The Shepherd | Pastor Chris Kouba

Hey, grab your Bibles, open them up to Psalm chapter 23, Psalm chapter 23.

Psalms 23 · chapter mention Psalms 23 · chapter mention

I want to take this opportunity to welcome all the men and the women in our correctional facilities, those joining us online on the Pando app.

Let's give them a hand and celebrate all of those.

We are beginning a brand new sermon series today called Names, and the goal of the next three weeks is just to look at just a few of the names of God because we know that whenever we look at the names of God, who he has revealed himself to be, we learn more about him.

We learn more about who he tells us that he is.

We learn more about how we can relate to him.

We learn more about how we can uh uh interact with him.

And it is just an incredible study whenever we look at the names of God.

But as we do, we know that today there is a special group of people whose very name just begins to bring comfort and joy and celebration and honor that is worthy to be due to them.

And so, therefore, if you go by the name Mom here in the room, would you stand up and let us honor and celebrate you today?

Praise God for you.

You are Superman and Superwoman all wrapped up in the one.

There's no question about it.

Moms are the absolute best, and we do celebrate you in every way and are so just so thankful that you chose to spend your Mother's Day here with us here at United City, and we are excited to see how the Lord is gonna speak to you today.

As I mentioned, we are gonna look at the names of God over the next few weeks, and we're gonna begin this sermon series by looking at a passage of scripture that is probably one of the most recognizable passages in all of the Bible.

Even if you aren't a Bible person, even if you aren't a church person, there's a good chance that you have heard and might even be able to quote Psalm chapter 23.

Psalms 23 · chapter mention

Here's the name that we're gonna be looking at, though, today.

It is found in the very first verse of Psalm 23.

It is the name Jehovah Rohi, the Lord is my shepherd.

Jehovah Rohi, the Lord is my shepherd.

I'm gonna ask you to do something a little bit different because of just the familiarity of this.

I'm gonna ask everyone to stand and we're gonna actually read this passage of scripture together in Psalm chapter 23.

Psalms 23 · chapter mention

Let's begin reading verse 1.

The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul, he leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

You can be seated.

From this psalm, I want to point out three things about Jehovah Rohi, the Lord who is our shepherd.

I want to point out how the shepherd guides, how the shepherd guards, and how the shepherd gives.

First thing I want us to see today is how the shepherd guides.

How the shepherd guides.

Verse 1: The Lord is my shepherd.

The word Lord is the word, the word Jehovah.

What this means is that God, the creator of all of the earth, the one who put the stars in the sky, the one who put the earth into orbit, the one who did all things, and we know that God is our God.

We can all collectively say that in every single way.

But what I want you to see at the very beginning of this passage is that God doesn't just guide you in a everybody gets guided way.

But what I want you to see is that it says, the Lord is my shepherd.

You see, part of the job of a shepherd would be to corral all of the sheep and to get them from one place all the way to another place.

Yes, that was his primary job, but what I want you to see is that when David speaks about the shepherd, he speaks about a shepherd who is personal.

He speaks about a per a shepherd who is individual.

He speaks about a shepherd who gives comfort and care, knowing the specific details of your life.

In fact, it's so personal, it says there at the end of verse one, I shall not want.

What do you get that person who's got everything, right?

If you're maybe for Christmas or something like that, and you're trying to buy a gift for somebody who has everything, basically you don't even know what to buy.

You're making stuff up because essentially all of their basic needs and wants are already met.

That is the picture of God's provision for you.

That you would be able to say, I've got everything I need.

I mean, yeah, there's some certain things that yeah, I kind of think about, but the reality is I am absolutely overabundantly blessed in every single way.

Says there in verses two and three, he makes me lie down, he leads me beside still waters, he restores me, he leads me in paths of righteousness.

Can I tell you one of the biggest things that keeps us from experiencing the guidance and the direction and the provision of the Lord is the fact that we don't want anybody to make us do anything.

Let's be honest.

We're willing to allow the Lord to maybe speak into some certain things, and we use that as a data point that we might consider before we ultimately make the decision that we want.

But we really do what we want is the Lord to we want to make him do what we want instead of the Lord making us do what he wants.

It says there, whenever we get out of our the way of ourselves, and we instead will allow the Lord to make you lie down.

Here's where he leads you.

He leads you to green pastures.

Meaning he's not just providing you to a place to go and eat, he provides you to a place where you go and experience a food coma.

You ever experienced a food coma at Thanksgiving?

Basically, you go and then you eat that turkey, and then you eat that stuffing, and then you eat that dressing, and then you eat all the various things.

And in your mind, you go into it, not necessarily thinking that you're gonna overeat, but every single year I am undefeated, I overeat every single time.

And right after the Lions game, right in the first quarter of the Cowboys game, I am out no matter what I try to do to stop it.

It's a food coma.

You immediately just begin to get so stuffed, you basically fall asleep.

Can I just tell you that's the type of provision the Lord gives to us?

Ephesians chapter 3, verse 20 and 21 says, Now to him who is able to do far more exceedingly above all that we could ever ask or even think, according to the power at work within us.

Ephesians 3:20

To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.

Amen.

When I give in to God making me do something, I find that he is a more than type of God.

What I find is that he not only will provide me pastures to eat in, he provides me green pastures to be so overwhelmed with the food that I can eat that literally I rest.

Look at what it says in the next verse.

It says, He leads me beside still waters.

You know, sheep are skittish animals.

They scatter, they're constantly scared of everything.

I'm in the middle of a season right now where I'm kind of wrestling through a number of different things, and the way that my mind works, I wish I wish I wasn't this way, but the way that my mind works is it just races.

It just goes, it goes nonstop.

I analyze, I think, I begin to go back and forth and talk things out and on and on and on.

And I find myself looking forward to sleep.

I also find myself dreading if I wake up in the middle of the night.

Because here's what I know that mind's gonna keep going.

And whenever I wake up, I'm gonna find myself beginning to start rehashing and rethinking things and all, and what I know I need is just to be still and to be quiet.

Can I tell you what the Lord does in his goodness and his graciousness, the great shepherd?

He will lead you to be still.

I know what I need most is not to begin to think and analyze and worry about all of these things.

I know what I need to do is go to the Lord's table and to spend time with him and to hear from him.

But ultimately, I I know that to be true, but it's hard.

And so, therefore, I need a shepherd, I need somebody to guide me, to lead me, to say, hey, just just calm down for a second.

Just sit, just be.

Allow me to speak and to minister and to walk with you.

Look at what it says.

He restores my soul.

Literally, he he fills my life.

Look, some of you, you may find yourself here today, and you found like you feel like you're broken, and you feel like you're you're you're tired, and you feel like you're overwhelmed, and you feel like you're kind of limping into this room today.

And I would tell you this: I want you to know that we have a shepherd who restores broken things.

He puts it back together and he makes something beautiful out of it.

It then says that he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

We mentioned this quite a bit coming up here on June 2nd.

We're about to move to four services, three in English and one in Spanish and the service times, 8:30, 10, 11:30.

A big shift.

It's gonna be a big change for us.

Uh, but the reason that we're doing that not only is just because of the growth that we're experiencing as a church, but also in order to accommodate and prepare for even future growth, we're gonna be expanding this worship center.

So literally in a couple of weeks, you're gonna walk in, and this big, massive section here in the center, is all gonna have a big wall.

You're gonna have to walk around that while we do construction behind that, and then we'll move the construction as well to the sides once we finish that middle section.

We're putting in stadium seating basically in our worship center, which is gonna help us with two primary needs we have as a church, which is more seating and more storage.

And this is an exciting thing for us to be able to go and do.

But when this whole process started, we were just kind of like throwing out ideas and suggestions and things that we might do, things we've seen in other churches, things that we thought might look cool.

And so we're just kind of throwing things out there right and left to see how could we figure out how to fix this problem that we've got.

And ultimately, we had no idea how much it was gonna cost.

We had no idea if it was even possible, we had no idea how long it was gonna take.

And then ultimately, we finally got a contractor.

And that contractor began to take all of these ideas and heard what it is that we wanted.

He went and met with his engineers, he went and met with his architects, and he came back and he brought us plans.

And he says, Hey, this is what we can actually do.

I know you got all these other ideas, but this is actually what will fit into the space and maximize the goals that you're trying to accomplish.

And he took those plans and then he put them into pictures.

And then it wasn't until the pictures that we're like, oh, now we totally see what it is, and now we can get excited about it.

And then from the pictures, he began to give us here's how we're gonna execute this.

This is the day we're gonna start, this is how long it's gonna take.

Let me just tell you something, folks.

It all of a sudden went from just a bunch of scattered ideas to now, all of a sudden, a perfect plan that is gonna be executed specifically designed for this room so that we can maximize it for this church.

That's what God does for you.

You see, a lot of you are just living with a bunch of ideas.

Yeah, I think this would be a good idea idea.

I think this would be good for my life.

I think this would be something I should go and be a part of.

You're just kind of you're kind of just floating from place to place.

And what you need is an expert shepherd who's gonna come alongside and say, that sounds great, but can I tell you this is how I've made you?

This is the purpose and plans that I have for your life.

These are the picture of what I want to show you of what you can be if you will follow my lead and follow my guidance, and I will lead you in the path of righteousness.

And what you will look up and you will say is that man to God be the glory.

Because this story that He has written of my life, it may not have been the story that I initially thought I wanted, but I am so grateful that I now have.

I want you to see today that the Lord guides, the shepherd guides.

Look what it says in verse 4.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

For you are with me.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Jehovah wrote, he, the Lord is my shepherd.

He not only guides, the second thing I want you to see is that the Lord guards.

The shepherd guards.

I want you to notice the connection between verse three and verse four.

I love how it ends.

He leads me in the path of righteousness for his namesake.

My assumption would be, and he's gonna then take me out of all danger.

He's gonna take me to where there's no issues, he's gonna take me around the valley of the shadow of death, he's gonna take me over the valley of the shadow of death.

What does it say?

He leads me through the valley of the shadow of death.

What I want you to know is that you may find yourself today in between verse three and verse four.

And here's what you're asking: where did God go?

And I would tell you, he's not going anywhere.

Because what I want you to see is in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death, there's two things that are at play here that we are allowed to speak out about because we have a shepherd who guards.

Look at what it says in verse 4.

It says that I will fear no evil.

It doesn't mean that there's not danger.

It doesn't mean that there's not things going up against you.

It doesn't mean that there's not opposition that is all around you.

It instead means that in the midst of all of that opposition, your confidence is not based upon your ability to overcome it.

Your confidence instead is based upon God who can get you through it.

Because, see, that's what God does.

He sent his son Jesus to die on a cross.

He rose from the dead, he defeated sin, he defeated death, and he allows us to be able to say, I don't know how I'm gonna get through this, but I know who I'm with, and I know he's not afraid of it.

And because he's not afraid of it, I'm not afraid of it.

Look at what it says there next.

It says, For you are with me.

God's presence, his very presence in our lives allows us to walk through the valleys of the shadow of death without fear and with confidence.

Because we know that he's with us.

You know, it's amazing, my kids are too old to do this anymore, but whenever they were younger, they did just like every other child has done.

I did it whenever I was a little too.

You get scared in the middle of the night, and uh, I'm a little offended by this, but it's uh I'm also um never one time ever in my kids' lives that they ever come to my side of the bed.

Not once.

Not one time.

I don't even think they considered it.

I just think it was an automatic and and I I I offended by that because I I mean I would have done something, I would have woken up their mom and asked her what to do, you know.

I mean, it's exactly what I would have would have done, right?

Uh but but moms, you just have this ability to where like your very presence makes whatever's broken seem better.

Like you just do.

It's just an amazing ability to where if something's bleeding, they want you to be around it, right?

If they're broken, they want they want they want you.

In fact, it's like a it's like they'll settle for dad, but like they really, really want mom because mom's very presence just begins to communicate safety and comfort and guidance and protection.

And what I want you to know is this is that that is what the shepherd does for you.

The shepherd's presence helps us, it walks with us.

Romans chapter 8, verse 38 and 39 says, For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38

So I want you to see is that no matter what you may come up with that you think is gonna be overwhelming or gonna take you out, it fits in this list.

None of those things will separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It says the end of verse 4, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

It's an interesting idea, an interesting image because a staff, you know, it's an upside down J, basically, right?

That's what a shepherd's staff would look like.

And the point of it would be the long end of the staff could be used to basically ward off enemies from the outside, any kind of danger from the external to the sheep.

It could be used to jab and to poke at them and to protect the sheep from any danger.

But the hook of the shepherd's staff was used.

If a sheep got out of line, if a sheep began to do something that they weren't supposed to do, then what the shepherd could do in his loving kindness, it says there to comfort him, would actually be to grab him around the neck and to grab that sheep and pull it right back into the fold.

Folks, do you realize that one of the jobs of the shepherd is to guard you from the external, awful things that could happen to you, but also it's to guard you from yourself.

Folks, some of you are experiencing the discipline of the Lord right now.

You're experiencing God's hand coming up against you.

You may not necessarily realize it, and you may not necessarily know that's what it is.

You just know that what you think you're trying to do is being continually met with resistance and opposition, and it is the loving kindness of God telling you to stop.

It is a loving grace and mercy comforting you by protecting you to experience the full outcome of what you think you need and that you can't live without.

That's what the shepherd does.

He not only uh he not only guards you, uh, but the shepherd also guides you.

But let us let me let me keep reading in Psalm chapter 23.

Psalms 23 · chapter mention

Look at verse 5.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The shepherd guides, the shepherd guards.

Last thing I want you to see from verses five and six.

The shepherd gives.

The image that he uses is a pretty interesting one.

I got this, I saw Louis Giglio do this at Passion City Church, and I've just never been able to get it out of my head.

I hope that becomes the reality for you today as we do the same illustration here.

Uh, but I want you to look here at this table.

It says there that you prepare before me in the presence of my enemies a table.

Now we got a pretty full table.

We got a pretty good spread here.

We got bread, and we've got we got fruit, and we got we got chips, and we got we got all kinds of stuff that's just overflowing.

I can't even actually see what's on the other side of those pineapples because there's just kind of so much stuff all over this table.

And what I want you to see is that he says, You prepare before me a table, but I want you to notice the location.

It says, in the presence of my enemies.

It's kind of odd because I would prefer that it says you prepare a table, just me and you, and we're off by ourselves, and no one is around us, and I get some one-on-one time with you.

But it doesn't.

It says you actually prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

Do we know each other, sir?

Yes, sir.

What's your name?

I'm Steve.

Steve, good to meet you, Steve.

I just want you to know.

Uh uh, I don't are you a guest here today?

I'm no enemy.

You're no enemy?

You are right now.

You are right now.

I want you to know that.

Um, I want you to know that what you represent is the criticism that you've given to me long ago.

I don't even know if you remember it, but the very fact that you did that, I just want you to know it comes up over and over again in my mind.

It begins to just play out over and over again.

And thank you also for coming to United City Church, by the way.

I appreciate that.

I appreciate that.

I appreciate that.

Uh tell me your name.

Lexi, good to see you.

Are you a guest here?

You are today?

Okay, good deal.

You can come back.

I promise you don't always do this.

Um, but I do want you to know you represent the bully that I had when I was growing up.

Um, and what's funny is I don't even know if you still know what you did.

I don't even know if you have thought about it, but I need you to know I think about it a lot.

In fact, I I kind of replay it in my mind a whole bunch.

And uh it just keeps kind of keeps kind of coming up.

Tell me your name?

Toy.

Say it again?

Toy.

Toy?

Yes.

Uh Toy, I want you to know you're my enemy today.

You're beautiful, by the way.

And I'm so sorry that that uh this is the case, but for right now, you're you are my enemy.

Uh, and I want you to know that you represent that that person at the office who got the promotion over me.

Now it's not that you did anything wrong.

I need you to know that you worked hard and everything like that, but the reality is I deserved it.

And so the very fact that I see you, the very fact when I see See you.

It just it just it's it reminds me of what I don't have.

It reminds me of what I felt like I deserved.

It reminds me of what I I think I in fact I need.

Right?

I want you just to know that.

Um Chris, how are you?

Chris always sits in the middle, he's gonna be regretting that now.

I appreciate that.

Good to see you.

Appreciate that.

Uh Chris, you're gonna be my enemy today, and I I just want you to know you're that friend who, whenever I needed you to be there, but you weren't.

Um and what stinks is that I I thought I was that for you.

Um and I needed it.

You you probably don't, you may not have realized it, you may not have remembered it.

Um but I I do.

And it it kind of keeps it just it's a frustrating thing because you you the exact moment it wasn't it wasn't there.

Dalton.

You look good, by the way.

Good job in the video, by the way.

You did a great job there.

Uh you represent my bully right now.

That constant peppering, frustration, sense of just the fact that you just seem to remind me what you think I'm not.

And as a result of that, I want you to think about my enemy.

I'm not gonna keep going, by the way.

You guys are good, just F-Y, uh, on all of this.

You guys did such a good job.

Uh, but I but I want you just to picture all of you are my enemies.

All of you.

You fill in the blank as to what your situation is and what your story is and whatever, but I want you to see what the scriptures say.

It says you prepare a table before me in the presence of all of you.

Meaning God desires that I would actually eat at the table while you watch.

I don't necessarily think that it's like talking trash, but it could.

And that kind of feels a little good.

But can I tell you what so often happens?

Is instead of focusing on the table, I'll sit at the table and what I'll actually do is I'll just begin to think about that bully.

And man, I'll just you don't even remember it.

You probably don't even know my name.

But can I just tell you I just have no idea about the provision that's around me because I'm mainly just thinking about what you did.

When I go to the office, instead of enjoying the office and seeing the fact that God's desiring me to live a life that enjoys the provision that He's given me with the job, they've given me the opportunity to be able to go and to live my life in such a way where I can be a testimony to others, even especially when I've been passed over, instead, I just I just look and I resent.

I resent everything that that you have when at the end of the day, you actually worked hard and earned it.

But because of the fact that that's the case, it becomes something that I begin to dwell on and begin to think about.

I begin to think about that friend and I begin to think about that moment, and I begin to think on and on and on.

And here's the thing I'm sitting here and I'm looking about everybody else, and I'm and I'm constantly talking about all the ways in which the Lord did not come through for me when all the while there's almonds on the other side of the pineapple I haven't even seen yet.

The provision is so rich and it's so good and it's so full, yet I can't see it.

You want to know why?

Because all I'm focusing on are the enemies.

Chris, can I ask you to do me a favor?

Can you come sit down here for for a second?

Just come in.

Here's what also I know some of you will do, and what I I can have a tendency to do too.

I know I'm spiritual, so I'm not supposed to do all of that.

And so what I'll actually do is I'll come up to the table, but I'll just invite you and just say, can you just tell me all the things you think about me?

Can you just tell me all the bad things that you think?

Can we just spend the entire time just analyzing and talking and rehashing all of the various things that you as an enemy that what you did, and I can remind you of that, and you can tell me, and all the while, you know what we haven't done, we haven't touched the food.

We haven't touched the food.

It's a kale, it's not that good.

But yes, uh uh you can go ahead and take a seat.

Thank you, Chris.

I appreciate that.

Church, what I want to ask you to do is to sit at the table with the Lord.

No matter what.

When it's going good, let him give.

When it is going bad, when all around you it is falling apart, the Lord is inviting you to come and sit at the table, knowing chaos is all around.

But his goodness is overflowing.

The Bible says there, you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.

It doesn't say maybe every now and then goodness and mercy are gonna come around.

It doesn't say if you work hard enough and if you're good enough and if you perform well enough, then maybe goodness and mercy might show up.

It says, Surely, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Let's give our enemies a hand.

You guys did a great job being enemies today.

Thank you so much.

How could David say that?

I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Because ultimately he knows that God's desire is not to leave us in the stuck place that we may find ourselves in, but God, the gracious, the good giver, the one who gives us all things, ultimately give his only son Jesus to die on a cross for our sins.

And he rose from the dead.

And if we believe in him, the Bible says we can not only experience abundant life here in the presence, but we can experience eternal life in the future.

John chapter 10, verse 10, it says, verse 11 says, I am the good shepherd.

John 10:10

The good shepherd lays down his life for sheep.

One of the big images that's seen repeatedly throughout God's word when it comes to heaven is that of a banquet table.

I just envisioned this massive table as far as you could possibly see.

And at that table are gonna be all of these saints who have gone before, and we're getting to enjoy a meal together, and we're not distracted by all the things that distract us, but instead, we are enjoying fellowship with each other.

We are in the presence of the king, sitting there at the end of the table and just listening to what he has to say to us while we enjoy the company of each other.

Let me ask you do you have a reservation at the table?

Do you know for sure that if something was to happen to you and you were to die and you were to stand before God, you would be able to say, Hey, my name's on the list?

And he would say, Come on in, your seat is reserved.

If you don't know Jesus, I want to ask you to do something.

The most important thing you'll ever do in your life is to give your life to Him.

Would you bow your heads and would you close your eyes?

It's time to book your reservation.

It's time for you to ensure that your spot is secure.

If you don't know Jesus, let me tell you that's the first step.

And he doesn't give you a list of things that you have to do in order to get to the table.

He doesn't tell you of all the things you're gonna have to make up.

Instead, he just simply says, I need you to receive, receive the free gift of eternal life.

He died on a cross, he rose from the dead, and right now he wants you to receive him as your Lord and your Savior.

I'm gonna pray a simple prayer that can forever change your life.

I want to invite you to do that just like we had people do at the first service.

Just pray these words, dear God.

I want to know you.

I want that reservation, I want to be at that table.

I believe you died on a cross for me.

I believe that you rose from the dead, and right now I receive you into my life.

To be my Lord, be my savior.

I want to dine with you.

I want to be with you.

I thank you for saving me.

It's in Jesus' name that I pray.

Amen.

Would you look up?

I want to ask you if you just prayed that prayer of faith.

You just gave your life to Jesus.

You see, our team is already down front on the sides.

I'm gonna ask you in just a moment, we're all gonna stand up, and that's gonna be your cue to step out from where you are and to come forward and let us celebrate your reservation.

That's what we want to do today.

Others of you need to come and join United City Church.

I want you to know this.

We're gonna be a church who's gonna do everything possible to get as many people at that table as we possibly can.

We believe that the food and the meal is so good that we want to make sure that everybody gets to be a part of it.

And so, therefore, we're gonna do everything in our power to tell people about Jesus.

If you desire to be a part of a church like that, I'm gonna ask you to come forward.

Would you lead the way by your coming?

You're gonna encourage and inspire others to follow in the same.

Others may need to get baptized.

What an unbelievable picture that we just got to see of people making their next step, having given their lives to Jesus and now following through in believers' baptism.

If you know that's your next step, would you come forward and let us schedule your baptism?

Maybe others, you just need prayer.

Maybe you're having a difficult time receiving today.

Maybe you're having a difficult time because the voice of the enemy is so loud in your ears.

Let us come alongside and pray with you.

We get it.

We want you to know that there is a voice that speaks louder.

God's word speaks louder than all those other voices.

We want to pray alongside of you with that.

Maybe some of you are in a position to where you're afraid.

And we want to remind you and speak God's presence over you and pray over your situation.

Whatever need that you have, I'm gonna ask that you come and let us pray with you.

Father in heaven, I come before you and I thank you.

I thank you for the promise of your word.

I thank you, Father, that you are a God who guides, you are a God who guards, and you are a God who gives.

I pray now, Father, as we respond to you, you would lead and you would guide us to do what we'll be so grateful that we did by following after you today and taking our next step.

It's in the name of Jesus that I pray.

Amen.

As you stand, our team is gonna sing, our folks are up front, and you come right now as God is leading you to respond.

Come on.

Step out of you, come right now.

Come on.

Praise God for this to be the case.

He does fight your battles, he goes before you.

We're gonna be continuing the series next week.

I want to invite you to be back and to join us as we continue to talk about next week.

Uh, we're gonna look at the Lord is my righteousness, and it's gonna be an incredible time together.

Can't wait to have you here.

Hey, quick announcements real fast.

Uh, sports camp is coming up, and I want to just encourage you to be a part of this June 3rd through 6th, one of the biggest outreaches we do as a church.

That is gonna be uh Monday through Thursday night, where we're gonna be using sports as a hook and as a way to be able to reach families.

So we encourage you to sign up and to volunteer and to serve, but also we want to encourage you to make sure that your kids are registered as well.

It's an incredible event.

We've been talking about it for a while.

Four services are coming up June 2nd, and we're gonna have it at 8:30, 10, and 11:30.

We still need folks to help us serve as we prepare for this adjustment.

So if you can help, we're asking everybody if you would consider attend one and serve one at least.

And if you got a group on Sunday mornings, you can also attend a group on Sunday mornings, is what we're hoping that you'll be willing to do.

If you'll just make sure to take a look at that QR code, sign up to serve so that we can be again to facilitate, excited about what God's gonna do with four services coming up.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms.

Thank y'all for being here.

Y'all have a great Sunday.

Take care.

Wow, what an amazing message we got to hear this morning.

I hope the Lord showed himself to you in a fresh, new way.

Hey, if you made a decision today to follow Jesus or a decision for Christ, we would love to process that with you.

And so text the word next to 55498, and someone from our team will be more than happy to reach out and process that with you.

If you missed the message or you missed a note or two and you want to go back, don't worry.

We've got the option for that as well.

It's gonna be available on Spotify as well as Apple Music.

This has been an amazing morning.

We love you guys so much, and we hope to see you next week.

Bye-bye.