2: Love Neighbor

The Neighborhood Church

Read the Gospels and see a picture emerge of Jesus in indiscriminate proximity to his neighbors. But Jesus isn't just near those who are ostracized or marginalized, Jesus engages with them, creating a geography of grace. Jesus is routinely surrounded by the poor and powerless, the disciples and doubters, the sick and suspicious. We see in his life and teaching a call to "go and do likewise" as we love the neighbors we encounter. And when the needs seem too big to carry alone, may we be inspired by those in this story who simply carry their corner -- bringing their neighbor into the presence of Jesus. NOTES -- // SCRIPTURE FOCUS -- Mark 2.1-12 // CORE PRACTICE 2 -- We commit to love others as ourselves regardless of race, background, ethnicity, orientation, or status. // QUOTE -- “My prayer from day to day is that God will so enlarge my heart that I will see you all, and live with you all, in his love.” (DOROTHY DAY, House of Hospitality) // WHO DO WE SEE? The religious leaders saw... the crowd saw... the friends saw... Jesus saw... // Mark is highlighting this central conflict: Does Jesus have the right to extend the invitation of God and declare them welcomed in his presence? // QUOTE -- “Love casts out fear, but we have to get over the fear in order to get close enough to love them” (DOROTHY DAY, House of Hospitality) // WHAT DO WE DO? We carry our corner // Many times we see the breakdowns in our relationships and the brokenness in our neighborhood as mountains too big to move instead of seeing the corner we’re called to carry. // SONG -- "Little Things With Great Love" by The Porter's Gate