Today, I explored the profound theme of reclamation, both in the physical and spiritual realms, drawing parallels between societal efforts to reclaim waste and Christ's mission to reclaim those deemed as societal 'trash.' I began by discussing our modern throwaway culture, exemplified by the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a massive accumulation of oceanic trash. This led into a discussion on how items like plastic can be repurposed into useful objects, such as swimsuits, symbolizing transformation from waste to worth.

I then transitioned to the spiritual aspect of reclamation, using biblical narratives to illustrate how Jesus Christ sought out and restored those marginalized by society. I recounted the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, who, despite her societal rejection, was chosen by Jesus to receive the living water, transforming her into a herald of the Gospel in her community.

Further, I shared the healing of the blind man, emphasizing that his blindness was not a result of sin, but an opportunity for the works of God to be displayed. This story highlighted how societal judgments are often misplaced, and how divine purpose can reclaim any situation.

I also touched upon the healing of the paralytic by the pool of Shalom, illustrating patience and divine timing in reclamation. His inability to enter the pool first did not hinder Christ's power to heal and restore him, showcasing that divine intervention is not bound by human constraints.

The narrative of the woman with a bleeding issue served as a powerful testament to personal perseverance and faith in seeking healing. Her condition, which rendered her unclean by societal standards, was a barrier she overcame by her faith, leading to her restoration.

In discussing these stories, I aimed to draw a parallel between the physical reclamation of objects and the spiritual reclamation of lives. Just as we can transform environmental waste into useful products, Christ transforms lives marred by sin and societal rejection into testimonies of faith and redemption.

Key Takeaways:
1. Reclamation is not just about recycling waste but about transforming it into something valuable and purposeful. This mirrors how Christ does not merely 'clean us up,' but transforms us into new creations with a new purpose. [02:46]

2. The story of the Samaritan woman illustrates that our past does not define our future in Christ. Her transformation led to the salvation of many, showing how our personal testimonies can have a profound impact on our communities. [09:27]

3. The healing of the blind man teaches us that sometimes, what we perceive as misfortunes can be opportunities for God's works to be displayed in us. This perspective encourages us to look for God's hand in every situation, no matter how dire it seems. [10:28]

4. The story of the paralytic by the pool of Shalom reminds us that God's timing is perfect, and His methods are not limited by our expectations or limitations. This encourages us to remain faithful and patient, trusting in God's perfect plan for our lives. [11:58]

5. The healing of the woman with the issue of blood highlights the power of perseverance and faith. Her story encourages us to press through barriers and reach out to Jesus, believing in His power to heal and restore us. [12:28]

Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[00:59] - Introduction to Reclamation
[01:46] - The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
[02:16] - Transforming Trash into Treasure
[03:16] - Reclaiming War-Torn Lands
[04:16] - Urban Renewal and Transformation
[05:20] - Musical Reclamation in a Landfill Community
[06:21] - Spiritual Reclamation through Christ
[07:25] - Christ's Choice of the Marginalized
[08:25] - The Samaritan Woman's Encounter
[09:58] - Healing the Blind Man
[10:28] - Questioning the Healed Blind Man
[11:28] - Mary Magdalene's Transformation
[12:59] - The Adulterous Woman Forgiven

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **John 15:16** - "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you."
2. **John 4:7-30** - The story of the Samaritan woman at the well.
3. **John 9:1-12** - The healing of the man born blind.

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus mean when He says, "You did not choose me, but I chose you" in John 15:16?
2. How did the Samaritan woman's encounter with Jesus at the well change her life and her community? ([09:27])
3. What was the disciples' initial reaction to the man born blind, and how did Jesus correct their understanding? ([09:58])
4. How did the paralytic by the pool of Shalom demonstrate patience and faith before his healing? ([11:58])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. In John 15:16, what does it mean to "bear fruit" in the context of Jesus choosing us? How does this relate to the concept of reclamation discussed in the sermon?
2. How does the story of the Samaritan woman illustrate the idea that our past does not define our future in Christ? ([09:27])
3. What can we learn from Jesus' response to the disciples' question about the blind man's condition regarding societal judgments and divine purpose? ([10:28])
4. How does the healing of the paralytic by the pool of Shalom reflect God's perfect timing and methods beyond human expectations? ([11:58])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like "trash" or unworthy. How can the message of Jesus choosing and reclaiming you change your perspective on that experience? ([13:58])
2. The Samaritan woman's testimony had a profound impact on her community. How can you share your personal testimony to influence those around you? ([09:27])
3. Consider a situation in your life that seems like a misfortune. How can you look for God's hand and purpose in that situation, similar to the blind man's story? ([10:28])
4. Think about an area in your life where you are waiting for God's intervention. How can you practice patience and trust in God's perfect timing, as seen in the story of the paralytic? ([11:58])
5. The woman with the issue of blood showed great perseverance and faith. Identify a barrier in your life that you need to press through with faith. How can you reach out to Jesus for healing and restoration? ([12:28])
6. How can you actively participate in reclaiming and transforming lives in your community, just as Christ transforms lives marred by sin and societal rejection? ([06:21])
7. Reflect on the concept of reclamation in both physical and spiritual realms. What practical steps can you take to contribute to environmental reclamation and spiritual transformation in your daily life? ([02:46])

Day 1: Transformation Beyond Cleaning
Transformation is not merely about cleaning; it's about complete renewal and repurposing. Just as society finds new uses for old materials, Christ offers a profound transformation that goes beyond mere surface cleaning to a deep, purposeful renewal of life. This transformation is vividly illustrated in the way environmental waste can be repurposed into valuable products, symbolizing how lives, seemingly marred by sin and rejection, are transformed into powerful testimonies of faith and redemption. This process of transformation is not just about improving what already exists but about creating something new and purposeful from the old. [02:46]

2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life that feels 'worn out' or 'useless.' How can you invite Christ to repurpose this area into something valuable?

---

Day 2: Past Does Not Define Future
The story of the Samaritan woman at the well teaches us that our past does not determine our future. Despite her history and societal rejection, her encounter with Jesus transformed her into a pivotal figure in her community, leading many to salvation. This narrative encourages us to view our past experiences not as defining factors but as platforms for transformation and divine purpose. Our testimonies, like that of the Samaritan woman, can significantly impact those around us, turning our past into a powerful narrative of redemption and hope. [09:27]

Isaiah 43:18-19
"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: Consider a part of your past that you feel defines you negatively. How can you reframe this part of your story as a testimony to God's transforming power?

---

Day 3: Misfortunes as Divine Opportunities
The healing of the blind man teaches us to view our challenges and misfortunes as opportunities for God's work to be displayed. This perspective shifts our focus from despair to hope, encouraging us to seek God's purpose in every situation, no matter how dire it seems. By recognizing that our struggles can serve a divine purpose, we open ourselves to the possibility of experiencing God's power and grace in new and unexpected ways. [10:28]

John 9:2-3
"His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.'"

Reflection: What is one difficult situation in your life where you can start looking for God's purpose instead of focusing on the hardship?

---

Day 4: Trusting in God's Perfect Timing
The story of the paralytic by the pool of Shalom highlights the importance of divine timing and trusting in God's methods, which are not limited by human expectations. This narrative encourages us to remain patient and faithful, trusting that God's plans for our lives are perfect and will unfold in His timing. Even when we feel stuck or overlooked, God is actively working in our lives, preparing us for the moment of our own healing and restoration. [11:58]

Habakkuk 2:3
"For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay."

Reflection: Is there something you have been waiting on God for? How can you cultivate patience and trust in His timing today?

---

Day 5: The Power of Perseverance and Faith
The healing of the woman with the issue of blood is a testament to the power of perseverance and faith. Her story shows us that by pressing through barriers and reaching out in faith, we can experience Christ's healing and restoration. This narrative encourages us to not let societal judgments or personal limitations deter us from seeking Jesus and believing in His power to change our circumstances. [12:28]

Luke 8:47-48
"And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.'"

Reflection: What barriers do you need to overcome to reach out to Jesus with faith today? How can you actively pursue healing and restoration in your life?

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "So if you feel the times of your life like a little bit of trash, and you just feel you're not worthy, well, God looks at you and says, I have chosen you. I will give you I'd like to talk to you today about trash and reclaiming trash and actually have this get pointed to reclaiming those of us that sometimes feel like human trash. Because Christ reclaims all of us as his own, no matter what we are, butterscotch or other flavors." [00:59](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)

2. "The kids have made some interesting things. They took two big jelly cans and made it into a classical guitar. Used x-rays, you know, the form of x-ray film, to be the skins of a thumping drum. And a battered aluminum salad bowl and strings with tuning forks were used to form a saxophone. So bottle caps, pipe, and instruments, leftover metal, became an orchestra. And the kids there have now formed a 20-person orchestra that is played around the world. Singing beautiful music with reclaimed lives and reclaimed trash." [06:21](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)

3. "Look at how in this recent graph, how the city has really reclaimed itself. The beauty of Detroit, how the downtown has really been transformed in front of us, and how the image of the whole city of Detroit has changed. You can reclaim water, you can reclaim the objects in the water, you can reclaim a whole city." [04:46](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "Christ goes out into the world and seeks out the marginalized. He sought when he was here on this earth, those that society has written off as trash. these individuals that you ran into, the world around looked with the field. The Apostle Peter on the left-hand side. He was nothing but a fisherman. You might say, that's a noble profession. Well, in the Middle East it was really a nothing profession." [06:53](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)

2. "Think about the woman at the well. Jesus is going to a well in Samaria. Samaritans were looked upon as half-breeds because the Assyrians, when the Israel at one point in its life had ten tribes in northern Israel and a couple tribes in southern Israel of the twelve tribes of children of Jacob that divided up the land of Israel. Well, the Assyrians came down and they conquered the northern portion of Israel and they took the ten tribes and they now were considered the lost ten tribes of Israel." [07:55](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)

3. "And then we have Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene is thought to have been possessed by seven demons, rejected totally by someone that had some significant mental health issues. And everyone avoided her. Christ saw her out. Chose her. Reclaimed her. Restored her. And she became one of the great witnesses cross of Christ when he was crucified." [11:28](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)

4. "We then have the paralytic. The paralytic was by the pool of Shalom. And there was sort of a feeling that miracles would happen every morning if you would be the first one to dip your toe in the pool of Shalom. So this paralytic would lay by the pool of Shalom, hoping to be the first one to put a ripple in that water. But he could never get there in time to be the first person that could make it. And so he lay there by that pool. Christ came across him, raised his hand down toward him, reached out, and restored him to full health." [11:58](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)

5. "And then we have the woman who was caught in adultery. And the Pharisees brought this woman before him, thinking, how should we, what should we do with her? In the law of Moses, she should really be stoned. And Christ realized her faith and restored her, considered trash among the Pharisees, among the ruling body. Restored her life and given a sense of forgiveness of her sins." [12:59](Make raw clip | Make vertical clip | Make vertical captioned clip)

So if you feel the times of your life like a little bit of trash, and you just feel you're not worthy, well, God looks at you and says, "I have chosen you."

I'd like to talk to you today about trash and reclaiming trash, and actually have this get pointed to reclaiming those of us that sometimes feel like human trash. Because Christ reclaims all of us as his own, no matter what we are, butterscotch or other flavors.

So my text for today is from the Gospel reading, and I have just a portion of it that I'd like to share with you. In verse 16, "that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

"You choose me, but I chose you." Christ reclaimed us.

Now I'm going to sort of take you through a little bit of practice. What our focus is, and really in this world, we have so many things that are throwaway, don't we? Now, Kathy knows that I'm not very good at throwing things away. When I go inside my full barn and ghetto, it looks like an internal landfill, because I tend to keep too much. But this is our society today. We're a throwaway society.

And what the focus is in much of our cultures around the world is, how do you reclaim some of this? And there's some unique reclamation. Whether it's the objects in the water, whether it's the cities reclaiming them, or they're sort of dump sites, whether it's war, how to reclaim the land that's been really traumatized by war, and how to reclaim life.

And then how does Christ fit into all of this?

Let's begin with water. And this is just a little bit of a backdrop. See that swimsuit there? That was actually made by strips of plastic. Not recycled plastic, but taking plastic out of the water in a major site that's called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is actually located between Hawaii and California. It covers 1.6 million square kilometers, or to put it in better perspective since I'm not going to do the metrics, it's the size of Texas. Or essentially three times the size of France. That gives you a little perspective.

It's where the circulation of the ocean, in this case the Pacific, ends up coming together and it draws garbage from all over and nothing but garbage. And that area were those items. You can see the seagull containing all the plastic items. You can see one of the dolphins being rescued out of netting that's caused in that area. But yet, reclaiming it by making a swimsuit out of it. Out of nothing but strips of plastic.

And that's sort of our focus for today. How can you reclaim trash and how can we reclaim in our own lives?

If we look at war, this is from the battle of Verdun. It's in northeastern France. It was in World War I. 300,000 lives were lost in this battle. One of the largest casualties in all world wars right in Verdun, France. And the area was just culminated with artillery. And it created big caverns for Russians and underground enforcements where the soldiers tried to protect themselves.

Well, through God and through nature, the area has been reclaimed on the upper far right. It went from the lower right to the upper right. And it's been reclaimed with new habitat, new creatures, and all new forestry. God can reclaim anything.

If we go to cities, this is a look actually at our good city of Detroit. And on the far bottom right, this is actually from 1967, 69, and 70. Three years mapping of a rat infestation in the city of Detroit. It was thought to be a rat-infested city. In fact, one rat per every five people in certain areas of the city, it is thought.

Well, this particular mapping and that particular dress that was made, which has a little rat going up the dress, was meant to symbolize this is in Cornell University, by the way, did this in their exhibit in a museum. It sort of symbolizes how we can look at our cities as being nothing but grass, nothing but refuge, nothing but yellow.

And yet, look at how in this recent graph, how the city has really reclaimed itself. The beauty of Detroit, how the downtown has really been transformed in front of us, and how the image of the whole city of Detroit has changed.

You can reclaim water, you can reclaim the objects in the water, you can reclaim a whole city, you can retain, regain.

And this is a city in Haraway, it's called Couture. And it's just outside the capital city of Haraway, which is Asuncion. And Couture is really not a town, it's really simply a refuge dump. Over three million pounds of solid waste enter every day. Three million pounds every day.

The city, which is really a slum city, set around this landfill, does nothing but has its whole existence either around drugs or around going through the garbage and trying to reclaim it.

Now there was an individual within this community, he was a musician, and he actually went into this refuge and he said, "Why don't we reclaim not just some of this garbage, but let's reclaim it, turn it into instruments of music, and reclaim some of the lives of our kids."

The kids have made some interesting things. They took two big jelly cans and made it into a classical guitar. Used x-rays, you know, the form of x-ray film, to be the skins of a thumping drum. And a battered aluminum salad bowl and strings with tuning forks were used to form a saxophone. So bottle caps, pipe, and instruments, leftover metal, became an orchestra.

And the kids there have now formed a 20-person orchestra that has played around the world, singing beautiful music with reclaimed lives and reclaimed trash.

Trash is that of Christ himself. He said, "You haven't chosen me, I chose you." Christ goes out into the world and seeks out the marginalized. He sought, when he was here on this earth, those that society has written off as trash.

These individuals that you ran into, the world around looked with the field. The Apostle Peter on the left-hand side. He was nothing but a fisherman. You might say, "That's a noble profession." Well, in the Middle East it was really a nothing profession. It was a way to survive. It was a way to make ends meet for your family. But it was not high on the totem pole.

Next to him on the right-hand side is Matthew, a tax collector. And you know how you feel about the IRS. Well, they tell even worse about tax collectors. Because not only did they collect your money for taxes for Rome, but they pocketed a portion of it for themselves. So they were looked upon as being vile.

Christ took two of these people and turned them into fishermen of men, as you know. And a great catch did they ever take place. Because the church of Christ continues to grow, even when it seems to be shrinking, God hasn't. God is in control. He is reclaiming what the world considers reputable.

Think about the woman at the well. Jesus is going to a well in Samaria. Samaritans were looked upon as half-breeds because the Assyrians, when Israel at one point in its life had ten tribes in northern Israel and a couple tribes in southern Israel of the twelve tribes of children of Jacob that divided up the land of Israel.

Well, the Assyrians came down and they conquered the northern portion of Israel and they took the ten tribes and they now were considered the lost ten tribes of Israel. Because they dispersed them all around. And for those that were left within the land, they sent Assyrians down pagan and they intermarried with them.

And the Jews who remained in Jerusalem looked upon these Samaritans as half-breeds and less than worthy human beings. Christ goes into Samaria and she says, "A Jew should never ask a Samaritan woman for a drink of water." First of all, I'm a woman. It's fairly odd for a man to ask for a drink of water, let alone a Jew.

And Christ said to her, "What I have to not receiving you." She then said, "Well, what do you know about me, Lord?" And he said, "Well, I know that you have had five husbands and the man that you're with right now is no longer your husband." And she was amazed. "How could you know this?"

And then he talked to her about being a living water, about being a Messiah. She went into her Samaritan town and she told so many about this because Christ says in this Gospel reading, "You have not chosen me, I have chosen you."

Now go and bear fruit. And the Samaritan woman went out and bore the fruit of her faith by sharing the Gospel message with others. And it said the Samaritan town was so enamored with her story that this Christ knew all about her background and shared the good news of why that he was going to be dying for her and for all mankind and be raised for good salvation that they asked him to stay two days in their town.

And it says in Scripture that things converted because of the bearing of one person's fruit of her faith.

And then we look at a blind man. There was a blind man that Jesus ran into. The disciples, when they saw him, they had knew that he had been blind from birth. And they said, "Jesus, pastor, what sin has this person done that he was cast to be blind since birth? Or what kind of sin did his parents do to bring this great affliction upon him?"

And Jesus said it wasn't a sin or anything like that. It was so that I could show you my glory. And he took some mud with a little spittle and he put that paste on his eyes and told him to wash it aside for this blind man.

And all the people around couldn't believe that this young person, or this older person now, that was born blind, converted, now could see and was walking around talking to people. And so the Pharisees got together and said, "This just can't be. You know, who did this to you?" Because no sinner could possibly restore your sight.

And they questioned his parents, saying, "Was this kid really born blind and converted?" He says, "Yes, he was." And they questioned this young man in front of the whole council and they said, "I don't get it. How could you possibly receive your sight?" He says, "I don't know. But I know the person who did it must be from God. Because no person who was a sinner could ever restore my sight."

And he bore the fruit of his faith. He actually witnessed in front of those that could have put him in jail because of his faith as a Christian.

And then we have Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene is thought to have been possessed by seven demons, rejected totally by someone that had some significant mental health issues. And everyone avoided her. Christ saw her out. Chose her. Reclaimed her. Restored her.

And she became one of the great witnesses at the cross of Christ when he was crucified.

We have then the paralytic. The paralytic was by the pool of Shalom. And there was sort of a feeling that miracles would happen every morning if you would be the first one to dip your toe in the pool of Shalom. So this paralytic would lay by the pool of Shalom, hoping to be the first one to put a ripple in that water. But he could never get there in time to be the first person that could make it.

And so he lay there by that pool. Christ came across him, raised his hand down toward him, reached out, and restored him to full health. And what did he do? He bore the fruit of his faith by sharing what God did to restore him, considered nothing but trash in the eyes of the world.

We then have the woman who had a bleeding problem. She had a menstrual problem. And she said that she would never quit. Think what's so bad about that? Well, in these times she was completely rejected. They would consider her as a Jew, unclean. She could never enter the equivalent of the church, which was the tabernacle of the temple. She could never enter at all because she had a continuous menstrual flow.

And she touched the garment of Jesus as it was passing by. And Jesus said to her, "Your faith has made you whole." And felt the power from him. She was restored, and she witnessed her return.

And then we have the woman who was caught in adultery. And the Pharisees brought this woman before him, thinking, "How should we, what should we do with her? In the law of Moses, she should really be stoned."

And Christ realized her faith and restored her, considered trash among the Pharisees, among the ruling body. Restored her life and given a sense of forgiveness of her sins.

So we look at Matthew on the left, the tax collector, Peter in the middle, Jesus on the right from the movie that I heard from the series of disciples.

We think how God granted all of these people, including these disciples, the greatest blessing which was the forgiveness of their sins. He made them equal, on an equal plane, on equal as no longer a butterscotch, but on parity with all.

And that's what he does to us.

So if you feel at times in your life like a little bit of trash, maybe you do something at times that you regret, or maybe you just feel you're not worthy, well, God looks at you and says, "I have chosen you."

You bear fruit in my name. Because I have chosen you.

In the name of Christ. Amen.