Pray for the Spiders | Rev. Susan Sparks

What happens when Jesus tells you to love your enemies, and your enemy has eight legs? In this sermon, Rev. Susan Sparks recounts a chilly morning encounter with a very unwelcome cabin guest and discovers an unexpected lesson in Jesus’ challenging words from Matthew 5: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Through humor, scripture, and a little sympathy for a shivering spider, Susan explores how we can begin to see beyond our fear, anger, and assumptions. Praying for our enemies doesn't mean excusing harmful behavior or abandoning the fight for justice. It means refusing to let someone else's actions determine who we become. When we make room for the possibility that others have struggles we cannot see, even the hardest hearts may begin to soften. This week, consider the “spiders” in your own life: the people who frustrate you, challenge you, or seem beyond the reach of your compassion. You may not have to like them, agree with them, or invite them into your bedroom. But perhaps you can begin by praying for their well-being. SUBSCRIBE to the MABC channel for inspirational videos every week: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabcnyc?... More at http://mabcnyc.org/ ▶︎ Instagram: @madisonavenuebaptist ▶︎ Twitter: @madavebaptist ▶︎ Facebook: @madisonavenuebaptist ▶︎ iTunes: http://bit.ly/Mabcpodcast A DIVERSE FAMILY, BROUGHT TOGETHER BY FAITH, WHERE ALL ARE WELCOME We welcome you to our YouTube Page! Our church is committed to being one which is inclusive regardless of race, sexual orientation, or socio-economic situation. Jesus gave us the supreme example of inclusiveness. In our human way, we attempt to follow. If you are a visitor, we're glad you're here! This is a community of faith where everyone is welcome. We hope to see you again! MABC CHOIR Jenny Lindsey - Soprano (she/her/hers) Karen Rich - Mezzo-Soprano (she/her/hers) Alexandra de Suze - Alto (she/her/hers) Richard Binder - Tenor (he/him/his) Brian Long - Baritone (he/him/his) Doug Shapiro - Bass (he/him/his) MABC STAFF Rev. Susan G. Sparks, Senior Pastor (she/her/hers) Rev. Ashley Bair, Pastoral Fellow (she/her/hers) Aza Sydykov, Minister of Music, Education and Cultural Programs (he/him/his) James Clifford, Operations Director (he/him/his) Troy Gordon, Property Manager (he/him/his) Elizabeth Pustinger, Director of PR and Communications (she/her/hers) Precious Gordon, Children's Church Coordinator (she/her/hers) Reghu Ram, Head Sound Technician (he/him/his) Travis Dover, Head Video Technician (he/him/his) MADISON AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH 129 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10016 MABCNYC.org Facebook, Instagram, and Threads: @madisonavenuebaptist