NOW, WE STAY IN A LOT OF HOTELS.
AND IN HOTELS, THEY ALWAYS LEAVE US ONE
OF THESE TO PUT ON OUR DOOR.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: BUT TODAY PEOPLE ARE WEARING 'EM ON THEIR BODIES.
NOW, I'LL JUST WEAR THIS AROUND FOR A LITTLE BIT,
JUST SO YOU GET THE PICTURE.
WE HAVE SUCH A HUGE OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF US TODAY.
BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET MORE LIKE JESUS.
AND A LOT LESS LIKE A CARNAL, SELFISH, SELF-CENTERED
CHRISTIAN, WHO JUST GOES TO CHURCH, AND THINKS
THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT.
DO YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE YOU GO TO CHURCH,
THAT DOESN'T MAKE YOU A CHRISTIAN.
I COULD GO HOME AND SIT IN MY GARAGE ALL NIGHT
AND IT WOULDN'T MAKE ME A CAR.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: JESUS SAID, "I WANT YOU TO GO AND BEAR FRUIT."
SO, MAYBE, I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK YOU, TONIGHT,
TO THINK A LITTLE BIT THIS NEXT WEEK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF FRUIT
ARE YOU BEARING IN YOUR LIFE?
ARE YOU COMING HERE AND JUST BEING FED?
AND YOU LOVE THAT.
YOU LOVE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO ALL THE WORK.
AND DIG OUT ALL THE MESSAGES.
AND JUST FEED YOU ALL THE GOOD STUFF.
BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOIN' WITH IT?
I HOPE A LOT.
I'M NOT ACCUSING ANYBODY.
I HOPE THAT EVERY MESSAGE YOU HEAR, YOU HEAR IT WITH
THE INTENT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT.
NOW, WE'RE GONNA USE THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN, TONIGHT.
AND I WANT YOU TO LISTEN TO IT, LIKE, MAYBE, YOU'VE NEVER
HEARD IT BEFORE.
THERE WAS A PHARISEE, AND HE SAID TO JESUS,
"'WHAT MUST I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?'
AND HE SAID, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD
WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL,
AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND ALL YOUR STRENGTH;
AND YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR EVEN AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF.'"
I SAY THOSE TWO SCRIPTURES, OUT LOUD EVERY MORNING.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO DO, IS TO LOVE
HIM AND TO LOVE PEOPLE.
AMEN?
AUDIENCE: AMEN.
JOYCE: AND WE THROW THAT WORD AROUND SO MUCH.
WE LOVE ICE CREAM, WE LOVE GOD, AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS.
BUT WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO LOVE THE WAY GOD WANTS US TO LOVE.
AND I'LL JUST THROW THIS OUT, 'CUZ I LIKE TO SAY THIS,
AT SOME POINT, IN EVERY MESSAGE, I PREACH.
IF YOU'RE GONNA LOVE PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO BE VERY
GENEROUS WITH FORGIVENESS.
AND I JUST WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE, TONIGHT,
THAT ARE MAD AT SOMEBODY.
NOBODY?
OKAY, THAT'S GOOD.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: OR OFFENDED?
HMM...
CHRISTIANS GIVE THE DEVIL MORE GROUND IN THEIR LIFE THROUGH
UNFORGIVENESS THAN THROUGH ANY OTHER THING.
I'M GONNA SAY THAT AGAIN.
CHRISTIANS GIVE THE DEVIL MORE GROUND IN THEIR LIVES
THROUGH UNFORGIVENESS THAN THROUGH ANY OTHER THING.
LET'S REMEMBER THE LORD'S PRAYER, "FATHER FORGIVE
US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE,
WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US." WELL, DO WE REALLY WANT
HIM TO FORGIVE US THE WAY WE FORGIVE OTHER PEOPLE?
WE GOTTA BE QUICK TO FORGIVE.
HARD TO OFFEND.
NOT TOUCHY.
SO, HE SAID, "WELL LORD, I'VE BEEN DOING THAT
SINCE MY YOUTH." BUT IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY
HIMSELF, HE SAID, "SO, WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?"
WELL, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION TO ASK.
"WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR ANYWAY?" IS IT THE PERSON THAT
LIVES NEXT DOOR?
"IN REPLY JESUS SAID: 'A MAN WAS GOING DOWN FROM JERUSALEM
TO JERICHO, WHEN HE WAS ATTACKED BY ROBBERS.'"
NOW, I WANT YOU TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION, AND I WANT
YOU TO KINDA SEE THIS STORY AND NOT JUST LISTEN TO IT.
THIS MAN'S WALKIN' DOWN THE STREET.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE GETS ATTACKED BY ROBBERS.
"THEY STRIPPED HIM OF HIS CLOTHES,
BEAT HIM AND LEFT, LEAVING HIM HALF DEAD."
SO, THEY TOOK HIS CLOTHES.
THEY BEAT HIM UP.
HE WAS BLOODY.
HE MUST'VE TAKING A VERY HARD, BEATING BECAUSE THEY SAID,
"HE WAS HALF DEAD." "A PRIEST HAPPENED TO BE GOING
DOWN THE SAME ROAD, AND WHEN HE SAW THE MAN,
HE PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE." UH-OH, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN
GOING DOWN AN AISLE IN CHURCH, AND YOU SAW SOMEBODY THAT
YOU KNEW IF THEY STOPPED YOU, YOU WERE GONNA BE IN FOR
A LONG STORY THAT YOU DIDN'T WANNA HEAR, AND SO, YOU PASSED
BY ON THE OTHER SIDE?
COME ON, NOW.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: SOMETIMES, WE AVOID THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE
NEEDY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT 'EM PULLIN' ON US.
"WE DON'T WANNA BE DISTURBED.
WE'RE HERE TO GO TO CHURCH.
WE'RE HERE TO BE SPIRITUAL."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: YOU'LL GET THIS, OR, WE'LL BE HERE ALL NIGHT.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: A PRIEST--YOU KNOW, I THINK HE MIGHT'VE BEEN ON HIS
WAY TO CHURCH, AND THAT'S WHY HE WAS IN SUCH A HURRY.
AND SO, HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO MESS WITH THIS GUY,
WHO WAS BLOODY, AND BEATEN UP, AND HALF DEAD.
SO, HE JUST--"SOMEBODY ELSE CAN DO THAT."
AND HE CROSSED THE STREET, AND PASSED BY HIM.
"AND THEN A LEVITE, CAME BY AND WHEN HE SAW THE MAN,
HE ALSO PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE, OF THE STREET."
AND LEVITES WERE PART OF THE JEWISH PRIESTHOOD.
THEY DID ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF JOBS.
AND SO, THIS ALSO, WAS A RELIGIOUS MAN.
I'M SURE HE WENT TO SYNAGOGUE, AND HE FOLLOWED ALL THE RULES,
AND REGULATIONS.
BUT YOU KNOW, JESUS REALLY GOT ON TO THE PHARISES,
BECAUSE HE SAID, "YOU FOLLOW ALL
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS, BUT YOU WON'T LIFT A FINGER
TO HELP ANYBODY." I'M GONNA GIVE YOU
SOME HOMEWORK, WHEN WE LEAVE, TONIGHT.
AND THEN, THERE WAS A SAMARITAN.
NOW, YOU KNOW, THE SAMARITANS-- THE JEWS HATED THE SAMARITANS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S KINDA INTERESTING TO ME,
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES REAL RELIGIOUS PEOPLE ACTUALLY
HATE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT DOING SOMETHING TO MAKE
A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: I'VE HAD MORE JUDGMENT AND CRITIZISM FROM PEOPLE
THAT ARE DOING NOTHING.
RIGHT?
RELIGIOUS PEOPLE ARE NOT ALWAYS VERY NICE.
NOW, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE NICE.
MATTER OF FACT, THEY HATED THE SAMARITANS SO BAD,
THAT THEY WOULDN'T EVEN GO THROUGH SAMARIA.
THEY DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
WELL, THE SAMARITANS BELIEVED THAT JUDAISM,
AND THE JEWISH TORAH, HAD BEEN CORRUPTED OVER TIME.
AND THEY NO LONGER FOLLOWED THE TEN COMMANDMENTS--OR ALL
THE RULES AND REGULATIONS.
BUT I JUST WONDER-- IF WE ONLY HAD TWO CHOICES?
IF GOD HAD TWO CHOICES.
TAKE SOMEBODY THAT FOLLOWS ALL THE RULES AND REGULATIONS,
BUT NEVER LIFTS A FINGER TO HELP ANYBODY.
OR, SOMEBODY, WHO MAYBE, DOESN'T FOLLOW ALL THE RULES
AND REGULATIONS BUT THEY REALLY HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I JUST WONDER WHICH ONE HE'D PICK?
I'M NOT SAYING HE'D TAKE AN UNBELIEVER OVER A BELIEVER.
BUT JESUS SAID, "IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU WILL OBEY ME."
HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD SAY, "JESUS IS YOUR LORD?"
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: OKAY, WELL THEN, LET ME TELL YOU TWO WORDS,
THAT YOU CAN NEVER SAY, BECAUSE THEY NEVER--
THEY DO NOT GO TOGETHER, AND THAT'S, "NO, LORD."
YOU CAN SAY, "YES, LORD." BUT YOU CAN'T SAY, "NO, LORD."
BECAUSE IF YOU SAY, "NO," THEN HE'S NOT YOUR LORD.
BECAUSE IF HE'S OUR LORD, THEN THE ONLY THING,
WE CAN SAY IS, "YES, LORD." LET'S PRACTICE, SAY, YES, LORD.
AUDIENCE: YES, LORD.
JOYCE: YOU KNOW, ALL THE MIRACLES THAT JESUS DID,
HE WAS INTERRUPTED TO DO THEM.
HE WAS ON HIS WAY SOMEWHERE.
HE WAS DOIN' SOMETHING.
HE WAS BUSY.
AND I'VE GOT ALL THE REFERENCES HERE.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 'EM ALL.
BUT I AM GONNA JUST GO BACK HERE, AND GIVE YOU
JUST A FEW OF THE LITTLE SCENARIOS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND YOU CAN JUST THINK ABOUT 'EM REAL QUICK.
"JESUS CAME DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAINSIDE AND LARGE
CROWDS FOLLOWED HIM." "A MAN WITH LEPROSY CAME,
AND KNELT DOWN BEFORE HIM, 'LORD, IF YOU'RE WILLING,
YOU CAN MAKE ME CLEAN.'" SO, HE STOPPED
WHAT HE WAS DOING, AND CLEANSED THE LEPER.
THEN, WHEN HE ENTERED CAPERNAUM, A CENTURION CAME UP TO HIM,
ASKING FOR HELP.
AND SO, HE STOPPED, AND HELPED HIM.
WHEN JESUS CAME TO PETER'S HOUSE, PETER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW
WAS SICK WITH A FEVER.
SO, HE STOPPED AND HEALED HER.
WHEN EVENING CAME, THERE WERE MANY WHO WERE
DEMON POSSESSED, AND HE STOPPED, AND CAST THE DEVILS OUT.
THERE WAS A STORM THAT CAME UP, WHEN HE WAS IN THE BOAT,
WITH THE DISCIPLES.
AND HE GOT UP, FROM HIS NAP, AND STOP THE STORM.
HE HEALED CRIPPLED PEOPLE, PARALYZED PEOPLE,
DEMON POSSESSED PEOPLE.
RAISED A MAN'S DAUGHTER, WHO HAD JUST DIED.
AND EVERY ONE OF THESE-- YOU CAN'T FIND ONE THAT SAYS,
JESUS WAS SITTIN' AROUND, LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: HE WAS GOIN' SOMEWHERE.
HE WAS DOING SOMETHING.
BUT HE DIDN'T PASS BY ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE ROAD.
HE STOPPED.
EVERYBODY SAY, HE STOPPED.
AUDIENCE: HE STOPPED.
JOYCE: SAY IT AGAIN, HE STOPPED.
AUDIENCE: HE STOPPED.
JOYCE: AND HE HELPED THEM, AND THEN, HE WENT BACK
TO WHAT HE WAS DOING.
YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE STEPS OF JESUS.
THERE WAS A BIG MOVEMENT, FOR A LONG TIME, LIKE,
FOLLOWING THE STEPS OF JESUS.
AND--BUT MAYBE, WE SHOULD STUDY THE STOPS OF JESUS?
MAYBE, WE SHOULD LOOK MORE AT THE THINGS THAT
HE STOPPED TO DO.
BECAUSE THEY'RE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT HE WANTS
US TO DO.
JESUS WAS INTERRUPTIBLE.
AND WE NEED TO BE THAT WAY, TOO.