Embracing God's Love: Being 'For the Bay'

Good morning, Menlo Church! It's a joy to be with you today as we embark on our new series, "For the Bay." This isn't just a catchy title; it's a call to action for those who follow Jesus to partner with God in His work of redemption and healing in our communities. Being "For the Bay" means looking into our own neighborhoods and cities to see where we can be agents of God's love and grace.

Today, we explored the concept of mnemonic devices, which are tools that help us remember information. Just as brands use catchy jingles to convey their promises, God uses the gospel as His "jingle" to communicate His love and grace to humanity. The gospel is a message for everyone, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey. It's a call to love our neighbors as ourselves, a theme beautifully illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

In this parable, Jesus challenges us to redefine who our neighbors are. The Samaritan, considered an enemy by the Jews, shows compassion and mercy, embodying the love that God calls us to extend to all people. This story is not just about being a good neighbor; it's about recognizing Jesus as the ultimate Good Samaritan who crossed the boundaries of eternity to show us love and grace.

We are called to break down the fences that separate us from others and extend grace beyond our comfort zones. This means loving those who are different from us culturally, socially, or politically. It means being active participants in spreading God's boundless love and becoming agents of His inclusive grace.

As we partake in communion, we are reminded of the intimate invitation Jesus extends to us. Communion is a sacred meal where we are invited to fellowship with Him, symbolizing His body broken and His blood shed for us. It's a call to be good neighbors, to invite others to the table, and to embrace the message of love that Jesus embodies.

Let's commit to being "For the Bay" by being for our neighbors, breaking down barriers, and inviting others to experience the divine blessing of God's love.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **The Gospel as God's Mnemonic Device:** Just as brands use jingles to convey their promises, the gospel is God's way of communicating His love and grace to humanity. It's a message for everyone, inviting us to experience His divine love and forgiveness. [32:03]

2. **Redefining Our Neighbors:** The parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us to expand our understanding of who our neighbors are. Jesus calls us to love beyond cultural, social, and political boundaries, extending grace to all people. [43:31]

3. **Breaking Down Fences:** Like Wilson from "Home Improvement," we often have fences that block us from truly seeing others. We are called to break down these barriers and extend grace beyond our comfort zones, fulfilling the law of love. [46:25]

4. **Communion as an Invitation:** Communion is a sacred meal where Jesus invites us to fellowship with Him. It's a reminder of His love and sacrifice, calling us to be good neighbors and invite others to experience His grace. [54:48]

5. **Active Participants in God's Love:** We are called to be active participants in spreading God's love, breaking societal norms, and becoming agents of His inclusive grace. This means loving those who oppose us and extending empathy to all. [52:19]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [26:20] - Introduction to "For the Bay"
- [29:06] - The Power of Mnemonic Devices
- [30:12] - Brand Promises and the Gospel
- [32:03] - The Gospel as God's Jingle
- [34:16] - The Good Samaritan Parable
- [36:41] - The Shema and Loving Your Neighbor
- [38:10] - The Samaritan's Compassion
- [39:47] - Listening and Doing
- [41:28] - Jesus as the Ultimate Samaritan
- [43:31] - Redefining Our Neighbors
- [45:09] - Lessons from "Home Improvement"
- [46:25] - Breaking Down Fences
- [47:43] - Expansive Love and Grace
- [49:51] - Bearing One Another's Burdens
- [52:19] - Building Bridges with Faith
- [54:48] - Communion: An Invitation to Fellowship
- [57:11] - Closing Prayer

### Bible Study Discussion Guide: "For the Bay"

#### Bible Reading
- **Luke 10:25-37** (Parable of the Good Samaritan)
- **Romans 13:8-10** (Love fulfills the law)
- **Galatians 6:2** (Bear one another's burdens)

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#### Observation Questions
1. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, what actions did the Samaritan take that demonstrated compassion and mercy? [38:10]
2. How does the sermon describe the gospel as God's "mnemonic device"? What is its purpose? [32:03]
3. What does the sermon suggest about the barriers or "fences" we build in our lives? How do these affect our relationships with others? [46:25]
4. How is communion described in the sermon, and what does it symbolize in terms of community and fellowship? [54:48]

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does the parable of the Good Samaritan teach about the nature of true neighborly love, and how does it challenge societal norms? [41:28]
2. How does the sermon interpret Jesus as the ultimate Good Samaritan, and what implications does this have for understanding His role in our lives? [41:28]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that love fulfills the law, and how does this relate to the concept of breaking down barriers? [46:25]
4. How does the sermon encourage believers to redefine who their neighbors are, and what challenges might arise from this redefinition? [43:31]

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt separated from others by a "fence" of your own making. What steps can you take to break down that barrier and extend grace? [46:25]
2. Consider the people in your life who are different from you culturally, socially, or politically. How can you actively show them love and compassion this week? [43:31]
3. Communion is described as an invitation to fellowship. How can you invite others into your life to experience this kind of community and love? [54:48]
4. The sermon calls us to be active participants in spreading God's love. Identify one specific action you can take this week to embody this call in your community. [52:19]
5. Think about a person you find difficult to love. What practical steps can you take to show them kindness and empathy, following the example of the Good Samaritan? [41:28]
6. How can you incorporate the gospel as a "mnemonic device" in your daily life to remind yourself of God's love and grace? [32:03]
7. Reflect on the concept of bearing one another's burdens. How can you support someone in your community who is struggling, and what resources can you offer? [49:51]

Day 1: The Gospel as a Divine Reminder
The gospel serves as God's mnemonic device, a powerful reminder of His love and grace for humanity. Just as brands use jingles to convey their promises, the gospel communicates God's unwavering commitment to us. It is a message that transcends time and culture, inviting everyone to experience divine love and forgiveness. This invitation is not limited to those who are already on a spiritual journey but extends to all, regardless of where they stand. The gospel calls us to embrace this love and share it with others, becoming living testimonies of God's grace. [32:03]

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: How can you embody the gospel's message of love and grace in your interactions today, especially with those who may not share your beliefs?


Day 2: Expanding the Definition of Neighbor
The parable of the Good Samaritan challenges us to redefine who our neighbors are. In a world often divided by cultural, social, and political boundaries, Jesus calls us to extend love and grace to all people. The Samaritan, once considered an enemy, becomes a model of compassion and mercy. This story invites us to look beyond our preconceived notions and biases, recognizing that everyone is deserving of love and kindness. By doing so, we reflect the inclusive nature of God's love, which knows no boundaries. [43:31]

"And he answered, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.' And he said to him, 'You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.'" (Luke 10:27-28, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life have you overlooked as a neighbor? How can you take a step today to show them love and kindness?


Day 3: Breaking Down Barriers
We often build fences that prevent us from truly seeing and loving others. These barriers can be cultural, social, or personal, and they hinder us from fulfilling the law of love. Like Wilson from "Home Improvement," we may find comfort in these fences, but God calls us to break them down. By extending grace beyond our comfort zones, we become agents of God's love, reaching out to those who are different from us. This act of breaking down barriers is a testament to the transformative power of God's love in our lives. [46:25]

"For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility." (Ephesians 2:14, ESV)

Reflection: What personal barriers have you built that prevent you from loving others fully? How can you begin to dismantle them today?


Day 4: Communion as a Sacred Invitation
Communion is more than a ritual; it is an intimate invitation to fellowship with Jesus. This sacred meal symbolizes His body broken and His blood shed for us, reminding us of His love and sacrifice. As we partake in communion, we are called to be good neighbors, inviting others to experience the grace and love that Jesus embodies. It is a moment to reflect on our relationship with God and others, committing to live out the message of love and inclusion that Jesus taught. [54:48]

"So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment." (1 Corinthians 11:33-34, ESV)

Reflection: How can you use the act of communion as a reminder to invite others into your life and share the love of Christ with them?


Day 5: Active Participation in God's Love
We are called to be active participants in spreading God's love, breaking societal norms, and becoming agents of His inclusive grace. This means loving those who oppose us and extending empathy to all. By doing so, we reflect the heart of God, who loves unconditionally and without reservation. Our actions and attitudes should mirror this divine love, challenging us to step out of our comfort zones and engage with the world around us in meaningful ways. [52:19]

"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively participate in spreading God's love today, especially to those who may be difficult to love?

Good morning, Menlo Church, how are you?

It's a pleasure to be with you here, so welcome to all our friends online here at Menlo Church, Saratoga, Mountain View, and San Mateo.

And some of you guys are probably like, wait, hold on, that's not Phil. Unless he went to sleep as a white dude and woke up as a black dude, it's not him. Some of you guys might know me; my name is Javon. I actually came last year in October as a guest speaker. I'm a guest preacher, and somebody before was like, hey, I never knew you were here. Well, surprise, my name is Javon, and again, I serve as the executive pastor of ministries here at Menlo.

So last time I came as a guest preacher, and now, three months later from today, my whole family has actually packed up everything, like Beverly Hillbillies, and moved down to Menlo Park, California. So it's a pleasure to serve here on staff and to be with you guys.

And like we talked about before, we are in a brand new sermon series called For the Bay. Now, I just want you all to know, like, it's not like a branding thing. It's not like, hey, let's join us in our new sermon series. Like, this is legitimately one of the most important things that we can talk about. Because if you call yourself a follower of Jesus, it actually means for you being For the Bay means that you are following and partnering with God and His work of redeeming all of creation, to seeing the brokenness healed, to seeing people who are disenfranchised connected to God, and connected to one another, and connected to community.

And as you saw on the video, when we at Menlo Park say we're For the Bay, we mean it. It's not just what we do. It's about what God wants to do. So we can't talk about how God wants to do all of this stuff in the world without looking first into our own neighborhoods, our own cities, and our own blocks.

So as we pray today, one of the things that I want us to remember is who is in charge and who is calling us to do this work. So if you're a person here who you're like, hey, I don't share that same faith yet. I'm just trying to check this out. I'm not really sure. Wherever you're at on this spectrum, what we're about to do is we're about to pray. And what prayer is, prayer is talking to God. And God invites us to pray because He is the one who holds all power and all wisdom.

And I know if you've been here before, Pastor Phil typically prays kneeling, but I do not have the supernatural gift of flexibility. So, and I have actually on the opposite, I have the supernatural gift of arthritic knees. So I'm going to pray, but when we do, what we're going to do is we're going to invite God into this space. Amen.

Heavenly Father, thank you for an opportunity to come before the reality of who you are. God, it is such a special thing to be able to be part of your family. It's a special thing to be able to hear about your good news. It's a special thing to be able to know what our lives exist for. So God, we ask that you would be with us today. Give us wisdom as we not just try to learn about how we should just impart new things of how to behave as you're not part of, and you're not wanting behavior modification. You're into life change. You're into heart change.

So we thank you for all of these things. It's in Jesus's name we pray. Amen.

Now, as I mentioned, we just moved here. One of the things about me, as you're just getting to know me, is I have this really crazy fascination with branding and marketing. And, you know, one of the things that my kids are learning very frequently is like looking at different logos or different brand designs. And they're like, Dad, what is that? What is that?

Well, recently, my oldest daughter, Ryan, who actually just got baptized a couple of weeks ago, we're driving in the car. We're using my friend's Toyota. I have an e-bike, so it's a lot colder now. I just saw rain for the first time here in Menlo Park since days ago. So it was crazy. And as we're driving down the street, my daughter, Ryan, looks at the emblem on the steering wheel. She said, Daddy, what is that? She said, is that Toyota? I go, yeah, that is Toyota. And then she says from the back seat, let's go places.

And I was like, what? I was so stunned that a child with such a young age knew the tagline of that brand. And then it got me thinking about how God has wired us and how we learn things and how we are able to put complex ideas into our mind.

So to talk about that experience, what I want you to do is work with me here. We're going to do a little exercise. So I'm going to say a tagline, and then I want you to finish it. You think you can get that? All right, here we go.

Give me a break.

Give me a break.

Break me off a piece of that.

Kit Kat bar.

That's right. All right, here we go.

The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup.

I even heard somebody over here sing it like in a note that was like, they were on The Voice.

All right, how about this one?

Nationwide is?

Nice.

And the very last one, like a good neighbor.

You guys did so good. You guys, give yourself a round of applause.

Now, what you just experienced and what we just did right there was something that scientists call a mnemonic device. Now, a mnemonic device is a tool or a technique that makes it a lot easier for us to remember information. Scientific studies have actually shown that using mnemonic techniques can actually make it easier to remember information, increasing recall by at least 10 times.

Marketing and branding experts use this method to create an emotional and psychological response to what's called a brand promise. So, for example, if you went to Starbucks and you wanted to get your pumpkin spice latte, hashtag PSL, and you went in there and you ordered it and then they gave you a tire, you'd be like, what is this?

They're like, this is the tire that you, you know, I ordered a pumpkin spice latte. You see, that would be called what's happening when you don't get a brand promise. Or when you go to that one restaurant that you just love so much and then when you taste your favorite dish, for some reason, that joint's off.

And you're like, somebody didn't put in the right seasoning, somebody didn't do those things. So, when you go and you rep, when you go to a brand and they have communicated a brand promise, it's something that they're doing to help you to be under the understanding that you can expect the same thing every single time.

You see, we have a brand promise from these different brands and organizations to help us pick their products and their services over others. You see, companies know that if they can get you to feel connected to a brand or when you hear that jingle, that mnemonic device, that you'll choose their product over others.

The really interesting thing about that is just mentioning these jingles that I've just mentioned to you. It's actually done a couple of things to you. Number one, it's probably made you want a KitKat bar. Or number two, it's probably making you wonder whether or not you can save 15% or more on your car insurance by switching to Geico. That's right.

Now, what this really means is that in the reality, it's no different from when it comes to the words or the story of Jesus or what we call the good news. The good news or the gospel is actually the jingle, the mnemonic device of God to communicate to you and I His love, His grace, and His divine understanding of intent for all humanity. That the love and grace of God is for all people.

And if you've never heard this jingle, the tune of this jingle of God's mnemonic device sounds a little something like this. These are the verses of God's true jingle to you and I, for us to remember in our hearts and in our minds. This is a message for all.

Whether you're a follower of Jesus, whether you're a seeker or a skeptic or a person who might consider yourself maybe a prodigal or you've grown up in church or you've had an experience in church and you're trying to make that decision to figure out whether or not you want to follow Jesus again, I want you to know that the message of grace, the message of forgiveness, the message of mercy for all people is for everyone.

That is the message that every neighbor should be hearing from those who claim to follow Jesus. So if you're here and you have not experienced that, I want you to know that when we say here at Menlo that we are for the bay, we mean it.

We mean that we're not only for the bay, but we are for you. You know why? Because you are what make up the bay. You and I together.

And if you have never heard someone explain the jingle of God to you, the ultimate message to you is one other than love and grace. I'm sorry. A brand promise that oftentimes people can experience from the people of God is that breaking of that brand promise.

Sometimes it can be hypocrisy. Sometimes it can be the way that you've seen God. You've seen people who claim to follow Jesus display themselves. You see, friends, but the gospel truly is good news.

Is our need for God great? Yes. Have we all fell short of God's standards? Yes, we have. But friends, the good news that I have for you today is that our failures are not final because God's forgiveness is always faithful. Amen.

In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus shows us our neighbor and how we are to be good neighbors. As we look into this parable and understand, we can actually see how we can embody true neighborly love to be a neighbor of mercy, grace, and justice to others.

You see, the story of the Good Samaritan has been a mnemonic device and story in the saying in our culture. When we're saying somebody's the Good Samaritan, we're not saying somebody's the Good Samaritan. We're saying somebody's the Good Samaritan. We actually don't even know what that means.

But today, we're going to figure that out in God's text as we go through the scriptures. Look with me in Luke chapter 10, verses 25 through 37. This is the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Parables are a mechanism or a mode in which Jesus would use to communicate a truth about the kingdom of God, about Himself, in a way that we can understand it. Now, this is what He says.

Then on one occasion, an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. I don't know about you, but that's never a good idea to come up and just be like, hey, I'm about to test you. A teacher asked him, what should I do to inherit eternal life?

Jesus asked him, what is written in the law? He replied, how do you read it? He answered, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and then love your neighbor as you love yourself.

You have answered correctly, Jesus replied. Do this and live. That's when right now in the text, he should have just paused and stopped and pumped the brakes. But then it says in verse 29, but he wanted to justify himself and asked Jesus, and who is my neighbor?

So hold up. Skrrt. This is when Jesus right now is hitting him with the uno reverse. He says, okay, you wanted to ask this question. You see, because friends, Jesus is all about us asking questions. We can ask God anything.

You see, but the intent of this person was not to ask Jesus a question because he needed some help. He asked Jesus a question because he wanted to justify himself. He wanted to make himself feel better. He wanted himself to be the crucial focal point of the conversation with Jesus.

And he says, who is my neighbor? Who is my neighbor? And he says, who is my neighbor? And Jesus replied to him and said, a man was going down to Jerusalem. And when he was attacked by robbers, they stripped him of his clothes. They beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

A priest happened to be going down the road. And when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was. And when he saw him, he took pity on him.

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his donkey, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper.

Look after him, he said, and when I return, I will reimburse you for all the extra expense you have. Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell in the hands of the robbers?

Verse 37, the expert in the law replied, the one who had mercy on him. And then Jesus told him, go and do likewise.

Now friends, this is really interesting because as this expert in the law knew all of the commands and all of the Torah, the instruction that God gave the people, he's coming to test Jesus. But if he remembered his teaching since he was an expert of the law, when he sums up and he gives the correct answer to Jesus, that the summation of the law and the most important thing of what God would ask is for you to love the Lord God with all your mind, heart, soul, and strength, and to love your neighbor as to love yourself, was actually from the book of Deuteronomy chapter 6, verses 4 through 9, where God would give instruction to His people and He would give them something called the Shema.

The Shema was something that went like this, Shema Yisrael, Adonai Elhenu, Adonai Akkad. Hear Israel, the Lord our God, and the Lord our God is one.

So this expert in the law understands this. This word Shema means not just hearing, but also doing. In English, we say, hey, listen to me. But the word Shema means listen and do.

Okay, let me make it easier. It means like when I was growing up and my mama said, hey, go ahead and go out there and do something. And I didn't listen. She said, you're hearing me, but you're not hearing me. You're not listening and then doing.

You see, God calls for us to listen to His instruction and then do. That's why we have in the scripture of believing or faith and then also works. You see, they're not disconnected. They're actually joined together.

So this expert in the law knows exactly what he is to do. He asked Jesus, what must I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus shows him in the law. How do you read it? You see, the expert answers rightly.

But he answered wanting to justify him, but he doesn't want to justify himself. He asks something about who his neighbor is. You see, friends, what he's doing actually right here is he is trying to define and say, who do I actually have to love? Who am I obligated to serve? Where can I draw the line?

Jesus tells the story of a man attacked by robbers and left half dead. And the priest and the Levite, they actually pass by him without helping. The Samaritan, the one who was considered an enemy in this text, the enemy of the Jews, stopped to help this man.

Now, one of the things we need to understand is that, yes, this story is a story where we can learn how to be good neighbors. But what we need to understand is that Jesus is saying, oh, by the way, I am the Samaritan, the one who the religious leaders walk past, the ones that the people reject.

If you remember in the text, it says that the Samaritan took the half-beaten person, put him on his donkey, and took him to where it needed to go. If you remember, Jesus, as He goes into the city of Jerusalem before He's crucified and dies on a cross, He's on a donkey.

And then ultimately, it says here in this parable that the Samaritan paid a couple of denarii for the person at the inn to take care of him. But if you remember, when Jesus dies on the cross, He takes all of our mistakes, all of our sin, all of our failure upon Himself, and He pays the penalty for us on His behalf.

You see, Jesus is showing us that He is the one that this text is talking about. And if He's saying, this is what it means to be a good neighbor, it means that any time, even when people revile you as the enemy, you are to love.

Which also means, friends, if any time, if you come across a person that you ain't really feeling, that you don't really like, just every time they open their mouth, you're just like, I can't wait till they shut up.

I disagree with them, their political party. I disagree with the way they do anything, or talk, or their personality. I disagree with the way they talk, or their perspective on this, on that.

But can you love them? What does it mean to truly love them? You see, despite centuries of hatred between Jews and Samaritans, the Samaritan shows compassion. He's the one who bandages the man's wound and takes him to the inn and cares for him.

The question is, friend, that we have to ask ourselves, are we willing to redefine who our neighbor is by God's standards, or will we keep them as our own? You see, can we love those? Can we see those who are different than us culturally, socially, or politically as deserving of our compassion, or even deserving of God's compassion?

Now, as we're getting to know each other, some of my favorite TV shows are, you know, an era of my time. You know, I was growing up in a multi-ethnic perspective that, you know, it never meant I had a lot of different friends. So, you know, when I hung out with my black friends and black culture growing up, I had a couple favorite shows. One of them was oriented around community and neighbors, and it was called Family Matters.

Now, I don't know if you ever remember Family Matters. Steve Urkel. When he drank the elixir, he would turn into another character called Stefan Urkel. He was a smooth brother. Or who can't love the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? Thank you. Thank you. Loved Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. How many of y'all know the theme song still? Mnemonic Device. See, gotcha.

And then when I hung out with, because my, you know, my relationships were multi-ethnic, I had some white friends. They introduced me to a show called Friends. And then they introduced me to this other show called Full House, which takes place here in San Francisco.

But one of my favorite TV shows growing up was one called Home Improvement. Now, Home Improvement, in that show, the main character, Tim, played by Tim Allen, was one of the funniest characters because he was always having trouble due to always, he was doing something dumb and messing stuff up.

And so on Home Improvement, the most interesting character, though, that I really connected with, I don't know why, but was this one named Wilson played by actor Earl Hindman. Now, Wilson was that wise neighbor who always gave advice for Tim.

But there was something peculiar about Wilson because we never actually saw his full face. He was always partially hidden from behind the fence, offering wisdom from a distance. You see, Wilson's character actually shows us a reality how we also can have fences that block us from truly seeing others.

We can have fences block us from actually truly seeing God. See, friends, fences can actually sometimes offer some false sense of boundary, of protection that can even create excuses for who we should love and for who we should not love.

You see, but we are called to extend grace beyond boundaries. Romans 13, 8 through 10 talks about love fulfilling the law. Paul, a former opponent of the gospel, the good news, he's now a partaker of this and writes that all of the commandments are summed up in one rule. Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. Friends, when we love one another, we fulfill the law. Love the Lord our God with all our mind, heart, soul, and strength. We love our neighbors. We love ourselves. We fulfill the law.

And as we look at the parable of the Good Samaritan, remember that the Samaritan person representing Jesus is the only person who could fully love his father with everything that he had and love his neighbor to the extent that they were called. And he shows us our great need for Him.

The lawyer had a limited scope of love. The expert in the law wanted to use God's commandments to justly loving others only like himself. He was more focused on maintaining his own sense of security and purity.

You see, Jesus demonstrates that God's love and grace are expansive, reaching beyond all of our comfort zones. The Samaritan, the one who would be the enemy in this text, extends grace without prejudice.

What would you do if your greatest enemy actually showed you compassion? What would you do? What would that do to your soul? Are we actually extending grace to everyone, even to those who might oppose us? Or are we good with our stuff?

Again, when we talk about being for the bay, we're not talking about being for the good. When we talk about being for the bay, we're not talking about being for the good. When we talk about what does it mean for us to participate in hope for everyone, it means to remember that to be called as followers of Jesus is to bring hope of Jesus to everyone.

It's to bring hope to the broken places in their lives, to see like the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan bind up and heal that person, to pay on behalf of that person. It's the work that we are called to. But are we extending grace to everyone, even those who might oppose us?

We have to confront our own prejudices. We have to confront our own societal norms that keep us from fully loving each other. We are called to extend empathy to everyone. We are called to become agents of God's love.

Galatians 6:2 talks about bearing one another's burdens. Paul encourages us to carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.

One of the things that is the biggest example of this is when we're cleaning our house, we're just experiencing this, and when your children learn, when your children are learning, and you're asking them to pick up a mess, and they will say, that's not mine.

Like, yeah, it's not yours, but you contributed to it, and since we're a family, we're together, we're all working on it together, we want you to pick up other people's stuff too. Well, I don't want to. Nobody really does.

But when you're part of the family, and when you're together, you bear one another's burdens. When we have a participation goal of 100% of those of you who call Menlo home, what we're saying is that's our burden.

Our burden is to say that the people in the bay matter to Jesus, that the people in the bay matter to God, that everybody is worthy of love and to have hope. And what would we give of our finances? What would we give of our time? What would we give of our possessions? What would we give of our confidence in God? What would we give of our life to see other people find life in Jesus?

Jesus shows us exactly what we would give. We would give everything that we had, knowing that it was all God's. Paul encourages us to carry one another's burdens.

So if we're followers of Jesus, we have to look at this contrasting response that happens in this passage. The priests and the Levites, meaning the most religious, they represent the mindset that's actually focused on personal purity and status, even at the expense of compassion.

If you've ever seen someone who was in desperate need for help and they were standing off to the side, maybe with a sign, asking for help, one of the things that a person is always trying to do is never look them in the eye.

Because if you look them in the eye, what happens? You feel it. You feel it. You see it. You experience it. And we would rather close our eyes, or in this parable, we would rather look at the body, and we would rather go on the other side of the street than actually do the work to see that person actually healed and come to Christ.

Friends, this is what Jesus is confronting in you and I today. The Samaritan becomes the agent of God's inclusive love, breaking societal expectations and norms. Friends, are we building walls or are we building bridges with our faith?

Do we use our beliefs to separate ourselves from others or do we use it to connect with others? Let's choose to be active participants in spreading God's boundless love. This is what it means to be a good neighbor.

And if you remember Wilson from Home Improvement, he was always the wise neighbor who offered advice through the fence, never fully showing his face. But Jesus, like Wilson, had a fence that separated us from Him as His neighbors.

Jesus crossed through the fence of eternity and He shows us His face. Jesus says, anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. He shows us this is who I am. He shows us God by stepping down into our world, breaking down the barriers between humanity and the divine.

Jesus destroys the fence that separates us from His eternal love. So I ask you, what fences have you built in your life that shield you and your face and your life from the responsibility of being a neighbor?

Jesus reached across eternity for you. Will you reach across the fence for your neighbor?

Communion, the Lord's Supper, is one of the jingles of a meal that God gives. As we're seeking to be good neighbors, I think there are actually three intimate spaces that one has in their house.

And a new neighbor that I've met recently as I moved here gave me a tour recently of their house and showed me all around the house. And as I walked around the house, I thought about how special I felt in that moment that my neighbor would show me around in their house.

Because there's places like the bedroom, your bathroom, and your dinner table. Those are like the most intimate spaces of your life. And I think that's what I want you to do.

Your house. And communion is something that represents that we don't eat with our enemies, but yet Jesus calls us to partake of a table called communion, to fellowship with us.

We typically reserve tables in our homes and eat with only people that we like. We don't eat with our enemies. It's one of the most intimate spaces. But we as a church are able to go partake of this meal.

And today, friends, you are all going to be partakers of this meal. And today, friends, you are all invited to this meal. Like I explained before, that the good news is the jingle of God we are called to share with people.

That friend, that neighbor shared food, shared drink with me. And communion is one of those jingles where it's a meal where Jesus invites us into a sacred and intimate space to eat with Him.

The juice symbolizes His blood that was shed for us, and the bread that represents His body broken for us. And the truth is, is that we don't usually eat with our enemies, yet Jesus invites all of us to the table.

Even if you failed, even if we failed, He invites all of us to be forgiven and to find fellowship with Him and to be His people. And so in a couple minutes, we are actually going to partake of communion.

We're going to partake of the bread or juice, and we're going to sing together about God and about what His sacrifice on the cross means for us. And when we partake the meal known as communion, we are to be good neighbors and invite others to dinner.

Hey, let's go to dinner. Invite others to the fellowship, to join God's family by embracing His message of love. To be for the bay means to be for our neighbors.

Friends, we can no longer live behind our fences. Instead, we need to move and invite others to become followers of, partakers of the divine blessing that comes from loving others, that comes from loving Him.

Jesus broke down those barriers so that we can fully engage with those around us. Friends, your hands and your feet to serve others can't go anywhere your heart is unwilling to go.

So today, we have an opportunity to listen and do. Will you join your hearts with mine in prayer?

God, we thank you for this opportunity, of what it means to be a neighbor, of what it means to show your goodness, of what it means of the great depths in life, lengths that you went through to give us your love.

We ask that we would model. We ask that we would follow you. And we also ask God that whether we are in a place where we are trying to figure out our faith, wondering, having questions, we know that you're gracious, Lord, and that you'll meet us there.

So God, we thank you for this opportunity to eat with you. And we ask that as you bless us at your table, you would call us to yourselves. We thank you for all these things. It's in Jesus's good name we pray. Amen.

1. "We are in a brand new sermon series called For the Bay. Now, I just want you all to know, like, it's not like a branding thing. It's not like, hey, let's join us in our new sermon series. Like, this is legitimately one of the most important things that we can talk about. Because if you call yourself a follower of Jesus, it actually means for you being For the Bay means that you are following and partnering with God. And His work of redeeming all of creation, to seeing the brokenness healed, to seeing people who are disenfranchised connected to God, and connected to one another, and connected to community." ([00:25:35] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


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2. "Marketing and branding experts use this method to create an emotional and psychological response to what's called a brand promise. So, for example, if you went to Starbucks and you wanted to get your, you know, your pumpkin spice latte, hashtag PSL, and you went in there and you ordered it and then they gave you a tire, you'd be like, what is this? They're like, this is the tire that you, you know, I ordered a pumpkin spice latte. You see, that would be called what's happening when you don't get a brand promise. Or when you go to that one restaurant that you just love it so much and then when you taste your favorite dish, for some reason, that joints off." ([00:30:44] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


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3. "The good news or the gospel is actually the jingle, the mnemonic device of God to communicate to you and I his love, his grace, and his divine understanding of intent for all humanity. That the love and grace of God is for all people. And if you've never heard this jingle, the tune of this jingle of God's mnemonic device sounds a little something like this. These are the verses of God's true jingle to you and I, for us to remember in our hearts and in our minds. This is a message for all." ([00:32:25] (56 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


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4. "But friends, the good news that I have for you today is that our failures are not final because God's forgiveness is always faithful. Amen. Amen. In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus shows us our neighbor and how we are to be good neighbors. As we look into this parable and understand, we can actually see how we can embody true neighborly love to be a neighbor of mercy, grace, and justice to others." ([00:35:13] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


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5. "You see, God calls for us to listen to his instruction and then do. That's why we have in the scripture of believing or faith and then also works. You see, they're not disconnected. They're actually joined together. So this expert in the law knows exactly what he is to do. He asked Jesus, what must I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus shows him in the law. How do you read it? You see, the expert answers rightly." ([00:40:33] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


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6. "Jesus tells the story of a man attacked by robbers and left half dead. And the priest and the Levi, they actually pass by him without helping. The Samaritan, the one who was considered an enemy in this text, the enemy of the Jews stopped to help this man. Now, one of the things we need to understand that, yes, this story is a story where we can learn how to be good neighbors. But what we need to understand." ([00:41:28] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


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7. "The Samaritan shows compassion. He's the one who bandages the man's wound, and takes him to the end, and cares for him. The question is, friend, that we have to ask ourselves, are we willing to redefine who our neighbor is by God's standards, or will we keep them as our own? You see, can we love those? Can we see those who are different than us culturally, socially, or politically as deserving of our compassion, or even deserving of God's compassion?" ([00:43:11] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


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8. "The Samaritan becomes the agent of God's inclusive love, bringing societal, I mean, breaking societal expectations and norms. Friends, are we building walls or are we building bridges with our faith? Do we use our beliefs to separate ourselves from others or do we use it to connect with others? Let's choose to be active participants in spreading God's boundless love. This is what it means to be a good neighbor." ([00:52:40] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

9. "Jesus crossed through the fence of eternity and he shows us his face. Jesus says, anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. He shows us this is who I am. He shows us God by stepping down into our world, breaking down the barriers between humanity and the divine. Jesus destroys the fence that separates us from his eternal love." ([00:53:20] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

10. "Communion is something that represents that we don't eat with our enemies, but yet Jesus calls us to partake of a table called communion, to fellowship with us. We typically reserve tables in our homes and eat with only people that we like. We don't eat with our enemies. It's one of the most intimate spaces. But we as a church are able to go partake of this meal. And today, friends, you are all going to be partakers of this meal." ([00:55:08] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


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