Heading into the holidays, we are in a three week series thinking about Hospitality in terms of welcome, comply, and farewell. The holidays can be a space in time when anxious scarcity is the loudest voice and heaviest feeling. By practicing hospitality, we begin to depart that system and realize the wealth of what we have to offer to one another: generous abundance. It just so happens that ‘Celebrating Abundance' is the title of the guide we’ll be using for Advent in December. See where we’re going with this one?

SONGS

Mightier - Aaron Strumpel

Build My Life - House Fires

Nearness Of You - Loud Harp

Reckless Love - Bethel

TEXT

Mark 10:35-52

TAKEAWAYS

• What do we really need?
• A quality product (read:love) in a timely manner with kindness
• When we want to be special, what we need is to be known
• Most of us feel like the weird one most of the time
• Kingdom hospitality is to remember that no matter how someone is acting, what we are all looking for is love.

RESOURCE

With That Moon Language by Hafiz (trans. Daniel Ladinsky)

Admit something: Everyone you see, you say to

them, “Love me.”

Of course you do not do this out loud, otherwise

someone would call the cops.

Still, though, think about this, this great pull in us

to connect.

Why not become the one who lives with a full

moon in each eye that is always saying,

With that sweet moon language,

What every other

eye in this world is dying to hear?

PRACTICE

This practice is not directly tied to the sermon this week, but it is relevant to the time of year and our heading into Advent. Brene Brown talks often about joy coming from gratitude. This week, practice an examen of gratitude:

• Take 10 minutes to think about the past 24 hours, past week, past year. Whatever length of time, think through it from beginning to end.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to be your guide in revealing the gifts you might come across.
• Practice gratitude for these things. Thank God for them. Thank people for them. Admit something: they did not come from you.