I AM, Part 3: I Am the Door

Welcome to the Lookout Weekly Podcast with the Church of the Lookout with the whole Colorado.

Transport the world.

Good morning.

My name is Jeanette.

I'm one of the pastors here.

It's been a while since I've been up and had the privilege of preaching, but I'm really excited because we're going to continue the series that we kicked off on Easter.

Jesus makes lots of claims throughout the Gospels saying that he is, I am, fill in the blank.

He uses lots of metaphors, and of course, this is tapping back and touching back with when God first introduced himself to Moses, he said, I am the I am.

So when Jesus is walking around and talking to the people, all of the Jewish people at that time would have understood that when Jesus was saying, I am, whatever the fill in the blank is, that he was referencing that he was deity, that he was the son of God.

And so Luke a couple weeks ago started us off with, I am the resurrection and the life for Easter.

And then Piper, Pastor Piper last week talked about, I am the Good Shepherd.

And she used John 10 as her main point of scriptural reference.

And right in John 10, 9, Jesus says, I am the door.

If anyone enters through me, he will be saved.

Now we're not going to use that passage this morning, but we are going to talk about Jesus being the door.

I am the door.

And so we can ask, why was Jesus using this imagery?

Why this metaphor of being the door?

Well, we're going to look at Luke chapter 13, verses 22 through 30 this morning.

Luke 13:22–30

And I would ask that everybody stand up as we read the word.

Luke 13.

He, Jesus, went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem.

And someone said to him, Lord, will those who are saved be few?

And he said to them, Strive to enter through the narrow door.

For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, Lord, open to us.

And then he will answer you, I do not know where you come from.

Then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in your presence and you taught in our streets.

But he will say, I tell you, I do not know where you come from.

Depart from me, all you evil workers of evil.

And in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves cast out.

And the people will come from east and west and from north and south, and recline at the table in the kingdom of God, and behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.

You can be seated.

And he said to them, strive to enter through the narrow door.

For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.

Does it have to do with your status in life, the color of your skin?

I mean, at first glance, reading through this passage, it does seem like Jesus is a little snobby, doesn't it?

Many are going to want to get in, but only few can.

What is up with that?

But we have to think about the character of God that we see from Revelation, or from Genesis all the way to Revelation, and hold this passage in John in light of that.

And in Isaiah 45, 22, God says, Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other.

So it's not some of the earth, it's not Colorado and excluding Wichita, Kansas.

I've lived there for a while.

Um, so I can pick on Kansas.

Beautiful sunsets, beautiful people, but clearly not Colorado.

No, God is saying all the earth, including everyone from Wichita, Kansas, um, is is invited to be to turn and be saved.

Jesus says in John 12, 44 through 47, and Jesus cried out and said, Whoever believes in me, believes in me, believes not in me, but in him who sent me.

And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge them, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

So here Jesus is saying, I came to save the world, not just Europe, not just Asia, but all of it, all of it.

And then Paul says in 2 Timothy 2, 4, talking about Jesus, he says, God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth.

So this is the character that we are told about all throughout the Bible, that God is somebody that desires that all would be saved.

So then why is Jesus saying that there's going to be people that want to get in and can't when it's all said and done?

It kind of reminds me of this time, uh, almost 18 years ago.

I was pregnant with my son Jaden or third, who's running the slides today.

Pregnant enough to still be safe to travel, but very close to nearing the end.

You see, my mom was going to be celebrating her 60th birthday, and my brothers band together to buy me a ticket to fly me out there to surprise her for a birthday.

So I know that there was a layover, but I honestly cannot remember what had happened that led me to this moment where I'm, you know, bags, very pregnant, running through the airport, and I'm hearing them announce that my flight is gonna close, and I'm like, I gotta get there, I gotta get up there.

And by the time I arrive at the door of the plane, I mean, I'm like, you know, I've been holding the baby, making sure he doesn't decide to come early.

My back is like on fire, my feet are swollen, everything feels swollen at this point.

I'm sweaty, I'm probably stinky, I'm out of breath, I probably look very frazzled.

And I walk into this plane and I trust me, I have never seen anything.

As I stand here today, I have not been on a plane that looks like this up to that point, and into this point today.

It was some super bougie uh business class or first class thing, I don't know.

And and I'm on one of those flights where you actually have a ticket and a seat assignment, because most of the time that I fly, I'm flying like basic economy where you're like fighting for a seat, and then you know, they're like, oh, you want to bring your bag, well that's an extra fee.

Oh, you want to eat, well, that's an extra fee.

Oh, you want to have seats that don't feel like cardboard?

Sorry, we don't have that.

Oh, you want to breathe?

Well, that's an extra$75.

I mean, you know, this is how I normally fly.

And my first flight, the first leg of the flight was like that.

It was just a basic economy or whatever.

So I'm like out of breath, very pregnant, very much wanting to sit down in this super cushy seat.

This is not cardboard.

This has got like, it wasn't leather, but it had all the like padding.

It's like, you know, I'm used to being able to like lean back like a little bit, just like like to the point where you're like, did I actually lean back?

I don't know, and you're like checking the button, you know.

This is like leans back and no no lie.

It is a lazy boy, it's got the feet recliner.

Like, I've never been on a plane that does that.

And so I'm looking at this seat and I'm like, oh, there's been a mistake.

Like, this can't be right.

And I'm looking around this whole entire huge cabin.

I mean, even the seats themselves don't connect to your neighbor.

There is space in between.

And this is like 18 years ago when we didn't have the ability to watch our own video and like pick what we wanted to watch.

And this has that on the back of the seats, you get your own personal movie.

I mean, I thought it was bougie when you could like look up and everybody could watch a movie.

I'm like, seriously, there's I can pick what I want to watch on this flight.

So I waved down the flight attendant because I'm like, I don't even want to sit down and start getting comfortable and find out that this is not my seat, because surely it's not my seat.

And she assures me, this is your seat, and you sure look like you need it.

So sit down.

So I think in heaven there's gonna be this moment.

I mean, I don't know when it will come, because I know I'm gonna be a mess, like crying and sobbing, like, Jesus, you're so beautiful.

But at some point I'm gonna be like, there's been a mistake, and I don't belong here, but I'm not gonna tell anybody, you know?

Because the truth is, is none of us belong there, right?

Amen.

But what we're finding out is that we're all invited.

So why?

Why is Jesus saying only few can enter?

And I think it's timing, which is very much like my flight story.

If I had just gotten there two minutes later, that door would have shut.

And you know, even if you're the president of the United States, you're not getting in, right?

I could have been banging, please let me on! And they would have said, sorry, time is up.

And that is the reality.

We have all been given a certain amount of days.

We don't know how many days those are, but there is a point where the door will close and we won't be able to get in, no matter how much we want to.

And there's gonna be all kinds of reasons why people will be standing out there banging, you know.

I think some will have believed in Jesus or like knew that he existed, but they were like putting off living for him and surrendering and giving their heart, thinking, I'm just gonna do my own thing for a while, and eventually I'll get around to that.

I can wait for later.

Right now I'm busy with my family, or I'm busy building my career, or I'm busy doing this or that, and eventually I'll get around to it.

But the problem is, is we don't know how many days we're given.

And so there are gonna be people that are gonna be banging thinking they had more time and realize I don't have any more time.

I think there's gonna be people who have been deceived, and Piper talked about this a little bit last week that think there are many doors that lead to eternal life.

False gods, good vibes, self-actualization.

If I just know who I am and what I'm about and find my own inner peace, I'll get there.

But the reality is that Jesus says, sorry, have to find it.

In John 14, 6, Jesus says, I am the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through me.

There's only one door that leads to eternal life, and that is Jesus.

In Matthew 7, 13 through 14, Jesus says this enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide, and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many, for the gate is narrow, and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Then the gate is narrow, and the way is hard.

Not many are gonna choose that way, and that is the reality.

But here's the beautiful thing about our Jesus, I think aside from glory to God, devotion to the Holy Spirit, and um surrender to Jesus, the only thing that is like that's super valuable.

The next thing that is valuable in heaven is our agency, our ability to make a choice.

And God fiercely protects that.

To the point that he's gonna risk that there are gonna be some that are gonna get shut out when the door is shut.

Because he values and honors our ability to make the choice.

And this is why the road is narrow and the way is hard because not many will choose it.

J.C.

Ryle says, hell is nothing but truth known too late.

So then why is Jesus saying this back to our original passage?

Jesus says, strive to enter through the narrow door.

We're a grace church.

We love to talk about how his yoke is easy and his burden is light, and that is true.

So then why is Jesus using this kind of language, strive to enter through the narrow gate?

Why is he saying in Matthew that the way is hard that leads to life?

Salvation is free.

So he's not talking about striving to get in there, right?

It's free.

There's a reality.

Every one of us, the moment we're conceived, we have blood on our hands.

Every wrong, every evil act, every evil intention that's been thought, and and those of that have been acted upon are all on our hands.

And, you know, Romans 6.23, all day, baby, for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is a payment for all this evil, or we wouldn't be serving a just God.

So all of us have blood on our hands, and Jesus says, You're not gonna be able to pay that because it's death.

And death is gonna squash you and hold you down, and you're gonna live in an eternity void of my love, void of my goodness, and we can't even imagine this.

Because right now we're living with God's love and goodness all around us, whether our heart is open to it or not is dependent on our heart posture.

But it we live in a world where we, I mean, we look out of the mountains, that is God's love to us and his kindness to let us see that beauty.

But there will come a day when it's like void of that.

And that's what eternity apart from Jesus, that's that's eternity outside that door banging on.

That's what that's what they get.

Those that that went through the door, like me, that's that claimed that free ticket and said, I see that, I'm going through and take that.

Then Jesus says, I'm gonna wash you clean.

Your hands will be clean.

So that when you stand before the Lord, He's gonna see, He's gonna see me.

God will see me and He'll say, I know you.

You know my son.

Come on in.

I got a cushion seat for you, and it reclines.

But the ones that didn't accept that, that weren't willing to go through the door, they're gonna be standing there with blood on their hands.

And the tragedy is that they didn't have to.

They could have chosen to take the ticket to be washed clean.

But now when God looks at them, all he's gonna see is all the evil and the wrong, and there's gotta be payment for that.

And it's gonna be death, and it's gonna be an eternity void of God's presence.

So Jesus isn't talking about striving to earn that.

That is free.

He bought the ticket.

He is the open door.

Every moment of your life, he's been walking around.

I'm here, I'm open.

Come on in, Dee Dee.

Come on in, Amy, come on in, Rose.

And we get to go through and it's free.

But one day, that door is going to shut, and all of a sudden, Jesus is no longer going to be the open door.

He's gonna be on a white horse, sword coming out of his mouth, eyes on fire, hair white that looks like it got hit by a lightning bolt.

It's gonna be frightening and beautiful.

And he will become the standard by which we are all measured.

And those of us that don't have that blood on our hand, we're gonna do all right.

Those with the blood on our hands are gonna have to pay.

So it's not striving to get that.

Jesus did it all.

That is what we celebrate on Easter.

That's why we get so excited that day as we remember we didn't do anything, we do not deserve to be on this plane.

But we've got a seat and we can sit down and enjoy it, right?

They even fed me a dinner meal.

That's how long ago this was.

Um, yeah.

So if we look at that word strive from that John 13, when Jesus is saying strives enter through the narrow door, this is what's interesting.

It's actually the word agonism.

It sounds like agony in English, and it's kind of fitting.

I mean, not that that's why it's agonism, but um it's because it means to contend with adversaries, fight, struggle with difficulties and dangers.

Contend with adversaries, fight, struggle.

What does that sound like?

Who is the adversary that we struggle and fight against?

It's not people.

The apostle Paul was clear to say we do not we do not fight against flesh and blood, but it is principalities, the demonic realm, and the one that heads that up is Satan himself.

So Jesus is saying, strive to enter through the narrow door.

Agonism, fight, contend with the adversary, struggle, face difficulties and dangers in order to get to the door.

So Here's the deal.

And many of you know this battle.

You remember what it was like.

Jesus opened the door.

He's calling our name, each and every one of us, all the time.

Come, enter in.

Come, enter in.

The adversary is in front, waving and doing all kinds of things to distract us and pull us away and blind us from seeing the door, dull down our ears so we can't hear Jesus calling our name.

So in order to even see Jesus, the door, that is a fight that we fight.

That is an adversary that we have to contend with.

And then once we get to the door and we realize Jesus is the way, then it's a fight that we contend, and agonism I that we engage in to make the decision to walk through the door.

We've probably all known somebody that's recognized, that we talk to, that says, Yes, I see the door.

But they they struggle to pass through the threshold, right?

And I'd love to say that the struggle is over at that point and it's all bliss.

But if that was the case, I think we'd all get sucked up right at the moment that we say, Jesus, I love you.

I give you my life.

It'd be like, you know.

That doesn't happen.

We're still here.

Why?

Because we still have a battle to contend.

We are still asked to engage in a fight.

God uses the metaphor of the family of God, but he also uses the metaphor of the army of God as well.

We fight.

We fight every day until the day that our day is ended.

And we get to enter into eternal life.

We're gonna fight.

God's church is going to be in a fight every day until Jesus returns on that white horse.

Terrifying and glorious.

And every knee bows because there is no question who is in charge.

So the other issue though is that Jesus isn't the only door.

He calls us a door.

In Revelations 3.20, he says, Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him and eat with him, and he with me.

So not only is God, Jesus, a door that we have to pass through, we also have a door in our heart, our will, and our emotion that only we get to choose to open up.

And so once we are in Jesus, if we've crossed through that door and we're in, you know, the plane cabin for a metaphor today, we have to make the choice.

And this is like, it's not a one-time choice either.

It's a continual choice.

I'm gonna keep my doors open to you, Jesus.

I'm gonna keep my heart open to you, Jesus.

I'm gonna keep my emotions open to you, Jesus.

I'm gonna keep my thoughts open to you, Jesus.

I'm gonna keep my will open to you, Jesus.

So if we choose to see the door, to walk through the door of Jesus, then to remain in him with our doors open.

We join with the other um saints who have gone before us that did the same.

And we join the fight.

And one day, hallelujah, that fight will be over.

There will be a time where the fighting will cease, but that day has not arrived.

So I want to read through places in the New Testament that this word strive, agonism I contend with adversary, is used.

Because I think it's going to give us a picture of how we fight and the types of fights that we're in.

So if we keep our doors open and we enter through Jesus, who is the door, and we remain in him and we remain in the fight, we will be like Paul in Colossians 1, 28 through 29, when he said of himself and the other disciples, Jesus we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

For this I toil, for this I struggle, for this I agonism I with all God's energy that He powerfully works within me.

So bringing the church into maturity is a fight that we contend with the adversary for.

And Paul has got it so right here, of course, but I mean, I do need to point out that it's not Paul fighting of his own strength.

He recognizes that even engaging in the fight, we need God to empower us, and it is him that gives us the strength and the ability to powerfully work through us and energize us for the fight.

If we choose to keep our door open and remain in the open door, who is Jesus, we will be like the early disciple of Christ.

And I'm gonna mess his name up, and when I see you in heaven, you can correct me.

I'm so sorry.

Ephra?

Ephiphras?

I don't know.

There's pastors in the room too that probably know better, but anyway.

Um we'll just call him E for short this morning, okay?

So E in Colossians 4, 12 through 13, Paul says of E that he is always found to be struggling, to be striving, to be agonisming on the church's behalf in his prayers, that they may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

And Paul goes on to bear witness that E worked hard for the family of God.

So even praying, not for ourselves, not for the lost, we're talking about praying for our other brothers and sisters in Christ.

This is a fight that we contend with the adversary Satan to do, to engage in, to press in in prayer.

This we agonism I over.

We will join the apostles who in 1 Timothy 4 10 were said to toil, to strive, to suffer reproach, to agonism, because they had set their hope on the living God, who is the savior of all people, especially those who believe.

To keep hope alive is an agonism.

Paul reminds Timothy in First Timothy six twelve to fight the good fight of faith.

That's agonesomai the good fight of faith, that which he is called and about which he made confession.

So to remember what you're called to and to remember that which you have confessed of your belief of Christ, this is an agonism to contend against the enemy and fight.

And we all hope that in the end, when our days are winding down, as Paul knew in this moment in 2 Timothy 4 7, he says, I have fought the good fight, I have agonismide, I have run the race, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

So are we catching this?

In order to proclaim the good news of Jesus, that's an agonism.

To warn people of the peril of life and eternity without Jesus, that's an agonism I.

To teach wisdom, to fight, to mature the bride, to participate in bringing maturity to the bride is a fight.

We probably all recognize that one.

To pray for our believing friends, to work hard for the family of God, to keep hope alive, to keep the faith, but to keep confessing belief.

All of these we contend with the adversary, the evil one.

And it's a fight.

So this morning, I'm aware of two possibilities of people that some of you may recognize I've never walked through that door.

I I I'm feeling the fight of being able to see the door, to hear Jesus calling my name.

And I think if you're listening to this online or if you're here this morning and that's the case, I think the Lord, this is a moment of many where Jesus is standing with his door wide open to you.

And he's saying, Come, just step through.

It's a choice.

We all get to choose life or death.

He's put that in our our ability to make that decision.

He's not gonna make it for you.

So if that's you this morning, there's nothing really difficult or magical.

It's just saying to Jesus, I'm gonna trust that your door is opened to me.

Okay.

And I'm gonna choose to step through.

And I don't know what that looks like, but I invite you to show me what it would be like to be passing through your door and to remain inside your home.

Jesus, show me what that is like.

And you can just say that in your heart or quietly right now in your seat.

And if that's you and if you've said that this morning, then we want to celebrate with you.

We want to bring support and hear your story and hear what led up to you this morning making that decision.

So after service has ended, there'll be elders and prayer ministry down here on the front.

You can go to any of them and tell them, hey, I walked through the door today, and I'll pray with you.

Others this morning might say, Yeah, I've walked through the door.

I've been in.

Um but there's a weariness in the agonies of my.

Um brought here this morning to hear this message because the Lord doesn't want you um throwing in the towel.

I've seen lots of people step out of the door that were in and then chose to step out.

And I don't know, I'm not gonna say what that means about their eternity, you know, and whether or not they'll be welcomed in in the end.

I I honestly don't know.

I've studied that all out.

I don't know what it doesn't matter what my theology is.

Jesus is gonna make the decisions in the end, you know.

But but I do know that it impacts our life here now.

And some stay in, but they just kind of give up the fight, and they're just kind of, you know.

And I get it, I have been there at times.

It's hard.

This fight and the adversary feels really strong at times.

But I'm I'm reminded of this moment in the Old Testament where Moses was this amazing conduit for the power of God, and he was instructed by God to go stand up on this hill and to raise his hands.

And down below, the Israelites were fighting a battle.

And when Moses had his hands raised up, Israelites were able to push back the enemy from the territory that they were trying to take from the Israelites that God had said was theirs to have.

But the battle wasn't just like a quick thing, like you think it would be if God's in it and he wants them to win and he's told Moses to get up there and hold his hands, you'd think it would be a quick thing, right?

Like just do it for a few minutes and you're done.

You're good.

It wasn't a few minutes, it was a long time.

And so what happened to Moses?

Same that would happen to any of us, even Arnold Schwarzenegger.

We'd get tired after a while, right?

And our arms, ugh, you did, you know, so he would put them down because he needed to rest because they hurt.

And when he did that, he noticed all of a sudden the adversary would take over the Israelites, and they and the the battle would begin to be lost.

Now, what I find interesting is God, who is all-powerful, can that can do whatever he wants.

In that moment, he could have infused Moses with new strength, right?

He could have supernaturally like supercharged his arm, so he was like, I'm restored, I'm good, I can give another three hours, right?

That was not what God had in mind.

The solution was God called a guy to come on Moses' right and Moses' left, and they each took an arm and they held it up.

And some of you this morning have been out there on your own trying to hold your hands up and fight the fight, and you're freaking tired.

And you've been dropping it, and you're like, oh gosh, I'm being overcome, I'm being overwhelmed.

You're fighting to keep your arms up.

And God has brought you here this morning because one thing that I can say about this house is we are family.

I've I experienced the first time that I came here, and I was, yeah, Jenny Loveland didn't know me from Adam, and she came up, laid hands on me, and started praying over me.

And that was just one moment of many to follow.

There are people here who will come alongside you and will hold up your hands if you're feeling weary.

You do not have to do this alone.

And so for some of you, the reminder is you know the people that you can go to.

And the Lord is saying, get over there and tell them what's going on.

And maybe it's more than one thing, and that's okay.

When we are doing the things that we're supposed to do, praying for others, helping to mature the bride, keeping faith and hope alive.

I mean, some of these feel really basic, but when we're doing that, guess what?

It is a battle, and so it's gonna be a fight, and it's not gonna be easy.

Jesus said, the road to life is hard, and this is why not many choose it, but you showed up here today.

So I know you've got fight in you.

So let some others come alongside and hold up your hands with you.

So if you know those people are in the room, get over and tell them what's going on and let them pray for you.

It is a common thing for me to walk around after I do a lot of the social media stuff and I'm like trying to snap pictures sneakily.

I have so many pictures of little huddles of people praying.

Not up here, not the official prayer team, just people back there, people back there telling their friends what's going on, saying, help me hold up my arms this morning.

If you're a lady, hello, come tomorrow night.

That's what we do.

We get together, we have food, we laugh, and then we pray for one another.

It's all about this.

Holding each other's hands up.

If you're new here and you're like, I don't know, I don't have my people yet.

Well, your people are here.

If the Lord's drawn you here, they're here.

So come up front, meet Kim.

She is amazing.

She will hold your arms up all day.

Even when her arms are weary, she's just like, we're gonna do this together.

Show.

There are people, all kinds of Kim's.

And and they'll pray with you and they'll show you ways to get involved and get encouraged.

Upstairs, we have a third floor that we have dedicated to prayer.

And I don't say this next part to um shame anybody or to make anybody feel guilt.

It's just another example of the battle being hard, right?

We just talked about how praying for other believers is a battle.

It is an agonism I we have this great space, and we have a book that's listing who's gone up there, and many of you have been up to pray for that.

But I've talked to many more of you that have said, this is amazing space.

We have 30 stations, and 17 of those are dedicated to praying for other people.

Different ways to help you engage in prayer over other people.

The rest of them are internal, like to help your own will, your own emotions, the in you in Jesus spaces, right?

And people like they love the idea.

It's amazing that we have this prayer space.

And I'm gonna get up there.

I totally am.

And I believe you.

And I believe your heart intent.

But hello! It's a battle, right?

The flesh is willing, or no, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

It's a battle to even get up there.

And those of you that have gotten up there, you know.

It felt like a battle, hello, just walking up all those flights is a battle in Colorado, you know, you're like, I'm here, Jesus.

Okay.

Give me a second.

But you do, you feel this like spiritual, like, I got here, you know.

And there might be some that say, well, I, you know, I can do it at home.

Yeah, you probably can.

But most of the people that I've talked to that have sat down at a station have said, Whoa, I prayed in a way that I wouldn't have done at home.

It wasn't the way that I expected.

I was led somewhere by the Holy Spirit in prayer that was different than I would have if I had just been at home doing it wherever you pray.

So, it is a fight, it is a struggle, but we need to be praying for one another.

So, this is just my little plug and encouragement to say if you've been thinking, I really need to get up there and you haven't done it, grab a friend, go to the lookout.church slash prayer room, look at the calendar, and commit with that friend.

We're gonna get up there one time in May.

We're gonna do it.

And we're gonna hold each other accountable to fight this fight.

And we're gonna get up there and we're gonna do it.

Amen.

All right, I'm gonna I'm ending this puppy, but if anything spoke to you or resonated, please do not hesitate to come up after um and get prayer.

Okay, Luke.

Amen.

That's a fantastic word.

Let's stand together across the room.

I want to do this.

This is something we haven't done in quite a while.

This kind of was killed during the pandemic era.

Um but if you're willing across the room, I want to do this together.

You know, what what Jeanette brought was um there's there was challenge, but it was a call-up in so many ways.

But so much of the the next steps have to do with how we band to fight together, and the strength of any army is the the willingness to lock arms, the willingness to be with each other, and yes, the willingness to hold each other's hands up.

I want to invite you to do something.

If if uh if if this is not something you're comfortable with, just bear with it for a moment as we end the service.

I just find somebody sitting next to you.

I just want you to take their hand, okay, across the room.

If you're a guest here, welcome to the family.

Welcome to the family.

That's what we do.

And just take the hand of somebody sitting near you, okay?

And this is part of the reason why it's it's so important to be a part of a community, that we're not just individuals pursuing God on our own, that we're part of a family.

Maybe you don't know the person next to you, that's okay.

I just want you to feel the connection with them.

We're gonna pray together.

I just want to take a moment.

We're gonna pray for the person on our right and on our left.

I just want you to pray for a renewal of hope, for an injection of strength, for the faith of God to enter every heart.

So would you join me today, God?

Today, across the room, Lord Jesus, whatever got us out of bed, whatever got us here today, Lord God, we rise in the strength of the Lord, and we we say that we are part of your family, we are part of your army, that you have not left us alone.

God, I speak to every place of weariness in this room, and we say be strong in the name of Jesus.

Be strong in the name of Jesus.

Rise up into your calling, rise up into your identity, do not give up, do not lose heart, be of good courage and be of good strength.

Take heart in the name of Jesus.

And we just thank you, God, across this place, Lord Jesus, that you would help us to be the kind of people who lift up the arms of those around us, who don't throw in the towel, but who forward through the door and experience the fullness of life in Christ, God.

We thank you for who you are, we thank you for your strength when we are weak.

And today, God, we say that we are yours.

Glory be to the name of Jesus Christ, the great door who has been opened to us.

In Jesus' name, we pray.

And everybody said, Amen.

Come on, say it loud, say it with your God.

Amen.

It's more like it.

It's more like it.