Date Posted: 2025-12-08 06:18:12 | Video Duration: 01:13:42
Welcome to Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, a community where everyone belongs to God, and we strive to live as if we belong to one another. Whether you join us on campus or online, we’re glad you’re here. We invite you to engage with us, check in using the friendship pad or the Realm app, and let us know you’re present, especially if you’re a first-time guest.
This week’s sermon is centered around the profound theme of “fileo”—the Greek word for brotherly love, a love marked by deep friendship and connection. It is the kind of love that C.S. Lewis described as tender affection, the love that binds us in our most meaningful relationships.
The Essence of Fileo Love
Our scripture lesson today comes from John 11, the story of Jesus and Lazarus. The text reveals the depth of Jesus’ love for Lazarus, described as “fileo,” the love of deep friendship and belonging. When Jesus learns of Lazarus’s illness, the sisters Mary and Martha expect Him to come immediately. However, Jesus delays, and Lazarus dies. When Jesus finally arrives, He does something unexpected—He weeps. Despite knowing He will raise Lazarus from the dead, Jesus enters into the grief of the moment, illustrating that even God shares in our suffering.
Walking Through Life’s Challenges
Reflecting on this passage, the pastor shared a personal story about a journey on the Camino de Santiago. Despite the hardships faced on the trail, it was in the most challenging moments that the group experienced the deepest care and community. This mirrors the idea that love shows up in the hardest places, not waiting at the end of the journey but walking with us through our struggles.
The sermon emphasized that life often presents challenges we wish to bypass. Like the refrain from the children’s song “Going on a Bear Hunt,” we can’t go over it or under it; we have to go through it. Jesus, the “great allower,” permits us to face these trials but promises to journey with us, leading to new life on the other side.
Living the Message
In the spirit of fileo, the congregation was encouraged to embody this love in their daily lives. Whether it’s offering a listening ear, providing comfort, or simply being present, these acts of love can transform our communities. The invitation was extended to be a friend to those around us, offering support during their times of fear or worry, much like Jesus did for Mary and Martha.
As we continue in this Advent season, may we be inspired by the story of Jesus and Lazarus to live a life marked by fileo. Let us strive to be love for one another, showing up in the hardest places and walking together through life’s valleys.
In the words shared during the sermon, “Be love for one another. Show up as fileo for someone.” Love doesn’t wait at the bottom of the mountain; it climbs to the top and meets us there, building a hut in the hardest places of our lives and saying, “I am staying here with you because we’re going to go through this together.”
Watch the Original Video on Youtube
