Welcome to our Together on Mission Podcast, when we seek to be with and like Jesus, as we begin a conversation with Jesus in the morning, the scripture, prayer and meditation, and then continue that conversation with him throughout your day. Your host, St. Travis Twynan, the pastor at the Inland Vineyard Church in Corona, California. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Together on Mission Podcast.
Happy Wednesday morning. This is Travis Twynan, and I will be your host for this podcast on this early Wednesday morning, and I have my Bible open to Luke, Chapter 6, glorious chapter. So grab your Bible, grab a journal, get in that spot, grab a cup of coffee, cup of tea. We are going to start a conversation with Jesus, and we're going to continue that conversation with Jesus throughout the rest of the day.
And the title of the podcast this morning is a different way, a different way. Now, centuries and centuries before Jesus, King Solomon, great King of Israel, said, there is a way that seems right to a person, but in the end, that way leads to death. That's a pretty good line, because so often the way that I want to go or the way that seems right to me actually is not a way that is unto life. And so Jesus comes in with a different way.
So instead of a question this morning, I just want to make a few statements, and they're autobiographical, but I'm hoping that you can relate to me. I want to get even. I want to win the argument. I want to get my way.
If someone curses me or mistreats me or disrespects me, the last thing I want to do is bless them. Do I have any company? Think about the last argument you had with the person that you love the most. Were you trying to win the argument or were you trying to hear their heart?
I thought so. Think about the last time someone was rude to you. How did you respond? Or how did you really, really want to respond?
If you had what you would call the ability to respond to the way that you wanted to respond, you would have done so. You know, I also, if I don't say or do the thing that I want to say or do to get the opportunity to get the opportunity to get the opportunity to find myself judging that person, condemning that person, saying the thing that I want to say in my mind or having an imaginary conversation with that person. And I always win those imaginary conversations. Do you usually win those imaginary conversations when you're condemning and judging another person?
And what about those people that have really hurt us? The way, and that's the important word this morning, the way that we want to choose, is the way of holding them as the object of our anger. I'm not going to forgive and I certainly don't want to be generous in my forgiveness. But what if those ways don't really work?
What if they're not actually working? What if the way that I just spend a bit of time talking about it will actually hurt or destroy or is hurting or is destroying the relationships and even our life that we've been given as a gift from God? What if Solomon was right? There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it ends in death.
Now, remember in Luke chapter four, because we're studying the Gospel of Luke, Jesus announces the Jubilee and he says, come and follow me. Jesus announces a different way. And in the book of Acts, the early church was called the way, the way of Jesus. And in Luke chapter six, Jesus gives one of his most brilliant teachings about this new way, this different way.
And Jesus does say, I am the way, the truth, and the life, I am your rabbi. Follow in my footsteps because this new way, this different way leads to life. So as I read certain excerpts from this incredible teaching, think about your heart, your coworkers, your marriage, your kids, your neighbor, those that have hurt you, those that you have a difficult time with. Let the words of Jesus just kind of wash over all of the relationships and the connections that we have on a daily, on a weekly and on a monthly basis.
So Jesus says in Luke chapter six verse 27, love your enemies. Do good to them. Even those that hate you, bless those that curse you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to the other one.
Also give to anyone that asks, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love your enemies. Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting anything back.
Then you're going to be like your heavenly father because he's kind, the ungrateful and the wicked above all be merciful. Just as your heavenly father is merciful. And Jesus says in verse 37, don't judge. Even if you think you have a reason to judge, don't judge or you'll be judged.
Don't condemn or you'll be condemned. Forgive even you want to and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given back to you. For the measure that you use, it will be measured to you.
And in verse 39, he told him this parable, can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. What a passage.
What a way. What a life. And that honestly is the opposite of the way that we want to choose. We want to get even.
We want to hate. We want to retaliate. You know, we want to judge, to condemn. We don't want to forgive and be generous to those that have hurt us.
And I think Jesus is saying, if you follow your way in your marriage, if you follow your way in your dating relationship, your way, the way you want to go, the way you feel like you're going to go, it will be like you're running down a dark alley and eventually you're going to run into a wall. And the way that Jesus says that is, it's like the blind leading the blind won't both of them fall into a pit. So today, let's try this. Let's just give it a try by the power of the spirit.
Let's return good for evil today. If any evil comes your way, let's return good. Let's give other people the benefit of the doubt. Let's be generous when we want to withhold.
Let's love in conversation, in response. Let's allow this rabbi from Nazareth to open up our eyes. So we're not the blind leading the blind and both falling into a pit, but rather at the end of verse 40, everyone that will be fully trained will be like their teacher. Jesus is saying, come and follow me and learn to live in love the way that I do because there is a way that seems right to a person in the end.
It actually ends in death. And Jesus didn't say this, but I think he would have. It may feel weird at first to begin to live this way. It'll stand out.
It'll be different. It may feel weird at first because we're not accustomed to it. We're accustomed to going our own way. But what if this new way is actually the natural way?
What if it actually fits with our humanity and fits with honoring other people's humanity? What if it's actually the way of rest? What if greed and anger and unforgiveness and hate and condemnation and judgment? What if that actually is killing us and those around us?
Today, let's live this way. I think that's part of what it means to trust Jesus. So this morning, let's pray this simple prayer. Let's read this passage.
Let's meditate a little bit. Let's think. Let's feel. Let's have a conversation with Jesus.
And let's just say this prayer. Jesus, you are the way. You are the truth. And you are the truth.
And you are the life. Jesus, you are the way. You are the truth. And you are the life.
And throughout the day, let's just pray that and say that without ceasing in every situation. And every moment, Jesus, you are the way. You are the truth. And you are the life.
And we'll talk tomorrow. Thanks for listening to the Together on Mission podcast. We truly hope that you were blessed and encouraged by it today. If you had any questions about the Inland Vineyard Church, our ministries, or our Sunday services, feel free to connect with us on our brand new app, which you can find in the Google Play and the App Store.
And check out our social media pages like Facebook and Instagram. Or even check out our website at inlandvignard.org.