Hey guys, this is Tracy. If at any time you'd
like to connect with HCV, go to hcv .church forward
slash connect. If you feel called to give, go
to hcv .church forward slash give. And if at
any time you feel called to make a change in
your life, text change me to 970 -00. Enjoy the
message. Hey, good morning, everyone. Happy New
Year. We're so excited that you're here and gathering
with us. Now, you may have noticed we didn't
have announcements today that it falls on me,
so I'm going to keep them short and sweet. If
you want to know what's going on in our community
of faith, scan the QR code. Okay, so on the back
of every chair, not every chair, but a few of
the chairs in front of you, there's a QR code.
Take your phone out. Photo. It'll take you right
to our link where it tells you everything that's
going to happen in the next four, five, six weeks
here at our community of faith and how you can
get plugged in. If this is your first time here,
Happy New Year. Welcome. Welcome home. We just
appreciate you being here and being a part of
our Sunday gatherings. If you're joining us from
home, thank you for opening up your home and
welcoming us in. So with the new year comes the
kickoff to our 21 days of prayer. and fasting
where we challenge one another to fast and pray
for 21 days. And some of you may be thinking,
well, Chris, why do that? Well, 21 days of prayer
and fasting is more than a spiritual routine.
We do it because it's a time to draw close to
God, to remove distractions and repair our hearts
for what he wants to do in our lives, our families,
our community, our church community in 2026.
See, the goal of fasting is, again, to draw closer
to God. It hits the reset button, if you will,
of our heart, and it renews us from the inside
out. Now, Jesus taught us in Matthew 17, 21,
that spiritual breakthroughs, some spiritual
breakthroughs require fasting and prayer. And
let's be honest, we all have areas in our lives
that we are in need of a spiritual breakthrough.
We may need set free from a sin. An addictive
habit being broken, a direction in our career
or relationships. Maybe it's health issues. Could
be faith to follow where God is leading. Or maybe
we're praying for someone we love. See, whatever
you are believing for in this new year, we believe
the spiritual battle was fought through prayer
and fasting first. Now, if you've never fasted
before, I always get the question, well, Chris,
what do I fast? There's different ways that you
can fast. You may choose a selective fast, which
simply means you eliminate certain foods from
your diet, like meats, sweets, breads, sodas,
whatever it may be. You remove them from your
diet, and you commit 21 days to faithfully praying
where you would normally be eating that. Some
of you may want to go into a complete fast, which
consists of removing all food. and only drinking
liquids, waters, light juices, protein shakes,
any type of thing that we can put into our body
that is not food. A partial fast, which is sometimes
called a Jewish fast, consists of sustaining
from any food during different points throughout
the day. Now, it's interesting how, you know,
the fasting has become a fad where you don't
fast in the morning, you don't fast, you know,
till noon or whatever it may be. This has been
around for hundreds of thousands of years. It's
what God wants us to do as a means of giving
up and getting closer to him. Or, of course,
there's the soul fast, which is a great option
for those people who aren't experienced with
fasting or have health issues. And that simply
means you abstain from certain things or areas
in life that get you out of balance. For example,
a soul fast could be giving up TV or social media,
apps on your phone. And let me just remind you,
if you decide to give up an app that's distracting
you, delete it. Don't try to just not avoid it.
For some of you, it's gaming systems, right?
Too much of your time is wasted on a TV and staring
at it. Then while we fast, we set aside intentional
time to seek God's heart so that our heart aligns
with his. It's a deliberate 21 days of a pause
from the rush, the demands, the schedules, the
constant bombardment of inputs that we receive
from our culture and a declaration to God that
his presence is more important. See, when we
choose to step away, And be still before God.
We position ourselves to hear what he's already
trying to speak to us beneath all the noise.
It's about allowing him to shape our desires,
our decisions, and our direction in this new
year. Now every morning from 6 to 7 in our cafe
for these next 21 days starting tomorrow, we
will gather in the cafe for morning prayer and
devotions. All of you are invited. You know,
get up a little early before work. Grab your
shower, grab your coffee, show up here, gather
with other Jesus followers, a part of our community
faith, and pray and fast for our local community,
for the nation, for the world. Now something
different this year, I felt God challenged me
to commit an entire week of 24 -7 prayer to him
this year. So starting next week, Monday the
12th. We're going to have people gathering here
in the auditorium, in the worship room, or in
the cafe for 24 -7 prayer for an entire week.
Now listen, we need your help in this. This is
a huge step of faith. We have a sign -up sheet
out by our praying hands as you leave here. And
we still have about 160 slots that need filled.
And we've heard people saying, well, I'm just
going to show up. I'm not going to sign up. Listen,
very important for you to sign up because you
don't get inside if you don't sign up. We're
going to give you a code to get inside the building.
Otherwise, you're going to be doing circles around
the building in the cold, which is fine with
me if you want to do that. But at 3 a .m., I
could see that being a daunting challenge. You
might want to get in so you can be warm. But
I want to encourage you. Please sign up. Take
a one -hour time slot and commit to praying and
believing for our community, our nation, and
the world. Now, I felt it fitting that we all
stand together and share in communion as we launch
out into this new year. So will you stand with
me? If you need an element, please put one hand
up. Our people will come around. You've got to
keep it up. If you need gluten -free, put two
hands up. And everybody is coming around now
to give you your elements. As they are getting
the elements, please bring your focus here. As
a community of faith here at HCV, we believe
that communion isn't just something we do at
church. We believe that communion is an opportunity
for you to meet a living God. His broken body,
his shed blood that Jesus shared and did for
us on the cross is a time for us to focus in,
look at our hearts, look at our minds, our actions,
our choices, and to lay down anything that's
between him and us. Any sin that has a lid, on
our connection with him. If you need healing,
I believe that God can heal your body. If your
relationships need restored, I believe that God
can do it through this simple act of being obedient
to what Jesus told us to do. So on the night
that Jesus was betrayed, he took bread. He gave
it to his disciples and said, take, eat. This
is my body, which is broken for you. Do it in
remembrance of me. Let's eat. Likewise, after
supper, Jesus took a cup of wine. He said, this
is my blood which is shed for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins, for the freedom
from sin. Drink it often, and when you do, do
it in remembrance of me. Let's drink. Holy Spirit,
come. God, silence distractions, open our minds,
our ears, and our hearts to receive all that
you have for us. God, challenge us to draw closer
to you today and throughout this new year. In
Jesus' name, amen. So when I was praying about
our scripture, and focus for the new year, God
led me to Isaiah chapter 6. This book, it is
an account of the prophet Isaiah, the revelations,
the prophecies, and wisdom he received from God
during his 60 years of ministry, which again
was 700 to 800 years before the birth of Jesus.
Isaiah is, of course, considered to be one of
the greatest prophets in Israel's history. And
these words, were recorded long before Isaiah
wrote anything recorded in the Bible. See, Isaiah
saw something that radically transformed his
life. And I believe God is inviting us to respond
to this same message in 2026. He is calling us
to a deeper commitment to our relationship with
Jesus. Long before Isaiah was a prophet, around
the age of 20, He wrote these words in a journal,
powerful words, recorded for us. Now think about
this nearly 3 ,000 years later, which leads us
to our first thought this morning in this new
year, 2026. When idols die, Jesus can be seen
and experienced. Isaiah chapter six, verse one.
It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw
the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne and
the train of his robe filled the temple. Notice
Isaiah said, in the year King Uzziah died, I
saw something. And my prayer is that you and
I see the same thing in our gatherings today.
See, Isaiah punctuate this moment that changed
his life with an encounter about a man who died
named King Uzziah. Now, King Uzziah was a godly
man until the end of his life. He came into power
over the nation of Judah at the age of 16 and
reigned over the nation for 52 years. Unfortunately,
King Uzziah got prideful, arrogant, and focused
on himself, and he lost his way. For Isaiah,
this young man who was only 20, Uzziah was the
only voice of leadership and direction that he
ever knew. Remember, 52 years King Uzziah reigned.
So from the time Isaiah was born, Until the time
this man died, this was the only voice that spoke
spiritually into Isaiah's life. Now the entire
nation of Judah would exalt, unfortunately, King
Uzziah to the point that he became a type of
idol for them. They were worshiping him rather
than God. And notice, Isaiah says, in the year
this man died, I saw the Lord. Now hear this.
In the year this king idol died, he saw the real
king. See, in the text, there's a correlation
between death and sight. Sometimes things have
to die in order for us to see. And there's so
many Jesus followers who don't have vision for
their life because there's things alive inside
of them, inside of you and me, that needs to
die in order for us to see. See, this is truth.
Ask yourself, what sin, whether it be lust, anger,
pride, or jealousy, what relationship, whether
it's your marriage or pursuit thereof, what addiction,
whether it be nicotine, alcohol, weed, or narcotics,
what habit like shopping, gaming, scrolling,
or physical transformation is in your heart that
keeps you from truly worshiping and experiencing
Jesus? See, when we place these things, or these
issues before Jesus, then we actually begin worshiping
them. We begin to make them an idol in our life
because they have priority over Jesus. Yet when
we choose to burn up or remove those things we
put before Jesus, we will start to see and experience
Jesus more clearly. How do I know this? Well,
the Bible says it. The writer of Psalm 24 asks
us a powerful question in verses three and four.
See, when we read about purity in the Bible,
it's not just referencing sexuality. It's talking
about cleanliness. Now, in the Old Testament,
when we read about purity, it's about cleansing
things on the outside. But when Jesus shows up,
everything changes, and we read in the New Testament
that purity moves from the outside in, Matthew
5 .8. God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God. And there's so many people
in the church that thought that they have seen
God, that they have experienced God, but it was
only on a surface level. So many. Encounters
with God come in crisis or a desire to be set
free from an addiction. And they're all good,
but God is inviting us to more. If we choose
to continue to pursue Jesus and we allow the
Holy Spirit to highlight these idols in our hearts
that come before him, then we can see Jesus high
and lifted up. Above our favorite app or our
game. Above our favorite team or our career or
our relationships. Even above our dreams and
desires. See, what if God wants you to move halfway
around the world? How would you respond? What
if God wants you to change careers? Would you
do it? What if God wants you to remove that relationship
that's dragging you down? Would you break up?
Matthew 16, 24, then Jesus said to his disciples,
his followers, if any of you wants to be my follower,
you must give up your... own way, your own desires,
your own wants. Take up your cross and follow
me. See, seeing Jesus high and lifted up means
that Jesus is first in our lives. He's priority.
That we die to self. We have to give Jesus the
opportunity to touch any idol that we have placed
before him in our lives. And you're thinking,
well, why, Chris? Why would I do this? Because
with sacrifice comes gratitude. See, when we
stop pursuing the things of the world and focus
our priorities on Jesus, then we will stop feeling
empty and start beginning to walk in abundance,
which leads us to our next thought. See, Jesus
desires a church that worships with humility
and gratitude. Let's continue in Isaiah 6, 2
through 4. Attending him were mighty seraphim.
Now, I want to pause there just for a second.
This is the only place. These angelic beings
are recorded in the Bible. And it's interesting,
in Hebrew, their name means fiery ones, which
means they were on fire in the immediate presence
of God. And Isaiah, remember, was seeing Jesus
before he was born in Bethlehem. This was before
he came to earth. And the ones above him, the
seraphim, were on fire because we cannot come
close to Jesus and remain lukewarm. It's just
not possible. We cannot have intimacy with Jesus
and remain lukewarm because Jesus, the Bible
tells us, is a consuming fire. So the closer
we get to him, the more we open up to him, the
more he will set our heart on fire. Jesus spoke
these words to the church in Revelation 3, 15
through 16. I know all the things you do, that
you're neither hot or cold. I wish you were one
or the other, but since you are like lukewarm
water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you
out of my mouth. Now it's interesting, Jesus
challenges us not to remain on the fence. He
says, be hot or be cold. And it's interesting,
as I was reading these verses this week, God
kind of highlighted for me, quite often these
verses are taken out of context, meaning hot
on fire or cold, not in a relationship with him.
That's not what it means. It says be hot or cold,
which means be hot on fire and medicinal to the
people and to the community, or be cold and refreshing
to those that need refreshed. But don't be in
the middle. Don't be lukewarm. Just kind of looking
at a relationship with God as church. Well, I
show up to church on Sunday. Well, I do this.
I do that. It's not a bunch of rules. It's about
a relationship with him. We have to be in pursuit
of Jesus. Now let's continue in Isaiah chapter
6. Each having six wings, with two wings they
covered their faces. Why would they do that?
In reverence and honor. And the two, they covered
their feet. Again, why would they cover their
feet? It's an act of humility. Right? We should
not come into his presence with a list of requests
and needs. We first have to come into his presence
with honor and humility. We have to open up our
hearts and be honest. And with two, they flew.
They were calling out to each other, holy, holy,
holy is the Lord of heaven's armies. The whole
earth is filled with his glory. Now notice their
voices shook the temple to its foundations and
the entire building was filled with smoke. So
as we read this, please see this picture. From
every angle, these angelic beings were worshiping
Jesus and they were crying out, holy, holy, holy.
And it's interesting, this is the only triple
pronunciation of any character trait of Jesus
in the entire Bible. Nowhere in the Bible does
it say Jesus is love, love, love. Nowhere in
the Bible is it written that Jesus is grace,
grace, grace. This is the only place a triple
characteristic of a Jesus is recorded. And you
know what it means? It means to be set apart.
It means to be different. See, Jesus is above
everything in this world. He's above angels,
he's above demons, and he's above the idols that
we place in our lives. And why is all this important?
Because this is the attribute of Jesus that can
radically transform our hearts. Radically. And
you say, well, what do you mean? See, when we
give Jesus his honor and glory, meaning that
Jesus is supremely holy above everything else
in this life, then we truly begin to worship
him and follow him. Peter said these words in
John chapter six, Lord, to whom would we go?
You have the words that give eternal life. We
believe and we know you are the holy, there it
is, one of God. The author of Hebrews writes
it this way in chapter seven, verse 26. He is
the kind of high priest we need because he is,
there it is again, holy and blameless. Unstained
by sin, he has been set apart from sinners, has
been given the highest place of honor in all
of heaven. See, when we begin to worship Jesus
with honor and we celebrate his glory, it simply
means we're placing him first in our lives. Then,
when he is first in our lives, we live a life
of gratitude. Like, doesn't it get old complaining?
Like, I don't know about you, but I find in my
life, when I'm constantly complaining, it just
gets old. It's like it just wears you down. Right?
But that's because we have to begin to see Jesus
and his honor and his glory so that we begin
to practice gratitude. For example, maybe we
pray for someone. Their life has radically changed.
They're experiencing healing. You know what that
points to? His glory. Maybe we see a beautiful
sunset or a sunrise, and that is etched in our
mind. What does that point to? His glory. Say
we appreciate. A delicious dinner and the company
gathered around the table and that food just
explodes into our mouths. What does that point
to? His glory. See, when we gather and worship
him without distractions, when we uncross our
arms and we take our hands out of our pockets
and we lift him up in his honor and glory, what's
it point to? His glory. See, all the things in
this world were given to us to point us back
to Jesus. Right? So the next time you eat a New
York strip that's perfectly cooked with blackening
seasoning and some fried shrimp and you're so
excited, give him glory. Give him glory. Because
you wouldn't have it without him. Everything
we have in this life, is a gift from God. And
when we begin to live that way, you know what
happens? God's glory increases in our hearts.
The more we see God's glory behind everything
we are given, including our spouses, including
our children, the more our hearts will become
like God's heart for his creation. And see, God
is inviting us to respond today. How? Well, that
leads us to our third thought. See, God's revelation
in presence leads us to repentance. See, when
Isaiah got a revelation of the true nature of
Jesus, how did he respond? Did he ask him for
a new car, for a new job, for a boyfriend or
a girlfriend? No. Look at Isaiah 6, 5. Then I
said, it's all over. I am doomed, for I'm a sinful
man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people
with filthy lips. Yet I've seen the king. the
Lord of heaven's armies. See, when Isaiah got
a revelation of the true nature of God, when
he saw Jesus for who he truly was, he saw himself
as a sinner before God, a broken vessel. He didn't
start begging him for stuff. He didn't say, God,
meet my needs. He broke down on his knees, said,
God, forgive me. And here's the reality. The
closer we get to Jesus, the more we hate all
the garbage that's inside of our hearts. See,
there's no way we can have an intimate relationship
with Jesus while at the same time enjoying sin,
judgment, anger, and pride. It just can't happen.
And this truth can change some of your lives
today. We have to come to a place in our lives
where we're tired of being angry. We have to
come to a place in our lives where we're tired
of being addicted. We have to come to a place
in our lives where we're tired of being full
of lust, full of jealousy. We have to come to
a place in our lives where we're tired of holding
on to bitterness and unforgiveness and negativity.
And the closer we get to Jesus, the more we should
hate the brokenness inside of us. Now, some of
you are thinking, well, Chris, hate is a strong
word. Yes, it is. But God hates sin. He hates
the anger. He hates the lust. He hates the pursuit
of money and fame. And why? Because God has so
much more for us. Jesus went to prepare a place
for us, a life that is so much better that we
could ever hope or imagine. And the more we desire
and focus on the kingdom of God, the more we
will start hating the sin that is in our hearts
and in our life. Notice, one day God is going
to create a world in which Revelation 24 says
he's going to wipe every tear from their eyes.
There will be no more death or sorrow, crying
or pain. All these things are gone forever. But
it's not just about heaven. It's not just about
when that day comes. God desires for you and
I, for the church, to be holy every single day,
Hebrews 10. For God's will was for us to be made
holy. There it is. By the sacrifice of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all time. It's done.
It's finished. Paul challenges us to hate our
sin in Romans 12, 9. Don't just pretend to love
others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong.
Hold tightly to what is good. Paul says to focus
on Colossians 3, 2. Think about the things of
heaven, not the things of earth. And notice Paul
complaining about his own life in Romans 7 says
these words. And I know that nothing good lives
in me that is in my sinful nature. I want to
do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what
is good, but I don't. I want to do what is wrong,
and I do it anyway. But if I do what I don't
want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong.
It is sin living in me that does. And God hates
that sin living in us. Paul is crying out to
God. He's desiring to be delivered from his brokenness.
He wants to be holy. And God is calling us to
the same level of commitment in 2026. We have
to stop compromising this world and allow ourselves
to understand what true repentance is. What is
true repentance? It's stop choosing sin. That's
what it means. Stop choosing sin and choose to
walk in abundance. And just choosing to walk
in abundance can cause you to hate the sin and
walk away from it. We have to start loving what
Jesus loves and hating what God hates. And please
understand, I'm talking about hating what's inside
of us, not what's happening outside of this world.
So keep yourself off social media and your judgments,
because that's sin too. We're talking about our
hearts, our personal hearts, and God desiring
to change them, which leads us to our next thought.
Jesus frees us from the power of sin. Continuing
Isaiah 6. Then one of the seraphim flew to me
with a burning coal he had taken from the altar
with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips. And
some of you are thinking, well, why lips? Remember,
lips are connected to the heart. The Bible tells
us how the abundance of the heart, the mouth
speaks. So therefore, this is a picture that
God is showing Isaiah of freedom, of salvation.
And being touched in the lips, it says, see,
this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt
is removed and your sins are forgiven. Church,
your sins are forgiven. You are free if you are
in a relationship with Jesus. So let's start
to live that way. Let's start to walk in abundance,
Romans 8 .2. And because you belong to him, the
power of the life -giving spirit has freed you.
from the power of sin that leads to death. Galatians
5 .1, Christ has truly set us free. Now make
sure that you stay free and don't get tied up
again in the slavery of the law. Paul is challenging
us not to return to the same habits, the same
addictions, the same sin, the same brokenness.
You know when that happens, you're just bored.
You run back to the old habits, the old sins
when you're bored. When you're not passionately
pursuing Jesus. But Chris, it's not that easy.
Yes, it is. It's a choice. We're all adults here.
It's a choice. It's a choice to choose a better
life, an abundant life that moves us away from
the sin that's in our hearts, which leads us
to our final thought. Not only does he free us,
but Jesus invites us to go. We choose life. Then
we go, Isaiah 6, 8, then I heard the Lord asking,
whom should I send as a messenger to this people?
Who will go for us? And see, I believe so many
Jesus followers struggle to live in abundance,
complaining that life is hard. Oh, I need that
crutch. I need it to sleep, Chris. I promise,
it's just to sleep. I promise, it's just to sleep.
Well, they use that as a crutch because they
never go. They're never sent. And God is asking,
who will go for me? Who can I touch? Who can
I use? Who can I raise up? Who can I empower?
And God is asking Isaiah this question to give
him an opportunity to respond. And this year,
I believe God is asking us the same question.
Who will go for me? Well, Chris, am I really
called? Well, Jesus left his church with the
Great Commission in Matthew 28. Therefore, notice,
go. There it is again. and make disciples of
all the nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Who will go
for me? And the only right response to the one
that saved us, to the one that freed us, to the
one that sent his helper to empower us, right?
Acts 1 .8, you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes upon you. You shall be my witnesses
to the end of the earth, which leads us to the
question of the year. This is the question for
2026. Will you go? Isaiah 6, 8 through 9, Then
I heard the Lord asking, Whom should I send as
a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?
I said. Here I am. Isaiah responded, Send me.
And God said, Yes, go and say to this people.
See, is that you? Are you willing to lay down
your agenda? Are you willing to lay down your
hate? Are you willing to lay down your judgment?
Are you willing to lay down your anger and your
lust? Are you willing to hate your sin and then
stand up for Jesus and speak truth? Some of you
are thinking, well, Chris, you're just overboard,
man. You're a little on fire today. What's going
on here? No, this is because God is calling us
to more. And the only way we get more is with
sacrifice. Listen, there's one king in this world,
and it's King Jesus. That's it. There's nothing
else. There's nothing else. Right? There's no
game system. There's no app. There's no relationship.
There's no money that you could ever earn. There's
no career or prestige that you could ever have.
It's just all about him. And the question is,
are you willing to forgive and move on? Are you
willing to give God your whole heart so that
he can use you? And listen, it doesn't matter
your age, ethnicity, gender, or background. God
called Isaiah at 20 years old. He called Moses
at 80 years old. Jesus called misfits and outcasts
to be his disciples. Church, now is the moment.
I believe this is the year where we truly see
life change in the tri -state area. And some
of you are like, well, Chris, I don't know where
to begin. I don't know how to do that. Right
here it is. I'm giving you a piece of paper.
See, at HCV, we have a partnership agreement.
I get asked all the time, how do I become a member
of your church? You don't. We don't have membership.
I don't have a giant book of 8 ,000 people that
says, hey, Hub City Vineyard is my church home.
Because it's not possible. But I do have a partnership
agreement that I'll put in your hand. And it's
steps that if you live these out every single
day, every single week for an entire year, you
will be on fire for Jesus like you've never been
on fire before. And you know what this piece
of paper is? It's a choice. It's a choice to
want more in your life. And you take this piece
of paper and notice sign date. You sign it and
you date it. You say, Chris, I'm committing.
to partnering with you in 2026 to see God radically
transform the tri -state area. And after you
sign it and date it, you take it with you and
you put it somewhere where you see it every single
day to remind you of what you're committing to.
Amen? That is partnership. And we believe that
will radically transform your life. Will you
stand with me? And listen, I want to preface
this real quick. I'm just going to mention this
right now. A lot of times when I invite you to
stand with me, immediately people shift to getting
their pocketbooks ready and their keys and their
coats. Just let them lay on your chairs. This
is far from being over. Okay, because we're so
quick to run out these doors to the next appointment
or lunch or breakfast that we miss opportunities
to connect with a living God. And I want to challenge
some of you. Okay, I stood in the back. I'm just
letting you know this. I stood in the back during
worship. And there's too many of us that are
just passively letting encounters with God walk
by us. Because we have our hands in our pockets.
We're staring at the sky. We're getting our phones
out, checking social media. This is a holy opportunity
for you to meet with a holy God that will radically
transform your life. Give him the time. Give
him the five minutes because it could radically
transform everything you believe. Now you know
every single Sunday at our gatherings we pray
a simple prayer because we want to give everybody
that gathers here an opportunity to come home.
So if you've never had a relationship with Jesus,
these words are for you. If you walked away from
God and don't believe anymore, welcome home,
come back home. God's calling you back home in
this moment. And we all pray it with you. You
know why we all pray it? No, it's not because
we all need it. It's because those of you in
a relationship with Jesus need to learn this
prayer so that when you're at work and someone
needs Jesus, you can pray it with them. You don't
need to bring them here and have Chris pray it
with them. You pray it with them. That's called
being the church. So if that's you, let's pray
together. Jesus, I'm broken. I'm full of doubt,
shame, regret, sin. Change me. Forgive me. I
believe you're God's son. I believe you died
for me. I believe you're alive today. Make me
new. Set me free. Fill me with your spirit. In
Jesus' name, amen. Now listen, you know, I was
talking about the fence earlier, right? Our baptismals
are already set up for our next gathering. We're
having baptisms after our third gathering. If
you're on the fence, for some of you, the reason
you're on the fence is because you never had
an outward commitment, public commitment, saying
you follow Jesus. You're having a relationship
with Jesus in your closet, and God's saying,
no, come out. It's time to get baptized. So some
of you need to go get in your cars, forget about
Mission Barbecue, go get your bathing suits,
and get back here and get wet after our third
gathering. Because that's your next step in your
journey to being in a passionate relationship
with Jesus. Amen? Now, before we worship, we're
going to close with worship. And like I said,
don't run out of here. We're not done. Here's
my question. And I'll be asking it probably every
single Sunday. Whom shall I send? Who will go
for me? And my question to all of you is, what
is your response? And if your response is send
me, I want you to lift your hands right now.
If that's your response, lift your hands. Say
yes, send me. Send me, God. And don't take this
call lightly. Take this call as a daily desire,
a daily battle to take Jesus to the tri -state
area and see our community radically changed
for him. Amen? That's what it's all about. Now
let's sing and give glory back to him. life for
mine either one turn water into wine please fix
my heart things inside