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His offsprings will be mighty in the land, and the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light dawn in the darkness for the upright.

He is gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. For the righteous will never be moved, and he will be remembered forever.

My prayer for tonight as we step into worship to love Jesus is that we live in a place of the fear of the Lord. In Proverbs, we learn that the scriptures teach. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

We learned through Proverbs, through Psalms, is that wisdom, it cries out in the streets for anyone who will listen. And it has provision. She has provision.

And wisdom carries life and abundance because wisdom wisdom in itself is a an expression of the Christ of the Lord Jesus. And so tonight, God, as we lift our voices to to love you and and to adore you and to pour our oil at your feet, I want to ask for all of us, God, that you would you would grant us the fear of the Lord. There are so many things that we worry about.

We have concerns about. So many things we tend to fear. We want to fear the Lord.

We want to live in a fear of the Lord. So I ask God, would you meet us here tonight? Reveal yourself to us.

Open our eyes to see you. our hearts to be softened towards you and that in this room as heaven watches Lord and as your eyes look to and fro on the earth for someone whom you can empower by your spirit that you would land upon our church and our city us Lord here in the room tonight and you would pour out your spirit upon us without measure. For we are hungry, God.

We are hungry. We are hungry, Lord. We are desperate.

We are desperate for you, Lord. We are hungry. You're the one we're after, the one we long for.

>> Lord, hear the cry of your people. see the the longing of our hearts tonight. How we need you.

How we need you. How we need you. We remember tonight, Lord, that every other god is an idol.

They cannot see. They cannot hear. But our Jesus, the one who reigns above it all.

Our Jesus who who carries wounds on his back, who carries scars in his side, who carries holes in his hands and his feet. Our Jesus, whose eyes are like blazing fire, whose hair is like magnificent wool, whose voice is like mighty rushing waters. Give us a fear of the Lord.

We need the fear of the Lord. We need the fear of the Lord. We need the fear of the Lord.

How we need you, Lord. We need the fear of God. We need the fear of the Lord.

Holy Spirit, would you grant us a gift of the fear of the Lord? Give us the fear of the Lord. Give us the fear of the Lord.

Where every lesser lover, every lesser thing, it bows its knee to the one name, to the only name, the name above every other name. The name at which mountains tremble, demons shudder, people bow, heavens celebrate. the name of Jesus.

>> So, thank you, Lord, for your presence with us here tonight. We're forever, forever grateful. We love you, Lord, and in your name we pray.

Amen. Give us the Jesus. Give us the fear of God.

Give us the fear of the Lord. Give us the fear of the Lord. How great you are.

The fear of the >> Give us the fear of the Lord. Give us the fear. He has done great things.

He has done great things. Arms open wide. The lamb crucified.

Worthy is he. He has done great things. Our God has done great things.

Thorns on his brow, grace flowing down. Worthy is he. He has done great things.

He has done great things. Arms open wide, the lamb crucified. Worthy is he.

He has done great things. Our God has done great things. Thorns on its brow, grace flowing down.

Worthy is he as high as the heavens above. Great is his everlasting love. Rivers of mercy.

run over us. As far as the east is from the west, he has removed all our sin. We are forgiven by his blood.

Oh, thank you. We thank you. He has done great things.

He has done great things. Arms open wide. The lamb crucified.

Worthy is he. He has done great things. Our God has done great things.

Thorns on his proud, grace flowing down. Worthy is he. Oh, he has he has done great things.

He has done great things. Arms open wide. The lamb crucified.

Worthy is he. worthy. He has done great things.

Our God has done great things. Thorns on his brow, grace flowing down. Worthy is he as high as the heavens above.

Great is his everlasting love. Rivers of mercy. Oh, as far as the east is the west, he has removed all our sins.

We are for as high as the above. Great is his everlasting love. Rivers of mercy.

As far as the east is from the west, he has removed all our sins. We are forgi by his love. Heat.

As high as the heavens above, great is his everlasting love. Rivers of mercy run over us. West As we are forgi as far as East is from the west.

He has removed all our sins. We are forgiven. By his blood, as far as the east is from the west, He has removed all our sins.

We are forgi by his blood. As far as far as the east is from the west, he has removed all our sins. We are forgiven by his blood.

is far as far as the east is from the west. He has removed all our sin. We are forgiven by his blood.

How great is his love? How great is his love for your love? How great is his love?

Oh, thank you for your blood. Oh, we thank you for your blood. >> We thank you for your blood.

We thank you for your blood. We thank you for your love. We thank you for your blood.

We thank you for your blood. We thank you for your blood. We thank you for your blood.

We thank you for your blood. We thank you for your blood. We thank you for the blood.

We thank you for your blood. We thank you for your blood. We thank you for your blood.

Oh, we thank you for the blood. We thank you for the blood. We thank you for your blood.

We thank you for your thank you as high as the above. It is his everlasting love. Rivers of mercy.

As far as the east is from the west, he has removed all our sins. We are forgiven by his blood as high as the heavens above. Great is his everlasting love.

Rivers of mercy. As far as the east is from the west, he has removed all our sins. We are forgi by his blood.

As far as the east is from the west, he has removed all our sins. We are forgi by his blood. As far as the east is from the west, he has removed all our sins.

We are forgiven. Thank you. Feel All is for your glory.

All is for your name. All is for your glory. That in all things you would have the first place.

That in all things you would have preeminence. All is for your glory. All is for your name.

All is for your glory. That in all things you would have the first place. That in all things you would have preeminence.

All is for your glory. All is for your name. All is for your glory.

That in all things you would have the first place. That in all things you would have. Oh, let's sing that again.

All is for your glory. All is for your name. All is for your glory.

That in all things you would have the first place. that in all things you would have. Oh again, all is for your glory.

All is for your name. All is for your glory. That in all things you would have the first place.

That in all things you would have preeminence. All is for you, Lord. There's just one chief sent to men's purpose and one main reason for existence.

All men in high ambitions will one day be brought alone. Will one day be brought alone. Oh.

to treasure you above all others. To love you like we love no other. And your greatness will be uncovered.

And all the earth will let known. and all the earth will let go. For you alone will be exalted in that day when worthless goals will be exposed as idols that we fear.

For you alone will be exalted in that day. And you'll be seen as rival king. And from our hearts we'll say for your glory.

Oh for your name. for your glory. That in all things you would have the first place.

That in all things you would have the evidence. All is for your glory. All is for your name.

All is for your glory. That in all things you would have the first place. That in all things you would have.

All is for your glory. All is for your name. All is for your glory.

That in all things you would have the first place. God in all things you have. All is good.

All is for your glory. All is for your name. All is for your glory.

that in all things you would have the first place. That in all things you would have preeminence. So put me anywhere.

Just put your glory in us. So pour just pull your >> So put me anywhere. Just put your glory in me.

I'll serve you. Just let me see your beauty. So put me and you just put your glory in me and I'll serve everything.

Just let me see your beauty. Oh God, oh God, oh we want to see your beauty, Lord. We want to see your >> Oh, we want to see your beauty, Lord.

>> We have to see. Oh, God. Oh, God.

Oh God, we still we go. So catch me up in your story. Oh my love for your glory.

Catch me up in your story. Oh my love for your glory. Catch me up in your story.

Oh my love for your glory. Catch me up in your story all my life for your glory. Catch me up in your story all my life for your glory.

Catch me up in your story all my life. My God, my life. You're my God.

My life, my God, my life, my God, my life. So cast me out in your story all my life for your glory. Catch me up in your story all my life for your glory.

Catch me up in your story all my life for your glory. Catch me up in your story all my life. My God, my joy.

My life. My God, my joy. My life.

My God. My life. My God.

My Heat. My God, my joy and my delight. My God, my joy.

My delight. My God, my joy. My delight.

My God, my joy. My love, my God, my joy, my life, my God, my joy, my life, my God, my joy, my love, my God, my joy, my love, Oh, it's you, Lord. It's you, Lord.

You're the priest. You're the reward. You're our greatest joy.

Oh, you're the greatest joy. You're the greatest joy. Oh, you're the greatest.

You're the You're the show. Show me your face. Show me your face.

Show me your face. Show me your face. Show me your desire.

Show me your show. My God. My God.

My joy. My delight. My God.

My joy. My delight. My God.

My joy. My delight. And show me your face.

>> Show me your face. >> Show me your face. Show me your show me your face, Lord.

Show me your face. Show me your face, Lord. Show me your face.

Show me your face. >> Show me your face. You're worthy.

Oh, my God, my chore, and my love. My God, my joy, my just my God, my joy, my love, my God, my love. My God, my joy.

My love. My God, my joy. My love.

My God. My love. My God.

My child. You're the one for God. My joy upon your feet for you to drink the My heart pour my love on you.

I'll lish mine on you till every drop is gone. of my love like oil upon like wine for you to drink like water from my heart I'll pour my love on you the breezes like perfume lavish mine on you till every drop is full I'll pour Well, like oil upon your feet, like wine for you to drink, like water from my heart. I'll pour my love on you.

It praises like perfume. I'll lish mine on you till every drop is gone. I'll put my And I don't know how to say exactly how I feel.

I can begin to tell you why your love has meant. I'm lost for words. Is there a way to show the passion in my heart?

Can I express how truly great I think you are? My dearest friend, Lord, this is my desire to pour my love on you. Like oil upon your feet.

Like wine for you to drink. Like water from my heart. I'll pour my love on you.

Your bra is like perfume. I'll lish my heart to let every drop like oil upon your feet. Like wine for you to drink.

Like water from my heart. I'll pour my love on you. Praise his life for you.

I'll lish mine on you till every job is gone. I'll put my love on you. I'll put my life on you.

I hope my love and I don't know how to say exactly how I feel. I can't begin to tell you why your love has meant. I'm lost for words.

Is there a way to show the passion in my heart? Can I express how truly great I think you are my dear? Is there a way to show the passion in my heart?

Can I express how truly great I think you are? My dearest friend, Lord, this is my desire to pour my love on you. This is my desire.

to pour my love on me. This is my desire to pour my love on you alone. This is my desire.

to pour my love on you. This is my desire to pour my love for you. Like oil upon your feet like for you.

my water from my heart. I'll pour my love on you and praise his life with you. I'll have a smile on you till every job is gone.

I'll pour my love like one for you. like water from my heart. I'll pour my love on you.

His praise is like the smile on you till every drop is gone. I'll pour my love like oil upon your feet like water for you like water from my heart. I'll pour my love on you and praise his life for you.

All I have is mine on you till dark is gone. I'll put my on you. I'll put my on you.

I'll put my on you. I'll put my on you. I'll put my on you.

I'll put my love on you. I'll put my on you. I'll put my on you.

I'll put my love on you. I'll put my love on you. You deserve it.

I'll put my love on you. I'll put my love on you. I'll put my love on you.

You deserve it, Lord. I'll put my love on you. I'll put my love on you.

I'll pour my love on you. You can have it all. Have it all.

I'll put my love on you. I'll put my love on you. I'll put my love on you.

Heat. All my love is for you. My love is for you, Lord.

All my love is for you. All my love is for you. All my life is for you.

My love is for you. My love is for you, Lord. All my love is for you.

Like upon your feet, like for you to take like water from my heart. I'll pour my love on you. The place is light with you.

All I on you till every drop is gone. I'll pour my love. I pour upon me like one for you like water from my heart.

I'll pour my love on you and praise you. Another smile on you till every drop is gone. I'll pour my love, the coil upon your feet, my wine for you to drink, my water from my heart.

I'll pour my love on you. It praises like perfume. will lish mine on you till every drop is gone.

I'll put my love on you. Our God is an awesome God. Heaven above.

Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God. awesome.

Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God.

He From heaven above with wisdom, power and love. Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God.

He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love. Our God is an awesome God. And our God is an awesome God.

He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love. Our God is an awesome God. And our God is an awesome God.

He reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power, and love. Our God is an awesome God. And our God is an awesome God.

from heaven above with ways of power. Our God is an awesome God. And our God is an awesome God.

He from heaven above with wisdom. My God is an awesome God. My God is an awesome God.

from heaven above with grace of power and love. Our God is an awesome God. And our God is an awesome God.

He reigns from heaven above with wis. Our God is an awesome God. And our God is an awesome God.

He from heaven above with wis. Our God is an awesome God. And our God is an awesome God.

He reigns from heaven above with wis. Our God is an awesome God. And our God is an awesome God.

Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God.

Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God.

Our God is an awesome God. Heat. Yeah.

Heat. Awesome God. Our God is an awesome God.

Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God. And our God is an awesome God.

He from heaven above with wind power and love. Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God.

He reigns from heaven above with some power. Our God is an awesome God. Our God is an awesome God.

He reigns from heaven above with where some power love. Our God is an awesome God. An awesome God.

He is from heaven above our God. And he shall reign forth forever and ever. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. >> And he shall reign forever and ever and ever and ever. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. And he shall reign forever and ever >> and ever and ever. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. >> And he shall reign forever and ever and ever and ever. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. And he shall reign forever and ever and ever and ever. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. >> And he shall reign forever and ever and ever and ever. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. We shall ever and ever and ever. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. And Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

We shall live forever and ever and ever and ever. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

He shall ever hallelujah. And he shall ever forever shall ever shall. for heaven.

Hallelujah. Yeah. Heat.

and ever. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

is ever and ever and ever. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

and ever Heat. Forever. Forever.

Forever. Forever. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Join now and sing and Jesus is king. He reigns forever more. Blessed is he.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Join now and sing. Jesus is king.

He reigns forever more. Blessed is he. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Join. For now and see Jesus is king forever. Blessed is he.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Now I see Jesus is king forever. Blessed is he.

Blessed is he in the name of the Lord. Join now and sing. Jesus is king.

He forever more. Hosana. Hosana in the highest forever.

Hosana. Hosanana. Hallelujah.

Forever. Hosana. Hosana in the highest forever.

Hosana. Hosana. Hallelujah.

Forever. >> Hallelujah. For those of you who've been here over the last several weeks, you um you'll remember, you know that we've decided as as a church just to take some corporate time in prayer every Sunday.

And um And tonight, I want us to go back into prayer corporately and together again. I want our our hearts to be first and foremost certainly and always be engaged with Jesus. You know, we we talk about this a lot is is if we if we pray but do not touch the heart of Jesus, do not engage with him, we're merely talking to ourselves.

But I'm also I'm also hoping that as do we do engage the heart of Jesus here tonight that we collectively ask that God would grant us individually and and us corporately as a church uh the fear of the Lord. >> In fact, it seems like in our day and age, the fear of God is it's it's becoming more and more rare. And so we'll take maybe the next five, seven, maybe 10 minutes and I just I want us to collectively pray as a church that God would give us the fear of the Lord.

Pray for yourself, for your family, for our church, for the people in the room. And the thing in Jesus is that even if you're repeating the same thing again and again for 10 minutes and you're just saying, "God, give us the fear of the Lord." The the prayer carries just as much weight and power to cut deep to to transform to pull on heaven. My heart our heart here tonight is that heaven would hear us.

that Jesus would would come and fill the room in greater measure that we as a church would be trusted with greater measures of his presence and his voice and his heart. >> But far be it from us, God forbid that we attempt to steward glories of God without the fear of the Lord. The musicians will continue to pray and and what I ask is is please don't wait to be led in in this moment just for the next 5 to 10 minutes.

Don't don't wait to be led, but engage with Jesus for yourself. >> God, we ask for the fear of the Lord. in our church, in our families, within ourselves.

We ask for the fear of God >> that we would tremble at the thought of violating relationship with you. We would tremble at the thought of going somewhere you're not leading. We would tremble at the thought of compromising life and things for convenience and comfort when you have invited us into something greater.

We ask God, would you give us the fear of the Lord where be where the wisdom starts, where this is the beginning of wisdom. We ask, Holy Spirit, give us the fear of the Lord. Give us the fear of God.

We are desperate and we're in need. Lord, >> give us the fear of the Lord. Give us the fear of God.

Rebuke us and correct us in areas that we need. Rebuke us, Lord, in any complacency. and give us the fear of the Lord that we would have a fear of the Lord over our time here gathered.

We would have fe we would have a fear of the Lord over our time of worship and pouring our oil at your feet. That we would have a fear of the Lord, Lord, over what we say and what we do when people are watching us. that we would live in a fear of the Lord when we're at school or at work or anywhere else knowing that people are observing our lives as the gospel.

Give us a fear of the Lord to disobey, a fear, Lord, to go in a direction you did not call us. Give us a fear of the Lord. Give us the fear of the Lord.

Give us the fear of the Lord. Let's lift our voices. I'm handing it off to you.

Let's lift our voices. Never give us We don't want to see Oh my god. I know the lighting You might be hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Glorious.

Everybody is Just a couple more minutes. Let's Let's ask the Lord Hallelujah. Lord, as a church, we ask for the fear of the Lord.

And I think Lord, for many of us, if not all of us, we I don't think we understand the fullest of what we're asking for. But if it's in your word, it's in if it's in the scriptures. If it's your instruction, then God, we ask for it and we need it.

Give us the fear of the Lord. Lord, >> give us the fear of the Lord over our city. Give us the fear of the Lord over one another.

Give us the fear of the Lord over our church. Give us the fear of the Lord over our assignments, over our calls. Give us the fear of the Lord over our children and over our elders.

Give us the fear of the Lord over our assignment. God, give us the fear of the Lord. That our hearts would break for what breaks yours.

That we would pursue a knowing of you to know your heart and know your ways. and that we would tremble, Lord, at even the thought of swaying to the left or to the right. Give us a fear of the Lord, that we would never cave to comfort and convenience, but surrender over to the instruction and to the leadership of our king.

Give us the fear of God. Holy Spirit, give us the fear of the Lord. Give us a fear of the Lord that we would tremble on the inside when you speak.

Lord, that we would tremble when sin, when deception, when lies, when temptation comes our way. That we would tremble with the fear of the Lord. Never wanting to violate what you have done for us, never wanting to to violate relationship with you.

Give us the fear of the Lord. Give us the fear of the Lord, God. Give us the fear of the Lord as a church.

Give us a fear of the Lord, a reverence for your presence, and a reverence for your name. Give us a fear of the Lord. Give us a fear of the Lord.

Give us a fear of the Lord. Give us the fear of the Lord. Give us the fear of God in this room, Lord.

Give us the fear of the Lord. >> Give us the fear of the Lord. Do it in us, Lord.

Do it in us. Give us the fear of the Lord. Do it in our church.

>> Do it in us as individuals. Do it in our families. But give us the fear of the Lord.

We don't want to be terrified and afraid. We want the reverence, the awe, the fear of God. We need the fear of the Lord.

So we yield ourselves over to you, Jesus. Have your way in us. Cut us deep, Lord, with the revelation of the cross.

And as a church, we ask for the fear of God. >> We love you, Jesus. And in your most holy name we pray.

Amen. >> Amen. Amen.

Amen. Amen. Can we thank our precious worship team as we find our seats?

You may find your seats if if you need a seat. There's several scattered throughout the room. Um, can I get one of those waters, please?

Um there's a couple things I want to do uh tonight before we go into the scriptures. I won't teach for very long today. Um cuz uh we have some things to celebrate uh here tonight and just to rejoice in.

Um, first I must say this, uh, my life is getting like my pastoral life is getting really serious now. It's like weddings and, uh, and counseling and meetings and and it is just um, it's the sweetest privilege to be able to point hearts of people back to Jesus. and um and to play a small role in and everything that God is doing within our church and our community and so I'm just I'm really really excited um for all that God is doing.

And so we mentioned this a few weeks ago or maybe just a couple weeks ago. You know, I know our church is made up of a lot of young adults. If you're under, if you're like I'm 31, so 31 and under, raise your hand.

Come on, you guys. Uh I get I get asked often, you know, when we when I travel or go places, people are like, you know, they're like, how like when they visited, they're like, "What's it like uh having so many young people?" And um >> you got some senior saints in here, too, though. Oh, we're we're we're getting to you just a moment.

Um I was when people ask I always say it's like you know you uh there's a there's a hunger and like a you know kind of like where we go one we go all attitude amongst young people um that is like it's contagious. And so like one of my one of the joys of leading is like when I'm up here and I'm like like I'm down there and they're singing poor poor you know uh like oil upon your feet and pour my oil or whatever the song is called. I forget now.

Um and we're singing it and I'm and I'm singing and all of a sudden in my spirit I start I start hearing like like a crowd singing our God is in us and and I'm like okay. And I let it sit there for a little bit and I'm like, "Okay, is this God or am I just like is my mind venturing, wandering?" And the longer I sit on it, the more like it feels like it's like pounding in my chest. I'm like, "Okay, I think this is God." And sometimes it feels like, you know, almost the two songs don't even make s like like transitioning from one to the other.

But so one of the privileges is like I come up here and I tell my dad and I'm like, "Okay, can you go into our God is an awesome God." and you know he's a he's like a genius behind those keys and uh and so you know whoever Matteas start whoever starts singing it and and being up here and everybody's all together jumps in and I'm like man this like it is just it's a thrill in the best way cuz it's like wherever heaven is leading we're ready to go. Um yeah, it really it's it's such a gift but I'm learning you know I'm learning certainly for myself is is that and and for for many of us you know those of us who raised our hands is um the scriptures teach about wise counsel and they teach about the leadership of elders and those who have gone before us who are wiser, older, stronger, more experienced um who've seen more things than we have and And and so leading uh leading so many young people is is a gift because where we go one, we go all. But having that I know there's not as many of you uh over 31ers.

Um, but one of the things that that I'm so deeply grateful for that all of you bring is a steadfastness and a focus that you know sometimes with us young people especially so us young people us young people is you can get distracted by so many things and the steadfastness of of those who are 32 and over. Uh we're I'll give the same spiel next year, but it'll be 32 years old. No, I'm I'm I'm joking.

But uh anyway, so all of this was really what what I want to say is that a few couple weeks ago, a few weeks ago, we had mentioned that we're going to start Kids Church and um Yeah. And uh it took a little while because you know we're going through kind of all the we went through all the legal processes and make sure that you know when when when parents drop off their children with our leaders that you know we're not what we're not looking to provide is a is a daycare while while the parents get to be at church. Um otherwise we would charge you for it.

Um but what we are looking for is to raise uh children into the presence of Jesus. And so our team which you know actually why don't you my arena why don't you guys come up I want you to hear from them maybe if we can get them a mic um these so these are fearless leaders uh who will be uh who will be leading your children. If you do not have children yet, they will one day be leading your children where we'll just prophesy that.

Um and so our hearts are really to make sure that as we get to grow the next generation here at at our church at the finding that our children leave that room and they know most importantly Jesus. They know how to hear his voice and to know his word, to know what it means to pray for the sick, to love your neighbor, to turn the other cheek, to for them to know what it means to worship, to lay on their faces, to weep, to cry, to celebrate and rejoice, jump and laugh in the presence of Jesus and know that when he walks in the room, every eye, all the attention, all the affection is turned to him. And um you know sometimes it takes us years to find a place in life where we come to this realization of what of all that Jesus deserves.

Ah what a privilege and gift it is and it will be to raise children um with that heart posture from from a young age. you know, as they're learning to talk, may their first words be, "Jesus loves you." And and the first words they, you know, the first words they read are in the beginning was the word, you know, and and that at the at the core, at the source of of their growing up would be Jesus Christ and him crucified. And so, um, you know, especially for those of you parents, parents in the room, those who, uh, maybe will soon be parents, those who are aspiring parents, I want you to hear from just briefly from from Mya and Ireina.

And, um, that way you kind of have a, a face to the name and a a heart to the ministry, a heart to the service. So, uh, why don't you guys share with us a little bit? Hi guys, I am Myila and um it's great to meet you guys.

I just want to introduce myself real quick. Um I'm married to Denny that and wonderful man over there and we are right now expecting our first child and um the timing of the Lord is so beautiful how everything came across and how everything happened. Um, as Ralph said, uh, you want to just share with you guys a little bit about the vision and the heart behind the kids ministry.

We do see as a church that if we don't pass along the testimony of Jesus, this is something that's going to die with us. And we are so young and our church is so young. And it's so beautiful what the Lord is doing in this room.

And I know that when you come as I come every Sunday, you're so expectant for what the Lord is going to do in here. And if we don't pass this on to our next generation, it's going to die with us and all this beautiful thing that we experience is going to be in vain because the next generation is not going to have it. So when you look at the heart of Jesus for kids, one of the most famous verse he says, let the children come to me.

And uh that pierced my heart when I was reading and that's what we want to do as a church. We want to enable those kids to come to Jesus. We want to create an environment where they can come to Jesus and find him for themselves.

We want to have a safe space. We want to have a place where they can worship as long as they're going to be teached and prayed and lay over lay hands over them so that they can find Jesus for themselves because to them belongs the kingdom of God. And to be entrusted with a generation is not something that is be supposed to be taken lightly.

Some people look at kids ministry as just fun and games. But we are right now we're stepping into a position where we're going to be entrusted with a generation. And the Lord's been talking a lot about generation with me these days.

And um he is a generational God. If we look in the Bible, every time that Israel kind of fell through is when when they did not pass along the testimony of Jesus. So if you were interested tonight and signing up with us, we are looking for people who love the Lord intensely, for people who wants to pass along this love and this heart for Jesus to these children.

We want people who are going to be partnering with us and passing along to the next generation what the Lord is doing. We want to partner with our with the parents in this house, the ones who already have the children. And we want to start something over here that you guys are going to continue in your houses and listening to the testimonies of the children.

So that's kind of the heart behind it. We love you guys so much. Little nervous here.

Usually I used I'm Sorry guys. No, I'm I I'm used to talking to a group of kids, not a group of adults. So, um what what I have on my heart is um is very similar to what Miel is saying and like we've been we have been praying and we've been interceding and talking about this for a while.

Um, but one thing I've I've been working with kids for a while, but one thing that I love and that stands out to me about kids is that they have this amazing ability to recognize what's real and what is authentic. And for us, it's amazing because Jesus is real and he's authentic and he's he's alive and he's working and he's here working among us. And it's so beautiful to see.

So even John in his mother's wound, he recognized Jesus right at a as a young baby. And I think that's so amazing and I think that as Mayel was saying that our goal is to bring the children to Jesus. Our goal is to come and bring them to his feet.

As we together come and sit at his feet as we together come and worship him, we come with the children and we honor him with the children. We love him with the children. We do it together as we do with a church here, but as well as in kids ministry.

We come together at his feet. We study the word. We're going to worship and pray and honor him together.

And the thing that I I think that is that I wanted to mention that is um that's deep on my heart is the safety and and the the protection of these young hearts and their their souls, their emotions, all the things that are so valuable at such a young age. We want to protect them and we take this very seriously in terms of safety, in terms of protocols and things that we are putting in place. We're doing different trainings with different churches and we are so grateful for the different churches that are helping us out with like the different trainings and the the things that they're providing and we will continue to be doing those.

And so yeah, we take it very seriously the safety and the the the protection of these young hearts and these young souls. Um and so yeah, if you'd love to join us, we're looking for help. Please join us and so grateful.

Thank you guys. You may have your seats. So, um, there we kind of have two QR codes up on the screen.

We've kind of I guess we'll all One of them is if you're a parent. So, maybe we can get that one up first. If you're a parent and you want to sign your kids up that way, we just know uh what age groups to be aware of and and kind of the needs that we need in in each particular one.

So, you can scan that QR code and just kind of fill out. It's a short form. it'll give us information so that we're ready and prepared to uh accommodate uh the children in our environment.

And then the second one will be uh for the volunteers. So if you love working with children, um we do want to kind of just want to give you a heads up is that it's a very vigorous process to sign up to volunteer here. We we're going to do just a lot of safety protocol before anybody is allowed in the children's room.

Um, however, if if you have previous experience with working with children and um or just have a heart for it and you're willing to go through the process, we would certainly love to walk that out with you and really watch God uh grow the next generation. Like I said, I know we don't have a bunch of kids here, but in the scriptures in Isaiah 54, the scriptures teach, "Sing, O barren one, extend extend your tent pegs for the for the children of the barren will be greater than, hold on, I'm missing the word, greater than the one who gave birth." And so, we're going to extend our tent pegs and God's going to fill that fill that portion of it. Amen.

All right. Um, sweet. Really excited for this.

The other thing that I wanted to I wanted to invite another couple another group of people up. So, again, many of you know that we uh we sent our first missions trip team out. Uh, they just got back on Tuesday.

Yeah. Um, and so, uh, Aaliyah, I think you're somewhere in the room. Where is she at?

There she is. Why don't you come up? I think you had a couple people with you.

Um, we just we just want to I want to give each of them uh just a couple minutes and I just want you to hear Sorry, I I gave you the mic back. Um, I want you guys to hear from some of the team uh just on on what God did over in C in Cambodia. I know that some of you, many of you sewed into into our fearless team here and a lot of the work that they did, we we weren't able to make public because they're working with with uh sex traffked victims and children and and so uh a lot of times we just we weren't able to uh share some of the things that they were doing, but we would certainly love for you to hear some of these testimonies.

Um, so Aaliyah, maybe if you want to tell them a little bit about what you're doing, then guys, if you want to maybe take a minute or two each and we'll kind of get to everybody then. >> Hi everybody. >> Okay.

Hi everybody. Um, thank you all for praying for us as we went on our trip. I know that there was even a few people that personally messaged me saying they were praying for us and it was just so sweet knowing that we had a whole community and a whole church um backing us up.

Uh I'll just share a little bit about what we did and then I also have a testimony that I wanted to share. So we partnered with a ministry called Iris Global in Ponampen, Cambodia. And a lot of what they do there is they work with women, underage girls and children to prevent them from being trafficked.

Um so we actually were there for a very special milestone um in what they do. So they are very relational. What they do is they pour the love of Jesus on people and it takes sometimes years and and a lot of time to see fruit.

And like as I said, we were there for a huge milestone. They um had two bar raid outreaches where 15 underage girls were saved from the sex industry. Our team had no part in that.

We did get to come with them on a couple um bar outreaches while we were there, but it was just an honor to see um their fruit and how that they are so intentional and um they try to rehabilitate these girls. They get them jobs. They teach them how to um get away from that lifestyle and how to be self-sustained and it was just a beautiful um part thing to be a part of.

Um another thing that we did is that we did a lot of kids clubs. So, we got to pour into all the kids and it was beautiful. I'll have Kai and Liam share a little bit more about that after.

Um, and one last thing that we got to do on the trip was we were able to go to the villages for two days. So, we went house to house, we invited different, um, people to come to our gospel night. And as we were going house to house, um, we, me and a couple members from our team, we stopped by this old grandma's home and she was just so heartbroken.

She was also deaf and she was blind. And so we're like, "Okay, let's pray for hearing so that she could hear us as we preach the gospel to her." Within a few minutes after we prayed, her hearing was completely restored. And as after we prayed for her, she started to tug at her waist and she had a band that she got from the witch doctor.

And the second that we cut off the band, she was just beaming with joy. Like absolutely just radiating, so happy. Um that night she came to the gospel night.

Her and her two sisters were saved. They give their lives to Jesus. The next day they came back to church and she was healed from her blindness as well.

Hallelujah. God God was moving. It was a It was beautiful.

Hi guys, my name is Kai. Um, I really just want to share the heart of the kids outreach. It was It's kind of funny.

We're following uh you guys with the kids ministry. Um, I want to share a little story about a little girl who we think was about one and a half to maybe two and a half years old. She ended up we ended up meeting her at the railroads where she lived in a hut made of garbage.

And she was jumping all over me and Liam and we would throw her in the air and catch her. And later on that night we found out that we saw her. She came running up to us and we were about 8 miles away from her home and we were in the red light district where the bars were where women would work.

We found out that most likely her mom was trying to provide for her and she comes running up to me and Liam and she comes tugging on Liam's Liam's pants. She's like, you know, she can't speak yet, but she's just like tugging on his pants. And the beautiful thing that I learned from that moment was the heart of a child will follow will follow where love goes.

And she traveled eight miles. She didn't know we were going to be there, but the moment she saw us, she she remembered us. And she came running up to us.

And I was I was just deeply convicted. I was like, "Lord, I want to be like that, you know? I want to be like where you are where you are and then as you move, I just want to follow you wherever you go." Um, and we later found out she was also working herself picking up trash uh in the streets to to resell it.

Um, so we did a lot of work with kids and it was just so beautiful. I'll let you share a little bit. I'm emotional now.

Um, going off what Kai the story that Kai just mentioned, there was a lot of children, especially in the red light district that we worked with that were most likely orphaned or homeless or their parents were involved in human trafficking syndicates or their mothers were working. So, a lot of children are abandoned in drug dens for about 8 to nine hours through the night and they're playing in the streets, maybe with siblings, maybe with other kids that they know um in that community up until 4 in the morning or they're working as Kai mentioned. And there was a lot of children who would come to our kids outreaches very distressed.

Um, a lot of them were in clothes that were just soiled. Uh, a lot of infants were in diapers that were maybe 3 to 4 days old and they were always visibly upset. Um, very hungry.

Like you would expect an infant to be in that situation. And whenever a child would come to me because children go where love leads. Um, and we were trying our best to just reflect the testimony of Jesus in the heart of Jesus to them even with a language barrier, even with cultural barriers.

When a child would come up to me and they would be in distress or duress, I would start singing this simple song that my dad sang to me and sang over my mom's stomach when she was pregnant with me all the way when I was a baby. And I don't know why it came up in my memory. Uh cuz it's been years since I thought about that song.

It's just a little hymn, Jesus loves you. And these children can't understand me. They barely know their own language at such a young age, let alone English.

But I would sing it to them and they would literally just fall asleep. Um, and they would fall asleep in both of our arms or they'd start smiling and playing. Their whole mood and spirit would change.

They'd be open to having a bottle fed to them or just having a little snack and we would just spend time with them. So my strategy after that was when a child would come to me in distress, I would just start worshiping over them. um whether it was just sitting next to them, having one in my lap, holding one while the other kids were playing and energetic, the odd child out that would be quiet, u maybe had witnessed something really hard in the same day, I would just sing and declare the love of Jesus over them in my own language and their spirit and their heart would respond.

Um, and that's a very humbling thing because sometimes when we are involved in church services here in the Western church, we can be receiving and witnessing things that we witness every week in terms of songs that are in our own language, sermons that are in our own language, concepts that we've all grown up with in church, concepts that we're familiar with. Um, and we choose to be complacent or we choose to be hard-hearted and prideful in how we're responding to the voice of the Lord. So, same thing as Kai, I was convicted to soften my heart in my privilege in my blessings as these little children do.

And the Lord commands us to be like the children um to take the hand of the Lord and to follow him. And we got to witness that. So, their spirit softening to our ministry and our serving softened my heart and taught me more about faith and gratitude.

>> Hi everyone. I'll be try and be quick. Um but we saw so much healings um just not f only physically but emotionally and there was so much that we saw miraclewise.

But a story that really stood out um was during the times where we went to the province outreach which Aaliyah was talking about where we were going from home to home. Um, I remember this one specific day. Um, this was about the third home we went to.

And I'd always ask, "Have you ever heard about Jesus? Do you have any knowledge about a church?" And this particular individual had never heard about Jesus at all. Um, so the area that we were doing that outreach to, um, many people haven't heard of the name of Jesus.

It's a very Buddhist country, Cambodia. So, they have knowledge of good and bad, but nothing about Jesus. And so, um, we walked into his home and I was just like, "Okay, Lord, help me.

What do I say?" And I just felt like he told me to just share my testimony. How the Lord found me in the fifth grade and I gave my life to Jesus. And I felt so much warmth and love.

And I just felt like the Holy Spirit was like, "Okay, you can tell him the full gospel. Start explaining to him." And so I told him about how Jesus died on the cross for us. And I explained what sin was.

Because these people think they're generally good. But sin, if you've ever thought a bad thought or lied, it separates you from a perfect God. But he came and died just for relationship.

And I just felt like the Holy Spirit started giving me all this insight onto what this man was dealing with, which deep depression, loneliness, anxiety. And I was just telling him about how I believe that the Lord brought us from America just so we can tell him that the Lord cares and he loves him and he sees him. And I just saw I looked into his eyes and it almost felt like a little light switch went on in his eyes.

But when I went to ask, "Do you have any questions about anything that I said?" He looked at me and he was like, "No." And so we invited him to church that night and Aaliyah happened to be preaching and she just was sharing the gospel message and was like, "If anyone wants to give their life to Jesus, um, raise your hand." And I happened to see him at the end of the church and he came to church and not only did he raise his hand, he was very forced to raise his hand and he ran up to the front and I just felt all of heaven rejoicing that someone came to know the Lord. And not only that, but 16 people gave their life to Jesus that night. And the pastor came and told us that not only that but there were so much healings and miracles but what took him about 2 years to do took us two days.

So thank you and all glory to God. Amen. Amen.

Well, thank you guys. Can we thank the team again? Um, so you know, I've I've shared I've shared uh here before is that there's measures of God's heart you will only find uh on the mission field when you serve the most broken and hurting and poor people and he shows up they have nothing to offer you in return.

It's it's one of the purest form of love is is to give of yourself in that way. And so anyways, we're just we're so thankful. We uh yeah, we're we're excited for for another trip and and just see what God will do.

So, all right. I want to I want to uh receive tonight's offering. I we're going to make it really fast.

Um, and then and then I want to teach for for maybe about 20 minutes. So, I won't take long. 20 25 minutes and then we'll we'll pray together and we'll call it a night.

So, um, when God trusts when God trusts us with with a house like this and we get to build together in this way from the kids church to missions and and all the other stuff that's going on uh within church, I just want you to know especially for those of you who gave towards the missions trip is that the grace and the blessing that the breakthrough that our team parttook of because of what they gave themselves over to in the in Cambodia. Just cuz you weren't in Cambodia doesn't mean that you don't get to partake of what God God was doing out there. Meaning the grace and the blessing, the increase of it.

And so anyways, when we gather to build and and we give to the mission to the assignment of heaven together like this, um it really is that that the name of Jesus would be glorified, magnified, and known uh to the best of our ability wherever it is that we go. And so, um anyways, the there's the QR code up there. uh uh we have all the regular ways of giving and we just want to continue to build a home for the presence of Jesus that whatever it is he wants to do in and through our house, we want to make ourselves available.

So, every regular way of giving is up on the screen. If you need an envelope, please raise your hand. Our ushers are more than happy to to get you one of those.

And so, I'm going to give you about 2 minutes to do that. Uh we're going to play a short video and then we're going to dive into the scriptures here. So, we'll be right back.

above all into all and position. Your name stands. Sing your name.

Your name is the highest. Your name is the highest. Your name stands above the above all into millions of clouds.

Invisoly, all creation cries. Holy you are lifted high, holy, holy forever and hear your people sing holy to the king of kings. Holy, you will always be holy, holy forever.

And the angels And the angels cry, "Holy, oh creation, and you are lifted high, holy, holy forever. Jesus people say to the king of you Your name is the highest. Your name.

Your name stands above all above all. Your name. Sing your name.

Your name. Your name. Your name.

All right, let's pray. Sorry. Jesus, we love you and we thank you tonight for this uh for your presence, Lord, with us.

And we collectively ask as a church, Lord, would you breathe upon this offering and that in and through it, you would continue to destroy hell and and bring forth the kingdom of heaven in our city, certainly, Lord, in our church and and anywhere that you may send us. I thank you for every person that gave. Um, I thank you that you're faithful to always take care of us in our need.

And so those, Lord, those needs in the room, whether they're financial or any other, we thank you that you are a good, good father. And we proclaim your testimony over those needs, knowing that you are faithful and true at all times. And so have your way in our lives, God, and in our finances, in our church.

Have your way here tonight. uh reveal yourself to us, Lord, in the in the revelation of the waters of baptism and uh and cut our hearts deep with the truth of your word. So we yield ourselves over to you.

Thank you for your faithfulness and your kindness, your love towards us, Lord. In your mighty name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Okay. Why don't you turn your Bibles to uh Exodus chapter um Exodus chapter 14.

We've we've been in Exodus 12 for a long time. We were Last Sunday was so special and holy and just so profound. It was it was so sweet.

And so today, I want us to I really just want to follow the direction and the the instruction of scripture um and what we see in in the Bible. And so um I want before I talk about water baptism, like I said, I won't take long. If you've never been water baptized, I want you to please just listen.

Like be mindful and and attentive to listen. If you don't want to be water baptized afterwards, that's that's kind of that's between you and the Lord. But what I don't want to happen is you want to get baptized, but what but you don't understand why the scripture instructs it.

And so that's really my goal for tonight is like why is it that why is it that the Lord has us partake of this? If you remove the context of the scriptures and Jesus out of it, it's like it's a really strange act to bring somebody into water and just take him out. And that's really what I want to elaborate on uh in Exodus 14 here.

And so before before you understand baptism and why it's important, you first and foremost, we first and foremost have to understand what the purpose and intention of being a Christian is. Because if you do not know the purpose and intention of Christianity of why you have breath in your lungs, why Jesus came, who was God, became man, where was was uh betrayed uh torn apart, broken and bruised, was crucified on a cross, he died, was buried 3 days later, walked out of that grave, resurrected, ascended into glory, now forever seated at the right hand of the father. If we do not understand why Jesus did that to begin with, kind of water baptism will become this uh it'll become more of symbolism than it becomes a connection with the heart of Jesus.

And what I'm telling you right now, just like communion has almost nothing to do with symbolism, water baptism is not merely symbolic. In it is a power in it is a grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to bring transformation to the life of any individual who says yes to Jesus. I've said this here before.

The ultimate purpose, the ultimate intention of the Christian life is not to one day end up in heaven. In fact, if that's your goal, if your sole purpose and your goal of your Christianity is to one day end up in heaven, what will happen is you will live your life looking for every excuse to live like hell on your way to heaven. Because when the only goal is the destination of heaven, you the the intention becomes like how how close to my sin and selfishness can I live before I cross over like oh now I'm going to hell.

And you'll find you'll always find excuses to kind of push the line farther and farther. And what can happen and it happens a lot which is extremely unfortunately happens a lot is that Christians will live ex looking exactly like the world but in the name of Jesus. Which is even worse because now the people who don't know Jesus are like that's who Jesus is.

That person who says they follow the Christ but look like hell. That's what that must be what the gospel has to offer me. And so certainly we, you know, as a church, we don't want to have any tolerance for that.

I mean, if you know, if you've been here before, you know, like we preach the scriptures, we preach Jesus, and we preach holiness, purity, and the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ for a life transformed. And so, if the ultimate goal of the gospel or the ultimate goal of your Christianity is to one day end up in heaven, I am gladly breaking news to you that that is that's absolutely not the case. If it was, then what would happen?

The moment you pray a prayer, you would you would evaporate and you would be in heaven. Because why would God leave you here if the entire goal of the cross was that you end up in heaven? And so the reminder kind of or the the greater revelation in the Christian life is that my Christianity has just about nothing to do with heaven.

I promise you this. You get to heaven and Jesus is not there, it's hell. It's just hell with gold covered streets now.

But it's still hell. Heaven is not a place you just go to when you die as a believer. Heaven is a is is the dwelling place with our bridegroom, with Jesus.

And because Jesus is a person and not a place, it means that the purpose of my Christianity, the purpose of my faith and my life today is not to one day end up in a destination. It is to today end up with a person, the person Jesus Christ. Which means that the life I live today in in my physical body, I can be just as close to the presence of Jesus, just as close to his heart as one day I will be in glory in heaven.

Jesus did not intend to separate humanity from himself while he's in heaven and we're on earth. Jesus came and died on the cross, paid the greatest price so that today you and I who have God, Emmanuel, God with us, who have Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us, Jesus is not any more present in heaven than he could be with us here today on earth. We see greater measures of his glory in heaven.

So don't get me wrong, I'm not saying like you're living in heaven now. It would be very sad. I But what I mean is that when my purpose, the purpose of my Christianity is not to one day end up in heaven.

It's to know Jesus and to look like him, to be transformed into his image and likeness. What happens is my life does not change from here on earth to the heavenlies. My life will always give glory to Jesus.

And it will always look to him from my time here on earth. And when I put off this tent, nothing changes because I continue to love him, continue to worship him, and my life continues yielded and surrendered over to him. And that way if Jesus is in heaven and I end up there and where they're together, I'm celebrating.

And if he goes somewhere else and I follow him, I'm with him regardless of the destination because my my assignment, my pursuit is not a destination. My the goal, the the driving force of my life is to know him and to be one with him, to look like Jesus. Does that make sense?

>> So certainly heaven is where we go. What I what I'm not trying to say is like heaven isn't real. I I hope you didn't hear that.

I'm just trying to make a a great emphasis on like when you remove the idea that my Christianity is about a destination, you realize that your Christianity becomes about the person Jesus Christ. And when your life becomes about the person of Jesus Christ and no longer the destination of heaven, what happens is then when sin comes your way, you're trembling on the inside. Because when h when Christianity is the destination of heaven, you think, "Okay, I could sin.

I could do this thing. Apologize. Jesus and I will be good in a few days.

If I die, I'm still in heaven." And you do Christian calculus. I hate calculus. When Jesus becomes the the sole purpose, the goal of my life, what happens is when sin comes my way, my thought isn't like, can I do this and still get to heaven, my thought becomes, if I do this, I no longer look like the one who created me.

And internally, I begin to tremble. My spirit man trembles at even the thought of violating relationship with Jesus because now I don't care about where I'm going. I care about the one who I'm with today and right now.

>> Do you hear what I'm saying? >> Okay, this is extreme that this part of it is just extremely important to understand why we get water baptized. The way that I grew up, I was taught, you know, you kind of get water baptized to maybe publicly confess your faith.

you you get baptized to um uh kind of be washed of your sin. Um you get baptized to uh you know like repentance or and and I'm not saying those things aren't true. I'm just saying they're not primary truths.

And this is this is why I believe that in the scriptures what you find is if you believe that water baptism is about the public confession of faith. You have Philip and the unic who you know Philip preaches the gospel to him. He says he says what would what then should keep me from being baptized.

Philip takes him into the water baptize him. And before this man comes out of the water Philip's not even there. He's already in another city preaching the gospel.

He's just teleported. And so is that man, you know, he's then if if the purpose of baptism is public confession, did that man's baptism become invalid? No.

If baptism is about repentance from sin or the washing away of sin, then that would beg the question as to why did our Lord Jesus Christ get baptized? Jesus was the only man who was absolutely flawless, sinless, pure, blameless. You could not find a single thing wrong in him or with him.

He was he is God made manifest here on earth in the flesh. And so if Jesus was baptized and he had no sin, what that tells me is that water baptism is not necessarily about repentance from sin. Cuz Jesus was baptized and he had absolutely no sin to repent for.

All of these things are I'm not saying they're wrong or they're evil or I'm not even saying that they're not true. Again, I just want to reiterate is that these are not the primary truths of water baptism or why the scriptures why the scripture uh teaches us of water baptism. Okay.

So, before we get into that, I just want to I want to read from Exodus chapter 14. We're going to read a little bit like a chunk of scripture here. you know, please follow along if you can.

Uh, chapter 14:1. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp uh to encamp in front of Fi Hyroth, between Migdal and the sea, in front of Bao Zapon. Uh, you shall face, you shall encamp facing it by the sea, for Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, they are wandering in the land.

The wilderness has shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh, and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. First, it's like, you know, again, some of us sometimes you're like, man, if God is good, why would he bring Israel?

It's like, he brings them out of Egypt. He traps them near water and then he's like, "And you know what? Not only am I going to trap you, I'm about to harden Pharaoh's heart to come after you." And everything with within the natural human mind, soul would be like, "How is he good?" Like every and you know, I we know this how the story ends.

So, it's it's easy to not consider it now, but it happens all the time in life is when things start coming our way. We we feel like we're pressed up between a rock and a hard place, not knowing what to do, not knowing where to go. Our prayers go up, but they're they're typically faithless because it's like, well, if God's really good, why did he bring me here?

But God has always made a promise. The promise always stands to for every believer that those who put their faith in God, those who put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will never ever ever be put to shame. I will harden Pharaoh's heart and he will and he will pursue them and I will glory over Pharaoh and all his hosts and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.

And they did so. When the king of Egypt told that the people was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed towards the people and they said, "What is this we have done that we have let Israel go from from serving us?" So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him and took 600 chosen chariots and the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly.

And the Egyptians pursue them all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen and his army and over and overtook them and camped at the sea by uh Pi Hyroth in front of Baon. And when Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes and behold the Egyptians were marching after them and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.

They said to Moses, "It is because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness. What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this that we said to you in Egypt?

Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians. Sometimes when freedom doesn't make sense and life in Jesus doesn't make sense if there's temptation to be to lean into the bondage of the past because it feels safe. >> Come on, pastor.

in Egypt who was delivered out of their bondage through the testimony of Jesus through the Passover lamb now hit their first roadblock and immediately the as they hit their first bro the first roadblock immediately they're like okay we give up we you should have just let us die in Egypt you should have just let us serve Pharaoh and where there's a lack of faith any any mountain you come across any sea that seems impossible possible any impossible situation all of a sudden becomes a reason to go back to what feels safe and comfortable. >> Don't be like the Egypt uh the Israelites in this moment in Exodus 15. And Moses said to the people, verse 13, and Moses said to the people, "Fear not.

Stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you and you have only to be silent.

>> It's incredible. >> The Lord will fight for you and you have only to be silent. God's only instruction to them was take this Passover lamb and ha enjoy feast on this meal.

Enjoy the Passover lamb. Feast on the Passover lamb. You and I today, we feast on our Passover lamb.

We feast. We remember. We tell the testimony of our Passover lamb, Jesus Christ.

And as you tell the testimony, God opens the door, you we walk out of our bondage. And then he says, "When you encounter your first hurdle, your first impossible situation." He says, "The Lord will fight for you. All you have to do, the only thing for you to do is just to be silent and to obey." And the Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me?

Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the heart of Pharaoh, the hearts of excuse me, the hearts of the Egyptians that they shall go in after them.

And I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen. Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel.

And there was the cloud and the darkness and it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.

And the Egyptians pursued and went after them. And in the midst of sea, the all Pharaoh's horses and his chariots and his horsemen. And so then what happened is is walks through the Red Sea on dry land.

Egypt attempts to follow. And as Egypt attempts to follow Israel and along with Pharaoh, God closes in the waters and everything, all the bondage, all the slavery, all the brokenness, the hardship, the darkness that Egypt represented, all of it died in the baptisms of uh in the waters of baptism. See, baptism, this is the way that I understand it according to the scriptures.

Baptism isn't necessarily public confession of faith. It's not necessarily the repentance of sin. Although it includes those things, it says that I no longer want to live in Egypt.

And I no longer want to live in my sin. I I don't want to live there anymore. I want the greater thing.

And so Egypt, Egypt dies in the water. Israel makes it to the other side. And what the scriptures say is that they they watched how the bodies of the Egyptians would would come to shore.

And they watched their enemies die in in what seemed to be an impossible situation. And yet when God breathed upon it, their enemies died in without them having to lift a single sword, spear or shield. And so what I understand according to the scriptures in in in baptism is that baptism is is the moment from which you you step away from a previous covenant that you have made that you had in the world within the world one you were born into and at the waters of baptism as you gave your life to Jesus you have publicly confessed made a declaration you have prayed the prayer you given your life over to Jesus.

And what happens in the waters of baptism is almost the waters of baptism are a place of covenant. You go in under and you die with Jesus there on the cross and then you you come out of those waters into newness of life. The reason Jesus was baptized when he was baptized not because he had any sin.

Jesus was baptized because for 30 years of his life, he perfectly, flawlessly, without mistake, fulfilled the covenant of the Old Testament. And what happened in the waters of baptism when Jesus went under, he went under and he finally put to death. He put closure to the Old Testament for humanity.

And when he came up out of the water, he was the first among many brethren who now entered into the new covenant, which is righteousness by faith in Jesus. It's why the scriptures say that when Jesus was baptized and he came up out of the water, he was the first one to break through from the old covenant, the of Abraham's covenant into the new covenant now found in Jesus. And so when he came up out of the water, the heavens, it says, were torn open for him.

and the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove. And so Jesus was not publicly confessing faith in himself. He wasn't repenting for sin.

What he was doing is he was pulling putting an old way of life. He was uh in some ways kind of hear the parallel with me here. He was putting Egypt to death in those waters.

and he came up on the other side and he and now Israel who was who was bound in Egypt walking through the waters of baptism through the Red Sea now ended up on the other side of what was promised to them. And Jesus in a similar way, he fulfilled flawlessly and perfectly the Old Testament, the Old Covenant, and he he kind of closed it for himself in that moment. And when he came up out of the waters, he came up into the new covenant that you and I now have access to.

And so when Jesus was being water waterbaptized, it was to demonstrate to us that when you give your life to Jesus and you are crucified with him in those waters, when you lay your life down to for him in those waters, when you come up, you're making a covenant that the rest of my life is devoted and given over to not getting to heaven one day. It is completely given over to seeking him and his presence alone. >> Does that make sense?

cuz it happens all the time when when baptism is about the confession or repentance of sin. It's like you could be baptized like a million times. And if you know if you've been baptized multiple times before, I'm not like I'm not I'm not making lie like I'm not making fun of you.

I just mean that when you don't understand what baptism is, it it's like it's like did I do it? Did I not do it? Have I made enough?

because I sinned enough now that I need to do it again. And and then if it becomes a public confession, it's like, okay, now I have a a whole new group of friends or I moved cities or states and now do I need to do it again so that I'm confessing again publicly to people and it and it becomes all sort about all sorts of things that don't necessarily matter. But when water baptism becomes about coming out of that water with the pursuit with the life devoted to looking like Jesus, I could be in Seattle.

I could be in Europe. I could be in Asia. Wherever it is, my assignment on my life has not changed.

When I came up out of those waters, it's like I it's like I took a I hope this this parallel makes sense. It's like I said yes to the engagement ring of the Holy Spirit. We may not be married yet, meaning like there's a baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire that comes upon a person.

We may not be married yet, but those who are engaged are living in a sense of purity, in a way of purity and devotion to a person as if they're already married because of what is to come. >> And so when you're getting when you give your life to Jesus and then you water you're getting water baptized, you're saying, "Yes, I am making this covenant to living in the newness of life and give my entire life to look like Jesus." And that way, if you sinned and you made a mistake, you don't need to be water baptized again. What you do is you repent.

You turn to Jesus and you continue to be transformed into his image and likeness. Does that make sense? Are you hearing what I'm saying?

>> Yeah. Okay. Okay.

Uh I'm almost done. I'm almost done. So Israel is baptized through the Red Sea.

That that that's a type and shadow of water baptism. But what you'll find, especially for those of you who want to be waterbaptized next week, what you'll find in the scriptures is that Israel, Israel that crossed the Red Sea into the land of their promise, they were they were on the other side, they missed what God had for them because they forgot the testimonies of God. In fact, watch this.

So, Israel crosses the Red Sea. They face an impossible situation. Cross the Red Sea.

Moses starts singing this song in chapter 15. He's like, "We'll celebrate the Lord, all that he has done, his testimonies." And not even like at least give it two chapters, bro. Like not even a not even like a week later, this is Israel.

They say then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea and they went into the wilderness of shore. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Mara, they could not drink the water of Mara because it was bitter.

Therefore, it was named Mara. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" And he cried to the Lord. And the Lord showed him a log.

That word log actually means tree or trees, just like Jesus upon the tree that he hung on. It says that Moses took the tree and he threw it into the water and the water became sweet. In other words, Jesus hanging on the on the tree on the cross, taking the bitterness, the wickedness and darkness of the world.

This was a type and shadow, a a telling, a foretelling of Jesus who who was to take on the sin and the wickedness, the bitterness of humanity upon himself. And he made he made bitter waters sweet. He made my sad little life and your sad little life one full of purpose and potential.

And he carried to the Lord, excuse me, he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. Then the Lord made for them a statue and rule, a statue and rule. And there he tested them, saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do this, do that, which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments, and keep his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on Egypt, friend, the Lord, your healer." And then Israel goes, "Uh, and the whole," this is chapter 16:2, "and the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.

And the people of Israel said to them, "What would we what that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt?" Sorry, I'm like still learning to read 31 years later. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us into the wilderness to kill this to kill this whole assembly with hunger." And so they keep watching miracle after miracle, testimony after testimony happen.

An Israel that keeps forgetting the testimonies of God and all that he had done for them. and they would lean into grumbling and complaining that Egypt though they were 11 an 11-day journey from their promise they they circled the same mountain for 40 years not because God had them there but because after the waters of their baptism they forgot from which they from where they came from and so water I I'm saying this because it's very important is the waters of baptism do not just magically transform you to look like Jesus the waters of baptism just like in an engagement you can be engaged and then live your life as as a single person and and do wild things that are not appropriate for that relationship that may be appropriate as a single person. And so Israel crossed over to their promise and would forget the testimonies of the Lord their God and they died in the wilderness.

They were 11 days from their promise and they died there. But the Israel, the Israel in the book of Joshua, the old the generation that generation of Israel passed away. Joshua now begins to lead Israel and all of a sudden they're they come to the river Jordan once again.

They come to a body of water and on the other side is the land that God was promising them. And so again, Israel, Israel comes from a place of brokenness, bondage to themselves, no longer to Egypt. Now they're in bondage to themselves.

They willingly chose to give themselves away to to other gods. And now Israel comes again to a river and the river opens up again. Joshua splits the water open.

God holds the waters and they walk through the water and God tells them, "Make sure you grab a 12 of you grab a stone out of the riverbed and I want you to set it up as a monument so that one day when your children ask, "Why are these stones here?" You would tell them the testimonies of all that God had done. And Israel that crossed that crossed the Jordan, again speaking of baptism, they walked through the Jordan, the the body of water that separated them from the death that they said yes to in their bondage to the promise in God, the promised land, one flowing with milk and honey. When they crossed over the Jordan this time, when they were baptized this time, what made them successful?

What they stepped the reason they stepped into their promise is because they never forgot the testimony of what God had accomplished for them. I hope. Sorry.

I think I probably feel rushed. So I'm like >> So what I'm saying is water baptism is not as much about confession of faith or repentance of sin. It is a vow that when you go under that water, you're saying, "I am making a vow that the rest of my life is devoted to the promise of Jesus Christ, the one who was buried, who the one who died, was buried, and resurrected in glory.

My entire life is devoted to looking like him." Amen. >> And the only way to step into the promises of what Jesus has paid a price for, the only way to step into the benefits of the cross is to remember and stay steadfast on the testimony of Jesus Christ. Which is why you hear that word here, the word testimony, and why we tell the testimony of Jesus every time we come to communion, every single time.

Is because if you and I forget the testimony of God, the testimony of what Jesus has accomplished, you can be water baptized. You can drink gallons of grape juice, eat wafers until you can't anymore. You can even read the Bible.

You can fast. And what happens is all you're doing is you're studying history and you're on a hunger strike and you miss the entire point cuz these these things all of them all of them point to Jesus. And we see in Israel that when they crossed the Red Sea and they forgot the testimony of Jesus, they they willingly gave themselves over to the gods of their lands, the land that they were in.

But the Israel that crossed over the waters of baptism that were baptized and made it to the other side and Jesus was their center, their focus, and their pursuit, that's the Israel that then came to the walls of Jericho. Again, what seemed to be an impossible situation. They come to the walls of Jericho and God just says, "I want you to take the testimony, the ark of covenant.

It's called the ark of testimony for the, you know, we all know this. And it was was mana. It was the uh the tablets, the with the law, and it was Aaron's rod.

All of which are speaking of Jesus. The mana speaking of Jesus, our daily bread, who is sweet, gentle to to to those who partake of him. The tablets speaking of the holiness and righteousness and truth of Jesus.

The rod is speaking of the cross, Aaron's rod. when put into the tent of testimony, it budded, blossomed, bloomed, and and brought forth fruit. Again, speaking of Jesus, resting upon a tree, and out of the tree came forth eternal life.

So God tells them, "Take this ark of covenant, this ark of testimony, and I just want you to surround the walls of this impossible situation." I tell this story all the time at church. It's like we just we I love it. I love the story.

Again, no no no sword, no no no no no spear, no shield. All God says is take the the ark of of testimony, surround the walls, and then just celebrate victory. And they surround it for seven days, and then they just shout.

They celebrate. They don't even know what they're celebrating in the moment, but as they're celebrating the testimony of Jesus, the walls come crumbling down. What seemed to be an impossible situation is met by the testimony of the Christ.

Hallelujah. >> And so what I want to remind you again, I'm sorry I'm closing up here. Paul, maybe you can come help me, please.

What I want to remind you is that the testimony of Jesus. Amen. Amen.

Waters have no power in them unless Jesus is in it. Grape juice has no power in it unless Jesus is in it. Neither does a wafer.

Neither does written text have power in it unless Jesus is in it. And so next week for those of you who will be baptized, I just I want to kind of freshly remind you of what you're saying yes to. It's not it's not a public confession of sin and it's not a public confession of faith.

It is a devotion, a life laid down to leave Egypt and the old ways of life behind. But more importantly, what's more importantly is who the person the man is who comes out of that water cuz that you now have to determine as a man of God who said a woman of God who said yes to Jesus, do I seek him according to his testimonies? and remember what he has done for me or do I come up out of that water and then dream of the things that felt safe and comfortable before I went in?

If you dream of those things, you will find yourself living in slavery even though there's no enemy to oppress you. If you turn to Jesus and you remember his testimonies, what you'll find is that when you face impossible situations, when you face your Jericho, when you face a river Jordan, what happens is God doesn't ask you to lift a spear, a shield, a sword, you have to do nothing but just be silent. In other words, you just look to him.

getting engaged, proposing to to your soon-to-be wife does not does not change maybe your circumstances just yet. You may you'll you're still going to be living alone or with your parents and you but you have made a vow that I will live my life until we come until we come together in covenant until we we meet there like that that my life will reflect what it what it the thing that it is that I'm after which is marrying you. And water baptism says I'm going into the water and my entire purpose in life now is to look like Jesus.

And in even though I may I may be growing in looking like him, this is still my purpose. My intention is I want to look like him. And if I if I made a mistake, if I stumbled, if I fell, I repent.

I apologize. I make things right. I confess it.

But my goal does not change. I want to look like the Christ man, Jesus Christ. And so if you're getting water baptized because it's a cool thing to do, your parents are encouraging you to, uh, you want to publicly confess your faith, trust me, you don't need to be in the water to publicly confess your faith.

Your life should be a living testimony of Jesus. But if you are done looking like an old way of life, baptism is not necessary for salvation. That's what we learn with the thief on the cross.

It's not necessarily needed for like to get to heaven one day. But it is absolutely necessary to be transformed into the image and likeness of Jesus. You cannot look like Jesus without the waters of baptism.

Which is why I'm saying is if your destination is heaven, you're kind of like, it's not that big of a deal. I can do it later. I can do it when it's convenient.

I can do it when I've kind of gone through my phase of sin and enjoyment of life. But when the goal is I I'm giving my life to look like Jesus, you're like, I need to be baptized like tomorrow, like now, because I don't want to I don't want to stand on the edge of the water knowing Egypt is right there behind me. I don't want to go back.

The waters are intended to transform you and I into the image and likeness of Jesus. It's what separates us from an old way of life, from an old covenant bondage, old bondage, and gives us into the newness of life. But this newness of life is not successful because you were baptized.

This newness of life is is successful because you look and you remember you look to and you remember Jesus. >> Amen. Again, Israel on the front side of of the Red Sea and the River Jordan was an old way of life.

At the Red Sea, it was Egypt, bondage, death, darkness. On this side of the Jordan was was uh uh compromise. It was disobedience.

It was the serving and loving of other gods. It was adultery. It was all of that stuff.

But when they crossed those waters, they were like, "We're leaving that stuff behind." But Israel that remembered that excuse me that forgot the testimonies of God, forgot the testimonies of Jesus, gave themselves back into sin. The Israel that crossed the River Jordan, remember Jesus, that Israel stepped into their promise. And so our purpose, our purpose, intention of the Christian life to look like Jesus.

If you have not been waterbaptized, it is absolutely necessary to look to look like Jesus to be transformed into his image and likeness. But it's not a commitment. It's not a symbolic act you take lightly.

It is the laying down of your life, leaving Egypt behind and coming up fully, fully just consumed in love with Jesus running this race. And so if you signed up to be baptized and you were like, "That's not what I was saying yes to." Please, like, you're better off not getting baptized cuz you're just in the most respectful way is like it's just it just becomes a dip in water. It becomes a swim.

And there's no reason for us to be swimming at church. Like, does that makes Does that make sense? You guys hear what I'm saying?

>> Okay. Now, if you do want to make this commitment, if you do want to yield your life over to Jesus this way and say yes to a lifelong pursuit of looking like the Lord Jesus Christ, I just I highly highly encourage you like get water baptized. If Jesus did it, the innocent, perfect, blameless son of God, my goodness, you know, we should be going under that water and I'll hold you there till the bubbles stop.

Yeah, I'm just kidding. Just to make sure Egypt dies in there. But more importantly is that Jesus Christ and him crucified is the message that you and I become.

Hallelujah. So, why don't we all stand up? Um, maybe Christina, can you come up?

And so what I we're we're only going to take Sorry, I know I said 20 minutes. I am I repent. I lied.

Not intentionally. I just I didn't think I had that much to say. So, I want to uh I want to pray and I just want you to turn to Jesus and if you've been water baptized before, you know, just um we can Christina will sing a little and and we can just love and thank Jesus for what he has accomplished.

Um, but if you haven't been waterbaptized before, I just I want you to inquire of the Lord and just ask him. And if it's if you don't want to make that commitment and you don't I I would never want you to pressure you into that. I like I do not want to partake of mere symbolism or or rituals or any of that stuff.

I I want to I want to run this race towards Jesus with those who say yes to him. And so Lord, I just I pray for the room here and I just ask that in areas where um where we're lacking, where it may feel like we're facing the Red Sea or or the River Jordan or Jericho and possible situations. May there be a deep conviction within us, Lord, that we always remember your testimony and that just like the scriptures teach where you say, "I will take care of it." All you have to do is be silent.

All we have to do is remember the testimony. All we have to do is partake of the Passover lamb. And I pray for those uh for those Lord who haven't been baptized, who who haven't given themselves over to water baptism yet.

I pray that you would speak to them if this is their time, their moment of devotion, of surrender in this way. I I ask God that there'd be a deep conviction and you would speak to them. And for those of us who have been waterbaptized, God, we just we want to thank you for the transformative power of your body, your blood, the cross, communion, the scriptures, prayer, worship, surrender, and the waters of baptism.

Thank you. Thank you that you have left Israel. You have left Israel in a promise.

And you have left Egypt to their death. You have left our bondage, our brokenness in its death, in its its end. And you have brought us into eternal life when you said it is finished.

So I ask Holy Spirit that you would help us to always live in this truth to remember the testimony of Jesus. Yes, we love you, Lord. Thank you.

>> So, if you haven't been water baptized before, I just I would encourage you in choir of Jesus. And we'll only we'll sing just for a couple minutes here. out and touch him and say that I love him.

Open our ears, Lord, and help me to listen. Open my eyes, Lord. I want to see Jesus.

Oh my eyes, Lord. I want to see Jesus to reach out and touch him and say that I love him. Open my ears, Lord, and help me to listen.

Open my eyes, Lord. I want to see Jesus. to see you high lifted up, shining in the light of your glory.

Pour out your power and love as we sing. Holy, holy, holy to see you high and lifted up, shining in the light of your glory. Pour out your power and love as we sing.

Holy, holy, holy and holy, holy, holy, holy, holy. >> Team team, why don't you come up? Holy, holy, holy.

I want to see you. Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy. I want to see you.

Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy. I want to see you. Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy.

I want to see you. Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy. I want to see you.

Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy. I want to see you. Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy.

I want to see you. Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy. I want to see you, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy, holy.

I want to see you to see you shine in the light of your glory. Pour out your power and love as we sing. Holy, holy, holy to see you.

I lift you up. Shining in the light of your glory. for all your power.

As we sing, to see you high, shining in the light of your glory. for all your power and love. As we sing, holy, holy, holy to see you.

I lift it up. Shining in the light of your glory. for all your power and love.

As we sing holy, holy, oh, and open our eyes, Lord. I want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch him. and say that I love him.

And open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen. Open our eyes, Lord. I want to see Jesus.

>> So Lord, we love you and we thank you that you speak to us, you lead us, guide us, and thank you for your presence with us here tonight. I pray God speak to the people who uh who still need to take this step and that next week as we celebrate together, we wouldn't just celebrate public confessions and repentance of sin. We would be celebrating a life that has devoted itself, committed itself to our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Thank you for your faithfulness, your kindness, and your love towards us. Lord, thank you for for loving us always in the many ways that you do. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen. I'm