IRL: In The Neighbourhood

April 19, 2026
Pastor Brad Bristow IRL: Faith For Everyday Life
Luke 10:25-37 Matthew 5:13–16

Big Idea: Following Jesus in our neighbourhoods means choosing to move toward people, not past them.

What does faith look like in our ?
The people who live us just become part of the .

The Good Samaritan shows us that a isn’t just about geography.
Our neighbourhoods aren’t . They’re .

We Drift into
We Drift into
We Drift into
We Drift into

We don’t the idea of loving our neighbour, we just never quite get to it.

It looks like
It looks like
It looks like , Not
It Looks Like Moving Toward People

Light doesn’t try to be . It just .

Three Takeaways

A neighbour isn’t defined by , but by our .
We don’t usually people, we just stop them.
We are called to be in our neighborhoods.

Reflection Questions

1. The message described how easy it is for neighbors to become part of the background. Who are the people in your neighborhood that you see regularly—but don’t really know?

2. Jesus shifts the question from “Who is my neighbor?” to “Will I be a neighbor?” How does that change the way you think about the people around you?

3. The sermon described several ways we drift—indifference, comfort, distance, uncertainty, and busyness. Which of these do you see most in your life right now? How is it shaping the way you interact with your neighbors?

4. Jesus calls us to be light in the places we already live. What would it look like for you to bring light into your neighborhood in a simple, everyday way?

5. The invitation was to take one small step. What is one intentional step you could take this week to move toward someone instead of past them?

Guided Prayer

Father,

Thank You for placing me where I am. Not by accident, but with purpose.

Thank You for the people around me. Even the ones I don’t know well, even the ones I tend to overlook.

I confess that it’s easy for me to drift. To get busy. To stay comfortable. To keep my distance.

But today, I want to see differently.

Help me to notice the people around me. Give me the courage to move toward them. Not in big, overwhelming ways, but in simple, intentional steps.

Teach me to live as light in my neighborhood. To reflect Your love in the way I speak, the way I listen, and the way I show up over time.

And as I do, would You begin to shape not just my neighborhood, but my heart.

Because You are with me, right where I live.

Amen.

Personal Takeaways
Link Copied!
Did You Know?
Double click any sentence above to highlight it or to insert your own personal note below it.

Powered by FaithNotes
Select Events to load content.
Loading journal...
Loading connect forms...
Loading saved notes...