Shaped by the way of the Cross (Derik Fuller)

Mother's Day to all the moms out there, I am blessed to have a

number of great moms, a great mom, a great mother-in-law.

I'm married to a wonderful mother and.

It is good to. Honor our moms, right?

It is the 5th commandment. Actually, the 10 commandments

honor your father and mother. And so it's good.

To take a day like today and. Spend some time.

Encourage. You to give your.

Mom a phone call if you're able to.

And just honor those in your life who are mothers.

Open up your Bibles to Luke. Chapter 9 we're.

Luke 9 · chapter mention

Going to be in. Verses 21 to 27.

Today, Luke. Chapter 9, verses 21 to 27, I

Luke 9:21–27

just want to start by just praying over us and we're just

going to pray a simple prayer. Come Holy Spirit, would you fill

this place today? Would you meet us?

Wherever we're at. Would you?

Move our eyes towards Jesus. Guide us into truth.

Spirit of truth, in the name of Jesus we pray.

Amen. So last week.

Amanda and I were. Blessed to be able to go to the

Alpha. Global Leadership Conference in

a bit of a pre conference with a number of Australian, American,

Canadian leaders in London, England.

So if I look a little jet lagged because we got.

Back on Tuesday and I'm still trying to figure out what time

zone I'm in. The conference was amazing.

The flight, especially the flight over, was a little less

than amazing. I don't.

Know about you. There was a time.

In my life I. Remember when I was like a kid,

a teenager, probably even into my young adult years where like

the thought of flying was such an exciting.

Thing. I couldn't wait to get on an

airplane. Now the thought of.

Flying is the thing that makes me think how.

Much do I really? Want to do this?

It is it. Is not always a pleasant

experience, especially. When you are on the way to.

London in the middle of the night.

I was on a. Red Eye 11. 45 PM departure so I

could land right around noon London time, so I'm on a middle

of the night flight. In a middle seat in.

Yeah, some of you are already groaning in the middle of the

plane. And I do the awkward,

uncomfortable thing. I wait.

I wait as long as I can possibly wait to go to the.

Washroom 'cause I don't. Want to wake up the guy who's

sleeping and drooling beside me? And I, I, I'm like, I got to go.

I got to go and I get up and I get.

Him to move and I head up. And then I do a really dumb

thing. While I'm standing there waiting

for the washroom to come open, I peek my head around into

business class. Don't do that.

Don't do that. Because what I see is, is people

who are sleeping, people who have all sorts of space.

In the room. They've got little, little masks

on their faces. I see a glimpse to me in that

moment of heaven, and then I look back to where I am and it's

the other place and and while I was.

Booking my flight. Of course the.

Option comes. Do you want to?

Upgrade I I'm flying. Basic The most basic economy.

That you can. Fly basic economy flight over.

To London, depending on when you fly and how many wars are going

on at the current moment affecting the price of.

Oil is. 700 to $1300 round trip. Business class, if you can get a

really, really good deal, starts at 3:00. 1000, but often goes to

6. 1000 Plus so booking my flight there's no way I would

have. Ever paid for that upgrade but

in my? Sleep deprived snoring.

Drooling friend. Middle of the night, middle of

the flight. Moment There's a world.

In which if they had. Put a credit.

Card reader in front of. Me, at that moment, I'm maybe

you could have convinced this Dutchman to to pony up because I

like to be comfortable. I don't know about you, but I

assume that's. True of you.

Too And that's really what you're paying for, right you're

you're paying a comfort fee we're.

Taking the same flight to the same place we're going to we're.

Leaving from the same spot and arriving the same destination.

So that difference. Is all a comfort fee?

And is there anybody who really doesn't want to be more

comfortable? Is there anyone who like your

hope for this week is I hope this week is harder than last

week. I really am praying that this

week would be more difficult and challenging than the one I.

Came out of It's not it's not what we do, it's not how we're

wired. Most of us our.

Lives if we're really honest, if we wanted.

To narrow it down and define it down our lives.

Are simply this their comfort? Quests.

We are seeking in life how to achieve.

Maximum comfort in the. Life we have to live.

We believe that that's what the good life is.

That's what we're taught, that's what we're told, right?

What the good life is. Comfortable finances,

comfortable relationships, comfortable schedule, work life

balance. And it's into this reality of

everything that we are taught to believe and to hold on to as to

where life is found, that Jesus says to us that true life is

only found. Through embracing the cross.

Let me take you, take us to this.

Passage this morning that we're going to be in and let's just.

Read it. Together and then we'll dive

into it, verse 23. Then he said to them.

Verse 21. Let's start at verse 21.

But he. Strictly warned and instructed

them to tell this to no one, saying it is necessary that the

Son of Man suffer many things and be rejected.

By the elders Chief. Priests and scribes be.

Killed and be raised the third. Day.

Then he said to them all, if anyone wants to.

Follow after me. Let him deny himself.

Take up his cross. Daily and follow me for whoever

wants to save his. Life will lose it, but whoever

loses his life because. Of me will save it for what does

it benefit someone if he gains the?

Whole. World and yet.

Loses or forfeits. Himself, For whoever is ashamed

of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when

he comes in his glory and that of the Father and the holy

angels. Truly, I tell.

You there are some standing here who will not taste death until

they see the Kingdom of God, Jesus saying.

That true life is. Only found through embracing the

cross. And what is the cross if not the

opposite of comfort? What is the cross?

But surrender, sacrifice, pain, self denial, death.

And I want us to think about this.

What? If all the ways that we've been

told were the ways. To.

Find life. What if?

All of them have actually been keeping us from the life that we

long for. What if?

What if the calls to to put yourself first, to seek the safe

paths, to follow your heart? To spend and invest.

Your life building your. Kingdom.

Are actually the things that are keeping you and keeping.

Me from experiencing the life that we were actually made for.

The message of Jesus is that. True life isn't found through

the pursuit of comfort. True life will be.

Found through embracing the cost of the cross.

Let's look at verse 21 again. But he strictly.

Warned and instructed them to tell this.

To no one. Saying it is necessary.

That the son. Of man suffer many things and be

rejected. By the elders Chief.

Priests and scribes. Be.

Killed and be raised to the third day now.

Verse 21 flows. Directly out of the.

Confession that Peter made that Pastor Kurt covered last week,

where he asks them, he asked the disciples, who do you say I am?

And. Peter answers and says.

You're God's Messiah, right? So this is.

This is the context. He's asked this question, Who do

you say I am? Peter says you're God's Messiah.

Then Jesus says, great, you got it, don't tell anybody.

Jesus says. Peter says, hey, you're the one.

You're the one who God has chosen.

He's anointed to. Save and to rescue.

That's what Messiah means. Christ and Messiah.

It's the same word. Christ is a title, not Jesus's

last name. That's a little nugget.

For some of us here today, Jesus was the Son.

Of Joseph. That's how he would.

Have been referred to. Christ is not his last.

Name it's it's a title. It, it equals Messiah.

It means rescuer, it means Redeemer, savor savior,

specially anointed 1 And so Peter affirms this declaration

that that Jesus affirms this declaration that Peter has made

that this is who Jesus is the rescuer, the savior.

Then he says don't tell anybody why that seems, really.

Strange and counterproductive. It's because this is not Jesus,

is not the Messiah, the type of Messiah, the type of rescuer

that the people were ready to hear about.

He was not the Messiah that they were expecting.

He was the Messiah they needed in Jesus day.

The expectation was that when the Messiah came, when the

Savior came, God would send him, and by means of his strength and

his power, he would defeat the enemies, he would slaughter the

oppressors he would throw down, the empire, he would throw.

Down the Emperor. He was going to do it by force.

That's what the Jewish people were were waiting for.

The Jewish leaders. This is why, part of why they

were so frustrated with Jesus. Jesus says you're right, I'm the

Messiah. Come to.

Save I have come to rescue, I have come to bring life, but

it's not going to happen the way you were.

Expecting see, it is necessary that the Son of Man suffer many

things to be. Rejected by the elders.

Chief priests and scribes. To be killed, Jesus.

Wants them to understand. He wants us to understand.

That the salvation that you desire the salvation.

That you in fact. Need It can't be achieved

through power and acclaim and striving.

It comes through suffering and sacrifice in order.

For you to be saved, it is. Necessary for the the.

Savior for the Messiah. For the Son of man to what to

suffer, to be rejected and. Ultimately to be killed, the

people expected a savior who was.

Coming to claim a crown. And Jesus.

Is letting them know that true salvation doesn't come through a

crown, it comes through a cross. Jesus embraced the cross.

So that. You and I could.

Live. That's the.

Beating heart of the Christian. Message this is the core of the

core of the core of the Christian messages that Jesus

died so that we could live see that's because.

Our fundamental problem is not. That life is difficult.

If the our fundamental. Problem was that life was

difficult and it needs to be made easier.

Jesus would have come as a life coach.

Our fundamental problem. Is that because of sin we are

dead? And we needed someone to make us

alive. That's our problem.

And so God doesn't come as a life coach.

He comes as a crucified Savior. The the reason Jesus came was to

die. That's why he says it's

necessary. There's no.

Other. Way in Romans 623 I I love to go

to this passage because it's just so clear and and helps.

Us to understand so. Clearly what the problem is,

Paul writes, the wages of sin is death.

That that is our problem. We have sinned, and so we have

earned death. That's every one of us.

That's what it is to be human. We're not just people who make

mistakes. We're sinners, we all.

Sin, so we're. All owed.

Death and sin. Listen, here's what.

Sin is just in case you think. Don't put me in that that.

Category sin is any and every act, thought, attitude that you

or I have that goes against God's law and God's holy nature,

and that that's us. It just is.

Jesus came and he died as the only sinless.

Person to ever live. He came and it was necessary for

him. To come because.

Only he could be sinless. Only he could live the life that

we're unable to live. And he comes and he pays the

penalty. He takes the wages that you and

I are due. He he does this to cover the

costs. He came on purpose to die.

So that we could live. It's the.

Cross that brings life, and Jesus embraces that.

Cross. He embraces the suffering.

That we talk. About on Good Friday.

The rejection that Luke talks about here that the Jesus.

Prophesied about his own death. He embraces death.

Why? Because he loves you.

Because he loves you. And he knew it was.

Necessary in order to save you. Life.

For you and for me. It is only possible through

Jesus. Death on the.

Cross unless and until you embrace.

The fact. That Jesus died so that you can

live, you remain. Dead in your sins.

True life is only. Found.

Only found isn't found. Anywhere else not.

Found through religion, it's not found through good acts, it's

not through found through acts of charity, it's.

Not found through being a nice. Person it is.

Only found through embracing. The Savior who embraced the

cross out of his love for you, now for.

Some of you, this is the first time that you're ever hearing

this. I just want to let you know.

It is the. Most important thing that you

will. Ever hear this is the?

Most important truth in the universe, but for some.

Of you. This feels like old news.

I get it. I've spent my whole.

Life in church. So I've just been praying this

week. That you you would.

See this afresh. The you and be in.

Awe over the fact. That there is a God who loves

you so much that because you were going to die, he died for

you. That Jesus.

Suffered. That Jesus was rejected because

it was. Necessary for you to live.

Because if you aren't in awe of this fact, like if this doesn't.

Awaken something in your soul, in your spirit.

If you aren't moved by the fact that the creator God of the

universe. Stepped down.

Took on flesh, was born as a baby, struggled through all of

the difficulties of life, and then went to the cross for your

sake if. If that doesn't still move your

heart and your soul, you are not going to be able to do the.

Next part of this. You simply won't, because

listen. To what he says next.

Then he said to. Them all, if anyone wants to

follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his grass daily

and follow me. See, Jesus calls those who would

follow. Him to embrace a life shaped by

the cross. The the the.

Christian life begins. When we realized that Jesus

died. For us and then continues.

As we daily die to ourselves, this is This is what we talk

about discipleship all the time here at Forward Church.

Because discipleship, we're called to make disciples.

We're called to be disciples. This is what discipleship is.

I think often times. We we think.

Discipleship is about getting a bunch of information, learning

how to. Learn technique to know this is

discipleship daily death to self.

The reason we give information, the reason we need to know

things, is we need to know what we need to die to.

That's why information matters. We need to know the One to whom

we are dying for. But but discipleship.

Isn't learning more about. Jesus dying to self.

The prayer of salvation is Jesus.

I believe you died for me. The prayer of the disciple.

Is a prayer of surrender. Jesus.

I die to myself. It's the life.

Of a follower of Jesus, and it's not some.

Elite level. Christianity.

Notice how he. Starts then he said to a few of

them. No, some of them.

No. Then he said to.

All of them. This is Christianity if anyone

wants to follow me if you are serious.

About being a Christ. Follower.

This is it. There's not.

There's not. Some other option, Some other

path? Some other way of?

Doing this the life. Of a Christ follower doesn't

just come through the cross, it is daily shaped by the cross.

Here's what this. Means it means that Jesus isn't

just about adding or Christianity isn't just adding

about adding a little bit of Jesus to the life you already

live. Sprinkle a little Jesus

seasoning on to the things that you already do and the way you

already want to be, adding a little bit of him to your.

Plans and priorities. It is surrendering your life in.

Every area to Jesus. All of it, every aspect of it.

Putting him first. That's what denying yourself.

Means. It's it's saying Jesus.

You're the. King, not me.

Jesus, you call the shots, not me.

Jesus, when my plan and your. Plan come in conflict.

Your plan wins every time. Jesus, when my desires and your

desires come into conflict, we're going with you.

Jesus, when it's a decision between my priorities and your

priorities, we're going with your priorities.

That that's what it means to deny yourself.

That's what it means to pick up your cross daily.

The cross is, is death. And so picking up your cross

daily means daily dying to self. Now I need you to hear this

because we understand. This in in different ways.

This whole idea of. Burying your cross.

We have this. Terminology in our culture.

But it doesn't capture. What we're talking about.

Here because some of you will. Be thinking bearing your.

Cross, you'll be thinking. It's like stoicism.

Stoicism is just life is hard so suck it up.

Life is hard so just bear it. It's not what Jesus saying.

It's. It is not.

A glorification of just generic suffering.

This is not Jim. Bro saying no pain no gain,

that's not what Jesus. Is talking about.

He's saying, Will you day by day, moment by moment, truly

believe that I am Messiah I am? King, I am savior.

And will you trust me? And where do you have to die to

what you want? Because it comes in conflict

with what I've said. You'll go with what I said.

What picking up your cross daily is is simply surrender a.

Fullness of surrender before. Jesus posture of Jesus you.

Rule and reign and. Again, Jesus says it's it's a

daily choice, right? Pick up your cross daily because

we don't do this on like a one. Time and it's all done and over.

With I've had to learn the same lesson so many times I've turned

the same things. Over to Jesus so many times.

Things in my marriage, things with my kids.

Sin struggles that I have. I've had to time and time and

time again come back to him and say I'm.

Sorry I I messed this up I started.

To do my. Thing we need to do your thing

this is about. Every day and every moment

deciding who am I going to live for?

Because we all live. For someone or something?

Growth as a disciple of Jesus is simply in.

Greater and greater measure in greater and greater frequency.

Learning to say yes to Jesus. More and no to yourself more.

If you're wondering it's it's not complicated, it's hard, but

the Christian life is not complicated.

It is just learning to say yes to Jesus more and no to yourself

more. But that's so hard.

So hard because sometimes taking up your cross means choosing to

forgive someone You Really. Don't want to forgive?

Choosing to forgive someone who every ounce of what is in you

wants to make that person pay. Sometimes picking up your.

Cross and surrendering means. Staying faithful in your.

Marriage instead of pursuing pleasure and desire outside of

it. Even when it's.

Hard. It's choosing to tell the.

Truth. When a lie seems like it would

save you. So much more pain.

It's giving. It's giving even when you're not

sure you've got what it takes to give above.

All it's trusting. It's.

Trusting that the Jesus who died.

For you, loves you. And whatever he asks you to do,

even. If you don't get it and you

don't understand it is. Ultimately going to be.

What's best for you, you say? Why would?

Anybody do this? Why would anybody choose to live

this way of the cross? Why would we be shaped this way?

I mean, wouldn't it be nice to have a cross?

Free Christianity, at least. I mean the Jesus on the cross,

yes, but maybe I could leave my. Cross behind.

Because I would love to take Jesus up on the eternal life

bit, the answered prayer. Thing is really intriguing to

me. I love the.

Peace and the purpose and and the blessings part, you know.

When we talk about the blessings part, we can go back to those,

Pastor. I like those, but I would.

Like to pass on the dying to myself part.

The problem is you don't get resurrection power without

crucifixion. Do you hear me on this?

You don't get resurrection power without.

Crucifixion. We want the resurrection.

There's a whole bunch of churches out there who will

preach to you the new life pieces.

I'm just telling you, you only get the new life pieces after

death for some of you. That's why the Christian life

feels so. Limp and so.

Powerless because you're trying to get all the new life pieces

without the death. Resurrection power only comes.

Through death and and. And this is the truth that I

need. You to hear the life that you.

Are trying to protect. Some of you it is the very.

Thing that is destroying you. It's Jesus's words, verse 24 for

whoever wants to. Save his life will lose it, but

whoever loses his life because. Of me will save it what does it

benefit someone if he. Gains the whole world, yet he.

Loses or forfeits himself. For whoever is ashamed of me, in

my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in

his glory, and that of the Father and the holy angels.

Like this is the great paradox of Christianity.

It's right at the core. Of it Jesus is saying.

If you put your. Comfort.

If you put your safety, if you put yourself.

At the. Center of your life, you will

lose everything that you are striving to.

Attain and maintain. But if you're.

Willing to die to yourself if you're willing to surrender.

Your life to me. Now you're actually going to

begin to experience the life that you're longing for.

We we live in a. Culture that has told us,

protect yourself, prioritize yourself.

Chase comfort, avoid sacrifice. What is the?

Cost of that been skyrocketing. Anxiety, a loneliness epidemic.

So much so. That I know that.

There's a whole bunch of in this room that that.

Oh, there's like a. 1000 people in this church.

Today you feel absolutely alone. An entire.

Vacuum of meaning and. Purpose.

That's what we've got from chasing after all of the things.

That culture has. Told us will give us all that.

We want to the. World has told us that

flourishing comes with freedom, and then the world has gone on

to define freedom. This way.

Total and complete human autonomy.

The freedom is just you do you. You do whatever you want,

whenever you want, however you want to do it.

But. What if flourishing isn't found

in freedom as. The.

World defines it. What if?

Flourishing is found in freedom that comes through sacrifice and

surrender. What if the key?

To finding the life that we long for isn't about clenching our

fists. And trying to hold on harder to

the things that we want to. Have but the actual freedom is

opening your hands. I mean, this looks a lot more

like freedom to me than this. What if the very things that you

are trying to hold so tightly onto?

What if? Those are the things that are

keeping you from the life that you so long for.

Jesus says. Whoever wants to.

Save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life.

Because of me will save it. And then he says this.

What does it benefit someone? Just hypothetically think about

this. What would it benefit you?

If you actually got that, if you got all of it, all the things on

your bucket list, all of the things that you think life will

be found, what would it benefit you if you gained the whole?

World, and yet you lost or forfeited yourself.

He said let's assume in this world that you could somehow

achieve everything, but it's only for this world.

What have you really gained? Because at the end of the day,

the. Poorest person.

In Jesus has. More than the richest

billionaire in this world. One day.

Elon Musk. Jeff Bezos.

Every other billionaire is going to face the.

Same thing that every person in this room faces.

Death. It is inevitable.

When death comes, the question will not be.

How much money did you accumulate?

How much power did you gain? How famous were you?

How many followers did? You have on your.

Social media accounts, it's. Not even going to be how good

did. You do.

How nice were you? How kind were you?

How? Often.

Did you show up at church? It'll simply be this.

What did you do with Jesus? This is the only question that

all of. Us have to answer, and that's

why Jesus gives this warning. Whoever is ashamed of me, in my

words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in

his glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.

To be ashamed here means to reject.

It means to despise. It means to view is

unacceptable. It is to reject the message that

Jesus. Came out of love for you, to die

on the cross for you. It's to reject that good news

that you needed. Him to die for you so that you

could live. And if you reject what?

Christ. Has done on the cross from you.

Then. Jesus words are that someday

when you stand. Before God with all.

Eternity at stake. You in turn will be rejected

because in the end. Life.

True life is found through and only through embracing the

Cross. Embracing the Jesus.

Who died on the cross so that you could live and then?

Living a life. Where we embrace everyday cross

shaped surrender to be shaped more and more by Jesus choosing

to follow Him in all things. At the end of the day, life

comes at a cost. It came at the cost of Jesus

purchasing your life on the cross.

And the cost for you to have the life that you long for is to

also embrace the cross every day.

So I want to ask this question as we come to a close.

What do you need to die to today?

In order to live, what do you need to die to today in order to

live, starting with the reality, maybe today you have never ever,

ever come to a point where you have cried out and.

Died to your pride. And said I can't save myself.

Jesus, I need you, Jesus. It was necessary.

For you to go to the. Cross and die for me because I'm

a Sinner when you. Call out and.

Confess Jesus as Savior. As Lord, as Christ.

Then the good news is he meets you in that he brings.

Life to you, eternal. Life if you're a follower of.

Jesus is there. Something in your life you've

been gripping onto, you've been holding tight too.

The the Today you need to surrender to him.

Let me give you a few things. Maybe there's a sin deep down

that you're not sure you really want nailed to the cross with

Christ. You kind of like it alive a

little bit in your life. You kind of want to keep that

sin to yourself. You want to hold on to it

because you think that you're going to find pleasure.

You think that you're going to find life, and all that sin is

doing is bringing to you death. Maybe there's an area of control

in your. Life, it's a job.

Situation, family situation, relationship.

A dream. Maybe here on Mother's Day

today, for some of you mothers, it's it's your kids where you

just you're clenching on with. All that you've.

Got and you know. The whole.

Time I've been talking, Jesus is saying that's what I want you to

surrender. The Holy Spirit has been

speaking. To you, will you?

Open your hands and trust him with it.

Maybe it's bitterness or unforgiveness.

Maybe it's shame or guilt Did Jesus died on the cross to free

you of but you keep on living under a label that no longer

applies to you because. If you're in Christ Jesus.

The labels that apply to you now are holy, forgiven, redeemed,

son or daughter of the. King, you.

Just need to let Jesus nail that to the cross and start living

into the identity. Jesus has given you.

To the cross is the. Place where we put things to

death and. Every day there are.

Things that we need to choose, sometimes again, sometimes over

again, to put to death. If you are.

Truly going to experience church.

I've been praying all week and my deepest desire for me for.

You for us collectively is that we wouldn't just church is a

terrible hobby following Jesus. If it's just things that you do

it's lame. I'm just.

Going to tell you. Find a better hobby, but there

is no better life than. Actually following Jesus and

actually following Jesus comes through surrender.

It's only when we die to ourselves that we can begin to.

Experience the resurrection power and life that Jesus has

offered to us through the Holy Spirit.

God wants us to receive life. So just going to ask you to do

this. I say this all the time.

There's no power and it's not a magical thing.

I just put to bow your head to close your eyes because it just

helps to remove distractions in a distracted world.

And then I would encourage you to just hold your hands out in

front of you. Again, there's nothing magical

about this, but a posture of crossing your arms across you

does not signal surrender to your body or putting your hands

in your pockets. Just hold your hands out in

front of you. And then would you just pray

this prayer? God, I give and then fill in the

blank with the thing that God has been prompting you with.

It's God. For the first time I give my

life to you. Praise Jesus.

That would be amazing. Got to give my marriage to you.

Got to give my kids to you. Some of you are so weighed down

with worry and anxiety because your hands are clenched so tight

around things. What is the source?

What is the? Thing that keeps you up at night

that that you can't stop having running through your mind.

Would you just open your hands today and surrender that to him?

What's the? Sin that has you.

Stuck. You know it's killing you, but

you feel like you can't move through life without it Just

open. Your hands and say, God, I

surrender it to you today. I'm relinquishing my control and

my claim over it. I'm picking up my cross.

And then here's the thing, when we empty our hands, we give up

the thing that was in our hands. This posture becomes a different

posture because when your hands are empty, now you're in the

space to receive. Now you can get what God wants

to give you. And so with your hands open, if

you've prayed that prayer of surrender, now I'll just invite

you to pray this prayer. Come, Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit. Come give me your peace.

Come give me a deep, abiding sense of your love, as the Holy

Spirit does. He reminds us we are.

Dearly loved adopted. Children of God, just God I

want. To feel that love.

Maybe in a way you've never felt it before.

Come. Give me your joy.

Come bring healing, open your hands up and ask the Holy Spirit

to pour out on you. Yes, come Holy Spirit, we thank

you that you answer that cry as we surrender and open our hands

up and free ourselves from the things that have entangled us,

that we now createspace for you to give us all that we truly

need and long for. I pray that so many people today

who have been set free to true freedom through sacrifice and

surrender today. Amen.

The band's going to come, they're going to play a song.

And I'm going to invite some of our prayer team, some of our

elders, their wives, few others to come forward.

And if you have something that you just would like prayer over

today, well, the band's playing, we're playing this last song.

You feel free to come forward if you're up in the balcony, don't

let that. Be if, if God.

Is saying come remember, we said your plan is better than my

plan. Your plan is better than my

lunch reservations. If God's calling you to come

down, you come down and receive prayer.

Our team would love to pray for you.

Let's sing together. From the shore you called my

name, left my past.