Serving Makes a Difference

[00:00:01] Speaker A: Thanks for tuning in to the Met Church podcast. Here at the Met, we are all about connecting people to God and one another. If you have any questions or want more information about what's happening here at the church, then head to our [email protected], dot. We would love to stay connected with you throughout the week through social media, so be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Now. Enjoy the message. [00:00:25] Speaker B: Good morning. I love a reset. How about you? I love a good time that we get to start some things over, recalibrate, re look at the way we're doing our lives, maybe even reinvent some things. Pastor Bill has been taking us through our reset series. We've talked about reset your Sundays. If you can be here, be here. If you're watching online, we're glad you're watching online. But if you can be here, come be with us in the building. Come be a part of what's going on here. At the Met last week, he talked about resetting your schedule, being sure you have margin, things around you that you're gonna be able to pull off, all that God wants you to pull off, that you're not just doing good things, you're doing the best things. You're not just doing the urgent things, the people who call you in a crisis, but maybe that you're spending some time doing the important things. My family has taken this on, this whole reset thing. My daughter and her husband Caleb and our two little baby girls. She called me and said, tell pastor Bill I am inspired. We are. We are resetting. We're going to start getting up at 05:00 a.m. this was two weeks ago. Now, I don't know if this actually happened or not, but this is what she said. We're going to start getting up at 05:00 a.m. we're going to start reading our bibles, having our devotional time. We're going to work out. We are going to food prep. We're going to eat really good. We're resetting. We're letting go of all of those things that we do not need to be doing. I said, good for you. Go now. My son and my husband decided to quit their dogs and get new jobs. Okay? Can I just tell you, we're all going a little bit crazy on that. They're evaluating their lives and decided they loved their jobs. This is like broadcast, right? They loved their jobs. It wasn't that they just decided they wanted to be in a different environment and maybe in a place where God could be using them for something new. God does that, right? He gets us uncomfortable. Bill talks about that, you know, in the nest, the mama eagle's getting it just a little prickly. So that baby wants to get out. God does that in our lives, too, right? He starts going, I think I want you somewhere else. I know you've been here for a really long time and you are comfortable, but I've got something else ahead for you. And here's what I know. When God calls us to something and it's scary sometimes it's really scary, isn't it? Because the comfortable seems to be a little better than the unknown, right? But when we say, okay, God, I'm going to trust you. I don't even know what this looks like, lord, but I can tell. My physical health is not great. My mental health is not great. My spiritual health is not great. So, God, I want to reset. I want to stop. I want to recalibrate everything to you and you show me the things I need to let go of, the things that I need to add. Today it's going to be talking about serving. What does that look like? To serve. To serve those around you. Maybe it's your home, your family, your work, your church. You got a little flyer inside your bulletin today to consider some things that's serving in your church. I hope you would consider that, too. But it's not just about that. It's about having a life of service. Because that's what Jesus did, and that's what he is going to call us to do. Early in my ministry, I met this fabulous woman. You guys may know of her. Her name is Tilly Bergen and she is head of Arlington mission. And Tilly is 87 now. When I met her, she was about 60. And I was like, when are you going to retire? And she was like, never. I'm like, yeah, right. Well, guess what? It's never. She's still going at 87. She gets up at three in the morning. She's the first one there. She puts on the coffee and she stays till nine at night. She may nap in there, I'm not sure. She hasn't told me that. But she goes all day long. And what started for her serving people has turned into this ministry that serves millions of people. You wouldn't believe what all that she was able to do because of her forethought of listening to God's call. She didn't know what it was going to be. She had been on the mission field in Korea and she was teaching English as the second language there. She came back with her young kids and her husband and felt like God was calling her to continue that ministry. She got hired by a church in the area, and they told her, hey, we need help with outreach. Can you help us with outreach? Reaching out to people who are coming to the church that need help with things? And Tlia was like, yes, this is right up my alley. I'm passionate about this. So she did. So what started? She told me her office began in the broom closet. Literally, they took out the mop in the broom and said, we'll put you a little desk in here, and this is where you're gonna work. Yawn. 25 years ago, there wasn't a lot of women on a church staff, period. So this was a big deal. So she took it and said, yes, and I will grow this, and I don't know what it will look like, but I know this is what God has called me to do. So one person at a time, philly, just ministered to people. She loved them. She told them about Jesus. She started Bible studies in apartments. She helped people find apartments to live in. And then I. She had so many in some apartments. Apartments started giving her apartments and were like, hey, can we give you a few of these? And you get your people in there, and they'll lead the Bible studies for all the other ones? She was like, oh, okay, God. Yeah, go. So now she has hundreds of apartments that she's got people in that they're ministering to. But as this started happening, the people started coming to church with her. They wanted to know more about this God she talked about. So she would save seats in the rows and go get some of them and had people pick up some. The church started getting really crowded, and the pastor called her in and said, hey, tilly, we'd love that you are ministering to these people, but they don't really belong in our church. And she said, what do you mean? She's like, well, they're not really dressed well, and they kind of smell, and our people don't want their kids with their kids. And this isn't what we were thinking of. We thought you were helping these people and getting them somewhere else, not bringing them to the church. So Tilly said, oh, I see. Okay, if you don't want my people, you don't want me. So Tilly said, I can do this on my own. And she did. Started what we know as Arlington mission now, and they feed tons of people. They do dental work and medical work and job training and resume. It's huge. Hundreds and hundreds and thousands of things come in and out every single day because she had a dream of, we can't have enough housing for all this stuff. So we got to, like, get it from the people to get it to the new people. So she. She got a pipeline. She's got a whole thing going. And I remember I went to visit her one time, and y'all remember the old GTE? They had given her this building. And she said, gte gave us this building. And I said, I don't know if I want it. How much is it going to cost to pay taxes on it? And they said, okay, we'll pay taxes for the next 50 years. How much is it going to cost for the electricity? And then they gave her a big building with an elevator. And when I went, I'm like, are we not going up the elevator, Tilly? She's like, no, that costs money. We're walking the stairs. I'm okay, I can walk stairs. And she said, I don't know what we're going to do with this big building, but somebody's given us this huge office building. And then Katrina happened, and they housed hundreds and hundreds of people who had no place to go. So Tilly has lived this life like I've never seen of somebody who was investing constantly into other people and into a future that was going to change people's lives. And when she does leave this earth one day, she's leaving a legacy behind. Wow. That's what we're talking about when we're talking about serving, being faithful in the small. God gives you more. And what does that look like? What does it look like for yours and my life? I think the worst thing we can do is live a life for simply today and to live for ourselves. God did not put us on earth for ourselves. He created us to be like Jesus and to serve others. So what that's going to look like, we're going to talk about that our next few minutes together, what that looks like for you, the hundreds of people in here, it's going to look different for every single person. You all have a different background. You have a different set of passions and abilities and education. What all of that's going to look like, I don't know. But I do know God will reveal it to you as you just step out on faith and you start asking him, what is this going to look like, God? I don't know what it is. I'm sold out for you, Lord. I will walk where you tell me to walk. I will speak to the people, I want to look at them with your eyes, not pass them, but look at people and see what we think he wants us to be doing. It is said, if you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. All the young moms, because I have a daughter who's a young mom, are saying, yes, right, okay, I get it. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. Or I say, shopping. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. But if you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody look at this life outside of yourself. We know Christ came to earth to do two things. According to Mark 1045, it says, for even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life a ransom for many. He did serve and he did give his life. And when we begin to follow Jesus, when we ask Jesus to come into our lives to be the savior of our life, I like to say, be the director of my life. Help direct me in the ways that I should go. We start being more like Jesus, and we see the things he sees, and we want the things that he wants, and we should live the life that he wants us to live. So today, I want to take some time to focus on what the Bible says about God's call to service, because that's what it is. It is a call to service. He's calling you and me. He doesn't demand it. He just calls us and says, hey, I think you would be really good at this. So sometimes I think, you know, God, do you really need us? No, he doesn't need us. God is all powerful. God is all knowing. God is omniscient. God can do anything he wants to do. He doesn't need us. But in his sovereignty, God has said, I don't want my people being selfish people. I remember saying this to my kids after the very first Christmas that we had, and all the people brought the gifts, and they were ripping things right and left. And I went, oh, we're raising very selfish, entitled children. This will never happen again. You guys know what I'm talking about? And I have to say, catherine's third birthday's coming up, and I just told Caroline, oh, it's bad. We need to start handing out the gifts for her birthday. That's going to be in a couple weeks right now, because I have so many. So I am doing what I swore I didn't want anybody doing for my children. But as a grandparent, we get to do some of those things, right? But I'm cognizant of going, okay, listen, we don't want to raise entitled, selfish people. So God knew that about us as well. And he knew when we're serving and we're ministering to people who are in need. And that might be physical need. It might be emotional need, it might be spiritual need, something happens within us, a joy comes. You guys have done it before, right? You've served. You've been up on your feet for a long time. You don't even know how you're gonna make it. And you were serving, and you're thinking, I do not have one more ounce to give. And then something happens. You do, right? God empowers you and enables you to do things that you couldn't do on your own. That's what the Holy Spirit does when we're walking in line, when we're reset and calibrated with God and doing the things that he has called us to do. Today, I want to take some time and focus on what the Bible says about serving, because when you leave today, I don't want you to say, hey, Mary said we need to be serving. No, I don't want it to be that. I want it to be. Here's what scripture says. Because God's word is the thing that changes life and changes people. When we hear God's word and we start understanding this is what God has called me to do, then we have a choice, to obey or not obey. So here's a few verses for you. First, Peter 410 says, each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace. If anyone serves, they should do so with strength, the strength that God provides, so that in all things, God may be praised through Christ Jesus. Romans 613. Give yourselves completely to God, every part of you. You want to be tools in the hands of God, to be used for his good purposes. Acts 2024. My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus. He has work assigned for you? How exciting is that? Our adventure, right? The good thing is we get to figure out what that is. The work of telling others the good news about the wonderful grace of God. Are you surprised to know you have a spiritual gift? Everybody. Scripture says everybody has at least one. When you accepted Jesus as your savior, you were given eternal life. That was one great gift. Right? But the other great spiritual gift you were given, first corinthians twelve seven says, a spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other, not because God needs us to do it. Right? I think of, like, when my kids were little, everybody had jobs, right? You're gonna have a job. Well, most of the time, we redid the jobs, right? Garrison was in charge of the toilet. Caroline was in charge of the sinks. We had, like, a whole system because I wanted them to know how to take care of themselves and to provide for themselves. And one time, Garrison said, mom, I was really careful all week. Please don't make me clean the toilets today. I'm like, no, we still clean the toilets every single week. This is what we do. But God wasn't doing that. God's not saying, oh, I need your help. I don't know if I'm going to be able to get all the things happening on earth. God is saying, I have a plan for you because I love you and I know what is best for you to get outside of yourself and to think and see other people. All right? As we allow the gospel to change our hearts and as we understand how much God loves us and has done for us, we will develop a deep care for people. And I say that because as we become believers in Christ, we should be hurt. It should bother us when we see things going on in this world that are not right, when we see things, people being hurt. Derek's reading a book right now. I just said, was it the Cherokee Indians? I said, last service. I'm sorry. It was Comanche. Okay, I got it confused, but here's what I want to tell you. He's reading a book, and he had his earbuds in, and he's so excited. It is called Empire of the Summer moon, and it's about the Comanche Indians and Quana Parker, and he so excited. He wanted to tell me about all the devastation that happened with the Indians. I said, I'm going to need you to stop. I cannot hear this. I cannot hear it and live and know the horrible things that happened. He's like, but you live in America. You should know about these things. I'm like, you. Just knowing you know about it is good for me. I am good with that because it does. When we are Christ believers and we see injustice happening, something should happen within us to want to really help. So if that is not happening in your life right now, if you can watch things happen and you are not bothered at all, I would say something's off. Kilterez. God's saying something's off. Sometimes our life is in such a mess that we can't even take care of our own self. A little worry about other people. There are seasons of that man I so understand. And that's okay, but that can't be forever. Let's get you in counseling, let's get you some spiritual help. Let's do some things to get you in a great place so you can be where God wants you to be, helping other people. And sometimes a good measure of our spiritual health. It's the depth of our concern of other people that's tough, isn't it? Because that's taking the eyes off of ourself and our crazy whatever is going on and living it out for someone else. So you might be saying, Mary, what does it really look like to serve other people with our gifts? Is there certain ones that count and certain ones that don't? And in our technology driven world right now, it's difficult, isn't it? Sometimes we cannot see people for a really long time. If you work from home, you can order your groceries from home, you can order food from home, you can do about everything without hardly seeing people if you wanted to. But of all the things in this world that God has given us, people should be at the top of the list. The people that he loves, he wants to know, are you loving my people? Well, are you telling them about Jesus? Because first and foremost, we want them to be with us in heaven one day. So we need to be sure that they're going to have eternal life and that they know about Jesus. So what does that look like? Maybe it's bringing them to church. Maybe it's just sharing the gospel with them. Maybe it's just telling them what Jesus has done in your life, the reason that you have a hope, but is taking a genuine interest in other people, that's what changes lives. When we help someone, whether it's holding a door open for somebody, maybe mowing neighbor's yard, I'm not sure what it might be. But when we do that, something happens within us and studies show our emotional health is better, our spiritual health is better, our physical health is better, and we'll actually live longer if we serve other people. So there's some good reasons for us to serve other people. Besides, God's going to make it well with us, right? When we do it, it's a sacrifice. I know. Putting other people's needs before your own. You're going to have to sacrifice some things. I'm going to say that right up front. It's not, hey, I have all this extra time and I have nothing to do. It's not that, right? It's going to be, oh, my kids have all these games, and I told my mom I would come help her with something, and my brother needs. It's going to be a little bit crazy. And how do you find a minute to carve out a little bit of time to give to other people? Well, we have an incredible opportunity at our church. I'm going to brag on our church for a second because we have a lot of volunteers here, you guys. We have 350 volunteers every single weekend that pull off everything that goes on between these two services. It's a lot. It's a lot to make it happen. And we try to give everything small jobs that you can do and still have your whole other life that you have. And you can serve every single week if you want to. You can serve every other week. You can serve once a month. Whatever your capability is, we're going to find a way to make it fit into your life, because here's what happens when you serve at church. You also serve with a group of people who know you, and you're going to be on an email with all of them. You're going to be praying for all of them. They're going to know you when something happens in your life, and it is going to happen. Right? Your group knows. They're setting up the mail train. They're the one checking on you. So it really is. It's an amazing opportunity to be the ministry of the church, to minister to other people and to. To be ministered to for yourself. The interesting thing is, as we serve, something happens for other people, but it also happens within ourself and God's economy. I'm not sure how all of that works, but I know that God promises to bless us as we bless other people. Serving is so important to Jesus. In fact, it was one of the last things he did with his disciples. He sat down and he washed their feet. You guys were going to look at the story today. Of all the things that Jesus could have done, his last day with them was about preparing them for what was ahead. Remember, in the ancient world, usually the lowest servants washed people's feet, right? But the disciples had been arguing about who was greatest among them. And I think Jesus had just had enough and was like, guys, okay, enough. And so he started washing their feet. He became the role of a servant. So if you have your bibles, we're gonna look at John 13, five through 15. You'll be able to see it up on the screens, but I'm gonna set this up a little bit for you. John. The chapter's in John 13 through 17. We're just gonna read a few in 13, but I want you to go home tonight and read all the way. 1314, 1516, and 17. That is the last day of Jesus. Can you believe all of those chapters? And it's one day. And you're going to see what Jesus is doing and what he's preparing his disciples for and all the most important things to Jesus. So just think, it's your last 24 hours. What are you doing? And you know it is. What are you doing with your last 24 hours? Who are you spending it with? Number one, your most important people, right? That's what Jesus is doing. And what are you telling them the most important things that you really think they need to know. And that's what Jesus is doing these last 24 hours. And he knows everything that's ahead. So you can imagine as he's looking at his disciples and preparing to wash their feet, each one person by person, foot by foot, what he was thinking, looking into their eyes, knowing he just had a few more hours with them. So let's read it together. John 13 515. It says, after that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, lord, you're not going to wash my feet. Lord, are you going to wash my feet? And Jesus said, you do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand. No, Peter said, you shall never wash my feet. Jesus said, unless I wash you, you have no part with me. Then, Lord, Simon Peter replied, not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well. And Jesus answered, those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet. Their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you. For he knew who was going to betray him. And that was why he said not everyone was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. Do you understand what I have done for you? He's talking about washing their feet. Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me teacher and lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another's feet. I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you. So Jesus creates this picture. They're arguing. They're being short with each other. They're tired, they're hot. It's been a long three years on this journey with Jesus, but they've seen a lot of miracles, actually, almost 40. They saw jesus do 40 miracles with those hands. They saw him heal people physically. They saw him turn water into wine. They saw him create food where there was none. They saw him calm storms. They had seen it all. Can you imagine? And now he's sitting there washing their feet. I think these guys, who were a little loud a few minutes before were totally silent and looking at each other like, what is going on? Can you see them right now looking at each other going, all right, who's done something? He's mad at us. What's going on? And I think the gravity of the situation of seeing the son of God, they knew he was the son of God, stoop himself to this lowly position to wash their feet, humbled them, and inspired them to be a little bit different than they were. They saw jesus serve with humility, and they knew this was their calling. They saw him do something he didn't have to do. They saw he wasn't looking for notoriety. He wasn't saying, hey, look at me. I'm Jesus. I probably would have said, hey, their feet are dirty. Bring some servants in, wash their feet while I talk to them and tell them all the things they need to be doing. But that's not what Jesus did. Jesus knew it was more inspiring to see somebody serve, to see somebody give of themselves, to say, it's not about the money that you have. It's not about the car that you drive or the house that you live in or if you're president of a company. I don't care. I just care that you serve people, that you're looking around you deciding, how do I make this world a better place and makes your people? No, Jesus, because I want as many people going to heaven with me as I can find. And these disciples were changed. They were scared, and they had another 24 hours of seeing the horrific things that were going to happen to this lord that they loved so much. So as we look at serving. I get it now. Do you get it? I get it. Okay. I get it. I had to really spend some time with this. And last night, it was going over and over and over in my head. It was kind of like a movie clip on replay. And I just kept seeing Jesus hands, seeing him looking up at those disciples with tears. Because, you know, when Jesus cried, they cried. And they were deeply moved. I just kept seeing it overdose and over and over. Okay, God, I get it. I get it. You want me to serve. Yes. Yes, I'm in. I want to be the person that you want me to be. I want to be the person who is willing to wash somebody's feet, if that's what you call me to do, because that's the example that Jesus has set for us. Matthew 516 says, jesus encourages us, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify the Father in heaven. Our service has the power to transform lives. It just does. You know, when you take your worker, your friend, a coffee and just put it on their desk, or maybe it's your kid's teacher, and you just baked some cookies and said, man, I know you're having a rough week. You have no idea what that's doing for somebody else. You have no idea. But I know when God calls you to do something and you do it, God's responsible for what happens with the rest of it. We are not. And somehow it's muscle memory, right? The more we do it, the easier it gets. The more we do it, the more God calls us to do it, the more we do it. Other people see us doing it, and they want to do it as well. We can be game changers, life changers. Just like Tilly, who would have thought out of a broom closet God was going to use her to do some great things. It was some hard years, I will tell you. It wasn't always smooth sailing, but she was faithful to what God had called her to do. All right, I have a couple minutes left, so I've got a few. If you're taking notes and you want to fill in your blanks, I got a few for you. Of how we need to serve as Jesus did. Number one, serve powerfully. Matthew 516 says, let your light shine before others. So that means we have to get in it. We have to work not just for ourselves, but for others. Number two, serve purposefully. It's not just about task. Right? It's about fulfilling the calling that God has. Ephesians 210 says, we're God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. I am so excited about that. Prepared in advance for us to do. We're not just dreaming this step up on the fly, right? Oh, hey, God, I saw a need. You probably don't know about this God, I saw this need. Just let you know, I'm gonna go take care of this, God, it's like, no, I prepared you in advance to do these things. I'm giving you the strength. I've given you the resources. I've given you money, and maybe part of your serving is money. Maybe you have a lot of money. Hey, we are glad you have a lot of money. If you have a lot of money, don't just spend it on yourself. Look for ways that God needs your money to inspire other people in the kingdom. I don't even know what that would look like. I'm thankful for that. I'll tell you guys, I had a friend who knew I was wanting to go into ministry and said, hey, I'll pay for your seminary. I think you're gifted. I think God's going to use you. Can I pay for your seminary? I was like, yes. That's so nice. Thank you. So who knew, right? You don't know what God is calling you to do. That's going to be able to affect the kingdom through you, through somebody else for years to come. All right, number three, serve patiently. True service requires patience. It's listening, it's being patient when you don't have the response that you want to have. First Corinthians 13 four says, love is patient and love is kind. When we do practice patience, we are showing genuine care. We're showing that we really do care about and love somebody else. And number four, serve prayerfully. Before serving others, we should seek God's guidance through prayer. James one five says, if you lack wisdom, ask God and he will give it to you without finding fault. So prayer helps us discern what thing to do, because there's a lot of things to do, right? Prayer helps us know. And you're gonna know, I had a girl ask me last week, how do you know? I'm like, well, first of all, you just take a step and then you may go, oh, this is not the thing. Or you may go, oh, I was born for this. It's kind of that way. In our church, you have a card in your bulletin, and we're gonna ask for you to prayerfully look at that and maybe check one or two things that you might be interested in. You're not committing your life away. We get it. We'll have somebody contact you to say, hey, would you be interested in this? But it takes the village to impact the kingdom, and we want to be people that do that. Now, if you serve, I'm going to tell you right now, I'm going to ask you to stand in a second, so go ahead and get your courage up. But I'm not asking you to do it for you. I'm asking you to do it so everybody in the room sees how many people here serve, and it's going to inspire them to want to do that as well. So we have people who serve, I told you, 350 on a weekend service. We have people who serve Sunday nights, who serve on the weekends, who do Bible studies, who work in youth groups. We have people who do all kinds of things to make this church what it is today. So if you serve at the mint church or the CRC, would you please stand so we can tell you? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, you may be seated. Thank you. If you haven't been told that lately, and I know you have because you're on serving teams, but thank you. It doesn't go unnoticed. And if there's a lot of things we do in the name of Jesus that are never noticed, right. As a young mom, maybe changing diapers or whatever it might be, we're serving a lot of times that nobody ever sees, but it's never hidden from God. So, you know, when you do things in the name of Jesus, he says you can't give a cup of water. That I don't notice. God knows and he will reward us one day for our sacrifice. So thank you for serving. If you're not sure about where you want to serve, just click something. Somebody will call you. We're going to talk about your spiritual gifts. What's God gifted you with? If you know it all, what your time looks like, and you can figure out what all that would be for you. So as we close today, I want us all to be in prayerful consideration of what God has for you and me outside the walls. When you walk out this door, what that might mean. God is going to give you opportunities. I promise you right now to serve someone else. It might be when you go out to eat, it might be tonight with your kids reading a story. I don't even know what it's going to be, but I want you to see it for what it is. When the opportunity comes, I don't want you to just think, ah, here's something I have to do. Sometimes it is, but I want you to think, oh, God's up to something. He's given me something here, and I can do this in such a way that it shows I'm a Christ follower and that I love Jesus. My kids kind of always cringe at this when, when we go out to eat and the person comes up and you can tell they're kind of frustrated, and I typically, I'll say, hey, we're going to pray in a second. Is there anything we can pray for you for? You would be shocked how many people sometimes. Sit down. Let me tell you about my day. People are always willing for somebody to pray for them, to help them with the struggle that they're going through. And as the met church, we want to be seen as that. A welcoming place that people can come with their hurts and burdens, whatever it might be, and be lifted up to go back out in the world to do some amazing things. And you guys are the most amazing people I know. And we're always inspired what you're able to do. So thank you for being here. Let's pray and then we'll get you on your way. God, we love you so much. Thank you for each person here. Thank you for their hearts to be open their hearts to serve you in whatever capacity that that might be. Lord, would you give us clear, just a clear guidance of what that would be in an open heart? Lord. And if anyone has not trusted you to be their savior at this point in their lives, Lord, I would pray. Today's the day. Today's the day that they say, God, I want you to come in my life. I want that spiritual gift. I want eternal life. I want all of you that I can have. Lord, come into my heart. I believe in what Jesus did on the cross. He was buried and rose again three days later. Lord, I need Jesus in my life. Scripture says if we ask and confess, he's faithful to fill us, Lord. And I pray that somebody's done that today. If they have our prayer teams down forward that they would come and take the next steps with you. So many today are here, are gonna be beginning a new life in you. Lord, I just pray that you will bless each person here. Help us with all the decisions we have to make to keep you forefront. You are director, guiding us in the way that we should go. We'll see each other next week. In Jesus name. Amen. [00:36:04] Speaker A: Thank you so much for tuning in today. If you have any questions or prayer requests, please contact us by visiting Metchurch.com so that we can follow up with you this week. We look forward to seeing you next week.