A Message For Those Who Have Stumbled | Pastor Daniel Batarseh | New Year’s Day

Good afternoon. I was planning to go into Mark

today with you, but will be change of plans just for this

special occasion. I really just want to speak from

my heart. I just want to speak to you from

the word of God. Not my own ideas, or my own

experiences, of course, from the word of God.

But something that's been placed on my heart just through prayer

that I hope will bless you and encourage you as you pick

yourself up and Advance into this new year, And so this is

not going to be a structured sermon for say.

There's not going to be three points or five points.

It's just going to be one. Thought that I pray will be

driven into your soul and Infuse a strength into your being, that

will be able to help you and carry you.

Not just for this year but I pray for the rest of your life.

I pray that this word will have such an impact on you and so I

want us to pray and ask the Lord for help.

I don't know how long this will be.

It can be anything from 20 minutes to an hour and 20

minutes. I don't know.

But I just want to trust the Lord to leadership and ask you

to join me in faith to ask the Lord to lead us, exactly how he

would to benefit us in our sanctification.

Would you join me as we pray? Louis, thank you.

That your word has been made available to us.

And that it is your voice, the living voice of God.

And Lord in this moment. You know what, we need more than

what we know. And we're we just humble

ourselves in your presence. And we express our hunger for

righteousness. We want to be righteous.

We want to know about your righteousness.

Rescue us from our slumber. Rescue us, Lord from our sin.

Deliver Us Lord from our apathy. Anything that would hinder us

from doing exactly what we heard from first Thessalonians 4 and

that is to go higher in you. To do so more and more.

And so Lord we just ask that you would have mercy on this vessel.

And have mercy on all the vessels who are here ready to be

filled. We give you thanks in advance

for your goodness. In Jesus name, we pray, amen.

Amen. Meet me briefly and Philippians

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3. Philippians 3, verse 13.

Philippians 3:13

This is just a launching pad for a time together today.

So, in well-known scripture, the scripture is probably one of the

most popular ones when it comes to this time of the year.

But I just want to pull out one. Thought for you.

Before we continue, here's Paul in Philippians 3:13 speaking to

Philippians 3:13

the church. A Philippine he writes Brothers.

I do not consider. That I have made it my own but

one thing I do one thing I do forgetting what lies behind and

straining forward to what lies ahead.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of

God in Christ Jesus verse 15. Let those of us who are mature

think this way And if anything you think otherwise God will

reveal that also to you only let us hold true to what we have

attained. So much can be said of these

verses but the one thing I want to underscore is that Paul

through these instructions is revealing what spiritual

maturity really is. What spiritual maturity looks

like and includes many things. Yes, persistence pressing on

believing God moving forward, but I love what he says early

on. He says one thing that I do

forgetting One of the disciplines of maturing

spiritually is learning how to forget.

I'm sure you've heard that before but it's clear.

It's here. Forgetting forgetting.

What lies behind? And moving forward to what God

has in store ahead. Now, when we think about

forgetting we often think about our failures that is true but

Paul also includes his success See, he wasn't like one of the

churches in Revelation who had a reputation of being alive, but

was dead who was just riding based on what has been or what

has been done, or what he did do or what they did do for God.

No, there's more land to cover, there's more land to explore.

There's more things to be accomplished for the glory of

Christ. and we can touch on that, but peripherally thinking

about this, I've realized that one of the most crippling things

to people's Spirit spirituality is in fact the inability to

forget The success part? Yes, that's one group and we're

not going to address that group. Today, we're going to address

those who can't forget what has been done in terms of their

failures. And their sin.

And their shortcomings and their inconsistencies name it,

whatever it is, whatever it is, that does not glorify God.

Not being able to forget not being able to move on not being

able to trust in the Forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

As one of the most crippling things to a person spirituality.

There are some believers who are in love with the Lord, but they

are, there are haunted by things that they have done.

I'm not talking about things before you met.

Chris, I'm talking about the things after you met Christ,

after you made those vows, I've never failing him, never

disappointing. Him after making all these

promises of the man you were going to be in your single

years. The woman you're going to be in

your singers. The man you're going to be.

Once you got married, the woman you were going to be.

Once you got married, the father, you're going to be.

Once you had children the mother, you're gonna be once you

had Shield, I'm talking about What the failures?

That, you know, in your heart. Is extra strong because you

never thought you would do it, you never thought that you would

fall. So short, those kind of

failures, the ones that are nagging the ones that can't let

you go, the ones that have brought you to a place where you

have no motivation anymore. Because what's the point I had

motivation at one point here I am this is just a waste of time.

And people look at their sanctification, like a New

Year's resolution. They get excited.

But after after time goes on, after you live long enough, you

just stop making resolutions because you just know what's

going to happen. Two weeks into the new year. and

so they just coast along and they just go through the motions

and then just they just try to survive.

They just they just try not to mess up even more and even if

they do, then what can I do? I already got this far.

This could be for one person, it's going to be 45.

I don't know. I just want to trust that the

Lord will speak to our hearts today as we reflect upon the

mercy of Jesus Christ. And trust and believe that he is

more loving than you can imagine.

He is more gracious than you can fathom.

He is beyond good. He is gloriously good.

And to understand that he is, he is a God who does not give up on

us, we give up on ourselves, much easier than he does.

I was just thinking about this. I mean, I know these are not

profound thoughts, but I just thinking about this past week

and just praying just pockets of time throughout the week and the

strangest text came to mind. A text that you would not

consider. To find some kind of Jewel.

In relation to the goodness of God, the mercy of God, the God

who gives more than Second Chances, a billion of them. 1st

Corinthians 15. Would you meet me there in 1st

Corinthians? 15 briefly.

Let's begin together. And verse 3.

There's a buzzing, I don't know if it's me or if it's if you

guys hear if it's a buzzing in my own head but if somebody can

help with that, buzzing sound, that'd be great.

In First Corinthians, 15:3. Read for I delivered to you as

of first importance, what I also received that Christ died for

our sins in accordance with the scriptures that he was buried,

that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the

scriptures and that he appeared to cephas then to the twelve.

Then he appeared to more than 500 Brothers.

At one time, most of whom are still alive, though.

Some have fallen asleep then He appeared to James then all the

apostles last of all as to one untimely born, he appeared also

to me to me. This is a text in which Paul

seeks to build the faith of the Corinthian Believers to really

believe that there is a bodily resurrection.

And what he does is he points to a list of names who have been

eyewitnesses to that account of how Christ did.

In fact, raise he did arise, he did conquer death, and he still

had the same scars. Of the body that was nailed to

that tree. And what's?

So encouraging here is that we have a historical reliability

for our faith. That's what people usually come

to this text for to see that. There was multiple multiple

multiple people who had with their own eyes with their own

hands, beheld. Him recognized him, heard him

seen him, that's great. But we can't fail to seize that

when Paul is writing this account when he is making a

case, he's doing so in chronological order, he's

writing the sequence of the appearances of Jesus, though,

not including everyone. And there's a reason for that.

It doesn't include the woman who first saw Christ and that we

don't have the time to get into why he is really trying to

authenticate the apostleship of some of the Corinthian Believers

that they admired. Including Peter and so he's

writing a Chronicle chronological order.

And what's fascinating here is who he mentions first.

Who he mentions first and verse five.

And that he appeared to cephas. That is Peter and so, Paul by

the spirit is letting the church know and us know that when Jesus

rose from the grave, one of the first people that he was on a

mission to manifest himself to Was the Apostle Peter?

To me it is beyond just the fact that Peter was a leader not just

a leader in the church but a leader among the apostles and so

it would have been a comforting truth to know that the leader of

the Apostles had that experience for himself.

I think it's far greater than that though that is important.

out of all the people that you would reveal yourself to Lord

first, Peter is not on my top list.

Because we know what Peter did before Christ died.

Denied him, horribly horrific lie and what's even more

painful. About those denies has that it

was followed by this boast. It was preceded by this, this

claim of faithfulness and he fell on his face miserably.

And Peter here. apparently, Was one of the ones that Jesus made

a priority to visit, once he conquered the grave.

We don't have we don't have that account in scripture.

We didn't know the ones in the house, all we know that it was

after he revealed himself to Mary.

And before he revealed himself to the 12, even those two on the

road to Emmaus, when they had their own experience of the

resurrected Christ, they ran back to the disciples and they

said he has risen indeed and he has revealed himself to Simon.

So, somewhere in between those moments, Peter experience Christ

resurrected, get this alone. We have limited Peter's

experience of the resurrected Christ in John 21 when he was on

that fishing trip with his boys. But according to First

Corinthians 15, there was this period.

There was this appointment that Jesus had with Peter one on one.

One on one. Did he deserve it?

Here's my honest answer. No.

No. I could see us thinking to

ourselves. If we were in the shoes of

Jesus, I'm gonna wait till the last person.

Peter being the last one that I will reveal myself to let him

sit a little bit and think about what he has done.

Let him let him simmer and let him be sobered by his failure.

Let him wallow in the mire a little bit longer just so he'll

never forget and not think that you can just open his mouth

whenever he Wants to let him just be there and then I'll

come, it makes sense to come to those who are at least a little

bit more faithful. And then come to the one who

really really, really messed up. it would make sense to us in the

flesh for Jesus, to be reluctant to come to Peter and yet He was

the first. He was the first.

He was the first. Did he deserve it?

No. Did he need it?

I think so. think about this, when Christ comes out of that

tomb, And when he breaks the chains of death, and when he

makes a statement of victory that is resounding today, one of

his top desires was I must see Peter.

And I must comfort him as he's enduring the pain of his

shortcoming and his failure. And he does just that.

And the fact that Jesus appears to Peter as a priority, not only

emphasizes the grace of Jesus Christ because that's exactly

what we're seeing here. it highlights his quickness, his

swiftness to forgive he's not slow.

He doesn't dangle our failures over us.

And how and just cause us to hop, and to LEAP into, try to do

anything in our strength, eliminate those memories, he

doesn't do that, nor does he withhold the possibility of

reconciliation for the repentant. know when Peter was

shattered in his heart and when his eyes were weary from weeping

Jesus shows up then, I wish we had that encounter in the

scriptures. What was it like for Peter to

see him alone? What were his words?

What were the words of the master?

Doesn't just emphasize his grace.

It emphasizes his swiftness to forgive Christ is so quick, so

quick. To come to clean and to restore.

And we see it here even in the most unlikely place in a place

where Paul is trying to make a case for the resurrection.

We see also a message of the goodness of God And Jesus.

Planned this because Jesus knew what Peter was going to do

before he did it. Here's the thing.

Christ isn't just appeared to Peter with a priority to restore

and reconcile him. Yes John 21.

That's something else. That's his commissioning into

the ministry. This is a personal thing.

This is this is for Fellowship sake.

But he doesn't just bring him in.

He doesn't just draw him close to his heart again.

Turn with me to Luke quickly in 22.

And I want you to see what Jesus said to Peter.

Just moments before he would disappoint his master.

Luke 22 verse 31. Simon Simon You know, Peter

Luke 22:31

acted like Simon a lot more than he didn't act like Peter Simon.

Simon. Behold Satan demanded to have

you that he might sift. You like wheat?

But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.

And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers

Strengthen your brothers Peter. You are going to fall.

You are going to stumble. And he could have stopped there,

he could have just predicted it. And he could have said, and when

you turn again, I'll be right here.

Ready to forgive, not, let me pause here and say this a

message, like this, Will stir the True Believer to Greater

holiness. You know, people get worried of

preaching messages like this because they think it will

encourage the one who has a false Faith to continue in their

sin and that is true. But the difference between the

believer who has truly experienced salvation and the

one who thinks they have been having is that when you hear

what I'm about to say that Christ is ready to forgive when

you fail, The believer will say though that I would never fail

him. Oh that I would love if he is

like that. I want to love him with

everything within me. The unbeliever will say, well if

this is who Jesus is and let's eat and drink and be merry for

tomorrow. He forgives Jesus.

Says, when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers,

he could have said, when you turn again, I'm right here to

forgive, but he goes beyond that, he says, Peter when you

turn I still have use of you. I still have a purpose for you.

Your brother still need you. I've put something in you that

will bless the others. And so, even in the cry, in the

mind of Christ, his Redemptive power.

The reconciliation that he offers in those nail-pierced

hands is able to recycle our failures and bless others

through it. And so, he even tells him in

advance. It's gonna happen.

You will fall. But I am here, and I'm not just

here to restore you. I'm here again, to launch you

and to propel you and to use you for my namesake.

We don't think that when we fall short, that's why it's in here.

And listen, I know some of you perhaps are still trying to just

fight to stay awake but bear with me.

Okay, bear with me. There could the failure of your

life in the past few years, it cannot just be like, it doesn't

have to be this huge gross immorality.

It could be the failure to be fervent for him.

It could be just a failure to be zealous and consistent.

It could be you finding other Loves.

You Still Love Jesus, but you don't love him above all things.

I'm talking about any kind of failure that has convinced you

to say. I'm not like look, it's been a

year. It's been two years, three

years. I'm not changing.

I'm Lord, just put me on the Shelf.

I'll see you in glory. I want you to break free from

that. Because here, we see a man who

monumentally fails and Christ. Still tells him it.

Consoles him in advance, I have use of you.

I say I want to use, I want to do things through you.

Strengthen your brothers. Because in Christ's mind when he

forgives and when he restores, even those things that have

severed us from enjoying his fellowship or of crushed us or

have or have hindered us from experiencing Ministry, fruitful

Ministry. Christ believes that.

Even those things that we dread, that makes us shrink with shame.

Can be used, go and comfort, your brother's going, encourage

them, go warn them. After you have failed to take

heed to my warning, gather all of those pieces, and let me put

them together and use it as an instrument for my glory.

And Peter obeyed. He might have forgotten what

Jesus said immediately because he did fall.

I mean, if you hear that, if you hear such a prophecy or Christ,

looks you in the eyes as you're gonna, you're gonna fail.

You're going to fall short, you're not going to totally be

destroyed in your faith. He says, that clearly, Satan

would love that. Wouldn't that make you fall on

your knees and say, Lord, just have mercy on me, let it not.

Be a Peter doesn't even register that.

He's so self-confident that he just brushes it off.

But I believe with all my heart, then after everything was said

and done, he did remember the command of Jesus strengthen your

brothers. Strengthen your brothers.

Pick yourself up? Come before the cross laid at

the foot of this cross? And then from that, move on.

Go. There are people still need to

be touched. There are things that still need

to be accomplished. And when you just take a glimpse

at the Epistles of Peter, you get the strong impression that

he really did take this command. Seriously from his master, look

with me quickly just to get an idea and first Peter one want

you to see with your own eyes. And 1st Peter.

Let's go to chapter 5 very quickly.

You know this passage very well. What did you say here?

And verse 6 of First, Peter 5, humble yourselves, What, you

know why Peter failed because you didn't humble himself?

I won't deny you. They might do it.

I won't here. He is.

Humble yourselves. Therefore, under the mighty hand

of God? So that the proper time, he may

exalt. You casting all your anxiety on

him because he cares for you. Be sober.

Minded Peter was not sober minded Peter wasn't sober minded

when Christ predicted his fall and he wasn't sober minded

because of his failure to pray. But Be sober-minded Be watchful

your adversary, the devil prowls around, like a roaring lion

seeking someone, Want to devour is pure inspired by the spirit,

absolutely but the spirit is using Peters experience.

Peter can remember that night in that Garden when his pride cause

them to sleep when it's Pride cause I'm not see the necessity

to pray and Be watchful and the devil was right there to devour

his faith. And so now he writes to the

church has Hey listen, if there is an enemy out there this

Warfare It's bigger than you can imagine.

Trust me. So Be watchful be sober minded

and look what he says here in his Second Epistle and 1:10,

second, Peter, 1:10, therefore Brothers.

Therefore brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your

calling and election for a few practice these qualities you

will never fall. You will never fall.

Here's a fallen brother who has fallen telling other Christians.

I want to tell you how you you cannot fall and the preceding

throughs are there given by the spirit and he dishes these

things out. I mean, what kind of Grace are

we talking about for a fallen disciple to tell other

disciples, how not to Fall. Peter. when you turn again,

strengthen your brothers, I have Ministry for you.

I have people in mind that your personal life, your testimony,

even the things that you're ashamed of, because you've

repented, because you have brought it to me.

Will do much good. But the extent of Peter's

experience, the extent of his willingness to obey, the Lord

goes beyond, just the Epistles that he's written.

It is more personal than just corporate letters.

And we see that in a very interesting place.

In second Timothy 411. Just scroll back in your Bibles

and go to 2nd Timothy with me. Second Timothy, 411, Paul and

his dying moments makes final requests.

And there is a surprising appeal that he makes to his spiritual

son. Timothy and verse 11 of 2nd,

Timothy, for Luke alone is with me.

Get Mark. Get Mark and bring him with you

for he is very useful to me for Ministry.

I love the way, the ESV puts it very useful.

Are you sure Paul is talking about the same, Mark the same

Mark, that Paul refused to give a second chance to in Acts 15

when they were ready to go on another missionary circuit and

Barnabas brings the Sheepish young man and the presence of

this Mighty Lion of an apostle. And Request that we give John

Mark another chance and Paul a do-or-die kind of leader.

He doesn't play games. Are you kidding me?

Do you remember what he did in Acts 13 abruptly?

Just left us and you want to bring him again?

And here's Barnabas I can just imagine the conversation.

We got to give him another chance.

You know that the son of encouragement.

Let's come on, Paul. Let's just he's willing.

I mean look he's young. We here's Paul saying no way.

This is not Sunday school stuff. Barnabas.

We're going out into the front lines.

We can't afford to be discouraged again.

We don't know why. John, Mark left an extra team,

but it was enough to frustrate this man of God.

It was enough for him to say I've lost all trust in this man.

Yes he's a Believer. He's a young man.

He's a fine young man but he's not cut out for this thing

called Ministry. And yet it is the same mark.

We're years have gone by and Paul in his final moments,

looking to be ministered to and to give final instructions for

Ministry. Beyond his life says get that

Mark. For his very useful to me.

In the ministry. Many years have passed between

acts 15 and second Timothy chapter 4.

2 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

What happened to Mark? Well, the clear observations

that, he grew, he matured and and it was enough to convince

the Apostle Paul at this time to say, you've changed, you've

grown God has stretched you. And you have laid your life down

again, to allow him to stretch you And so, there was something

observable. There was something measurable

to Paul who again, did not play games, who didn't flatter and he

says, I want you something happened to you come But what

was it? Exactly?

What was the instrument of change?

Yes. Obviously his own personal

accountability to the Lord, but could it be that the Catalyst?

Could it be that the launching influence and John Marks life?

Was how he was poured into how he received encouragement and

how he received attention and mercy for him to find the wind

and the grace again, to say, okay, I'm going to go for this

again. I'm going to believe God, again,

I didn't just fail. God, I failed the people of God.

I failed my Ministry, I failed my local church.

I've disappointed them, I didn't show up when I was supposed to

show up. I didn't serve when I was

supposed to serve. I took my Ministry lightly,

maybe, maybe this. Is helping now, maybe this is

coming home a little bit. And so what what happens is high

believe with just the evidence of scripture with people like

Barnabas in his life, who ended up taking, John Mark with him,

and that Ministry team was severed for a moment.

And said, let's let's do this. I'm with you.

But I believe it was more than just barnabas's influence.

I believe it was more than his presence and his encouragement,

and I'll tell you why. Go back to 1st Peter 5 quickly

with me. And look how Paul concludes his

epistle. And verse 13. he writes, she who

is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you, greetings and

so, does Mark My son so does Mark my son, physical sun?

No, spiritual son. Yes.

The same Dynamic, I believe that Paul had with Timothy Peter had

with this Mark. That's not very hard to see.

It seems as though Peter had a special place and John Marks

life even in the book of Acts you see that Peter Knew

instinctively how to go to the House of Prayer in Acts 12.

That was Mary's house seeking the Lord on his behalf for his

imprisonment which was the house of John.

Mark. Seems as though he was familiar

with his family seems as though there was a special relationship

that this particular Apostle had with this unit, which included?

John Mark. and some believe that it was Peter, who led John Mark

to the Lord that is not for certain about what is for

certain that at some point the Apostle Peter adopted Mark as a

spiritual son and raised him up in the Lord, raised him up in

the Lord where he can say he's my son.

He's my son. And based on this many, if not

all have come to the conclusion that the gospel written

according to mark. Was heavily influence and

supplied by the eyewitness testimony of his spiritual

Father. Peter And so, you can just

imagine, here's John, Mark, sitting with Peter, who would

make frequent visits to his home and perhaps, even after his

failure, where he comes back to Jerusalem, aborting the mission,

Peter still stays in touch with them.

You can just imagine the times together, where he would tell

him of the eyewitness accounts. He would tell them of the

personal testimonies that would eventually Supply.

And give us what we are studying as a church, the gospel of Mark.

And I think that is quite special.

And I believe there's internal evidence for that because only

Mark has a detail. If you were there for the first

message of the Gospel of Mark study, you'll remember this only

Mark has a detail about the resurrection that all the other

gospel accounts. Oh, mint.

And it makes sense, right? If Peter was the spiritual

father of Mark and he was getting all that he needed from

this man as his main source. Then this detail is just it's

heartwarming it's in the last chapter of Mark, Mark 16 verse

Mark 16:7

7. Matthew.

And we have Mark. Mark 16.

Here's the angel. And in verse six, young men who

is sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe.

He said to them do not be alarmed.

You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified.

He has risen, he is not here. See the place where they laid

him, but go tell his disciples and who Peter Did he is going

before you to Galilee? There, you will see him just as

he told you. Go tell the disciples and Peter

go tell the disciples and Peter. Wasn't Peter disciple.

Absolutely, but I have a hunch. He didn't feel like a disciple

at this point. and so here's a messenger from Heaven who's been

given specific instruction and the instruction was passed along

to this group and he tells this group when you go to those, when

you go to those men who are hiding for their life, let them

know that he has risen, but make sure that you named Peter

separately. Make sure you say to the

disciples and Peter highlight. Peter.

Why? Because Peter needed to hear his

name, Peter needed to know that even as he was sitting in his

failure, Christ has him in mind and wants to see him.

Can you imagine what it was like for Peter to share that with

Mark? When he wrote it down?

Mark listen, when the angel did come He said go and tell his

disciples. And Mark get this, he singled me

out. Make sure you mention that he

said my name. Disciples and Peter.

By the spirit, Mark, the soul. And all of this is starting to

make sense. Now met here, is Mark at the end

of Paul's life, who is very useful to his ministry and you

see in another place that Peter was his spiritual father and

surely, there's some kind of connection to the growth had to

do with the influence of this men and his life.

And it makes sense for Peter to take the time to bring in Mark

and to pour into him because he himself was restored.

He himself knew what a second chance can do.

He himself knew the power of compassion and forgiveness, and

mercy and kindness. Do you know who are the

Christians who forgive those who have been forgiven and know it,

you know, do you know the Christians that that are willing

to open their arms and bring in those who have even disappointed

them? Those who know that?

They I've lost the number of times that they have

disappointed their lord and yet Christ, every time says come

back to me. Forgiven people forgive people.

Merciful people have tasted Mercy.

Those who don't give up on others even when they have

turned their back on you and rejected you in a failed.

You are those who live under the Revelation?

I've done worse to my Lord and He Still Loves Me.

And so here, we see Mark very useful because of a man who felt

useless was reminded when you turn again, strengthen your

brothers, strengthen your brothers, It's amazing.

How meditating on our own failures.

Can either crippled us into 2023.

And just keep us in the same place or even worse than before.

Or like Peter. It can make us much more

forgiving. Make us much more soft and

tender. and willing to say, yes, willing to say no matter what

you've done, I'm ready to forgive you Peter knew how to

patiently work with Mark, because he saw the patience of

Jesus. And the fragments of marks,

life, give us the hope and obliterates that cynical

attitude. That looks at others and says,

they'll never change. They'll never change.

The miracle of Mercy is that even the most unlikely can

change. and even those who are sitting in the pool of their

regret, Can soar again for the glory of Jesus Christ. 20:22 for

some of you, perhaps, for many of us could have been a terrible

record. Of how we live for the glory of

Jesus Christ. And that can either cause us to

just be numb. And go back fishing.

And just do life. Or it can cause us to say, Lord

are you serious that even even in my idolatry even in my shame

even in my unfaithfulness, you are still willing to say turn

again. And let me clothed.

You and Empower you and Turn you back and push you into a life

that is beyond your imagination. Is that really you?

Lord, it is him. It is him.

So maybe you didn't pray like you were supposed to pray in

2022, maybe in 2022, you didn't know it.

But you got a new vacuum and it was your Bible because it's just

collecting dust. Maybe.

Maybe you have really hurt others, not just the Lord like

John Mark, you've hurt good. Men, Godly men Godly woman.

And you just want to be hidden and sneak in and out.

And just make sure that you get into those Gates even though

your clothes might smell like fire.

I'm telling you that this Jesus is ready.

To cleanse you. To look past all of that.

To not just hold you for eternal life to make much of you in this

life. Make much of you in this life.

He's not dangling, your failure of 2022 as you enter in 2023

Series. Yeah I know you're going to do

the same thing. Look at you.

Ah, no, not you. There was people way more

faithful than you and 2022. Thank you but you just stay

there. Stay quiet.

Don't mess up. More than you already have.

I'll see you at the Judgment seat of Christ.

That's not Jesus. That's not the Lord.

He makes it a priority to restore those who have fallen he

first appeared to cephas. If that is the heart of Christ,

as I see it. Then who Christ is drawn to In

This Place. Whoever is listening who does

not have much to boast about. We don't at all. who has more to

be ashamed of such as the person that the Lord desires to

manifest himself to To fill your fresh with the Holy Spirit.

And to so cause you to Marvel at his Mercy.

You would know his strength like you've never known before.

I pray that today, you would forget. forget in a way that it

would not hinder you from growing and maturing in the Lord

for getting in the way that Jesus forgets, the omniscient

one who doesn't delete his memory but the never holds what

you've done against you ever again, when you ask for that

forgiveness, I pray that you would grow more and more and

letter the revelation of the goodness of Jesus Christ and how

fitting, as we come to remember his mercy and these emblems And

rehearse over our souls that it's what he has done for us.

It's the rejoicing of his love for us and not our love for him

necessarily. Could you prepare your hearts

with me as we just meditate on these truths together?

Oh, Lord. We're just amazed, we are

amazed. As we are in the presence of

Jesus, the Nazarene. And we just ask for one simple

thing. Just a Touch.

Of your mercy. To heal us again.

And to motivate us again unto righteousness and faithfulness

to you. You just pray Lord that if

anybody here has been overwhelmed.

Anything in between gross iniquity.

Or just spiritual laziness. We just pray that they would

sense The Nearness of your presence.

Coupled with the truth. That you are Beyond us.

In your willingness to forgive and restore.

That you take Delight in restoring us that it actually

brings you pleasure to reposition Us in you again.

And so Lord At the beginning of this new year. let Faith arise

to trust that you have great things in store for each of us

and that you do not hold any sin that has been repented of

against us moving forward. and with that truth Lord, even as we

partake of the bread and the cup Maybe like Peter extend the

mercy that we have been shown. Be willing to forgive others.

And to believe that our willingness to give others a

second chance, could be the very thing that causes them to be

very useful to you. As they experience your love

through us. And so Lord, we thank you for

the cross. We thank you.

That that Crimson flow is endless.

In that it is able to constantly wash us.

Over and over again, that Fountain never runs dry and

though, our sins may be many your mercy is more.

It is more. It is always always more.

And so Lord this afternoon, we come broken, we come broken and

we confess our failure. And our unfaithfulness and are

distractions and idolatry and we just everything that has been

gathered up to this point and we just bring it to this moment and

we say Lord I put it all aside and give it to you.

I ask that you, you just take it all away and Lord, please, as I

turn again to you. Use me.

Use me. Use me.

We ask these things in Jesus name.

Amen, We Stand. Let's Worship the Lord together.