All right, good morning everybody. Welcome to Gateway Bible Church. Get you to find your seats here. Welcome here. It's always it's always nice there's an air of an excitement on baptism Sunday. And so we're excited to have so many people here to celebrate the declaration of faith of so many so many young people in our church. And so as we begin here, I have a few announcements that I would like to to bring forward.
Firstly, for those in our men's breakfast ministry who like to attend and come and eat free food, there's no free food this week. There is no men's breakfast this Saturday because we have our men of perseverance conference in Drumheller this upcoming Saturday. So if you come to men's breakfast, there will not it will be locked. There won't be anyone here. However, if you are going to the Men of Perseverance conference and you would you need a ride out or you're planning to drive out and you have extra seats, please talk to Brian Krosowski.
He's somewhere around here. I don't know where's Oh, he's downstairs. Imagine Brian. Talk to him. And he is the one who is organizing rides and car pooling and everything like that. So, if you are planning to do that and you haven't talked to him yet, please do that. We have the most exciting meeting of the year coming up at the end of the month. The annual budget meeting is coming up November 30th. It's a Sunday. We're having in the evening, I believe, at 7, but I could be wrong at 7:00.
And so, we're going to be having that up here this year. And if you would like to look at the budget before that meeting, it's on the brown desk at the back. It's a little landscape style thing. Look at all those numbers if you are interested in that. After service today, we have our monthly birthday cake celebration. So, we encourage you to come down to celebrate if you have a birthday. It's a requirement. Which is everybody. And so, no, I'm kidding. And we'll be celebrating all those born in the month of November.
And so, please join us for a birthday cake after after the service today. This month. >> Oh, yeah. It is my birthday this month. I was hoping to not say that. I was like, who was that? It's my mother-in-law. That just completely derailed me. Okay, lastly, Christmas Eve falls on the 24th this year, December. I got to it first.
For Christmas Eve service, we like to get our congregation involved. And so, if you would like to do some special music or some special some special scripture reading or anything like that, please come talk to one of the elders. We'd love to get you plugged in and something like that. It's always a time of encouragement seeing the skills and talents of our congregation using that to glorify the Lord. So, if you would like to do something for that, please come and chat with us. We'd love to get you plugged in. With that I am going to pray and then or actually no sorry everyone please stand up and greet each other warmly.
All right, let's settle in here. So in my morning devotional time had been working through the book of Psalms and I just hit book two of five of the book of Psalms, the book within books and chapters 42 and 43 have this similar refrain running throughout. And the sons of Kora here are speaking about all these turmoils that they're kind of going through and their soul is longing for the Lord and they're pouring out their soul for the for with this desire for the Lord.
This passion for the Lord. And they also talk about how they're frustrated with all of the opposition that's coming against them and they're crying out to the Lord for refuge and to to deliver them from what they're going through. And three times in these two chapters in 42:5, 42:1, and 43:5, there's this refrain of why are you cast down, oh my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. It's it's interesting here how the the psalmist here is talking to his own soul almost like it's someone else and saying my soul why are you cast down why are you at unease at unrest with what's going on the word turmoil here is an interesting Hebrew word because it means in in constant motion in a volatile it's he's saying why why are you like a tempest within me why why Is everything so unruly? Why can you not be still?
Because you can hope in God. Why are you so worried? Hope in God. Praise him. He is your salvation and your God. There's no need to worry. I think we could all agree that there are turmoils and tempests in our lives. Hope in God. He is your God and your salvation. He's the one you can turn to. He is the refrain that you can come back to over and over again. It's baptism Sunday today. We're going to see three young ladies make this declaration that God is their God and their salvation.
They can hope in God in the midst of the turmoil. So, let's pray together. And at this time, I'm going to call the ushers to come forward as well as we pray for the offering. Dear God, I thank you for this day. I thank you so much for your word and who you are. I thank you that we can turn to you and look to you in the midst of our turmoil that we can calm our soul with the truth of who you are. That we can look to you as our salvation. We thank you for three ladies who have put their faith in you and that we get to celebrate that with them today.
Lord, turn our hearts towards you as we offer up gifts and as we offer up our tithes and offerings. Lord, we pray for the hands of those who are using these funds that they would be used for your kingdom and your glory, not for any selfish gain. And Lord, that ultimately your kingdom would be furthered here on earth. Lord, be with us as we worship you today. Help us be rid of any distraction. We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. >>
>> Why don't you stand as we join in worship? >> >> In Christ alone my hope is found.
He is my light, my strength. My song is cornerstone. Solid ground firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love or depths of peace when fears are still and striving se my comforter. My all in all here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone who took our flesh from his blood in hell to save his gift of love and graciousness once he came to save till Jesus died. The lamb of God was sisfied to every sin on him was laid.
Here in the death of Christ I in the ground his body lay. Light of the world by darkness flame then bursting in glorious day. Up from the grave. He rose again and has his hands in victory.
Since curses on me, for I am his and he is mine. The precious blood of Christ. Oh my fear and pain. This is the blood of Christ in me from life to final.
Jesus my destiny. The power of hell. The scheme of hell can ever find me from his till he returns or calls me home. Here in the power of Christ stand of man can ever me till he returns or calls me home here I stand Christ the sorrow.
All other ground is sinking still. All other ground is sinking still. My hope is built on nothingness. Jesus blood of righteousness. I do not trust the sweetest way of Jesus name. Lord Christ the s all other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground his darkness fills his lovely face. I rest on his unchanging praise. In every highest begin, my anchor hold the solid rock.
All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. His blood. I will be glad when all around my soul gives me heaven all my other counties.
All other standing will be found in his rightousness alone to stand before the throne. Christ.
All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. On Christ I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other grounding sand. You may be seated. >> Scripture reading this morning is from Psalm 63 and reading from God's infallible word.
This is the ESV. A psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. Oh God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh faints for you as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory because your steadfast love is better than life.
My lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live. In your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food. And my mouth will praise you with joyful lips when I remember you upon my bed and meditate on you in the watches of the night. For you have been my help and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you. Your right hand upholds me.
But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth. They shall be given over to the power of the sword. They shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God. All who swear by him shall exalt. For the mouths of liars will be stopped. Good morning.
This is an easy day to get excited for. We are so excited for the families. You know, it's a great day when the freezes are sitting in the front row. No, it's good. We are so excited for the for these three ladies, Alexa and Lexi and Evelyn. We are so thankful for God's work in your life and we are looking forward to hearing their testimonies here in a little bit. And to all of you who are visiting family members, friends, we're glad that you are with us this morning. Nothing screams meaningful baptism sermon like a list of names.
But I trust that even in this there will be some encouragement for our hearts this morning. So if you have your Bibles, would you turn with me to Nehemiah 11? We're going to look today by no means exhaustively. But we're going to look today from at verses 11:1 through to 12:26. So if you have your Bibles, you can go there to Nehemiah 1. As you're turning there, who remembers the Sears catalog? Okay, if kids, if you're looking around, you're like, you'll see people with their hands up above a certain vintage.
Might mean nothing to you, but for those of us of a certain vintage, it brings back a warm memory for the soul. So, but without order, that memory would have never happened. So, Richard Sears was a railroad agent in Redwood, Minnesota, and he began to figure out a bit of a plan. He would order watches from the manufacturer. He would then ship those down the line to folks on the other end who would then sell them to local people and ship the proceeds back to him.
And so he began to see there was a business to be done here. And so that led to this mail orderer company. A few years after he started it, he was joined by a man named Alva Robbuck. And the Sears Robuck Company began and they began to produce right off the hop a catalog. And very quickly it became a 300page catalog where people could order various things and have it shipped to them. However, Richard Sears was a terrible organizer.
Can I get an amen? >> That is me. And so as the orders began to roll in and he could not keep up with it and he was overwhelmed and stressed by these things, he began to burn the order forms as they came in. Because he simply couldn't keep up. Not a good business plan. But along came a man named Julius Rosenwald and he was a master administrator. And so Julius Rosenwald took over that part of the company and put structure and orderliness to the various elements of the company such that it began to take off.
And by 1908, about a decade or so after the the formation of the company, Richard Sears was no longer part of the company. Even though he left on good terms, but he was no longer part of the company. Julius Rosenwald was now the overseer of it because of his organizational ability, but he knew he was smart enough to keep the thing that made the Sears company the the Sears company, and that was that catalog. And so for years, both in America and in Canada, that became part of our culture. It's no longer the case, but it was for those of us who remember.
But it would never have happened had there not been organization put to it. Well, today in Hebrew, Hebrews in Nehemiah 11 and into 12, we're going to see much organization and much structure to make the the function of society in that land work well. And so we're going to look at a little bits and pieces of that section here today. To start with, I want to look at the first three verses of chapter 11. One of the things we see right off the bat as they were repurposing and resettling the land, repopulating particularly Jerusalem, we see the importance of sacrifice.
First three verses of chapter 11 say this. Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of 10 to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while nine out of 10 remained in other towns. And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. These are the chiefs of the province who lived in Jerusalem. But in the towns of Judah, everyone lived on his property and in their towns.
Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants. So, what we see here is the importance of repopulating Jerusalem. Now, if you were here through our series, you remember a number of weeks back, Pastor Bryce preached through Nehemiah 7. And there we have a some genealogies listed for us. And then from chapter 8 through to this point, it was like that was interrupted because they came to the seventh month where they took part in the feast of booths and they read the the law and they had this prayer of confession and now it's like Nehemiah is like he's saying now where was I?
And he's reminding them of how the Lord re settled the land. And we read here that the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. It's the very first thing we we see. But Jerusalem outside of the leaders had no one else living there yet. And in fact, if you go back to chapter 7 and in verse four, listen to what we read here. The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few and no houses had been rebuilt.
And so, can you imagine? They had built a temple. Now, as we've seen through Nehemiah, they've built the walls, but that's about it. The rest of the city, it seems, is lying in ruin still. There's no houses built yet outside of perhaps the leader homes, but that's that's all. They need people to return. We they need them to return for various purposes. Partly to rebuild it, probably most importantly to rebuild it, to rebuild homes and residential neighborhoods and what have you.
They need people to come to for the sake of carrying out commerce. They need people to come who can help oversee the temple and care for the things of God that way. They needed people to come for the sake of military strength. Look at what we read in verses 6 and 8 and 14. Verse six, the sons of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were 468 valiant men. Verse eight, his brothers, men of valor. 928.
Some of you might have a footnote by that. That's a fun footnote. We can talk about that later if you want. Verse 14. Their brothers, mighty men of valor. 128. They needed these people to come in part to protect the city. What's the first place that's going to be attacked? Is it going to be the countryland or the city of Jerusalem? The city of Jerusalem, obviously. And so they needed people to come and repopulate the land for specific purposes. And so what did they do?
Well, people didn't want to go there. And you might say, "Really? They didn't want to go to Jerusalem?" Well, let me ask you. All of you who live right now on acreages, all of you who live on farms and you love that lifestyle and I say to you, okay, we're selecting you to go live in downtown Calgary, right? You get what I'm saying? You'd be like, "Nuh-. Mm- no, I'm not doing that."
That's kind of what we're talking about here. They were living as we read there and and we read throughout the letter there are those living in smaller communities and towns or on the farms and that's where their livelihood is. That's where their families feel safe and secure. There's they go to Jerusalem. It's a wasteland right now. It's broken down. And even when they build it up, imagine this. There's going to you know what it's like to be in a city. The your your privacy is greatly diminished. The busyiness overwhelms you.
All that goes with city life. And so they're saying, "I don't think so." So they cast lots. Now the lots were a biblical system. We see them in many places throughout scripture, specifically the Old Testament. Bleeds a little bit into the New Testament, but then once the the cannon of scripture is closed, it appears that the lot system no longer is in effect. But they use lots lots in the scriptures. Numbers 26 is an example. In Proverbs 16, it says the ma man cast a lot and the Lord directs his steps. So lots were a biblically approved system in this era.
And so they were casting lots. One out of every 10 had to go live in the city. That's what we read here. Now look at what we read in verse two. And the people blessed. If you have an NIV, it will say the people commended all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. It appears that there were those even though they would not have preferred to do that, who sacrificed and willingly said, "Okay, we'll go."
And the people blessed them. The people commended them. They were thankful for them to make such a sacrifice for the greater good of all the people of the nation. That is a good thing and it's a biblical thing. We see this throughout the entire Bible. In fact, worship almost ex almost almost not always but almost always is attached in some way to sacrifice.
Sacrifice is part of the life that pleases God. We see this throughout scripture and even as we come now into the New Testament. We see how commendable it is that we sacrifice for others. We put others ahead of oursel. Most importantly, we sacrifice to put the will of God ahead of the will of man. Go with me if we will to Philippians chapter 2. In Philippians chapter 2, we see a very familiar passage if you've grown up in the church.
In fact, at our elders meeting yesterday, Pastor Joe walked us through this passage. But there in verses 3 and four, we read this. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. This is the Christian life. Romans 12 says, "Our life should be a living sacrifice." Look what we read in Hebrews 13, you can either go there or just listen.
But in Hebrews 13 15 and 16, we read this. Through him, then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God. That is the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. The Christian life is one of sacrifice. Why? Because it is a reflection of the one we serve.
Think about this. There is a on top of the highest hill in Toledo, Spain. There is a 16th century fortress known as the Alcazar. In the civil war of the 1930s, the Alcazar became a battleground where the loyalists and the nationalists were fighting it out. Fighting it out, pardon me. The nationalists were holding fort in that fortress. During a a particularly powerful moment in that war, the nationalist leader received a phone call from his son who had been captured by the loyalists.
And the son said to his dad over the phone, "Father, if you do not surrender the AlkaZar to them, they're going to kill me." So the man thought about it. He weighed it all out. And after a long pause and with a heavy heart, he said, "Well then, son, die like a man." He put the greater good of the people ahead even of his own son. He he was willing to sacrifice his son for the good of all of all of his people.
Well, is that not a picture of the gospel? Our father sacrificed his only son Jesus for the good of his people. He paid the ultimate price, the ultimate sacrifice so that you and I could have our sins atoned for that we could have our sins paid for in full because we couldn't do it ourselves. We're sinners. We fall short of his glory. And so God being so merciful, so gracious, would give his only son sacrifice for you and me.
This is the very essence of the gospel. In Isaiah in that glorious chapter, Isaiah 53, listen to what we read in verses 4-6. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace.
And with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. The sacrifice of the son. Hebrews 12 says, "For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, sat down now at the right hand of the father. He has defeated sin and death, but it came at great cost at sacrifice.
1 Peter 2 says, "He bore our sins in his own body on the tree." This is our savior. This is the one that you will hear these three ladies speak of. The one who gave himself to purchase them out of hell to give them eternal life. Who sacrificed. And we who understand that gospel, we who who who get it, we our lives should be marked by sacrifice.
When we understand the gospel, these folks here in Nehemiah, there were those who willingly sacrificed. They gave up a lot for the greater good of their people. And we who understand the gospel, what Christ gave up for us, we should have our lives marked by sacrifice for God's glory and for the good of all of our brothers and sisters. Now, it doesn't end there. In addition to the sacrifice we see here, we also see in this text a lot of orderliness. Let me read I'm going to read you a pile of verses. They're going to pop up here.
I'm just going to go bang bang bang bang bang through them just from our text. Here in Nehemiah 11:12 verse 4. And in Jerusalem lived a lived certain of the sons of Judah and of the sons of Benjamin. Verse 7, and of the sons of Benjamin. We have this list here. Verse 10, of the priests, and it lists them in verse 15. And of the Levites, and it lists them in verse 19, the gatekeepers, and it gives the gatekeepers who watch the gates. Verse 25, as for the villages with their fields and some of the people of Judah, and it goes through this list of people who were in this area.
12:1, these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel, the son of Sheil, and Yeshua. And it lists these priests and Levites that originally came. Verse 8, and the Levites, and it lists them. In verse 12, and in the days of Jehookim were the priests, heads of the father's houses. And it lists them. Verse 22. In the days of Elashab, Joyed, Johannan, and J Jado Jedua, I'll say Juda. Sure, let's go with that.
The Levites were recorded as the heads of their father's households. So too were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. And lists them, "These things are not here to bore us. These things are here to instruct us about what? Well, God is meticulous in detail. God is a God of order. Now, not only that, he knows all of their names.
If you don't if look at this and look all these different genealogies, all these different lists and then think to yourself, God knows all their names, which means what? He knows my name. The God of creation knows my name. Isn't that astonishing? He knows all their names, but he's also meticulous in detail. Now, I'm going to give you a moment of transparency here. For those who know me, this is not going to be a revelation.
I struggle with detail and I struggle with detail oriented conversation. So I I don't mean this in any ill way, but if if someone comes to me and tells me a story with enormous detail, I am trying with all of my might to pay attention, but it's a struggle. I I really am trying But I I I have a hard time not tuning out. That's a me issue.
It's not a you issue. It's a me issue. But I struggle with detail. But I'm going to say to you, those who are detail oriented are a blessing. We need them. God is a God of detail and he cares for his people in such a way that he gives structure. And I will say this, it doesn't please God for us to wing it in our worship. Unplanned, unprepared worship or work for the Lord is not honorable to him.
Go with me if you will to 1 Corinthians 14. Lest you think I'm lying to you. In 1 Corinthians 14 starting at verse 33 or I'll I'll go to verse three 33 and then and then verse 40. Verse 33 says, "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace." And then verse 40, but all things should be done decently and in order. Now if you read through 1 Corinthians and specifically 121 13-14 that's talking about how we are to worship the Lord as a gathered people in the local church.
And it is very evident that there should be an orderliness to this. It would seem that the Corinthian church was not doing that. There was chaos reigning and we see that still today. Chaos reigns in many churches. It doesn't take much to go online and find those services as an example. Rather than carefulness and orderliness, we'll see churches that favor spontaneity and extemporaneous utterances with no order, with no structure.
That does not please the Lord. Our God is not a God of chaos. And in fact, when when chaos reigns in the church, it actually dishonors the Lord. That is why we make it our aim here at Gateway Bible Church to be orderly. We do everything we can to prepare for a Sunday morning service week in week out so that there is an orderliness to it. And some would say, well, that does that not negate from the the natural awe and wonder of God. I would say A, no, it doesn't.
B, it actually magnifies the awe and wonder of God when we when we come with structure and order. Why? Because our hearts are now ready. We've prepared ourselves. Our mind is ready. We're coming prepared to hear from the word of the Lord. Our countenance is in a state of readiness. And most importantly, orderliness and structure ensures the protection of sound doctrine and godliness. And so these people here in Nehemiah, we see a lot of order.
And we through throughout the whole Bible, God is a God of order and not of chaos, not of confusion. And so we should look at that and realize this is what he means for our lives too. We I'm talking about the corporate service, the corporate worship service. When we gather, there should be an order there. But there should also be an orderliness even to our lives. We should order and structure our lives in such a way that that God is well pleased by that. So, I encourage you to that end. One more thing I want to notice.
It's easy to miss it in here. When you read through Nehemiah 11 and into into 12, there's a lot of focus on making sure the people praise him. Let me take you to a few verses here. 11:1 17 Mataniah the son of Micah the son of Zabi the son of Asaf who was the leader of the praise who gave thanks and it goes on from there in verse 23 there was a command from the king concerning them and a fixed provision for the singers as every day required in 12:8 the Levites Yeshua, Binui, Cadmile, Sherobiah, Judah, and Metaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.
And in verse 24, and the chiefs of the Levites, Hashabiah, Sheriah, and Yeshua, the son of Cadmile, with their brothers who stood opposite them to praise and give thanks to the commandment of David, the man of God, watch by watch. You see this? Why is this scattered throughout? Why is Cuz they're resettling the land. They're getting everything set back up. And over and over and over again, we have this instruction that there should be those who make sure that praise is taking place.
Well, remember the land is in shambles. The land is not well. The city is torn down. They're coming to build upon rubble. And if you've been with us through Ezra and Nehemiah, you know that they have opponents. They have those who are against them. And if you know anything about the history of Israel, even to this day, Israel always has those who oppose them. And so what are you going to do when everything is against you?
The cities and tatters, right? We have to move to this place and rebuild and uproot our lives. And this is the very center of where all the enemies are going to attack. Really, what keeps your heart from being deflated and discouraged and defeated? Praise. Praise is what we need. Now, anyone, anyone in this room who is a believer can praise the Lord when things are good.
We all like to Today is a day of joy. I imagine you who are families of these three young ladies, today's a day of great praise. It's not probably taking you a whole lot to praise the Lord in your heart today. And that's a good thing. And to Alexa and Lexi and Evelyn, today's a great day, a day that you should find great joy in. This is an exciting day. But not every day is going to be like this. Jesus said in John 16, "In this world, you will have trouble."
It's a reality. We will have trouble. What do you do when trouble comes? We should still praise. Hebrews 13, I read it to you earlier. We should bring a sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. When the bottom falls out, when it seems like everything is crumbling, it's then that we need praise more than ever. If you find yourself naturally angry all the time, anxious, worrisome, fearful, I would ask you, how's the praise in your life right now?
Are you bringing a sacrifice of praise before our God to keep your heart from drifting away from him? And sometimes it can our hearts can even drift so far away from him that we begin to worship and idolize other things than him if we are not regularly practicing praise and thanksgiving before our God. In Isaiah 42, listen to what we read here in verses 5-10.
Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it. I am the Lord. I have called you in righteousness. I will take you by the hand and keep you. I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison from the prison, those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name. My glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare before the spring, and before they spring forth, I tell you of them. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. So he says, I'm not going to give my glory to another. I do not share glory.
And so then two verses later, he says, "Sing to the Lord." What is it that God uses in part to keep our hearts from drifting away? Singing, praising him, thanking him. Everyone in this room has a hard life at times. Everyone. Is that a reason to stop praising him? No. A. No. B. If ever if anything else, it should be more of a reason to praise him to keep our hearts a right to remind oursel of gospel truth because the gospel never changes.
Your circumstances are going to change every day, every season, but the gospel doesn't. And we praise him for the truth. We praise him for the gospel. We praise him for the foundation that we lay our lives upon. And the people here needed to have those who would lead them in song, lead them in thanksgiving, lead them in praise, so that their hearts would remember even in the hardship, this is my God. This is who I serve. I will not be deterred. I will hold fast. There was a one of the many terrible battles in the civil war and there was a dying confederate soldier who asked to see the chaplain.
He knew he was near death. So the chaplain was told about this and he assumed when he would come that this man would be asking him to for various pray prayer requests maybe that God would spare his life or whatever. And so he went in anticipating that. But what he got was a great surprise. There's the man lying there near death. And first thing he said is, "Well, can you cut off a piece of my hair and just take that to my mother?" So he did. They cut a piece of hair off.
And then after that, he said, "I'd like you to kneel down and I'd like you to just offer a prayer of thanksgiving." The chaplain was surprised by this. He said, "Thanksgiving? You're a dying man. What would you like me to thank him for? And this is what the man said. For giving me such a mother. Thank God that I'm a Christian. And thank God for giving me grace to die with. And thank God for the home that he has promised me on the other side.
And so that chaplain knelt down and prayed a prayer of thanksgiving with great gratitude before that man went home to be with his Lord. We always have a reason to praise the Lord. And so as we look at this text, we should ask the Lord, God, would you order my heart? Would you order my life in such a way that I would bring to you a sacrifice of praise day unto day, week unto week, year unto year, moment by moment, season by season, order my heart to praise you, whether it's easy or whether truly today it's a sacrifice that he would keep my heart in that right place.
Because as we're about to sing, he is our rock and our redeemer. That doesn't change. Let us praise him for who he is. So, Father, I pray that today you would set our hearts that way. That we would fix our hearts on praise today. Lord, we praise you for your redemptive work in the lives of these three precious young ladies. And we pray that all the days of their life, it would be they would their lives would be spent exalting you and making much of you.
But we know that hardship will come. And when it comes, Lord, we pray that their hearts, just as our hearts, would be turned to praise, that they would be reminded of the gospel in which they stand. That you would exalt and glorify and make much of your great name. We thank you that you are indeed our rock and our redeemer. And we put our hope in you. And we come to you with grateful thanksgiving for who you are. And may our lives be marked by sacrifice in such a way that your name is made much of in us and through us.
And so to God be the glory. Great things you have done. We pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. >> Let's stand together and praise him. >> >> Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Greatest treasure of my longing soul.
My God, like you there is no other true delight is found in you alone. Your grace are well to your love exceeds the heavens reach. For truth. The flowers of perfect wisdom, my highest good and my gifting name.
Oh Lord, my God and my redeemer, strong defender of my weary heart, my sword to defeat the cruel deceiver and my shield against the sold.
My soul will ensure when trials are about your faithfulness, my reuge in >> >> Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer, gracious savior of my ruined life, my guilt and cross laid on your shoulders.
In my place you suffered. You my heart sh you come. You my s.
Oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer. May all my days bring glory to your name. May all my days bring gloryy to your name. When I fear, my faith will fail.
Christ will hold me fast. In the tempter wonder. He will hold me fast. I could never keep my home through my spirit. For my love is soft and cold. Give us holy hands.
He will be hand for my savior song. He will hold me fast. Those he saves are his kind. Christ the holy precious sinners here a holy fast let my soul be lost his heart shall last my s will All he will be fast.
He will be fast. For my savior has me. He will all for my life. Keep it tight. Christ will hold me fast. Justice has been sisfied. He will hold me fast.
Praise to him. He all to our church when he comes. King of my son.
>> >> King of King of my Savior has resolve. >> >> Please be seated.
Baptism is one of the two ordinances set forth by the Lord in scripture. Baptism and the Lord's supper. In baptism, we commemorate the saving work of Jesus Christ. We see in scripture that those who believed were baptized. And so we often will use this analogy in scripture. If I take my ring off and I hold it up for you, am I still married to my wife? Of course I am. But what does this ring signify? It signifies it's a it's a public statement of my allegiance to my wife. That I am pledged to one.
And in much the same way, baptism is a public declaration of one who has trusted in Christ. And they are saying, "My allegiance, my eternal allegiance is to one. It is to Jesus Christ. He is my savior." In Romans 6, we have probably one of the clearest teachings of baptism in scripture where it says this. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ were baptized into his death?
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, we too might walk in newness of life. So baptism is this wonderful picture and the picture we're given in scripture in scripture is immersion baptism and that's what we practice here as well. Why is that? Well, when you're laid down, it's this symbol of dead to sin in Christ. And because of what he's done, I am now dead to sin.
And the raising back up signifies I am new in Christ. I am alive in Christ. He has paid my sins one time for all time. And I am not ashamed for the the church family and the onlooking world to know of what my Lord Jesus has done for me. It's an important ordinance. The Lord Jesus commands it. And so it's another way of saying I love you, Lord. Because in in the Gospel of John, as John speaks about so often, the the the symbol, the signal that we love the Lord is we obey him.
If you love me, you obey me. That's the gospel of John. And so in in essence, these three young ladies are saying, "I love the Lord because I want to obey him. I want to obey the command to be baptized and to show forth my faith in this way." And so we're excited for this day and they're going to be sharing their testimonies. I'm going to ask Pastor Joe to come first and introduce the first person who's going to share with us. It's always exciting.
Baptizing youth and ministering to them week in and week out. So, the first youth that we're going to call up is Alexa Fzen. She's going to give her testimony for us. My name is Alexa. I've been blessed with great parents and three siblings who have taught me the importance of putting God first. I've grown up in a Christian home and have always been told of my need for a savior. However, I didn't come to this understanding until I was 10.
This was when I finally realized how much I needed Christ. I had felt the urge to accept Jesus for a while, but had been scared to do so, and to admit I hadn't accepted him earlier. My pride didn't want this change, but I knew this was a change I desperately needed to make. After accepting Christ, my priorities changed, and I found a love for scripture. However, at 12, I went through a difficult time where I decided I didn't need God, nor did I want to follow him.
I chose to follow my pride rather than submitting myself to God. This was a very difficult and dark time for both me and my family. But God was always there, ready to help me. During this time, I realized just how much my family cared for me. God brought verses to mind constantly and friends that encouraged me. Even though this was a difficult time, I learned a lot about God's character. I saw his grace and mercy in my life even when I didn't deserve it.
A verse that helped encourage me was 2 Samuel 22:31. As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. This verse reminded me how when we put our trust in God, he is our protector. Once I realized how much I needed God, he worked patiently in my life, helping make my life more God- centered. And even though I haven't always been strong in my walk with the Lord, God has always and continues to be faithful.
I'm so thankful for his grace in my life and for how he's blessed me. I have decided to be baptized today because I believe it's something the Bible commands us to do upon our belief. It is an important step in the believer's life and it is one I want to take. Thank you, Alexa. It's encouraging hearing your story and I hope you all have been encouraged as well. But this is a two-way street and so it's our responsibility as the congregation to come behind Alexa and to build her up and to lift her up as she takes this step in her journey.
So, if anyone has any words of encouragement or a verse that they would like to give to Alexa, feels please feel free to stand up and nice and loud so that we can all hear. Feel free to give that encouragement to Alexa at this time. >> Super excited. I'll just share with you steadfast lovees.
We're so excited when you came to us. Of Corinthians 12 verse 9. A verse that has been an encouragement to me and I want to give to you in this time is from John 16.
Jesus is talking to his disciples and he's he's given all of these encouragements and all of this teaching and in verse 33 of John 16 he says this I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace in the world you will have tribulation but take heart I have overcome the world so you will face tribulation you have And unfortunately you will face more but in the midst of that you can look to Jesus who has already overcome it and you can continue to turn to him in those moments.
So if if you all could stand we're going to pray for Alexa here. Dear God, I thank you so much for Alexa. I thank you for her conviction that you are her savior and her lord. And Lord, I pray for her as she takes the step that you would be with her, walk with her through every up and every down that she would continue to turn to you as her Lord and that she would be a light for you and for the gospel wherever she goes.
Pray for all of us that you would give us eyes to see what she's going through and to encourage her and to build her up and edify her in her walk. I thank you so much for the grace and mercy that you have lavished upon her and we ask for that continued grace each day of her life. We pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. Let's do this thing. Jesus Christ.
I've been here for 13 and a half years. I have done many baptisms in my time. But nothing can prepare you for when it is your own daughter that gets to come up here. She asked me one time if I have tear ducts. She will find out that today the answer is absolutely yes I do.
So Lexi come on up. >> >> Okay. Okay. Well, I actually had a hard time trying to narrow down what I should do for my testimony. But as a I grew up in a Christian home. My dad was the pastor, so I always felt that it was just a little more Christian, even though it wasn't.
At least it's going good. So, I was always really labeled as the pastor's kid. And even though I liked the attention that the pastor's kid got, I didn't like the title of it itself cuz I felt like I wasn't my own person. So, I started doing a lot of things that would make try and make me my own person. I always wanted the attention to myself so I would fit in with the crowd or I would try to act like I was more worldly.
That I was, but I realized that I'm not going to be liked by everyone. And so I decided that I could be the weird underdog. And so I decided to start and try and have everyone's attention on me and to not become not follow the Lord or to even have my life closely related to him. So he took the Lord took a backseat in my life and I wouldn't think about him very much or I would pray to him maybe when I was feeling a little bit sad but at around grade 6 when I was 11 or 12 I really started to feel very alone because I found that I didn't have any friends or that I was like a side character and most of my friends did started doing things that didn't involve me or other friends seem to be moving on and I started to be left behind, which just wanted made me want to get the attention more on me.
So, all of this stuff was to get me to be noticed, but this never really gave me the satisfaction or the attention that I was actually looking for cuz I wasn't focusing on what the Lord wanted me to do. I was focusing on what the world would had to offer. And so when I was in really grade seven and eight, I really started to have these mental breakdowns kind of where I would I would just kind of break down and cry cuz I felt so alone.
But after every single one of those, I would always go to bed kind of knowing that the Lord was with me, even though I had rejected him time and time and time again. So my plan, my life kind of started to say that I didn't care for the Lord unless I was really down. Until strive hit last year and the the message was kind of the same, but it's feel like God was calling me back to him.
It felt like Jesus was telling me that I wasn't too far gone and that he was always going to comfort me and that he was always with me. And I really I really Oh jeez. I really started to try and live my life for the Lord then cuz he Yeah. Jeez, this is hard. I would Yeah. God was the one who walked with me and was comforting me when I cried and when I felt like I was horrible.
But I would always he would always be there to comfort me and to oh this is hard to comfort me and to bring me back to him when I was sinning. And so some verses that really encouraged me was Psalm 23. All of it, but mostly the part where it's like he even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thy rod and they staff and they comfort me.
Because it this talks about how even even though I'm going through hard times, he was always with me. And even though I feel like he's abandoned me, I'll never be alone. So that's I guess that's my testimony. >> >> There's a lot of comfort in knowing that the Lord is near you always. Does anybody have something that they would like to share with Lexi as a word of encouragement?
Analisa is already standing up. So, Analisa since she was born. She's been a very part of our lives. Fore speech.
Glory to your father. Daily. I encourage you to surrender all to Christ.
Lives. May the Lord bless you and keep you shine upon you. Okay, dad gets the last word. >> Paul writes to the church in Philippi and talking about that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
And then he goes on to say this. Not that I have already obtained this or I'm already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The Lord himself has called you out of darkness and into his light. He has made Lexi his own. And I my prayer and your mom's prayer and our prayer is that you would take every day to pursue the call of Christ on your life and the ups and the downs. You are not alone. So would you please stand as we pray for Lexi? Heavenly Father, we are so thankful.
We thank you for your work of redemption. And you we thank you that you are you comfort those who need comfort. You are near and dear. You are with us. You will never leave us nor forsake us. Lord, we thank you that you have called Lexi into your family. You have adopted her into your family. And Lord, I pray and we pray as a congregation that she would pursue you with all her heart, with all her soul, with all her mind, and with all her strength. And Lord, would she live a life that pleases you knowing that you are there?
And so, Father, would we honor you? Would she honor you this day and in the years to come? In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Jesus Christ is your >> confession of faith.
It is my joy to baptize you. All right, we got one more baptism.
So, at this time, I'm going to call Eva Kraker up here to give her testimony. At the ripe bage of around four years old, I gave my heart to Jesus. I didn't fully understand who Jesus was and what he did really did for me for a few years after that. Growing up, I was definitely the Christian kid. I asked my friends not to swear around me and had a heated discussion with my non-Christian friends about the rapture. But even from a young age, I knew that I was a horrible sinner and that Jesus loves me.
As I've grown older, I've grown closer to Jesus. I constantly pray, but was never really read from my Bible. The church that we went to most of my life had great worship music, but the sermons never brought me closer to God. At the church, I had a friend and she was my only one. When she moved away, I really struggled with loneliness and why God would let me be so lonely. I had my family, but it's not the same as a really good friend. When we moved into town and started coming to Gateway Bible Church, I very, very quickly learned just how bad my sin really was.
But I then learned just how deep the love of God is for me, and my faith grew. Just last year, just last school year, I really started to struggle in school. I got horrible depression and anxiety and really quickly became very suicidal. For a while, I struggled quietly and questioned why I could be so lost and unhappy, even though I loved Jesus and pray all the time. But soon, my parents found out and took me to the doctors. I went on medication after medication, but nothing seemed right. It took away the pain, but I knew it was fake.
And when I would hang out with my new friends, I would feel like my real happiness was tainted. I had to drop out my last month of school because I just wasn't coping. I would stop taking the meds because I knew that they were short term and that I needed to rely on God. I dropped off the medication and started reading my Bible and praying all the time. Very quickly, God took away my anxiety and depression. Once I start once I totally re started relying on him and not medications, God really grew my friendships with the people in the church and guided me to find some amazing friends in the church who without knowing help pull me out of some of my darkest moments and brought me even closer to God.
One verse that got me through the days of anxiety and depression was first Peter first Peter 5:7. Casting all your anxieties on the Lord because he cares for you. That verse made me keep going knowing that God loved me and that I can rely and lean on him. And while I still occasionally struggle with my sin and anxiety, I know that I have a perfect God on my side. And the verse I'll leave you with today is Romans 8:31. What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? All right.
If anyone has any encouragements, feel free to stand and give them. It's a sport that takes a lot of discipline but also being able to write you know such a blessing to see also grow.
I want to share this. We rejoice in our sufferings produces endurance produces character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame. God's love through the Holy Spirit. My daughter was truly strengths.
She's been so encourage you. Crucified Christ.
I just share with her Proverbs 31:25 instruction. We've heard this theme over and over throughout each encouragement that you are strong.
You are the strongest 14-year-old I've ever met in my life. But we also know from your testimony that you are well acquainted with weakness as well. And Paul speaks to this in 2 Corinthians 12:es 9 and 10. He he says, "But he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong." It's such an encouragement scene that the strength that you have both in your resolve and in physically. But when the God's strength shines the most through you is when you know that you are weak and that he will carry you through. I'm going to expose you a little bit. I saw in your paper at the very bottom it says, "Bend your knees. God's got this." That's what it means to have real strength. God has got you through this.
So would you stand with us as we pray for Eva and then we will do the dunking. Dear God, I thank you so much for Eva. I thank you that you've brought her from a life of sin and death into a life of grace and a life of mercy. And Lord, I pray that as she takes the step of baptism that you would be with her, that she would seek and pursue you every day of her life. That this would not be a one day thing, but that she would continue to strive after the goal and would continue to look to you in all of it.
Be with us as we strengthen her, as we support her in this walk as well. Pray these things in Jesus name. Amen. Leave that there. Let's do this. Would you please stand with us?
>> >> Oh church, arise and put your armor on. Hear the call of Christ our captain. For now the king can say that they are strong in the strength that God has given. With shield of faith and bounds of truth, we'll stand against the devil's lies and finding all battle cries out.
Reaching out to those in darkness. Are called to war to love that counts of soul, but to rage against the capture and win the sword that makes a good we will fight with faith and when faced with trials on every side. We know the outcome is secure.
Christ will have the price for which he died, an inheritance of nations. Come see the cross where love and mercy as the son of God is sten. Then see his foes like crushed beneath his feet. For the conqueror and blasting churches from the grave.
His victory march continues till the day every heart shall see him. So spirit come with strength in every shine. Give praise for every may with faith to win the price of a servant and faithful.
The saints are host. Returning triumphs of his praise. We hear their call and hunger for the day. When Christ we stand in glory. Saints of host still retail in triumphs of his praise.
We hear their calls and hunger for the day. When Christ we stand in glory. >> I don't know if you noticed that line we just sang. And Christ will have the prize for which he died, an inheritance of nations. These three young ladies are part of the inheritance that Christ has died to purchase for himself. What an amazing truth that is. To God be the glory.
Great things he has done. And to him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and father. To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. You're welcome to join us for birthday cake downstairs. God bless you.
Transcribed automatically from YouTube captions, so names and words may be misheard.
