Gideon – Sermon Sunday 1/3/21

MESSAGE TRANSCRIPTION: 

 Hey, man. Man, is it good to be here this Sunday morning? Are you guys excited to be here on the first Sunday of 2021? Come on. That’s exciting. Well, it’s so good to be here with you guys. My name is Brandon, and it is so exciting to be here with. You guys are 11:00 service for those watching online. We will welcome you as well. If this is your first time here, if you’re watching online, or if you’re here in this building, and we haven’t had an opportunity to meet you, I’m going encourage you to Texas numbers could be on the bottom of the screen. It’s 7657441562. And myself and a great group of people would love to get to know you, pray with you, see how you’re doing, especially in the times that we’re in now. A couple of things. The last couple weeks, we’ve been wanting to do this and continue to meet together, meet together in the campus, meet together as we’re able to come through the atrium. And one of the best ways that we can do that is to continue. And just to wear our mask throughout the service here in the worship center as we walk through the atrium, things like that. And if you have no kids to pick up in kids, what we encourage you to do is just walk through these two side doors right here after the service and right to the parking lot. Great group of people that will meet you right out here as well. If you saw the screen that talked about the My People lounge, if you are someone that’s interested about life groups and want to go to the My People lounge, we’ll have people here, or you can walk around and go out into the atrium. Now, next Sunday, passengers are going to be starting a brand new sermon series called Whisper. This can be a powerful sermon series, but listen to the Holy Spirit. And what I’m going to do is I’m gonna pray for us, and we’re going to continue worship. So good. So, Father, we’re thankful that we can come together this morning. And, Father, we can give you all the glory. God, we’re excited that we can come to your presence. Now, for all we know, you are a Good God; we love you. We know that you’re with us in this battle. God, we say this in your name. Amen.

 We’re going to continue to worship together this morning. You know, this year has been filled with a lot of anxiety and fear. So this morning, we just want to celebrate God’s faithfulness. That we have no reason to fear because he’s got this thing, sing this out with this.

 You know, this year, I think God’s taught me that I’m not in control in a very big way. He’s taught me that I’m not in control. But that’s okay. Because he is my strength, and he’s all I need. So as we sing this next song, I really want you to think about how if we put our trust in God, if we seek him first. Everything else just fades away. Sing this out.

(Worship) 

 Father. We just. We make that our prayer this morning. That you show us your glory. That we can surrender and give it all to you. Because we know that you’ll show up every time. Amen. You guys can go ahead and have a seat. Check out this video about our new sermon series starting next week.

Didnt want to start talking until the music was done. Good to see you guys. Good morning. Each side. I’ve not been able to see even this many of your faces in a long time. It’s good to see part of your faces. Happy to be back. I was supposed to come several times, and COVID has gotten in the way. So it’s good to see you guys again. We’re going to be judges chapter six today, actually going to be judges six through eight. And we’re going to go quickly. And I want to go and tell you what we’re going to see in this text today in judges 6 to 8; we’re going to see God use a scared person to save the day. It seemed like a good passage for us to start with as we kick off 2021. But before we get to the passage, I want to get us all thinking in the same direction by telling you three things I don’t have in common with Peter Parker. Are you ready? Come on, now. We will get to the Bible in a minute. Three things I don’t have in common with Peter Parker are one, I’m not a professional photographer. Two, I don’t wear spandex. Never, ever. Three, I’ve never been bitten by a radioactive spider giving me superhuman strength and the ability to shoot webs from my wrist in swinging from skyscrapers and powerfully and gracefully crush the enemies of justice and single-handedly save the world from certain doom at the hands of evil-doers. I can’t do that. So why is it? There’s a point to this.

Why is it that every time I’ve seen one of the way too many Spider-Man movies that they’ve made in my lifetime, that a part of me believes not only that I could but that I should have the opportunity to save planet Earth with my powers? I don’t think I’m alone in ever feeling that way. Just nod your head if even the smallest part of you. Okay. Thank. Thank the Lord. Yes, there is. There is something about these stories, these ideas, that get to us. You’ve probably finished watching a story or reading a story. And like me, you’ve had to sort of like. Like, shake off the sense of the supernatural, like. I’m pretty sure I could do that. And it’s not just me. And if you are like me and you are a Christian person, that desire or that inclination is actually more natural. Because don’t forget that we, as followers of Jesus, we as Christians are part of an eternal, massive, powerful hero. Saves the day sort of story, right? And also, don’t forget that we have a mission as a part of that story. So when is the last time that it really hit you? That in the faith, we are part of an invisible supernatural kingdom that will never end. That’s. That’s crazy. And we have been asked and called by God to bear on that kingdom’s supernatural powers to advance the purposes of that kingdom that will never end. So would you just take a moment and admit with me just right now that a part of you, some small part of you, wants to be Spider-Man? Or Frodo Baggins. Or maybe you’re like my three little girls. And you want to be Queen Elsa. Her story’s not as good, but she.

So whatever that skill is is great. But there’s something in this that just says, Let me do something big. Let me do something magical. Let me do something mighty. There’s something in us. That wants to believe we can do amazing things. Especially. We feel that most acutely, when we turn into a new year, we want to do mighty things. And listen, it’s possible for us to take this concept and sort of read the Bible through this lens of heroes and mighty people doing supernatural things. And we can come to the faulty conclusion that there are super Christians like Paul and Peter and Moses, etc. And then there are the regular Christians like the rest of us, right? Before we even get to the text, we’re going to consider today. I want to encourage your heart that there is no such thing as super Christians. Everyone you see in the Bible who saved the day or made a miracle, or who moved a mountain or did whatever mighty thing that they did. They started out as a regular person like you 100%. Moses. I was an old guy watching sheep. When God showed up and set a bush on fire and spoke to him. Peter was a mediocre fisherman when Jesus Christ said, Follow me. Paul was a bad dude on a business trip. V Paul. And God himself got in his way, knocked them off his donkey, and changed his life forever. These were just regular people. They were people who listened. They did mighty things that mattered, not because they were mighty people who mattered, but they managed to follow along with the one true mighty God.

And if you want to do mighty things in 2021 or any other year, you want the Lord with you. That’s why I want us to take a look at Gideon Storey to start 2021 because I don’t think there’s any story in the Bible that makes it more clear that mighty people are made, not born, than Gideon’s story. So I want us to look for just a few minutes at four phases of Gideon’s story here in judges six through eight so that we can actually watch the progression of God turning a regular person into a mighty person because the Lord was with him. Let’s see how God moves Gideon along toward great things. And so the first thing that we’re going to see today point one is that the Lord is with the fearful.

The Lord is with the fearful. 

That’s kind of good news here in the first week of 2021. Right. Would anyone actually raise their hand? Would anyone say, I’m a little bit fearful right now? My hand is up. I’m a lot bit fearful. The Lord is with the fearful all over God’s word. And so clearly here in judges Chapter six, let’s read starting in verse 11, you can follow along with me now.

The Angel of the Lord came and sat under the term tree at Ofra, which belonged to Joash, the abyssal right, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press to hide it from the media Knights, and the angel Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you. Oh, a mighty man of valor. And Gideon said to him, Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? We’ve sounded like this before. And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now getting a set of Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of the minion? And the Lord turned to him and said, Go in this mind of yours, what a conversation and save Israel from the hand of minion. Do not I send you? And Gideon responded, Please, God, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasa, and I am the least in my father’s house. And the Lord said to him, But I will be with you. And you shall strike the nights as one man. 

The Lord is with the fearful. So here we have people got Israel being oppressed by the many knights. And we’ve got Gideon. He’s hiding in the wine press, threshing wheat. And the reason is that Gideon is afraid that if he makes his bread in public, the enemy, the Mennonites, are going to come to take it. So while he’s hiding, literally hiding, an angel Lord shows up and says, The Lord is with you, a mighty man of valor. Or another way that gets translated is a mighty warrior. And we immediately see, like you might think, that Gideon has a problem with both of the statements that God just made to him. Watch and see if this ever sounds like you. I know it sounds like me sometimes. First, he says, the Lord is not with us. Have you heard that? He says. Where are all these powerful displays our fathers tell me about? He says I. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I am hiding like a scared little boy right now. Because God isn’t doing anything. That’s Gideon’s perspective. But the Lord just jumps in on him and says, Go in the strength that you have and save Israel out of its hands. As so matter of fact, it should be obvious to everyone that Gideon’s going to save the day. It’s not obvious to Gideon. That is when Gideon admits that he has a problem being called a mighty warrior. As you might write now might sound absurd. Gideon says to the Lord. How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasa. I’m the least in my family. He basically says, God, maybe you haven’t heard about me. But you couldn’t possibly have picked a less qualified person than me. There’s no one in this whole country, says Gideon, that is less like a mighty warrior than this man right here. Gideon the fearful. Most of us have been like that at some point. Probably all of us. We feel incapable of doing something for God. We kill it and feel incapable of doing anything great in any regard. That is why the Lord responds. It’s so exciting and so motivating. Listen, even for the weakest of the weak. God said I will be with you. And you will strike down all the midnights together. God didn’t say Nope. You’re right. Getting giddy. And I absolutely could not accomplish anything good with you. My bad. I’ll move on to the next guy. No. God says to get in his fear. I am with you. I am with you. Do what I ask. God says, and we will win. But we’ve all we all feel this way at times. We all start this way. That’s kind of the whole theme of the Bible. I remember the first time I tried to talk to somebody about Jesus. I was terrified. I bet you were, too. I was so awkward. I’m pretty sure I went with the. If you were to die today. Do you know where you will go? Approach. Which can honestly sound like a threat if you say it the wrong way. One of the best preachers I know on planet Earth threw up before he taught the Bible for the first time. Listen. Mighty Warriors. Don’t start out. Mighty Warriors. They start out terrified grain grinders. But God says to us in our fear, I am with you.

I just want to ask you here on. I don’t even know what date. Is this the third or the fourth day of the year? It’s been a rough time. Can you hear God saying that to you this morning? I am with you. Now want to see what happens next. Because it’s critical that we see that Gideon didn’t hear that from the Lord. I am with you, a mighty man of valor. He didn’t immediately pick up the closest spear and let out a war cry from the depths of his soul and charge out toward the meteorites and single-handedly destroy all the enemy. Because that would be discouraging to me. It’s not even close. So I’m just going to describe to you some of the events that happen next so that I don’t read you three straight chapters of judges. I’ll read some parts and explain some parts. What happens next is that. Gideon, after God told him I’m with you and that you’re going to be a mighty warrior. Gideon built an altar. You can build an altar. Gideon tore down the altar of the false gods. He the next thing he did was. This is a little bit strange. We won’t get into the details. But he shaved a sheep and laid out a fleece on the ground. You’ve heard the story at Sunday school. A lot of you have. And if not, maybe you’ve read it in your Bible. He lay down a fleece, and he said, God if you are with me and you want me to be a mighty warrior. However, that could possibly be. Would you make tomorrow morning there we do all over this sheep fleece, but not on the ground around it? And God’s like, Sure, I can do that. And that’s what happens the next morning. And for the purposes of our conversation, I just want you to understand that Gideon did something small. It was small, but it was a step of faith. Gideon reacted to the call of God in his fear. He built an altar, and he shaved the sheep. And those small steps begin the second phase of Gideon’s story. So point two for us today is God is with the faithful. The Lord is with the fearful. The Lord is with the faithful. Because literally everything that happens between the moment God says to Gideon, I am with you, mighty warrior. And the actual battle with the media knights that is still to come is just one small step after one small step. As Gideon tried to have faith in God, God showed him, You can trust me. That’s what God says to you. That’s what God says to me. Your next step. Please let this into your heart, please. Your next step of obedience as a follower of Jesus doesn’t have to be huge. That may not sound intensely motivating. Still the truth. Go take small steps. That is the weirdly wonderful message of the kingdom of heaven. That is how God works. The essence of this example in Gideon is that Gideon took a step of faith, and God proved himself faithful. And Gideon took a step, and God was faithful. And Gideon took a step. And God proved trustworthy. And Gideon took a step, and he’s moving forward. And suddenly, we find ourselves 15 miles from our comfort zone. And mighty ness is growing up in us. And it doesn’t even make any sense. Because all I remember doing is putting down an altar and shaving a sheep, and following whatever step the Lord put in front of me. But God is faithful. So Gideon calls his people together. Well, okay. Supposedly you are fighting the Mighty Knights. I’m going to need some dudes. So he calls the people together, and we’re going to go through this part quickly. But God is preparing Gideon by growing his faith in Gideon is responding in obedience. And 32,000 men say I’m going to go with you to fight the media Knights. Unfortunately, the Bible describes the Midnight Army as numbering as of the sand of the seashore. So there’s a little bit of an imbalance numerically. Even still, God says to Gideon, I don’t want to defeat the minions with that many people, anybody that’s afraid. Just tell them to go home. 22,000 soldiers go back home, leaving Gideon with 10,000 men. If you’re doing basic math. God says, Gideon, Thanks for obeying. Let’s keep moving forward in faith. I don’t really want that number of people either looking for kind of a smaller, more exclusive group here for this particular mission. Could you take them down to the river? And anybody got anybody that drinks from the river with their hand. You can read all this later. I am just trying to get through it. Anyone that drinks from their hand, from the river, stays and fights. Anybody who sticks their face in the creek goes home. 9700 of the 10,000 lap up the water like a dog leaving Gideon with 300 men to face the sand of the seashore. Midnights. But getting as obedient. He continues to follow in faith. He keeps heading in the direction the Lord is leading. So look what happens.

Oh, I forgot to tell you, this is super important. The actual plan was even more absurd than the numbers. Gideon, the Lord speaks to you again, and he says, Okay, it’s time to get ready for this battle I’ve been telling you is coming. However, I want you to leave your swords at home. What I want you to do is give yourself and each of your 300 men a jar or a pitcher and put a candle inside of it. In the other hand, I want them to have a trumpet. And what you’re going to do is at night, you’re going to go up onto the hillside around the midnight camp. This is for real. And all at the same time, you’re going to smash your jars and let the candle out, and then you’re going to blow your trumpets. That is the Lord’s planned candles and trumpets. But again. I mean, Gideon’s in it now. That kind of happens in the kingdom, too. Guess I’ll take the next step. Let’s read what happens in verse 19 of Judge’s Chapter seven.

Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars, grasping the torches in their left hand and holding in their right hand. The trumpets they were to blow. They shouted a sword for the Lord and for Gideon. While each man held his position around the camp, all the midnights ran, crying out as they fled the sand of the seashore, just running away. When the three trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords.

It’s insane. So Gideon gets his guys into position at night. Make sure you saw what you read. They break their jars, and Candles pop up. They blow their trumpets. And apparently, the midnights were convinced they were surrounded. So they start running away. But not only did they retreat, they’re killing each other on their way out of the valley. Next, the enemy kings of the minion nights tear away across the desert. They’re just lit. We’re out of here. We find out in a few verses there are 15,000 of them left. That’s still a decent amount against 300. But they’re off. They’re gone. The nation of Israel is free again, and the Lord has proved that He is with the faithful. He can turn fear into faithful. And that could easily be the end of the story. In fact, if you got the Sunday school version as a kid like me, that was the end of the story. I had no idea. There’s like another chapter and a half of craziness as, Oh, they went away. That’s not the end of the story, guys. Remember? God had called Gideon a mighty warrior, and he wasn’t a mighty warrior yet. He was a grain grinder. Sure. An Army organizer? Yup. A jar breaker and a trumpet blower. But not a mighty warrior. But he had taken the steps that God had put in front of him, even in his fear. And as we enter. Chapter eight. We see a third phase in Gideon’s story. Where we see that the Lord is with the ferocious. The fearful in the kingdom can become the faithful in the kingdom can become ferocious in the kingdom. This is so cool. Watch what Gideon did next. Read with me in verse four of chapter eight. And this is where for some of you, we’re getting into new territory, and I’m sure of it.

Gideon and his three men, exhausted, yet keeping up the pursuit of these 15,000, came to the Jordan and crossed it. And he said to the men of Sukkar, which is a city with a weird name. Give my troops some bread. They are worn out, and I’m still pursuing Zeba and Zalman of the Kings of Midian. But the officials of Circuit said, Do you already have the hands of Zeba and Solomon in your possession? Why should we give bread to your troops, then? Gideon replied, Just for that, when the Lord has given Zeba and Zalman into my hand, I will tear your flesh with desert thorns and briers. Wow. From there, he went up to Peniel and made the same request of them. But they answered as the men of suckered had. So he said to the meaning of Tower of Peniel. When I return in triumph, I will tear down this tower. Listen to this guy. Now. Ziba and Sal Muna were in Car Corps with a force of about 15,000 men, all of which were left to the armies of the eastern peoples. 120,000 swordsmen had already fallen. Gideon went up by the route of the Nomads, east of Noble, and Jack Bey had attacked the unsuspecting army. Now watch. Ziba and Salim Hooda. The two kinds of minions fled, but he pursued them and captured them, and routed their entire army. 

I read that quickly, so I want to make sure you don’t miss what happened. The army’s running away. The midnights. Gideon’s got his 300 men, and then they do what? No. 300-man force in the world would do against 15,000 voluntarily. They take off chasing him. They follow them through the desert to finish them off. It’s amazing. It is amazing. And what I want you to hear is that the mighty warrior. That God had claimed was rising up. Getting us 300 men. The Bible says exhausted, yet keeping up with the pursuit, came to the city called Suck of to earth for food and water. But they’re like, these are your enemies are, the Minion nights. If you’ve not conquered them, we’re not helping you. And he says I’m going to beat your flesh with the thorns of the desert. Penny tells him the same thing, and he says, When I return in triumph, in the name of the Lord, I will tear down your towers. And I just want you to just. Can we just pause and notice and admire and be encouraged by the transformation that has taken place? As Gideon has taken steps of obedience, as he has responded in faith to the task God has given him, as He has experienced the faithfulness of God. Remember, He started out as a terrified breadmaker. And two chapters later. He’s threatening rulers. And defeating a force 50 times bigger than his. He did it. His men crushed the remaining minorities. And as God had said, Gideon was a mighty warrior. We won’t take time to read it. But after he defeated them, he did go back. With the captured kings. To those two cities and beat their flesh with the storms of the desert and tear down their tower. And then this part’s violent. But you have to understand. That after all the conflict. Gideon himself. Lowest of the family of the tribe of Vanessa, the weakest in Israel, hiding in the wine press. Gideon pulled out his sword, and he himself killed. Ziba and Zalman are the kings of minionites, and when I put myself in those shoes as you can. But because we’re just followers of the one true God who has all the mindedness, it’s like, can’t you envision. That moment for him was of absurdity as he got his sword in his hand. And you just know he looked around in awe of the transformation that had taken the place of his in his life because of the work of God. And that’s what happens to me and you. As we take the next right step of obedience, after the next great step of obedience, our faith grows, and our effectiveness grows.

And I’m becoming an older Christian myself. And I can just tell you that the Gospel. It’s just exposing in your life. And the kingdom of heaven grows up around you. And you. You can’t even fathom it. Because. One step at a time. God leads regular people to do serious things. I want you to think of Pastor Virgil as an example. It’s a big church, guys. He leads a big church. He preaches for a lot of people. I’m always blessed and surprised at how many folks trust Jesus to be their savior in this place. It’s beautiful. But Virgil started like you 100%. You know how Virgil started. If you’re listening, Virgil, I’m sorry for saying it. He started dead. In his trespasses and sins, the Bible said, needing a savior. Jesus Christ. He was rescued. Like you’re rescued. And I’m rescued by one greater than I was. And at some point that, God said to Virgil, Will you serve me? And he was probably terrified. I didn’t know him back then. He said I’m not as old as him. He’s probably terrified. I bet his first sermon was terrible because all four sermons are terrible. I bet he made a lot of leadership mistakes a long time ago. But you know what? I bet if we called him right now and disturbed his vacation, I bet he would say I cannot believe it. When I look around and see the wonders that God has done in my life. Just keep showing up. Keep taking the steps. That is what God does when we follow him in faith. One step at a time. With a faithful God means mighty things. But. As amazing as that is, it’s not the most incredible part of Gideon’s story. I want to read you the fourth phase of Gideon’s life. And if you don’t know the story, you’re not prepared for it. I’m just warning you, your heart’s not ready because here we’re going to see point number four. The Lord is with the faith. I’ll take that going into 2021, also. The Lord is with the fearful. The Lord is with the faithful. The Lord is with the ferocious. Thank God he’s also with the failure. Listen to this. So Gideon’s life ends if you’ve not read it before. I’m sorry for ruining the story for you. The Israelites said to Gideon, Rule over us, you and your son, your grandson, because you have saved us from the hand of Midian. But Gideon told them, I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you. Sounds great. Except Benny says, I do have one request that each of you gives me an earring from your share of the plunder. It was the custom of the Israelites to wear gold earrings, and they answered, We’ll be glad to give them. So they spread out the garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. The way to the gold rings he asked for it came to 1700 shekels, not counting the ornaments and dependents in the purple garments worn by the kings of idiots or the chains that were on their camel’s necks. Because you have to have those.

Then listen. Gideon made the gold into an effort that he placed in Oprah, his hometown, Israel. All of Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. And if you skip diverse 37, you read that no sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the bells, and they set up Bell Barrett as their God and did not remember the Lord, their God who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. Did you know? Gideon’s story ended that badly. Truth is, getting in the story doesn’t end well here in judges. And we see Gideon as a failure. He was asked to lead his people. He refused. He somehow managed to create an idol for them. And ultimately, he led his people back to worshiping Bale. Because of the warrior. Grew weak. And he finished as a failure. That’s how he died. And here’s what I want you to see. In the Bible, all the sad things become happy. Just want to let you know it’s all they all do. It’s just how it works. As thrilling as it is and as vital as it is to understand that God can turn regular people like you and me into Mighty Warriors. It is so much more thrilling and so much more vital that we understand that Gideon was not the most important warrior in his story.

No. Nor are we the most important warriors in our story. You see? What’s this? Gideon’s story doesn’t really end in judges Chapter eight, does it? Gideon The fearful. Gideon the faithful. Gideon the ferocious. Gideon The failure shows up again in what is called the Hall of Faith in Hebrews Chapter 11, in the New Testament, where God’s people are celebrating the faithful ones who have come before them. Just let that thought rest for a minute. Gideon, The failure is in the Hall of Faith. How can that be? Why? It’s simple. Guys. Gideon was not the warrior on which his hope rested. He wasn’t. He did amazing things. But he wasn’t his hero. Watch this? Gideon. In fighting for his people, in warring for his people, in rescuing his people, in saving his people. He was only meant to point to a mightier warrior than himself. Right. His ultimate purpose was to point to the mightiest warrior Jesus Christ, who would come and rescue everybody and would war with everything and who would save everyone. Gideon, The failure is in the Hall of Faith, not because of his strength, but because of the strength of the one in whom he trusted. Jesus was the one fighting for him all the way anyway. Gideon was a failure. Jesus is enough. One day. You and I that have a relationship with God through Jesus. We’re going to see Gideon in heaven. Not because he was mighty enough. But because Jesus Christ was mighty enough, and he said, Gideon, you did a great job that day of looking like me, but you couldn’t keep it up forever. You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to come down to where you live. And I’m going to live a perfect life. You couldn’t live. And I’m going to die a sacrificial death that you couldn’t die. And I’m going to take your place. And that, my friends at Eastside, is the incredible situation that we have in Jesus as we start this New Year. Because of Jesus, the Lord is with us. And that means, yes, we can be mighty warriors. You. Can you move from fear into faith And baby, baby, baby steps. The kingdom of heaven will explode in your life. And you won’t believe it. You can be mighty in the Lord. But. Because of Jesus. We don’t actually have to save the day anyway. Can I just tell you, you can be mighty this year, and at the same time, the pressure’s off? Jesus already did everything important. He did all the biggest stuff for you. We are not the mighty ones who matter. You are not the mighty one who matters. Jesus is He is mighty enough to lead you to incredible impact.

And he is mighty enough to cover incredible failures. Man, we have it pretty good. The Lord is with you, mighty Warriors. And here’s how I want to finish. We’re not going to be singing today. This is going to be your opportunity for response. So I want to pray over you and with you. And I’m hoping you will close your eyes for just a moment. And let me sort of lead you toward Jesus. Right now, in this moment, in whatever phase you might be in, in your own story. So if you’re here. If you’re watching online on your couch. And you’re trying to follow Jesus today. Maybe you’re in a place of fear. Maybe you’re in a place of faith. Maybe somehow, miraculously, this season of life is the most effective you have ever known before. Regardless, the what you need to ask Jesus right now, as we pray, is so simple. God, What do you want me to do? You’re with me. I can trust you. I can. We can trust him even more than Gideon could. Because we’ve already seen the depth of his love and power on the cross. You can never. God could never ask you to do anything that could make you wonder. Oh, I wonder if he really loves me. He died for you. Ask him what my next step is? I want you to pray that in a moment. Maybe right now, guys. Maybe right now. Your failure. This room is going to have failures in it. I know it. Watch it online. There are going to be failures, for sure. Maybe you missed a step. Maybe you never took a step. Maybe your story right now is one of defeat. Can I just tell you? Confidently. That Jesus is enough. If you are in Christ and you are a failure right now. God doesn’t look at you and see a failure. He looks at you, and he sees his own beauty and his own strength in your place. Let him love you right now. Let him be sufficient for you right now. Let him lead you again to take a step of faith in him. And then maybe you’re here, and you don’t have any of this hope. Maybe you’re still fighting in your own strength. Maybe you do not have a relationship with God through Jesus. Can I plead with you? To turn from your self-sufficiency, it’s not enough. Can I plead with you to choose Jesus? Maybe you’re the one that I have prayed would turn from your sin and the hopelessness that you can only find on your own and find hope and life in Jesus instead. If you’re in one of those three camps, and we all are. I want to lead us to pray toward Christ right now. And then we’ll be done. Father. You are the most beautiful thing in the world. There is no one like you. God, I pray that our hearts right now, even if we’re about to leave, would be enflamed by the reality that your glory is what we were made for. And I pray for my brothers and sisters that are walking with you that you would clearly say to them, this is the way. Walk in it. And I pray that they would know what their next step with you is and that they would joyfully and obediently and faithfully and confidently walk with you towards the mighty things. God, I pray that. That. The city would be different. Because of so many Christians in this church. Are experiencing the power of God in their life. I pray that you would give them the joy of knowing you and being useful to you. And seeing the kingdom grow up around them. God, I pray for anyone here that is a failure or feels like a failure. Today. I pray that your grace would be enough for them, that you were reminded that there’s nothing they could ever do to make you love them more, that there is nothing that they could ever do to make you love them less. You love them fully and forever in Jesus Christ in their place. And I pray that they would. Move away from the moments of failure and move into moments of victory in as they walk along with you. And God, I do pray for anyone here that doesn’t have a relationship with you through Jesus that right now you would draw your hearts, draw their hearts to you, that you would save them, that you would help them see their need and see that you are their only hope. Would you save now? We trust you. We love you. We need you in the name of Christ.

 Amen. What a great Sunday morning we’ve had. If you would thank Brandon one more time for being with us today. For sharing that message. This has been a difficult year, to say the least. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but through it all, God has used East Side. To move into our communities. Because of your generosity, we’ve been able to do wonderful things for the people of Madison County. And so. If in your heart it’s time to put faith in God, to step out in faith, to take that next step into generosity, I just want to encourage you to do that today. Don’t wait. It’s scary. I know it’s scary. When I. When I did it myself, I was full of fear and anxiety because I felt like my finances were mine. I felt like my money was my security blanket. One that we all need right now. But I will tell you that when I did it. Blessings abounded. I saw God in everything that I did when I finally let go of that control. He was able to show off in my life. So whether it’s a small step or you’ve already been giving, you just need to continue that journey in the New Year. Each side has made it so easy to join our online giving team. All you have to do is go to East SideKYChurch/gift and set up a recurring gift. You decide how much you decide when. But put that trust in God. Let go. Next week, Pastor Virgil will be back, and he’s starting a new sermon series, Whisper. It’s one you don’t want to miss, so we hope to see you back next week. If you would stand and I’m going to pray for us before we’re dismissed.