Being a good christian means we do not show favoritism

Pastor Scott: 00:00 -video playing-

Pastor Scott: 03:22 Good morning Cornerstone, how are you doing today? Good to see you guys, my name is Scott. If it's your first time here so glad that you're here with us at Cornerstone. I do want to give a shout out to two of my favorite Cornerstone campuses. Everyone out in Scottsdale, we're so glad to have you with us and to invite us into your worship experience today. Let's give it up for the Scottsdale campus right here in Chandler. Come on! As well as all of you out in San Tan, that one big family, we're so glad to be part of the family at Cornerstone San Tan. Way to go for reaching people out in that community as well as everyone at the venue here in Chandler and those of you at the 5 o'clock service. One big crazy happy Cornerstone bunch don't you think? Come on man, give it up, glad you guys are here!

Pastor Scott: 04:02 I want to have some fun today. So I must apologize right out of the gate if you came to church desiring sorrow and sadness and a boring old time. I apologize because I hope that is not even close to what you're going experience here for the next three and a half hours while I speak before I dismissed you. But today is Palm Sunday. That's a very big thing for us who are followers of Christ. Next Sunday is Easter Sunday and there are going to be thousands of people all weekend at all the campuses for Cornerstone that's worshipping Christ the risen King, celebrating his resurrection. And you know it's Palm Sunday, it's Easter Sunday next weekend but you want to know what every Sunday is? Somebody's first Sunday at Cornerstone. You know I'm talking about? Every Sunday there are people walking thru the doors of every single campus, every venue that have never been here before. And we are so excited to have you with us today. In fact I want to give a little shout out and kudos to everyone, hundreds and hundreds of you here in Chandler in San Tan, in Scottsdale that serve, that volunteer, that create an incredible first impression to everyone who visits a Cornerstone campus. Let's give it up for everyone who serves and volunteers all thru Cornerstone. This doesn't happen without you. You know you think about God does what only he can do, we can't change a person's heart. But church doesn't happen without people doing what you all do to make these environments and make this all happen. And I want to give a little shout out to some very well deserving folks today in some of these folks are leaders leading the children's ministries at the campuses at Cornerstone. So I want to give a shout out today out in Scottsdale. Jenny LeBlanc you're awesome. We love you. We thank you for all that you're doing. Come on, let's give it up for Jenny LeBlanc. Out in, out in San Tan Julie Reynolds you are investing in the next generation. We love you. We thank you for your leadership right here in Chandler. Melissa Wyman and Kristine Wycof ,let's give it up for Melissa and Kristine. They are the folks responsible leading their teams to care for our children, well not only care for them but invest in their lives spiritually and it's just a great thing to have a church that partners with us as parents saying some of the same things we are, investing in to the lives of our kids both relationally and spiritually.

Pastor Scott: 06:37 How many of you could say honestly, by just raising your hand, "I love my church." Just put your hand up. OK, put it down for just one second and maybe you're visiting, you're from out of town or something. And I want you to think about your home church if you have one outside of Cornerstone. In this conversation this morning how many of you, again by show of hands, could say without reservation, wholeheartedly I can honestly say, "I love my church?" Put your hand up.

Pastor Scott: 07:07 Have you ever thought about why? Why would I say that? What is it that would bring you and I to a place where we really do mean what we say, when I say I love my church? is it the incredible children's ministries and kids programs and student activities at every location? Is it the smiling faces that greet us as they walk into every single location? Is it, is it the, the hot coffee that's outside, you know you just load up as much as you want, is it that? Is it, is it the music that seems to be so good? It is a great way for us to worship God? Is it the teaching? Is it, is it Linn's teaching or whomever? What is it? Why is it that we can say with confidence, "I love my church." I would suggest it's probably all of that plus something that I think is maybe even deeper than that. Maybe even more powerful than that.

Pastor Scott: 08:08 So what I want you to do, I'm going to talk about that today because I want to talk about not only making a great first impression which many of us have already had today but I want to talk to us about doubling down on making a lasting impression as a church. So if you have a Bible on you open it up to the book of James, it's in the New Testament towards the back. Just go to anywhere in the book of James right now because we're going to get more specific in just a moment but while you're getting there on your mobile device or in your paper Bible just get to the Book of James and let's do a little shouting back and forth at one another.

Pastor Scott: 08:41 I'm going to do a little survey here OK? So this is your moment. If you've ever been in church sitting there like respectful adults wanting to yell at the guy on the stage or the gal on the stage and say something to them, this is your moment to do it, OK? Just go along with this thing let your voice will be heard. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to ask you what's your favorite blank, OK? Because we all have our favorites. So what or who was your favorite blank and you're just going to shout out your answer, OK? Is that pretty clear? Scottsdale? You good? San Tan? All right, you hear that OK? We're good, here we go. Here we go, OK? Who is your favorite baseball team? Of course is a D-Backs, I knew that. Of course, 100 percent without a doubt it's the D-Backs. OK, what is your favorite flavor of ice cream. Yes it's mint chocolate chip. I'm certain of it. It is has to be. What's your favorite kind of music? Come on. Shouted out favorite music. Yeah, yeah, yeah right. I know, 80's rock. You're all, you're all like Tim Beale, 80's rock 'n. OK. So we all have our favorites. Let's do this one. Parents who have more than one child shout out the name of your favorite child. What are you laughing about? Okay, it's payback time. Children, if you're in the room, San Tan and Scottsdale kids shout the name of your favorite parent. You know we all have our favorites. But didn't it get awkward when we talk about a favorite somebody when we're probably supposed to love those somebodies all the same. Didn't that get a little weird, like I'm not going there, that's not right. Maybe that's what you thought. Maybe it isn't. But I can tell you this. There is a context in which favorites aren't right.

Pastor Scott: 11:59 Go to James Chapter 2. And as we go to James chapter 2 the whole book of James is written to those of us who are followers of Jesus. It's to Christians, to those who are in the family of God as followers of Christ. And the context is a lot of persecution a lot of challenge. And so we're being encouraged to persevere through these challenges and we're being encouraged how to treat one another as a family of followers of Jesus. So look at verse 1 James Chapter 2. And here's what it says. My brothers and sisters. Now if you're not familiar with scripture that's simply referring to my fellow believers, the Bible would often refer to those of us who call yourself Christian brothers and sisters. OK that's just what that means. It's, it's the family lingo. My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show what? Favoritism. Must not show favoritism. Now read some of the rest later because what it goes into is the writer says, you know, let's say you're all getting together. You're all in San Tan. And someone walks into your worship gathering and it's pretty visible that they shop at Nordstrom and they've got the ring on and the little bling going. And maybe they pulled up in a really sweet new BMW. And you as followers of Jesus look to that person and say, "Hey, you, you sit over here. We have this space waiting for you and people like you." And then someone walks into your gathering who it's obvious they're like Scott Rodgers and they bought their shirt at Ross for twelve dollars or maybe even it's more tattered than that. And Scott pulls up in a 1982 Pinto, and half you know what I'm talking about. And you can smell the exhaust as I drive by and I get out there and go walk in and someone sees me says, "Oh well, you're from the West Valley huh?" No, that was a joke. That was a joke. "Why don't you sit over here. Or maybe even better yet sit at my feet." That's what the scripture says. And then it says in this verse four it's not on the screen but let me just read it to you, it says when you do that have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Wow. Have you not discriminated among yourselves. See this church in that setting was giving preferential treatment to one person over the other based on perception. What they look like,, their financial or sociological status or what have you, we can take this and extrapolate it a thousand different ways. But then it goes into verse 8. Let's look at this, James 2 verse 8-9. It says if you followers of Christ really keep the royal law found in scripture which is "Love your neighbor as yourself" you're doing right. Next verse, verse 9. But if you show favoritism you what? You sin and are convicted by the law. This royal law of love are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

Pastor Scott: 14:39 You see this issue of favoritism in the church is such a big deal that God actually puts it in the category of sin. You ever wonder why? I think it's because favoritism separates, it segregates. Where Love brings us together, it unifies. Where love is the great equalizer for all of us. And I think if there's ever to be a beautiful picture of diversity it's within the body of Christ. Not just ethnic diversity of course, but diversity of, of background, diversity of income, diversity of life story, even diversity of politics.

Pastor Scott: 15:35 All right let's keep moving. All right let's keep going. God says that favoritism is such a big deal. He calls it sin, favoritism is really just us looking for a favor from someone. Favoritism in my opinion is wanting something from someone more than wanting something for someone. Where love would want something more for you than from you. Let me try to repeat it again because if you're not rain man maybe you didn't catch it. Favoritism is wanting more from someone than for someone. Love is wanting more for them than from them. See both favoritism and love have an agenda. One has to take. And the other is to give. Favoritism is really in a way about self-preservation where love is more about self-sacrifice and Jesus made this really super clear in the book of John. Turn there if you have your Bible on you to John Chapter 13. Everybody say, "John 13." Here's what Jesus says, he's talking to those who were following him, his disciples. In verse 34 Jesus says so now I'm giving you a new commandment love each other. Now pause right there for just a moment. Because everyone who heard him say that was familiar with the Old Testament scriptures that they had at that time and they knew that's not a new commandment. You can go back to Leviticus 19 in the Old Testament, it says love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus isn't presenting something new. But what I think he's presenting is a new level of how to do this. So he says I'm giving you a new commandment: love each other just as I have loved you.

Pastor Scott: 17:21 You should love each other. Now they didn't even realize the extent of which his love was going to go because he hadn't died on the cross yet. But Jesus is saying yeah, I know you get it, love one another blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Now let me tell you to the degree that I want you to love one another. Jesus says just as I have loved you, you should love one another. And then he says in verse 35 one of the most powerful statements that I think we can read in scripture. Jesus says your love for one another, Those of you who are followers of Christ, your love for one another will prove to who? To the world that you are my disciples. How you love one another will be a living proof that I am amongst you, how you love one another will woo the world into considering who Jesus is. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. A couple of minutes ago I asked you to raise your hand if you say I love my church and we love our church for a number of reasons. But I want to suggest there's something more powerful than the music, the teaching, the stuff. I think that we can really with passion and conviction say I love my church when we know that we're loved by our church because I want to suggest that it's about relationships. In fact Lynn can do his incredible teaching I mean Linn is one of the best Bible teachers that I listen to. I mean I don't know if he ever has an off weekend. It's so much good content.

Pastor Scott: 19:12 But you know what? That's not all that it's about. It's not about the great music, it's not all the programs, it's about our relationships with each other. In fact when it comes to loving our church I think that's the driving force. You know I love my church. Why yes all that stuff is great. I'm thankful for it because I know that I'm loved by my church. Someone in my church cares about who I am. They care about my life. I'm connected relationally. In fact I have a simple, simple, simple illustration here.

Pastor Scott: 19:43 I have some scotch tape and how many of you guys love scotch tape? Your life is founded on Scotch tape and you're just all about scotch tape. Come on. There was like ten hands that went up, I said how many little Scotch tape and ahh this is awesome. What do you do in your spare time? I just wonder man. So what do we do with scotch tape? We wrap Christmas gifts or birthday presents or maybe tape a couple pieces of paper together but we all know the stuff doesn't hold very well does it?

Pastor Scott: 20:14 Do you believe me? You're looking at me like, OK dude I don't believe you. Trust me scotch tape doesn't hold very well. In fact you can hold that if you want to it's all yours. My gift to you. In many ways all the first impressions stuff about our church which is incredibly, incredibly important is the scotch tape stuff. Yeah, I love my church because the music and the teaching and the smiling people at the door and the hot coffee. But what I want to say that what really makes us stick with our church and what really makes us say with all honesty I love my church is when we know that we're loved by our church and its relationships that I want to say are like duct tape. How many out there say duct tape is the best thing since the cross?

Pastor Scott: 21:11 Come on man, that's right isn't it? And that duct tape, I mean if you're wanting to increase your studlyness in life just get a roll of duct tape and hang out with it for a week and see what you can do with it. It's amazing what you can do with this stuff. This stuff sticks like almost none other. This is what makes church so much fun to love about our church, it's the relationships that make us stick. If Linn has an off day once every three years or if the music was maybe a little too loud or not my style of music or the coffee was a little lukewarm ... Yeah, you know if you were church shopping we might not like that but if it's our home that's alright because they're human beings. What makes it stick is the relationships that we have with each other. The love that we have for one another and those of you who have had to relocate maybe for a work situation. You know this full well when you have to find a new church. Maybe you come from a church that has great things going on. But what do you tend to miss the most. It's the relationships, it's the friends that you establish by doing life together. And being together that's what makes it stick. I can guarantee, I guarantee that sitting within five seats wherever you're seated. Maybe you're sitting in the Scottsdale campus right now, sitting within five seats of you is someone who's concerned about their future. Take it to the bank. I could feel confident to say that if you checked your kids in today at your campus someone in line doing the same or next to you doing the same is struggling in their marriage. Or they were a single adult just exhausted. Go and take my little one. Thank you Jesus. I get an hour. Shelly and I used to say that all the time, you don't say that? Or a two parent family. I'm exhausted, I guarantee that person crossed your path when you were checking our kids, when you grabbed coffee today at your campus. It's likely that someone will walk by you that just lost their job. This is someone that walks through the doors of every campus today. That's lonely, struggling in their faith. Even someone who's brand new in their faith. And there's someone sitting within a couple rows of you who's thinking how am I going to pay the bills at the end of the month? You wonder why I can confidently assume such. Because they're just like you and me. We're all the same. And every single one of us are one conversation away or one relationship away from loving our church. And I want to challenge you. And I hope that you can catch a vision for this quick statement. I want to challenge you to be the reason someone loves Cornerstone. You be the reason. Scott are you telling me that you want someone to love me being here more than they love Jesus? No let's not be silly, that's not at all what I'm saying. But what if you're the one? What if you're the one that they know that they can say, "Man I'm loved by my church because John is there. I love my church because I know I'm loved by my church because Sally, she's the one that always talks to me when I'm there." Let's you and I be the reason why someone loves our church.

Pastor Scott: 24:51 So how do we do that? I mean what's that look like? Well I'm glad you asked. Turn to Philippians chapter 2. All right. Philippians chapter 2, and I want to give you just a couple super simple ways. So when you get out of your seat today you can put into action before you walk out of the room that you're in right now. Super simple ways. Any of you who have heard me teach before you know that simple is the only way I can go, right? So super simple. Let's look at Philippians chapter 2. Are you guys still with me? OK good. So Philippians chapter 2. Now the context is much the same as it is in the book of James. A lot of trials going on, a lot of persecution and the writer Paul is saying, "Hey, here's how I want you to be unified together when you're going against culture and you're living upstream in life. This is how you unify together and love one another." Here's what it says in Philippians chapter 2 versus three and four. And this is not in the context by the way, of the business arena or if you're an athlete wanting to be the best in your sport. This is not speaking into that context. This is about doing life together as a family of believers. Here's what it says. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. In other words God's saying, "Hey, as you guys worship together, as you do life together, don't let your agenda be to get ahead personally. Don't let the driving force be you thinking that you're better than someone else. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit rather in humility value others above yourselves, verse four, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Pastor Scott: 26:41 So here's a couple of things I want encourage us to do with that scripture in mind. Is when we gather, when we gather in San Tan, Scottsdale and small churches and student ministries, at events. Whatever is going on, at the women's retreats, all that kind of tons of stuff going on at Cornerstone when we gather, first is be inclusive. Everybody say, "Be inclusive."

Pastor Scott: 27:11 I called Larry Van Laar the San Tan campus pastor earlier this week and I said, "Larry I'm talking about this whole thing about favoritism and loving one another. The way that Jesus challenges us and instructs us to love one another and I've never taught on the topic of favoritism before. And as I began I realized it was there but I didn't realize how it permeated all through scripture. God is like don't play favorites, don't be playing favorites with one another. If you're my kids and talking about this with Larry I was like man, favoritism what's, what's the opposite of favoritism and Larry said it's being inclusive. It's including the one another.

Pastor Scott: 27:54 So here's what I want to challenge you to do, is when you are at Cornerstone your and your small group, your small church whatever it is. Course it works in the workplace and school all that stuff but when you gather being inclusive of others. Well Scott I can't add another person in my life. Are you kidding me? I mean I'm like, "Well that aside that's not what I'm talking. Ask yourself this question: How can I include someone else in this moment? How can I turn to someone that's standing right there. That's maybe not in conversation with someone else and say, "Come on over and join us in our conversation?" How can I walk up to someone who's in line for a cup of coffee and just say, "Hey my name is Scott, what brought you to Cornerstone? Or walk up to them and say, "Hey are those your kids?" No don't. But be inclusive. It's not rocket science. Just include someone else in the moments because every campus has those of us who are one conversation away. One relationship away from maybe saying it's, you know, the whole church thing just didn't stick with me. Teaching's good, music's good, I just couldn't connect with anybody. And this is a two way street by the way. Proverbs says to have friends we must show ourselves friendly so being inclusive is about us reaching out to others and including them in our moments. But for those of us who don't feel connected. Maybe your favorite is yourself. Putting yourself first and not connecting with others, step out and include someone else. Introduce yourself to some folks, simple, simple, simple but I guarantee it will impact our experience as a church. Everybody say, "Be inclusive." Here's the next thing, linger longer say that, say, "Linger longer." Try to say five times real fast, I dare you. I'm just kidding. It's a tongue twister but this linger longer when you're at Cornerstone just linger longer. Don't escape and run out. Don't be worried about being the first out of the parking lot or get your kids before everyone else so much, walk through there and I'm going to linger because I want to include someone else in this moment. Because someone is waiting to be connected. And maybe it's you. I'm going to hang. I'm going to stay in the small talk for a little longer. I'm going to linger longer. Have you ever thought that God might have you here today or here next week or here the next weekend to not just consume but to contribute and to encourage someone else?

Pastor Scott: 30:44 What if we came to church with this mission mindedness going, you know, not only am I going to volunteer and serve somewhere to help make it all happen but as I'm walking through the white space of my campus in the lobby or wherever I am, I'm going to linger and I'm going to include someone in this moment. I'm going to strike up a conversation. Who knows where will go? We're not looking for a best friend. We're just looking to make this home for each other. To love one another. So let's include each other. Let's linger a little longer and see what God does with it. Does that mean that every week if you come being intentional to linger longer and include someone that something crazy life changing is going happen every conversation, every single week when you're here? No. No, guarantee that. But isn't it amazing the little things we say in the small connections we make that mean so much to some people now and then? Have you ever had that? I know that some of the folks that I talk to here at Cornerstone by just lingering and wandering around have become some of my best friends in the world. It's not because oh you're a pastor Scott. No, it's going out there hanging out by the coffee and getting a cup of coffee, is striking up a conversation. Before you know, it for some people that's all it was. That's good but for some it goes on. And then you talk again and over time and maybe sometime you get together and then all of a sudden you have these meaningful conversations that change everything for us. And it all starts with lingering. And being inclusive.

Pastor Scott: 32:20 You know I learned this in a very hard way. Several years ago, this was this was more than 10 years ago. I had someone walk up to me and I'm doing, you know, the pastor thing. And I'm kind of a tactical task oriented individual and so for me pasturing was up to that point was all that really important stuff of OK vision strategy, execution, development of leaders, getting from point A to Point B, and when and how and all that kind of super awesome super fun stuff, that's what I was immersed in. And so what would happen is when I'm around all these people my mind was this like OK there's people here man how are we going to get him from here to here and here to here to here. And one time someone walked up to me. They knew me and they said something to me. Here's what they said they said, "Scott. I just don't think you love people." And I was like, "Well you want me show you how much I love you right now?" I didn't know what to say. I was like, "What? Look what I'm doing. I love people. I like to work on the system not in the system. I love to love people from a distance don't you see that?"

Pastor Scott: 32:20 And he says, "Scott I just don't think you love people."

Pastor Scott: 32:20 And I said, "Well why you say that?"

Pastor Scott: 33:46 He says, "Doesn't look like it. You're always going from here to there. Always look like you're doing something. You're never really hanging with people."

Pastor Scott: 33:57 I thought well, you're stupid. And then I got home and started praying about it. And God got up in my grill about it and really began to speak to my heart saying, "You know what they said is the perception of a lot of people. I know you love people, you wouldn't be doing what you're doing. But, but love can look different than just that stuff." And so God began to stretch me and to pull me into like this whole different realm of lingering and hanging out with folks, and I am probably a 50/50 introvert/extrovert kind of guy. And you know that has nothing to do with socializing with people and loving on people. That's more about where we get our energy from. And I'm the kind of guy like if I'm on an airplane I'm flying I'm just like book or laptop. You don't touch me. That's kind of how I am and now I'm going to get all convicted about it talking about it you guys. Thank you Cornerstone. But I'm not talking a whole lot, when I'm at the gym working on this awesome six pack I have my ear buds in and I don't talk to anybody. I mean rarely do I talk to anyone. I'm that guy so I get it when I say when you maybe you sit there going, "Oh this is an extrovert conversation." It's not an extrovert conversation. This is a love one another conversation that we are all called to live out.

Pastor Scott: 35:25 And so this person says, "Scott I don't think you love anybody." And God began to show me, you know, that's what it looks like to people so here's what I want you to do. And God began to challenge me in simple stuff that changes everything. Isn't that kind of how it goes? I never realized before that where I would stand like in a lobby of a church or whatever, people walking by sometimes by the thousands and I'm kind of hanging out like this, "Hey man, what's up man, see 'ya? Get your crazy kids out of here before they tear things up. Oh yeah, you married him, good luck with that..."

Pastor Scott: 36:03 And I really felt compelled just to get away from the outside of the stream and step in the middle of it and just make everybody walk around me, disrupt the flow. And I did. And I started shaking hands more. I started talking a little bit here and there I started, "Hey, I'm, I'm Scott. Who are you? OK good. Cool. You don't want to talk, alright." And that was so awkward. I felt so awkward, on the inside I'm like OK Jesus for you I'm going to show I love people. You know I hate this God, I hate this so much. "Hey how are you? I'm glad you're here." I hate talking to you right now because I hate this. But you know what happened? It wasn't until I started loving on people that I really started loving people. You see no contact, no impact. And it's the same for you until we make contact with people we don't have impact in their life. And God wants you and me to have an impact in one another's lives. He wants us to include others in the conversation, to include others, sit down at their table, have a cup of coffee with them and have the most uncomfortable awkward short conversation of the month but I guarantee you if you'll do that and you'll do it again and again and again and again people will start to say, they won't say it but it will be part of their story. I love my church because I'm loved by my church because so-and-so loved me and connected with me.

Pastor Scott: 37:46 And you will become one of the reasons that people say I love this church. You see thousands of people will be here next weekend. Thousands of people are here this weekend. And then the weekend after Easter and at every campus as we keep reaching more and more people. Step in the middle of everything, disrupt the flow, include people, linger longer and see how God uses you and I until people fall in love with our church. So that the ultimate goal is they fall head over heels in love with Jesus. So here's what I want you to do today. I'm going to pray. And then we'll be dismissed in just a moment. But even before you run out into your 1982 Pinto or your brand new BMW or get your kids, introduce yourself to somebody as the first step. That's not it, just as a first step of doing that more often linger a little longer and see how we more and more do what Jesus says that our love for one another will show the world that we are his disciples. Sound like a good plan?

Pastor Scott: 39:03 All right let's pray. Well Father God we, we first take it, take it seriously that you tell us favoritism is not what you want. In fact you call it a sin. So I pray that you speak to each of our hearts individually. God where, where might we be playing favorites or showing favoritism in the family of God or any other place in our lives? May we be convicted of that, may we repent of that. God remind us that every single person is a bearer of your image. That we are all human beings created in your image, equal at the feet of Jesus. So Lord may we respect one another and honor one another even above ourselves. And Lord I pray that you help us to connect with people, to introduce people to one another, to create a vibrant a continuingly growing, vibrant culture here at Cornerstone as we're more inclusive, and we linger and we pray that through that God we'd all say, "I love my church," because I know that I'm loved by my church. Thank you for that. In Jesus name, and if you agree you can say amen.



Recorded in Chandler, Arizona.