Fly: Daring New Heights

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[2:00] Thank you.

[2:30] Good morning and welcome. I'm Jennifer and I'm one of the pastors on staff here. And we're very happy to see you whether you're here in person or you're joining us online.

[2:41] All the announcements for this week are printed in your bulletin. Good morning, everybody.

[3:00] And good morning to everyone online. We're at the end of our sermon series, Emerge. So in honor of that, I found some butterfly earrings in my mom's jewelry box that she left me when she passed away.

[3:15] We have a scripture from 2 Corinthians 517 that says, If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone.

[3:25] The new is here. I'm going to invite you to stand as we start with our opening songs of praise. Christ for the world we sing, an everlasting God. Christ for the world we sing.

[3:44] Christ for the world we sing. The world to Christ we bring. The world to Christ we bring. With fervent prayer.

[3:55] The wayward and the lost by restless passions tossed. Redeemed at countless cost from dark despair.

[4:07] Christ for the world we sing.

[4:37] Christ for the world we sing. The world to Christ we bring. With joyful song. The newborn souls whose days reclaimed from ever's ways.

[4:54] Inspired with hope and praise to Christ belong. The womb слowupcak' Monёл Amen it gets a grig? Christ for the world we sing.

[5:07] P Hutchita Djok unfolds, an everlasting gospel song. He is the sorrow ofbit song. ChristAh, death of light. Of light dancing looks because it is brклад nutri asta. Our soul will say he can do hisrai б tern. There is a miracle of something of something.

[5:17] Our soul will say he can do his Mile intellectual song.우�oking song KI, N.'s M. kathana wnaw. I sing z Sin amer.BERKatch with refuge in love and praise to God. Espanya Titus 517. Year de 1966 is um пока in love's Augenza. Alexander Christ for the life of always, and prayer i praise to the light.

[5:28] We will wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord our God You reign forever Our home Our strong believer You are the everlasting God The everlasting God You do not win You won't go weary Strength arises, we wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord Strength arises, we wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord We will wait upon the Lord

[6:29] We will wait upon the Lord You reign forever Our home Our strong believer You are the everlasting God The everlasting God You do not keep You won't go weary Your love You obedience You are induet God Youished ourselves Our true church cancer You are the everlasting God Who rises and wait upon the Lord.

[7:30] Wait upon the Lord. Wait upon the Lord. You may be seated. Good morning, church.

[7:49] For those of you who don't know me yet, my name is Scott. I'm also one of your pastors, and I'm thrilled to be with you this morning as we come together to praise and worship our God. You heard Nancy say that we have come to the end of our sermon series called Emerge by moving from one state to another state and how we get to that final step today.

[8:08] A final step which is about how we actually decide to fly. How we know it's time to spread the wings and use them. So with that on your hearts, I invite you to this time of prayer.

[8:19] This will be a responsive prayer, so read along, and we will go to our God in spirit. The Spirit of God bids us come. Let everyone who hears within their hearts come.

[8:34] Hear the whole earth rejoice and the coastlands sing of our God's steadfast love. We will come to rejoice in the Holy One, our God.

[8:47] We will give thanks for God on set us free. Let everyone who is thirsty for the Spirit come. Let everyone who wishes come and receive the water of life as a gift.

[9:00] We will come to rejoice in the Holy One, our God. We will give thanks for God's steadfast love. It brings us our hearts in the night, light of our lives like the dawn, and sets us free.

[9:15] Amen. Each week, we are given the opportunity to thank God for all of the gifts He gives back to us.

[9:32] There's a reason it's called an offering. It's offering part of ourselves back to God for everything that He's given us. So we ask you to prayerfully consider your gifts and your offerings at this time.

[9:45] I was lost in shame, could not get past my claim, till He called my name.

[10:11] I'm so glad He changed me, darkness held me down, but Jesus pulled me out, I'm no longer bound. I'm so glad He changed me, say I'm now a new creation in Christ.

[10:30] The old has gone as the fight. I live by faith, there is a new name written down in glory, and it's mine, yes, it's mine.

[10:52] I've met the author of my story, and he's mine, yes, it's mine. Yes, it's mine. Yes, it's mine. Yes, it's mine. Yes, it's mine. Sin had left me blind, but Jesus opened my eyes.

[11:07] Now I see the light. I'm so glad He changed me, now I'm walking free. I've got the victory. See, it's all over me.

[11:19] I'm so glad He changed me, I'm now a new creation in Christ. The old has gone as to life.

[11:33] I live by faith, not by sight. There is a new name written down in glory, and it's mine, yes, it's mine.

[11:51] I've met the author of my story, and he's mine, yes, he's mine. There is a new name written down in glory, and it's mine, yes, it's mine.

[12:10] Hallelujah. I've met the author of my story, and he's mine, yes, he's mine. Sing with me, guys.

[12:21] I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am. I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am. I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am.

[12:36] I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am. There is a new name written down in glory, and it's mine, yes, it's mine.

[12:50] I've met the author of my story, and he's mine, yes, he's mine. There is a new name written down in glory, and he's mine, yes, he's mine.

[13:09] Hallelujah. I've met the author of my story, and he's mine, yes, he's mine. Oh, he's mine.

[13:22] Yes, he's mine. Oh, he's mine. Yes, he's mine. Yes, he's mine. What I was going to share with you is, so God is the great I am, but what are we?

[13:48] And in the book, Who Am I, Identity in Christ, author Jerry Bridges answers this question by pointing us to scripture. He says there are eight ways to biblically define ourselves.

[13:59] These eight I am statements are, I am created, I am in Christ, I am justified, I am an adopted son and daughter of God, I am a new creation, I am a saint, I am a servant of Jesus Christ, and I am not yet perfect, and it's not lost on me that when I printed this out, the word perfect was the part that did not show up.

[14:27] So, I'm sorry, Loretta, go ahead. He does not have a clue, but I am not only. Here I am about you, NILLOth j registry for you, 저기 you found you, so you have faith.

[14:46] Almost all died. You are never, what are you doing? You are the one living gift. You are the two living gift. Heavenly God, accept these offerings that we give to you and accept us as your children in Christ.

[15:14] Help us to go out and do your work in the world and be the true hands and feet of Christ. In your name we pray, amen. You may be seated.

[15:28] So we come to a time of joys and concerns, and we do have a joy. Pastor Kathy is not here today. She is celebrating her grandson's second birthday, so she's with her family.

[15:41] Are there any other joys or concerns that you'd like to lift up today? My daughter and grandson are both in car accidents this week, but both are safe and I praise God. Okay, so her daughter and grandson were both in car accidents, but they're okay.

[15:55] So we praise God for that. Preschool graduation. If you don't know, our preschool classes are graduating all day today. So that's definitely a joy.

[16:07] Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Please pray with me. Dear God, we name the joys that we have, but we have some concerns in our hearts that we may not have named.

[16:24] We offer all of this up to you for your guidance, your care, and your love over everyone here. We pray for our leaders, for our country, for our church and our communities.

[16:41] We ask that you watch over our students as they prepare to take exams and graduate in the next few weeks. Watch over their families and give them peace and patience.

[16:54] God, our world is troubled, and we ask for your help to be able to truly do your work in this world, to show people the love and the kindness and the justice that's needed.

[17:13] In your name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Good morning.

[17:42] The scripture today is from the book of Mark, chapter 2, verses 1 through 12. A few days later, when Jesus entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.

[17:56] They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.

[18:11] Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it, and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.

[18:25] When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, Son, your sins are forgiven. Now some teachers of the law were sitting there thinking to themselves, Why does this fellow talk like this?

[18:39] He's blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God alone? Immediately, Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, Why are you thinking these things?

[18:52] Which is easier, to say to this paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up, take your mat, and walk? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.

[19:06] So he said to the man, I tell you, get up and take your mat and go home. He got up, took his mat, and walked out in full view of them all.

[19:18] This amazed everyone, and they praised God, saying, We have never seen anything like this. This is the word of God. Thanks be to God. Thank you. Thank you.

[19:28] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Uh-oh, indeed, right?

[19:48] There's a lot of not perfect going on today. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So let's hope we at least get this part right. Would you join me in a word of prayer? Loving God, we are grateful for this morning.

[20:01] We are grateful for your spirit and your ability to give us a moment to laugh as we continue our journey together. With our hearts open, Lord, having given ourselves to you in song, given ourselves to you in prayer, and having received your word, move among us, Lord.

[20:18] Move among us as only you can, and give each of us what you know we need. Plant that seed in us that will grow and bear fruit for the honor and the glory of your name. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray.

[20:31] Amen. So I want to start today by asking a question. How many of you consider yourselves realists? Show of hands.

[20:41] How many of you think you're a realist? Don't be shy. How many of you think you're a realist? Now, that's a few. See, yesterday, we didn't have that many. That's quite a few folks. Now, here's what I want to ask you.

[20:53] What does it mean to be a realist? You can answer. What does it mean to be a realist? Everybody shot their hand up, so you must have known what you were saying yes to.

[21:05] What does it mean to be a realist? Say again. Using facts. All right. Anybody else? Being practical. I like that. Okay.

[21:15] One more. Using facts. Using facts. Being practical. Anybody else? It is what it is. Okay. So, being a realist is usually considered a good thing.

[21:26] Yes? Because we need people whose feet are firmly on the ground. Who understand the facts. Who just simply accept something is what it is and it's not what it's not.

[21:40] And that's kind of important to do. Because if you can't deal in facts, then it's going to be awful hard to get through life. But see, here's the challenge when you come from a place of wanting to be a realist or seeing yourself as a realist.

[21:54] Because sometimes realism or being a realist is posited as if it is the enemy of faith. Or somehow the opposite of faith.

[22:06] Now, that's a real challenge, especially being here in church. Because faith is kind of a big deal for us. But I don't know that it is, in fact, the opposite of realism.

[22:19] What we want to talk about today is this idea of how you can be real. Live in facts.

[22:30] And still live a life of faith. Because sometimes looking at life through those realist eyes, looking through those realist lenses, will keep you from taking the steps that God wants you to take.

[22:46] Especially when those steps require faith. And why we want to talk about that today comes back to what we said. We have spent the last few weeks in this sermon series called Emerge.

[23:02] But going from one place to another place. Coming out of one state to the next state. What was hidden gets revealed. You emerge.

[23:12] But as we said, often time that step. That going from where you are to where God wants you to be. Takes a bit of faith.

[23:25] And if you look at your world. And you say, well these are my facts. This is where I'm at. It can be hard to take that step.

[23:36] So how do we do that? How do we get over that? How do we get past that? That's our focus today. Because no one is suggesting that you should ignore the facts.

[23:48] That's not who we are. That's not what we are talking about. But we do want you to take a step in faith. So how we break through that is our focus today.

[24:01] And we want to be very clear about this. This is not easy. We all have this problem from time to time. Even some of us who are the biggest dreamers.

[24:12] Some of us who are the biggest folks who are willing to take a step and take a leap. It can still be hard to take that leap. Especially when it's you. Now you want to see how challenging this is.

[24:25] Let's look at the story that we read today. Because this is kind of one of Jesus' biggest miracles. Most folks get it.

[24:36] It was quite the story to tell. So you heard Carol read the story. And we come to the first verse. And it talks about Jesus being back home.

[24:48] It's because in Mark, the first chapter introduces us to Jesus. Talks about John the Baptist. And then he starts his public ministry right away. So he's out.

[24:58] He's going through some of these small towns. He's worked some pretty great works already. And now he's back in Capernaum. And apparently when he's back in Capernaum, word gets out.

[25:09] And everybody comes running to the house. So there's this crowd literally just around the house. And Jesus is teaching. So however deep this crowd is, it must be pretty thick.

[25:25] Because that's when we're introduced to these guys. So we got four people who show up. With a guy on some sort of rig.

[25:37] Could have just been a mat or blanket they were carrying. Could have been rigged up to maybe a few sticks so that they could pick it up and walk him through it. But they get there. They get to this house.

[25:49] And there's this mob scene. We don't know how deep it was. But clearly it was too many people for them to just simply wedge their way on through. And even if it had been possible, apparently everybody is so interested in Jesus that they can't maneuver their way through.

[26:07] But these guys are excited. And they're determined. They're resolved. They're so resolved, in fact. They're going to take their friend. Now we don't know if this is a family.

[26:18] We don't know how these guys are together. But there must be real love here. Because you don't do this for just anybody on the street. Right? Because you got to. We don't know how far they came.

[26:30] But they took their friend. They found a spot where they could actually get to the wall. Now we don't know how they did this. We don't know if they climbed up the house next door.

[26:41] Or if they went around the back and there was a spot in the back. And they were able to actually get up on the roof. Now I want you to consider this. A couple of them had to get up on their roof. They had to get him up on their roof.

[26:54] Which was no small feat. And then once up on the roof, they start ripping through the roof itself. Now a roof in these days was probably branches and leaves and sort of things held together by mud.

[27:07] Some sort of structural rig. Right? Not a roof the way we understand them. But it still wasn't nothing to do this. And that's the point we want to get across. So they do this and then lower him, presumably right in front of Jesus.

[27:29] That's some pretty deep love. I don't know how many folk you're willing to do that for. Right? When you hear this story that way, think about what that would have taken. And that's why we get to this important statement.

[27:46] So we get to verse 5. And here's what Jesus says. When they had made an opening, they lowered the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying.

[27:58] And this is verse 5. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Child, your sins are forgiven. I want you to catch something very subtle in there. Right?

[28:09] Because he doesn't look directly at the paralytic and say, Wow, your sins are forgiven. He says, when Jesus saw their, meaning that entire team, when Jesus saw their faith, he looks at him and says, your sins are forgiven.

[28:25] That's a pretty powerful thing. I want to come back to that in a second. But consider that for a minute. That's a pretty bold gesture.

[28:38] And of course now, I've got a couple of realists in the room. Because what happens is a conversation. Pharisees and a couple of legal experts chime in and says, Well, he can't say that.

[28:52] I mean, only God can forgive sins. Why would he say such a thing? Now, Jesus being Jesus, knows that this conversation is happening.

[29:07] So he turns to the group. And he says this. Why do you fill your minds with these kinds of questions? Which of these things is easier? To say to a paralyzed person, Your sins are forgiven.

[29:20] Or to say, get up, take up your bed and walk. Now, I want to park there for a minute. Because if you're thinking about facts, that's a pretty inconsequential question.

[29:31] Right? Because realistically, saying either sentence is no big deal. Unless you really care about what you're saying. Right? To physically do it is no big deal. But to say that to a person.

[29:45] To say either thing. To look at someone and say, Your sins are forgiven. Well, if you care about the words, and if you care about what you have to say, and what you are saying to someone, that's a pretty significant thing to let come out of your heart.

[30:00] The other piece. To look at someone who is on this mat, who has been paralyzed for who knows how long, whether he was born this way, whether he became this way through some accident or some condition.

[30:16] To look at someone and say it. You're kind of like, Well, why would I say that if I knew I couldn't do anything? Why would I say that if I was being dishonest? I mean, that's kind of cruel, in fact.

[30:28] To just kind of tease him and say that. Unless something's really going to happen. It's interesting. We could say that about the get up, take up your mat piece. What about the idea of forgiving people? That's a whole other sermon.

[30:38] We'll just leave that. Okay. But, if you care about what you're going to say, then, both of these things are hard.

[30:52] And now they're stuck. So Jesus says, So, just so you guys understand who I really am.

[31:05] So there's no real question. So you get it. Here's what we're going to do. And he turns again to the paralytic. And says, Get up, take up your mat, and walk.

[31:19] Now, here's where we come in. Because, this is our critical moment. You ever notice that with a lot of miracles and a lot of great movements of God in the Bible, there's something that the people have to do.

[31:37] You ever notice that? That, of course, God does the God stuff. The supernatural movement of God always happens. But there's something you have to do.

[31:49] Not like as a condition, but there's a peace you've got to follow through on. Otherwise, you're not really acting like you believe what God has done.

[31:59] I want you to hear that again. If you don't really follow through on it once God said it's done, then you're not really acting like you believe God has handled the problem.

[32:14] So, I want you to be the guy on the mat. You've heard this whole interchange. You've seen your crew drag you from wherever you are, wherever you live.

[32:28] We don't know if they lived in Capernaum or if they even had to come from another town. You have been there as they've sort of hoisted you up, got you up on the roof and then lowered you down.

[32:39] You've heard Jesus do this sort of thing. And now Jesus looks you square in the face. Says, get up. What you gonna do?

[32:58] Because that sounds really simple. Right? Seems like it's kind of a no-brainer. But this is really where that realism, faith thing comes back.

[33:14] Because if you've been paralyzed for however many years and you think, well, if my legs worked, I would know that.

[33:26] If I could walk, I would. And these are my facts. But now here's Jesus.

[33:38] Get up. What you gonna do? As I said, there's the peace where you gotta kick in.

[33:49] God's done God's part. You gotta kick in now. Will you act as if you believe what God has said? Because if you won't, then we've got a problem.

[34:04] But notice, that's not a God problem. That's a you problem. And so, can we now take the necessary step?

[34:20] See, we all struggle with this. That's my point. We've all been in this place where God has been at work or we have said, God, I really would like. God, would you please?

[34:30] God, I need. And will you in your soul, you in your spirit, you in your heart, actually trust that God has handled it?

[34:50] Because there comes a point where you're gonna have to act like you actually believe in a God that does stuff. Otherwise, why do you pray? Because if you don't think God can do these things, if you don't expect God to do these things, what message are you actually sending with your faith?

[35:11] Is that, in fact, faith? If you don't believe God's actually gonna do anything. But see, there's a point where you actually put some flesh on that faith.

[35:23] Because you live like you believe that God is going to do what God said he's going to do. in other words, get up, take up your mat, and go home.

[35:39] Despite how you understand the facts. See, that's our conundrum, isn't it?

[35:50] That idea of where our being a little grounded in reality kind of talks us out of the power of God. God. So how do we break through that?

[36:01] That's what I want us to spend a little time with. How do we break through that? Because if we can't break through that, then we're gonna miss the point of how we actually get from that one place to the next place.

[36:13] So I wanna share a couple thoughts with you. A couple things that might help you work through a moment if you find yourself dealing with this conundrum. Okay? Now, these are questions you can ask.

[36:24] They're not a sequence. It's not like you do one, then you do the other. And depending on how this goes, let me add the fine print. Okay?

[36:35] This can happen pretty fast. Alright? So this may happen instantly because God can move instantly. Okay? I wanna be clear on that. I'm not gonna sit here and say it's always this long, drawn-out process.

[36:47] In other words, check the story we're in. Jesus talks to the guy, says, now, do this. So it didn't take weeks. And it wasn't some big long ponder session.

[37:00] Okay? However, if you're struggling with making a step, if you're struggling with going from one place to the next, maybe these things will help you. And maybe these are something you can do quickly.

[37:13] And maybe they'll take some time. But here's what I want you to think about. If you are on the verge of a change, if you are on the verge of making a movement and you feel God calling you to something, one of the things I would ask you to do if you're not sure is to check in on how have you been engaging God about this?

[37:33] Have you prayed about it before now? Have you talked about it before now? What's your connection with God like right now? If you have been engaging God, through prayer, through study, conversations in the community, if you have been engaging God and you've also discerned movements of God in your life before now, then when God says get up, take up your mat and walk, that should be a familiar voice.

[38:07] You should recognize that the same way when somebody you know calls you on the phone, you know that voice. This was especially for those of us who lived before caller ID. That was the thing you actually had to recognize people on the phone.

[38:20] Right? But y'all see what I'm saying. If you've been in prayer and God has responded to you, if God has moved in your life before, then you kind of recognize when God shows up.

[38:34] So if you already have some experience with that, you can trust it. And if this doesn't feel like that, if this doesn't sound like that voice, if this is unfamiliar, maybe you need a different question.

[38:47] So the second question to consider is this. Do I think this impulse to get up, did it start with me or did it start with God?

[39:00] Let me say that again. Did it start with me or did it start with God? Because look at the story. Now they brought the man to Jesus and they hoped he would be healed.

[39:16] Right? He hoped he would be healed. But, notice, he doesn't stand up before Jesus does anything. You follow? He doesn't just decide, okay, we're here, I'm good.

[39:32] He waits until Jesus does something. So in your particular situation, in your particular moment, do you really feel that the impulse to take the step, do you feel that the change came from outside of you?

[39:47] Did it come from God or is this just you saying it's time to move? Because that can get you into trouble. Like if you think back to when Jesus was in the desert dealing with Satan, and Satan takes him up and says, hey, throw yourself down from here.

[40:09] Remember, God's going to protect you. But Jesus says, no, that's not how this works. In other words, don't leap unless you're sure that this is a movement of God and not just something you want to do.

[40:29] Third thing to think about. is when you are ready to feel this movement, you have this impulse, one of the things to consider is what can I point to that's different?

[40:44] I mean, what's really different? If five minutes ago I wasn't thinking I was going to do this, what changed into five minutes? What's different? Check your facts.

[40:57] What's different? What's different? What's different? What's different? Now, sometimes that can be as simple as you know in your heart, however you have recognized and discerned the movement of God in your life before, you know that God is telling you, do this.

[41:15] It can be that. I'm never taking that off the table because God does that. Not all the time, but God does that. And it can be that. And if you know it in the pit of your soul, if you know it with all your heart, then that's a perfectly sufficient answer.

[41:35] But if you don't have any idea what's different and you can't say that sentence full throat, full heart, and know it's true, then maybe it's not time to move.

[41:52] Because in the story we're looking at, he knows what's different. he can point to what's different. Jesus is literally looking him in the face and saying, get up.

[42:04] That's different than five minutes ago. He knows what's different. So, in your particular state, what's different?

[42:20] And if you don't know what's different, well, then maybe it's not time. But here's the thing, this idea of being a realist, right?

[42:33] Because what I hope you get in this story is that it's not realism versus facts. What happens to us is that our facts change. Because it's not about whether God can move.

[42:47] The fact that we serve a God that moves in our lives is a fact. The fact that we know a God who can change our circumstances and has already moved and changed us is also a fact.

[43:02] It is our reality. So, you're not being not a realist. Understand your reality. Because if in your reality, God doesn't move, if in your understanding of facts, God can't change things, then we need to have a conversation.

[43:25] Because, yes, there is faith in our lives. But, if you are ready, if you have known God, if you have experienced God, then that is your reality.

[43:40] That's not an alternate reality. That is your reality. reality. So, when you are being a realist, a God that moves and wants you to move with God, is reality.

[43:54] So, it's not one or the other. It's understanding your God. Don't put it as if you have to trust facts or faith.

[44:07] There are times you may not understand all of the facts, which is why you have to take a leap of faith. In other words, you may not know how God is healing you, but do you believe in a God that heals?

[44:20] Do you know a God that heals? Because, for me, that's a fact. I hope it's one for you.

[44:31] Do you believe in a God that redeems? Or, maybe you still have something in the pit of your soul that says, well, I'm not sure I'm all the way in, and God's love can actually cover up what I've done.

[44:44] I know a God who by the power of his love sent his son to save the world. For me, that is not just simply a matter of faith.

[45:01] That is my reality. reality. And so, what does it mean to be a realist? What does it mean to you?

[45:16] Because, if you let one understanding of being a realist, if you let one understanding of this idea of living in facts talk you out of what's possible with God, think of what you will miss.

[45:34] Think of what you will miss. Because we know how this story ends. It was time for our guy on the mat to make a choice.

[45:46] Was he actually going to trust his eyes? Was he going to trust his journey to this point? Or was he going to trust what he knew God had done?

[45:59] And so, he got up. He took up his mat. And as the scripture tells us, he walked out in full view of the rest of them. And notice what the people said.

[46:13] We've never seen anything like that. What do you want your story to be? See, here's where we go with our series.

[46:27] We spent all this time talking about caterpillars and butterflies. And so, the caterpillar comes to this point. They go through the change in the cocoon.

[46:40] And Pastor Kathy explained that when they come out of the cocoon, there's a time when the wings aren't ready yet. They got to get nutrients in them, they got to stretch them out, and they got to get to their full form.

[46:53] But then there comes a moment. There will come a time when those wings are fully formed, when they are ready. And the caterpillar has to decide that I'm not a caterpillar anymore.

[47:09] I'm a butterfly. And butterflies can fly. And so now it's time to let go the branch.

[47:25] That moment hits. Are you actually going to believe what God has done? Because if you're not going to believe it, you're going to be a butterfly living on one branch for the rest of your life.

[47:38] you're going to waste what God has done in your life. It's time to fly.

[47:54] You can never be what God wants you to be if you refuse to let go of the branch. You can never be what God wants you to be if you refuse to get up off of the mat.

[48:09] Once God has said, it's time. You have to do what it requires. You have to believe that God has done what God has done and you can move from where you were to where God wants you to be.

[48:28] It's entirely possible. And if you doubt that, check with your friends here. Check with other people who know or perhaps just remember your own story.

[48:40] Most of us can look back and know that, well, I remember where I was and I ain't there no more. I remember where I went after that first change and now I'm not there anymore either. I remember where I was and now I'm not there anymore either.

[48:54] Because God does what God says God is going to do. Amen? And God has done that in our lives. Yes? And if God has done that in our lives, then why would we doubt that we can go from where God has us now to where God wants us to be tomorrow?

[49:11] Let us indeed be people of faith. Let us indeed move forward, not understanding faith as the opposite of our reality, but a God that moves and a God that does things as our reality.

[49:23] God wants to be who we are. Church, it's time to fly, to dare the new heights that are possible because God is who God is.

[49:37] Don't let that sense of being earthbound because you understand facts keep you from what God has planned. So, I want to offer a prayer.

[49:50] I want to offer a prayer that I came across that I felt was really fitting for this moment. I invite you to open your heart and just simply pray it with me.

[50:01] It's a prayer called I Believe. It's written by a man named Bruce Pruer. So, I invite you to just take a moment, pause and focus your energy on God, and just pray along with me.

[50:17] I believe in truth as a living reality, not captured in theory or creed, but revealed to those who love the truth of Jesus, the spirit of truth, the truth of God.

[50:38] Because I believe, I trust, not blindly, but open-eyed and bold, as a child climbing into a mother's lap, the truth of Jesus, the spirit of truth, the truth of God.

[51:00] Because I believe I serve, not as a slave that serves a tyrant, but like farmers reaping a harvest, the truth of Jesus, the spirit of truth, the truth of God.

[51:16] Amen. Church, trust that truth, and now it's time to fly.

[51:28] Amen. And amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[51:38] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thread your hearts as we come before the Lord at the Lord's table.

[51:58] The Lord be with you. And also be with you. Lift up your hearts. And lift up your hearts to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God. It is indeed right in our joy, always and everywhere, to give you thanks, almighty and everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, your only Son, our Lord.

[52:19] This day we give you thanks because in fulfillment of your promise, you poured out your Spirit on us, filling us with your gifts, leading us into all truth, and uniting peoples of many tongues in the confession of our one true faith.

[52:39] Your Spirit gives us grace to call you our Father, to proclaim your gospel to all nations, and to serve you as a royal priesthood. Therefore, we join our voices with all the company of heaven, and with all those in whom the Spirit dwells, to proclaim the glory of your name, forever praising you and saying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in the highest.

[53:11] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. We praise and bless you, loving Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, and as we obey his command, send your Holy Spirit on each of us, so that broken bread and cup poured out may be for us the felt remembrance of body of your beloved Son.

[53:34] On the night before he died, he had supper with his friends, he took bread, bread, he blessed it, and he broke it, and he gave it to those who were gathered there, and they were changed as he said, take and eat.

[53:51] This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance for me. He sat with them a while, then he took the cup, and he blessed it, and he passed it around, and he said, drink from this, all of you.

[54:12] Do this in remembrance of me, because this is my blood, sign of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sin. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

[54:30] The same meal is now offered to us. We gladly accept it, knowing that in any ordinary moment like this, God can be revealed to us too.

[54:42] All is now ready. In remembrance of these mighty acts, we bring before you the bread of life and the cup of salvation. We proclaim his death and resurrection until he comes in glory.

[54:54] Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Lord of our life, help us to work together for that day when your kingdom comes and justice and mercy will be seen in all the earth.

[55:06] Look with favor on your people, gather us in your loving arms and bring us with all the saints to the feast at your table in heaven. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and cup.

[55:19] Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ so that we might be for the world, the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood. And through him, with your Holy Spirit in your holy church, may all honor and glory be yours, almighty God, now and forever.

[55:37] Amen. Let's pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

[55:52] Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[56:05] For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. For those who are serving today, please join us down front.

[57:29] 세번には a neighbour, key to slavery, and the strength.

[57:48] 米 Thank you.

[58:28] Thank you.

[58:58] Thank you. Thank you.

[59:30] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[59:42] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[59:54] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[60:06] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Righteousness and freedom, my steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace.

[60:29] To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus, for my life is wholly bound to his.

[60:46] Oh, how strange and divine, I can sing all is mine, yet not I but through Christ in me.

[61:16] The night is dark, but I am not forsaken. For by my side, the Savior, he will stay.

[61:31] I'll labor on in weakness and rejoicing, for in my need his power is disqueak.

[61:47] To this I hold, my shepherd will defend me. Through the deepest valley he will lead.

[62:03] Oh, the night has been won, and I shall overcome. Yet not I but through Christ in me.

[62:20] No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven.

[62:40] The future's sure, the price it has been paid. For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon.

[62:56] And he was raised to overthrow the grave. To this I hold, my sin has been defeated.

[63:12] Jesus now and ever is my plea. Oh, the chains are released.

[63:25] I can sing, I am free. Yet not I but through Christ in me.

[63:49] With every breath, I long to follow Jesus. For he has said that he will bring me home.

[64:05] And day by day, I know he will renew me. Until I stand with joy before the throne.

[64:21] To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus. For the glory evermore to him.

[64:37] When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat. Yet not I but through Christ in me.

[64:54] When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat. Yet not I but through Christ in me.

[65:11] Yet not I but through Christ in me. It's quite a duties and also my dt.

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[65:41] Powerful words, yet not I, but through Christ in me.

[65:58] And so much in that song is so incredibly powerful. I shared a bit of my story last night with a Saturday night crowd, and I just want to share a little bit of something with you today.

[66:13] I've been a puddle for a long time. Pastor Kathy talked about the caterpillar turning into a butterfly. Sometimes the process is long, and you can look back, and you see where God is moving in your life and the direction that he has you heading in during the part of the illness that I deal with where I was maybe at 50% capacity and could no longer do what I had trained for, what I had gone to college for.

[66:40] I really was in a lot of prayer saying, how are you going to use me? What can I do at this point, and where is the purpose? And over a decade ago, I started writing a song that's never really been finished.

[66:56] I just wanted to share the chorus for you. And it might sound literal because I'm standing here today, but I meant it very symbolically before any of this happened. Fly, little butterfly, sing your sweet song.

[67:09] Before it's too late and your chance moves along, sing with your heart. Let your spirit run free. Allow your sweet destiny freedom to be.

[67:19] So we all get there, and hopefully we can shut out the spam calls and be in relationship with God enough to know when we do hear his voice.

[67:31] So we're going to finish off closing out with Awesome is the Lord Most High. I invite you to stand. Great are you, Lord, mighty in strength.

[68:04] You are faithful, you will ever be. We will praise you all of our praise.

[68:19] For your glory, we offer everything. Raise your hands, all you nations.

[68:30] Shout to God, all creation. How awesome is the Lord most mine.

[68:43] Where you send us, God, we will go. You're the answer, we want the world to know.

[68:58] We will trust you, you call our name. Where you lead us, you'll follow all the way.

[69:12] Raise your hands, all you nations. Shout to God of creation. How awesome is the Lord most mine.

[69:27] We will praise you together. For now and forever. How awesome is the Lord most mine.

[69:42] Hallelujah, hallelujah. How awesome is the Lord most high.

[69:57] Hallelujah, hallelujah. How awesome is the Lord most high.

[70:12] Praise your hands, all you nations. Shout to God of creation. How awesome is the Lord most high.

[70:27] We will praise you together. We will praise you together. For now and forever. For now and forever. How awesome is the Lord most high.

[70:42] The Lord most high. How amazing is our God, right?

[71:12] That God would give us not only this amazing worship leader, but would give her those words that are so perfect for today all the time ago. How amazing must God be, right?

[71:23] And when you think about how amazing God is. Yes. When you think about how amazing God is.

[71:34] When you think about how God can draw you from one place to another. Have confidence. Believe. When you know it's time to fly. Trust that God has changed things.

[71:47] And now it's time to take that next step. Now in the name of God, our creator and king. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our savior. And in the name of the Holy Spirit, our comforter and our sustainer.

[72:00] May God bless us as we leave to love and serve God and all God's children. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[72:12] Amen. Amen. Thank you.

[72:44] Thank you.

[73:14] Thank you.

[73:44] Thank you.

[74:14] Thank you.