No, no friends. We can never say again we didn't know... We now know human trafficking happens everywhere across the globe, including our own neighborhood, and now we can't say I don't know, I've gotta do something.

Human trafficking is really just a modern way of talking about human slavery and a part of what we're discovering is that more than 40 million people, the globe over, are ensnared in human trafficking. So let's talk today about a specific form of human trafficking called... Forced labor.

Some of you might recall last week, we talked about the international labor organization, the ILO the ILO has a definition for forced labor. So forced labor is all work or service, which is exacted from any person under the threat of penalty and for which the person has not offered themselves voluntarily.

So, forced labor means I don't really wanna do this, I don't really desire to enter into this particular form of work.

So another interesting fact that I found fascinating in the US, there are more foreign victims of forced labor than sex trafficking.

Well, here's a thought. Maybe that's why we need immigration reform.

Maybe that's why we could come to the table from both sides of the aisle and say "Let's fix this thing because we've got a whole bunch of undocumented folks, who are being forced to do things against their will, in all kinds of industry in the construction industry in the farming industry, in the delivery industry there's all kinds of ways people are being forced into labor, and it's being held over their head because they don't have proper documentation.

Man, we could do something about this, we could help alleviate a profound sense of suffering that's on the back of lots and lots of different folks, and we all want it. I don't think there's a person in this room who doesn't believe that we don't need immigration reform, we need it, and this is one among many reasons that we could make that work, is so that we could indeed share the good news of the gospel is so part of what Paul and Silas bring to us is a message that your notes indicate that we as followers of Christ, we are called to take a risk to set people free for some of us that risk is hearing this stuff. Now, for some of us, that risk is abstaining from certain kinds of products that we know are contributing to human trafficking and fasting for some others of us.

We can no longer say we do not know.

Some of you will know the prophet Micah what that profound text says in Micah 6-8, were the prophet says on behalf of God, what is it that the Lord requires what the Lord requires us to do justice to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.

And we, Methodists, we work with three simple rules, right? Three simple rules. Do justice, love, kindness, walk humbly with God, but even the wisdom writers, they even had something to say about this. I remember proverbs Chapter 21 says, "Look if we don't live in righteousness and justice, that really is more valuable than sacrifice. And this coming from a god who desires sacrifice right, God wants righteousness and justice, more.

Jesus according to Luke’s gospel stood up in the synagogue to proclaim the word of God, he was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah and in chapter 4 verse 18 it just said, "So Jesus spoke these words, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me to bring good news to the poor, to reclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed and Jesus would basically close the book and say It's... Now we gotta start doing this.

We can make a difference.

It's why we're asking you throughout the season, of Lent to do three simple things that every last one of us can do on a daily basis and the first, we've talked about is to pray, pray for these victims pray for their circumstances, pray for their lives, pray for Hope to come their way, pray that God can help alleviate that because your prayers are the beginning of your action.

Number two, fast, fast for many of the products that might be contributing to human trafficking. And this is where the app can help you because on the app this morning, on the News Feed we've given you a PDF document that I'll tell you what products that we normally eat or buy that might contribute to human trafficking. Just fast from them, just abstain from them a fast and combined with prayer is tremendous action, because it helps us seek God's strength and seek God's will and then ultimately after praying and fasting give to the campaign give to... For the love of humanity.

So we've already reached one quarter of our goal we've set... $50,000 is the goal we're already there, one quarter of the way, and I just wanna say thank you for making that possible because you were already liberating children, you are already helping them to find freedom. You were already making a difference in who they are. Mm-Coors. Humanity is where you make those contributions and how you make a difference. French Jesus is teaching was really straightforward. Let's become innocent. Like children that way. We believe we can do this, but let's also Save the Children.

His hair is really quite blunt. And I don't know about you, but I don't want that millstone around my neck.

My hunch is, you don't either. And so let's work together to make sure we need to have that.

Nor will the children so that they too can find hope and opportunity for a future. Thanks be to God that we can make this hope possible. Will you pray with me Holy and loving God, thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus and for the opportunity he offers us to share your love with others, God give us courage, give us strength that we might indeed be the people of hope to which you have called us so that we can help these children wherever they may be, to know that they are loved, they are cared for and that we can provide hope for their future. Thank you, God, that that is real in the name of Jesus, the great liberator we pray. Amen.

Jim Martin, VP of Spiritual Formation at International Justice Mission, educates us on human trafficking around the world and what we can do to stop it. Learn more about how you can make a difference at TMUMC.ORG/humanity.

This week’s passage contains one of the most famous parables Jesus ever told. This story is so commonly referenced in popular culture that in some ways it’s lost its connection with the New Testament. We use the term “Good Samaritan” to describe people doing random acts of service, or providing roadside assistance, we name global service organizations after the story.

Jesus asks us to set the oppressed free because it’s how we follow him. Check out Rev. Daniel Humbert's message.

I wonder what it would be like if took seriously the call from God to clean up our rooms. To do some serious, deep cleaning of the spaces in which we do life. Check out Rev. Doug Meyer's message.

The radical love of Jesus welcomes, loves, heals and saves us by grace…and it is offensive to those who do not understand it. Check out Rev. Daniel Humbert's message.

Christ brought the kingdom; Paul proclaims salvation—we are to do both. Check out Rev. Daniel Humbert's message.

Paul was a teacher of persuasive logic and Jesus was a teacher of stories. Follow along with sermon notes in the TMUMC app.

Jesus came to fulfill God’s promises & Paul came to evangelize. Check out Pastor Daniel's message this week.