YouTube video JnpVI60u7EU

Hands up. >> All right. Good morning, church.

Hope you are doing well. Can you believe tomorrow is June? Um seems like this year has uh flown flown by, but today is a special day.

Uh knowing is it the last Sunday of May, so we'll be uh still taking up our offering for our our May missions. And so, if you haven't done so and want to jump in on that, uh all the information should be in the bulletins, but this is um just we're asking you if you're able to you and your family would just give something above your tithes and put them in the boxes in the back or in the door on the way out. Um and uh and this is just going to go to our missionaries.

And uh so, you've responded in a tremendous way. And uh we just want to give everybody an opportunity to be a part of that. And so, for us to close out our May missions this morning, we also have uh Drew Harley and their family with us uh here this morning, so you'll be hearing from him again in a little bit.

If you If you haven't heard from him, uh but they're one of the families that uh we are supporting through this uh May missions effort and through our church uh giving as a whole. Uh we took them on this year uh, to be able to get them to Portugal. And I'm sure you'll hear a little bit about that.

And uh, so again, we're just excited you're here. Uh, if you're visiting with us, thank you for being here on this special day. And here in a moment uh, we're going to recognize our graduates.

Uh, but I would ask you uh, just as we go into a time of prayer um, and Sonny passed away this week. And then uh, we had uh, we have two of our missionaries uh, student college missionaries that will be finishing up their trip in Manchester, England tomorrow. Uh, so that's Caitlin and Selena.

So be praying for them as they're closing out that trip. And then uh, my little girl Isla just left this morning with a team of 40 uh, to go up to Nashville, Tennessee to be a part of a mission trip up that way. And uh, and so uh, if you would keep them in prayer.

So let's go to the Lord in prayer as we begin our service here in this morning. Father, we love you. And uh, God, we're humbly grateful uh, to be able to be here as the church body.

Uh, as the body of Christ, as brothers and sisters in Christ. Um, Lord, I pray for uh, the prayer requests that have been mentioned. Uh, Lord, I pray for those that were mentioned in Sunday school uh, this morning.

God, for the men and women uh, the boys and girls that are here uh, maybe today with a heavy heart. Lord, I pray that you would be with them. And uh, God, as we honor our graduates um, here this morning.

Lord, let that be a celebration um, of what you've done in their hearts, their lives, and their families. Lord, I pray that you would encourage them uh, as they step into the next season of life. God, we love you.

Lord, this service is yours. Um, do what you will. It's your name we pray.

Amen. I want you to stand up as we honor our graduates here this morning. Not the video yet.

There we go. >> Here we go. All right, you may be seated here in a moment.

We're going to play a video, but first I want to give a short challenge to not just our graduates, but us as a church body, to you as an individual, no matter where you might be in life, but specifically to them. This is a special season in their life, whether they're high school graduate or a college graduate, whether they're moving on to continue their education, whether they're moving into the workforce or already in the workforce. Uh I want to give you three things here in this morning as as a very general reminder that I think and I hope and I know will help you in every stage of life.

Whether it's just going off to college or whether it's moving to Portugal. Whether it's going to your workplace tomorrow, whether it's looking for your husband or your wife in the future. And those three simple reminders are this.

I think this is clear in God's word. Um is is number one, your relationship with God. Uh the world is going to do as you already know, the world is going to do everything that it can to to pull you away from your relationship with the Lord.

Uh the next season of life, whatever that is, is one that you're looking forward to, but traps are already set for you. Uh and those traps are set to get you to fall away from your relationship with the Lord. Uh the second equally probably challenge to you to maintain that relationship with the Lord is maintain your relationship with the local church.

Uh I don't know about you, um but the Lord saved my life and and the local church has maintained that in my life. Uh being able to come every single week with brothers and sisters in Christ um that I know will hold me accountable, that I know if something were to happen in my life or my family's life, uh that they would be at the front lines. And uh and you never know when that call may be.

You never know when that need may come up. Um but never ever forsake the assembly of the church. Um no matter where you are in life.

You go off to college, find a local Bible-believing church. Uh if you go off and get married, find a local Bible-believing church. Um and and and get involved and be a part of it.

Uh and then the thing um is is obviously the the most obvious as well because both of those principles uh, come from the word of God. Stay in the word of God. Weekly, daily, like get in His word, no matter where you're at in life.

Um, it's it's applicable for your generation. You have You have went through like Many of you were born on the very front lines of, uh, of technology. Uh, like some of the technology stuff that we have now was was in 20 2008 when when like some of your birthdays were.

Uh, and now you're on the front lines of AI. All right? Um, we're we're still like trying to figure all this out.

Uh, we've never been where we are today. Um, but don't let that stuff distract you and take you away from the truth that's in God's word. And, uh, and and and know this, um, and I know this from personal experience, but know this that no matter where you go, no matter where life takes you, uh, that God is always there for you.

Like you can't go too far away from God for him not to to abandon you. Um, scripture tells us He'll never leave us nor forsake us. And number two, if you ever need somewhere, uh, somebody to talk to, there are people at Calvary Baptist Church that you can come back home to.

And and I know that for a fact, whether it's next month or whether it's when you're 80 years old and you need something, please come back to the place um, that's loved you and cared about you. All right? Um, so I'm going to pray for our graduates and then we're going to show a video and then we're going to recognize each one of them.

So, uh, let's pray together. Father, we love you. Um, God, thank you so much for each and every one of these graduates.

Um, God, for the testimony that you've done in their hearts and lives, Lord, the unique stories um, as you've, uh, walked them through into this season of life. Uh but God, this isn't the end of anything or even the beginning. God, this is the next chapter in the story that you're writing in their lives.

And Lord, that's that's your story. Um God, that we would know you, that we would love you, uh that we would uh be in love with your bride, the local church. And God, that your word would be uh a light in our in our hearts and our lives on a daily basis.

It would literally be the lamp into our feet that guides our path, as your word tells us. And God, I pray for each one of them, Lord. I pray for their families as well as they enter and try to navigate a new season of life that's different than um maybe every year they've had recently.

Lord, for those that have gone through hard times, um God, I pray that you would use those moments and seasons of their life as a testimony of your goodness. God, we love you and we thank you for all you do for us, for who you are. In your name we pray.

Amen. >> I'll praise in the valley and praise on the mountain. I'll praise when I'm sure and praise when I'm doubting.

I'll praise when I'm outnumbered and praise when surrounded. Cuz praise is the water my enemies drowning. As long as I'm breathing, I've got a reason to praise.

Praise the Lord, oh my soul. Praise the Lord, oh my soul. I'll praise when I feel it.

I'll praise when I don't. I'll praise cuz I know you're still in control. My praise is a weapon.

It's more than a sound. My praise is the shout that brings Jericho down. As long as I'm breathing, I've got a reason to praise.

Praise the Lord, oh my soul. Praise the Lord, oh my soul. I won't be quiet.

My heart is alive. How could I keep it inside? I'm going to praise.

Praise the Lord, oh my soul. Praise the Lord. I'll praise cuz you're sovereign.

Praise cuz you reign. Praise cuz you rose and defeated the grave. I'll praise cuz you're faithful.

Praise cuz you're true. Praise cuz there's nobody greater than you. I praise.

Cuz you reigned and you rose and defeated the grave. I'll praise cuz you're faithful and praise cuz you're true. Praise cuz there's nobody greater than you.

Praise. Praise the Lord, oh my soul. Praise the Lord, oh my soul.

Praise the Lord, oh my soul. Praise. >> Graduates, as I call your name, please come forward.

Caitlin Marie Blythe is a 2026 graduate of South Pointe High School. Anna Banks Chapman is a 2026 graduate of Legion Collegiate High School and Rock Hill Dental Assisting Academy. Cameron Nicole Fischer is a 2026 graduate of Rock Hill High School.

Bryson Murray Gann is a 2026 graduate of South Pointe High School. Gabriel Tate Olney is a 2026 graduate of Charlotte Catholic High School. Caitlin McKenna Pope is a 2026 graduate of Rock Hill High School.

Lydia Marie Sasser is a 2026 graduate of Northwestern High School. Zoe Aaliyah Yates is a 2026 graduate of Northwestern High School. Selena Marie Burrells is a 2026 graduate of Winthrop University.

Mary Claire Bowers a 2026 graduate of North Greenville University. Rebecca Garner Ramsey is a 2026 graduate of the American College of Education. If you will join me one last time in congratulating the class of 2026.

Graduates, you can be dismissed and if all of you will remain standing for our worship. >> Sweet, sweet, sweet spirit. There's a sweet, sweet spirit in this place, and I know that it's the spirit of the Lord.

There are sweet expressions on each face, and I know they feel the presence of the Lord. Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly dove, stay right here with us, filling us with your love. And for these blessings, we lift our hearts in praise.

Without a doubt, we'll know that we have been revived and we shall be this way. Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take him at his word, just to rest upon his promise, just to know that said the Lord. Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him, how I prove him more and more.

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, oh for grace to trust him more. Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus, just to trust his cleansing blood, just in simple faith to plunge in the healing, cleansing flood. Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him, how I prove him more and more.

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, oh for grace to trust him more. I'm so glad I learned to trust him, precious Jesus. >> Thank you.

You may be seated. >> You don't need a savior if you don't know sin and shame. You don't need forgiveness when you've never walked away.

This is my made new. I'm the one who's been set free. Oh, I have found a friend in Jesus.

He is everything to me. I have found a friend in Jesus. Yes, He is my everything.

And I have a shepherd who always keeps me safe. And I found a healer who knows my every pain. But this is my story of redeeming love.

I have come to know him well. Oh, I have found a friend in Jesus. He is everything to me.

I have found a friend in Jesus. Yes, he is my everything. Oh, I have found a friend in Jesus.

He is everything to me. I have found a friend in Jesus. Yes, he is my everything.

He walks with me. He talks with me. And he tells me I am his own.

And the joy we share, what else compares? It's like nothing that I've ever known. He walks with me.

He talks with me. And he tells me I am his own. And the joy we share, what else compares?

It's like nothing that I've ever known. I can't believe it. Woah, I can believe it.

Oh, I have found a friend in Jesus. He is everything to me. I have found a friend in Jesus.

Yes, he is my everything. Oh, I have found a friend in Jesus. He is everything to me.

I have found a friend in Jesus. Yes, he is my everything. >> If you will, stand once again as we sing "Great Is Thy Faithfulness".

>> Great is thy faithfulness, oh God my Father. There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not.

As Thou hast been Thou will be. Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me. Summer and winter and spring time and harvest, sun and stars in their courses above, join with all nature in manifold witness to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me. Pardon and forgiving, unfailing endurance, with Thee near to cheer and to guide, strength for today and bright hope for new mercies I see. Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.

Lead me, Lord, I will follow. Lead me, Lord, I will go. You have called me.

I will answer. Lead me, Lord, I will go. Lead me, Lord, I will follow.

Lead me, Lord, I will go. You have called me. I will answer.

Lead me, Lord, I will go. >> Thank you. May be seated, may be brother Drew.

Well, church, um good morning. I sometimes don't know whether my my spirit is as as blessed this morning. I wasn't sure if I was shouting for joy or about to cry or uh just blessed to be here.

Um With that being said, the first church I ever stepped foot in was this one. You guys don't know me. Um my grandparents brought me here probably back in 2011.

And I think I sat somewhere back here. And I felt the glory the Lord just telling me, "Come down to the altar." And uh I heard from him that day. Uh I thought I knew him.

Um but that day he he saved my life. So, I thank you, church, uh for being a staple in this community. Somewhere we can bring our friends, somewhere our grandparents can bring us.

Uh so, keep doing what you're doing. Uh Again, my name is Drew. Uh I love the Lord.

Um missionary pre-field headed to Portugal with my wife and children. All seeking uh to be used as assistant church planters. To assist the Jacksons who are already there on the field.

Who are working diligently, tirelessly, who will be back in a few months for a 6-month furlough. Uh and I'm sure they'll come and see you guys, and they'll be more to um speak on that. But uh with the month of May missions, our agency uh every morning and afternoon, we pray.

Matthew 9:38 37 and 38, but if you set your clock and set it at 37, set it at 38. It says that the Lord of the harvest the harvest is great and the workers are few. So, pray to the Lord who's in charge of the harvest and ask him to send more laborers into his fields.

So, before we do anything this morning, I'd like for us to bow our heads and pray that prayer. Heavenly Father God, use us. You've called us to something, Lord, and whatever that might be, use uh us in that way.

Take our gifts and our talents that have been given by you um to further your kingdom. God, if that's in our home with our family, we'll start there. God, and then we'll reach the world.

All the world. So, I thank you for what you're doing, for still calling people to the mission field, but still calling people to discipleship, still calling people to to answer that call each and every day uh to be the Christian you've called them to be, to come to church and not forsake the gathering. God, I thank you.

I ask for you right now for someone in this congregation would feel the urge to go out into all the world. God, to the ends of the world, uh to the next race of people, or even the next county, or God, just to their neighbor to share the gospel. Use us in that way, God.

The uh the harvest is great, and we understand that, and you're in control. So, again, use us, Lord. We pray this in your name.

Amen. This morning, um the ser- the the the sermon prep or or the teaching uh or what I've been reading in the Bible really stemmed from a discipleship conversation that I've been going through with a brother of mine for um about a year now, and we got into 2 Corinthians chapter 1. And if you guys know know it well.

2nd Corinthians chapter 1, see if I have it marked. I don't know if I do. I thought I did.

Or I'm sorry, yes, 2nd Corinthians chapter 1. I do have it marked. It says that all praise to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles that we can comfort others. And listen to what Paul says here.

He says, "When they are troubled we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ." That's the same for us. And I was reading through that and I thought how what a blessing it is to be able to use the testimony um that God has given us um to comfort others in the time of need.

Whatever that might be. You know, I often go to the worst things, but what if it is a failed marriage? Or loss of a child.

Um and there's no pain like kid pain. Or just discomfort in circumstances. And some of us have been there.

And we can help them. We can show them in the word every story uh all the compassion that God has for for us. Um and the love that he has uh that he's shown on the cross through his son Jesus for us.

And when I I got to reading that, the first person that came to mind was the good Samaritan. And I thought naturally we don't love others as our neighbor or love our neighbors as ourself. It's actually what it says.

Um, but why? Why would this Samaritan stop? I I believe it was only God in his heart uh doing things in in in the shadows, if you will, uh with this good Samaritan because as you can see in just a second, we're going to go through that that scripture that two others walked right past him.

Um so I'm I'm I'm thankful that whatever the Samaritan went through, um maybe being overlooked, uh that um that that he was able to stop and comfort another brother in in times of trouble. So I ask that of you guys. Use what God has brought you through to uplift and encourage someone who's going through the same thing.

Um And I think that all stemmed from in the NLT it uses despised Samaritan. So I thought, man, he has probably been through it. But with that being said, let's turn to Luke chapter 10.

And we'll start there. How about this? At Providence we we stand and read God's word.

If you're able, would you stand with us as we read through this? And we'll start in verse 18. I'm sorry.

Verse 25. One day, an expert of religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question. "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say, and how do you read it?" The man answered, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself." "Right," Jesus told him.

"Do this and you will live." The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, "Who's And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied with a story. A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and left him half dead beside the road.

By chance, a priest came along, but when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.

Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. He put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. And the next day, he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, "Take care of this man.

If his bills run higher than this, I'll pay you the next time I'm here." Now, Jesus says, "Now, which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who attacked by bandits?" Jesus asked. The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy." Then Jesus said, "Yes. Now, go and do the same." You may be seated as we pray.

Heavenly Father God, we ask right now that we would have that compassion, that conviction, Lord, to go and do the same. So, God, teach us as we go through this who not to be, but God be the one that you've called us to be, to be like the good Samaritan. We ask this in your name.

Amen. So, typically, um as uh a missionary um someone who doesn't preach often um someone who's going to uh school for theology and I'm part of uh the I believe it's called a pastor's cohort at the um the Baptist Association on Thursday night where they teach us how to sermon prep things we understand about preaching, teaching, leading, shepherding. Some of those guys are going to go into church revitalization, church planning, things of that nature.

Um well this this coming up uh fall will be the second time we've done like a preaching lab. So, again, um I'm not sure if I just go through the scripture and just read it to you guys and we just look over it and see what the Lord has for us in it and what we should learn or should we do a three-point sermon or um you know, what does that look like? So, ABWE has at least taught me this that we could go through a know, a feel, and a do through the scripture as we disciple and study through it.

Um so, I just want to do that. I guess we're going to go through the know. What do we know?

And then we'll talk about what we we feel. Um and I will say this, feelings uh are a terrible lord. Um so, with that being said, we should do what the Lord says, not what we feel.

Uh cuz you know you know what I mean. Understood. Um But, what do we know?

First, I want you guys to uh to understand and you may already know this that the good Samaritan is an example of how the wise and understanding do not understand even the simplest commands of script- of scripture. Right above that Jesus thanking the Father uh for hiding these things from those who think they're of themselves wise and clever and revealing them to the childlike. He says a blessed to the disciples, blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen.

As they went out and and shared the good news of Jesus that the kingdom of God is at hand. But I I want you to know that the lawyer asking who is my neighbor uh and and we're going to get into that, but he's going to ask who is my neighbor? And that's kind of where I want us stick with towards the end to what we're going to But this command we read all the way back is it it it is from Leviticus 19 verse 18.

Do not seek revenge or bear grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. So, all who are in Israel, all who study the scripture would know this from Leviticus, from the the Torah. But we'll get into uh in just a minute the lawyer wanted to justify himself and his asking.

Uh so that he can feel okay maybe about not helping others. And this question truly reveals the heart of even an expert as it says, someone who ought to know better. So, who are these wise and understanding folks?

All the children of Israel. Uh the ones who have been taught through school that didn't make it I guess as a Pharisee or a scribe uh to the ones who excelled and now are religious experts. So, basically everyone from the least to the greatest, from the poor to the rich.

And so, what am I saying? At this time at that time, growing up in Israel, you learn the Torah. The first five books of the Bible, the law.

And all were immersed in the Torah's teachings and if they could recite or maybe even memorize the scripture and excel uh they would become a Pharisee or a scribe. And if they didn't, they went to work uh at their families' jobs, such as Peter, Andrew, and others. But I want to say, so after all of that, what do I think God's saying?

I think he's saying that we have no excuse. That you and I have no excuse. We have the teachings.

So, we should go and do likewise. To be obedient to his commands. Just like them, they would have known in Leviticus 19:18, do not seek revenge or bear grudge against fellow Israelites, but love your neighbor as yourself.

So, let's continue in what we've read. Second, we're going to see that this expert in religious law, on verse 25, expert in religious law, asked the same question that so many others ask today. And another leader, aka the rich man, from Luke 18, will also ask this same question.

It says, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" My question to you, churches, how would you answer that question? What are you going to say to that? I've had so many instances where someone asked, "What about dinosaurs?" Or "What about space?" And sometimes people simply ask, "What's the meaning of life?" We dive in deep immediately, and they begin to express how they want to go to heaven when they die.

So, again I ask you, what would you say to the question, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" I believe all of us would say, "Believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you will be saved." And you would be right. But check out what Jesus does. And this is what I want all of us to see.

Jesus asked a question. And all throughout scripture we we note that Jesus asked a lot of questions. So, I want you to see that he asked the question, "What is written in the law and how do you read it?" Folks, sometimes it's just that simple.

Ask a question. When you read the Bible, what's God saying to you? What do you understand about Jesus' teachings in the Bible?

And then let them answer. And always remember 2/3 listening and 1/3 talking. I'll say it again, 2/3 listening and 1/3 talking.

Sometimes we feel like we've got all the answers. But believe it or not they will often tell you everything you need to know about where they stand before God. If you just let them answer.

And then you'll know where to start in evangelism or discipleship. Our our our agency has taught us a scale for when you get an answer from someone. Either they're negative 10, they have zero concept of God.

Maybe zero, they they know God. And then plus 10. They have a relationship and they're following Jesus.

That scale helps us know to gauge in those questions and the understanding about what they tell us where to start. Often we just go all the way back to Genesis. But sometimes I've started with a buddy of mine in in Matthew in the New Testament.

But again, ask questions and let them answer. And remember this uh about this question, uh do this and you will live. Remember that we don't work our way to heaven and I believe you all understand this, but what um but what Jesus did was allow him to answer what the law says.

But remember the law was written to reveal our sinfulness and how we can never measure up. Jesus knowing this is going to go on to tell a story that will reveal to the listeners uh in their heart how they have not been a good neighbor. And need to be obedient to God through the belief in Jesus' teachings and love for God.

So then we see here that the expert in religious law answered correctly. Love God, love your neighbor as yourself. And Jesus says, "Right, you've answered correctly." But in verse 29, it says the man wanted to justify his actions.

He knew he'd been doing wrong. Asked Jesus, "Who's my neighbor?" And I want to side note this cuz I kind of thought about this and maybe it's right, maybe it's wrong, but I thought just asking my kiddo to please take out the trash in the house and him saying, "Which trash?" reveals his heart, right? All the trash in the house.

Cuz I could hear it now and in myself when I was young and my parents asking me that and I'd say, "I don't want to take out my brother's trash. No way." But what my heart is saying in that moment is I don't want to take care of others. I don't care about them.

If that makes sense. We go on and Jesus and what this lawyer is saying is that there are some people I don't want to call my neighbor. And Jesus knowing this replied with a story.

So, back to when answering some folks questions, they might have always remember you might they might have always remember that we have the good book. Remember that. And it's full of stories and teachings to navigate this thing called life.

So, let's memorize scripture and be able to story the Bible. I'm I've told my wife last Friday night I feel like I've read through Genesis 10 times. 20 times.

And it wasn't till this last time that I feel like I actually understand the story and thank God he's given me the wisdom to maybe go and be able to tell that story at least up to Exodus and I'm thinking about it maybe a good bit through Exodus. So, I'm thankful for that. So, story the Bible for people uh while you're out there.

Uh and memorize scripture. But thirdly, let's look at uh verse 30 and get into the story. Jesus replied with this story.

A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho. He was attacked by bandits and they stripped him of his clothes and beat him and left him half dead beside the road. A Jewish man.

This is their kinfolk. One of one of them Jesus starts the parable off with. Jewish man.

So, you would think they would have helped their own, right? They would have known this guy's Jewish. They would have bandaged him, taken care of him.

But in verse 31 it says a priest a highly religious from the line of Aaron. He didn't even stop to help. And want you to note maybe this as I was thinking through it.

Maybe I've heard this before. Um that it came to mind that religion kept him from helping because religion said they couldn't touch a dead person. I said, "Yikes." Let's don't be like this.

Let's please be first responders. Let's help more uh if we can and and help even more with prayer for those individuals that are hurting uh that we might come across. Uh let's just let's don't um you know, think maybe that we're holier than thou.

We can't go and you know, help that person or go into that area or go to that land. Verse 32 talks about a temple assistant, aka a a Levite. Also, um someone who would have known better.

And they let their prestige keep them from helping. Kind of went over and looked at him and said, "Ah, he's probably dead." Kept on walking. Verse 33, and then we see what the NLT translate, a despised Samaritan came along.

Note that you could probably hear in the whispers when Jesus said this, a despised Samaritan. Probably in the whispers and in the slander beneath their breath. Samaritan?

Yuck. But the Bible history tells us that there's so much hatred and disgust between both of them on both sides. And to be honest, some of us are no different.

When we hear Muslim or of someone from the Middle East. We immediately get this disgust because of the past, because the horrors of war. But just like them, Jesus is teaching that our neighbors are these folks.

Not just someone who believes or who lives beside you or in your neighborhood, but our neighbors are the next race of people. People who don't like you or believe what you believe. But we are called to love them.

All right, we're take we are to take care of them as we take care of ourselves. Keep in mind the despised Samaritan. And when I read through again, I thought of 2 Corinthians 1 where it talks about God of all comfort.

And the Samaritan, how he must have known what it felt like to be uh looked over or or or uh despised. He must have had experiences, this type of loneliness, these feelings uh like there was no one there to help him when he might have needed it. And he had compassion.

And remember, church, we don't just be nice. It's not in our human nature. It's God working in us, all around us, giving us the same compassion for people that he has.

So, I believe it was godly in the Samaritan to help this image bearer of God. It's part of the story. Not just the parable, but still to this day we're learning from it.

And then I noted in verse 34 just some other things that we we know, that olive oil and the wine. Back when in in um schooling we we studied a little bit of the Tabernacle. And it was talking a little bit about the the candle uh, that was lit inside the Tabernacle.

And um, talked about how the the the oil in it was like the Holy Spirit feeding the lamp. And it says that he's taken oil covering this gentleman. Giving him the Holy Spirit.

Letting our spirit, letting Jesus' spirit pour out into him. And then the wine, covered by the blood. The symbol of his blood.

I'm not sure, again, how uh, how many pastors have talked about that in in correlation to so many other things, but that's what came to my mind when I thought about it. Um, just trying to put that uh, spiritual maybe context on it. Um, and then verse 35.

It's going to say that the next day handed him to the the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, "Take care of this man, and if his bills run higher than this, I'll pay you the next time." But he took care of him with his time, his talent, and his treasures. All right? And he taught others to do the same.

So, I want us to do that. I want us to do what Jesus shares at the very end of the story. He says, "Now, who did the right thing?" I said, "Samaritan." The one who showed him mercy.

He says, "Yeah, now yes, go and do likewise." So, what do I feel? What do you guys feel right now? I often feel like I'm not nearly as good as the good Samaritan.

And that I don't often, as I should, go and do likewise. Be obedient to the Lord in all that he's commanded us. So, what are we going to do?

We're going to go and do likewise. We're going to take care of others who need help or who are just in need. And honestly, that's anyone who's outside of Christ.

They are all in need of a savior. You have what they need. And they are coming with need.

So, all you need is need to come to the Lord. So, let's share the gospel and let's be a light in the world. What do you say?

Let's tell people that God loves them and Jesus is the proof. So, wherever you go in life, tomorrow, today, not promised tomorrow, let's go and do likewise. This church has been a blessing.

I know God has blessed you because you are blessing others. God is just pouring out his mercy and grace from heaven out of every single window. I think he says there's windows in heaven.

But, I want to tell you guys, thank you, thank you, thank you for believing in us to go and share the gospel cross-culturally, to supporting us, to supporting the Jacksons, the Palleys, Thomas Beard, for all of what God's doing in our lives. God Guys, I want to say thank you for praying for us. And if you'd like to or we'll be here at the end, you can come hug our neck and shake our hand our kids' hand too long like some of the old folk do.

That'd be all right. Um But, at this time, this altar is open for all of you who need comfort. I found comfort right here in 2011.

If you don't have that, come and find comfort in Jesus and in the Lord. And Michael will be down here to pray for you, and there's many here in this congregation who will stand, hold your hand, and pray for you. Cuz we're all going through something.

This is a hospital, as you know. And we need Jesus every single day. So, I thank you guys.

Let's uh Before we do that, let's stand and let's pray. And if you want to go ahead and come down, you can. Our heavenly Father God, thank you so much for this church, for this community of believers who will pour out everything they have into someone else.

God, they did it for me, and I am so thankful for it. But God, today if there's someone who needs comfort, I pray God that you'll comfort them. God, you'll just soothe their soul.

God, that you'll remind them that they're washed in the blood. God, we thank you so, so much for everything you've done, all the past, the present, God, the future. God, we thank you, and we love you.

It's in your name we pray. Amen. >> Just as I am with >> Hey, you guys want to pray for somebody here?

>> was shed for me, and that thou bidst me come to thee, O Lamb of God, I come. I come. Just as as I am waiting to rid my soul of one dark blot, to Thee this blood of Thine I come, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve, because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. Just as I am, tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fighting without and within, O Lamb of God, I come, I come. >> Amen.

Thank you, church, for being such a good listener this morning. Drew and Harley and the kids, thank you all. Um I hope that you get to know them.

I hope that your Sunday school class uh you as a family are praying for them. Uh to see uh them go on this journey over these uh since God's kind of led them uh into the mission field uh to literally sell everything that they have uh to move into a camper, then they moved into a living room of one of the parents. Uh now they're um fortunate enough to be able to stay at a mission house uh over at Catawba right now, but uh they've literally sold out for this mission.

Uh the kids, they're sacrificing they're they're they're having to to look forward to to to moving away from everything that they've ever known. And so I would first of all thank y'all for for being willing to follow God. Um that's I mean, you you said it, we can't Sometimes we won't follow God across the road, you know, to our neighbor's house, much less across the country.

And uh so I ask you to pray for them. Uh write their prayers. When they come to your mind, you pray for them.

Uh pray and write for them for the Palys, uh for the Jacksons. All of those families have kids. Continue to pray for Thomas Beard.

I think he's 40 some years in over there in Mexico and he has no desire to come back to the States. And which is an awesome testimony as well. And so what we want to do as we close I want to pray for you guys and I pray for the Jacksons and the Palys and and them as we close out our main missions together.

So let's go to the Lord in prayer. God we once again God we are so grateful. God only you could organize and orchestrate this sort of deal.

God that you would change hearts and lives. Whether it was 15 years ago. Whether it was here at this church or another church.

But God you've brought us all uniquely here together. As the body of Christ to love one another to to care about one another. And Lord right now we want to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Lord we want to pray for the Jacksons as they're already in Portugal. As they're serving you. Lord as the days get long and may the loneliness and the desires that the kids may have.

God we would pray that you would meet their needs. You would be with them. God that you would continue to to build up the church there.

God that the homes and the marriages would be strengthened. God we pray for Thomas Beard and pray for the Palys in Mexico. God we pray that you would be with each one of them.

God for the constant ministries, the churches that they support. The pastors that they're calling out. God, I pray that you would continue to be with them and their needs.

God, the lonely days that they may have, the desires they may have to sometimes come home. Lord, I pray that you would encourage them right where they are. God, for the Oxendines, Lord, you you've called them and you have set them apart for a purpose and a plan.

God, I pray for their needs. God, I know that they still need support to be able to go in the mission field. Lord, I pray even right now there may be somebody in our congregation, maybe a Sunday school class, maybe a family is saying, "I can help." God, I pray that you would continue to be with them in their studies and their teachings.

And God, for the kids as they prepare for the mission field. God, for missionaries around the world. God, whether local church pastors or whether on the mission field in the foreign field of places that are in hostile situations where the Bible and Christianity is forbidden.

Lord, I pray God, that you would continue to call out men and women to go. God, that we wouldn't just look at that as a call and a prayer just for missionaries, but Lord, as we heard today, it'd be for every single one of us. God, that we're called to be the good Samaritans to go out to to love our neighbors, to love those around us and share the gospel with them.

So, God, now as we go as families, as individuals, God, help us to be who you've called us to be. Help us to be a light in a dark God, we love you and we thank you for our special time here in this morning. In this your name we pray.

Amen.