house that they lived in. 11:56.226 --> 12:01.786 I wrote some of the details I knew about them based on previous gospel conversations I had had. 12:02.226 --> 12:06.546 And then I also highlighted the homes of the neighbors that I knew were believers. 12:06.546 --> 12:07.224 Okay. 12:07.225 --> 12:10.325 And this map showed an accurate picture 12:10.325 --> 12:14.785 of how we were doing reaching our street with the gospel. 12:14.785 --> 12:17.885 And this map was really eye-opening for me. 12:17.885 --> 12:22.545 Come to find out, there are 43 homes on our street. 12:22.545 --> 12:24.345 And we'd only really been reaching out 12:24.345 --> 12:27.325 to seven or eight of those homes. 12:27.325 --> 12:30.425 So we put that map up on our fridge in our kitchen, 12:30.425 --> 12:32.745 and at night, as we prayed as a family, 12:32.745 --> 12:36.105 one of our kids would often grab that map off the fridge 12:36.419 --> 12:40.379 and we would take turns praying for our neighbors by name. 12:40.379 --> 12:42.219 For the ones that didn't know Jesus, 12:42.219 --> 12:44.979 we prayed that they would come to know him, 12:44.979 --> 12:46.919 and that God would give us opportunities 12:46.919 --> 12:49.059 to share the gospel with them. 12:49.059 --> 12:51.059 For the ones that did know Christ, 12:51.059 --> 12:53.939 we would pray that they would grow in their faith, 12:53.939 --> 12:56.179 and if they weren't already plugged into a church, 12:56.179 --> 12:59.099 that they would get connected to a local church. 12:59.099 --> 13:02.159 But we also prayed for the homes with no names on them, 13:02.153 --> 13:04.453 and we started referring to these neighbors 13:04.453 --> 13:06.793 as the unreached. 13:06.793 --> 13:09.893 And we prayed for opportunities to meet those neighbors, 13:09.893 --> 13:13.693 for opportunities to share the gospel with those neighbors. 13:13.693 --> 13:16.593 And eventually, I added the title to that map 13:16.593 --> 13:19.673 that said, Reach Your Street. 13:19.673 --> 13:21.633 And this map really changed the way 13:21.633 --> 13:24.273 that we viewed our street. 13:24.273 --> 13:27.373 It was no longer just a street to drive down 13:27.373 --> 13:29.313 in order to get to our house. 13:29.575 --> 13:36.355 It was now a street filled with souls, many of which still needed a savior. 13:36.895 --> 13:40.275 So as I drove down my street, my eyes were now open, 13:40.755 --> 13:45.195 looking for opportunities to meet new neighbors that I had never met before. 13:45.195 --> 13:51.095 I wanted to add these neighbors' names to our map so that we could begin praying for them by name. 13:51.355 --> 13:55.335 I wanted to have more opportunities to invite our neighbors to church. 13:55.512 --> 13:58.052 and to share the gospel with our neighbors. 13:58.572 --> 14:01.692 And this made me and my family more intentional 14:01.692 --> 14:04.592 with reaching our neighbors for Christ. 14:05.032 --> 14:07.492 And from this, God has given us many opportunities 14:07.492 --> 14:10.092 to pray for our neighbors, to meet them, 14:10.172 --> 14:13.172 to share the gospel with them, and to serve them as well. 14:14.193 --> 14:15.913 One day while I was driving down my street, 14:15.913 --> 14:19.553 I noticed that one of our neighbors was out in the street 14:19.553 --> 14:21.893 and I had never met this neighbor before. 14:21.893 --> 14:23.593 So I drove over to that neighbor, 14:23.593 --> 14:27.533 I rolled down my window and I struck up a conversation. 14:27.533 --> 14:29.153 Now I know that sounds a little weird 14:29.153 --> 14:31.753 and this approach is not for everyone, 14:31.753 --> 14:36.093 you know, drive-by evangelism is not for everyone. 14:36.093 --> 14:40.693 But you'd be surprised how fast people's walls go down 14:40.703 --> 14:43.323 when you mention to them that you're their neighbor 14:43.323 --> 14:46.323 from down the street and point over to where your house is, 14:46.643 --> 14:48.223 the walls start coming down quickly. 14:48.663 --> 14:49.983 Well, I noticed that me and this neighbor 14:49.983 --> 14:51.163 had something in common, 14:51.263 --> 14:53.783 so I started talking about that first 14:54.018 --> 14:58.078 And then eventually I invited him to church and started sharing Jesus with them. 14:58.518 --> 15:02.438 And I was blown away by what he told me next. 15:02.438 --> 15:14.418 He told me that recently on YouTube he started seeing video after video of guys that he followed sharing their testimony of how they had recently come to faith in Christ. 15:14.878 --> 15:19.918 And how this had made him think that he should start reading the Bible. 15:20.495 --> 15:23.515 I mean, talk about a God-ordained moment. 15:23.735 --> 15:26.515 This is something that I could have never set up on my own. 15:26.875 --> 15:29.655 And I told this man this was no accident, 15:30.055 --> 15:32.595 that God was pursuing him. 15:33.055 --> 15:34.915 And I asked if he had a Bible of his own, 15:34.935 --> 15:36.975 and I offered to bring him a brand new one, 15:37.015 --> 15:39.315 and I was eventually able to do that. 15:39.755 --> 15:43.295 You see, God put that opportunity right in front of me, 15:43.295 --> 15:46.975 where previously I would have never even been looking 15:46.975 --> 15:48.695 for the opportunity. 15:48.862 --> 15:51.082 And eventually I told some family and friends 15:51.082 --> 15:53.482 about what we were doing as a family with our map 15:53.482 --> 15:55.722 and our goal to reach our street. 15:56.102 --> 15:58.602 And a friend suggested that we make an app for it 15:58.602 --> 16:01.382 to help other Christians do the same thing. 16:01.762 --> 16:03.802 And I told our pastors about this idea. 16:03.948 --> 16:08.968 and we were about to start the process of building our own Reach Your Street app 16:08.968 --> 16:15.528 when a family member told me that there is actually an app that already exists just like this, 16:15.768 --> 16:19.508 an app that has even more than we could have ever dreamed of. 16:19.507 --> 16:21.967 And this app is called the Bless app. 16:22.267 --> 16:26.247 And we're going to tell you more about this app in a video at the very end of the service. 16:26.367 --> 16:28.467 So I hope you'll stick around to watch that video. 16:29.307 --> 16:35.427 But my family uses this app almost every single day now as we continue to reach our street. 16:35.827 --> 16:39.867 And we really want to invite every single person at Valley Baptist to join us. 16:39.867 --> 16:44.627 And that's why we're having this emphasis over the coming weeks leading up to Easter. 16:44.847 --> 16:47.227 And we're calling it Reach Your Street. 16:47.654 --> 16:56.554 And we are praying that God will take all of us and use all of us to reach our streets here in Bakersfield with the gospel. 16:56.554 --> 17:08.054 And I want you just to imagine how God's going to use us as we all get very intentional about loving our neighbors as ourselves and sharing Jesus with them. 17:08.274 --> 17:12.034 I am so excited to see what God is going to do in and through us. 17:12.254 --> 17:18.399 Pastor Andrew? 17:18.400 --> 17:28.360 Amen. Thank you, Pastor Jeremy. What a tremendous thing that God has placed on Pastor Jeremy's heart for us to reach our street with the love of Jesus. 17:29.000 --> 17:39.480 You know, sometimes we get overwhelmed with reaching our world for Christ, but what if we just started with reaching our street for Christ, one neighbor at a time? 17:39.848 --> 17:43.908 You know, each one of us, whether we live in the suburbs or out in the country somewhere, 17:44.168 --> 17:49.188 or whether we live in a cul-de-sac or in an apartment, 17:49.848 --> 17:56.688 each of us live within close proximity to others who are around us, 17:56.728 --> 18:02.608 who I believe God has strategically placed in our lives so that we can love them and we can share Jesus with them. 18:03.220 --> 18:07.820 Now, I love as a preacher to preach on things that I'm a great example of. 18:08.360 --> 18:13.420 But occasionally I'm called to preach on things that I'm not the greatest example of. 18:13.460 --> 18:15.060 And this is certainly one of those areas. 18:15.725 --> 18:21.405 My dad used to tell us young preachers, he said, don't lower your preaching to your living. 18:21.925 --> 18:23.885 Raise your living to your preaching. 18:24.585 --> 18:26.585 So that's what I'm trying to do today. 18:26.705 --> 18:30.385 I've begun praying for my neighbors by name each day. 18:30.385 --> 18:35.745 And I'm excited to see how God's going to use me and my family as we reach our street. 18:36.228 --> 18:38.428 Now, here's what I'd like to do for the rest of the message. 18:38.508 --> 18:40.568 I want to get very, very practical. 18:40.808 --> 18:44.568 I want to share some points of just practical application for you and I, 18:44.648 --> 18:48.528 some things that God has placed on my heart as I begin to think through, 18:48.708 --> 18:52.828 how am I going to start reaching my street that I live on? 18:53.128 --> 18:55.428 Now, thankfully, none of these things are hard. 18:55.668 --> 18:56.888 They're not difficult at all. 18:56.888 --> 19:00.388 They only require us to actually love our neighbor like ourself. 19:01.588 --> 19:02.708 First thing is this. 19:03.768 --> 19:05.228 We've got to see them. 19:06.350 --> 19:07.370 We've got to see our neighbors. 19:07.810 --> 19:11.710 Now, physically seeing them is helpful, but I'm not talking about physically seeing them. 19:11.770 --> 19:14.470 I'm saying spiritually see them. 19:15.450 --> 19:17.810 See your neighbors as God sees them. 19:18.050 --> 19:21.610 Individuals who God carefully and wonderfully made. 19:21.750 --> 19:23.590 Individuals who God deeply loves. 19:23.710 --> 19:25.890 Individuals who Jesus died for. 19:26.785 --> 19:34.125 Did you know that God deeply loves your next-door neighbor more than you've loved anyone in your life ever? 19:34.805 --> 19:36.145 He loves them that much. 19:36.285 --> 19:39.705 And that's your good neighbor, and that's the neighbor that drives you crazy. 19:39.925 --> 19:41.705 He loves them all, right? 19:42.405 --> 19:43.905 I had that thought this past week. 19:43.945 --> 19:45.665 It really began to open my eyes. 19:45.985 --> 19:51.405 We've got to have eyes for our neighbors as God sees them so we can love them. 19:51.929 --> 19:56.529 Now, Pastor Jeremy already touched on this, but here's how we begin seeing our neighbors as God sees them. 19:56.749 --> 19:58.209 We've got to start praying for them, right? 19:58.769 --> 20:02.109 Anytime we start praying for people, God starts to open our eyes. 20:02.389 --> 20:04.429 Our heart grows bigger for those people. 20:04.769 --> 20:11.129 God uses our prayers certainly to impact their lives, but he also uses our prayers to work on our heart to give us spiritual life. 20:11.129 --> 20:14.069 So we've got to see our neighbors, but then we've got to meet them, don't we? 20:14.889 --> 20:18.569 It's hard to love someone you don't know, that you've never met. 20:19.537 --> 20:24.437 Now, for many of us, this is going to require a great deal of intentionality. 20:25.477 --> 20:26.196 You're like me. 20:26.197 --> 20:27.377 You're very, very busy. 20:28.197 --> 20:32.177 So maybe you come home from work exhausted one day, 20:32.237 --> 20:35.517 or you come home from all the kids' activities exhausted one day. 20:35.517 --> 20:38.777 Well, whatever excuse you have, I know the excuses that are in my mind. 20:39.937 --> 20:44.557 And with those excuses in mind, if I come home with all those excuses 20:44.557 --> 20:47.637 and I continue on autopilot, I'm not ever going to meet my neighbors. 20:48.528 --> 20:52.128 I'm going to pull into the garage, I'm going to close the door behind me, and you're not going to see me. 20:53.628 --> 20:56.488 So I think this requires a great deal of intentionality. 20:56.588 --> 20:58.148 It's a decision we make, remember? 20:58.368 --> 21:01.768 It's a choice to meet our neighbors and to love them. 21:02.568 --> 21:06.528 I know people in our church who put on block parties for their neighborhood, 21:06.728 --> 21:10.908 and they cook some food, and they provide an opportunity for the neighborhood to get together 21:10.908 --> 21:12.928 and build a community as a neighbor. 21:12.988 --> 21:14.936 That's a great idea. 21:14.937 --> 21:23.137 I know someone in our church who made Christmas ornaments, and as a family, they went and took them to their neighbors as a gift. 21:23.217 --> 21:24.437 So they got to meet their neighbors. 21:24.537 --> 21:26.757 They had something to give them at the same time. 21:27.517 --> 21:32.977 What about having your kids play not in the backyard but play in the front yard? 21:32.977 --> 21:33.718 Right? 21:33.719 --> 21:36.639 We used to do this when our kids were very young, 21:36.679 --> 21:39.539 and we'd just go sit out there and watch our kids play. 21:39.619 --> 21:40.619 You would be amazed. 21:40.779 --> 21:43.899 The neighbors would just start kind of flocking outside, 21:43.899 --> 21:47.219 and sometimes we would spend hours with our neighbors. 21:47.899 --> 21:50.939 Another idea is maybe walk your neighborhood. 21:51.599 --> 21:53.199 We all need our steps, right? 21:53.359 --> 21:54.338 It's good for us. 21:54.339 --> 21:55.138 It's good for our body. 21:55.139 --> 21:57.599 Why don't you walk around your neighbors? 21:58.441 --> 22:04.361 You'll be amazed how many opportunities you have to visit with people and to get to know people who are out in the yard. 22:04.421 --> 22:05.421 So let's be intentional. 22:05.901 --> 22:06.780 So we've got to see them. 22:06.781 --> 22:07.400 We've got to meet them. 22:07.401 --> 22:09.521 But we also need to encourage them. 22:10.721 --> 22:13.381 You know, everyone needs encouragement, don't they? 22:13.761 --> 22:14.280 Why? 22:14.281 --> 22:16.007 Life's hard. 22:16.008 --> 22:18.308 Life is really, really hard. 22:18.308 --> 22:20.128 And so everyone's facing challenges. 22:20.128 --> 22:21.428 Everyone has struggles. 22:21.428 --> 22:24.188 Everyone has experienced defeats. 22:24.188 --> 22:26.548 And as you get to know your neighbors, if you're listening, 22:26.548 --> 22:27.688 and if you're being a good neighbor, 22:27.688 --> 22:28.728 you're gonna be listening. 22:29.255 --> 22:33.975 You're going to learn some of the challenges that they face along the way. 22:34.055 --> 22:40.095 And as you hear more of their story, I want you to encourage you to encourage them. 22:40.635 --> 22:42.115 Find ways to encourage them. 22:42.175 --> 22:47.135 You could drop them off a card, which no one does hardly anymore, a physical card. 22:47.215 --> 22:50.435 That's kind of special when someone writes you a card. 22:50.435 --> 22:53.515 Or maybe if you have your number, you could shoot them a text of encouragement. 22:53.855 --> 22:55.515 Include a scripture verse on it. 22:55.995 --> 22:57.895 Encourage them from God's Word. 22:58.567 --> 23:02.567 You know, most people are lacking encouragement, so let's encourage them. 23:03.147 --> 23:05.727 Another way, we've got to serve them, right? 23:07.147 --> 23:09.487 Remember, love takes action according to the Bible. 23:09.607 --> 23:12.427 Jesus said, I came not to be served, but to serve. 23:12.467 --> 23:15.167 As human beings, though, we want to be the ones that serve, right? 23:15.167 --> 23:16.086 Come and serve me. 23:16.087 --> 23:17.406 That's what I like. 23:17.407 --> 23:18.917 But Jesus said, no, no, no. 23:18.918 --> 23:22.958 The real blessing isn't in being served, it's in serving. 23:23.538 --> 23:26.118 1 John 3, verse 18 says, 23:26.198 --> 23:32.078 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 23:32.941 --> 23:39.781 So I want to encourage you to pray and ask the Lord, Lord, help me know how I can serve my neighbors. 23:40.581 --> 23:42.001 Now, here are some ideas. 23:43.061 --> 23:47.601 Maybe if you know they're going out of town, you can ask, is there anything I can do for you while you're gone? 23:48.241 --> 23:51.521 Can I take care of anything in the house for you? 23:51.761 --> 23:57.061 I know of people in our church who consistently watch their neighbor's pets whenever they go out of hand. 23:57.061 --> 23:58.161 Just an act of kindness. 23:59.013 --> 24:03.193 I heard about some people in our church who bake fresh bread, 24:03.453 --> 24:06.873 and they take it to their neighbors out of an act of kindness, 24:07.013 --> 24:08.353 and I really wish I was their neighbor. 24:09.233 --> 24:10.313 But you do too. 24:11.413 --> 24:16.473 I know of someone who puts on an outdoor movie night in their front yard 24:16.473 --> 24:21.753 and invites their neighborhood to it, just being a good neighbor, loving, loving people. 24:22.673 --> 24:24.473 Now here's the last thing I would say for us. 24:24.473 --> 24:28.133 In order to love our neighbors well, we've got to also tell them. 24:29.388 --> 24:31.308 You say, Pastor, tell them what? 24:31.428 --> 24:33.688 Well, tell them about how much God loves them. 24:34.828 --> 24:38.008 You've got to share the love of God with them. 24:38.108 --> 24:39.127 God loves them. 24:39.128 --> 24:41.228 Let them know about how much God loves them. 24:41.528 --> 24:42.888 Tell them about Jesus. 24:43.468 --> 24:44.548 And here's how you can do that. 24:44.608 --> 24:45.647 Here's how you can start. 24:45.648 --> 24:47.547 Share your story. 24:47.548 --> 24:48.908 Share your life with them. 24:48.968 --> 24:50.268 Don't be a closed book. 24:51.089 --> 24:52.008 Be an open book. 24:52.009 --> 25:00.269 And I know that sometimes it's challenging to be vulnerable with people and to really share our story, especially maybe, especially with our neighbors. 25:00.709 --> 25:05.409 But as you begin sharing your story with them, they're going to be able to identify with you. 25:05.649 --> 25:06.929 Not just as a neighbor. 25:07.269 --> 25:13.909 Not just as that Christian neighbor, but as a real person who also has pain, who also has struggles. 25:13.909 --> 25:16.229 And here's what you do as you're sharing your story. 25:16.829 --> 25:19.629 You share your story about how you came to know Jesus. 25:20.553 --> 25:22.673 Tell them about your life before you met Jesus. 25:22.953 --> 25:24.793 Tell them about how you met Jesus by faith. 25:25.073 --> 25:28.133 And tell them about how Jesus has been changing your life. 25:28.993 --> 25:30.693 Tell them about how much God loves them. 25:31.522 --> 25:35.422 How God loves him so much that he sent his only begotten son. 25:35.522 --> 25:37.142 He sent Jesus into this world. 25:37.202 --> 25:38.282 He lived a perfect life. 25:38.602 --> 25:40.982 And then he died on the cross for their sins. 25:41.302 --> 25:42.502 But he didn't stay dead. 25:42.602 --> 25:44.202 He rose the third day. 25:44.602 --> 25:48.422 And that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 25:48.742 --> 25:50.802 Tell your neighbors about Jesus. 25:52.562 --> 25:54.782 Now it could be that you're not real sure. 25:56.142 --> 25:57.222 about the best way to do that. 25:57.282 --> 25:58.982 You say, Pastor, I'm not there yet. 25:59.042 --> 26:00.202 I don't have the courage for that. 26:00.422 --> 26:01.502 Number one, I would say, 26:01.502 --> 26:03.882 is pray and ask God to give you the courage, 26:04.402 --> 26:06.482 and He will, so watch out. 26:06.782 --> 26:07.721 He'll give you courage, 26:07.722 --> 26:10.402 but maybe you just feel like you're not there yet. 26:10.842 --> 26:13.662 If that's you, here's where you start. 26:14.822 --> 26:16.262 Just invite them to church. 26:17.506 --> 26:18.646 I'll tell them about Jesus. 26:19.486 --> 26:20.405 Someone will tell them about Jesus. 26:20.406 --> 26:23.686 Your life group teacher will tell them about Jesus. 26:23.906 --> 26:29.826 Stats show that you will be surprised how many people will take you up on an invitation to church. 26:30.886 --> 26:32.666 You know, a missionary told me one time, he said, 26:32.746 --> 26:37.646 Andrew, there's more people who want to know how to be saved 26:37.646 --> 26:40.266 than there are people willing to tell them how to be saved. 26:41.566 --> 26:45.146 We just got to take a step and invite them to church. 26:45.400 --> 26:47.960 You know, we're not ever going to reach our world for Christ. 26:48.140 --> 26:49.680 We're not going to reach Bakersfield Christ. 26:49.780 --> 26:53.820 We're not going to reach our street for Christ without love. 26:54.620 --> 27:01.020 It's going to require the greatest command to really, genuinely love people. 27:02.022 --> 27:08.422 Years ago, there was a large church in Chicago that was pastored by a man named Dwight L. Moody. 27:09.002 --> 27:10.942 It became known as the Moody Church. 27:11.082 --> 27:14.402 And there was a young boy who walked to that church every Sunday morning. 27:14.522 --> 27:16.522 He got up very early in the morning. 27:16.642 --> 27:20.402 He walked several miles to that church every week. 27:20.402 --> 27:24.722 In fact, he passed four other churches on his way to the Moody Church. 27:25.225 --> 27:28.185 Well, one Sunday morning, the rain was pouring down. 27:28.285 --> 27:33.585 The wind was blowing like it often does there in Chicago, and the conditions were just horrible. 27:33.845 --> 27:39.745 And so he was walking by one of the churches, and someone saw him walking by like they did every week, 27:39.765 --> 27:40.945 and they had compassion on him. 27:41.085 --> 27:44.425 Hey, why don't you come on here and hear today? 27:44.565 --> 27:46.125 It's another mile to the Moody Church. 27:46.205 --> 27:46.904 It's raining. 27:46.905 --> 27:47.284 It's pouring. 27:47.285 --> 27:49.025 Why don't you come inside today? 27:49.185 --> 27:51.825 And the boy said, well, I'm just going to keep going. 27:53.018 --> 27:57.038 He asked him, well, why do you walk so far to go to that church? 27:58.018 --> 28:02.378 And he said, because that church knows how to love a fellow like me. 28:04.418 --> 28:09.498 You know, that's my prayer, is that our church would be able to love a fellow like him. 28:10.298 --> 28:13.818 But do you know what your neighbors need from you? 28:14.698 --> 28:16.858 They need you to love a fellow like them. 28:18.618 --> 28:23.598 However God made them, whatever experiences of life they've been through, 28:23.918 --> 28:26.138 for you to see them like God sees them. 28:26.738 --> 28:28.718 And to care for them like God cares. 28:28.718 --> 28:30.618 We are his hands and feet. 28:30.818 --> 28:31.918 We are his mouthpiece. 28:32.238 --> 28:36.878 We've got to tell him the wonderful good news of Jesus. 28:38.125 --> 28:40.605 As we close, I want to be very clear today. 28:40.765 --> 28:45.625 Loving our neighbor as ourself isn't the greatest command. 28:46.545 --> 28:53.005 The greatest command is that we would love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. 28:53.105 --> 28:55.345 But did you know before you can ever love God, 28:57.205 --> 28:59.285 you've got to receive God's love for you. 29:00.805 --> 29:01.865 And here's how you do that. 29:02.645 --> 29:10.285 You receive God's love by opening your heart and faith in receiving Jesus as your Savior and your Lord. 29:10.785 --> 29:12.225 And you do that by faith. 29:12.845 --> 29:18.325 In fact, the book of Hebrews says, without faith it's impossible to please God. 29:18.645 --> 29:25.445 The Bible says if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and you believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 29:25.525 --> 29:27.304 It's that simple. 29:27.305 --> 29:30.049 It's that simple. 29:30.050 --> 29:34.410 You see, no one has ever loved you like Jesus loves you. 29:35.310 --> 29:39.430 No one has ever cared for you like Jesus cares for you. 29:39.430 --> 29:46.530 He came to this earth to love you, to forgive you, and to save you. 29:47.630 --> 29:48.730 You know, the Bible says, 29:50.688 --> 30:00.328 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. 30:01.148 --> 30:06.628 I recognize that today's message has been focused kind of an insider message on our church family, 30:06.748 --> 30:12.408 those who already know Jesus and that we're to love people around us so they can get to know Jesus as well. 30:12.408 --> 30:17.128 But it could be that you're here today or you're listening online. 30:19.915 --> 30:22.555 You say, man, I don't know Jesus. 30:24.815 --> 30:27.095 I'm the person in need. 30:28.555 --> 30:32.375 I've tried everything, and everything has failed me. 30:33.435 --> 30:34.995 I've tried to get peace. 30:35.635 --> 30:36.955 I've tried to get joy. 30:37.715 --> 30:41.555 I've desperately wanted to be loved by someone that really matters. 30:43.695 --> 30:46.215 And I'm the person who needs God's love today. 30:48.248 --> 30:50.048 If that's you, I've got great news for you. 30:50.128 --> 30:52.728 You can receive God's love right now. 30:53.868 --> 30:55.668 You don't need a pastor to do it. 30:56.228 --> 30:57.708 You don't need a priest to do it. 30:58.808 --> 31:01.428 You just open your heart and faith to Him right now. 31:01.808 --> 31:04.768 Because no one has ever loved you like God loves you. 31:05.528 --> 31:08.028 You see, Jesus came willingly to this earth. 31:08.868 --> 31:12.308 He lived a perfect life, that which we have failed to do. 31:13.188 --> 31:15.148 And then, the perfect one. 31:17.054 --> 31:19.414 Died on a cross, a gruesome death. 31:20.014 --> 31:21.233 Why? 31:21.234 --> 31:23.194 He died for our sin. 31:23.994 --> 31:25.634 So that we could be forgiven. 31:26.334 --> 31:28.014 And those who believe in Him, 31:28.494 --> 31:31.154 His righteousness that He earned with a perfect life 31:31.154 --> 31:32.454 and that He has inherently, 31:32.914 --> 31:34.794 is given to you and I. 31:35.694 --> 31:39.274 We're forgiven and we're clean and we're free. 31:39.934 --> 31:43.514 And I want to invite you to experience that today. 31:44.645 --> 31:48.645 to simply open your heart and life to Jesus and faith. 31:48.645 --> 31:50.365 Let's bow together in attitude of prayer, 31:50.365 --> 31:53.285 both here and at Olive Drive. 31:53.285 --> 31:55.725 This is a holy moment in the life of our church. 31:55.725 --> 32:00.725 And I'm gonna ask in just a moment after I pray 32:00.945 --> 32:04.425 for all of us to stand, both campuses. 32:04.425 --> 32:06.765 And there's gonna be pastors and other leaders 32:06.765 --> 32:09.265 and prayer partners here at the front. 32:09.265 --> 32:11.145 And we're gonna invite you just to step out 32:11.145 --> 32:14.265 from wherever you're at and walk down one of these aisles. 32:14.463 --> 32:15.883 walk down one of these staircases, 32:17.043 --> 32:18.643 and they take one of these leaders by the hand 32:18.643 --> 32:20.203 and say, I want to give my life to Jesus. 32:20.323 --> 32:21.742 It's time. 32:21.743 --> 32:23.163 I've heard about God. 32:23.243 --> 32:24.463 I've known about God. 32:24.543 --> 32:25.563 I've heard about Jesus. 32:27.023 --> 32:30.963 It's time for me to surrender my life to Him 32:30.963 --> 32:33.143 and go all in. 32:35.663 --> 32:37.743 These leaders will know exactly how to help you. 32:37.743 --> 32:40.403 Now, do not fall for the lie 32:41.851 --> 32:44.851 You've got to clean up your life before you can give it to Jesus. 32:46.071 --> 32:49.531 There's a lot of people out there who think, man, you know what? 32:49.551 --> 32:54.571 I need to do that, but I've got some stuff in my life that I need to clean up first. 32:54.831 --> 32:57.811 Because I don't want to be one of those hypocrites that I've seen in the church. 32:57.951 --> 32:59.030 Listen. 32:59.031 --> 33:00.750 No, no, no. 33:00.751 --> 33:03.731 You've got to come to Jesus as you are. 33:04.953 --> 33:11.493 Sin and all, failures and all, you've got to admit it to them that you can't do it on your own. 33:12.373 --> 33:15.973 And you watch what Jesus does in your life as he saves you. 33:18.473 --> 33:21.913 Maybe you want to come this morning and say, I want to be baptized. 33:22.493 --> 33:24.593 I've known Jesus for some time. 33:24.693 --> 33:25.572 Maybe it's been recent. 33:25.573 --> 33:26.492 Maybe it's been a long time. 33:26.493 --> 33:30.373 But I've never gone public with my faith through baptism like Jesus told me to. 33:33.320 --> 33:38.440 You come, you let us know that you'd like to be baptized like others were baptized today. 33:38.520 --> 33:44.040 And we'd love to talk with you about what that means, what that doesn't mean, and set up a time for you to be baptized. 33:44.160 --> 33:45.680 Maybe you want to join our church family. 33:45.800 --> 33:47.280 We'd love to visit with you about that. 33:47.280 --> 33:56.540 Or maybe, just maybe, you want to come to these steps and pray for your neighbors. 33:57.920 --> 34:01.300 Maybe you're able to pray for them by name. 34:03.307 --> 34:05.686 Maybe you're not. 34:05.687 --> 34:08.787 And you want to pray and ask God to give you a love, 34:08.907 --> 34:10.127 His love for them, 34:10.927 --> 34:12.247 so your eyes can be opened 34:12.247 --> 34:15.547 and you'll have some love to pass on. 34:16.927 --> 34:21.127 I think it would be wonderful that these steps were filled with people 34:21.127 --> 34:24.067 pouring out their heart to the Lord for their neighbors. 34:25.067 --> 34:28.627 However God leads, let's come as He leads in just a moment. 34:28.767 --> 34:30.947 Let's pray. 34:30.948 --> 34:35.308 Thank you for loving us so much and so well. 34:36.568 --> 34:39.108 We love you because you first loved us. 34:39.268 --> 34:42.628 Thank you, Lord, for not leaving us in our sin, but pursuing us. 34:43.928 --> 34:47.288 Help us love people like that so we pursue them. 34:48.868 --> 34:49.908 That we're intentional. 34:52.468 --> 34:58.708 God, would you make our church family this great army of love? 35:00.462 --> 35:07.922 Not that we would fake love, but that it would be real, deep decision to love. 35:10.062 --> 35:12.522 Lord, help us have eyes to see our neighbors. 35:15.762 --> 35:19.602 Help us have intentionality to meet our neighbors. 35:20.898 --> 35:23.958 Help us, Lord, have love to encourage them and serve them. 35:24.038 --> 35:28.678 And Lord, help us have the boldness and the courage to tell them about you, 35:29.138 --> 35:30.398 to invite them to church. 35:31.858 --> 35:38.158 Lord, I ask that you would do a special work in anyone who doesn't personally know you today. 35:39.038 --> 35:45.498 They've never opened their heart to receive the flood of your love and your grace and your forgiveness 35:45.498 --> 35:47.278 that you offer to give them. 35:49.012 --> 35:52.952 I pray, Lord, that you would open their eyes today and right now, 35:53.612 --> 35:56.272 that you would open their hearts, soften it, Lord. 35:57.292 --> 35:59.852 Give them the courage it's going to take to step out and come 35:59.852 --> 36:01.612 and trust you as Savior. 36:02.632 --> 36:03.692 We love you, Lord. 36:03.772 --> 36:07.332 We give this time to you to do as you please. 36:07.332 --> 36:09.852 We ask in Jesus' name, amen. 36:11.118 --> 36:12.558 Thanks for listening today. 36:12.558 --> 36:14.218 We hope you enjoyed this message. 36:14.218 --> 36:16.318 And if you did, we would be so grateful 36:16.318 --> 36:17.998 if you left us a review. 36:17.998 --> 36:20.438 Also, go ahead and subscribe to the podcast 36:20.438 --> 36:21.738 if you would like to be notified 36:21.738 --> 36:23.638 when a new sermon is released. 36:23.638 --> 36:25.298 If you feel the Lord calling you 36:25.298 --> 36:26.898 to take the next step in faith 36:26.898 --> 36:31.218 through salvation, service, or giving, don't wait. 36:31.216 --> 36:34.316 reach out to us by texting podcast to 88988. 36:34.676 --> 36:36.956 That's podcast to 88988 36:36.956 --> 36:39.896 or connect with us on one of our social media platforms. 36:40.556 --> 36:43.656 You can also visit our website, valleybaptist.org 36:43.656 --> 36:45.656 to find even more great resources. 36:46.456 --> 36:48.016 No matter where you are in your journey, 36:48.576 --> 36:49.855 know that we love you. 36:49.856 --> 36:50.976 We're praying for you 36:50.976 --> 36:53.976 and we can't wait to see what God will do in your life.