Life.Church with Craig Groeschel - I Deserve It, Part 4: I Deserve To Be Counted Out, But He Gave Me Another Chance

Episode Date: April 27, 2015

How different would the world look if everyone got what they deserved? Would your salary be the same? What would our prisons look like? Would nice guys finish first or last? God knows what we deserve. See if that's what we get in I Deserve It. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Come on. Completely let me down. All I do is care for you. You act like I don't even matter. I'm sorry. I'm asking for it's a second chance. There are no more second chances. It is awesome to have all of you with us today,

and I hope that there are a few of you who will join me today in welcoming the 23rd Lifechurch.tv location in Mustang, Oklahoma, packing the place out. We are thrilled. and honored to have you with us today. All of our live churches, all of our network churches, tens of thousands of you on the other side of computer screens at Church Online, we're in the fourth and final message of a four-part series called I Deserve It.

Today, I want to talk to those of you who feel the weight of maybe some type of a personal failure. You let yourself down, you let somebody else down, you let God down, you didn't perform in a way that you thought you were supposed to, and you feel the weight of that. All of us, unfortunately, at one time or another, we fall short of the right standards and let ourselves, God, or other people down. For me, I remember even as I preached today, I think back to the very first time I preached and failed miserably, my pastor, Pastor Nick Harris, who is a hero to me, took a chance

on me when I was a 22-year-old and brought me on to his staff at First United Methodist Church downtown Oklahoma City. And at the age of 22, he gave me an opportunity to preach to the whole Sunday morning crowd, which was the most terrifying and honoring experience of my life at that point. Nick was there, and he was wearing the full robe because he was ordained, which means his robe had stripes on it. I was unordained, so I had a junior robe with no stripes, but I had a robe. And I was really excited about it. We had all the pastors were up sitting in the thrones, I called, and they were big fancy chairs and they were kind of behind me trying to cheer me on as I was just nervous as all get out and I was honestly bombing. It was really going badly and I finally said something that seemed

to get somebody excited. I said something like, you know, and what you need to know is that God knew you before you were born and my pastor said, amen. And some people said amen. Like, that works. And so I said, God knew you way before you are born. And they said, amen. And I say, God knew you before your mama knew your daddy. And they said, amen. And they said, said, amen. Then I blew it. I had momentum. It was moving forward. I said, and God knew you before you were an itch in your daddy's pants. Nobody said amen. I mean, technically it's true, but nobody said amen. My pastor put his head down in his face like this, and the sermon that was started trying to do this went like this for the rest of the time. I walked back into my

pastor's office afterwards. He came in, and he said, well, I've got really good news for you. you. I was like, what? You know, I thought he might say it wasn't that bad or whatever. He said, you will never preach worse as long as you live. And that's the good news for you. I just thought, I am doomed to ever get this right. Well, that's a bit of a funny story that the reality is so often our failures are not funny. And they hurt, they sting. In fact, in a group this size, there are certainly many of you right now that you feel the weight of a decision or an action that left you in a place you never wanted to be. And I don't know what it could be, but some of you,

you made a vow to God and you broke it. You made a promise to yourself, and you broke it. You made a commitment to somebody else, and you didn't fulfill that commitment. You let someone that you care about down in a significant way. You let yourself down. You feel like you failed God miserably. It could be any number of different things.

You neglected your marriage when you know you shouldn't have, and you didn't think it would matter, but now you feel the weight of it because it caught up to you. You didn't take care of your body when you should have, and now years later, you've got health issues, and you wish you could go back, but you can't seem to do it, and you feel so horrible about that. For some of you, you're facing a financial mountain right now. It could be you took a, made an risky investment, or you know, accumulated more debt than you ever thought you could, and you're looking at going, how am I ever going to get out of this? Some of you, it was that you were hard on your kids for years and years. You just, you know, you wanted to be a strict and a loving parent, but maybe you're too strict,

and now your kids are grown, and they don't want to have anything to do with you. And you're like, I didn't mean to do this. Some of you, it may be something more simple, that you had a dream. You always thought, one day I'm going to pursue that dream, and I'm going to go for it, and I'm going to take the risk, I'm going to take the chance. And now you're at a place where it seems like the ability to pursue that dream is past you, and you feel like such a failure because you thought by this point of your life you would be doing something different, something better, something more significant, something more meaningful.

And one day you just wake up and think, how in the world did I get here? I never thought I would be in this place at this moment. I always thought life would be different or better, and you feel the weight of the decisions that you wish you could go back and do over again. What we're going to do today is look in Luke 22, and we're going to see a guy who, quite honestly, messed up big time. And the reality is this man, Peter, deserved to be counted out. But because of the grace of Jesus, we're going to see that God gave him another chance.

And I know for some of you, this will be a message, a moment with God that will bring the hope that you need to keep going and believe that God will bring a better tomorrow. Let me give you the context as we get into Luke 22. It's really an amazing story of humility and brokenness. Jesus actually told his disciples, he said, Tonight, you will fall away on account of me. And Peter honestly loved Jesus and said, no, no, no, no. All these other guys, they may fall away, not me. I've got your back.

I'm here. I'll never fall away. And Peter, Jesus looked at Peter and said, Peter, tonight before the rooster crows, you're going to deny me three times. And Peter's like, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. Even if I have to die with you, I will never, ever deny you.

If you know how the story goes, Peter denied Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. And we're going to see the story and see what we can learn from God about how we overcome our own failures in this story. Let me start today. We're going to start in verse 54. And what I want to do is show you first of all two of Peter's mistakes. He made more, but I want to focus on these two because these are two that I've made. And chances are you might find yourself in this story as well. well. Verse 54 of Luke 22, we'll join the story there. Luke says that then seizing Jesus,

they let him away and took him into the house of the high priest. So what you need to know at this point when Jesus is in the house, the beating is actually going to start. They're going to start abusing Jesus. He's going to come out of the house looking much different than he went into the house. Scripture says that Peter did what? I need all of our churches to help me out. You all in Mustang. Help me out. You all in Keller, Texas. This guy helped me out. Peter did what? Everybody said aloud. Peter followed at a distance. I want you to remember this. Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard that sat down together, Peter sat down with them. So Peter's following

at a distance. He's now kind of sitting down in the enemy camp with some other people. And I want to show you two of the several mistakes that Peter made. The first one, if you're taking notes, is this. he underestimated his own weaknesses. This is so important. He underestimated his own weaknesses. We have to understand every single one of us that we are all absolutely capable of doing anything wrong at any moment. We are all capable of sinning, messing up, falling short,

letting down God, letting ourselves down, falling away from the promises that we make. We are all capable of horrific sin at any moment. And the moment you think you're not is the moment that you're most vulnerable. In fact, Paul said this. He said, hey, if you think you're standing firm, be careful so you don't fall. In other words, those of you say, I would never have an affair. I would never cheat in this way.

I would never, be careful. We have to be aware of our own weaknesses. And unfortunately, I've learned the hard way that I'm never as strong as I think I am. because I'll tell you right now, I can be crazy, crazy self-discipline. I can be the most self-disciplined person you've ever met. I can go literally a year without eating pizza, hamburger, junk food, desserts, no problem at all. I am self-discipline. Until one of you cuts me off on the road.

And then all that self-discipline in a moment goes out the window, and I can be incredibly weak and vulnerable at any moment. And I'm not ever going to say for a second, I'm above any sense. sin, I'm better than that, I'm not capable of that, because we are all capable of falling short in any way at any time, and we have to recognize that. In fact, if you're taking notes, you may want to jot this down, that acknowledging weakness is the first step toward true strength. Acknowledging weakness is the first step toward true strength. You're only as strong as you are honest, and Peter did not recognize his own strength. I'll never leave you. I'm always going to be there. I promise. I'll die with you. And then he denied

Jesus three times. The second of his big weaknesses. Number one is he didn't understand and embrace his own weaknesses. Number two is this. He followed Jesus at a distance. He followed Jesus at a distance. And I need to just say for some of you right now, this is the moment that you came for today because God is really going to lovingly convict you on this point. He followed Jesus at a distance. He followed Jesus at a distance. The reality is we can choose how close we are to Jesus. Some people want to be very close to Jesus. And if I can play with this metaphor for a moment, you want to be, you want to seek him first every single day. You want to be in his word. You want his Holy Spirit to guide you. You want to be sensitive to what he's leading you to do

all day long. You want to be serving in the church. You want to be close to the action. You want to know what His will is. You want to follow Jesus closely because you value him above all else. But tragically today, I think, and quite honestly, perhaps even the majority of people here, it's more comfortable to follow Jesus from a distance. In other words, there are so many people today I honestly believe, I want all the good stuff Jesus offers, right? Keep me out in a hot place when I die and let me go to the place where there are angels when I, you know, I want to be in heaven. that kind of stuff. And I want the blessings and then the comfort and all that. But I don't want the cost of following Jesus too closely. I don't want people to make fun of me, you know. Oh, he's

a Jesus guy, Bible thumber. She's a, you know, Jesus freak and all that kind of stuff. And so I don't want to, you know, pay that kind of price. I'd rather get the blessings, but I want to do it from a distance. If I could even say, I mean, quite honestly, and I don't want to make people feel bad, but like when I go to church, man, I want to get there early, honestly, I want to be up close. I really do. It's different up close. Like the people at my campus, they get holy spit, and those do you back don't know anything about that, right? You know, it's, it's, it's, I say it and spray it, and it just happens, you know. And the reality is I really do, I want to be close to the action. I want to be, I want to be able to worship in a more intimate way without distractions.

It's a little, let me just put it like this. Where I live, we have a, uh, pro, we have a, uh, basketball team in Oklahoma City called the Oklahoma City Thunder, and I enjoy going to the games. I purchased the more inexpensive seats because I have a spiritual gift of not spending money. And so I'd take my kids and we'd sit up in kind of the nosebleed section and we had a blast, so much fun. Until one day, some friends of ours who've been friends for 20 years invited us to sit court side with them. Court side, where your feet are on the same floor as the players.

And suddenly, they're bigger than you can imagine, faster than you can imagine, smellier than you can imagine, and the action is stunning, stunning. The other thing is, I didn't know, but when you go early, there's free food underneath the same. Like really good food, not like hot dogs, but steak and desserts. All you can eat when you sit on the front road. Nobody told me about that. And so if you get there early, you get this kind of food. And then when the game's on, I mean, it's like lightning magic power.

You know, when Kevin Durant goes through the air and is, I mean, like, you know, from half court, dunks without his feet hitting. And then he comes over. And one time he high-fived me, boom. I was a part of that game. I helped K.D. get fired. Then one time, Russell Westbrook actually fell into my lap. Sweat everywhere.

I had Westbrook sweat all over me, and I didn't care. I felt power. I felt the annoyance. Put me in, coach. I got Westbrook, sweat, do it fast before it dries. I don't know about you, but I want to. to be up front. I want to be close to Jesus. I want to be where the action is. I want to be close enough to hear his voice and since his presence. I don't want to be a back row, get in late

leave, early follower of Jesus. I want to be one who gets there early, who gets the best seat in the house, who is close to him, who pursues him. I want his presence leading me every single day. I'm going to argue all day long, all day long, that had Peter been physically, close to Jesus, he would have never denied Jesus. Why? Because just a few hours earlier, you may remember, in the garden whenever Jesus was going to be arrested and the Roman soldiers came in there and had the service, what did Peter do? He pulled out his sword and he swung and he took off the guy's ear. Why did Peter cut off the guy's ear? Because he had bad aim. He was going for the head. He's like, I'll die. I'll fight to the death for you. When he's,

was physically close, then Jesus is kind of funny. Peter, we're not going to do it this way. Give me the guy's ear, plop, be healed in my own name, because he didn't say in Jesus' name, because it was his name. Anyway, some of you will get that later. And so he's like, don't do that today. And Peter would have been willing to die for Jesus when he was close to him. But when he followed him from a distance, suddenly he was much more vulnerable.

And if I can just say it right now, for some of you, if you are following Jesus from a You will never experience all the goodness, all the blessings, and you are much more vulnerable. I always want to be a front row follower. I want to be as close as I can, and I hope you do, too, because being close to Jesus is where the spiritual action is, and I want to be close enough to always hear and know his voice. Mistake number one, he didn't realize how weak he was. Mistake number two is he followed Jesus from a distance. And here's how it cost in verse 56.

A servant girl saw Peter seated there in the firelight. little girl. She looked closely at him and said, this man was with him, this man was with Jesus. But what did he do? Everybody helped me out. But Peter did what? He denied it. Woman, I don't know him, he said. A little later, someone else saw him and said, you're also one of them, you're one of the disciples. Peter's like, no, no, man, I'm not. Verse 59. About an hour later, another asserted, certainly this fellow was with him for he is a Galilean. Peter replied, man, I don't know what you're talking about. What's interesting to me is Matthew also reported on this story.

Luke told how he saw it. Matthew told another version. Matthew said that after Peter denied Jesus the third time, that he said, man, if I'm lying, may a curse fall on my head. May there be a curse of, in other words, I swear to God, send me to hell if I'm lying. I mean, that's how severe it was. What's so crazy is the only person that Peter fooled was himself. Everybody else knew. everybody else knew.

And if I can just say respectfully, there are some of you in that very same place right now. The only person you're fooling is yourself. Everybody else will tell you you've got a problem. I don't have a problem. I can quit any time. I can't. If you could have, you would have a long time ago. You have a problem.

No, I don't. The only person you're fooling is yourself. Well, my marriage is fine. I mean, I know my wife's kind of dissatisfied and, you know, it's not the best. But, I mean, it's fine, it's fine. Maybe, maybe not. maybe you're fooling yourself. The only person that Peter fooled was himself.

May a curse fall upon me if I'm lying. And that's how deceived he was. Three times he ends up denying Jesus. Verse 60 tells us the tragic plot, the plot turns. Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed, verse 61, this to me is heartbreaking, if you can imagine it. The Lord turned and did what? Let's all say it aloud.

turned in, look straight at Peter. Now, I want you to think about this. At this point, it's very likely that Jesus' face was black and blue and bloody. Okay? The savior that Peter loved, Jesus would have been beaten. And in this moment, as Jesus had always been faithful to Peter, he looks at the unfaithful Peter straight in the eyes. And you could only imagine the pain at that moment. the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord has spoken to him. Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times. And Peter went outside, and what did he do?

He wept bitterly. He wept bitterly. I'm curious, just curious. When is the last time you've wept bitterly over your sin? When is the time, the last time when the weight of your sinfulness just became so real that you just broke down before God. It's like, God, I am so, so sorry. I'm not talking about remorse.

I'm talking about repentance. Remorse is different. Remorse says, I'm sorry I got caught. Repentance is, I'm sorry, God, I let you down. I'm sorry I got caught. Oh, this is horrible. I messed up my life. Deep repentance, God, I want to be different than this.

When is the last time you've wept over your sin? And I don't want to make you go, okay, we'll kind of work up some tears now. Give me some onions. You know, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that whenever I'm not sensitive to the horror of my sin, that's what I'm following Jesus from a distance. Whenever I'm following him closely, I will repent quickly and deeply because I feel the weight of what I've done.

And he went outside and he wept bitterly because he knew that he had completely disappointed and broken. the heart of Jesus. So, Peter, who Jesus called the rock, Peter the rock, crumbled not once, not twice, but three times. And I so can identify with this. I can imagine some of you are the very same as me. God, I promise from this point forward, I will always do this. And right after you promise, you end up breaking the promise in a matter of days, weeks, or months. Well, I'll never do this again. I promise, I'll never do this again. I'll never look again.

I won't look at something inappropriate again. I'll never look again. I'll never look again and you feel the weight of it. I'll never neglect my family. I'm always going to be there for them. I'm always going to be there for my family. I'm not going to neglect my family. And then you get busy and all of a sudden you just leave them behind

and you wake up and realize, oh, I neglected them once again. I'm always going to do this. God, I'm always going to seek you first. And then you end up not doing so. and you feel the weight of this. Peter, what we have to understand is he made a bold promise and he was not faithful, and he absolutely and completely deserved to be counted out.

But because of the grace of God, Jesus did not count him out, but Jesus gave him another chance. And sometime on your own, you might want to read in John 21. It's a beautiful story about the restoration of Peter. It was after Jesus had given his life, and the cross and was raised from the dead, and he has a beautiful moment,

kind of an extended conversation with Peter, and he asks him, do you love me, do you love me, do you really love me, love me, then feed my sheep. And what Jesus does is so amazing is Jesus forgives Peter, he restores Peter, and then Peter, quite honestly, is the one chosen by God to be the keynote speaker on the day of Pentecost.

Wait, wait, how'd that happen? The guy who failed and denied Jesus is the one who preached on repentance and saw thousands of people come to know Christ. Why? Because there was nobody better qualified to preach on repentance and forgiveness than the one who had repented and been forgiven.

There was no one better. Let me say it this way. I heard a preacher say this one time, and I wish I could do it like him. If I did it like him, you all wouldn't know what to do because you wouldn't know how to respond to a preacher like this anyway. You just kind of look at it.

But this guy was so good. He said, here's what he said. never put a period where God put a comma. Oh, if I had an organ right now, there's no tell what would happen in this place. He was so good. I mean, this guy, never put a period where God put a comma. So you guys don't even know what to do with that. I mean, you don't even know what to do with that.

Oh, if I had some help today, I could preach that. If I had somebody who would work with me, never put a period by God. You say, here's a deal. You're going to do something that you feel horrible about. And at this point, my marriage failed. It feels like my life is over, period. No, no, no, no, no. Do not put a period at that place because God put a common.

My marriage failed. I feel like my life is over. Comma. But my God is still good. And he picks up the broken pieces and he gives me hope. You never put a period where God put a comma. I am struggling financially and I am scared to death, period. No, no, no, no, no.

I am struggling financially and I'm scared to death, comma. But my faith tells me that my God shall supply all my needs according to his riches and glory. You never put a period where God put a comma. I have failed and I feel desperate and alone, period. No, no, no, no, no, no. You never put a period where God put a comma. I failed and I feel desperate and alone, comma,

but I know my God will never leave me nor forsake me. And he's working in all things, including this, to bring about good to those who love him and are called according to. I wish I had somebody in that house who could help me preach this work. I can't even do that because you guys don't know how to work with me. You never put a period where God put a, you think, about what Peter started to learn. He learned so much. What did he learn? He learned success is not final. You may walk on water for a few minutes. You may be sinking the next, but he also learned

failure is not fatal. Somebody needs to know that right now. You think you're always going to be successful? Listen, we are failed, flawed human beings, sinful by nature. We will mess up occasionally. But when we do, failure is not fatal and never internalize a failure. Just because you failed at something does not mean you are a failure. A failure is an event, never a person. Oh, somebody ought to get with me and help me out today. It is never, ever. It's not a person. It's what happened. It's not who you are. And this is what so amazing about the grace of Jesus. Is Peter failed and denied Jesus, and yet he was allowed to proclaim the grace of Jesus. Why? Wherever you are broken, guess what?

Jesus will help bring healing. And any time a bone is broken and then heals, where is the bone the strongest? It's strongest at the point of healing. The very thing right now that you think is going to take you out may become the greatest point of strength in your life as you move forward. Because where you are now weak, our God will make you strong because his strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, you don't internalize the failure.

In fact, what's so crazy to me is that Jesus actually knew ahead of time that Peter was going to fail. Not just in the prophecy, you're going to deny me three times before the rooster close. Long before that. Jesus said, Peter, Peter, Satan is asked to sift you like wheat. In other words, Satan wants a shot at you. And guess what? I'm going to give them a fair run at you.

Then Jesus said, but when you turn back, strengthen your brothers. When you turn back, Jesus knew that what Satan would mean for evil, God would use for good. And Peter would turn away for a little while, but guess what? He would turn back.

And when he turned back, he wouldn't be as he was before he turned away. He would be better, he would be stronger, and he would never follow Jesus from a distance again. He would be a front row show up early, close follower. He would be stronger than he was before. He would never deny Jesus again. But when you turn back, there are some of you right now, you're in the middle of massive

pain and disappointment. And God knew long before you got here that you would get there. But when you are here, you will not be here forever because he's going to work in this to do something inside of you to strengthen you because our God never wastes a failure. He's doing something in you to draw you closer to Jesus. And what's so crazy about this is that Peter preached Christ and preached Christ and preached Christ and preach Christ and years went by. And history tells us that Peter actually died as a martyr, was willing to die for the Jesus that he denied three times. Tradition tells us that when they went to crucify Peter, Peter said, I'm sorry, but I will not let you crucify me as my Savior died.

And tradition tells us that Peter was crucified upside down on a cross because he was unwilling to die in the same manner of his Savior because he felt too unworthy, and yet he was willing to suffer and die for Jesus. And the same guy that deserved to be counted out and was given a second chance became so strong because of the grace of Jesus that years later, this is one of the most powerful things that Peter said, and this is his words recorded in 1st Peter 416, the man who denied Jesus three times and deserved to be counted out. But because he had another chance, here's what Peter said. He said, however, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, do not be intent.

do not be weak, do not be shaken. He says, do not be ashamed. If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed. But praise God that you bear that name. Praise God that you bear the name of Jesus. Praise God that you bear that name. The one who was weak and vulnerable. became stronger at the point of healing.

And I don't know who I'm talking to today, but if you're down discouraged, your heart on yourself, not only did Peter have to receive the forgiveness of Jesus, but he also had to have the courage to forgive himself. And there's someone here who you need to receive the forgiveness of Jesus and you need to forgive yourself. And when you do, at your greatest point of weakness, he could make you strong

because his strength is made perfect in weakness. and weakness. What happened to Peter? His guilt was replaced by God's grace, and his failure, God turned into faithfulness. And God will do the same thing for you and for me because we deserve to be counted out, but we serve a God who will give us a second chance. Father, I pray today that in your presence, you would do a healing work in so many hearts. All of our churches, as you reflect today in prayer. I know there are many of you right now that the weight of your own sinfulness may be upon you. It might be the weight of difficult decisions, bad decisions, poor decisions, lack of wisdom, or just even innocent mistakes that you made that have caught up with

you. And you wake up thinking, I never thought I would be here, and I don't know how to get out of this place. Never ever put a period where God puts a comma. And all of our churches, those of you who say this message is really speaking encouragement to me, and I want by God's grace, the ability to move forward, hope for a better day. I may need his forgiveness, I may need his strength, I may need help forgiving myself. God, I pray that you would speak to people today at all of our churches. Those of you who say, this is speaking to me, and I need his courage, I need faith to believe that God can even use this and bring about something better, bring healing, bring strength because of it. If that's you, would you just lift up your hands right now, all of our churches, all of our churches,

lift up your hands. There's so many of you today. If you put them back down for a minute, nobody looking around. I want to talk to one more group as well. Those of you who would say, maybe I did something wrong and I can believe that God will forgive me, but I'm having a hard time letting it go and forgiving myself. Would you lift up your hands? I want to pray specifically for you.

Oh, man, there's so many today. Father, I thank you for, I thank you, God, for these honest people that want to follow you closely. I pray God that at the point of brokenness today, you would continue and maybe in some cases begin the healing process, that where we are broken and weak and vulnerable, that one day, God, we'd be strong for your glory. I pray God, for restoration and healing in ways that we don't even know how to ask, for hope to believe that you're still on the throne and you're still working. God, for those who feel like they've been disqualified, counted out, and can never experience your goodness and blessings again, God, we thank you that today in your presence,

you will minister hope. You will give them faith to believe that you are a God who forgives and gives second chances. I pray, God, for those today who need help in forgiving themselves. I pray, God, that the beauty of what you did on the cross, the truth of the resurrection, would give us the faith to believe, God, if you can forgive us, then you want us to forgive ourselves. Give them the courage to let it go, God, and to move forward and to trust you, not to lean on our own understanding, but to trust you and believe you will make all of our paths straight. As you keep praying today at all of our churches, there are some of you right now that this is the moment that you're here because you feel the weight of what you've done in this life and

you wonder, could God ever love you again? Could God ever forgive you? I remember that place so well in my own heart. And what I hope you'll understand is that you are not here by accident. You are here because God wants you to hear this, that he loves you, and he loves you so much that he sent Jesus to die for what you did. Jesus became sin for us, died on the cross. He rose again.

He rose again so that anyone, and this includes you, who calls on him, would be saved, forgiven, made completely new. And all of our churches, there are those of you. You recognize right now there's something drawing you toward God. What is that? That is His Holy Spirit, and that is him doing a work to pull you toward him. You recognize your need for him. You need his grace, and you need his forgiveness.

You are here today to call on him, and you have a choice right now. continue on as you are or say I can't do it anymore. Jesus, I need your forgiveness. I give my life to you. I don't want to just follow from a distance. I want to know you, serve you because you died for me. I want to live for you. So today, as best as I can, I turn from my sin.

I turn toward you and I give my life to you. That's your prayer. All of our churches, lift your hands high right now. And say, yes, I surrender right back over here. God bless you and over here as well. Others of you, way back here in the middle section, say yes. lift up your hand and say, I surrender right up here close to me. Others of you, church online, you click right below me, right back over here, toward the back.

Others who would say, I need his mercy, I need his grace here in the middle section as well. Would you pray with those around you, everybody? Pray aloud. Pray Heavenly Father. Forgive me of my sins. Make me new. I believe Jesus died and rose again so I could live for you. fill me with your spirit so I could follow you always close to you my life is not my own today I give it to you Jesus thank you for new life now you have mine in Jesus name I pray would you all worship big all of our churches

worship big worship loud welcome those born today into God's family