Bless Their Heart… For Real | Sermon by Rev. Susan Sparks | October 12, 2025 скачать в хорошем качестве

Bless Their Heart… For Real | Sermon by Rev. Susan Sparks | October 12, 2025

In this fifth sermon in our seven-part series on forgiveness, Rev. Susan Sparks explores the transformative power of intercessory prayer — the spiritual practice of praying for those who are hardest to love. Drawing from Jesus’s teaching, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” she challenges us to move beyond passive phrases like “bless their hearts” to an authentic, radical empathy that can reshape hearts and communities. Forgiveness, as Susan reminds us, is not soft or sentimental. It’s “Jedi-level, maximum DEFCON soul training,” the hard work of transforming pain into power. Through scripture, real-world stories, and a call to mercy, this message reminds us that empathy is not endorsement — it’s strength. This sermon is part of our FORGIVE series: F — Forgive, not forget O — Own how you feel R — Recognize the triggers G — Grieve the loss and give it time I — Intercessory prayer V — Vamoose from it (coming next week) E — Empty spaces: fill them with good things — Madison Avenue Baptist Church is a diverse community brought together by faith. We are an inclusive and welcoming congregation, reflecting the love of God in the heart of New York City. More at http://mabcnyc.org ▶︎ Instagram:   / mabcnyc   ▶︎ Twitter:   / mabcnyc   ▶︎ Facebook:   / mabcnyc   ▶︎ iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/m... Staff: Pastor: Rev. Susan Sparks Minister of Music: Aza Sydykov Sexton: Troy Gordon Video Livestream Manager: Travis Dover Audio Engineer: Reghu Ragunathan