Episode Transcript
[00:00:11] Speaker A: Good morning.
How's everybody doing?
We have a reason to praise the Lord today. Amen.
Let's stand and worship together.
I have felt the hands that bear the scars Reach down and rescue me and I have known the love of the Father's heart A prodigal now redeemed from where I was to where I'm now It's overwhelmed me the more and more I see you move all around me oh, I can't help but praise you Praise you Lord Oh, I can't help but lift up shouts of joy When I think of how good you've been Faithful now until the end oh, I can't help but praise you Praise you Lord for the blood you spilled to save my life A debt I cannot repay for the cross you bore with open arms Salvation that called my name from where I was to where I'm now It's overwhelming the more and more I see you move all around me oh, I can't help but praise you Praise you Lord.
Oh, I can't help up and lift up shouts of joy When I think of how good you've been Faithful now until the end oh, I can't help but praise you Praise you Lord.
I can't help but dance. Cause I'm free Got no chains on me I'm healed and redeemed oh, I can't help but call on the name that buried my shame who opened my grave oh, I can't help a chance Cause I'm free Got no chains on me I'm healed and redeemed oh, I can't help but call on the name that buried my shame who opened my grave oh, I can't help but praise you praise you Lord.
Oh, I can't help but lift up shouts of joy When I think of how could you be faithful now until the end? Oh, I can't help but praise you Praise you Lord.
Oh, I can't help but praise you Praise you Lord.
Oh, I can't help but praise you Praise Praise you Lord.
Amen.
[00:03:50] Speaker B: Amen. You can have a seat for a few minutes. My name is Julie. I am so glad that you have chosen to worship with us today.
Whether you are a regular attender, you're visiting here for the first or second or third time. Just really glad that you are here today.
If you are a visitor, if you're a guest, or even, like I said, you've been coming for a little while, but you haven't taken the opportunity to actually connect with us yet. We would encourage you to take the connect card from the pew in front of you and just share your information.
You can take it out to the guest services center here. They would love to meet you and they have a small gift for you.
This is a wonderful place to belong and to connect, but it does take that first step. So I would encourage you to be bold and be brave today. Also mark on your calendar December 6th.
Yes, December 6th, that is. Coming up, we're going to have a new people party and that's a wonderful way to meet our staff and just hear a little bit more about the heartbeat of Westgate. What, what how our different programs that we have to offer and get to know the staff. So put that on your calendar and consider joining us if you have not done that before.
Also happening on December 6th. Rob announced this last week, but we're going to have a kids choir that Sunday. And we're having, I call it the adult choir, but it's actually multi generational. We invite fifth graders all the way up through older than fifth graders to join us. It doesn't matter if you've never sung in a choir. Maybe you haven't done it for a long time. I would love to have you. It's my personal invitation.
There's a. You can register for that. All that does is just let me know you're coming and then I'll have enough music. But those rehearsals start a week from this Thursday and I would love to have you join us.
Now, I have an honest question.
Since Rob's not out here, how many of you?
Where are my. Oh, he's right there. Oh, shoot.
He was backstage for service. I got away with it.
We can be bold together. How many. Where are my early Christmas decorators? Like you are not going to wait till after Thanksgiving.
Maybe you're doing it today. I don't know. There's maybe a little judgment there, but that's okay.
Early Christmas decorators, let me see your hands again.
Here are my people. Hi.
It's just so happy the twinkling lights come on. I want them as long as possible.
Well, around here we also love to decorate. Not before Thanksgiving, though. We would never be allowed to do that.
But on December 1, when the clock strikes December 1, we are going to decorate this church. We're going to deck the halls. It is such a fun day, but we can't do it without you. We need many hands. We would invite you, your families to join us. There's three different times to sign up for, but that will be taking place. You can sign up on the app or go to the website but that is going to be a blast. And it's going to be here in the blink of an eye. I just know it. So once again, so glad that you chose to worship with us today. We're going to take a minute here to stand up, greet the people around you, maybe look for a face you don't know, and feel free to confess whether you are an early Christmas decorator like me.
Let's continue worshiping together.
I was a wretch, I remember who I was.
I was lost, I was blind, I was running out of time.
Sin separated, the breach was far too wide.
But from the far side of the chasm you had me in your sight.
So you made a way across the great divide left behind heaven's throne to build it here, inside and there at the cross you paid the debt I owe, broke my chains, freed my soul.
For the first time I had hope.
Thank you Jesus for the blood applied.
Thank you Jesus, it has washed me wide.
Thank you Jesus, you have saved my life, Brought me from the darkness into glorious light.
You took my place, laid inside my tomb of sin.
You were buried for three days but then you walked right out again.
And now death has no sin and life it has no end.
For I have been transformed by the blood of the lamb.
Thank
[00:09:43] Speaker A: you Jesus,
[00:09:45] Speaker B: Jesus
[00:09:45] Speaker A: for
[00:09:45] Speaker B: the blood of life.
[00:09:50] Speaker A: Thank you Jesus. It has
[00:09:54] Speaker B: washed me wide.
Thank you Jesus, you have saved me, Brought me from the darkness into glorious life.
There is nothing stronger than the wonder working power of the blood.
The blood that calls us sons and daughters. We are ransomed by our father through the Lord the blood.
There is nothing stronger than the wonder working power of the blood, the blood that calls us sons and daughters.
We are ransomed by our father through the blood, the blood.
[00:11:19] Speaker A: Thank you. Thank you Jesus for the
[00:11:22] Speaker B: blood of life. Thank you Jesus.
Thank
[00:11:27] Speaker A: you Jesus. It has
[00:11:31] Speaker B: me wide.
Thank you Jesus, you have saved my life.
Brought me from the darkness in into glorious light.
Glory to his name.
Glory to his name.
There to my heart was the blood of life.
Glory to his name.
Amen. Amen.
[00:12:48] Speaker C: Go ahead and have a seat.
For those who don't know who I am, my name is Randy Fall. I serve as the care pastor here at Westgate Chapel. Longtime member since what, 2001? Ish.
We're going to share communion today.
So if you do not have your elements, would you raise your hand nice and high for the ushers to get you one?
We're going to take a little bit slower approach today.
I really want us to turn our attention to Jesus Christ today.
We all know how easy it is to be distracted, right?
It's easy to become distracted by responsibilities that we all have in our lives and that some of us have a lot, some of us have a little, but we're being distracted.
We have families, we have work, we have concerns and sometimes burdens that weigh heavily upon our hearts. Wouldn't you agree?
Yet Jesus invites us to remember something far greater than anything that we may be facing here today.
He invites us. Jesus does. He invites us to remember Him.
You may recall in First Corinthians, chapter 11, verse 24, it says, do this in remembrance of me.
Isn't that interesting?
Jesus did not tell us to remember how good that we've been, how much we've accomplished, or even how faithful we might have been. He simply said, remember me.
And that is exactly what I want to do with my church family here today.
Before we partake, let's listen to Paul's instruction in First Corinthians, chapter 11, verse 27 and 28.
Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup, this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood.
The blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat the bread and drink the cup.
Paul reminds us that communion is something we should approach with reverence and with sincerity of heart.
This is an opportunity that we have today to examine our hearts before the Lord.
So perhaps there's a sin that you're wrestling with, with something that needs to be confessed. Perhaps there's a little bit of bitterness that you're carrying around, something that's been bugging you or hanging on to you and causing you to be bound in unconfessed sin.
And because of his sacrifice, forgiveness and reconciliation with God are available to everyone who places their faith and trust in Jesus.
So as you prepare to take the bread, I want you to remember this simple truth.
Jesus knew everything, and he knows everything about each and every one of us, including our sins and our failures.
He willingly, because of who he is, he willingly went to the cross to provide our salvation.
Let's pray together.
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your son Jesus to die in our place.
Lord Jesus, thank you for willingly giving your body as a sacrifice for our sins.
Help us never to take your love and your sacrifice for granted.
As we partake of this bread, may our hearts be filled with gratitude for what you have done for us in Jesus name.
Let's carefully open the bread portion on our communion cups.
I'm going to allow just a Few minutes and then we're going to take together.
This is where you get to do business with the Lord.
Let us take the bread together.
Paul continues in 1st Corinthians 11, verse 25. In the same manner, he also took the cup after supper, saying, this cup is the new covenant in my blood.
This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me.
The cup reminds us of the precious blood that Jesus shed for our sins.
Throughout the Old Testament, sacrifices were offered offered to God as God instructed. Those sacrifices pointed forward to the perfect sacrifice that Jesus Christ would make upon that cross.
When Jesus shed his blood, he provided the sacrifice that was sufficient to pay the penalty for our sins.
You may remember in Hebrews chapter nine, according to the law, almost all things are purified with blood. And without the shedding of blood, there is no remission.
Hebrews 10:14 reminds us, for by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
Wonderful truth.
Forgiveness does not depend on how good we have been this past week, that's for sure.
Our forgiveness rests upon the finished work of Jesus Christ.
And we confess. When we confess our sins, we do so with confidence in his mercy and in his faithfulness.
Perhaps someone here this morning is carrying the weight of a past failure, something you have already brought before the Lord, but you continue to struggle with the guilt.
Remember what this cup represents.
Jesus Christ shed his blood so that we could be forgiven.
Let's pray.
Father, thank you for the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Thank you that through his death and resurrection we can have forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.
Lord, help us to live with grateful hearts, remembering that our salvation is a gift of your grace.
May our lives reflect the love of mercy, love and mercy that you have shown us in Jesus name. Amen.
Let's drink the cup together.
Before we conclude, I got just 30 seconds. I want to share one more verse.
Paul writes in First Corinthians 11:26, for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
I love them last three words until he comes.
So as we conclude our time around the Lord's table, I pray that we remember these three truths. We remember his body given for us.
We remember his blood shed for us. And we remember his promise that he is coming in. Amen. Church Amen.
[00:20:12] Speaker A: Satan knew.
How could I express all my gratitude.
I could sing these songs as I often do.
But every song must end and you never do lift it up. Church so I throw up my hands and praise you again and again.
Cause all that I have is a hallelujah.
Hallelujah. And I know it's not much. I'm nothing else fit for a king?
Except for a heart singing hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
I've got one response.
I've got just one move.
With my arms stretched wide I will worship you.
So I throw up my hands and praise you again and again.
Cause all that I have is a hallelujah.
Hallelujah. And I know it's not much.
I'm nothing else before a king?
Except for a heart singing high Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
In humility we sing right?
Come on, my soul, don't you get shy of me. Lift up your soul. Cause you've got a life inside of those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord.
You know it, church, Sing it out. Oh, come on, my soul, don't you get shining. Lift up your song. Cause you got a light inside of those lungs.
Get up and praise the Lord. Let's roar together.
Oh, come on, my soul. Oh, don't you get shy on me. Lift up your song. Cause you got a line inside of those lungs. Get up and praise the Lord, Lord.
Praise the lord.
All that is within me I give you praise.
You alone are worthy.
You alone.
You alone.
You alone.
So I throw up my hands, Praise you again and again.
Sing that chorus again.
So I throw up my hands and praise you.
Hallelujah.
And I know it's not much. I've nothing else fit for a king?
Except for a heart singing hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Let's give God glory and praise unto him and him alone. Amen.
[00:26:10] Speaker D: You may be seated. You got. You beat me to it.
Before we go to a time of prayer together, one important thing that is happening this next week is we have a number of middle school and high school students that are going to be going off to their fall retreat.
And so I just want to ask any students that are here in the room going on retreat, would you guys just stand for a moment so we can see where you are? Don't be shy. There we go. We got a number of students. Really awesome.
And before we take our offerings, go ahead and stay standing. Just go ahead and stay standing.
Before we take our offering this morning, I want to take time to pray over you guys and church. I would just ask you to pray with me as they go into this incredible weekend. So. So let's pray together. Father, thank you so much for each of these students, Lord, Just thank you for the ministry that you've given us. Here in this church to them. And thank you that you've provided a means and a way for them to go on this retreat next weekend. And Lord, I know just how significant retreats like this were in my life and in the lives of many other adults in this room.
Lord, those were moments where you spoke to me in ways that changed my life as I was able to get away from the noise of school and home and just spend time focusing. And Lord, I thank you that they're going to go on this retreat where they can have a great time and a lot of fun with each other. But Lord, I just pray that you would allow their hearts to hear from you as well. May your Holy Spirit speak loudly into their lives for some of them. Lord, I pray that you would take them on a new beginning, a new journey with you and surrendering their hearts and their lives to you of finding how you desire for them to be a part of what you're doing and bringing the good news of Jesus to others.
But for others, they may come to know you for the first time, Lord, would their hearts be open, their ears attentive to your voice? And Lord, we pray that you would do an incredible work in their lives through this week, weekend. And so we give them to you as well. Lord, we pray over this time of offering that we're about to take. We recognize every good gift we have comes from you. We give because, Lord, we want other people to experience what you have done in our lives, in their own life, and so multiply our gifts this morning. Lord, we pray that you would multiply them and people coming to know your son, Jesus Christ, we love you and we give you thanks. It's in Jesus name we pray together. Amen.
Students, you can be seated now. There we go. We're going to take our morning offering at this time. And so the buckets are here on the main floor in the center aisle. If you grab those, you can just pass them out to the sides. And in the balcony, they're up in the corners and we'll pass them across again. This is a time for us just to give back and worship the Lord.
And so we're going to do that for just a few moments together.
Well, just a quick question for you. How many people are tired of having their phone spammed with political ads? All right. Yeah. Thank you. Look at that. Most hands I've ever seen raised in church. It's fantastic, man. I'll tell you something. Over the past few weeks, months, this phone has gone off incessantly with some of the most hateful rhetoric I think I've ever seen when it comes to what they will say about people that are running for office. And you know, we're moving into a week. I know some people have voted already, but we're moving into an election week. And I don't often talk about politics. We'll talk about things that are really important as it relates to God's Word.
But I do want to say this, this morning, as we go into this week, two really important things.
Number one, Church, can I remind you who you are?
There is a world out there that has no holds barred in the way that they will slander people, talk evil about them. And I have witnessed many times how as Christians, we participate in this. And when we do so, we do not represent Jesus Christ to a world that needs him.
Can I remind you, in this week, no matter where you fall on the issues or which candidate you support, would you remember that first and foremost you are a follower of Jesus Christ. And would you share God's love with people in the way that you talk to and respond to them, no matter how much you differ? Can I get an amen on that?
Church, your highest king, his name is Jesus.
Represent him well.
Number two, God has given us in this nation an incredible privilege. You know, when I read in the New Testament all the things about Jesus and the disciples, they were living at a time where they were facing persecution for who they were, and they did not have a voice in the Roman government. There was no opportunity for them to go to the polls, to vote, to have their voice heard.
And I will say that we are living in a time today where by God's grace, we are still given that voice in our country.
Church. Use your voice.
God has given it to you. Stand on the truth of God's word when you go to the polls. And I will say this.
Pray and ask God to give you the convictions of who to vote for, what to vote for. It is not my job to stand up here and tell you what it is.
But as you read his Word and you align your heart to the King of Kings, allow him to be the one that leads you. But please, I encourage you, use the privilege that God has given us in this day, in this age, we may not always have it and so use it as God has allowed and bring glory to him in the process. Amen.
Let's go to prayer. I really want to take this to prayer and ask that the Lord would lead us in this week. So would you join me, Father?
Such a.
Such an Interesting time of year that we come to every couple of years as our nation goes to the polls to vote.
There are many leaders that are put in front of us and we are told all sorts of things about them.
A lot of it is bad.
And we look at them, Father, and we know that each one of them has fallen in some way, shape or form.
And we also recognize, Lord, that our hope and trust is not in man. It is in you.
And so, Lord, as we go into this week, I pray that you would give us wisdom as we go to the polls. That, Father, what we vote and who we vote for would be guided by you and that, Father, we would trust in that, but it be guided by you and by your word. Secondly, Lord, I pray for every individual here.
It is so easy to allow God, our emotions to get caught up and to speak hateful words. In this season, would you teach us at every single moment to represent your son, Jesus Christ, even with those who vilely oppose us or what we think? Would you help us to show Jesus love so that they would know and see you and so God do that in us in this week? May this be a week where you give us many opportunities to have spiritual conversations with people that they would find and follow you. We'll pray this together in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Amen.
Thank you for just allowing me to have that small conversation with you this morning. As I think about all of the things that discourage me going into a political week, a very political week in our country, it makes me even more joyous to say that that at times brings out the ugly side of humanity. But I'll tell you, this morning, we're gonna celebrate the most beautiful side as people declare their love for Jesus and are baptized.
It's great.
Hi.
It is our baptism Sunday, and we're gonna get to hear some pretty incredible stories and testimonies of how God is moving and working in people's lives. Six people this morning are gonna be baptized. We've got two kids, two of our students in the student ministry, and also two adults. And so they'll be coming in just a few minutes to share with you what Jesus is doing in their life. But as I was preparing for this morning, I was thinking back to a time when I was able to actually go to Israel, to the promised land, and experience all different sorts of places that I had read about as a kid in my Bible and to see them come to life. And one of my favorite places was to go to the Jordan river, where the Bible tells us that Jesus was baptized.
You'll see a picture here on the screen that I took with one of those really old cameras. And so the color isn't all that great, but it was incredible to be able to go there. I remember walking up on the Jordan and just to see everything I had read about since I was a kid come to life. Like stories come to life. That these were real places was incredible. There is college Rob there. I spent three weeks studying in Israel. And one of the things that I did when I went to the Jordan river is our professor gave us time to just sit and to spend some time with God. And I remember sitting down on those rocks right there and just spending time reading about John the Baptist and reading about Jesus, baptism and diving deep into that. And as I looked off to the left, over off to the side, you'll see in this next picture, there was a whole group of people that were getting baptized in the Jordan River. And this is kind of the site, if you will, where people have their pilgrimage. They say that they believe this could be the place where Jesus was baptized. In this location.
Not likely, but whatever.
It's a cool place to be able to come and to experience that. But each of these individuals was there professing their love for Jesus, their surrender of their hearts and lives. And as I sat there reading scripture and watching this and seeing the whole place just come to life, it was powerful. But I remember that as I sat there, I was asking myself this question. Maybe it's a question that you've asked before, like, where did the idea of physical baptism come from? Like, where did it have its beginnings? Was it John the Baptist who started it?
Did it precede that? And so as I began to study and I dug deeper into that, there are a few things that I learned.
Number one is this, is that going down into the water for cleansing was not a new thing. At the time of John the Baptist, Jews had actually participated in cleansing rituals in what are known as mikvahs for centuries. Now you'll see a picture of that here on the screen. But the Hebrew word mikveh means a gathering, a gathering often of water.
And it came to describe a pool that was used for ritual immersion.
These baths would often be carved into stone, as you see in the picture, and they would be filled by either rainwater or by a spring. And they appeared all throughout 1st century Israel. An immersion going down into the water in the mikveh wasn't about moral guilt, but it was about ritual status. Let me explain that a little bit clearer.
What they believed it did is it restored purity so that someone could re enter communal worship or communal life after contact with impurity. Let me give you some examples. If a woman gave birth to a child before she could re enter communal worship or communal life, she would have to go down into the mikveh for what was a ritual cleansing. If a person had a disease and was either healed or had gotten better before they could reenter the community, like you think of the lepers that Jesus heals, they had that horrible skin disease. They were cast far outside of the community. They had to literally live by themselves in the wilderness, if you will. Jesus heals them. What does it say they do? They run to the priests to show them that they they are clean. And then they would have gone through this process of a ritual cleansing and a mikveh as well.
If you came into contact with the dead, you would go through this. Priests would be immersed before serving. Ordinary people would do so before festivals or before Sabbath meals. And even there was a practice that was beginning at the time of Jesus where when Gentiles would convert to Judaism, they were required to be immersed in a mikveh before joining the Jewish community as proselytes. In other words, I want you to catch this. The mikveh was not about forgiveness. It was about ritual cleansing and fitness. In other words, you did this to be fit to approach God's presence.
This is very different from what we read about in Matthew chapter three. When it comes to baptism, though that was practiced by John, by Jesus and future disciples. If you have your Bibles, you can read along with me. It won't be on the screen this morning, but in Matthew chapter three, beginning in verse one, this is what we read.
It says, in those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea.
What he said was this. He said, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight.
Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him.
And they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.
And if we were to read down to the bottom, we would see that Jesus himself also came to the Jordan to be baptized by John the Baptist. Here's some interesting things to note as we Read this. When we look at the passage, what it says is that John said, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.
The message that John was preaching, this word repent didn't mean just to come say, hey, oops, I'm sorry I sinned. Repentance was the idea of confession of sin, but then a complete turning away from that sin and going in a different direction. What repentance signified was a complete and total decision to leave a way of life and to move towards another. That was what was happening. In other words, it wasn't just about how one could cleanse their selves, but it was about what God could do through them. And that's what baptism came to represent. I want you to see this because as we read about the word baptism, I want you to think about where the word baptize actually came from. It's the Greek word baptizo. And traditionally this. This word means to dip, to plunge, to submerge, or to immerse, to go down into the water. But if you were to look in classical Greek literature and writings, what you would actually see is that the way this word was often used was of sinking or of drowning in these terms. Often it was written of, in literature of naval boats that had been sunk in about, or it was used of people or animals who might have drowned in a river or drowned in the sea. It was a violent word that signified complete death.
And this is the word not using the mikveh, but it was the word that was chosen to signify the symbol of what was happening in baptism.
This word was chosen because it captured a sense of finality and destruction.
Baptism, then, would signify death to a whole way of life, while also signifying being raised to new life.
Thus, when John would baptize and when Jesus future disciples would baptize others, the picture that is given is one of a violent death to a former way of life, but a choice that says, I am dying to that life and being raised to new life in Jesus Christ because of his death on the cross. For me, I am being raised to new life with him. I have chosen to leave behind the old and to follow Jesus with my whole heart and my whole life.
I want you to understand, understand that symbolism this morning. Because as each of our individuals come and are baptized, this is the beautiful picture that we have.
Baptism is meant to be a clear symbol of a choice that we have made that says, I am leaving behind the way of this world, and I am choosing to surrender my heart and my life to Follow Jesus. Isn't that an incredible thing? It's an incredible thing to think about. And today you're going to get to hear hear from six people who are going to share about how they have made that decision.
And as they go down into the water this morning, it is a picture of the death of leaving life behind for where it was and a choice to be raised to new life with Jesus. And we want to celebrate that together. And so we're going to begin by inviting out our kids with our kids ministry director, Marlena. So would you welcome them as they come?
[00:44:55] Speaker E: Good morning.
Aren't they so cute? First of all, I mean, handsome.
Sorry.
I'm so excited to be here with you guys because just as Pastor Rob said, today is a very special day in the life of two of our friends in our kids ministry. And if I haven't met you yet, my name is Marlene, and I get the privilege of serving our church as the kids ministry director. And one of the amazing things that I get to do is to walk with our kids and our families through baptism. And so we went through a class, we learned all kinds of things, and we made sure that we really understood what it means to a follow Jesus with our whole lives and what baptism really means. And Pastor Rob did a great job of telling you guys that.
So we're going to start with my first friend. Can you tell us your name and how old you are?
[00:45:49] Speaker F: My name is abram and I'm 8 years old.
[00:45:54] Speaker E: You guys remember, we're getting it. Way to go.
And can you tell us what is something that you enjoy doing for fun?
[00:46:03] Speaker F: I like to play catch with my brother outside.
[00:46:06] Speaker E: Outside. That's good. Being outside. That's healthy. That's good. Good thing. And what kind of balls do you like to throw? Baseballs? Footballs.
[00:46:13] Speaker F: Football.
[00:46:13] Speaker E: Football. Excellent. Anybody else in here? Football fans?
It was a bad weekend for our team, but we won't talk about that. Okay, can you tell us if you all. You look out here at all these people and you say you want to tell them, how did Jesus change your life?
[00:46:32] Speaker F: He died on the cross for everybody Sins.
[00:46:37] Speaker E: Just. Just yours.
Just mine.
All those people. Yeah, everybody's right. And can you tell us. I love this verse, by the way. Can you tell us what a verse that you. That's meaningful to you is?
[00:46:50] Speaker F: Hebrews 11, 8. Abraham had faith, so he obeyed God.
[00:46:56] Speaker E: His name is what? Abram. Do we get it? I love it. Awesome. Thanks, buddy.
Okay. And Ellison, she was actually baptized in our first service, so I'm glad that she still gets to share with you, but can you. I kind of stole your name, but can you tell everybody what your name and how old you are?
[00:47:13] Speaker F: My name is Alison, and I'm nine years old. Nine.
[00:47:18] Speaker E: Way to go, guys. And could you tell us what is something that you enjoy doing for fun?
[00:47:23] Speaker F: Baton twirling.
[00:47:25] Speaker E: Baton twirling. The first service, I asked her if she was excited about when she gets to light them on fire, and she was. Wasn't sure. So I. I told her. I was like, if there's a video someday, I want to see that. So can you tell everybody in here, how has Jesus impacted your life? What did he do for you?
[00:47:43] Speaker F: He died on the cross and gave us eternal life. That's right.
[00:47:48] Speaker E: For all of us. Right?
And can you tell them what is a verse that is meaningful to you?
[00:47:56] Speaker F: First, John 4:14.
The Father sent his son to be the savior of the world.
[00:48:03] Speaker E: Amen. Everybody give it up for my two friends.
As I said, Ellison already was in the water, but here, in a little bit, we're going to see Abram get baptized. So give it up for Pastor Luke and his two friends.
[00:48:23] Speaker G: Good morning, church family. My name is Luke Cadid. I'm the middle school pastor here, and I got two students up here who middle school students who have said yes to Jesus and have said yes to getting baptized today. And today is one of my favorite days of the year because we've been walking with these students all year long as they develop in their faith, as they grow in their relationship with God. And I have two students here. They're willing to share their stories with you as they've said to yes to getting baptized today. We've had a lot of students this fall say yes to Jesus.
At our Nerf wars event earlier this fall, we had 11 students say yes to Jesus.
And then last week, we shared the gospel with the students, and both Dan and I for high school and middle school, and we had at least five students say yes to Jesus last week as well. So students are saying yes to Jesus, and we have two students up here that have said that. That. And so why don't you start by sharing your name, your grade, and what school you go to?
[00:49:23] Speaker H: My name is Ethan. I'm 11.
I'm in sixth grade, and I go to Whitefoot Agricultural schools.
[00:49:30] Speaker G: Cool. Cool. Ethan, what's your favorite sport? Basketball. Basketball. Nice. Nice. Okay, so you've said yes to Jesus. When did you accept Jesus into your life, and what did that moment look like?
[00:49:43] Speaker H: It was last year at a church camp. Camp. It Was with my counselor in our cabins right before we went to bed.
[00:49:49] Speaker G: Nice, nice, cool. And how is following Jesus changed your life?
[00:49:54] Speaker H: It's just made me a better person to be around and made me more happier.
[00:49:58] Speaker G: Cool, cool. And why are you getting baptized today, Ethan? To
[00:50:02] Speaker H: declare to the world that I am following the. That I will be following the. The Lord and sharing the gospel.
[00:50:09] Speaker G: Sweet. Thanks, Ethan.
You can step right there. Cool, cool.
All right. Share your name, your grade and what school you go to.
[00:50:20] Speaker I: I'm Aubreyla. I am in sixth grade and I go to Whitmer Middle school.
[00:50:24] Speaker G: Nice, nice. Yes.
Abriella, what's your favorite sport? Volleyball. Volleyball. Nice, nice. Also, today is Aubreylla's birthday.
Yes, yes.
So on the count of three, we're all gonna say happy birthday, Aubrey Gabriella. Three, two, one.
Sweet. Sweet. Do you want us to sing to you?
Do you want us to sing to you?
[00:50:51] Speaker I: If you want to,
[00:50:52] Speaker G: that's okay. We'll sing after. We'll sing after you have said yes to Jesus.
And why don't you share with us when that happened and what that moment looked like?
[00:51:02] Speaker I: A few years ago, I was dealing with a lot of anger and frustration about past things. Things. And so I was with my counselor and we talked through it and she asked me if I wanted to pray and I said yes.
[00:51:15] Speaker G: Nice, nice. That's awesome. That's awesome.
And how has following Jesus changed your life?
[00:51:21] Speaker I: I used to not be able to forgive people and I was really mean and angry to everyone. And now I'm just happy and I'm able to forgive.
[00:51:30] Speaker G: Nice, nice.
And Abriella, why are you getting baptized today?
[00:51:37] Speaker I: To show that I love Jesus.
[00:51:39] Speaker G: Thanks, Aubrey. If you can give them one more round of applause, we're going to hand it off to our adults.
[00:51:51] Speaker C: Hi, church family.
My favorite day of the year. Twice a year we get to do this.
We have attended a class, a baptism class. You probably saw it on the app or in the little invitation cards that we have it for three Sundays in a row. The first Sunday, usually we have everything pretty much figured out what's going to happen and so forth. The next two Sundays are just practicing to speak in front of you guys.
So you're going to be in for a treat with these two. I'm just blessed to be a part, a small little part of their lives.
I'm going to let them introduce themselves and go right for their stories.
Lily will start with you.
[00:52:33] Speaker J: Good morning. My name is Lily KZ. I'm 19 years old.
Thank you, thank you.
My story starts pretty young. At six years old, I was diagnosed with diabetes. I was diagnosed with epilepsy. Then at 19 as well, I grew up in the church with my grandma. We were going to church on Strayer.
Around eight or nine years old, I started facing my first waves and struggles with depression.
I honestly can't remember a time that I didn't struggle with anxiety and depression from then on out.
You know, I wasn't. I knew of Jesus, but I wasn't close with him. I didn't know him personally. It was one of those you went to church, you did, you know, the little kid activities, but you never took a second thought for it after that.
At 12 years old is when I had my first attempt. I didn't deem myself as worthy of life. I didn't think that I was good enough. I thought that I was unworthy. And I also thought that God would never want me. Because of that 13 or 14, I technically got baptized, but it was more of a performance.
It was definitely one of those. I saw a lot of my friends doing it. So I was like, oh, I should do it. Not understanding the significance of it. So today is technically a re baptism.
I distanced myself for the church for a couple years. And at 16 years old, I remember so clearly driving home from work one day. I worked at Scooters, Great coffee shop.
Driving home from work one day, it was pouring out, and all of a sudden I just started crying in my car.
And I was like, lord, I don't understand, like, why you want me here. I don't understand my purpose. I started crying out. And I remember so distinctly remembering maybe I should pray.
And I remember crying out to the Lord, begging him to take my life, begging him to just end it, because I didn't understand why he wanted me here. I didn't understand any of what was happening to me, why I had gone through so much different forms of abuse and, you know, different traumas. I didn't understand it.
And I remember when I finished that prayer, a piece rushed over me that I can only describe as the Holy Spirit. There was a peace that rushed over me and the storm calmed outside.
And I should say, I don't know how, but I guess we all know how that happens.
And then after that, my walk is still kind of, you know, rocky at times. But ever since then, I was like, he's real. That was my moment that I knew that he was real. And since then, it's been a little rocky still. But my eyes are set on the prize, and that prize is the Lord.
You know, My story starts with a little girl whose mind was plagued by the devil's antics. But my story has been lived, and it stands true to be told by a woman who's chosen the Lord, who's chosen our Savior and has devoted her life to serving him.
And my hope.
[00:55:27] Speaker C: Amen.
[00:55:30] Speaker J: My hope at the end of the day is that one day I can watch my parents, my mom and my dad, dad and my sister be baptized in these same waters that I can bear witness to seeing them give their life to Christ and give their own testimony.
[00:55:44] Speaker C: Amen. Amen.
K. Come on. This way.
There you go. Right there.
Right there.
Introduce yourself.
[00:55:55] Speaker K: All right. Hello. My name is Matthew Noss. I'm 35.
I'm grateful for this moment to share what Christ has done in my life. Life.
For a few years, I was searching for truth. I spent a lot of time watching videos about politics, news, and the world events, trying to make sense of everything.
[00:56:14] Speaker A: While I was listening to Charlie Kirk
[00:56:16] Speaker K: talk about
[00:56:16] Speaker A: politics,
[00:56:17] Speaker K: I also
[00:56:17] Speaker A: listened to him talk about Christianity. Eventually, I discovered the show Give Me an
[00:56:22] Speaker K: Answer with Stuart
[00:56:23] Speaker A: and Cliff. Connect all.
[00:56:25] Speaker K: Listening
[00:56:25] Speaker A: to them answer
[00:56:26] Speaker K: tough questions about God and faith.
I wanted to get into the Bible, but because I was never someone who liked reading books, I kept putting it off.
Then my life completely changed. I was diagnosed with brain cancer and I had to undergo major surgery to remove 95% of the tumor.
When I woke up, I had to fight just to get my words back. I looked at my family and knew exactly who they were, but I couldn't remember their names.
I went through a speech therapy as I struggled to name simple everyday words. In that quiet, difficult season of healing. As my words slowly came back to me, I finally turned to the
[00:57:07] Speaker A: Bible.
Because reading was tough. I started listening to scripture and watching videos of people preaching on YouTube. I watched them preach at colleges and bars.
[00:57:17] Speaker K: And I
[00:57:17] Speaker A: noticed that many people who claimed to be Christians thought they were saved just by believing and going to church.
[00:57:24] Speaker K: While thinking it was fine to love sinning every day.
Seeing that helped me realize I wanted to truly turn from my sins and be reborn.
[00:57:34] Speaker A: I learned that the more you believe it is possible not to sin again, the less you will sin. All things are possible through God.
Sitting in that brokenness, God opened my heart and I truly encountered his love and presence.
[00:57:50] Speaker K: I realized how much I
[00:57:51] Speaker A: needed
[00:57:52] Speaker K: him. I
[00:57:52] Speaker A: confessed my sins,
[00:57:53] Speaker K: surrendered my life, and trusted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.
Since making that decision, God has
[00:58:01] Speaker A: completely changed my heart. He has helped me clean up my life and walk away from things like drinking Gambling and cussing.
[00:58:10] Speaker K: I want
[00:58:10] Speaker A: to
[00:58:10] Speaker K: get baptized today because I love God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
My old life is gone and I am publicly declaring that I belong to him. I am so thankful for God's grace, for giving me my life and my words back. And I look forward to following Jesus daily. Thank you.
[00:58:28] Speaker C: Amen. Give it up.
[00:58:37] Speaker D: Give them one more big round of applause, would you? The whole group.
So exciting to just see and hear what God is doing in people's lives. And I just want to say to you, if you have never made that decision to follow the Lord in baptism, and you know, you might say to yourself, you know what, that's the next step that I need to take in my journey with Him. I'd encourage you to reach out and to talk with us. There is no more important thing than the choice that we make to follow Jesus, but even more to solidify that through public baptism, to say, I have chosen to give my heart, my life to Jesus. We are excited to be able to baptize these individuals now. And so just to give you a small picture of how baptism works here at Westgate, in just a moment, the worship team's gonna come out, we're gonna stand and we're gonna begin singing some songs of worship to the Lord. And as we are singing and worshiping, each individual is gonna come out one at a time. They will be baptized. And we strongly encourage you to encourage them and to celebrate them loudly with cheers as they make this decision to profess their love for Jesus publicly. And so, church, are you ready? Let's do this. Why don't we stand on up and I'm going to pray and then we are going to worship together. Father, thank you again for this morning. And thank you God for what you are doing in each of these individuals lives.
May you and you alone this morning receive all of the glory and all of the praise.
God. May this also be such a significant moment in the life of each of these individuals, Lord, that they would always look back and say, that was the day where I publicly professed that I would follow you with my whole life. And Lord, would you grow them continually from this day forward and use their lives to be a testimony to, to others of your son, Jesus Christ.
Pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
[01:00:57] Speaker B: I was lost in shame could not get past my flame until he called my name I'm so glad he changed me Darkness held me down But Jesus pulled me out and I'm no longer bound I'm so glad he changed me See I now a new new creation in Christ the old has gone there's new life I live by faith not my sight There is a new name Written down in glory and it's mine yes, it's mine I've met the author of my story and he's mine yes, he's mine Sin had left me blind But Jesus opened my eyes Now I see the light I'm so glad he changed me Now I'm walking free I've got the victory See it's all over me I'm so glad it changed me See I now a new creation the oldest come the old has come I live by faith I live by faith not by sight There is a new name Rich him down in glory and it's mine yes, it's mine thank you, Jesus I met the author of my
[01:02:48] Speaker A: story and
[01:02:50] Speaker B: he's mine
[01:02:52] Speaker A: yes, he's mine There is a new name Written down in glory and it's mine it's mine yes, it's mine I met the author of my story and he's mine yes, he's mine yeah Singing I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am I am who I am because the I am tells me to sing it I am who who I am Tells me who I am.
I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am I am who I am because the I am tells me who I am
[01:03:56] Speaker B: There is a new name written down in glory and it's mine yes, it's mine I met
[01:04:05] Speaker A: Jesus I
[01:04:07] Speaker B: met the
[01:04:08] Speaker A: author of my story and he's mine he's mine yes, he's mine
[01:04:14] Speaker B: There is a new There is a new
[01:04:17] Speaker A: name
[01:04:17] Speaker B: Written down in glory and he's mine yes, it's mine thank you, Jesus I
[01:04:27] Speaker A: let the author of my story me and he's mine
[01:04:32] Speaker B: he's mine yes,
[01:04:33] Speaker A: he's mine
[01:04:34] Speaker B: yes, he's mine
[01:04:35] Speaker A: and he's mine
[01:04:37] Speaker B: he's mine yes,
[01:04:38] Speaker A: he's mine
[01:04:39] Speaker B: yes, he's mine
[01:04:40] Speaker A: and he's mine
[01:04:41] Speaker B: yes, he's mine.
[01:05:00] Speaker A: Yeah.
All praise in the valley I'll praise on the mountain I'll praise when I'm sure I'll praise when I'm down in the oh I'll praise when I'm numbered I'll praise when surrounded let's praise is the water My enemy's drowning Sing it out as long as I'm breathing I've got a reason to pray.
Oh my soul.
Praise the Lord oh my soul that's right oh, I'll praise when I feel it I'll praise when I don't I'll praise cause I know oh, you're still in control we know My praise is a weapon it's more than a sound My praise is the shout that brings Jericho down As long as I'm breathing I've got a reason to Praise the Lord oh my soul.
Praise the Lord oh, my soul no, I won't be quiet My God is alive how could I keep it inside?
I'm gonna praise the Lord oh my soul.
We got a reason to praise today. Amen.
Every single day.
All right.
All Praise cause you're sovereign Praise cause you reign Praise cause you rose and defeated the grave I'll praise cause you're faithful. Praise cause you're true. Praise cause there's, there's nobody greater than you I'll praise cause you're sovereign Praise cause you reign Praise cause you rose and defeated the grave I Praise cause you're faithful I Praise cause you're true Praise cause there's nobody greater than you Praise the Lord oh my soul.
Praise the Lord O my soul.
Praise the Lord O my soul.
Praise the Lord oh, my soul. I won't no, I won't be quiet. My God is alive how could I keep it inside?
Oh, I won't be quiet. My God is alive how could I keep it inside? One more time No, I won't be quiet. My God is alive how could I keep it inside?
I'm going to praise the Lord oh my soul yeah.
Lift up a shout of praise church.
[01:09:11] Speaker D: Amen. Let's give God glory this morning. Amen.
Well, again, I want to thank you for coming and worshiping with with us today. Just a couple of things as we close. Number one, as. As always, our prayer team is here at the front. If there are any needs that you have prayer for, things that you've been wrestling with, prayer for healing, they are here. They would love the opportunity to pray with you as we close our service today. So feel free to come forward as we close as well. If you are like, hey, I've been wrestling with what it means to have a relationship with Jesus, and you've never made that choice. They would love to think, talk with you. And so I'd invite you to come as well.
Secondly, I would say that as we close today, you'll find that out in our atrium, there is a nice, big sparkly blue background where those who have been baptized can take pictures with their friends or their family. I'd encourage you to stop by there. But church family also, there is a small table right near there with these little baptism jars. And one of the traditions we have as a church is if you would like to go and write, write them. Just a small note of encouragement.
I would encourage you to do so. Fill those up and it can just be a special reminder to them for a long time of the significance of this day. And so I'd encourage you to stop by and church as we go out. The testimony that we have heard here today is lived out in our lives every single day as we go out into this world. And so be the light of Christ and do it by showing the world Jesus love. Would you pray with me? Father, thank you so much for this morning.
Our prayer is that it would rise to you as beautiful worship.
Father, we worship you because you sent your son Jesus into this world to die for us while we were sinners and those who have rebelled against you.
You could have just said, I'm done with you.
And yet in your life love, you sent your son to die in our place so that we could be restored to a right relationship with you.
Thank you for that act of love that we don't deserve.
And yet, Lord, I pray that as we go out from here, that that same love that you have shown to us, that we would display it to other people, that they would also know and follow you. And so, Father, we worship you today and we give you all praise. Praise and glory and honor. It's in the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Church have a great week as you worship and follow the Lord.
