Full Transcript for "Bridge Builders" Daily Devotional (S1E32)

love other people well, um, as we uh love you well, God, I pray that you would give us practical insight as to how, Holy Spirit, we can live that out in our lives. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:28.800 We are so grateful for today, so thankful for everyone who's joining us online, whether they're live right now or they're gonna be tuning in later, or they're gonna be listening on the podcast in their car later on this week. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:30.080 Uh, we thank you for this day. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:31.840 We pray all this in Jesus' name. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:34.719 And everyone on Bridge Builder said, Amen. 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:35.840 All right, friends. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:40.000 This morning I want to talk to you about your neighbor, okay? 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:45.919 Uh, I want you to think about the people that live next to you, the people that live in the same cul-de-sac as you. 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:52.000 Maybe you live in an apartment complex, they live on the same floor as you or the same uh area as you are. 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:55.120 Uh, maybe they live just around the corner, down the street. 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:56.639 Maybe you live really remotely. 00:02:56.719 --> 00:03:00.240 Uh, we have some of our bridgers who live far out in the countryside. 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:07.840 And so maybe your neighbors, you know, you can you have to take a rock and chuck it to get to where they are, or you have to walk, you know, a couple miles to get to them. 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:11.520 Whoever it is, I want you to imagine your neighbor. 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:16.960 And I the reality is that there are so many different kinds of neighbors in our lives. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:23.840 Sometimes we love our neighbors, and let's be honest, sometimes our neighbors drive us absolutely crazy, right? 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:32.479 I mean, you don't have to, you don't have to type, don't type in the comments who they are, but you know they're those neighbors who kind of make you a little batty, they make you go a little nuts. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:42.560 And um, you know, if you think about pop culture, uh, you think about sitcoms uh throughout the years that had anything to do with neighbors, you know that there's some there's some interesting kind of neighbors out there. 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:49.599 In fact, I'm gonna give you a few examples of some kinds of neighbors that you might live next to or be around right now. 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:55.680 So, for example, maybe you know someone who is uh like in the TV show Seinfeld, they're a Kramer, right? 00:03:55.840 --> 00:04:02.560 A Kramer just kind of bursts into the room and always tries to rope you in on some sort of brand new scheme. 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:06.159 Uh maybe you, maybe you have a neighbor that's like a Kramer, right? 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:08.319 Like, oh my gosh, what is he gonna say next? 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:10.080 Maybe, maybe that's who your neighbor is. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:13.680 Or maybe you have a neighbor like uh like Urkel, right? 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:19.519 Who uh who was always bringing a whirlwind of chaos into your life, like no matter what. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:22.560 Like he just bursts on the scene and chaos ensued. 00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:25.680 So maybe you have an Urkel as a neighbor. 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:37.839 Uh maybe you have uh a Ned Flanders as a neighbor who's who's just way too cheery and kind of way too fake uh you know in the morning, and you just kind of are like, just leave me alone, you know, like I'm just not feeling that good. 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:41.439 Maybe, maybe your neighbor is a Ned Flanders kind of a neighbor. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:45.839 Or maybe, if you remember this one, maybe you have a Kimmy Gibbler as a neighbor. 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:52.560 And a Kimmy Gibbler is one who always shows up unannounced when you least expect it, and probably when you least want it. 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:57.199 And uh so maybe you have uh a Kimmy Gibbler as as your neighbor. 00:04:57.360 --> 00:04:59.120 Maybe that's maybe that's who it is. 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:02.079 Um, maybe you have a grumpy neighbor, right? 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:07.360 You have a neighbor who's always bothering you, bumming you out, uh, always critical, always cynical of you. 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:08.399 Uh, this is a real thing. 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:10.879 Maybe if you're in an HOA, you have one of these. 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:13.199 We lived in an HOA, we have one of these before. 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:15.120 And uh so maybe you have uh a Mr. 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:18.319 Heckles as a neighbor from the TV show Friends, if you remember that one. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:18.560 Mr. 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:26.000 Heckles would always come over and he's complaining about the noise level or complaining about the shrubbery or whatever it is. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:30.959 Um you each one of you, all of you have at least one of those kinds of neighbors. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:38.399 Some of you have a Kramer, some of you have an Urkel, some of you have a Flanders, some of you have a Kimmy Gibbler, and some of you have a Heckler. 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:40.240 And that's just reality, right? 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:43.839 We all have those kinds of people, those kinds of neighbors in our lives. 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:56.399 Well, I what I want you to do is I want you to uh turn in your Bible to Luke chapter 10, and we're gonna be in verses 25 through 37 to start this morning, and we're gonna talk about the art of neighboring. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:03.600 We're gonna talk about what Jesus has to say about uh who our neighbor is and how we're supposed to treat our neighbor. 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:06.160 So get your Bible out and let's start looking at it. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:09.199 I'm gonna be reading out of the New International Version this morning. 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:13.839 Any

translation that you have in front of you is perfect, so just grab that and and follow along. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:16.879 I'm gonna put all the verses on the screen for you as well. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:25.120 Um, but you know, the the first question that we have to wrestle with when we think about our neighbor is well, who exactly is my neighbor, right? 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:30.319 If you look at the center of this image here, you'll see that in the inner circle, you know, your neighbors are your friends. 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:32.800 They're the people that you you do life with. 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:37.199 Uh in the middle circle, it's people whom maybe you live, right? 00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:44.560 Like it could be family members, and it doesn't really matter what nation they're from or religious background they're from, they're just kind of in your family. 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:49.920 Then the outer circle is just the Bible's gonna say any person that you that you happen to meet. 00:06:50.160 --> 00:07:00.639 In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, beginning in verse 25, Jesus is gonna be interacting with some folks, and they're gonna ask him a question about neighboring. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:03.199 And and here's what we read in Luke 10, 25. 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:11.759 It says, On one occasion, uh an expert in the law stood to test Jesus, and he asked, Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:14.079 Jesus replied, What is written in the law? 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:15.120 How do you read it? 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:22.639 And the man answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:26.800 And Jesus replied, You've answered correctly, do this, and you will live. 00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:33.360 But the man wanted to justify himself, the verse says, so he asked Jesus, and who is my neighbor? 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:34.639 That's the big question of the day. 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:35.519 Who's my neighbor? 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:44.720 And in reply, Jesus said, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers, and they stripped him of his clothes, they beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:49.839 And a priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:54.319 So too a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 00:07:54.480 --> 00:08:04.720 But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was, and he saw him, he took pity on him, he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine. 00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:08.720 Then he put the man on his own donkey, uh, brought him to an inn, took care of him. 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:16.959 The next day he took out two dinare and gave it to the innkeeper, and he said, Look after him, and I'll return, I'll reimburse you for any extra expense you may have. 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:23.839 And then Jesus says, Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers? 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.160 And the expert in the law replied, The neighbor's the one who had mercy on him. 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:33.200 So Jesus told him, Go and do likewise. 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:37.200 Jesus is asked this question, Who's your neighbor? 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:40.639 And the response back is essentially everyone. 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:46.799 It's not just the, I'm gonna put this here, it's not just the middle circle, it's not just the inner circle, it's the outer circle. 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:56.480 It's any person that we chance to meet in God's providence, and God wants us to treat them a certain way, to care about them a certain way. 00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:01.759 If they have a need, we're trying to meet that need in any way that we possibly can. 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:02.799 Who's our neighbor? 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:09.919 Jesus says it's all of the above, anybody that he puts into our, into our path, into our vision. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:17.840 And so there's three points that I want to give you today about how we are to treat those today that God brings into your life. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:38.639 So today is you're um interacting with physical neighbors on either side of your house or your apartment, or neighbors in your dorm, let's say, or uh whether your neighbor today happens to be someone you run into at the grocery store, someone you're sitting next to in the office, um, a student that you're sitting next to in class, whoever's around you, Jesus says they are your neighbor. 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:44.240 So what we're gonna do is we're gonna look at three ways that the Bible says you're to treat your neighbor. 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:46.159 This is the art of neighboring. 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:49.600 And so, number one, I want you to think about this today. 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:56.080 Ephesians 4.29 tells us that you need to make sure that you do not harm them with your words. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:59.840 When it comes to the people God brings in your path, do not harm them with your words. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:14.080 Ephesians 4.29 says, do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:23.840 I used to work with teenagers for a really long time as a youth pastor, and I would always tell our teens, there are two kinds of words that you can use with those around you. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:27.840 You can use downwards and you can use upwards. 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:30.240 Downwards are those who bring people down. 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:38.960 You can belittle them with your words, you can crush them with your words, you can harm

them with your words, you can build you can make them feel terrible about themselves with your words. 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:40.639 Those are those are downwards. 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:45.360 But upwards are those words that encourage them, that inspire them. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:49.039 That you don't tell them how it is, you tell them how it could be. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:53.120 That's upwards, that's words that you give to encourage them. 00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:55.440 And so the Bible says, how do you treat your neighbor today? 00:10:55.679 --> 00:11:02.399 The person, whether they're a Kramer or a Flanders or a Urkel or a Heckels or whatever they are, how do you treat them? 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:05.279 You you do not harm them with your words. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:09.279 You refuse today to use any downwards with your kids. 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:12.399 You refuse today to use any downwards with your spouse. 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:16.720 You refuse today to use any downwards with your coworkers or your employer. 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:21.679 You refuse today to use any downwards with those who live next to you who are heckling you. 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:30.480 You choose today, consciously make a decision and the choice to only use upwards so that you can encourage them and edify them today. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:35.200 That's what Jesus, what's what the Bible says about the art of neighboring, what you're to do with your neighbor. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:36.799 Number two, I want you to write this down. 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:40.240 You you treat them with kindness and not cruelty. 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:40.720 Okay? 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:41.519 This is what you do. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:45.440 You don't just choose not to harm them with your words, you treat them with kindness, not cruelty. 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:53.840 Luke 6 27 says, But to you who are listening, I say, love your enemies and do good to those who hate you. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.120 Okay, love your enemies. 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:59.360 Don't don't do bad to your enemies, love them and do good to those who who hate you. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:01.840 Um here's what this verse means. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:16.960 Whoever God brings into your path today, whatever kind of neighbor it is, right, the Bible says your attitude towards them and your actions towards them, no matter how bad they are to you, no matter how much of a bully they are to you, your actions should shock them. 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:18.080 It's that's true. 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:20.960 Your actions should shock them, according to this verse. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:22.879 In fact, I put this here so you could see it. 00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:24.879 You you need to be an interrupter, okay? 00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:26.080 You need to break the loop. 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:31.919 Um, the world system is this continuous loop of just returning hurt from hurt. 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.919 That they're the

world is brutal, they can be callous, they could be spiteful. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:40.240 But what we read in Luke 6.27 is that we should interrupt all of that. 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:44.960 When when people treat us brutally, we respond by giving them a blessing. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:49.440 And when they treat us callously, we're gonna respond with kindness. 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:54.960 And when they treat us spitefully, we're gonna just find ways to serve them. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:57.519 So how do you neighbor well? 00:12:57.759 --> 00:12:58.320 What do you do? 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:02.559 Number one, you you whatever you do, you do not harm them with your words. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:04.480 You use upwards and not downwards. 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:08.799 Number two, uh, you treat them with kindness and not cruelty. 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:12.000 And and then number three, I want you to think about this one. 00:13:12.159 --> 00:13:15.360 You need to let it go instead of letting bitterness grow. 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:19.759 You just need to make the choice to let it go today instead of letting bitterness grow. 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:22.080 Look at Leviticus 19, 18. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:31.840 Um, God says, Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:33.600 I am the Lord. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:34.399 Look at that there. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:39.200 He says, Don't seek revenge, don't hold a grudge against anyone. 00:13:39.440 --> 00:13:43.279 This may be the hardest verse in the entirety of the Bible. 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:47.679 Don't hold grudges, don't get angry, don't try and get even. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:49.919 That's the American way, right? 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:51.279 American dream. 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:54.000 Pick yourself up by your own bootstraps and get even, right? 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:55.200 Like that's what we do. 00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:59.759 But but that's not what the Bible says as followers of Jesus that we're supposed to do. 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:03.440 We let it go instead of letting bitterness grow. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:04.720 Never let bitterness grow. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:09.840 Bitterness is gonna be like a cancer, it's gonna get inside of you and just eat you alive. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:11.759 Resentment is the same way. 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:15.200 Resentment doesn't hurt the other person, it just hurts you. 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:21.679 Resentment is a sword turned inward, and you're you're just gonna be hurting yourself in the process. 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.399 So, in terms of the art of neighboring, who's your neighbor? 00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:26.720 Jesus says it's everyone. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:29.919 The people you like and the people you can't stand. 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:34.559 Uh it's the person you love and it's the Urkel, it's the Kramer, it's the Mr. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:38.399 Heckles, it's Kimmy Gibler, it's uh it's it's all those people. 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:39.919 God says you gotta love them all. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:40.960 They're all your neighbor. 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.480 So how do you love your neighbor? 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:44.639 You refuse to harm them with your words. 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:48.159 Um, number two, you treat them with kindness and not cruelty. 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:50.000 And number three, you let it go. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:52.960 You do not let bitterness grow. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:58.240 In the comments below, I want you to go ahead and we'll have some fun today. 00:14:58.320 --> 00:14:59.519 We'll just mess around. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:07.600 Don't say their names, but who is the neighbor in your life that you need to be praying for today and show an act of kindness for today? 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:14.000 You're gonna go out of your way to do something kind, even if it's a phone call or a text message or you leave them a little fruit basket at the front door. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:17.279 It don't say their names, but just put down is it a Kramer? 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:18.720 Is it an Urkel? 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:21.120 Is it a uh Ned Flanders? 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:23.919 It is a is it a Kimmy Gibler or is it a Mr. 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:24.480 Heckels? 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:25.840 You get to let us know. 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:29.039 So in the comments, just write down one of those goofy, silly TV names. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:32.159 Don't give the real name, and then uh do something kind for them today. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:35.600 Let me pray for us as we get started, uh, as we end up. 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:38.000 Father in heaven, thank you for uh today. 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:44.879 God, thank you for the opportunity to gather once more in your presence online and uh just to spend time with you in your word. 00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:52.159 Help us to love the people, the neighbors well that you've put into our lives and bring us back safely tomorrow for another Bridge Builders. 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:56.399 We pray all this uh in accordance with the character and the identity of you, Lord Jesus. 00:15:57.039 --> 00:15:58.000 In your name we pray. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:15:58.960 Amen. 00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:01.600 All right, guys, it was so good to see you today. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:06.399 Join us back tomorrow, somewhere around 8 o'clock for the Facebook Live of Bridge Builders. 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:10.399 Uh, I think Steve Shai is going to be leading our uh devotional tomorrow. 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:13.679 And uh in the meantime, keep building bridges. 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:19.840 Thanks for joining us for Bridge Builders, a daily devotional from the Bridge Church in Reno, Nevada. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:24.159 At the bridge, we're passionate about building bridges for people to come to Jesus. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:27.039 And we'd love for you to be part of our church family. 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.600 Join us every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:32.879 for worship at 1330 Foster Drive in Reno. 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:36.799 Or connect with us online at thebridgereno.com. 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:45.759 Until next time, keep building your faith, keep growing closer to Jesus, and remember, every day is a great day to start in God's Word.