Titus 2:11
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Sermon Transcript:

All right. You can continue worshiping because, um, you’re going to get like a six and a half minute sermon here this morning. Okay. Nobody’s celebrating that. Okay. Okay. Yeah. No, the preaching of God’s word is very important. And we’ve talked about this, um, as a staff, it is a joy that there are 16 people this morning getting baptized.

Um, you’re only going to hear.

You’re only going to hear eight of those stories in this service, and if you want to stay for the next one, you can get the other eight, uh, but we’ll encourage you, you can also watch their testimonies online, but I’m going to just share with you a little bit, kind of set the stage for where we, are going this morning.

baptism as many of you may know, some of you may not know is really a symbol. It’s a symbol of what God has done in the lives of those that know him. Baptism does not make you a Christian. It declares that you already are. That’s why you’ll see each person that comes into the tank this morning, wearing one of these shirts that says forgiven.

they’re wearing it before they enter the tank because it’s a declaration that God has already done something in their lives. And so when each person goes under the water, you’ll hear us say, in the likeness of his death. And as we bring them back up out of the water, we’ll say, in the likeness of the resurrection of Jesus.

In the same way that he died and rose again, baptism displays this union that we have with him, this connection to him. We too have died to an old way of life and have been raised to a new way of life. And now, reborn, we get to live out that faith. Joe mentioned each person is going to testify and share in their own unique way of ways that God has drawn, them to himself.

However, there’s one specific thread that runs common throughout, and that’s what I wanted to share with you this morning. We’re really all telling small parts. Of the big story of what God has been doing all along, God’s story. and I want to read to you just a, a passage this morning that is really a summary, of the whole gospel in one short section.

So, if you want to turn with me, we’re going to be in the book of Titus. Now, I realize Titus might take you all of my entire sermon to find. It’s one of those difficult books. as the Spirit of God would have it, if you go Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, we get to the T books in the New Testament.

First and second, Thessalonians, then first and second, Timothy, and then on to Titus. They’re in alphabetical order in the T’s, okay? The T’s are in alphabetical order, so check them out. it is page 938. If you got one of the Bibles in the pew, you’re like, why didn’t you just say that at the beginning?

That’s all I needed to know. But I’d like you to look at the, at the passage, click it on your phone, find it. We’re going to be in Titus chapter 2 just for a minute here this morning. I want you to see these words because there are no slides, but I want you to also hear them this morning too. We’re in Titus chapter 2 verse 11.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. Training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Father, this is a dense portion of scripture. And I pray, Lord, with, the power of your spirit, might you allow us to comprehend how, how incredible your love is, how intentional your plan is. And Lord, as we hear stories this morning of, of ways that you have delivered people out of sin and, and their own darkness and brought them into a new relationship with you.

Lord, convince us that this saving power is still available today for those that do not know you. God, I pray, you would teach us this morning in many ways this morning. We pray in your name, amen. So I just want to walk verse by verse really quickly through this here. I only have like two minutes left, right?

So you’re, you’re going to, it’s going to be quick for the grace of God has appeared. Bringing salvation for all people. That means Jesus, the grace of God, has appeared. Jesus sent to earth, that is, God with skin on. He came down and lived among us. Full of grace, bringing salvation for all people. And though it is available for all people, we know from the scriptures that not all will be saved.

That it’s for only those who surrender in their faith to Jesus. And what does this surrendered life look like? How does it practically work out? Well, we walk in this grace. Look at verse 12, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.

This is the work of Jesus. This is the work of grace in our lives. He gives grace, not just for a new identity, but for a new way to live. We’re not just saved from the penalty of sin. We are reprogrammed to, to want and desire his way of life. We’re delivered from the power of sin now, not just eternally, but now here living godly lives in this present age.

That is the training ground of grace. And you might notice in some of the stories this morning and in your own life, you and I have not graduated from this Institute of Grace yet. We are all in process. And so as you hear stories this morning, you might still pick up that they don’t have all of the finer points of theology figured out and everything.

You and I probably are still growing in that as well. And so as we follow Christ. We’re living to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, living new lives because of grace. Here’s what it says though. We’re, we’re training and living in this world, but we’re also waiting, verse 13, for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and savior, Jesus Christ.

Our eyes are fixed, not just here, but also on a time to come, a return of Christ to dwell among us. A recreation of this world, fully glorified beings we will be for those that have a relationship with him. And for this we wait, for this we wait. But in this waiting process, we don’t just gather here, hide and, and live as, we, we might call it the holy huddle.

We’re sent out to live on display waiting for this return. How is this all possible? Verse 14. Remember this, Jesus gave himself for us in his death on the cross to redeem us, to buy us back from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works by his death in our place.

Through faith, we are redeemed, bought back from the power of sin. Made new in his image, purified and given to do good works in his name. Not as a way to earn, but as a way of worship. We live this out. Man, if, if you ever want to just present the gospel in, in, in full, go to Titus 2, use this passage. It’s got it all.

Jesus, the rescuer, came to buy us back. So, as you come this morning and as we hear stories of people and their testimony of what God has done in their life, we say this each time, I want you to look, to listen, and respond. Look, there, there’s something visible happening this morning. This is not just testimony, but it’s actually displaying, again, that buried with him and raised to new life, this is baptism.

I want you to listen carefully to the words spoken and also to respond, knowing that as people share their stories, there will be things that potentially you hear that connect to your story. Possibly, it’s through adoption, maybe a connection that you’ve made. Maybe it’s through, struggles with parents, or things that you’ve, wrestled with through your lives.

Maybe there’s, someone that, sensed the stage of a midst of confusion, that they were just unsure about where to go, or they were pursuing darkness, and God rescued them. Might I suggest that you’re here this morning because God wants to encourage the body of Christ. That God wants to do something specific in these baptisms, that might speak to you.

So if you’re here and maybe you feel triggered by someone’s story or, or things that they have gone through, we want to walk through this with you. God is drawing you in and he’d love to, build a relationship with you. But can I ask you, uh, take out a pen. There’s a, there’s a pen in the back of, uh, the seats there.

Maybe you have one already. And if you grab a bulletin this morning. There’s some blank space because I didn’t give you any notes this morning. But I’d like for you to maybe write down names of people and things that people have walked through in their testimonies that you’re going to hear. Maybe you just pray for them in their journey.

Maybe there’s a connection that you make and you want to encourage them after the service and just say, Hey, I’m praying for you by name. This is a way that we can take baptism and be encouraged, but also be an encouragement to those being baptized. Lastly, um, this is a celebration. Uh, there are no good testimonies and like sort of good testimonies and bad testimonies.

Everyone, everyone, everyone is only saved because of God’s light shining onto their hearts. Not because of anything good that they have done. Each time is a miracle. Each time is a sinner turning from death to life, and that’s the work of God. So we’re gonna cheer. We’re gonna have some fun this morning.

We’re gonna clap. We’re gonna support, okay? So, don’t be quiet golf clappers this morning. Uh, be excited, because God’s done an incredible work. Um, we’re gonna, uh, start our time this morning. Pastor Ben is going to lead us in our first baptisms. And I should say, I’m sorry. Collingswood, you are watching online.

Hi, welcome. And I’m so glad that you get to join us this morning, uh, in baptisms as well. So, Ben.

Number one question you all have, is it cold in there? It’s very nice in here. I’m going to invite Beth Burr to come out here. Excited to celebrate with Beth and her giving of testimony this morning.

Beth, is it your desire this morning to testify of your relationship with Christ? Yes. We’re going to have a video that shows a little bit about Beth’s faith journey. Hi, my name is Beth Burr. I was raised in a Christian household, but when I was young, my family left the church due to hurts. When I was a teenager, I asked to go back.

I immersed myself in the church, attending youth group and youth choir. I learned that being a Christian meant you did things. At some point, I accepted Christ, but I don’t remember exactly when. I thought being a good girl was being what it was meant to be Christian. I never realized that you needed a relationship with Christ.

When my husband and I joined Celebrate Recovery a few years ago, we were surrounded by Christians in that relationship. At one point, I decided to recommit my life and my heart to Jesus. I was a good girl, but I was still a sinner. I had to confess my sins of codependency. food issues, and allowing myself to be led astray in an effort to people please.

I thought God was my, like my earthly parents. That if I didn’t toe the line, I would be out of the family. Jesus loves us warts and all. He doesn’t love our sin, but understands that we are not strong enough to resist it on our own. During CR, I made the decision to turn my life back over to Jesus. I confess that I had hurts, habits, and hang ups that only Jesus could help me with.

I am making better choices about food and am less codependent. I am becoming my own person with Jesus help and what He has called me to do. I am a leader in Celebrate Recovery, even though it’s out of my comfort zone, but I believe that’s what Jesus is calling me to do. I share my struggles with depression and anxiety, which He has not taken away from me since I was a teenager.

Both to be a beacon to those who have the disease and to break the stigma. God has shown me how faithful he can be. The more I believe in him, the more I see it. And the more easier it is to believe it. My life first is Ecclesiastes 4, 9 through 12. Two are better than one because they have a more satisfying return for their labor.

Where if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and does not have another to lift him up. Again, if two lie down together, then they keep warm. But how can one be warm alone? And though one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

I believe this is important during recovery and our Christian faith. We need to have people come alongside us. To help us on this journey. Are you ready for that? Yes.

Beth, is it your desire to in front of these people in Mt. Laurel and these people in Collingswood this morning testify of this faith in Christ through baptism? Yes. It is my great delight to baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son And of the Holy Spirit, and the likeness of Christ’s death, and the likeness of his resurrection.

Good. I’d

like to invite Megan Heaney down. This is Megan. Megan, have you personally accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? I have, yes. We have a video to tell a little bit more about Megan’s faith journey. My name is Megan Heaney and I’ve declared, and I’ve decided to get baptized as an adult because I’m going to declare myself to the Lord.

My life before Jesus was a life of sin and unhappiness, and the moment I gave myself to Jesus, I felt immense happiness and I can’t be mad at God and not believe in him at the same time. I’ve dealt with Self harm since I was 13 and my depression has kicked me my whole life and my life has been terrified by suicidal thoughts.

Before Celibate Recovery, I had nothing to live for. I’ve, God has called me to write poetry and this is one I’ve been really, really proud of. I tremble not because I’m afraid, but because I’m fiercely made. You are with me when I stand tall and I feel like I may fall at any minute. I have continuously pushed you away, but you are always here to stay, defying you at all costs.

I’m finally safe in the faith that I thought I lost. This world is as fast paced, stuck in a shoe that is laced the wrong way. My smile is a facade. I feel like a fraud. I run from the pain inside. I run from the happiness I cannot explain. I run to my God, cause he has never left my side. I had to lose you before I was allowed to choose you.

You have always been with me. Especially every minute I run from you. I want to yell surprise at every sunrise. Cry secret tears while I face fears. You will be ahead of me by 28 feet and behind me to capture each feet ahead of every thought of self harm and use these things to disarm the broken suffer faith through anger, anger through laughter, smile through pain and pain through grace.

John 3 16 has brought me joy through times of suffering for God to love the world. He gave his only begotten son to believe in him shall not perish, but have, have ever after life.

Megan, is it your desire to testify to these people this morning of your faith in Christ through baptism? It is. Yes. It is my joy to baptize you in the name and the delight. of the Father, of the Son, of the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of Christ’s death, and in the likeness of his resurrection.

Morning, everybody. I’m going to have Malia McGinley join me.

Malia, I’ve had a chance to do this with a number of McGinleys, and I’m really excited to have you up here. Malia, have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior? Yes. All right, we’re going to hear about that. Hi, my name is Malia McGinley. I was born in semi Kazakhstan. I was told I was the youngest of eight siblings.

When I was seven months old, I was taken from my family due to severe neglect, starvation, and abuse. I was placed in an orphanage and lived there until I was three and a half years old, until I was finally adopted by a woman from New Jersey. And after living with her and her partner for several months, they decided I wasn’t a good fit for their family.

I was then placed in a several private foster care system until I was brought to my true and forever home, one with six older siblings. My biological mom drank a lot of alcohol while I was growing up inside her. And because of that and the traumatic experience during my early years, I learned differently from the other kids my age.

I struggle in school and in social situations and in other areas of my life. I have a difficult time trusting people and I often withdraw, hide. Hide behind books, embellish the truth, and sometimes I say silly things at the wrong time. I know I have said and done so many things to hurt people, but especially my parents, and they still love me.

And I am so thankful for that. My family introduced me to Jesus. They showed me a love that I could never have imagined. I accepted Christ a few years ago when I was at a class at church in the summer, but I didn’t fully understand it. My father meets with me every morning and For Bible reading and devotions.

Something I did not like at first, but I’ve grown to love. Because of me and my father’s time together, I have learned so much about God and his love for me. My mom prays for me constantly, and when she drops me off at school, she says to me, Remember, Malia, you are never alone. Jesus will never leave you or forsake you, and you are a princess warrior of Christ.

As time has gone by, I’ve been able to look backwards and see that there’s no coincidence that I was brought 7, 000 miles from Kazakhstan to New Jersey. It was all God and His kindness to me. I know I will never be happy or at peace trying to live for myself. I only want to, but I need Jesus to be my best friend.

I am being baptized today to be obedient to the Lord and to publicly declare my faith to God and to show Him how thankful I am for rescuing me. I know my story is not over, but what I do know is what Psalm 139. 13, John and Joshua 29. 11 say. I am created by God, He designed me. So I am not a mistake. The Lord picked me to be His own, so I am wanted.

And He has a future for me because He loves me. Flaws and all. Thank you. Malia, it’s my

joy to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of his death, and in the likeness of his resurrection.

Okay, up next we have Nicole Curtis, who’s going to join me.

Nicole, have you received Christ as your Savior? Yes. Alright, we’re gonna hear a little about that. My name is Nicole, and this is my baptism testimony. I have always believed in Jesus Christ, but I have never truly lived for Him. I’ve lived a very sinful life the past ten years, in search of love and happiness in all the wrong places, and that just resulted in more pain and more suffering.

I’ve been through a lot of things, some things that were a matter of life or death. And in those times, I had strength that I had. I knew that it was God in those times. And two years ago, I turned my life around. And during that time, I had a bond that became undoubtedly real with God. So today, I am giving myself and my life to the Lord and claiming Him as my I want to repent my sins and live for, for God.

Nicole, is it your desire to be baptized today to testify about this relationship with Christ? Yes. Alright.

Alright, Nicole, it is my joy to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of His death, in the likeness of His resurrection. You’re welcome.

John Pepitone is gonna join us, uh, here this morning.

All right, John, have you received Christ as your Savior? Yes. All right, we’re gonna hear about that. Hi, my name’s John. I’m 23. I’m, uh, kind of new to the Christ thing, kind of not. Um, I was raised in the church, but I walked away for a long time. I had found myself in a place where I didn’t know what to turn to, who to look after, and couldn’t take care of myself, let alone anybody else.

Uh, I was engaged. I was making a lot more money than I A lot of 23 year olds my age, and it led me down a really dark road. Uh, when my, my fiance had left me, I, uh, I broke. The, the world brought me to my knees. And, I didn’t know what to do, other than turn to God. Because that’s what I was raised with. I had started, uh, reading the Bible.

praying as much as I could possibly. Um, the only way that I could put it is that I felt like I had been starving for my entire life and And when I finally started indulging in God and reading, looking after his word, searching for him, it was the only thing in my life that I found that satiated my hunger.

That’s that’s the best way I can put it.

John, it’s my joy to baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of his death, and the likeness of his resurrection.

Up next we have Courtney Hutchins that’s going to join me. Alright, Courtney, have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Yes. Alright, let’s hear about that. Hi, I’m Courtney Hutchins. Uh, I grew up in a house where Jesus was present. Um, my mom was the youth director and so my brothers and I were church rats, basically. Um, from vacation Bible school to church potlucks, um, to late night finger rockets in the sanctuary.

You name the church activity and we were there. It was really in middle school where I started to understand the love that Jesus has for me. I was at a camp called The Great Escape for middle schoolers, and that’s just where the gospel was really shared in a more tangible way. Um, the theme of that week was Matthew 7 7, um, so it’s kind of ask, seek, knock.

Um, and I’ll I’ll be really honest, um, my mom remembers this better than I do, but I said to her, I think I get it, meaning I really just started to understand what Jesus did by dying on the cross for me. So from there, I just, I started to just scrape the surface of what walking with Jesus looked like. Um.

He was kind of a part of all of our routines, um, our day to day, our summer trips. Um, Jesus was just kind of a priority and, um, through the ordinary and the opportunities, I just grew to become more and more a follower of Christ. But what I think was valuable, kind of looking back on just that season, um, was the community of people surrounding me, um, and that wasn’t just my immediate family.

Uh, I just didn’t really realize how meaningful or impactful that was on my walk with the Lord, but it’s something I grew to know and, um, something that I just really wanted more of. And so that kind of led me into, um, just my college years. And so I’m just really grateful that going to church, um, growing up was initially my parent’s choice, but then it grew to be more and more of my choice.

And so during those years, I, um, my faith really grew to became my own. I sought out friendships that were rooted in Christ and a Bible study that was challenging and encouraging and just really strengthening of my walk with the Lord and my understanding of who His character is. Um, I was able to spend two summers during college with Sun Servants as part of their summer staff.

Um, And so I would say both of those summers were just really incredibly influential and enriching and, um, my trust and hope in Jesus. Really, the fear of unknown was a pretty crippling during that season of life and, um, a lot of big decisions happening during those years and, um, but just because of the people the Lord put in my life and my knowledge of And, um, I gained in just the Lord’s favor and faithfulness.

I just learned those different things and really learned how to surrender my plans and my wants and my desires to Jesus. Allow myself to let him work in and through me. And so I just, I feel like there’s just a lot of seasons and themes of, um, a faithful trust in surrounding. myself with rich community.

Um, those were really just gifts, honestly. Um, after marrying my husband, we both desired and longed for being part of community again. Um, we yearned for the communities we both had prior to marriage and, um, wanted that together. Um, and since I was a part of the FCC family, um, prior to meeting him, um, When we decided to move back to New Jersey, we knew that this is where we wanted to root ourselves, um, and just dive in together, dive in serving together.

Uh, we really wanted to come under the authority of this church as members and serve alongside the community of, Believers and walk through life together. Um, and that really, that meant choosing to be baptized. So I, I kind of wrestled with this concept for a little bit. Um, Got to talk to Mike a lot, but, and my husband, but, so I was baptized as an infant, and I was a member prior, or a member of a church prior to all of this.

My wrestling was really with my own fear of, I’m doing this because I want to be a member of a church. It felt kind of selfish. Um, I was afraid that my motive wasn’t honoring of the Lord. Um, but I really came to realize that it’s, it’s not selfishness, but an act of obedience and a proclamation of what God has done and continues to do in my life.

Uh, I’ve been faithfully serving the Lord now for much of my life and what a beautiful thing that is, but my faithfulness to the Lord now looks like confessing that I’m a sinner and in need of a savior. Um, and just taking a step and coming under the authority of this church and being baptized. Funniest question I’m going to ask you, but.

Courtney, is it your desire to

testify to this relationship with Christ through baptism? Yes. Alright. Courtney, it’s my joy to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the likeness of his death. In the likeness of his resurrection.

And Sam Hutchins now is going to join us in the tank this morning.

Sam, have you received Christ as your Lord and Savior? Yes. Alright, we’re going to hear about that. Good morning, uh, my name is Sam Hutchins, and I want to tell you just a little bit about, uh, my story. Uh, growing up in our family, God was not really the central animating, um, You know, part of our family life growing up, there was definitely love in our family, but there was also, uh, strife.

And so, uh, for me, what that meant was, um, kind of looking for different avenues of escape. Uh, and if you kind of asked me growing up, it, um You know, I was trying to maybe find my own way. Well, what practically what that looked like was just kind of following what a lot of everybody else was doing.

Growing up I had a lot of doubts about God and You know, that was just kind of a difficult part of my life. I had, you know, some peripheral interest and involvement in different church related things, but was really kind of on the outside, um, and me being on the outside and not kind of diving and not learning more about God, you know, I kind of.

I would probably say it was a lot of doubts, but it was a lot of just, you know, selfishness as well. And, um, and kind of wrestling through some of the dynamics with my family growing up. I had familiarity with a missions organization, and so, um, In, in kind of the early part of my college years, I decided to apply for, um, to work with sun servants, uh, for a summer, and, and I really didn’t know what I was getting into, and, uh, you know, on their part, they didn’t know what they were getting into with, uh, me, and thankfully they were really gracious and, and loving towards me in a, in a season of, you know, of doubting, of, um, Selfishness and different things like that.

And so, um, I spent the summer with them and it was really uh, beautiful of being involved with the Christian community and um, you know, God before that was really impersonal to me. Uh, which when God is impersonal He’s also Um, and throughout the summer, God just became much more personal. We read through the book of John.

Um, and it’s really fitting that we kind of ended the summer culminating when Jesus is talking to Thomas. And Jesus says to Thomas, Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. And so, really throughout the summer that was kind of That really just struck me. It was life giving and convicting of the sense of, you know, I’m, I, yes, I, there’s things maybe I haven’t seen.

I do have doubts and yet it is. ultimately good to see Jesus and to believe in him. And so, um, I, I have, you know, of thinking of that time of really kind of coming to faith. Uh, there’s a quote from Tom Skinner, the late evangelist, that really just puts into words better than I can. This is what he says about his own testimony.

I spent a long time trying to come to grips with my doubts. When suddenly I realized I had better come to grips with what I believe. I have since moved from the agony of questions that I cannot answer, to the reality of answers that I cannot escape. I love that line. The agony of questions that I cannot answer, to the reality of answers that I cannot escape.

And it’s a wonderful relief. And ultimately For, for me, for us as Christians, our ultimate answer is the person and work of, of Jesus. Um, our relief ultimately is the person and work of Jesus. And not that there aren’t, you know, uh, good answers to different kinds of questions, but ultimately it is Him. And over that summer, that’s really what I discovered was Jesus.

The, the personal God who loves and cares for me and knows me. And so Um, that was kind of, you know, that process really began in the first part of college. And, uh, there’s been, you know, a lot of life that has happened since that point. Um, you know, I’ve gone through moving a lot, uh, you know, in soon after I became a believer, my parents divorced and that was really unsettling for our family.

And so, um. Ultimately, in all of those things, uh, you know, there’s a quote from Spurgeon that says, you know, um, I have a great need for Christ, and I have a great Christ for my need. And so, in all of those things, really kind of finding that, uh, finding that to be the case. You know, all of this kind of leads to baptism today.

And so, you know, there’s been a couple points in, you know, the past couple years where I’ve been more and more convicted. Um, In the sense of, of the need for baptism as my response to what, uh, God has done and so, um, you know, in, in being a part of this church of, you know, moving here, um, in the past year and a half and, and being more and more involved, I’ve just seen more and more, um, my response to be baptized, um, as something that I need Need to do and joyfully, uh, get to do in front of the congregation and a group of believers.

And, and so, uh, yeah, excited to, to be here and to ultimately to know, uh, to know Jesus.

Sam, is it your desire to testify to this relationship with Christ through baptism? Yes. Sam, I baptize you. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of his death, and in the likeness of his resurrection.

And our final one this morning is Maria Nolan.

All right, Maria, have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? I have. All right, we’re going to hear about that. My name is Maria Nolan, and the time that I realized that I was lost and needed saving was two years ago in the fall of 2021. I was 16 years old, and I was going through one of the darkest times in my life at the time.

Um, my parents had just recently gotten divorced, and the back and forth of going from home to home brought back a lot of past trauma from when I was in foster care as a child. Um, I was in foster care from about one month old to three and a half, and then I was adopted at four and a half. And so that resulted in me unfortunately being exposed to a lot of abuse and trauma.

So as I got older, I just, I struggled a lot in school and just, I had a lot of family issues going on as well. So when I was 14, I actually had a therapist that introduced me to witchcraft and she promised me that it would bring all these things to my life that I was looking for, including security and peace and love.

And so. Between the ages of 14 and 16, I acquired hundreds of dollars worth of sorcery things. And throughout it all, everything she told me was a lie, and the only thing that I was doing to myself was being myself, digging myself a deeper grave. Um, literally inviting Satan right into my life, and just getting more depressed, more anxious.

So when my parents were getting divorced, Um, it just, it made things so much harder. I also was like setting myself up for a future of just solely gratifying myself, solely gratifying the world. And so, um, at the time I had just gotten Tik Tok and I lot, my for you page was very dark, it had a lot of dark videos, but throughout every video I would see videos about Jesus.

Um, I just thought they were silly. I thought I was taken too seriously, but gradually I started listening to them and I started realizing that all the things that people were saying about Jesus was what I needed. And so eventually in the fall, the early December of 2021, I decided that I wanted to learn more about Jesus and I wanted to learn what it meant to be a Christian.

So around that time, my mom also decided that she wanted. to have a better relationship with Christ as well. So that’s how we came to FCC. And around that time, I started studying my Bible, I started reading my Bible. I started realizing and starting learning about all the things that I was doing, how dangerous that was to myself, to my spirit.

And so I took all things I had, sorcery, I threw it into a fire pit and I burned it all. So since then, everything that Jesus has done in my life, he’s done a 100. A complete 180 on my life. I mean, all of my goals for the future have completely transformed. There’s so much more fulfilling and they mean so much more.

My life has purpose and being able to look back on times where I didn’t see him in my life at the moment, like being able to see him now is just so wonderful. Um, and he’s placed me on the, the West Virginia mission trip that the youth group does two times in a row, which has led me to meet so many great Christian mentors.

And, um. From the sun servants group that runs them, which has led me to the opportunity to serve with them this entire summer on all their trips, which I’m very excited about. And so I would like to be baptized because I want. I was baptized when I was five, but obviously I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t know what it meant.

So now that I truly understand, like, what it means for Jesus to have died on that cross, and what it, you know, what it means to be a Christian, I just want to have that public declaration of, you know, my love for Him and my gratitude towards, you know, declaring my new life in Him because of His grace only.

And, yeah.

Maria, thank you for sharing your story. This is the joy of baptism is that we hear of God’s rescue in ways that, uh, encourage the church and I pray that it does even more this morning. Maria, is it your desire to be baptized this morning to testify to this relationship with Christ? It is. Yes. All right.

Maria, it’s my joy to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In the likeness of his resurrection. Death. In the likeness of his resurrection. Great.

This is Joe Osharu. Uh, friend and a guy that I’m very excited to be in the baptismal tank this morning. Joe, have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior? I absolutely have, Mark. We’re going to hear about that on your testimony this morning. Hi, I’m Joe Oshiro, and I want to share my testimony with each and every person in the congregation.

Last July, uh, my wife and I had another fight, but this one was even worse than most. I got very ugly with my words, and by the time we had stopped, I have felt very down. I was contemplating things that I did and should have, should have done and the words that I said that were just so ugly and I thought I was really, really low until shortly thereafter when my boys confronted me.

Now I have four boys who I absolutely cherish and when they told me how Our fights had affected their lives so negatively. I thought I was low. I now hit rock bottom. Shortly thereafter, I called a dear friend of ours, Karen Jones, who goes to this church, and talking with her, and very emotionally talking with her, I asked her if I could go to church with her that Sunday.

Um, not only did she say yes, but she was very happy. She had been praying for my wife and I for ever since we met about 25 years ago to find God. So I went to church that Sunday and she introduced me to Pastor Mark and I felt so comfortable with him and he seemed so nice and so kind. Um, we got together the following Friday and we got into families and he told me about his family, his beautiful family.

And then he told me he had a A toddler that had drowned in his own pool, and I realized at that time that I couldn’t have handled that, I wouldn’t know how to get through that, and I needed something to lean on and to fall back on for strength, and I didn’t have that in my life. Immediately when I got in my car, a dear friend, George, gave me a call, and when George heard the desperation in my voice, he immediately said that we gotta get together tonight.

We had a late lunch. Um, before our lunch, I had seen the movie, Sound of Freedom, and the movie is religious based in some way, but more importantly, the trailers that I saw before the movie, three straight, were all fraught with religious overtures, and When I met with George, I told him about that, and as I was breaking up, I told him what had happened with my wife and how I was feeling.

And I realized, shortly thereafter, when I sat back and thought, I said, This isn’t a coincidence. From calling Karen, to meeting Pastor Mark that following Sunday, to seeing him the following Friday, to George calling me the second I got in my car. And then seeing the movie just a day later with, with the three trailers, I realized that, that Christ was calling me.

And that he was there to help me. Well, since then I’ve been blessed so much. The weight of the world has come off my shoulders. I’m feeling like I can handle anything. Whatever problem comes up, I’m comfortable with. I pray for it and I find an answer. Um, I’ve prayed for being able to not fight with my wife.

And with the Lord’s blessing, we’ve gone seven months and not even an argument. With his strength, I know that I can avoid a fight with her ever, ever again. Um, another one of the blessing, uh, Pastor Mark introduced me to Bill McKinley. Who has not only become my mentor in Christ, but also a dear friend.

Everything that’s happened since the time I went to church has shown me that Christ is in my life and that I love Christ. Um, my testimony is very simple. I, I don’t know exactly when faith hit me. But I know exactly when I turned to Christ, like Nathaniel and John 1 and 21. I was under my fig tree at my very bottom and Christ came to me.

So hopefully with this story, if I can help anybody find Christ in their, in their lives, I would be just thrilled. And I’m here to say that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, and I love him.

Joe, is it your desire to publicly testify of that relationship to Christ by being baptized? Absolutely is, Mark. Okay.

Joe, it’s my privilege to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of His death, in the likeness of His resurrection. so much.

All right, up next we have Lexi Holba, who’s going to join me in the tank this morning.

Lexi’s a little bit shorter, so we’re going to move over this, like, little stool thing we have in here. Okay, now you can see Lexi. Okay, great.

Lexi, have you received Christ as your Savior? Yes, I have. All right, we’re going to hear about that. Um, hi, I’m Lexi. And, um, in 2022 is when I was saved and, um, it was a particularly bad year. I felt pretty worthless and, um, unloved a lot. And, uh, in the late summer, I, um, chose to follow Christ. I started getting involved in the church.

Um, And joining Bible studies, I started to read the Bible, which I had never done. And, um, I had completed it. And, um, joining in the church and fellowship with other Christians. Uh, I had decided to change certain things that I was doing, um, that was dishonoring the Lord. And chose to change the way that I live and he has brought me so much joy and peace and Even though I still struggle with anxiety sometimes I do still I know that I have him With me in that time.

So it makes the struggle a little bit easier One verse that has always stuck with me, once I, once I had read it, I couldn’t get it out of my mind, and, um, that’s Romans 14, 8. And, uh, it says, for if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live, or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

And, in reading that, I, um, I know who I belonged to, and I know that He, He loved me beyond measure. And I didn’t need. Um, the love of people and the acceptance of people necessarily, because I knew that, um, that I was the Lord’s. I have seen the way that he has changed my life and how he’s changed other people’s lives too, in learning their stories and their testimonies.

And, um, just the people that I, I speak to daily and just watching him work in their life and in mine has just, um, Completely changed, changed my life and I want to continue to know him. I had such a hunger to, to just know his heart and know who he is and who he is in my life. And, um, you know why I wanted to follow him was to be like him and I want to be more and more like him every single day.

Um, that’s what I strive for. And, uh, I just Such a want to be a, a daughter that pleases him. And, um, that is why I want to be baptized.

Lexi, is it your desire to testify to this relationship with Christ through baptism? Yes.

Lexi, it is my joy to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the likeness of his death. In the likeness of his resurrection.

Alright, we’re going to have Steve Caporelli join us next.

Steve said, uh, I’ll just take my glasses off, and I won’t see anybody out there. And I said, nobody’s here, Steve. No, it’s just me and you. Steve, is it? Um, have you received Christ as your Savior? I have. All right, we’re going to hear about that. Hey everybody, my name is Steven Capparelli, and I would say my testimonies start when I was young.

I attended church, I went to CCD, and I learned who Jesus was and what he did for us through my aunt. I would say that I always had faith, um, but I think that The church that I attended was not very welcoming and it wasn’t until my aunt was diagnosed with cancer that I really started to question my faith.

My aunt was the most kindest, sweetest person and Christ like person that I knew and I just couldn’t understand why something like that would have happened to someone like her. In high school, I met my now wife who always used to pray that one day I would find my way back to God. And she would periodically ask me if I wanted to go to church, but I would always come up with the excuse not to go.

In college, I never really knew what I wanted to do with my life, and I felt like I was falling behind compared to the people around me, and I started to develop some intrusive thoughts and depression. I then turned to heavily drinking and partying to kind of cope with that and never really knew what I wanted to do in life.

It wasn’t until I got married when my wife Periodically continued to ask me if I wanted to attend church, but I always came up, still came up with excuses to not go. And it wasn’t until Christmas of 2022 that I finally decided to say yes. I was doing that service. I was filled with so many years of emotion that I’ve started to break down and cry and felt like this is where I belong.

The few weeks after I started to study my Bible and pray that one day I would die to my old self and be born again. About six months later, I went to a Flyers game with my friends with no intention on slowing down or quitting drinking. And something in me that day decided that this was my last drink, and by the grace of God, I haven’t drank since.

I continued to read my Bible and pray, and slowly my intrusive thoughts and depression kind of diminished. I decided to be baptized today as a public display and commitment to fully give my life to Jesus and finally give it all to Him.

Steve, is it your desire to testify to this relationship with Christ through baptism? Yes, it is. Alright. Steve, it’s my joy to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of his death, and the likeness of his resurrection.

And Steve’s wife, Rebecca, is going to join us now. All

right, Rebecca, have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Yes. Okay. We’re going to hear about that. Hi, my name is Rebecca. I started attending fellowship a little over a year ago, but my journey with my faith started when I was really young. I grew up a believer and I did go to a Catholic school and church growing up.

I did feel like however, I had a lot of questions growing up and I felt like they weren’t always the most welcome. So that kind of started my journey when I was. I saw a lot of other people have a really deep relationship with God, and that was something I really longed for. So as I got older, I wanted to start that on my own, and also, um, find a church that I felt was welcoming and would help foster that.

When I was young, I really struggled a lot with anxiety and, um, struggled with intrusive thoughts, and that was something I kind of fouled throughout my life. As I got older, once I was in middle school, I started having, um, Body disorder issues. Um, so, that kind of manifested and I felt like at the time it was helping me with not feeling like I could, um, control my, like, thoughts and my anxiety.

So I felt like by controlling my body it was something I did have control over. I now know that it was just me finding something else to put it into and it didn’t actually help. Started controlling my eating habits and just excessively working out. And it really ended up doing more bad than it did good.

When I was a freshman in college, I experienced the unexpected loss of my brother. And at the time that was really difficult. Um, I went through a lot of grieving and ended up suffering from really bad depression. I didn’t turn from God, but I definitely didn’t lean into Him. And I really used school as a distraction at that time in my life.

I remember, um, talking to my then boyfriend but now husband when I graduated school. And because I put so much of myself into school and used it as such a distraction for myself, once I graduated I felt really lost. Um, and just like really did not know what my purpose was. And then fast forward to once I was in my career, I had the first withdrawal of one of my patients, and that really affected me more than I ever thought it would.

I later, the things I was going through, when I talked to a fellow medical professional, she explained what I was feeling. I was going through PTSD from what I had felt, like what I’ve done at work. And that really set me into, I struggled from the PTSD, and then I had, struggled from really bad depression after that.

I remember talking to my mom, and I would like, look at a photo of myself, or look at myself in the mirror, and I really felt like I did not know who I was looking at, because I was just in such a dark place. I felt so disconnected from myself. That last, that was like my longest season, I felt like, and I went through times where I felt like I would think about self harm a lot, my anxieties were really high, um, I feel like my intrusive thoughts were like at an all time high, and I just did not know how to escape it.

Eventually, I found an anxiety study, actually it was a Bible study, and I started doing that slowly every day. And then I started listening to worship music a lot and just really starting to get into my bible. And every day, slowly, I felt like things were starting to feel a little bit better. And then it was probably a year and a half.

After that, I was faced with the same thing at work. Um, and I knew going into a shift that that’s what my shift was going to be. So that was extremely difficult. I felt like I was just coming out of a period that was so, so dark and really, really difficult for me. And I didn’t know if my heart could go back to that place and how I would handle it.

So that was honestly the night that I feel like I was saved. I was driving into work, listening to my worship music, and I was just crying out and praying to God the entire time. Um, in that moment, I really just asked Him to be with me, and I, throughout my life, Before that, a lot of it I feel like I tried to do on my own and I knew I couldn’t do it on my own anymore.

I needed him. I just needed his own strength, not mine. I needed him to be with me no matter what I was going to go through because I didn’t know how it was going to go. And I, I just asked him to be with me the whole time in the car and it’s so unexplainable, but the feeling that I had in the car, I can’t describe it as anything else, but feeling the Holy Spirit.

I just felt, I was like nervous to go into the shift, but just felt so reassured. It was just a really amazing feeling. It’s something I always tell my husband, that I just want everyone to experience it because I just did not feel alone. It just felt so reassuring to me. That was a really big turning point in my life.

Um, I really just owe everything to God and to Christ. I feel like I have a renewed life after that. Um, of course still face struggles, but I’m not alone with them. And I just turned to my Bible and look for the truth because anything that I try to tell myself that my mind tells me, it’s usually just.

From the enemy and lies and I just look to truth and it’s so reassuring. Um, I just, I want to be baptized because I just want to display what I feel internally. I just feel new from before and I have a new life and I’m so grateful for it. Um, so that’s why I want to be baptized. Well,

Becca, is it your desire to testify to this relationship with Christ through baptism? Yes.

Alright, Rebecca, it’s my joy to baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of his death, and the likeness of his resurrection.

We’re going to have Dash Musig come and share this morning.

Right, Dash, have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Yes. All right. We’re going to hear about that. Hi, my name is Dash and I am 16 years old. I have been regularly attending church for as long as I can remember. So, sin is also a term. Like, I’ve learned, I’ve known about sin for as long as I can remember.

And, though I don’t know the exact date as to when I realized I was a sinner or, or learning about sin, I know it happened when I was very young. And, as soon as I pretty much learned about repenting for your sins and going to heaven, I am pretty much, I knew, alright, I have to do this. And pretty much right then and there, I did it.

I still remember the moment I just looked up after it was like, wow, this is done. It was a big moment for me in my life. Jesus has also made some differences in my life. And one, one example of this is when I was around five years old, I was diagnosed with a really mild form of autism. But God has managed to help me through that and actually turn that, that difficulty, that challenge into a gift.

Actually helped me to pull through with it. And I know that I am saved through Jesus, which means that I know that when I die, I will go to heaven. Because I was at such a young age when I learned about being saved, I believe that God may have saved me from some really bad situations. And I sometimes think that my relationship with Christ may have guided me to the right place.

And I hope that that continues to happen. God can continue to take me to the right place. I want to be baptized because I remember I learned about baptism when I watched my Aunt Stephanie get baptized when I was like 6 something like that. It was an idea that it was something that we should do more recently, but it’s something we’ve been considering for a while since I It’s something that God calls for all of us to do.

So it’s just something I decided to do today

Dash is it your desire to testify to this relationship with Jesus through baptism? Yes, it is All right, Dash, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the likeness of his death, and in the likeness of his resurrection.

All right, joining me up next is Sophia Keitlinger.

All right, Sophia, it looks like you have a fan club in the front row. Sophia, have you received Jesus Christ as your Savior? Okay, we’re gonna hear about that Hello, my name is Sophia and this is my story for the past 13 years. My life hasn’t been perfect We struggled to get by with little food and money and I grew up without a father in my life That’s been really challenging Especially because I haven’t had two parents to be able to like turn to and I’m not gonna be able to learn anything from my dad I also had a lot of troubles in school Because I’m autistic.

Kids used to make fun of me every day, and they used to call me names, and even physical violence, which has made my life so much more difficult than it had to be. But I had Jesus in my life, and that was what was the most important thing. I think with Jesus, it really made my life a lot more easier, because without him, I don’t think I would have made it.

To where I am today when Jesus first came into my heart. I really felt Good. It made me realize that there’s good things in the life, especially today. He’s made a lot of things happen that I never thought were going to happen. I’m at a new school and have made amazing friends. And, um, even though I did do, I had a lot of bad things that went in my life, I still made it because of Jesus.

And today I’m being baptized because. I want to show everyone that this is who I am and that nobody can change me. And that you can also do this and become a follower of Jesus as well. Thank you. Alright. Down from there. And I’ll move this over. Okay.

Sophia, is it your desire to testify to this relationship you do have with Jesus through baptism this morning? Absolutely. Alright. Alright, Sophia, it’s my joy to baptize you in the name of the Father. The Son and the Holy Spirit in the likeness of his death, the likeness of his resurrection. All

right, up next is Kayleen Negron.

All right, Kayleen, have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Yes. All right, we’re going to hear about that. Hi, my name is Kayleen. Um, I’m going to be sharing my testimony with you all today. I was raised Catholic, um, had my baptism, my communion, my confirmation growing up. Um, I kind of looked at church and prayer more so out of like an obligation or of like a chore.

I didn’t really have a personal relationship with God. I didn’t really seek him. I kind of. rejected him and turned away from him for the majority of my life. As a child, I had a lot of chaos in my head. I was a very highly sensitive child. Um, I struggled with intrusive thoughts growing up and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety at a really young age.

Later, I was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, which is a major part of my story. My emotional suffering really came to a head when I was in high school. Um, and I started struggling with suicidal ideations. I had my first suicide attempt in high school. And I remember as a teenager, um, I was very impulsive.

I was very angry, very rebellious. Um, constantly searching for answers everywhere, but, but in God. Throughout all of my efforts to solve things on my own and throughout my limits here, I kept hitting constant brick walls. It was like I kept searching for answers, but I was coming up empty. Um. And I was never able to really find the peace and the comfort that I was looking for and all the books that I read and everyone that I spoke to and therapists and And, you know, and everything here, um, I, I wasn’t finding what I was looking for.

Um, I never thought that I was going to make it to 30 years old. My outlook on life was very grim and very, um, miserable. And that kind of bled out to every aspect of my life. Throughout most of my early 20s, my identity was rooted in earthly things, um, rooted in what kind of job I had or in my mental illness, in my diagnoses.

I never really stopped to consider that I was a child of God and that I am a child of God. Um, never stopped to consider that I was living a sinful, sinful life, that I didn’t have to carry this burden, these burdens by myself. Um, that I couldn’t carry them by, by myself, I underestimated God’s faithfulness, um, in my life and his presence in my life.

Um, and looking back even throughout all my struggles, I realized how he was there, how he pulled me out of the darkest times in my life. And, um, saved me. Things balanced out for me emotionally as I approached my mid twenties. Um, and then in 2020 I received one of my biggest blessings and I had my son Leo.

Um, motherhood presented a new set of challenges for me, some foreign and some familiar. Um, it was completely unknown territory. I Wanted to do the best job that I could do, but realized that I was very limited in my own strength. Um, I moved away from family and friends. COVID was alive and well. And my OCD Um, skyrocketed.

A lot of my intrusive thoughts got really bad postpartum, and I struggled with really bad postpartum anxiety. I was also experiencing a resurfacing of my childhood traumas. And I just wanted to be the best mother that I could possibly be, um, for this little boy. But this is where I found Christ. In the season of isolation, um, that I was in.

And all of the challenges and victories. of motherhood, um, and all of the pain and emotional suffering. That is when I found God. That is when I turned to Christ. Um, I came to a point in 2023 where I was just so desperate that I cried out to God. I started praying relentlessly every day, um, and decided to fully surrender all of my.

All of my problems, all of my struggles, little and small, to Christ. I felt this really deep pull to start reading scripture, to start reading the Bible, and I started in the New Testament, I started in the Gospel, and there, there it was. All of the, the peace and the comfort and the consolation that I was looking for, um, was there, um, through Him and in Him.

So through coming to know him and through a total surrender and through accepting him as my lord and as my savior, I felt this burden kind of be lifted off of my chest and that is why it’s my deep desire to get baptized today. Um, to proclaim my love and devotion to him, to accept the Lord as my Lord and Savior, Christ as my Lord and Savior, and just to start this new chapter of full dedication to Christ.

Amen.

Kaleen, is it your desire to testify to this relationship with Christ through baptism? Yes. Alright Kayleen, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of his death, and in the likeness of his resurrection.

Jared Rapka is gonna come next.

We’re not short, it’s just deep in here. Jared, have you received Jesus as Lord and Savior? Yes. I’d love to hear about that. Hello, my name is Jared Robka and I’m here to get baptized. I grew up in a Christian household. I, um, grew up here at this church for lifer, you know. Um, always went to youth group and, you know, went for the games, stayed for the friends, you know.

Um, it wasn’t until I want to say my freshman year of high school when my mom, uh, forced me to go to a FCA soccer camp is that when I really understood who Jesus was and what a relationship meant with him, um, I really, uh, there, I, I really like prayed about it and I realized that, you know, my counselor, their struggle with some things that I struggle with.

And, um, you know, we’re all not perfect, and I think that’s really a big thing to understand. And, so, at that soccer camp, I gave myself to the Lord, you know. And it was all great, I want to say. Fantastic. A lot of emotions. Um, but I think from there, um, From freshman year to junior year, you know, I was all in.

It was good. It was great. I, I was on that spiritual high, you know? That spiritual high, you know? It was a great, fantastic feeling. But, um, you know, I really didn’t understand, you know, What it really meant to be in a relationship with God. So I want to say, senior year is really when I like started questioning my relationship with Him.

And questioning, you know, is this like, is this for me, is this um, Is this really what I want, you know? But, um, going to Liberty University, um, it was a good thing. It was, going to a Christian university was great, but I think, in the back of my mind, I really struggled with, you know, my thoughts of my relationship with God and where I was.

I really questioned Him, and I was like, Well, God, where are you in my life? You know, where Where are you at this moment, you know, and I, I really had to step back and, you know, thankfully COVID happened and I had, I came home and really, you know, really thought about it and, you know, and I, I, I realized that I never, I didn’t have a great community there.

I mean, I had great friends, but I didn’t have, I wasn’t all in, you know, I wasn’t, I learned that it was a, I guess I treated God as a one way street. You know, always taking, taking. I was never giving, you know, in the sense of, you know, I never put effort into my relationship. I, uh, at first I was like, alright, I just gotta get through school and everything, and, you know, Mark and Tracy, um, every time I saw them they were like, Come to, come to Young Adults.

You’ll like Young Adults. And I was like, alright, you know, I’ll come to Young Adults and, you know. Well, you know, I end up liking young adults, you know, love Joe, love the people there. Um, I really, uh, started to grow in my relationship with him because I, I felt like I was doing something, you know, I felt like I was, uh, you know, putting in effort.

I, I just want to dive right in and that’s why I’m getting baptized. You know, I just want to show to the entire church that, you know, I’m on fire, you know, I want to, I want to be in this and I want to be with God.

Jared, is it your desire to publicly testify to that relationship, that two way street relationship with Jesus now? Yes. Alright. It’s my joy to baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the likeness of His death. In the likeness of His resurrection.

There’s nothing like that. Throughout, um, this morning and the rest of the, just the, The service before this just hearing how Jesus shows up in pain and in brokenness over and over again. It’s such a privilege. We’re going to close the service now with a final song, an opportunity for us all to respond in worship.

Um, and also for any of you who might be fully feeling the pull on your heart, uh, to respond to some of these things. Maybe you don’t know, um, if this two way street relationship between you. And Jesus exists, maybe you, maybe you do know, um, but you want to publicly declare that before an assembly, um, that you are following Christ.

Um, so whatever your reason this morning, we are going to have people up front who are offering prayer to you. If you’d like to receive prayer, um, during the music or afterwards, um, either are fine. Um, but now we’re just going to pray, um, thank the Lord for this time and close in worship. Lord, we, we give you praise for your great glory, um, for your persistent and continual pursuit of our hearts, Lord, for the unbelievable humility that you showed by sending your only son who did not consider equality with God, something to be grasped, but rather took on the nature of a servant.

Living the life we could never live and dying the death that we could and should have died. Instead, rescuing us from the pit. All for the sake of your great love. Lord, thank you for this time. May we respond and worship our God.