1 00:00:03,300 --> 00:00:07,200 Crossing family's wealth here, across this Region online inside 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:08,700 at all of our different locations. 3 00:00:08,900 --> 00:00:11,400 If you're thankful for Jesus, can I get a whoop, whoop? 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:14,200 Oh man, I'm thankful for him, too. 5 00:00:14,500 --> 00:00:16,600 I know it's cold out. Know how many of you are 6 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,400 gathered at all of our different locations and whether or not 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:21,800 there's a ton of you watching online. 8 00:00:22,100 --> 00:00:25,900 And I know that sometimes when it gets bad weather out, some of 9 00:00:25,900 --> 00:00:27,700 you will be wanting to know whether or not we're going to 10 00:00:27,700 --> 00:00:29,700 have church. Let me just handle that. 11 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,000 We will always have church. Always always. 12 00:00:33,100 --> 00:00:37,000 As always, and let me tell you why, if you're if you can't get 13 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,200 in, we get it. But if you can, we should have 14 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,200 it. And if you can't make it in 15 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:45,900 watch online. But if you can because every you 16 00:00:45,900 --> 00:00:48,000 want to know why. It's because every single week 17 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,600 someone decides to get baptized in our church and we might as 18 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:53,400 well open the doors and let them start that relationship. 19 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,400 You cool with that. All right, so I'll what I want 20 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:58,500 you guys to do across all of our locations. 21 00:00:58,500 --> 00:01:00,300 Would you stand up for me for just a second? 22 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:02,900 We've been doing this for the last couple weeks there. 23 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,300 Are some unbelievably cool stories that are coming out of 24 00:01:06,300 --> 00:01:08,600 these moments. I'm hopeful that in two weeks I 25 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,000 get to share a story of what happened last week at one of our 26 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:17,400 locations that is just exactly who we want to be as a church. 27 00:01:18,900 --> 00:01:22,500 But I know that right now across all of our different locations 28 00:01:22,500 --> 00:01:25,600 and of course some of you online and inside if you were to be 29 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,700 honest, you would say you're in a storm. 30 00:01:31,300 --> 00:01:35,400 It may be a storm of your that your own choosing. 31 00:01:35,500 --> 00:01:39,400 It may be a storm that you caused or maybe you had nothing 32 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:43,400 to do with the storm, but nevertheless, you're in it. 33 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,600 You're being pelted by the wind and you're being hit by the 34 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,000 waves, you're just saying it. Could be your marriage, it could 35 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,600 be your finances, it could be a relationship with a friend or 36 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,000 your kids. They can be the loss of a job, 37 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,300 it could be a bad diagnosis. The bottom line is, if you were 38 00:01:59,308 --> 00:02:02,700 to say, So, you would, if I were to say, if you're in a storm, 39 00:02:02,700 --> 00:02:06,100 you'd go, yeah, Clayton. It's, it's storming in my life, 40 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,500 and I don't know how many of you fall into that category across 41 00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:12,700 all of our locations, but we want to pray for you right now 42 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:14,700 is a church. So, if you'd say, yep, Clayton, 43 00:02:14,700 --> 00:02:17,100 I'll be honest with you. It's, I'm in a storm, but you 44 00:02:17,108 --> 00:02:20,200 put your hand up, okay. On all of across all regions, 45 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:21,900 you guys, put your hands up while they're doing that. 46 00:02:21,900 --> 00:02:24,000 If you don't have your hand up and you love Jesus and you be 47 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,800 willing to go and put your hand on their shoulder, 48 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,300 difference-maker staff, and we're going to pray for all of 49 00:02:28,300 --> 00:02:29,900 you with your hands up. So keep your hand up. 50 00:02:30,300 --> 00:02:32,900 Until someone comes and puts their hand on your shoulder. 51 00:02:32,900 --> 00:02:37,800 Okay, while you guys are moving, I want to give you all a gift. 52 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:40,100 I've told you before that, I'm not cool. 53 00:02:41,300 --> 00:02:45,000 Let me prove it to you. There is a song on the Gaithers. 54 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,600 And it's called Master of the wind, okay? 55 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,200 And when I was working on when I was thinking through this part 56 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:53,800 of my message, I thought about it. 57 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,800 You can go home and spot a fight if you want to but the song's 58 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:58,400 called if you want to and you can buy Clayton. 59 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,800 This song is I can't believe you listen to this but let's the 60 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,800 lyrics are gold. This is what it says, my Maya, 61 00:03:06,100 --> 00:03:09,400 my boat of Life sales on a troubled sea, whenever there's 62 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:13,100 wind in my sails but I have a friend who watches over me when 63 00:03:13,100 --> 00:03:15,800 that breeze turns into a gale, I know. 64 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,100 The master of the wind, I know the maker of the rain, he can 65 00:03:19,100 --> 00:03:20,700 calm. A storm make the sun shine 66 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:24,600 again, I know the master of the wind and for some of you that 67 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,900 are right now in the midst of a storm, I want to give you two 68 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,000 versus. The first one is in Isaiah 69 00:03:31,100 --> 00:03:33,800 chapter 41. Don't be afraid for. 70 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,900 I am with you. Don't be discouraged for I am. 71 00:03:36,900 --> 00:03:40,500 Your God, I will strengthen you and help you. 72 00:03:40,700 --> 00:03:43,800 I will hold you up with my Victorious, right hand. 73 00:03:43,900 --> 00:03:46,800 So those of you who are in a storm God, God is going to 74 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,400 sustain you in the storm. Here's another one. 75 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,500 This is from like the favorite passages of scripture go home. 76 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,800 Underlying this one in your Bible, Psalm 23 verse 4. 77 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,500 Even though I walk through the darkest Valley, I will not be 78 00:03:58,500 --> 00:04:00,900 afraid for. You are close Beside Me. 79 00:04:00,900 --> 00:04:04,300 Your Rod and your staff comfort and protect me. 80 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:08,100 But you guys pray with me. God, you're the only person who 81 00:04:08,100 --> 00:04:13,100 knows just how much of a storm we're in God. 82 00:04:13,100 --> 00:04:16,600 You see every single heart, every single story, every single 83 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,899 circumstance simultaneously, right now. 84 00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:24,300 God, you know, just how much rain were going to experience, 85 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,600 you know, just how high the waves are, you know, just how 86 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:34,500 strong the wind is blowing. And so God, first of all, I want 87 00:04:34,500 --> 00:04:38,300 to say thank you. Thank you for being the kind of 88 00:04:38,300 --> 00:04:41,900 God that can cause storms to cease. 89 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,500 That has the power to Deliver Us from storms. 90 00:04:47,300 --> 00:04:49,200 Got I know that sometimes you don't do that. 91 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:55,200 And so I'm also thankful that if you don't stop the storm, you 92 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,800 give us the strength to get through the storm, that's your 93 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:04,400 resources to us, are Limitless. And got a beyond that. 94 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,900 I know that no matter what your word has promised us, that you 95 00:05:08,900 --> 00:05:12,800 will never abandon us in the storm and that you always be 96 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:18,800 with us, right beside us. And so God, I pray not just that 97 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,600 you would get us out of these storms but then in the midst of 98 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,300 these storms we wouldn't be pushed further away from you. 99 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:29,100 But that our dependence upon you would grow God, help us as a 100 00:05:29,100 --> 00:05:32,700 church help, those who are in need and who are struggling and 101 00:05:32,700 --> 00:05:35,700 the come alongside of them in this storm and in this season, 102 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,600 For Your Glory, your name I pray, amen. 103 00:05:39,100 --> 00:05:40,800 You guys can have a seat. God bless you. 104 00:05:41,700 --> 00:05:45,800 We are in a sermon series and the first week of the sermon 105 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:47,400 series and I'm going to give you a hint. 106 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,900 I'm I need your help here with this part of the message, it's 107 00:05:49,900 --> 00:05:53,200 in big lit up letters across all of our locations. 108 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:57,400 The first sermon was there has to be a place for For everyone 109 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,300 for the 45% of you, that our way God bless you, there has to be a 110 00:06:01,300 --> 00:06:04,800 place for everyone. And it's going to take every one 111 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,600 of us to make it happen. And we looked at this spiritual 112 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:13,600 spectrum and we realized that we have a spiritual responsibility 113 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,500 to everybody on this Continuum Continuum for those who are far 114 00:06:17,500 --> 00:06:20,900 from Jesus and for those who've been following Jesus for a 115 00:06:20,900 --> 00:06:24,800 really long time, and we realize that we have a spiritual 116 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,500 obligation to this region. And our hope is to make this 117 00:06:28,500 --> 00:06:31,900 region and whatever, God, grows it to be, to be the hardest 118 00:06:31,900 --> 00:06:34,200 place on Earth to get to Hell from. 119 00:06:35,100 --> 00:06:38,000 And then last week we talked about there has to be a place 120 00:06:38,300 --> 00:06:42,100 that gives people time there was one person. 121 00:06:42,100 --> 00:06:45,000 God bless you for coming. For those of you who are new, my 122 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,300 name is Clayton Hensel. I've been at this church for a 123 00:06:47,308 --> 00:06:49,900 long time. I'm excited to be with you and I 124 00:06:49,900 --> 00:06:52,300 love that you came on a cold day and you're going to love it here 125 00:06:52,300 --> 00:06:54,500 because for the rest of the year it should be warmer. 126 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:56,800 Okay, so last week we talked about there. 127 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:58,800 Has to be a place that gives people. 128 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:03,300 Yeah, because it takes time. Sometimes it takes, if we're 129 00:07:03,300 --> 00:07:06,200 going to be honest, it takes more time than we want for a 130 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,900 person to move from minus 5/2, minus 4. 131 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,100 Have you ever been frustrated? How long it takes for people to 132 00:07:12,100 --> 00:07:14,100 grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ? 133 00:07:14,100 --> 00:07:16,100 Yeah, if you're a staff member, we just, you know, we're like 134 00:07:16,100 --> 00:07:19,700 you will come to the steps right now, it takes time and we 135 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:23,200 realize that we need to be patient with people as they're 136 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,800 making their move and their growth and their journey in 137 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:29,800 Jesus because Cuz that's what God's been with us that it took 138 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,000 us time for us to get serious about our faith. 139 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,000 And so, we need to be the kind of church that gives other 140 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,000 people time. In fact, if we're going to say 141 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,500 we love people, we need to remember that. 142 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:41,900 The very first descriptor of love and First Corinthians 13 is 143 00:07:41,900 --> 00:07:46,100 love is patient. So we're going to have to be 144 00:07:46,100 --> 00:07:49,600 patient with people as they try to find a relationship with 145 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,300 Jesus Christ. I heard a story this week and I 146 00:07:52,300 --> 00:07:55,500 was like I should tell my whole church, this story it would have 147 00:07:55,500 --> 00:07:58,600 been great for me too. I told that story last week 148 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,800 during my sermon, but since none of you guys were here, let me 149 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:06,300 tell it to you. There's this missionary and 150 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:10,400 Papua New Guinea and he was a Bible translator and so he was 151 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,100 working with this Village to understand their language and 152 00:08:14,100 --> 00:08:16,800 then he was going to take their language and he was going to 153 00:08:16,808 --> 00:08:20,400 translate the New Testament so that they could have the Bible 154 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,000 in their own language. And I know that seems crazy to 155 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:25,400 you guys because you've never lived in a world where you don't 156 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,700 have access to a Bible. You've got like six Dusty ones 157 00:08:27,700 --> 00:08:31,100 at home and then one on every device, but they had nothing. 158 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,700 And so this missionary spent years, Are putting together this 159 00:08:34,700 --> 00:08:36,799 Bible eventually, he finished it, they sent it off. 160 00:08:36,799 --> 00:08:39,200 They got it published. It was printed on this really 161 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,400 fine paper and so the day came they're having a big party in 162 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,800 the village and they're passing out the New Testament to all the 163 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:47,800 villagers. So they can read the Bible. 164 00:08:47,900 --> 00:08:50,700 Hear the words of Jesus and this guy comes up smoking. 165 00:08:50,700 --> 00:08:52,100 Something I don't know what are you smoking? 166 00:08:52,500 --> 00:08:54,400 And he goes, hey, I got to be honest with you. 167 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:55,900 He's talking to the missionary he goes. 168 00:08:56,700 --> 00:09:00,100 I don't want your new testament to read it, but the papers look 169 00:09:00,100 --> 00:09:03,000 awesome to smoke. Right? 170 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:08,100 And the missionary was obviously a Super Fly Guy because he goes 171 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:10,200 I'll make you a deal. I'll give you a Bible. 172 00:09:10,900 --> 00:09:14,600 But before you smoke a page, you have to read a page. and the 173 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:19,600 guys like deal years later, this missionary is out of conference 174 00:09:19,900 --> 00:09:27,400 and the guy who was the Bible smoker was there, and he comes 175 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,000 up because you may not remember me, but you gave me the Bible 176 00:09:30,500 --> 00:09:34,300 and you told me I had to read a page before I smoke the page and 177 00:09:34,300 --> 00:09:37,700 now I want you to know that I'm the pastor of my Village and the 178 00:09:37,700 --> 00:09:39,700 guy in the missionary goes, well what happened? 179 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:47,200 He goes, well, I smoked Matthew. And I smoked mark. 180 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,700 And I smoked Luke. It's a lot of that's a lot of 181 00:09:51,700 --> 00:09:53,900 pages of those of you haven't read your Bible in a while. 182 00:09:54,900 --> 00:10:00,800 And I smoked John chapter 1 and I smoked John Chapter 2 and then 183 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:05,100 I got to John 3:16 for God. So loved the world that he gave 184 00:10:05,100 --> 00:10:09,000 his one and only son that whoever believes in him, will 185 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:13,000 not perish, but have eternal life and I realized that God 186 00:10:13,100 --> 00:10:15,900 loved me and I couldn't shake it say with me. 187 00:10:15,900 --> 00:10:20,100 Sometimes it takes. Yeah, and we're going to be a 188 00:10:20,100 --> 00:10:25,200 place that gives people time. Now, today I want to talk To you 189 00:10:25,700 --> 00:10:27,900 about getting out of the boat, turn to your neighbor, say I'm 190 00:10:27,900 --> 00:10:31,100 getting out of the boat. Now, for those of you who grew 191 00:10:31,100 --> 00:10:33,400 up rich, that doesn't make any sense, because you grew up going 192 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,100 to the Lake of the Ozarks and you had a nice boat, okay? 193 00:10:37,500 --> 00:10:39,200 And you're like, you know, you've been down there, you hang 194 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:41,000 out with rich people, and they've got like a boat that's 195 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,500 got like a little mini Kitchen on it, and it's got a bathroom, 196 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,600 but if you grew up like I did poor, you know, if we want to 197 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,100 use the bathroom, we got out of the boat, right? 198 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,400 That's how that's how we're old, and I grew up on the water. 199 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,900 I mean, I love being out on. I like anything water mainly 200 00:10:57,900 --> 00:10:59,400 because I feel pretty light, okay. 201 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,400 And makes A lot lighter when I'm in the water and we do all the 202 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,900 things, you know, my parents got a paddleboard and so we put it 203 00:11:05,900 --> 00:11:08,500 in the pool and we try and run off the diving board and then 204 00:11:08,500 --> 00:11:11,100 land on the paddleboard and then try and surf to the other end 205 00:11:11,100 --> 00:11:13,500 and hop out of the shallow in, haven't made it yet. 206 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:15,900 But, you know this this is brand-new year who knows? 207 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:18,600 I've done wakeboarding I like to ski and there was this couple 208 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,800 about 20 years ago hear from our 48th Street campus. 209 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:23,200 When I was a youth pastor they said Clayton, you love, being 210 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:24,700 out on the water. And I'm like, I love it. 211 00:11:25,300 --> 00:11:27,200 Like we'd love to take you skiing. 212 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,700 I'm like, this would be fantastic now. 213 00:11:29,900 --> 00:11:32,600 When it comes to skiing, I'm a pretty decent skier. 214 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:34,600 I'm a I'm not good at Slalom skiing. 215 00:11:34,900 --> 00:11:37,600 There's a lot of pounds per square inch on one ski and when 216 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,300 everybody's like, just kick Clayton, just kick and I'm 217 00:11:40,300 --> 00:11:43,100 always using skis that aren't designed for 300 pounds. 218 00:11:43,100 --> 00:11:45,400 Like I'm one of the most athletic 300 Pounders and 219 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:49,900 attractive you'll ever see and I'll get out on the water and 220 00:11:49,900 --> 00:11:53,000 you try to do the kick thing and I'll kick and whack right in the 221 00:11:53,008 --> 00:11:54,400 water. It happens that fast. 222 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,300 There's no. So these these this family super 223 00:11:57,300 --> 00:12:01,100 excited to take me out skiing My cousin be fantastic. 224 00:12:01,100 --> 00:12:04,300 I'm gonna enjoy this all day. I show up and this guy has a Jon 225 00:12:04,300 --> 00:12:09,200 Boat. And I'm like, but this guy's, 226 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,400 thanks for bringing me out, but I don't think I'm a ski. 227 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,200 All know, you'll be fine. Like nah. 228 00:12:15,500 --> 00:12:18,800 Oh, I've seen the size motors. It takes to get me out of the 229 00:12:18,808 --> 00:12:23,200 water and that's not it, okay? Put the whole family in the 230 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,300 front just to keep the motor in. It's not, it's not happening. 231 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:28,200 He's like no, trust me, it'll work. 232 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,700 Well, he basically waterboarded me all over. 233 00:12:30,700 --> 00:12:35,900 Mark Twain Lake, I was so sick. I mean, I had taken in so much. 234 00:12:36,100 --> 00:12:39,800 Water, like, even when I close my mouth, so much was going in 235 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,500 every other hole on my face, that like I got done and I was 236 00:12:43,500 --> 00:12:45,900 like the Michelin Man. Like, I have taken on way too 237 00:12:45,900 --> 00:12:48,800 much water, but some and all I want to do that day was just I 238 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,700 just get me out of the boat. Get me out of this family. 239 00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:56,700 Let me go home, sometimes. Sometimes you just got to get 240 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:01,200 out of the boat and we, as a church need to be a place that 241 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,300 celebrates people when they get out of the boat, when they take 242 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:07,200 their biggest Steps of Faith. 'The, we need to be a church 243 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,000 that encourages them and celebrates with them because if 244 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:14,400 you want to walk on water, you got to get out of the boat. 245 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,900 Look at Matthew Chapter, 14 verse 20, through 23 246 00:13:18,500 --> 00:13:19,600 immediately. After this. 247 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:23,200 Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat 248 00:13:23,500 --> 00:13:26,500 and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the 249 00:13:26,500 --> 00:13:31,000 people home. After sending them home, he went 250 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:34,300 up into the hills by himself to pray night fell while he was 251 00:13:34,300 --> 00:13:38,200 there alone. Jesus has just had a very long 252 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:39,800 day. If you've grown up in church, 253 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:44,300 you know what I'm talking about? If you didn't Jesus, day started 254 00:13:44,300 --> 00:13:48,400 out by him finding out that his cousin, John John, the Baptist 255 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,700 had been beheaded, he's trying to figure out a way to like 256 00:13:51,700 --> 00:13:54,800 mourn and so he tries to get away from everybody, but the 257 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,800 crowd follows him. And he can't get away. 258 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,200 And so he turns and he has compassion on the crowd and he 259 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:05,000 heals all of their sick after he'd finished healing all of 260 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:06,600 their sick, his disciples come to him. 261 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:11,400 And they say master, we are a long way away from from any 262 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,800 City. And the people here are hungry 263 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,200 and it's here that Jesus feeds the 5000. 264 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:21,000 Then after that Jesus like, hey crowd. 265 00:14:22,700 --> 00:14:26,000 You got to go and he turns the disciples get in the boat. 266 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,500 You gotta go because Jesus wanted to get a loan and have 267 00:14:30,500 --> 00:14:32,900 some time with just himself and God In Prayer. 268 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,800 This isn't really a part of my message, but just a quick note, 269 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:41,100 just Jesus was the son of God. He had perfect power, perfect 270 00:14:41,100 --> 00:14:46,600 strength, a perfect mind and he still found comfort and guidance 271 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:51,200 in prayer with God. And if Jesus saw a necessity to 272 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:53,800 it and he's perfect, how much more should you? 273 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,100 And I see a necessity in it because we will never experience 274 00:14:57,500 --> 00:15:01,200 the wisdom. The power, the blessing of God 275 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:04,500 within the absence of prayer to God. 276 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,300 So, here's a little test this week. 277 00:15:07,300 --> 00:15:10,800 Just try this out this week before you get out of bed for 278 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,600 the next week. Like, alarm clock goes off 279 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,000 snooze. I got you covered. 280 00:15:17,300 --> 00:15:19,000 Then the second time it goes off. 281 00:15:19,300 --> 00:15:21,400 Okay. Snooze. 282 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:26,100 But in between that snooze in the third snooze, prey. 283 00:15:27,300 --> 00:15:29,800 In your bed and here's something. 284 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:31,600 Here's kind of like, here's my format. 285 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:34,600 So if you never prayed before, you can use this one start off 286 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:36,000 by just saying, you know, thank you. 287 00:15:36,008 --> 00:15:39,800 God, thank you for loving me. Thank you for getting me to the 288 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:42,800 day. Thank you for coming in clutch. 289 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,800 Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for dying for me. 290 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:47,000 Just a whole bunch of thank yous. 291 00:15:47,500 --> 00:15:51,600 Then ask God to like Sears some stuff in your heart, like God 292 00:15:51,600 --> 00:15:56,500 solidifying, my mind your position like where I am in you. 293 00:15:57,100 --> 00:15:59,200 Remind me that. I'm adopted that. 294 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,800 I'm a child that I can call your dad likes ear and me that you 295 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,300 love me because sometimes I doubt it like, just have an 296 00:16:05,300 --> 00:16:08,600 honest conversation going. God, I just need you to solidify 297 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:12,000 some things in my heart. Then this is supercritical, ask 298 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:17,100 him for help. God man. 299 00:16:17,100 --> 00:16:20,600 Me and the wife we went to bed last night and it wasn't good. 300 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:26,300 And I'm going to start talking to her here in a little bit and 301 00:16:26,300 --> 00:16:28,900 if you wanted to come in and help me craft those first couple 302 00:16:28,900 --> 00:16:33,100 of sentences, I would really appreciate it because I don't 303 00:16:33,100 --> 00:16:37,900 want to have a bad day and I'm guessing that if you do that, 304 00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:41,200 it'll go well for you especially if you pray out loud. 305 00:16:41,300 --> 00:16:45,200 She's still in bed. She hears Here's you going God, 306 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,800 I love this woman. And I feel like I didn't do it. 307 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:50,400 Right? So one, forgive me for not 308 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:51,900 loving her. The way I'm supposed to love her 309 00:16:51,900 --> 00:16:54,200 and give me some guidance and wisdom on how to love her. 310 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,300 Well today just telling you these are free, okay? 311 00:16:57,300 --> 00:16:59,900 You didn't have to pay yet then you might go. 312 00:16:59,900 --> 00:17:01,900 God I got a kid. You know who I've got to get 313 00:17:01,900 --> 00:17:03,800 ready and if I don't get him ready, just right. 314 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:05,300 Today. He's going to be spun out all 315 00:17:05,300 --> 00:17:09,200 day and God I'm going to see. So and so at work and you know, 316 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,200 I don't like so and so. I've never liked her. 317 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:16,500 I don't know why you made her God, I just don't. 318 00:17:16,500 --> 00:17:18,900 But I know that I'm supposed to be a light in the dark place, 319 00:17:19,900 --> 00:17:22,000 and I know that she needs love just like I do. 320 00:17:22,500 --> 00:17:25,300 And so God, would you grant me some patients with her today? 321 00:17:26,300 --> 00:17:29,100 Just like, I'm sure lots of people are praying about having 322 00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:32,500 to have patience with me, okay? Here's what I've noticed about 323 00:17:32,500 --> 00:17:33,700 God. And for those of you who prayed 324 00:17:33,700 --> 00:17:38,700 before, when you invite God in, he comes in When you ask for 325 00:17:38,700 --> 00:17:41,500 advice, he delivers it. When you seek Him for counsel, 326 00:17:41,500 --> 00:17:43,500 he shows up. I mean, he's never late. 327 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,700 And if you start leaning in To God In Prayer, I think you'll be 328 00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:48,500 amazed at what happens. All right, let's keep going in 329 00:17:48,500 --> 00:17:52,000 the story verse 24. Meanwhile, the disciples were in 330 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,900 trouble. Far away from land for a strong 331 00:17:53,900 --> 00:17:56,200 wind had risen. And they were fighting heavy 332 00:17:56,200 --> 00:18:00,300 waves about 3:00 in the morning. Jesus came towards them. 333 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:04,700 Let's not skip over this part walking on the water. 334 00:18:05,500 --> 00:18:07,600 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were 335 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:10,300 terrified In Their Fear. They cried out. 336 00:18:10,300 --> 00:18:13,000 It's a ghost, but Jesus spoke them at once. 337 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:14,700 Don't be afraid. He said, take courage. 338 00:18:14,900 --> 00:18:17,400 I'm here. So let's start here. 339 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,300 Jesus sees the disciples struggling. 340 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,400 And he goes out to them, walking on the water. 341 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:27,800 That's how cool your Jesus is by, Jesus didn't go around to 342 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:29,200 the other side of the lake and go. 343 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:33,700 I'm over here. Paddle harder. 344 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:41,200 Put it deeper into the water. Jesus, just comes out walking on 345 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:43,600 the water and you have to think, like, what would that visual be 346 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:45,800 like? I mean, he's walking down the 347 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,100 hill, comes to the bank and then just starts walking on the 348 00:18:49,100 --> 00:18:50,400 water. What happens when he gets to a 349 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,500 wave? Like when Jesus walking on the 350 00:18:53,500 --> 00:18:56,700 water and hits a wave? Does he like like, I don't know. 351 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,000 Or does it just part when it gets to him? 352 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:01,300 I mean, these are all things you. 353 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:03,100 This is why reading the Bible, so fun. 354 00:19:03,300 --> 00:19:05,400 What does it look like when Jesus walks on water? 355 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:10,400 And then he gets there and the people freak out, they're 356 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:14,000 thinking they're seeing a ghost and sometimes we're way too hard 357 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:17,600 on people in the Bible. Because you too freaked out to 358 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,100 right? I mean I've seen some of you 359 00:19:21,100 --> 00:19:24,400 guys at Lake of the Ozarks. If you saw a person walking on 360 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:30,900 water, you be like, how many of I had they were you seeing this? 361 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,800 She's like, actually honey, I'm seeing this to you. 362 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:35,500 Need to stop drinking right yuge. 363 00:19:35,700 --> 00:19:38,700 This is a problem. And then Jesus like, no, it's 364 00:19:38,700 --> 00:19:41,500 not a ghost, it's me. In fact, Jesus in the middle of 365 00:19:41,500 --> 00:19:45,400 the storm, says three things. Don't be afraid. 366 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,600 Take courage. What's the last one? 367 00:19:50,300 --> 00:19:53,700 I'm here. How cool is your Jesus? 368 00:19:54,300 --> 00:19:56,900 He comes out walking. He says, Don't Be Afraid. 369 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,000 Take courage. I'm here. 370 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,900 So he gets done praying. He sees the disciple struggling, 371 00:20:03,900 --> 00:20:06,600 he goes out to them, walking on the water and then let's keep 372 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:07,900 going. See what happens next. 373 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:12,100 Then Peter called to him. Lord, if it's really, you tell 374 00:20:12,100 --> 00:20:15,400 me to come to you walking on the water? 375 00:20:16,100 --> 00:20:17,700 Yes. Come Jesus said. 376 00:20:18,100 --> 00:20:20,200 So, Peter went over the side of the boat. 377 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,800 I'm getting out of the boat and walked on the water towards 378 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,500 Jesus. I love Peter. 379 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:30,000 You guys have a friend like Peter. 380 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:32,200 Yo, man, if there's a, there's a party. 381 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:33,800 I'm going. There's a dance floor. 382 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:36,300 I'm in the middle of it like, hey, Jesus. 383 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:41,500 If it's really you walking on the water, I'm coming out, like 384 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,300 let me try. And that's exactly what he does. 385 00:20:45,300 --> 00:20:48,100 And I'll be honest with you that is exactly the kind of church 386 00:20:48,300 --> 00:20:51,200 that I want us to be. I want us to be the kind of 387 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:56,300 church that we see Jesus working and our natural desire is to 388 00:20:56,300 --> 00:21:00,100 join him in his Work. Peter sees, Jesus walking on 389 00:21:00,100 --> 00:21:03,300 water and his natural tendency is, can I come out there with 390 00:21:03,300 --> 00:21:05,500 you? And I want us to be a church 391 00:21:05,500 --> 00:21:10,100 that sees God moving and we go, can we come out to, can we get 392 00:21:10,100 --> 00:21:12,200 out of this boat? And can we come and be with you? 393 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,900 There have only been two people on planet Earth that have walked 394 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:17,200 on water. One is the Son of God. 395 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:20,500 Jesus Christ himself. The other one is a fisherman 396 00:21:20,500 --> 00:21:24,900 turned Apostle named Peter That's who I want us to be and 397 00:21:24,900 --> 00:21:29,300 there has to be a place that cheers for people and Roots them 398 00:21:29,300 --> 00:21:33,500 on and supports them as they take their biggest Steps of 399 00:21:33,500 --> 00:21:35,900 Faith. Look at this, spiritual 400 00:21:35,900 --> 00:21:38,300 Spectrum. We have to realize that every 401 00:21:38,300 --> 00:21:43,600 move from left to right is a is a water-walking moment for 402 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,300 people instead of getting discouraged, we need to be 403 00:21:46,300 --> 00:21:49,100 celebrating when people make these moves, for instance, when 404 00:21:49,100 --> 00:21:51,700 a person's here and they don't even believe in God, and they 405 00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:53,900 start asking questions. About God instead of us being 406 00:21:53,900 --> 00:21:57,100 defensive about them asking those questions, we should be 407 00:21:57,100 --> 00:21:59,200 thrilled that they're asking questions about something that 408 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,200 they don't even believe exists. And when they go to, like, what 409 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,800 time are the service times we should be going. 410 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:06,400 You're not bothering me. This is fantastic. 411 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:07,600 You might come to church with me. 412 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:11,400 One of these days when they go from watching online to actually 413 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:14,300 physically attending, when they start serving, or they start 414 00:22:14,300 --> 00:22:18,100 getting it to get baptized or they start joining our church in 415 00:22:18,100 --> 00:22:20,200 filling out a card. Any of those things, is a huge 416 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:22,100 step of faith. And we need to be a place that 417 00:22:22,100 --> 00:22:26,000 cheers for. Them along the way but too 418 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:30,500 often. We spend all of our energy 419 00:22:30,500 --> 00:22:33,900 trying to talk them back. Into the boat. 420 00:22:37,500 --> 00:22:40,400 We are rooting for people so often to have faith when there 421 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:43,600 here and there here, and there, here, and there, here, and there 422 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:46,400 here, and there here. And then I've seen this happen. 423 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,900 In fact, I've even done it myself that once they have a 424 00:22:49,900 --> 00:22:53,200 relationship with Jesus Christ, we shift from trying to talk 425 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,200 them, kick them, out of the boat, and have them walk on 426 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:58,800 water, to try to talk them back into the boat. 427 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,900 And I want you to follow Jesus, but don't give up sports, or I 428 00:23:03,900 --> 00:23:07,100 want you to follow Jesus, but don't go into Ministry, Man. 429 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:10,800 Follow Jesus, but don't become a missionary follow Jesus, but 430 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:14,100 don't take a different job which allows you to move or that 431 00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:16,500 allows you to invest more in the kingdom of God. 432 00:23:16,700 --> 00:23:20,800 I want to be a church. That every step of the way we 433 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:23,300 are rooting for people when they're getting ready to take a 434 00:23:23,300 --> 00:23:27,300 big faith-filled risk and you're going to be listening to 435 00:23:27,300 --> 00:23:28,500 somebody. You're going to go, man. 436 00:23:29,100 --> 00:23:31,500 I feel like I'm supposed to do this and they're giving me like, 437 00:23:31,500 --> 00:23:36,800 well, I mean, it's That's, that's a pretty big step. 438 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,300 And I want us to be a church that goes. 439 00:23:39,300 --> 00:23:42,200 Yeah, it's a pretty big step. But we serve a pretty big God. 440 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:46,000 Last, I checked men make taking that step of faith. 441 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:51,700 It might It might break you. It might hurt you. 442 00:23:52,500 --> 00:23:56,800 Yeah, it might. But last, I checked, we serve a 443 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:02,900 God who heals and restores. I want us to be a church that 444 00:24:02,900 --> 00:24:08,400 Embraces big faith-filled water-walking risks. 445 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:11,800 Here's what I mean, the last couple of years have been things 446 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:13,500 that have just been heavy on my heart that I'm going to. 447 00:24:13,500 --> 00:24:16,400 I wonder if we could and I keep adding to the list and couple 448 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:17,800 weeks, something else got out of the list. 449 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:20,700 And I just want to tell you some of my crazy ideas that maybe one 450 00:24:20,700 --> 00:24:24,500 day a group of people just like us could actually accomplish in 451 00:24:24,500 --> 00:24:28,200 our I'm in our communities, I've been wondering. 452 00:24:28,300 --> 00:24:31,500 Could we be a church that one day has 1,000 kids that have 453 00:24:31,500 --> 00:24:34,500 been adopted through families in our church that have decided to 454 00:24:34,500 --> 00:24:37,400 give kids a second lease on life? 455 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:41,000 I wonder if one day we could be a church that Fosters 1,000 kids 456 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,100 and gives them the most enjoyable transitional period 457 00:24:44,100 --> 00:24:46,100 that they can have here on planet Earth while they're 458 00:24:46,100 --> 00:24:49,400 trying to be reunited with their biological family. 459 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,100 I pray that one day, our church could take over Section 8, 460 00:24:52,100 --> 00:24:54,500 housing in all of our communities and make sure that 461 00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:57,500 people are treated with dignity and respect, and given the time 462 00:24:57,500 --> 00:24:59,600 they need to get on their financial feet. 463 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:02,400 I don't want to be a church that inside of one calendar year, 464 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:05,200 since a thousand people on mission trips because I think 465 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,400 you would absolutely change their lives. 466 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:10,200 I want to be a church that sends out a hundred people to launch 467 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,700 our next location. Who'd be willing to move into 468 00:25:12,700 --> 00:25:15,200 that area to help it become a success. 469 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:18,000 I want to be a church that raises up young and old male and 470 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:21,600 female to become ministers in our church and in other churches 471 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,100 that we would send out to be a blessing. 472 00:25:23,100 --> 00:25:25,900 I want to be a church that puts together an Government fund that 473 00:25:25,900 --> 00:25:29,400 makes Summer Camp, free for all who want to attend but couldn't 474 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:31,800 afford to go. I want to be a church that one 475 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:35,000 day sends people on the mission field fully supported both 476 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,900 spiritually and financially. So they don't have to spend all 477 00:25:37,900 --> 00:25:40,200 of their time trying to find money in a bunch of other 478 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:41,500 places. What they would know that just 479 00:25:41,500 --> 00:25:44,600 one place has their back and we'll be all the wind and the 480 00:25:44,608 --> 00:25:46,800 sails that they could ever need to say. 481 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,600 I want to be a church that finds a way to offer counseling and 482 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,000 medical services to people who are underserved and 483 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:53,900 disenfranchised. And I don't want to just do it 484 00:25:53,900 --> 00:25:56,200 at one location. I To do it at every single one 485 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:59,000 of our locations, I want to be a church that believes if God 486 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,500 calls us out on the water that we could actually walk on it. 487 00:26:02,700 --> 00:26:05,600 You know what, I think, I think you do too. 488 00:26:06,300 --> 00:26:09,100 I think there are things that break your heart, stir your 489 00:26:09,100 --> 00:26:12,100 soul, ignite your passion. What is the thing that you 490 00:26:12,100 --> 00:26:14,600 believe that God has been calling you to do? 491 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:18,100 And what is the step you feel? Are you that you are supposed to 492 00:26:18,100 --> 00:26:20,300 make? Because we want to be a church 493 00:26:20,300 --> 00:26:23,800 that cheers you on. As you make it look what 494 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:27,800 happens, Matthew chapter. 14. But when he saw the strong wind 495 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,500 and the waves he was terrified and began to sink. 496 00:26:30,500 --> 00:26:32,500 Save Me Lord. He shouted. 497 00:26:32,900 --> 00:26:35,600 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him, you have so 498 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,200 little faith. Jesus said, why did you doubt 499 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:42,200 me? When they climb back into the 500 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,000 boat, the wind stopped, and then the disciples worshipped him, 501 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,300 you really are the Son of God. They exclaimed. 502 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,300 Peter goes from walking on water. 503 00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,700 To sinking. Why? 504 00:26:55,900 --> 00:26:59,400 Because his Focus shifted instead of focusing on Jesus. 505 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:03,400 He started to focus on the wind and the waves too many people 506 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:07,800 jump way too far into this story and don't spend enough time. 507 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:11,900 Recognizing the fact that Peter actually walked on water. 508 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:17,000 He did The Impossible he experienced success but then he 509 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:20,300 got distracted, he got distracted from his Savior by 510 00:27:20,300 --> 00:27:23,400 his circumstances and you know this truth because you know, you 511 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:25,700 guys have been there before you Walk on water. 512 00:27:25,700 --> 00:27:28,000 If your eyes aren't focused on the one who's making it 513 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,500 possible. And as we as a church, get ready 514 00:27:30,500 --> 00:27:34,200 to take big faith-filled, risks, we must we must, we must, we 515 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:38,500 must, we must keep our eyes focused on the one who makes it 516 00:27:38,700 --> 00:27:41,000 possible. We not only need to focus on 517 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:42,800 him. We need to be a church that 518 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:46,200 helps people keep their eyes focused on Jesus. 519 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:48,500 I don't know if you've seen this, but I'm sure seen this 520 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:52,000 during the last couple of years, I've noticed that the people who 521 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:54,900 spend a lot of their time, focusing on Washington In 522 00:27:54,908 --> 00:27:57,200 politics. And a lot of people who spent a 523 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,500 lot of their time focusing on news and social media have not 524 00:28:00,500 --> 00:28:04,300 fared nearly as well as those who kept their eyes focused on 525 00:28:04,300 --> 00:28:07,000 Jesus. Have you noticed that that the 526 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,400 people who seem the most spun out, are the people trying to 527 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:14,400 enter a room with no spin But the people who kept their eyes 528 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:18,200 focused on Jesus, we're going Jesus wasn't surprised by what 529 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,900 we're going through and he'll get us through what we're going 530 00:28:20,900 --> 00:28:23,800 through. We have to be a church that 531 00:28:23,900 --> 00:28:26,800 helps people keep their eyes focused on Jesus, then Jesus 532 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:30,600 gets inside the boat and The wind stops. 533 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:34,300 We can forget that. Jesus has the power over the 534 00:28:34,300 --> 00:28:37,000 wind and the waves. Colossians tells us in him. 535 00:28:37,100 --> 00:28:39,500 All things, hold together. We can forget that. 536 00:28:39,500 --> 00:28:42,200 Jesus is bigger than anything we Face. 537 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:45,100 We forget that Jesus is bigger than our storms, bigger than our 538 00:28:45,100 --> 00:28:47,800 circumstances, and bigger than our trials. 539 00:28:47,900 --> 00:28:52,100 And we have to be a church that Embraces that Jesus is bigger. 540 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,000 That's the real point of the story that the people came to 541 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:59,200 the conclusion that Jesus is God and that is exactly. 542 00:28:59,300 --> 00:29:01,700 Happens all creation moves at his command. 543 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,200 And when you and I step out in faith, when you and I keep our 544 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:09,800 focus on him, the world will see that Jesus is God, that there is 545 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,900 life in him and that he can be trusted when we step out of the 546 00:29:13,900 --> 00:29:17,200 boat you. And I please God Hebrews 11 says 547 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:20,200 this. And it is impossible to please 548 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:23,700 God without faith. The old translations used to 549 00:29:23,700 --> 00:29:27,000 say, and without faith, it's impossible to please God, that 550 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,600 if you and I want to put a smile on God's faith, it's going to 551 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:32,400 require us lifting a leg over the side of the boat and 552 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,800 actually trusting him and trying to do the very things that God 553 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,700 is calling us to do. Here's what that looks like. 554 00:29:40,700 --> 00:29:44,000 There's a guy at a local treatment facility, a couple of 555 00:29:44,008 --> 00:29:49,300 years back by the name of Brett. And Brett was at the treatment 556 00:29:49,300 --> 00:29:52,700 facility and we were offering our services in that treatment 557 00:29:52,700 --> 00:29:54,500 facility through our online platform. 558 00:29:54,500 --> 00:29:57,400 And so, he started attending and two of the people that were 559 00:29:57,400 --> 00:29:59,800 working there on behalf of our church of just volunteers. 560 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:04,400 They, they started telling Brett that God has big plans for him. 561 00:30:05,300 --> 00:30:08,100 Well months later, one of those leaders said that one day, Brett 562 00:30:08,100 --> 00:30:10,900 would be leading the Bible study at the treatment center. 563 00:30:11,900 --> 00:30:15,300 And it wasn't long before that Vision cast became a reality. 564 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:18,800 It was the first time he had been trusted with something 565 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:20,800 since he had been clean and sober. 566 00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:25,500 It was a huge milestone in his life and his walk with Jesus, 567 00:30:25,900 --> 00:30:28,900 then he started attending our 99 campus and he was asked to serve 568 00:30:28,900 --> 00:30:31,700 communion at the service and they might not sound like a big 569 00:30:31,700 --> 00:30:34,200 deal to most of you but to him, he couldn't believe that he was 570 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:38,100 being trusted with this. Then John Mitchell kept asking 571 00:30:38,100 --> 00:30:40,800 Brett to serve more. He eventually became a service 572 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:42,800 leader started speaking. On stage and became a 573 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,300 contributing voice and the decisions that were made at that 574 00:30:45,300 --> 00:30:48,500 campus, then he was introduced to celebrate recovery. 575 00:30:48,500 --> 00:30:50,800 Now, we have regeneration in an incredible Man by the name of 576 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:53,100 Jim Dennis. And if you met Jim Jim Dennis, 577 00:30:53,100 --> 00:30:56,700 you know, enough. But to this day, Jim Dennis is a 578 00:30:56,708 --> 00:31:00,100 father figure to Brett, providing advice Direction, love 579 00:31:00,100 --> 00:31:04,000 and support to him, then John Mitchell asked Brett if he 580 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:07,100 wanted to move in with his family and so that way, he can 581 00:31:07,100 --> 00:31:08,900 be a part of the develop program. 582 00:31:09,100 --> 00:31:11,700 And for those of you who went on the wreck, the roof Journey, Why 583 00:31:11,700 --> 00:31:14,400 you made that possible? And so Brett became a developer 584 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:18,000 and he moved in with the Mitchells and that's where Brett 585 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,300 learned, how a Godly family is supposed to live and are and how 586 00:31:21,300 --> 00:31:23,800 they're supposed to look. And so, John became another 587 00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:27,900 mentor and another father figure and Brett's life, then one day, 588 00:31:27,900 --> 00:31:32,900 Brett was given the chance to be on staff here at the Crossing 589 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,300 each one of those moments and Brett's. 590 00:31:36,300 --> 00:31:40,300 Life was a water-walking move for Brett at that time and we as 591 00:31:40,300 --> 00:31:43,200 a church, we're ready. Cheer him on and help him. 592 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:47,500 Keep his eyes focused on Jesus and reminding him that Jesus is 593 00:31:47,500 --> 00:31:51,700 bigger than his storms, because Jesus, is god, let's just one 594 00:31:51,700 --> 00:31:58,600 story, here's another one, this is right, here is Paul Paul's a 595 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:01,500 sophomore in high school here at our 48th Street location. 596 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:06,200 And he has a younger brother Ben who has special needs. 597 00:32:07,500 --> 00:32:10,300 And this is his brother Ben will go. 598 00:32:10,300 --> 00:32:13,800 The next picture is brother Ben and his awesome wife are 599 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:17,100 awesome. Mom, Jennifer and growing up 600 00:32:17,100 --> 00:32:20,400 Paul heart broke! Because his mom and dad never 601 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:22,900 really had a chance to have a date night and time off because 602 00:32:22,900 --> 00:32:26,000 it was just hard. It was difficult. 603 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,600 I mean even if they got a sitter oftentimes they'd get called 604 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:33,300 back early because a problem would arise Paul sophomore in 605 00:32:33,300 --> 00:32:39,700 high school He had a heart and a passion to provide a place for 606 00:32:39,700 --> 00:32:42,000 kids with special needs, and adults with special needs to be 607 00:32:42,008 --> 00:32:44,700 able to come and have fun and learn about Jesus. 608 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,800 And while they were learning about Jesus here at the church, 609 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:50,400 their caregivers could go and have a date night. 610 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:56,800 So he started a Ministry called No Limits and they had their 611 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:00,400 first meeting last Friday. And there were 10 different kids 612 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:03,500 that showed up and there were 20 difference makers that helped 613 00:33:03,500 --> 00:33:08,000 him make it possible. That's what it looks like. 614 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:11,800 When we as a church, come alongside a sophomore in high 615 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:14,900 school and he's going. I want to take a step of faith 616 00:33:14,900 --> 00:33:16,300 and we go. Yeah. 617 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,500 How can we help? He didn't come to us and say, 618 00:33:19,500 --> 00:33:22,900 hey, here's a step of faith. I want you to take Because 619 00:33:22,900 --> 00:33:24,500 that's not how it works. He came. 620 00:33:24,500 --> 00:33:26,600 And said, I want to do this, can you help? 621 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:29,300 And we, as a church circled around him, some incredible 622 00:33:29,300 --> 00:33:30,600 people said. Yep. 623 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:34,000 We will make it happen. There has to be a place that 624 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:37,600 encourages people as they take their biggest Steps of Faith, 625 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:39,900 there has to be a place that helps people keep their eyes 626 00:33:39,900 --> 00:33:42,300 focused on Jesus. There has to be a place that 627 00:33:42,300 --> 00:33:45,800 reminds people, that Jesus is God, but I need you to hear me 628 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:50,100 say this, you can't encourage people from the boat. 629 00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:56,300 You can't. Too often. 630 00:33:56,300 --> 00:33:59,100 What we want to do is just build a bigger boat with company or 631 00:33:59,100 --> 00:34:04,900 cushions and a and taller walls. No, that's not how it works. 632 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,600 If you want to encourage and cheer people on as they're 633 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:12,800 taking water, walking steps of Faith, you need to be out of the 634 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:16,900 boat and on the water because when they see that God is 635 00:34:16,900 --> 00:34:20,800 providing and sustaining and taking care of you, they will 636 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:25,000 believe that God can sustain and take care of them if You're 637 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,300 going to look at them and say, trust me, you can walk on the 638 00:34:27,300 --> 00:34:30,400 water if God's in it, it's a whole lot easier for them to 639 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:35,000 hear you when you're not in the boat and you yourself are 640 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:38,500 walking on water. There has to be a place that 641 00:34:38,500 --> 00:34:42,000 believes that God can move there has to be a place that keeps 642 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:45,500 people's eyes focused on Jesus. There has to be a place that 643 00:34:45,500 --> 00:34:49,100 celebrates it when people take steps of faith, and I keep 644 00:34:49,100 --> 00:34:56,400 wondering, Why not here? Why not with us? 645 00:34:58,500 --> 00:35:03,900 And why not now. There has to be a place. 646 00:35:06,500 --> 00:35:11,800 This world needs it. And our response to God deserves 647 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:15,800 it. So I'm getting out of the boat. 648 00:35:17,300 --> 00:35:19,300 And I hope you will too. We're moving your time a 649 00:35:19,308 --> 00:35:26,600 decision. There's some of you in here 650 00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:29,700 right now. But you know, what's getting 651 00:35:29,700 --> 00:35:30,800 ready to happen? You know, we're getting ready to 652 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:32,700 have this invitation time. We're going to encourage people 653 00:35:32,700 --> 00:35:34,300 come up to the steps. We're going to encourage people 654 00:35:34,300 --> 00:35:37,100 to get baptized and be going. Yeah. 655 00:35:38,300 --> 00:35:40,400 That sounds really, really good for other people. 656 00:35:42,100 --> 00:35:45,600 And I get that. And I know sometimes we talk 657 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:48,700 about people coming up here, the steps, like, we talk about it. 658 00:35:48,700 --> 00:35:51,700 Like, it's just super-easy, and you're going Clayton. 659 00:35:51,700 --> 00:35:54,600 I'll be honest with you. That's a big step of faith for 660 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:57,100 me. I've never done anything like 661 00:35:57,100 --> 00:36:00,900 that. I'll be lying to you if I said 662 00:36:00,900 --> 00:36:03,400 it's easy. Because it's hard. 663 00:36:05,500 --> 00:36:09,000 It's hard to take small Steps of Faith like that, because those 664 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:11,200 small Steps of Faith are actually like, big steps. 665 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:14,100 Let me let me tell you what it's like for me. 666 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:19,000 So when I'm not here, I travel around other locations and I'll 667 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,400 go to these other locations for church. 668 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:24,200 And I'm not the kind of guy that can hide in a room because you, 669 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:27,800 well, you know, I'm huge, right? And so I'll be sitting at a 670 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:31,100 church service. And jarriel finished preaching. 671 00:36:31,100 --> 00:36:33,700 It'll be a better sermon that I preached and then the campus 672 00:36:33,700 --> 00:36:36,100 Pastor get up and do the plane landing and then I'll feel in my 673 00:36:36,100 --> 00:36:40,900 heart like I should I should go the steps. 674 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:44,300 And you know what? I think sometimes. 675 00:36:46,300 --> 00:36:48,100 Well, if I go to the steps, people are going to go. 676 00:36:48,100 --> 00:36:50,500 Oh no. What's wrong with Clayton? 677 00:36:52,500 --> 00:36:54,800 Did he come all the way here? So that the people at 48th 678 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:57,000 Street didn't see him go to the steps about this particular 679 00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:00,000 thing. I wonder what's going on. 680 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,900 In his mind one of his marriage is okay. 681 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:05,900 But I'll say to myself, maybe you know what I should do? 682 00:37:05,900 --> 00:37:08,400 Maybe I shouldn't go to the steps and pray, because I'll be 683 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:14,700 a distraction to everybody else. like I think I have the same 684 00:37:14,700 --> 00:37:18,300 stuff go through my head that probably goes through your head. 685 00:37:19,700 --> 00:37:21,100 And you and I found out about this church. 686 00:37:21,100 --> 00:37:22,900 At least the right kind of people in this church. 687 00:37:24,700 --> 00:37:28,900 You don't give a rip whether or not I go to the steps or not 688 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:32,000 because during the plane landing, you're not supposed to 689 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:34,300 be worried about my relationship with Jesus. 690 00:37:34,500 --> 00:37:38,500 You're supposed to be worried about your relationship with 691 00:37:38,500 --> 00:37:42,000 Jesus. I've, I've never sat there or 692 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:43,900 who stood there during invitation, and when somebody 693 00:37:43,900 --> 00:37:47,800 walked up there, go, I wonder what they're up there for But 694 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:51,000 Satan will put that thought in my head when I want to go to the 695 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:53,800 steps, my talking to anybody yet. 696 00:37:56,900 --> 00:37:58,800 You know what? You know what the heartbeat of 697 00:37:58,808 --> 00:38:03,300 this church should be and I think it is, That when we see 698 00:38:03,300 --> 00:38:04,800 people going to the steps were going. 699 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:08,000 Thank you, Jesus. That's it. 700 00:38:09,900 --> 00:38:13,200 And if God puts it on her heart, we would go up and join them. 701 00:38:13,900 --> 00:38:16,900 Put our hand on the back and let them know they're not walking 702 00:38:16,900 --> 00:38:20,900 alone. Some of you, there's nothing 703 00:38:20,900 --> 00:38:24,300 special about these steps. Nothing. 704 00:38:24,300 --> 00:38:27,400 There's nothing special about anything physical at any of our 705 00:38:27,400 --> 00:38:30,500 locations. What's special is when you 706 00:38:30,500 --> 00:38:33,700 decide to give a rip with the world thinks and just keep your 707 00:38:33,700 --> 00:38:37,800 eyes focused on him that God can do a lot with a heart like that. 708 00:38:38,500 --> 00:38:41,100 And when you decide God, I'm gonna humble myself and get down 709 00:38:41,100 --> 00:38:43,800 on my knees. But God meets you in those 710 00:38:43,800 --> 00:38:46,300 humble moments in. The Bible says that he will lift 711 00:38:46,300 --> 00:38:50,000 us up. I don't know, for some of you. 712 00:38:51,700 --> 00:38:53,900 What I'm talking about today, might seem trivial. 713 00:38:53,900 --> 00:38:56,500 But for some of you in this room, you're going and I've 714 00:38:56,500 --> 00:38:59,700 never made any move like that and I wonder what would happen 715 00:38:59,900 --> 00:39:03,400 if you made a move just a small. You just put you just put your 716 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:06,100 foot over the edge of the boat to see if it's solid. 717 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:12,000 And some of you you're going man, I I keep seeing everybody 718 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:15,800 else, get baptized and that's a huge step to make. 719 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:17,800 Jesus Christ. Your lord and savior is not 720 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:22,700 something to enter into lightly. But we want to be a church that 721 00:39:22,700 --> 00:39:26,800 celebrates it roots for you as you try to live it out. 722 00:39:27,900 --> 00:39:29,800 And some of your old man I would love to get baptized, but I'm 723 00:39:29,808 --> 00:39:32,500 not ready to be perfect yet. Newsflash. 724 00:39:35,300 --> 00:39:37,300 Judging by what my wife's been telling me lately? 725 00:39:37,300 --> 00:39:43,000 I'm not perfect. That God is making me more like 726 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:47,800 him but I am not him. And that even after you get 727 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:50,300 baptized, you're still going to fail and you're still going to 728 00:39:50,300 --> 00:39:52,300 fall short because we're not Jesus. 729 00:39:53,300 --> 00:39:55,900 But I'll tell you what, you don't have any shot at being the 730 00:39:55,900 --> 00:40:00,500 person that your family needs you to be Without the holy 731 00:40:00,500 --> 00:40:03,300 spirit in you and you will never have the Holy Spirit in you 732 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:06,200 until you become obedient in the area of baptism. 733 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:10,100 I know that seems like a big step of Faith, but I just need 734 00:40:10,100 --> 00:40:13,000 you to know, in advance. This church is ready to cheer. 735 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:16,700 You on when you make that move, And it just a few moments when 736 00:40:16,700 --> 00:40:18,500 the people around you staying and some of them come to the 737 00:40:18,500 --> 00:40:20,500 steps to the pray. If that's you, there's me 738 00:40:20,500 --> 00:40:21,700 somebody right over by the baptistry. 739 00:40:21,700 --> 00:40:23,700 They love to talk with you and answer some of the questions 740 00:40:23,700 --> 00:40:26,100 that you have to the rest of you people in the room. 741 00:40:26,100 --> 00:40:28,200 Those of you who've already had a relationship with Jesus. 742 00:40:28,500 --> 00:40:29,600 Here's what I'm asking you to do. 743 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:33,500 Would you come up to the steps today and just pray like one or 744 00:40:33,500 --> 00:40:35,300 two prayers? One? 745 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:39,400 God help me to get out of the boat. 746 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:44,500 The longer you're a Christian, the easier it is for you to get 747 00:40:44,500 --> 00:40:48,300 comfortable. And you will never grow in your 748 00:40:48,300 --> 00:40:51,900 comfort zone. You never grow in the boat. 749 00:40:52,500 --> 00:40:55,800 Never happens, takes no faith to be in the boat. 750 00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:58,500 It takes Faith to get out of the boat. 751 00:40:59,400 --> 00:41:05,500 Would you come up and pray? God. put some faith in me, just 752 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:11,300 just a little maybe the second prayer you would pray. 753 00:41:12,900 --> 00:41:16,800 It's got used my life to point people to the fact that Jesus is 754 00:41:16,800 --> 00:41:19,800 God. And I wonder what could God do 755 00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:21,800 with the church? The prayed prayers like that. 756 00:41:22,900 --> 00:41:25,400 I said we find out you stand with me. 757 00:41:26,300 --> 00:41:28,200 Heavenly Father, used this moment right now. 758 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:32,100 Use this moment right now to bring about a change in every 759 00:41:32,100 --> 00:41:34,500 heart and every life in this room and to those watching 760 00:41:34,500 --> 00:41:41,100 online, God, I know it's scary out there. 761 00:41:41,100 --> 00:41:45,800 I know it's tough out there. We got in here. 762 00:41:48,100 --> 00:41:50,800 We want to celebrate the fact that you are over us and you are 763 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:53,300 covering us and you are calling us. 764 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:56,600 We're just asking you to give us the strength and the courage and 765 00:41:56,600 --> 00:41:59,000 the faith to respond in your name. 766 00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:00,600 I pray. Amen.