Pastor Tom kicked things off with a classic “oops” moment. You know, that feeling when you think you’ve got it all figured out, and then…boom. He was talking about his first house, this fixer-upper he and his wife thought would be a goldmine. He saw this soffit he didn’t like, and, well, let’s just say he went at it with a little too much enthusiasm. Turns out, there’s a right way to take down a soffit, and he definitely didn’t find it. Ceiling and wall came tumbling down, and he realized, “Maybe I should have read the directions.” Sound familiar? We’ve all been there.

That’s where the real heart of the sermon hit. It wasn’t just about home repairs, it was about life. Tom reminded us that God has given us the ultimate set of directions in the Bible, and the big one, the one that trumps everything else, is to love God with everything we’ve got and to love our neighbors as ourselves. It’s easy to say, but what does that actually look like?

He brought up the story of the Good Samaritan, and it really made you think. You’ve got these religious guys, a priest and a Levite, who should be the ones helping, but they walk on by because of some rule or ritual. Then, this Samaritan, someone you’d expect to hate the guy lying in the ditch, stops and does the right thing. He gets his hands dirty, takes care of him, and even pays for his stay at the inn. It’s a powerful reminder that “neighbor” isn’t about who lives next door, it’s about who needs help.

Then, he told this fascinating story about the London Bridge. Did you know it was sold and shipped to Arizona? The key to putting it back together wasn’t just having the pieces, it was following the instructions, every single numbered piece in the right place. It’s a great picture of how God’s directions, even when they seem complicated, are there for a reason.

And to wrap it all up, he shared the story of Jonathan Cain from Journey. It wasn’t just about his music, it was about his journey of faith. He lost friends in a fire, faced challenges in his career, and grieved the loss of his father. But through it all, he held onto his faith, and it shaped his life. It was a reminder that even when life throws us curveballs, God’s got a plan, and if we follow his direction, we’ll find our way.

Basically, Pastor Tom’s message was: don’t just wing it. Life’s too important for that. God has given us a guide, and when we follow it, even when it’s hard, we find our way. It’s about more than just avoiding a mess; it’s about living a life that matters.

Mark 12:28-34

The Great Commandment
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Luke 10:25-3

The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 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[c] 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.”