Who is Jesus? Rabbi & Teacher 6.16.24

This morning, we gathered to praise God and prepare for an exciting week ahead with Vacation Bible School. We prayed for the teachers, helpers, and students, asking God to plant His word deeply in their hearts and impact entire families. We also introduced a new missions initiative called "Love Thy Neighbor," which involves home projects and a special event for single moms. This initiative aims to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community, providing practical help and spiritual support.

We then delved into Luke 6:37-42, focusing on Jesus' teachings about loving our enemies and not judging others. Jesus calls us to do good, bless, and pray for those who mistreat us, which is counter to our human nature. We explored the difference between discerning right from wrong and condemning others. Jesus teaches us to judge actions but not to condemn people, emphasizing mercy and grace.

We examined the story of the woman caught in adultery from John 8, where Jesus showed mercy while still calling her to leave her life of sin. This illustrates that our desire should be for restoration, not condemnation. We also discussed the parable of the unforgiving servant from Matthew 18, highlighting the importance of showing the same mercy and forgiveness that God has shown us.

Jesus warns us to be more focused on identifying and removing our own sins rather than condemning others. He encourages us to view people through the lens of the cross, not the world. This perspective helps us to love and pray for those who wrong us, seeing them as God sees them—worthy of love and redemption.