Luke 10:33-37 NIV
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[a] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
REFERENCES: Matthew 25:35-40, Luke 10: 25-30
You are the hiring manager and your boss tells you to not give the job to a person of color because he believes they will be irresponsible even though they are qualified. Do you follow your boss's order because you fear getting fired or do you stand up for your belief to advocate this socially unjust situation and risk your job?
Optional opening: You have ten dollars in your pocket and as you go to the store, you spot a homeless person begging for food, do you walk past him and pretend you didn’t see them or do you hand him the ten dollars you intended for yourself?
As believers, we are called to more than practicing our faith within the four walls of the church, we are called to be the church outside those walls. We represent God’s love by loving, helping, and valuing others. Our existence is an answer to the world’s social and racial problems, do you consider yourself a solution?
We have Church in buildings, but we can only be the Church in the world.
In order to make an impact in the world, we need to first realize there is a problem. We must realize the fact that social and racial injustices exist in our community. Next, we must no longer be blind to the problems but be intentional on how we create solutions by standing up for what we believe in as children of God.
To empathize is not simply to feel, but to do something because of what you feel towards the hurt of others. As children of God we are called to empathize with those who hurt and stand up for those who may not be able to speak up for themselves.
Jesus came to Earth, not just so we could be free from sin and live eternally, but to show us how to live here on Earth. We have been called to be answers to the issues going on in our world. You have been called, commissioned, and crafted to live an intentional life of empathy and love. To fear God and love people should be our priority.
This weekend we honored Juneteenth a recognized federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. This week, consider taking time to read an article about the full history, maybe attend a community event or participate in an activity at your workplace or school that helps to raise awareness of this historic event. Share your experience with the group.
All of you that are already in our database will receive a text this upcoming Thursday from our new text platform. It isn’t spam, it’s really us! This will become a primary way for us to resource, equip, and update you. We encourage you to save this number and opt in for more updates.
VOUS High is youth community of VOUS and we are creating a space for middle schoolers to gather for service every Sunday.
Students will start with worship in the main auditorium and then be dismissed to their junior high space. This will be a moment to connect with other students, hear a message, and then discuss in small groups.
For more information and to RSVP your student, click here
Join us at the annual ILMC Thanksgiving Bash to distribute meal kits and turkeys. Also, bring a chair and cheer on your favorite team at our annual VOUS Bowl.
To serve, click here
Date: Saturday, November 23rd
Time: 9:00AM - 12:30PM
Location: Charles Hadley Park
1350 NW 50th St
Miami, FL 33142
Ready to kick off Thanksgiving with a burst of energy and community? Join us bright and early at Peacock Park for the VOUS 10K Turkey Trot! Whether you're a runner, a walker, or somewhere in between, this is a chance to start your day with some fresh air, great friends, and all-around fun! See you at the starting line!
To sign up for the Turkey Trot, click here
Date: Thursday, November 28th
Time: 6:00AM
Location: Peacock Park
2820 McFarlane Rd.
Miami, FL 33133
On Sunday, December 1st we're bringing our annual Tree Lighting tradition to both our SoMi and Miami Gardens Locations! Sign up to serve and join us for a night of fun! Invite your friends and let's welcome the Christmas season together!
Please note: There will not be a 6PM service at VOUS City. Instead, join us at VOUS Miami Gardens for the 6PM service, followed by the tree lighting celebration.
Date: December 1st
Time: 7:30PM
Location:
VOUS Miami Gardens
17801 NW 2nd Ave
Miami, FL 33169
VOUS SoMi
6767 Sunset Dr
South Miami, FL 33143
To serve, click here
VOUS SoMi
8:45AM / 10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS City
10:30AM / 12:30PM / 6PM
VOUS Miami Gardens
10:30AM / 12:30PM
VOUS Design District
10:30AM / 12:30PM
Church Online
10AM / 5PM Español
Growth Track
After every service or join online at vouschurch.com/growthtrack