In God Alone

[0:00] Amen. Amen.

[1:00] Amen. Amen.

[2:00] Good morning.

[2:12] Good morning. It's so good to have you all here on this not quite as chilly morning as it has been. We do have a few announcements this week.

[2:24] Reservations, next Saturday is the Red Blazers Men's Chorus and dinner and the concert. And it's a fantastic group if you haven't heard them.

[2:35] They go from 19 to 99 and it's a group of men. So they're going to come do a concert for us and dinner will be beforehand at 6.

[2:45] Reservations need to be made for that by Wednesday. So we hope to see you all there because it should be a really good time. On Friday, February 17th and 18th there's going to be a 24 hour prayer vigil that was arranged by our prayer team.

[3:04] So there's a sign up at the back of the sanctuary. If you are overnight from 11pm to 7am you can pray at home rather than coming to the church. There is a confirmation retreat that weekend so if you come it might be a little noisy.

[3:21] Every Monday night at 7 o'clock we have small group opportunities and we invite you to come. And then Monday evenings we are bringing back the choir for a little bit for Easter.

[3:33] So we hope that you will join us and come and sing God's praises on Easter. So let us enter into a time of worship.

[3:46] Let us seek to simplify this moment. Let us slow down for a while. Let us worship leading on prayer, reflection and sharing with one another.

[3:58] By one and only. So many songs have utilized this phrase to express devoted love. This week we see that the tradition goes back all the way to the poets of the psalm tradition.

[4:12] It's a love psalm of trust in the one and only Holy One who is the rock and refuge in our midst of life that sometimes feels as fleeting as our breath.

[4:23] We put our trust in the one who indeed is holding our lives. Please join me in the call to worship. The God of all creation calls us.

[4:40] Power and steadfast love belong to God.

[4:51] Let us pray. God of our devotion, you are the one constant in life. Open us this day to see the things that hold us in their grip so that we might shed unnecessary distractions that keep us from seeing your reign on earth as it is in heaven.

[5:10] Amen. We praise you for the name of our God, holding our lives together in the days that ever will. Amen. Amen. Good morning, everyone.

[5:24] Good morning. And good morning to everyone online. I'm going to invite you to stand as we lift up our praise this morning with My Hope is Built on Nothing Less Than Jesus' Blood and Righteousness.

[5:50] I dare not trust the sweetest grain, the holy lead on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

[6:08] His own is called heaven and His blood, so forth me in the welling flood.

[6:23] When all around my soul can sway, He limits all my hope and stay. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

[6:41] All other ground is sinking sand. When we shall come with trumpet sound, all may I let in men be found.

[6:56] Dressed in His righteousness alone, all other ground is sinking sand. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

[7:14] All other ground is sinking sand. Amen. Gail's doing double duty this morning.

[7:30] So give her a chance to get back there. This song is in Christ alone.

[7:40] Christ alone, my hope is found.

[7:53] He is my light, my truth. My strength, my song.

[8:12] My strength, my heart, my heart, my heart. This cornerstone, this solid ground, burn through the fiercest town and storm.

[8:23] My heights of love, my depths of peace. When fears are still, when strivings cease.

[8:34] My comforter, my all in all Here in the love of Christ I stand In Christ alone who took on first Holiness of God in helpless faith This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save Till on the cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live In the ground His body laid

[9:57] Light of the world by darkness slain And first and fourth in glorious day Up from the grave He rose again And as He spends the victory Since curse has lost its grip on me For I am His and He is mine Bought with the precious blood of Christ No guilt in life, no fear in death This is the power of Christ in me From life's best cry to final death Jesus cleanse my destiny

[11:00] No power of hell, no steam of man Who ever got me from His hand Till He returns or draws me home Here in the love of Christ I stand You may be seated God is on the move among us God is doing great things among us

[12:00] And one of the great ways we know that that is true Is because we have so much of ourselves to give God is at work in us, on us, and through us God works through us in a lot of different ways But the way we're focused on right now Is through the giving of our gifts There are so many things in the world That need God's touch So many things that are pushing against So many things that are resisting So many pockets of need This is one way in which we get to live our faith So we're going to ask everyone to consider Dig deeply, give generously So that we can hold high the name of Jesus As we go forward today My soul find rest in God alone

[13:06] My rock and my salvation A fortress strong against my foes And I will not be shaken Lips may bless and hearts may curse And lies like heroes pierce me I'll fix my heart on righteousness I'll look to Him who hears me Oh, praise Him, hallelujah My delight and my reward Everlasting, never failing My Redeemer, my God My Redeemer, my God My trust is my trust in God alone Amid the world's temptations

[14:08] When evil seeks to take a hold I'll cling to my salvation Oh, riches come and riches go Don't set your heart upon now The fields of hope in which I sow Are harvested in heaven Oh, praise Him, hallelujah My delight and my reward Everlasting, never failing My Redeemer, my God My Redeemer, my God O praise Him, O praise Him Oh, praise Him, O praise Him

[15:11] Hallelujah, hallelujah Oh, praise Him, hallelujah Oh, praise Him, hallelujah Oh, praise Him, hallelujah Oh, praise Him, oh praise Him Oh, praise Him, hallelujah Oh, praise Him, hallelujah All praise Him, Alleluia, My delight and my reward.

[16:01] Everlasting, never failing, My Redeemer, my God. All praise Him, Alleluia, My delight and my reward.

[16:20] Everlasting, never failing, My Redeemer, my God. Everlasting, never failing, My delight and my reward.

[16:50] Everlasting, never failing, My delight and my reward. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[17:01] Thank you, Lord. Amen. Amen.

[18:06] That we need. Heather. Kathy.

[18:19] Abby's got her feeding toot out. Awesome. All right. So Abby's got her feeding toot out. And of course that Abby is a young woman we've been praying for for a long time for her cancer recovery.

[18:30] And now she's continuing to make progress. Others today. Carol. Okay. So Carol's asking for prayers for her friend Bonnie you said.

[18:46] And she is in hospice care with probably not very much time left in this particular life. So we want to keep her and everyone who loves her in prayer. Others today.

[18:57] We have a joy. We have our friends from North Carolina visiting us. They used to be members here at this church a long time ago before they abandoned us. Well welcome back.

[19:11] It's so good to see you both. So Scott is celebrating some folks who had moved south and are back visiting us again. Others today. Others today. Becky. Welcome to a joy.

[19:22] We've got intergenerational angel wings coming up this weekend. And this is where we're going to make cards for everyone. Anyone who is shut in.

[19:33] Whether it's home or the facilities. Welcome everybody. It's a joy to do this. So Becky is lifting up angel wings ministry. Our intergenerational ministry.

[19:43] And they are making cards this weekend. And so she is celebrating that fruitfulness and all that good opportunity to do God's work. Share God's love. Anyone else today? All right.

[19:56] Steve. I'll go where there's a microphone.

[20:08] Good morning church family. Many of you may know me. Many of you may not. There's a few names that I'm very proud to be known as.

[20:19] I'm the son of Ted and Pat. I'm the husband of Kimberly. I'm the father of Caitlin. I'm a Christian. And I'm a trustee at Pendleton Center.

[20:32] These are all things that give me a source of pride that I cannot even express properly. In a few moments. In recent times, Pastor Scott has talked about our gifts.

[20:45] Kelly Putney has made some devotionals that mentioned in times such as these that have spoken to me. One of my gifts is that of perspective.

[20:56] And one of my ministries is that of trustees. For many of you, you may not even realize it, but we had a flood a little while ago. After the blizzard and after all the kind of smoke cleared from that, the building flooded.

[21:10] Power went out. Not in the building, but from the city. And it caused a major backup. And it flooded our building. I mean, we didn't have animals embarking two by two, but it was a flood nonetheless.

[21:28] So I just want to put a little energy into thanking everybody that showed up and forced to keep our church in operation. As I said, many of you may not even realize that it happened. Because we didn't skip a beat. I showed up at, I don't know, 6 or 6.30 after I got out of work.

[21:42] And there was 20 cars in the parking lot. There were shop vacs everywhere. There were members of this congregation everywhere. And everybody was just doing everything they could to help.

[21:54] Somebody even stopped by after they were doing whatever they were doing. They saw the message late. One of our members right here sat there at 10 o'clock, shows up and says, Is there anything else I can do?

[22:06] I'm sorry, I just saw the message. I really want to thank Louie also. He's the eyes and ears of this church, if anybody doesn't realize that by now.

[22:20] He sounded the alarm. He started a phone tree. And just got everybody mobilized and aware of the situation so that they were in a position to help. And then the aftermath, right?

[22:33] Everybody always comes to the emergency, right? You have a death, you have a this, you have a that. Everybody's right there. And then after it's over, it kind of, whoosh. It's like, where'd everybody go? But that didn't happen here.

[22:44] Our fellow trustees and even some of our church members, our youth came in big. We would have had a big expense to have all the carpets cleaned and everything that got wet.

[22:56] And what did they do? They cleared out all the room so that we could air everything out. And then they went in afterwards and they cleaned all the carpets for us. Joe Bull was critical in that, instrumental in that.

[23:07] But where would we be without the Bull family in general, right? And the Kim Kubiak and Mr. Adrian and Ms. Adrian. They didn't ask. They just mobilized and got it done.

[23:19] And when we support each other in our ministries, it's really just taking that hand of God and extending it that much further.

[23:29] This is our home base for so much good. And this building is where all of that makes it possible. It's not any less of a ministry. It's not as noticeable, but it's not Sandy being reaching out, feeding everybody.

[23:46] It's not the Good News Band, you know, bringing us joy just from their music. But none of that is possible if we don't take care of this building and have that kind of support. So I guess the perspective that I want to leave us with here today is that if we could put that same kind of support and energy into every day as we do into a time of crisis, just imagine what that would feel like.

[24:13] It brings me a lot of joy just thinking about it. So thank you for giving me this moment. And thank you for everybody who helps. Thank you. Knowing that we are part of a larger body is indeed a gift because everything feels like it's too big when it's just you.

[24:38] But that's the way God built us, that we would all come together with individual gifts. We would all come together with individual talents. And so much would happen because we are indeed the body of Christ.

[24:51] And the way we mobilized in response to that crisis was something to see. Steve's point is well taken. That's how we handle everything that's in front of us. God is the spirit that drives us. But then we come together as the body of Christ.

[25:05] It's a very powerful thing. Let that inspire you. Let that sink in for what we can do with God at the core and all of us working together. Now with all that in front of us, let's come together in prayer.

[25:17] Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Let's pray. Loving and gracious God, we know that you are indeed the source of all things.

[25:32] In you there is life. Without you we would not be able to experience any of these great gifts. That you knew us before we understood ourselves.

[25:44] Before we would set one foot in your creation. You knew us. Lord God, you are indeed the source of life. Not only are you the source of life in that sense, but you are the source of life for when the world feels big and too much.

[26:02] When our problems start to get inside our heads. When others start to work under our skin. When the enemy works in our spirit and things feel simply too much to bear.

[26:15] It is you who are the source of life. In you there is hope. That we know we need not abandon those things that you have put on us to do.

[26:25] When things seem to be so dark, so cynical, so bad. Your truths rest in our heart. Your light shines into our spirits.

[26:37] Your words ring in our ears and we know that you are the source of our hope. When we think of the source of our joy. That you are the one who has given us promise after promise.

[26:51] You are the one who has been there time after time. You are the one who has made a way when there seemed to be no earthly way. And in that connection, in that love, in that relationship is the source of our joy.

[27:06] That in you we find our salvation. That we are not capable of saving ourselves. That we choose self over you day after day.

[27:18] Lord God, help us to set that aside and to live from that place where we know that it is your grace. Your love that has made the way for us to know salvation.

[27:29] You are the source. It is not our works. It is your grace. It is your love that saves us. And Lord God, when we think of all that would overwhelm us.

[27:42] When we think of all, we would see all the different ways we could be at work in your name. All the things that would seek to break our hearts and break our spirits.

[27:56] You are the source of our strength. Almighty in God. You are the one who sees us through. You are the one who keeps us moving forward.

[28:08] You are the one who does what the world says can't be done. So in these individual situations we have named. Where people are coming to the end of their lives.

[28:21] Where people are overwhelmed because of problems in their bodies. You continue to show us that there is possibility. That there is hope.

[28:33] That there is health and healing. That there is love. That there is safety. All of it flows only from you. So Lord, we keep our eyes to you.

[28:46] Not on the things of the world, but to you. We keep our hearts focused on you. Not on those things that the world promises will satisfy, but you and you alone.

[28:57] Lord God, you are the one. Let us hold that fast and close. Because in you is our true source of all that matters.

[29:10] In Jesus' most holy name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[29:22] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[29:32] Amen. Amen. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. I didn't pick this day. This just kind of happened for me to be up here again. I just want to say this. Thanks, Steve. And I love this church.

[29:43] You know why I love this church? It's because of all you guys. It's great. This is a great church. I love this church. All right. Today I'm going to be reading from Psalm 62, verses 5 through 12.

[29:59] I hope that's the first one. Yes, my soul, find rest in God. My hope comes from him. Truly, he is my rock and my salvation.

[30:12] He is my fortress. I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God. He is my mighty rock, my refuge.

[30:22] Trust in him at all times, you people. Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Surely the low-born are but a breath, the high-born are but a lie.

[30:35] If weighed on a balance, they are nothing. Together they are only a breath. Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods.

[30:46] Though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard. Power belongs to you, God.

[30:59] And with you, Lord, is unfailing love. And you reward everyone according to what they have done.

[31:11] The second half of the reading is from Mark, chapter 1, verses 14 through 20. After John the Baptist was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.

[31:29] The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news. As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.

[31:47] Come, follow me, Jesus said, and I will send you out to fish for people. At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John in a boat preparing their nets.

[32:05] Without delay, he called them. And they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. This is the word of our Lord. Thanks be to God.

[32:15] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[32:27] Will you pray with me, please? God, graciously grant that your word may be inscribed on our hearts.

[32:39] As we listen and receive your words, may our hearts be filled with love and reverence for you. Cause us to go out and bear the fruit of the Spirit and live in holiness, diligently following you.

[32:51] God, may it please you to use us to lead those who are lost, wandering, and confused to the way of truth. All of this we pray for the honor and glory of your name.

[33:04] Amen. So how many of you have heard the saying, if you're going to trust one person, let it be yourself. Or the only person you can really rely on is yourself.

[33:18] There are certainly times when we all feel that way. We feel the struggle. We feel the loss. We have doubts. We want that security, that knowing. The trauma that affects our lives.

[33:30] We want control. Sometimes it's that feeling of, we got this. We know how to do it better. We don't need anyone. That's me.

[33:41] I like to be in control. There's a part of me that likes everything lined up neatly. That once I have that plan either in my head or on paper, that is the way things should go.

[33:55] I don't like those last minute changes or the feelings of not being prepared. It's that not knowing that sends my heart racing. So Psalm 62 was written by David, who was on the run, being tormented by people.

[34:11] Some of those people were people who had been supporting him, caring for him. But now we're plotting not only to overthrow him as king, but they were plotting his death.

[34:24] I think very few of us have ever been in such desperate circumstances as that. But David wrote Psalm 62 to show us how to handle times when we don't know where to turn, when we feel like we're the ones under attack or that we can't seem to do everything right.

[34:44] Your life can be going along smoothly. Your job could be satisfying. Your friends and life and family are happy and enjoyable. Your goals, your finances, your health, your outlook seems bright.

[34:58] Then all of a sudden, life throws you a curveball. You or somebody you love get sick. You lose your job. A friend or family member betrays you.

[35:09] The things that you felt secure in all of a sudden feel shaky and uncertain, like that sand. Your life is turned upside down. Several years ago, I was working and I started to feel tired.

[35:24] I began to have fevers and my body hurt. It really ached. And I talked to my doctor who insisted that my anemia and being overweight was the cause of all of my problems.

[35:38] And then I began to have more issues and I began to feel foggy and I had trouble thinking of words. And still he insisted that it was nothing. Until the day I woke up and I couldn't move.

[35:50] I couldn't get out of bed. I didn't know what to do or where to turn. And my doctor still kept insisting that it was my weight that caused my body not to move.

[36:02] And so I ended up in the hospital and he found another doctor. And after years, a couple years of testing, we found out that I have lupus. Lupus is a disease that occurs when your body's immune system attacks your own tissues and organs.

[36:18] The body that God gave me was rejecting itself. It's a scary diagnosis. And one certainly that I had to learn to take to God.

[36:31] I had that strong foundation. But it was feeling a little shaky at that point. Life is not predictable. Our best laid plans somehow never turn out just right.

[36:45] And when times are so good, it's so easy to turn to God and say thank you. But when those times get difficult, it's even more important for us to learn to trust God.

[36:58] God's unchanging character gives us a firm foundation when things start to feel shaky or unsteady or uncertain. But how do you trust that God is good in these circumstances?

[37:11] How do you trust when you don't understand what's happening? When you can't see a resolution to your problems? And these are all valid questions.

[37:22] And God helps us to navigate through them. To trust God is to believe in the reliability, the truth, and the ability and strength of something.

[37:34] So when it comes to trusting God, that means believing in God's word. God's ability. God's strength. The fact that God always keeps his promises even when we don't.

[37:47] God loves each and every one of us and has good things in store for us. And trusting in God means believing that what God tells us about the world around us is true.

[38:01] Trusting in God is more than that feeling. It's that choice to have faith. Even when your feelings or your circumstances would have you believing something different.

[38:15] Right? We all know that our feelings and our circumstances matter. And they're worth paying attention to. But they can change like that. Those feelings alone are not reliable enough to base your life on.

[38:31] God, on the other hand, doesn't change. God has been the same yesterday, today, and will be tomorrow. And therefore, God is so worthy of our trust.

[38:43] Trusting God isn't about ignoring your feelings or the reality of the world around us. It's not pretending to be everything. That everything is okay. When it isn't.

[38:55] Trusting God is living a life of belief and an obedience to God. Even when it's difficult. It's about centering our life on Christ. Building that strong foundation.

[39:07] So that when the winds blow or the storms of our life get rough. We have that foundation. We have that rock. And we can return to Christ.

[39:17] Maybe there's something or someone that's tormenting you. Maybe you're tormented by inner fears or failures or illnesses. We often look around for answers when things have gone wrong.

[39:33] I read somewhere that there's a place near Colorado Springs where there's a group of unusual rock formations. And they've been given a unique name. These rocks are known as the Garden of the Gods.

[39:46] Kind of a strange name. But that name could well represent the nature of us in this world. John Calvin once said that the human heart is an idol factory.

[39:59] Within the heart, men seek to set up rival gods to the one God of the universe. The human heart is at the heart of the matter concerning who will be the God in your life.

[40:11] We used to ask, is there a God? And now I hear people asking which God works better for me. Most people are seeking a convenient God.

[40:23] A God who does not change them, but simply makes them feel better. The comedian W.C. Fields was once caught reading a Bible in his dressing room.

[40:35] And he was known for his vulgar behavior and constant drinking. And he was not a spiritual man. And the person who came upon him when he was reading the Bible said, Why are you reading that Bible, W.C.?

[40:47] And W.C. Fields responded, I'm looking for loopholes. Just looking for loopholes. So are a lot of people. Psalm 62 is for us, for those who yearn for that stability, for that rock, for that security, for that peace and that understanding, knowing that God is there.

[41:10] As some of you know, a few months after I started here, my aunt was killed in a car accident. My grandmother had passed not long before, and my aunt was engaged, and her wedding had to be postponed due to COVID.

[41:26] She was finally in a place of happiness after so many years, and I was mad that God took her because our last interaction was not so good. I went to her funeral in California, and her fiancé's son is a pastor, and he did the service.

[41:44] And he encouraged us to be mad at God, to scream, to yell at God that it was okay. He encouraged us to pour out our hearts to God.

[41:56] And why not? We could never take sanctuary in a God that we could not trust with our deepest fears and our anxieties, our doubts, and our dark thoughts.

[42:08] And for God to shelter us, he needs to know us, he needs to hear from us. What makes us mad? What makes our need of divine refuge?

[42:20] We are encouraged not to hold back, not to deny our deepest yearnings or feelings, for that need that's inside of us that feels that it has to pretend that all is sunny and well with our souls, for the need inside of us that feels that it has to pretend that nothing's wrong.

[42:41] Give it to God. Divulge it all to God. God can take it. God knows what's in our deepest thoughts and the very depths of our hearts.

[42:52] He just wants us to share it with him. And when we get the sense that God understands that God is sheltering all of us, it takes on new meaning because we realize that God is there as our foundation and he holds the answers to help us.

[43:13] The psalmist questioned about his problems, can anyone trust God? Can anyone take refuge in God in the face of all that's happening in this world?

[43:25] And the answer is yes, especially at our worst times because the only thing that truly offers us refuge is God. When difficult things happen to us, it's so easy to say, I don't deserve this or it wasn't fair.

[43:44] But what if we submitted to God? What if we listened to his promises and really take them to heart? What if we humbly went to God when we feel like we're under attack?

[43:55] What if we truly acted like God was our rock, our strong foundation? God will not crumble. He will not fail. Take a look at the world around you.

[44:09] He has set reminders for us in creation of his strength. Look at the rocks, the symbol that God surrounds us, and he is oh so strong, are everywhere in nature.

[44:23] When we look at the world, we see so many things that aren't right. We have inequality, injustice, poverty, violence, the lack of concern for the poor and the oppressed.

[44:36] Economic and political powers are too often corrupt, and the powerful abuse those that they see as weak. We dream of a world of justice where all is made right.

[44:48] In the Old Testament, that vision of a world made right was focused on the coming of the Messiah. And our reading from Mark today, it's one of my favorite stories.

[45:03] Jesus is beginning his ministry. Simon and Andrew are hard at work throwing their nets into the lake, and Jesus showed up. What did he want with them? What should they do?

[45:14] Should they offer him some fish? Should they introduce him to their employees? If he was the Messiah, should they buy swords, lead a protest for justice, or cry Hosanna to the king?

[45:27] And Jesus gives them a simple command. Come and follow me. It sounds simple, but he wasn't just asking them to take a walk around the shore.

[45:38] He was inviting them to become his disciples, to give everything up and follow him. And they did. They dropped everything. They took nothing with him and followed Jesus.

[45:52] For three years, they walked, they ate, they slept with him. They watched, they listened, and they asked questions. And Jesus taught them. He challenged them when they got out of line and encouraged them when their faith was weak.

[46:06] When they were ready, he sent them out to do what he did. They trusted in him. They had no stories about what he had done ahead of time.

[46:18] This was at the very beginning. They trusted in him. If you trust someone, you feel comfortable being honest with them about anything.

[46:29] God is much more reliable than even our most trusted friend. When things feel difficult, God doesn't ask us to keep those feelings to ourselves because God loves you.

[46:45] He loves each and every one of you. You can show your trust in him by talking about your feelings and your circumstances, going to him with your pain, the good and the tough and the hard through prayer.

[47:00] Don't let your emotions rule your life. Take them to God so he can help you address them. God's not disappointed or frustrated by your struggles, your doubts, your pain.

[47:13] God cares about you and you can trust that if you go to him with those things, he will help. When you trust, you go to God and the word and the life is hard.

[47:26] You act on obedience and you trust that everything will ultimately be handled. When you trust something, you don't look for security in other things. You look to God to hold you securely in his hands through those difficult circumstances.

[47:45] And we don't do this perfectly. Nobody is perfect, but God is kind and he's loving and he's patient with us while we learn to trust in him.

[47:58] Even Jesus himself felt overwhelmed with what was before him. And who did he go to? He went straight to his father. God cares for our hurts.

[48:09] He pays attention. How comforting it is to know that the God, the creator of all of the universe, is paying attention to us.

[48:19] each one of us. God is for us and when you know that, it will strengthen your trust in him during those times of hardship and the unknown.

[48:32] We talk about discipleship today and sometimes discipleship is reduced to completing a course of study or signing up to serve in the church. Well, those programs and those plans can be good, but discipleship is really about walking with Jesus, building that relationship.

[48:52] Disciple studies in the Bible. Disciples listen for direction. A disciple talks with Jesus, prays for miracles, stretches their ability, and talks to God about life experiences.

[49:06] A disciple looks to see where God is working in the family, in the church, in the school, in workplaces, in the community, and joins Jesus. When Jesus called Andrew and Simon to follow his disciples, they were immediately all in.

[49:23] They left their nets, jumped out of their boat on the shore to follow him. And why did these fishermen leave their nets to follow Jesus? They longed for the Messiah and they believed that Jesus might be the one, but they wanted more.

[49:39] They wanted their lives to count for something. We all want our lives to count for something and sometimes it's hard to figure out how we can have a lasting impact. Few of us will be publicly recognized for doing great things or changing the courses of history.

[49:56] So how can we make our lives count through Jesus? Jesus called Andrew and Simon Peter to leave their nets to accept a unique role in the kingdom of God.

[50:08] He called them to be in community together. And he calls us. You are not facing these difficult times alone. Christ is walking with us every step of the way.

[50:21] But he also gives us those others to walk with us to help us build a better relationship with him. So when you're struggling and you don't know where to turn, share those concerns with another follower of Jesus who you trust.

[50:40] Someone who knows God's words and you don't have to share those struggles with everyone but find those people who will encourage you and share the truth with you and not tell you just what you think you want to hear.

[50:55] Fellow believers can remind you of God's character through encouragement and accountability. They can pray for you and support you. They can remind you of the truth that God is bigger than your circumstances.

[51:09] Difficult times may feel like they last forever but those are temporary. God is present amidst the bad times as well as the good. He is always and ever faithful.

[51:22] God wants you to go to him with your circumstances, to spend time with him and not let those circumstances shape your relationship with God.

[51:33] These simple practices will help you see God outside of those difficult things. It establishes that trust in your heart. It will help those times seem like they don't last forever.

[51:48] God is present all the time. He is always faithful. He is our one and only place to take all of our worries. And God truly does hold our lives.

[52:01] And finally, God calls us to give thanks. He is always working in our lives and in the world and at the moments when everything appears to be falling apart, it can be hard to see how God is at work.

[52:14] But know that his mercy is constant. Giving thanks fights the lie that everything in life is horrible, even in tragic circumstances. There will be light and love and grace.

[52:27] You just have to look for it. God is present and is making himself known. You only have to look. Trust in God as you look for him in times where it feels dark and heavy.

[52:42] Because when he's not carrying you, he may be dragging you. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. As we consider how deeply we are loved by God, one of the ways we know that love, one of the ways we experience that love and remember it is coming to the table.

[53:17] Let's ready our hearts as we come to the table of grace. Holy and living one, we gather to break this bread once again. And as we do so, Lord, we ask that you would break us open.

[53:29] Break us open to your love, to your peace, to your presence, and to your transformative power. We are all invited to this table.

[53:45] The world would often have us feel separated from God. Yet we know that God continues to hold us and hold us tenderly. One way God invites us to remember that loving and grace-filled embrace is to focus on Christ's sacrifice.

[54:05] As a response to God's invitation, let go of all that separates you from God today. Take a few moments in silence. Consider some of the ways that you're aware that you have separated yourself from God and confess those to him now.

[54:22] Amen. Hear this good news.

[54:41] God died for us while we were yet sinners. And that proves God's love for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

[54:55] Glory to God. Amen. The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. And with them all the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.

[55:06] And with joy to get our thanks and praise. It is right and a good and joyful thing. Always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth.

[55:18] The one who draws us near. The one who alone is our source. And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn.

[55:31] Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

[55:45] Hosanna in the highest. Holy are you and blessed is your son, Jesus Christ. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the spirit.

[56:06] And on the night in which Jesus gave himself up for us, he took bread, he gave thanks to you, he broke the bread, and he gave it to his disciples.

[56:17] He said, take and eat. This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, he gave it to his disciples, and he said, drink from this, all of you.

[56:36] This is my blood, sign of the new covenant which is poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sin. Every time that you drink it, do so in remembrance of me.

[56:49] And so in remembrance of these, your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ's offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

[57:05] Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts of bread and cup. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ redeemed by his blood.

[57:23] By your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other and one in ministry to all the world. until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

[57:35] Through your Son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit and in your Holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty God, now and forever. Amen. And now let us pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray.

[57:50] Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

[58:08] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For that is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

[58:18] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[58:51] 61 Helping serve, please come forward..'" Ukraine hunter Thank you.

[59:26] Thank you.

[59:56] Thank you.

[60:26] You don't have to feel worthy. You don't have to have done anything special. This is Jesus' invitation to you, rooted in his love and his grace, not in anything special you have done.

[60:37] You don't have to be a member. You don't have to have said any magic words. You just have to simply want to commune with God. To do so, we ask you to use the center aisle. Come to the front. A server will hand you a piece of bread.

[60:49] You move to the cup. Dip that into the cup and take both elements together. You can then exit by the side aisles. If you'd like to offer a time of prayer at the altar, you can go to the prayer station on the far side.

[60:59] There is a gluten-free station here on this side of the sanctuary, if that is your need or your preference. Also, you can ask for prepackaged elements. We ask that you receive them from a server because communion is a gift and should be received, not taken.

[61:14] As the spirit calls, please respond. Come, the Lord asks. Appausualization.

[61:53] Amen. Amen.

[62:53] Amen. Amen.

[63:53] Amen. Amen.

[64:53] Amen. Amen.

[65:53] Amen. Amen.

[66:53] Amen. Amen.

[67:24] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[67:35] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. We put our trust in a God that is holy. We're bringing out a song that we've sung for many, many years, but as a little reminder, this is a call and response song.

[67:51] So the guys are going to lead, we're going to follow, and then at one point you'll probably recognize or it splits and the women have a part and the men have a part.

[68:02] Sing whichever part you want, but follow along. And if you're not quite familiar with this because you're newer to this church, we get a second time around. So this is called You Are Holy Prince of Peace.

[68:15] You are holy. You are mighty. You are mighty. You are mighty. You are worthy. You are worthy. You are worthy. You are holy. You are worthy. You are worthy. You are worthy.

[68:26] You are worthy. You are worthy.

[68:39] You are worthy. You are mighty You are worthy Worthy of praise I will follow I will listen I will love you All of my name Before You are King You are mighty God You are everything In my world In my world Before You are Thank You And I will sing And I will sing Indeed You are great Forever you are ancient and great You are an omega-beginning and end

[69:43] I say you're Messiah, redeemed for Him You're a place of peace And I will live my life for you You are holy You are holy You are mighty You are worthy You are worthy Worthy of grace I will follow I will listen I will love you All of my name All of my name You are Lord of glory You are worthy of me You are mighty God Lord of everything

[70:44] You're a master of value You are the great I am You are the prince of peace Who is the Lamb You are the King You are my spirit of grace You are great You are great forever You are ancient and great You are ever And a joy in our world You are my spirit of grace You are my spirit of grace You are the Messiah, redeemed for Him You are my prince of peace You are my prince of peace And I will live my life for you You are my prince of peace You are my prince of peace And I will live my life for you God is our rock Our sword, our shield

[71:45] He is holding us in the palm of His hands Now go in the knowledge that God is holding your life Even as we hold each other You are not alone And you are oh, oh, so loved Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen

[72:45] Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen Thank you.