Episode 6
Essentials (Part 4): Sent
The HeavenEarth Church Podcast Exists to Amplify The Conversation Happening at HeavenEarth Church.
This conversation centers around the vision to be a church that make a lasting impact in our community by building relationships with all kinds of folks, helping people know and live like Jesus together.
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Heaven Earth Church embodies a profound commitment to inclusivity, welcoming individuals who may feel marginalized or disconnected from traditional faith communities. The founding pastor, Ross Stackhouse, articulates a vision centered on understanding and honoring the unique stories of each person. Throughout this episode, listeners are introduced to the diverse narratives of those who have found a home within the church, highlighting their journeys of rediscovering or embracing faith. The central theme emphasizes that every individual's story is intertwined with God's overarching narrative, advocating for a relational and compassionate approach to spirituality. This episode serves as an invitation to explore the intersections of personal and divine stories, fostering a sense of belonging among listeners and participants alike.
Takeaways:
- Heaven Earth Church aims to be a welcoming community for individuals who feel like misfits in traditional church settings.
- The podcast shares personal stories from members of Heaven Earth Church, emphasizing the importance of personal narratives in understanding faith.
- Pastor Ross Stackhouse discusses the significance of living a life shaped by continuous companionship with God, encouraging deep spiritual growth.
- The episode highlights the essential practice of loving one's neighbor as oneself, connecting this principle to the core of Christian teachings.
- The importance of humility and willingness in seeking Jesus is emphasized, highlighting the mindset necessary for discipleship.
- Listeners are encouraged to explore their spiritual journey and engage with the community, fostering an environment of support and growth.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
Welcome to Heaven Earth Church.
Speaker A:My name is Ross Stackhouse.
Speaker A:I'm the founding pastor of Heaven Earth Church.
Speaker A:From the beginning, our heart was to be a church for people who don't fit neatly into church.
Speaker A:Our heart is to meet people where they are, to learn their stories, to honor their stories.
Speaker A:Because in every human story is God's story.
Speaker A:In this podcast, you'll hear more about the people who now call Heaven Earth Church home.
Speaker A:Their stories, in many cases of misfits who are discovering or rediscovering faith.
Speaker A:If you want to know more about us, you can go to heavenorthchurch.org Otherwise, we invite you now into the story.
Speaker B:Hello, good people.
Speaker B:Brad Miller here, the producer of the Heaven Earth Church podcast.
Speaker B:One of the main benefits of being a part of the Heaven Earth Church community is our Sunday morning conversations taught by founding pastor Ross Stackhouse.
Speaker B:You can watch and participate in the Sunday morning conversation this Sunday morning, 9:30am Eastern Time at YouTube.com Heaven Earth Church.
Speaker B:The audio version of the Sunday morning conversation is available here on the podcast, which you can find at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and on the website, which is heaven earthchurch.org now let's join Pastor Ross Stackhouse and part four of the Essentials Message series sent.
Speaker A:Lord, I pray that you would open our hearts as we sang today.
Speaker A:Soften our hearts if we are jaded, breathe a new openness and willingness if our hearts are hardened, will you soften them gracefully?
Speaker A:Help our hearts to beat again for the things that make your heart go and help us to live the eternal kind of life that you so, so graciously invite us to be a part of.
Speaker A:In Jesus name, amen.
Speaker A:So a lot of times when I, when I think through what we're going to talk about in the conversations, it always turns back to, like, how I see it through this lens of parenting, because I got three of them and it's like the best thing ever.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:Every day is a surprise.
Speaker A:The other day we were having waffles and I was said that waffles are like pancakes with abs.
Speaker A:I was like, it's like, that's.
Speaker A:That's so oddly true.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:But I find that I realize that I have a posture with my kids that's shedding light on my dad's posture with me.
Speaker A:Throughout the years, there were times when my dad was giving me instruction or trying to show me a path to walk on, and I kind of just thought like, or I probably had this assumption that he was giving me this instruction, telling me about this path because it is just.
Speaker A:Just something to do, you know, Just like, hey, do this so you won't get in trouble.
Speaker A:Do this so you won't make life too hard on me, your dad.
Speaker A:But as I get older, now, as I'm a parent, I realize I see it differently because of what I'm doing with my kids.
Speaker A:I'm not giving them instruction or listening to them or walking alongside them so they will stay out of trouble.
Speaker A:I'm trying to give them, like, life.
Speaker A:I'm trying to pass on to them, like, a vision for me that I've discovered that a life that is worth living.
Speaker A:And I see in my dad, like, looking back, like, the years that we went to church every Sunday, you know, and I sat in a pew and I learned the art of acting like you're paying attention while you were actually asleep.
Speaker A:If anybody wants to try it, you do this.
Speaker A:You put your head in your hands and look forward, but you got to put up close enough so dad can't see your eyes.
Speaker A:And you fall asleep while looking forward.
Speaker A:But all these things my dad was inviting me into was not like, hey, these are the rules you need to follow, bud.
Speaker A:Like, some arbitrary thing that he got from his granddaddy or whatever.
Speaker A: and Jesus is doing that times: Speaker A:He's not giving you some arbitrary list of rules, like, hey, do this as a kind of, as I told you before, an entrance exam.
Speaker A:If you can follow through on these standards that I give you, then you will gain entrance at the end of the run.
Speaker A:No, man.
Speaker A:Jesus knows what life is really about.
Speaker A:He knows what makes you thrive, Dave.
Speaker A:He knows it better than we can imagine.
Speaker A:He knows, like, what life is as heaven defines it.
Speaker A:He knows what an eternal kind of life is.
Speaker A:So when he became flesh on this earth, he wasn't just like, you know what?
Speaker A:I'm gonna pass out a list of rules.
Speaker A:Some of them, like, make sense.
Speaker A:Other others of them don't.
Speaker A:And if these people do these rules, then I'll know that they're my people and I'll let them in.
Speaker A:No, he's telling you.
Speaker A:He's showing you what life actually is.
Speaker A:What seems weird to us about him is actually more normal than we could ever dream.
Speaker A:The tough thing is this.
Speaker A:You gotta practice it before it makes sense.
Speaker A:It's like, I've said this many times, like fasting.
Speaker A:If you're waiting for fasting to make sense before you do it, you'll never do it.
Speaker A:But one Lent season, Lent's coming up.
Speaker A:I decided to fast one meal a day for the 40 days.
Speaker A:So at certain time in the middle of the day, I couldn't eat.
Speaker A:And I would just pray the prayer of Jesus that he prayed in the desert.
Speaker A:Man does not live by bread alone.
Speaker A:Upon every word that pours forth from the mouth of God.
Speaker A:Every time I felt hungry, I would pray that at the end of 40 days, I understood something about life I'd never understood before.
Speaker A:I just.
Speaker A:I understood that, like, my life is in God and secured by God more than I could ever realize.
Speaker A:If I have nothing, if I lose everything, if I don't even have food in my belly.
Speaker A:Okay, God is with me.
Speaker A:So I want to talk to you about today.
Speaker A:We've been in a series talking about our five, what we call our discipleship essentials of Heaven, Earth, Church.
Speaker A:We have.
Speaker A:If you're like, Ross, I can't keep track of all these things you talk about.
Speaker A:We have a vision, we have a mission.
Speaker A:We have a core beliefs, narrative.
Speaker A:We have values.
Speaker A:And we have this, too.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:We're just trying to be very intentional.
Speaker A:It's not arbitrary.
Speaker A:Just like my daddy wasn't saying, like, you better get up and go to church, boy, or else.
Speaker A:He was trying to hand to me, like, a life that's worth living.
Speaker A:Thank you, dad.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:That's what we're trying to do.
Speaker A:We're just trying to be intentional.
Speaker A:So we have our community core values.
Speaker A:These are, like, the things we can practice together.
Speaker A:If you really like, we can do together.
Speaker A:The discipleship essentials are deeper.
Speaker A:It's like, deeper and harder to be honest with you.
Speaker A:So we've been talking about these each week.
Speaker A:We asked ourselves about a year and a half ago if there was a committed, fruitful, flourishing disciple of Jesus in our midst.
Speaker A:How do we know?
Speaker A:And then everybody brought their ideas to the table.
Speaker A:They had to have a story, life story, and a scripture as some evidence.
Speaker A:And we had a bunch of stuff, people from all different backgrounds, different angles.
Speaker A:And we did this hard work of whittling it down to five.
Speaker A:Like, man, this is what it would look like.
Speaker A:These are the practices that we think produce the fruit of a committed, like, flourishing disciple of Jesus.
Speaker A:Week one, we talked about Jesus says over and over again that his religion is completely inside out.
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:Because he had a lot of people who turned religion into performance in his time.
Speaker A:They were performing religion rather than being transformed from the inside out by their practice of religion.
Speaker A:So essential one is we want to pursue being shaped from the inside out by continuous companionship with God.
Speaker A:You came to church today.
Speaker A:Pat yourself on the back.
Speaker A:It's still worth it.
Speaker A:Jesus lived religion outside of the box.
Speaker A:He also went to synagogue.
Speaker A:Both things are good.
Speaker A:We are spending community time together in a communal spiritual practice.
Speaker A:We need that.
Speaker A:But we also want to be shaped from the inside out by continuous companionship with God.
Speaker A:So what you're doing On Monday at 7:52am matters just as much.
Speaker A:Number two, we want to be humble, hungry and willing to seek Jesus for short.
Speaker A:The HHW mindset.
Speaker A:That just means, what did Jesus say?
Speaker A:What did he do?
Speaker A:We want that to shape our worldview and our way of life above everything.
Speaker A:For us, Jesus life is like the Bible within the Bible.
Speaker A:Hi, darlin'isn't.
Speaker A:It wonderful to have kids in our midst?
Speaker A:God, I know I said that.
Speaker A:She's like, oh, Lord, what have I done?
Speaker A:I'm in front of the talking man.
Speaker A:Jesus loved kids so much.
Speaker A:In a society where kids were disregarded, it's hard for us to imagine they were the lowest on the social ladder.
Speaker A:But he said, bring them to me.
Speaker A:I tell you, if you can't accept the kingdom of the heavens as they do, you'll never enter it.
Speaker A:Humble, hungry and willing.
Speaker A:A child is humble, hungry and willing.
Speaker A:They say things like waffles are like pancakes with abs.
Speaker A:You have to have that same kind of mind.
Speaker A:Have you lost that it can be rediscovered with Jesus?
Speaker A:Number three, we want to have grace in the great commands at the core.
Speaker A:Those are the anchor.
Speaker A:Jesus was asked, what's the greatest command in the law?
Speaker A:The first five books.
Speaker A:He says, love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.
Speaker A:And the second is.
Speaker A:You skipped a part.
Speaker A:The second is like it.
Speaker A:Love your neighbor as yourself.
Speaker A:Jesus demonstrated with his life.
Speaker A:When you think about your neighbor and you regard them in this way, when you say, man, if I were in my neighbor's shoes, what kind of consideration and love would I hope to receive?
Speaker A:When you do that, it raises up like this beautiful aromatic offering to God.
Speaker A:How do I know that?
Speaker A:Ephesians, Jesus own sacrifice, it said, lifted up to God like this worshipful offering.
Speaker A:When you love your neighbor as yourself, you're loving the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.
Speaker A:It's both people.
Speaker A:You're doing it today.
Speaker A:You're doing command one.
Speaker A:How do you treat your server when you go to lunch today?
Speaker A:Darn it.
Speaker A:It's 10 11.
Speaker A:Yep, this story matters.
Speaker A:I wasn't going to do it.
Speaker A:This is more important.
Speaker A:Forget the sermon.
Speaker A:This is more important.
Speaker A:We went to lunch last week.
Speaker A:This is Jesus life in a nutshell.
Speaker A:If you forget the sermon, that's fine.
Speaker A:If I don't get to any of this, who cares?
Speaker A:I went to church last Sunday.
Speaker A:After we were here, we went to some restaurant down.
Speaker A:Excuse me.
Speaker A:Up near Indianapolis.
Speaker A:And we were sitting at our table, very packed restaurant.
Speaker A:There was a fellow who came in, very clear that this guy was struggling with homelessness.
Speaker A:And he sat down and because I'd spent time with you.
Speaker A:I'm not special.
Speaker A:Is because I spent time with you talking about what we talked about.
Speaker A:So guess what was in my heart, my mind, I'm not special.
Speaker A:It's because I was strengthened by you that I just.
Speaker A:God, like, whoa.
Speaker A:My eyes and my heart were set on this fellow.
Speaker A:I felt sent to him, and I wondered, maybe he was sent to me.
Speaker A:Jesus says he talks about welcoming the stranger.
Speaker A:Did you know?
Speaker A:He says that, by the way?
Speaker A:Did you know that?
Speaker A:Do you know that Jesus's kingdom doesn't have borders?
Speaker A:Did you know that?
Speaker A:All right, back to the regular schedule programming.
Speaker A:Some have welcomed angels without knowing it.
Speaker A:What if Jesus just walked into the restaurant?
Speaker A:I better go sit next to him.
Speaker A:Jesus says, blessed are the poor.
Speaker A:I better go sit next to him.
Speaker A:Buster.
Speaker A:To the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Speaker A:Boy, I better get off my butt and go sit next to him.
Speaker A:First the hostess.
Speaker A:I watched her.
Speaker A:I was worried.
Speaker A:We think.
Speaker A:I was worried about they were going to kick him out, going to judge him, ignore him.
Speaker A:Why did this guy get a job?
Speaker A:Dad gone it.
Speaker A:Sick of how these people.
Speaker A:Can you believe that there was a bill introduced in Indiana that would criminalize homelessness?
Speaker A:My God.
Speaker A:Lord have mercy.
Speaker A:It was proposed by a person who calls himself Christian.
Speaker A:Boy, Ross, you're getting awful judgmental today.
Speaker A:No, no.
Speaker A:I'm simply asking, what does Jesus say and do?
Speaker A:So what should I do?
Speaker A:Likewise, I won't stand for it.
Speaker A:I won't abide it.
Speaker A:So I looked at this fellow.
Speaker A:I watched the opposite happen.
Speaker A:I was shocked.
Speaker A:Richard Rohr says this.
Speaker A:He says, yes, the problem of evil is real.
Speaker A:You got to deal with the problem of evil, but you also have to contend with the problem of the good.
Speaker A:I was sitting there in this restaurant, contending with the problem of the good.
Speaker A:I walked up to this hostess and I was like, hey, is there anything you can tell me about that gentleman over there?
Speaker A:She said, I never met him.
Speaker A:He just showed up today.
Speaker A:I said, hey, if he, I'm not special, it's because I spent time with you.
Speaker A:You Hear that?
Speaker A:What you do 30 minutes after you leave here.
Speaker A:Command two, command one.
Speaker A:They're the same thing.
Speaker A:I said, hey, I'd be willing to buy that guy a meal if he needs it.
Speaker A:She said, I already did, hon.
Speaker A:The problem of the good.
Speaker A:So I didn't change the fact I didn't go sit with him.
Speaker A:So I sat next to him.
Speaker A:I left my poor wife with the three runts, the three rascals.
Speaker A:Sorry, darling.
Speaker A:I love you.
Speaker A:I sat next to him and he was eating pancakes like he hadn't eaten a meal in days.
Speaker A:He told me he had $3 to his name and he'd just gotten out of the hospital.
Speaker A:And you know, look, what I felt when I sat next to him was one like gratitude that, like Jesus opened my eyes about how to live God.
Speaker A:I'm grateful.
Speaker A:When you practice what he preaches, there's an electrical current that starts to flow from him into you.
Speaker A:That's nothing like you ever dreamed.
Speaker A:It's called the Holy Spirit.
Speaker A:And it's not just a thing, it's a person.
Speaker A:It's God with you.
Speaker A:He's not joking about that.
Speaker A:Your destiny is to have the very person of God dwell in the depths of your heart and soul and to guide you in every moment of every day.
Speaker A:That's why I was next to him, looking for Jesus in his face, his wrinkled, beaten face.
Speaker A:And he told me that he's from right near where I'm from.
Speaker A:We talked about a restaurant called the Ordinary and Wanamaker.
Speaker A:Anybody ever been there?
Speaker A:She was there Friday.
Speaker A:He said, my daddy used to take me there.
Speaker A:He started telling his life story.
Speaker A:And I watched as people in the restaurant gazed at him.
Speaker A:Not with judgment, but with love.
Speaker A:I was like, what is happening today?
Speaker A:What is going on?
Speaker A:And then the other gal who's at the front, I think she maybe manages it, she's womaning the hostess table as well.
Speaker A:She goes to him.
Speaker A:She, she says, hey, I heard your name.
Speaker A:I think we're gonna get you a club sandwich and some chicken salads so you have food later as well.
Speaker A:Good.
Speaker A:And then Jesus like, hey, Ross, you remember that verse where it says something like, if you have two coats, like, give one away.
Speaker A:Say, hey, man, you got any gloves?
Speaker A:I got a nice pair of gloves in my car.
Speaker A:I've got like five pairs of nice winter gloves.
Speaker A:Better get to giving them away.
Speaker A:I got too many gloves.
Speaker A:So I went to the car, gave him my gloves.
Speaker A:I'm not special.
Speaker A:It's because we spend time together talking about these things.
Speaker A:Alright?
Speaker A:Just the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, the fire of God inside me.
Speaker A:I also felt the inadequacy, like, what would help this man's life to flourish?
Speaker A:I don't know the answer to that, but at least in being next to him, the question sits in me.
Speaker A:And that is good.
Speaker A:Too many folks, including Christians, are trying to save things from a distance when our God refuses to save from a distance.
Speaker A:The entire gospel is about how God drew close.
Speaker A:Drew close.
Speaker A:We'll talk about that in a minute.
Speaker A:Heck, we might get to the sermon yet.
Speaker A: uys are going to be here till: Speaker A:I'm kidding.
Speaker A:That's a joke.
Speaker A:It's a joke.
Speaker A:Then I saw this next thing happen.
Speaker A:I've never seen it at a restaurant in my life.
Speaker A:These people treated.
Speaker A:Treated Charlie like he was Jesus.
Speaker A:I was like, my God, I get it.
Speaker A:Jesus wasn't just giving us some rule that might be good for us.
Speaker A:He's like, that's how you live.
Speaker A:When you look at your neighbor and wonder if it's me, you're starting to get it.
Speaker A:When you look at the person next to you, wonder, does that person belong to God?
Speaker A:You're starting to get it.
Speaker A:Especially the vulnerable person, the widow, the orphan, the stranger.
Speaker A:Then you're starting to get it.
Speaker A:Thanks be to God, I'm starting to get it.
Speaker A:Still a beginner, though.
Speaker A:Why?
Speaker A:Number two, I'll wake up tomorrow, I'm a beginner.
Speaker A:Let's be beginners together.
Speaker A:So then I saw this next thing happen.
Speaker A:That same gal that got him the sandwiches, she announced to the whole restaurant, we've got a birthday today.
Speaker A:She was doing it for one of the customers, right?
Speaker A:No, one of the servers.
Speaker A:She didn't care about our meal.
Speaker A:Hey, I know you got a meal to go.
Speaker A:She stopped the whole restaurant.
Speaker A:Gal had a sash on that said birthday girl.
Speaker A:They didn't sing to her.
Speaker A:Brought out a chocolate cake with a bunch of candles on it.
Speaker A:Said, everybody sing to her.
Speaker A:What this person cares about the people who work for her in an extraordinary way.
Speaker A:And then I understood why I stepped into church.
Speaker A:It's because of the culture that person is creating.
Speaker A:So I went to church last Sunday.
Speaker A:My God, it was good for the soul.
Speaker A:What's that stirring you?
Speaker A:I don't know if we'll get to the sermon.
Speaker A:Oh, I should.
Speaker A:It's called Lincoln Square.
Speaker A:Listen, it's up Madison.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Listen, I don't care if their food's worth a lick.
Speaker A:It was actually pretty good.
Speaker A:It was actually pretty good.
Speaker A:They could have given me pancakes with ketchup on top And I'd give them a five star review.
Speaker A:Food was good, though.
Speaker A:Same family as y'all guys.
Speaker A:I didn't know that I.
Speaker A:It was special, man.
Speaker A:I felt the spirit humming in there.
Speaker A:And sometimes, folks, the spirit is humming.
Speaker A:You're just not looking for it because you're jaded.
Speaker A:Your heart is hardened for good reason.
Speaker A:You've been through some stuff.
Speaker A:You've done some stuff.
Speaker A:The Lord is still the Lord.
Speaker A:Don't give up.
Speaker A:As John Luby tells me from aa, don't quit before the miracle.
Speaker A:All right, what's this?
Speaker A:Stirring you to be more aware of the things and people around you.
Speaker A:You're starting to get it, Patty.
Speaker A:Me too.
Speaker A:Bev, you said you weren't special.
Speaker A:The man that walked in there was special.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Bev says that man was special.
Speaker A:I believe so.
Speaker A:And I'll go to you in just a second.
Speaker A:Melissa.
Speaker A:I don't want to romanticize homelessness.
Speaker A:Don't take that away from this story.
Speaker A:There's nothing like glamorous in many ways about the life of Jesus in some ways, but it is glorious.
Speaker A:Our world is suffering because we want something glamorous and quick.
Speaker A:Jesus, life is deep and glorious, Melissa.
Speaker A:Melissa is a counselor.
Speaker A:God bless you.
Speaker A:What a ministry.
Speaker A:She can get into problem solving mode and forget how important just presence is.
Speaker A:Listening, presence, being with people.
Speaker A:Christy.
Speaker A:Yeah, so just.
Speaker A:Christy was just sharing a story about, like, kind of the fruits of just being aware and being curious about the people around you.
Speaker A:Yeah, actually, hey, I'm going to keep going because we need to segue, then I'll turn it back to you.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:I promise we're going to fast track this part, but basically, I want to just tell you this.
Speaker A:Today we are actually talking about four.
Speaker A:So isn't it cool how that story that just popped into my brain fits with number four?
Speaker A:We're talking about this fourth essential.
Speaker A:And really quick.
Speaker A:First, I want to tell you this.
Speaker A:We'll flourish as apprentices of Jesus as we come to the astonishing realization of how he was sent to us and how he sends us likewise.
Speaker A:So it's like two sides of a coin.
Speaker A:I was thinking of my dad's when I was a kid.
Speaker A:This is happening.
Speaker A:Darn.
Speaker A:It's starting to happen.
Speaker A:Like, I remember listening to people talk about the, like, thing, like Ataris and stuff.
Speaker A:I was like, you old person.
Speaker A:Well, now I'm gonna do it.
Speaker A:When I was a kid, we had cassette tapes in the car.
Speaker A:And you listen, you pop that thing in, you get to the end of side one and be like, if you want to listen to the rest, you got to take it out, flip it over to side B to hear the song you really want to hear.
Speaker A:Well that's side A and side B of the cassette of Discipleship 1.
Speaker A:It's coming to this awakening, this astonishing awakening of how Jesus was sent to us.
Speaker A:That's side A.
Speaker A:Side B is this astonishing realization of how he sends us.
Speaker A:Likewise.
Speaker A:Are you with me?
Speaker A:When we live into that, we're going to flourish.
Speaker A:We're going to get that electricity like because that is a reality.
Speaker A:We live every moment of every day.
Speaker A:Every moment of every day.
Speaker A:And what I mean by this essential is this a lot of text.
Speaker A:Hang with me.
Speaker A:By this we mean we're taking seriously that God sends us to people in places for a purpose that may not be known to us yet.
Speaker A:So like sometimes it's like we need the.
Speaker A:We need the whole map.
Speaker A:We've talked about this a lot.
Speaker A:Jesus's way is about just getting enough vision for just the next step and going the way.
Speaker A:We're sitting in this building.
Speaker A:I could tell you a whole story.
Speaker A:It's just a result of this.
Speaker A:I would have never signed up for this building ever would never thought I was sent to this place with these people.
Speaker A:But the reason I'll say just this, it's partly because of one police officer who lived this did a ride along with him.
Speaker A:He invite.
Speaker A:He introduced me to 20 people in one day.
Speaker A:I was worn out.
Speaker A:I'm an extrovert.
Speaker A:We hope to grow in a willingness to go to someone, especially someone lost or vulnerable, without knowing exactly what we'll do or say.
Speaker A:We're willing to go there and be there with an open heart and mind, realizing that the purpose for being there may unfold over time.
Speaker A:Make sense?
Speaker A:So here's what I want to show you.
Speaker A:I'm going to show you the two sides of the cassette real quick.
Speaker A:Older folks, what was your favorite cassette?
Speaker A:Man, you just love popping that.
Speaker A:My dad was Eric Clapton.
Speaker A:Journeyman Bonnie.
Speaker A:Great.
Speaker A:Some people like didn't like 80s Clapton.
Speaker A:I grew up on it.
Speaker A:So you're in what's mixtape?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:You can make your own, right?
Speaker A:You had to like record.
Speaker A:You had a recording device.
Speaker A:Oh, you had to put them both at once.
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker A:Young people, come and talk to us.
Speaker A:We'll tell you about an ancient practice of recording.
Speaker A:You had to press.
Speaker A:That's our.
Speaker A:Thank you.
Speaker A:You had to press play and record at the same time.
Speaker A:You had to get those buttons down right on time.
Speaker A:Then yes.
Speaker A:If not, you had to do it all over again.
Speaker A:It was a thing.
Speaker A:It was a thing.
Speaker A:Listen.
Speaker A:It was a thing.
Speaker A:Side A.
Speaker A:Side A?
Speaker A:What's.
Speaker A:What's side A?
Speaker A:Side A is the astonishing realization of how he was sent to us.
Speaker A:Some of you, again, you've forgotten it.
Speaker A:You stopped caring about it because you're jaded or your heart is hardened by your past church experience or trauma.
Speaker A:I get it.
Speaker A:It's okay.
Speaker A:Don't give up.
Speaker A:He was sent to you and it's beautiful.
Speaker A:It's your liberation.
Speaker A:What's that?
Speaker A:Don't give up.
Speaker A:Give in to this beautiful reality.
Speaker A:I like that.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:First of all, like, think about how Jesus was sent to us.
Speaker A:I'm just going to do this really quick.
Speaker A:The side A, first of all, his nativity tells us that it bears witness to Jesus, like, God's willingness to be vulnerable.
Speaker A:What Melissa just said before Jesus, like, gets to, like, teaching or any of that stuff for healing, whatever, he just becomes vulnerable, lowly with us.
Speaker A:And somehow that's a threat.
Speaker A:Somehow this baby, the way he shows up is a threat.
Speaker A:Did you know that?
Speaker A:Like, vulnerability is threatening to people who are running with ego.
Speaker A:A lot of people are doing what they do out of ego because they're afraid to be seen.
Speaker A:What happens if people know me for who I really am?
Speaker A:Jesus shows up with no ego.
Speaker A:That's how he's willing to be with us.
Speaker A:Vulnerable, lowly, getting chased down by an evil, power hungry leader.
Speaker A:He's not born in a palace, he's born in a stable.
Speaker A:Here's the other thing.
Speaker A:Look at this.
Speaker A:John 1:14.
Speaker A:The word became flesh and made his home among us.
Speaker A:It highlights how Jesus takes this glory of heaven and he's like, I want to come bring this glory to you.
Speaker A:It's like if you hosted somebody at your home, but before they.
Speaker A:Before they came, they said, hey, I'm gonna do all that furious, anxious cleaning the week before.
Speaker A:Right, honey?
Speaker A:No, this is my failure.
Speaker A:Like, sometimes, like, Angela's been working so hard, and then I show up in the 11th hour.
Speaker A:I was like, what do you need me to do, honey?
Speaker A:She's already been working so hard.
Speaker A:She said she's gonna punch me.
Speaker A:I wonder where Iva gets it.
Speaker A:Iva goes straight to physical violence.
Speaker A:Anyways, enough about my family and the work.
Speaker A:We need.
Speaker A:We need help.
Speaker A:No, I'm kidding.
Speaker A:We're doing great.
Speaker A:It's like somebody said, I'm gonna show up the week before, I'm gonna do all the cleaning for you, I'm gonna cook for you, and I'm going To sit and listen with you the whole time.
Speaker A:Because I want to bring the glory that I have received to your home.
Speaker A:Jesus takes the glory that he's enjoyed in heaven and he just wants to make it ours.
Speaker A:Jesus is so excited about just giving stuff away.
Speaker A:Not material stuff, spiritual stuff, heavenly stuff, glorious stuff.
Speaker A:God wants to give that to you.
Speaker A:Not so you can hoard it, but you can pass it.
Speaker A:Okay?
Speaker A:That's what John 1:14 illustrates.
Speaker A:We're still on cassette A.
Speaker A:We're going to flip over to cassette B in a minute.
Speaker A:All right?
Speaker A:You with me?
Speaker A:I can flip this dag on a piece of paper.
Speaker A:Oh, I don't need it.
Speaker A:Philippians 2 along the same lines.
Speaker A:Look at this humility.
Speaker A:Though he was in the form of God, he did not consider being equal with God.
Speaker A:Something to exploit.
Speaker A:Boy, some.
Speaker A:Some preachers could take a note from this.
Speaker A:Jesus emptied himself.
Speaker A:Fancy word for it's kenosis.
Speaker A:Big theolog shows you can go to.
Speaker A:You went to school if you can say that word.
Speaker A:He took the form of a servant.
Speaker A:That's how he came to us.
Speaker A:He took the form of a servant and he was obedient to the point of death.
Speaker A:Even death on a cross.
Speaker A:Our Lent series is like, hey, let's go back.
Speaker A:Why did Jesus die for us?
Speaker A:Let's talk about that again.
Speaker A:Let's say I got.
Speaker A:We're going to talk about that.
Speaker A:You ready for that, Heather?
Speaker A:Heather and I have had some talks.
Speaker A:We need it.
Speaker A:I need it.
Speaker A:But here's the thing.
Speaker A:Here's here.
Speaker A:Here's what I want to.
Speaker A:I want you to think about.
Speaker A:It's what Melissa said.
Speaker A:This is the point.
Speaker A:I actually might just read this straight off the paper.
Speaker A:Jesus for 30 years was remarkably unremarkable.
Speaker A:I want you to think about that for a minute.
Speaker A:For almost three decades, he just walked, breathed, lived, bled sweat, smelled hungered thirst, got sick, got made fun of, got angry, got sad in ways that ordinary, unremarkable people did and do.
Speaker A:That's how he was sent to us.
Speaker A:Long before he taught, long before he fed, long before he healed, he walked, breathed, lived, bled sweat, smelled hungered thirst, got sick, got made fun of, got angry, got sad in ways that ordinary, unremarkable people do.
Speaker A:He grew up in a poor family who weren't citizens of Rome, and he lived and work alongside poor people in a no good town.
Speaker A:He went unnoticed.
Speaker A:And that's the, the point.
Speaker A:Before he taught, before he healed, before he died, before he was raised, he was just sent to people to live with them.
Speaker A:That's how he was sent to us.
Speaker A:Isn't that absurd?
Speaker A:How ordinary he is?
Speaker A:Then he did something extraordinary.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker A:He did this little thing of taking on the spiritual forces of wickedness on our behalf, staring the enemy of death in the face and kick it in the.
Speaker A:In the teeth like the best UFC fighter of all time to make us free.
Speaker A:So that's how he was sent to us.
Speaker A:That's side A.
Speaker A:I'm not going to tell you side B.
Speaker A:I'm going to give you homework, okay?
Speaker A: Because it's: Speaker A:We don't have time for this.
Speaker A:Go read Acts chapter 10.
Speaker A:The whole chapter.
Speaker A:Maybe read it every day this week.
Speaker A:Go read it every day.
Speaker A:Acts chapter 10.
Speaker A:I'll email you.
Speaker A:That means you got to be on the email list.
Speaker A:Ross.
Speaker A:How do I get on the email list?
Speaker A:Go to our website, fill out the tell us about you form, and you'll be on our email list.
Speaker A:Go to heavenearthchurch.org, fill out the tell us about you form, and you'll be on the email list.
Speaker A:You got to do it today, though.
Speaker A:Do it now.
Speaker A:Don't listen to me.
Speaker A:Tell us about you.
Speaker A:You'll get the email.
Speaker A:Read Acts chapter 10.
Speaker A:Pay attention to how these two guys, Cornelius and Peter, I tell this story all the time.
Speaker A:The SEM Principle could be called the Cornelius principle.
Speaker A:It's from Acts chapter 10.
Speaker A:Both these guys from two very different backgrounds and worlds in the habit of just, like, being present and listening with God.
Speaker A:Essential one.
Speaker A:And they just live humbly with willingness.
Speaker A:So they get just enough vision for just the next step.
Speaker A:And then they meet at this point where something explosive happens that changed the course of the history of the church.
Speaker A:Go read Acts chapter 10.
Speaker A:And that's side B of the cassette, if you forgot what side B is.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:We will flourish as apprentices of Jesus as we come to the astonishing realization of how Jesus was sent to us.
Speaker A:Side A and side B, how he sends us likewise.
Speaker A:Okay, I'm done.
Speaker A:What's this stirring in you?
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker A:And to her I'd say I've had the same.
Speaker A:I'm jaded for the same reasons for that story.
Speaker A:I can tell you other ones where I've been scammed.
Speaker A:But you're right.
Speaker A:Like, I.
Speaker A:And I'll feel that in my heart.
Speaker A:And Jesus says, hey, don't quit.
Speaker A:What about the next person you know?
Speaker A:But I feel that.
Speaker A:Thank you, Evan.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:It's not obvious.
Speaker A:Evan's saying, like, we might listen.
Speaker A:We can be with people and not realize how we're sent to Them.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So we're trying to grow an awareness of the people.
Speaker A:God doesn't send us to everyone, but there are some people, like, places.
Speaker A:And Evan tells a story about a.
Speaker A:He had a college teammate who called him.
Speaker A:10 years later.
Speaker A:He's like, I turned my life to God.
Speaker A:Evan's like, that's cool, man.
Speaker A:I love that.
Speaker A:Why are you telling me?
Speaker A:He's like, well, you didn't.
Speaker A:You didn't say anything, but I could tell by the way you lived.
Speaker A:So Evan walked, breathe, lived, bled, sweat, smelled, smelled, hungered, thirst, got sick, got made fun of, got angry, got sad in ways that ordinary, unremarkable people did and do along that guy alongside that guy Joey at the same time.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Intentionality.
Speaker A:I'll.
Speaker A:I'll flash a slide here in a minute.
Speaker A:I won't talk much about it.
Speaker A:That I'm.
Speaker A:I'm going to give you a.
Speaker B:So what?
Speaker A:Like, this sounds great.
Speaker A:Ross, what do we do?
Speaker A:How do we do this?
Speaker A:Jill, go ahead.
Speaker A:Looks like they're having a blast back there.
Speaker A:It's the Academy Award music coming.
Speaker A:Ross, you're done.
Speaker A:Get down.
Speaker A:Some people don't know how to receive it.
Speaker A:Dude, they had a party today.
Speaker A:Let's go.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:All right.
Speaker A:Justin, did you know you're going to come into applause?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Well, you deserve it, buddy.
Speaker A:You deserve it.
Speaker A:I saw a hand somewhere.
Speaker A:Oh, thank you.
Speaker A:Thank you, thank you.
Speaker A:Angel just described some vulnerability.
Speaker A:Thank you, sweetheart.
Speaker A:I appreciate that.
Speaker A:Some vulnerability about, like, kind of the experience I described in the restaurant.
Speaker A:But she's finding that side A helps with side B.
Speaker A:In other words, she said, like, I'm having an awakening again of how, like, God has poured into me this love that means there's always abundance.
Speaker A:There's not just scarcity.
Speaker A:I can just let it pour out from me.
Speaker A:And that's a good point.
Speaker A:This is not just a joke.
Speaker A:The banter we have here, part of a challenge I have that I'm.
Speaker A:I'm trying to get back in line with is I am sent first and foremost to them.
Speaker A:And sometimes I get out of.
Speaker A:Out of alignment with that.
Speaker A:Like, so I gotta.
Speaker A:I gotta.
Speaker A:That's discernment, too.
Speaker A:I gotta figure out, like, hey, I can't pour out all this stuff over there, so I forget what's out here.
Speaker A:You know, I gotta invest in these core relationships.
Speaker A:All right, Petty.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker A:There's a quote I love from a video.
Speaker A:I've said it a hundred times.
Speaker A:Are we willing to till and plant so another can come along and reap?
Speaker A:Are you willing to do that.
Speaker A:I hope so.
Speaker A:Hey, lastly, we gotta go.
Speaker A:Oh, thank you.
Speaker A:Can the music folks can go ahead and head up?
Speaker A:This music team led wonderfully by Joanna Burnett.
Speaker A:Sorry it's hard.
Speaker A:She was Stackhouse for so long.
Speaker A:Here's some practical stuff.
Speaker A:I'll put this in the email too.
Speaker A:Keep in mind the essentials work together when you're pursuing continuous companionship with God and God shaping you from the inside out.
Speaker A:Oh, when you're shaped from the inside out, when you're practicing pursuing friendship with Jesus continuously, you're going to be more aware.
Speaker A:All right, number two, we are the point, God, self, other.
Speaker A:It's like this glorious triangle that we're always in.
Speaker A:When we love our neighbor, it's good for us.
Speaker A:It's glorious to God.
Speaker A:So that's essential.
Speaker A:Three, stuff.
Speaker A:Point three, embrace the mystery.
Speaker A:Enjoy the mystery.
Speaker A:This unknown that Evan's talking about.
Speaker A:Patty just referenced, like, enjoy being in a space with somebody.
Speaker A:You don't know what's going to happen from it, but you're fully present.
Speaker A:You're there for it.
Speaker A:Number four, surrender your expectations.
Speaker A:As recovery wisdom says expectations are preplanned resentments.
Speaker A:Don't let your expectations get in the way of something wonderful.
Speaker A:Pursue authenticity.
Speaker A:Always be you.
Speaker A:Be fully you and want them love for them to be themselves.
Speaker A:Lastly, be intentional like Joey said, and see it through.
Speaker A:All right, I'm going to pray and then we're going to close with a song, I believe or two.
Speaker A:Sorry, God, thank you that you came to us vulnerably in the form of a servant, just to walk with us, live with us, to shower glory into this earth and into our lives.
Speaker A:Help us to receive it.
Speaker A:Help us to give it.
Speaker A:In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Speaker A:Hey, really quick.
Speaker A:Sorry.
Speaker A:Joanna just reminded me it's hard for you to imagine, but it's been five years since the pandemic happened.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Started.
Speaker A:We had somebody online who started watching during the pandemic, participated every Sunday, supported our church has been a blessing to my life.
Speaker A:She was sent to me.
Speaker A: I painted a house back in: Speaker A:I was starting a business.
Speaker A:She brought forms home from her life as a paralegal to make sure my business was in good shape.
Speaker A:And she passed away this week.
Speaker A:So, Laura, we love you people online.
Speaker A:You are our church.
Speaker A:She was there every single Sunday for five years.
Speaker A:And we'll celebrate her life coming up in March.
Speaker A:So just wanted to say that Joanna.
Speaker A:What?
Speaker A:Prayers for Roger and their family.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:So Joanna's gonna tell us what we're doing next.
Speaker C:We have two songs Coming up here.
Speaker C:This one.
Speaker C:So will I.
Speaker C:We were going to cut it because we went over, but we just agree we want to just do it.
Speaker C:So if you need to head out, head out.
Speaker C:But I invite you to sing with us, to worship with us.
Speaker C:Enjoy these songs.
Speaker C:Something came to me going back to the trip I was at.
Speaker C:I had this thought that came to mind that, you know, I would want to retreat to my room so I could have solace and my feet wouldn't hurt and I could just, just have peace and quiet.
Speaker C:But if I stayed there, I would have never served my company.
Speaker C:I would have never went out and made connections.
Speaker C:And I think of that with God is that sometimes because of our comforts or fear of worldly things, we want to stay in.
Speaker C:We want to just kind of be comfortable.
Speaker C:But if we did that, we would never get out and do the work of our Creator.
Speaker C:So we have to remember that.
Speaker C:So just pray, pray for help with it.
Speaker C:Pray.
Speaker C:You know, I understand I wasn't always here.
Speaker C:I was just learning to love the Lord and things like that.
Speaker C:So that's okay.
Speaker C:Wherever you're at, just keep praying to be shown and for the Lord to hold your hand while you're doing these things.
Speaker C:So anyway, I wanted to just say that because I thought of it during the service.
Speaker B:Thank you for participating in the conversation happening at Heaven Earth Church.
Speaker B:Your next opportunity to do so live is this Sunday morning, 9:30am Eastern Time, either at the main campus at 309 East Main in Whiteland, Indiana or online at YouTube Live.
Speaker B:That's@YouTube.com heavenerthchurch the audio podcast is always available at Apple Podcast and on Spotify.
Speaker B:You can help others find out about the Heaven Earth Church podcast by going to Apple Podcasts and or Spotify and leaving a five star rating and your review.
Speaker B:Instructions on how to do just that and links are in the show notes.
Speaker B:You can always find out more by going to the church website, heavenearthchurch.org we.
Speaker A:Want to thank you for spending time with us today.
Speaker A:My name is Ross Stackhouse, the pastor of Heaven Earth Church.
Speaker A:And you may think out there that your story is over, but in fact your faith story may just be beginning.
Speaker A:If you want more information about our church or you're interested in the next step, you can go to heavenerschurch.
Speaker A:Otherwise we look forward to being with you next time at the Heaven Earth Church.
