[00:08] Speaker 1: (organ playing)

[06:09] Speaker 2: (music)

[10:02] Speaker 3: (bell tolls) (choir sings)

[12:19] Speaker 4: (lighthearted music) Our God, beyond all praising, we worship You today, and sing the lovely strain that songs cannot repay. For we have lived in wonder at the things which You have said, at the wonders of Your love, oh, mercy seat, we lift our hearts to own You, and live a life devoted, Lord, to You alone. Oh, Thou of earthly splendor, yet time less surely died, its fragile host surrendered to wield the Lord Most High. A gift from all nature, eternal seed is sown, though small, Lord, of such a beauty that does not implode.

[14:36] Speaker 4: For Christ, a gift from heaven, from death has set us free, and we through Him are given the final victory. (instrumental music) Then here, a gracious hymnal, acceptable, Lord, we bring, and we, who know You've given this gift because of Him, and never once in our foes did we feel Your anger, You tried us with our sorrows and blessed us with Your sin. To pardon and to cleanse us, and purging Your grace, and make our joy fully the sacrifice of grace. Oh.

[16:51] Speaker 5: Our God, Who is beyond all praising, is here with us this morning and greets us with these words. May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. And may you find joy in the good news that Christ is risen.

[17:06] Speaker 4: Christ is risen indeed. Hallelujah.

[17:12] Speaker 5: Good morning, and welcome to La Grave Avenue Christian Reformed Church. Whether you're worshiping with us here in person, or through our livestream, we are glad you have joined us this morning. We extend a special welcome to anyone who is visiting with us today, especially those who are here to witness the profession of faith of Will Sadler and Charlie Cornolia. If anyone has any questions about our church or happenings, you are welcome to visit the welcome desk in the back of the narthex after church. Today is Jems Sunday, an annual Sunday in the year where we celebrate our Jems program. Jems is a Wednesday night youth program for girls in kindergarten through eighth grade. Their theme this year was Walk on Water, stepping out to trust our faithful God. You will see them around in blue t-shirts to match that water theme.

[18:09] Speaker 5: Along with other 10:00 hour opportunities after the service, you all are welcome to visit the multipurpose room where the Jems have provided cookies, and there will be a slideshow of pictures from this past year. Uh, you can join us in that room, which you just found down the hallway and to the right.At this time, I'd like to invite up Hailey and Annalee, who will be giving the ministry moment.

[18:47] Speaker 6: Good morning, and hello. My name is Hailey Cornolia, and I had the joy of being a fifth grade GEMS counselor this year. This was my first year being a GEMS counselor, um, and I had a blast getting to know the girls and learning about how the program works after growing up as a GEM in my home church as a kid. Um, as a reminder, if you're not aware, the acronym GEMS stands for Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior. So the mission of the club is, uh, to demonstrate Christ's love to the girls and to teach them about Jesus in ways that are engaging and age-appropriate, and of course, uh, fun. Um, so we aim to create a space of relationship, joy, and belonging on Wednesday evenings together. Like Rachel mentioned, our theme this year was Walk on Water, Stepping Out in Faith. Um, so each Wednesday night, we considered together what it means to step out in faith by looking at stories from the Bible and doing a lot of fun crafts and activities and games together.

[19:45] Speaker 6: Um, we were considering what it means to rely on Jesus to keep ourselves afloat throughout all the challenges of life. Um, Annalee Vandenberg, one of our fifth graders, is here to tell you more about her experience in GEMS this year, so I'm gonna let her steal the show. Um, and I just wanted to close by thanking you all for your support of the GEMS program, because we couldn't do it without you.

[20:12] Speaker 7: Thanks.

[20:12] Speaker 6: Of course.

[20:14] Speaker 7: My name is Annalee Vandenberg, and I'm in fifth grade. I participate in GEMS. I really enjoy the worship, crafts, crafts, friends, and new experiences. Throughout the year, we sang worship song- songs with motions to start each GEMS meeting. Each meeting also has a whole group devotion. I really like when Tina dresses up as Bible characters to act out the stories of the Bible. My mom, Amy, is the craft coordinator for GEMS. We have done some really great crafts this year. I got to do some at home before GEMS to make samples for the club, try different supplies, and time how long projects might take f- with my grade level versus my younger sisters'. I enjoyed being able to lead the craft on GEMS night because I had already done it. To kick off the GEMS season, we went to a cottage on Lake Michigan, swam in a heated pool, and got to better know the girls from fourth through eighth grade. We did some get-to-know-you games, bonding crafts, and lots of swimming.

[21:19] Speaker 7: Outdoor games and flashlight tag were very mem- memorable to me. During the GEMS year, my classmate Vera and I exchanged books we had gotten from our counselors, as we were both avid readers. My favorite experiences for GEMS this year were the Lake Michigan overnighter, the Halloween hayride at Versluut- Versluis Orchard, where my sister and I won a prize for our toilet paper angel costume, and the dot- dat- father-daughter Western night where we learned to line dance. We had lots of laughs, but my dad was actually pretty good at line dancing.

[21:55] Speaker 8: (laughing)

[21:57] Speaker 7: Thank you for supporting GEMS Girls Club. I look forward to next year and the new crafts and lessons that await.

[22:12] Speaker 5: Thank you, Hailey and Annalee. At this time, I'm gonna invite up Anna and Willa DeBoer, and they will lead us in the GEMS litany which is found in your bulletin. You will be the part of the congregation. Surprise! (laughs)

[22:37] Speaker 6: Today, we celebrate GEMS Sunday and the girls God has entrusted to our care. We gather to proclaim that even in life's storms, God is faithful.

[22:49] Speaker 4: Know therefore that the word of God is true. He is a faithful God keeping His covenant of love to thousands generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.

[23:05] Speaker 6: Jesus speaks into every storm, "Quiet, be still."

[23:10] Speaker 7: God is more powerful than the wind and the waves.

[23:14] Speaker 4: He is our refuge, our lighthouse, and our peace.

[23:19] Speaker 6: Girls today are navigating waves of doubt, fear, loneliness, and pressure.

[23:25] Speaker 7: We step out in faith knowing that Jesus is with us in every moment.

[23:30] Speaker 4: Lord, help us to trust You in the Lord of our lives.

[23:35] Speaker 6: Like Peter, Jesus is with us. He invites us to take courage and not be afraid.

[23:44] Speaker 7: We want to trust Jesus with our whole lives.

[23:47] Speaker 4: Strengthen our faith, Lord. Help us keep our eyes on You.

[23:54] Speaker 6: God called to Moses from the burning bush and asked him to step out to lead the Israelites. God reminded Moses who He is saying, "I am who I am."

[24:05] Speaker 7: Just like Moses, God, the great I Am, is with us. With Him, we can step out to lead however He calls us.

[24:14] Speaker 4: Empower all our girls and leaders with Your presence.

[24:21] Speaker 6: Like Joshua, we worship and obey, even when the steps feel unusual or unknown.

[24:27] Speaker 7: With God's help, we choose to worship Him with all our heart, soul, and strength.

[24:33] Speaker 4: God, receive our praise as we-... grace.

[24:39] Speaker 9: Daniel prayed boldly, even in the face of danger.

[24:44] Speaker 10: With God's help, we can step out to pray, trusting Him to hear and answer as He sees best.

[24:51] Speaker 4: Make us faithful in prayer, joyful in hope, and patient in every trial.

[24:59] Speaker 9: Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant," offering her whole life to God.

[25:05] Speaker 10: With God's help, we can step out to serve however He calls us.

[25:10] Speaker 4: Lord, please allow us to shine for You in all we say and do, as we seek to serve You .

[25:21] Speaker 9: The Samaritan woman ran to tell everybody about Jesus.

[25:25] Speaker 10: With God's help, we can step out to share our testimonies and the good news about Jesus.

[25:32] Speaker 4: Lord, put this song in our mouths, so that many may hear and trust in You.

[25:40] Speaker 9: Jesus forgave Peter after he denied Jesus three times. Jesus invited Peter to step out to live for Him again.

[25:48] Speaker 10: With God's help, we can step out to live for God each day of our life, trusting that He loves us no matter what.

[25:56] Speaker 4: For we are God's people, called out of darkness into His wonderful light.

[26:04] Speaker 9: Faithful God, thank You for every person here. Please help us all step out in faith, trusting You in every wave and every storm.

[26:14] Speaker 4: Lord, You are faithful. Please help us to step out to trust in You, God.

[26:21] Speaker 10: (coughs)

[26:21] Speaker 4: Amen. (gentle music) In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song; This Cornerstone, this solid Ground; Firm through the night, my Comforter; My All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand. For it is written on the cross: The sin of man, the power of God, The wrath of man, for man's sin on Him. Who died, who lived, who died again, That we, whose sins are forgiven, Might live: to God, the great Big God, and Christ, His Son, our personal Lord. Amen.

[29:03] Speaker 11: Good morning, everyone. Um, my name is Tina, and I am the club coordinator for GEM$ and I'd like to welcome all our, uh, children up here, for, uh, children's service. Pastor Peter and I have a story, and a big story to tell.

[29:21] Speaker 12: Come on up, everyone. All right.

[29:26] Speaker 11: (coughs)

[29:26] Speaker 4: (coughs)

[29:28] Speaker 11: So close.

[29:31] Speaker 12: (laughs) Okay, we got some friends we have to wait for, as usual. Come on up. All right, we're almost there. You guys look like you're poised to get outta here in a hurry. Is that right? Is it like a race to see who gets outta here first?

[29:51] Speaker 4: (laughs)

[29:52] Speaker 11: No, it's not? Okay, good. I can tell your mom's been talking to you there.

[29:57] Speaker 4: (laughs)

[29:57] Speaker 12: All right. Once upon a time, there was a little plant who lived by the edge of a field. She was not a very big plant. She was small and she was rather plain. And nobody noticed her because she wasn't like some of the other things in the field that were very noticeable. Like for instance, at the edge of the field, close to where she was, there were lots of daises. And the daises were so beautiful when they lifted their heads up to the sun and the wind came, they sorta danced. And so, when all the children came to the field, the children would say, "Wow, look at those daises. They're so beautiful."... but no one noticed the little plant. The little plant was not tall like the trees. At the edge of the field, there were some big trees that grew and they were so majestic. They lifted up their arms to the sky and their arms were strong.

[30:59] Speaker 12: And when the children would come to the field, they'd lean their back against the trunk of the tree and they'd look up into the branches and they'd say, "Wow." But no one noticed the little plant. The little plant didn't have any fruit like some of the other things in the field. The raspberry bushes that grew along the fence in the summertime, they had all these big, juicy, red raspberries. And the children would come and they would pick the raspberries and they would eat them right there and they'd get all the juice on their fingers and they would laugh. But the little plant did not have any fruit at all. Nobody noticed her. But then one day a little girl, who was kind of small and a little bit plain herself, came along. Her name was Jane. And she noticed the little plant and she said, "Hey, there, little plant. You look a little thirsty. Would you like a drink?" And she gave the little plant a drink from the water ball she was carrying. And the little plant was so happy.

[32:07] Speaker 12: She lifted up her leaves to the sky. It was so good to have a drink. And that wasn't the last time. Soon Jane came r-... Oh, no, not yet.

[32:20] Speaker 13: Oh, nice.

[32:20] Speaker 4: (laughs)

[32:22] Speaker 12: This is a well-orchestrated dance.

[32:25] Speaker 4: (laughs)

[32:26] Speaker 12: Soon, the next day or two, Jane was still thinking about the plant. And on one day, the wind was blowing and it was really, really cold and Jane started to think about the little plant and she went out to the field. And she said, "Little plant, are you cold today? Let me stand between you and the wind so that you won't be so cold." And that's what Jane did. And only for a minute, but the little plant f-felt so good to be out of the wind for a minute. She lifted her leaves to the sky again. And that went on. Jane kept coming and doing small things, kind things, giving a little water, doing kind things for the little plant. And soon the little plant began to grow.

[33:05] Speaker 12: And she grew, and she grew-

[33:13] Speaker 4: (laughs)

[33:15] Speaker 12: ... and she grew-

[33:17] Speaker 4: (laughs)

[33:21] Speaker 12: ... and she grew.

[33:24] Speaker 4: (laughs)

[33:30] Speaker 12: And she grew into a beautiful sunflower. She was as beautiful as the daisies. She was almost as tall as the trees. And she didn't have any fruit, but what she had were so many sunflower seeds that she produced. So many seeds and she gave them freely to the birds of the air and the children came and they ate them. And she was so happy to share what she had with others. And both Jane and the plant were happy together and they were friends. That's my story and I told it to you because there are people in this world sometimes who are like that little plant, right? We don't notice them much. But God notices them and God cares about them and Jesus died for them. And we, when we love those people and when we water them and pay attention to them, they can grow and become fruitful, too. Congregation, what is our prayer for these children?

[34:30] Speaker 13: The Lord be with you.

[34:31] Speaker 4: And also with you.

[34:34] Speaker 12: Go in peace. (chairs moving) (instrumental music)

[35:48] Speaker 4: Jesus, draw me ever nearer, as I labor through the storm. You have called me to this passage, and I'll follow though I'm worn. May this journey bring a blessing, may I rise on wings of faith. And at the end of my life's journey.With your lightness let me wake. Jesus guide me through the time rest. Keep my spirit stayed and true. When the midnight meets the morning let me love you even more. May this journey bring a blessing. May I rise on wings of faith.

[38:16] Speaker 4: And at the end of my protesting with your likeness let me wake. Let the treasures of the tribe form within me as I go. And at the end of this long passage, let me leave there and nevermore. May this journey be a blessing. May I write on things of faith. And at the end of my protesting with your likeness let me wake. And at the end of my protesting with your likeness let me wake.

[40:34] Speaker 5: I think it's me. Okay, great. Today, we have the joy of witnessing the faithful work of God in the life of two people, Charlie Cornolia and Will Sadler. As each of them make their profession of faith today, they commit to join in the life and mission of the church here at La Grave, and all around the world. As each of them make their profession of faith, they become members of La Grave, and both of them are joined by their wives as well, who are also becoming members. But they've done the profession of faith thing at another church, so they get to transfer in rather than profess in. Nonetheless, it's good to introduce them together, so I'm gonna take a moment to introduce you, uh, to both couples like any new member welcome, and then I will invite up Charlie and Will, uh, to answer some questions. So first, Haley and Charlie, if you'll stand right where you are.

[42:25] Speaker 5: Haley works with Plaster Creek Stewards at Calvin University, and Charlie works at Tekton helping with software and technology operations. Haley and Charlie were drawn to La Grave because of its proximity to their home. They have become connected to the college and career group here, as well as the youth ministries. Charlie helps in Youth Outdoors, and Haley, as you saw this morning with the ministry moment, helps in Gems.Hayley and Charlie enjoy running, biking, and camping. Welcome, we are glad you're here. Jenny and Will, I invite you to stand right where you are. Jenny is a recreational therapist at Pine Rest. And Will is a systems administrator at Cornerstone University. Jenny and Will, uh, were drawn to La Grave by their friends, me, uh, and they really appreciate the structure of the services and the many fellowship opportunities. Some of their hobbies include playing board games, reading, hanging out with friends, and taking care of their new kitten, Fern.

[43:34] Speaker 5: Welcome, Jenny and Will. We're glad you're here. All right, now that we've had the chance to get to know these amazing couples, I'm gonna invite Will and Charlie to come join me right up front here. Okay. Awesome. And you guys can just, like, stand here and face the people. This is them. Great. Uh, Charlie and Will, at your baptisms, you were adopted as God's children and made members of the body of Christ. At your baptism, each of you were united with Christ in his death and resurrection, and you were promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. And at your baptism, God presented you with an invitation to one day be here, publicly declaring your faith. For as Romans 10 says, "If you declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it's with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it's with your mouth that you profess and are saved." Today is the day where you fulfill that call that began at your baptism.

[44:49] Speaker 5: Today, we as the body of Christ bear witness to your public declarations of faith. I'm gonna ask both of you four questions at the same time, and then I'll ask each of you to respond individually with, "I do, God helping me." So first, do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent to redeem the world? Do you love and trust him as the one who saves you from your sin? And do you, with repentance and joy, embrace him as Lord of your life? Second, do you believe that the Bible is the word of God revealing Christ and his redemption and that the confessions of this church faithfully reflect this revelation? Third, do you accept the gracious promises of God sealed to you in your baptism, and do you affirm your union with Christ and his church, which your baptism signifies?

[45:47] Speaker 5: Finally, do you promise to do all you can with the help of the Holy Spirit to strengthen your love and commitment to Christ by sharing faithfully in the life of the church, honoring and submitting to its authority? And do you join with the people of God in doing the work of the Lord everywhere? Charlie, what is your answer?

[46:10] Speaker 4: I do, God helping me.

[46:11] Speaker 5: Will, what is your answer?

[46:13] Speaker 4: I do, God helping me.

[46:14] Speaker 5: Amen. As an act of unity and love, we as La Grave Church make promises to you as well. Congregation, please make this promise to Charlie and Will by responding to the question with, "We do, God helping us." Do you, La Grave Church, promise to love and support Charlie and Will with your prayers, encouragement, and example?

[46:41] Speaker 4: We do, God helping us.

[46:43] Speaker 5: Amen. Charlie and Will, I welcome each of you into full participation in the life of the church, and this here is a certificate, one for you and one for you, to commemorate this day and remember this moment. I'm gonna have you stay up here for one more minute. We're gonna pray over you. So, l- let's pray. Dear God, thank You for the public profession of faith of Charlie and Will. Thank You for leading both Charlie and Hayley and Jenny and Will to our congregation. We pray You continue to bless them and keep them, watch over them and sustain them, and give them strength for the journey ahead. May they be not afraid. In Your name we pray, amen. Awesome. Congratulations. Congratulate.

[47:35] Speaker 5: (organ music)

[47:39] Speaker 4: Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days, let them flow in endless praise, let them flow in endless praise. Take my will and make it Thine, it shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is Thine own, it shall be Thy royal throne.Take my love, my Lord, I pour. And I plead its precious blood. Take myself, and I will be. Ever, only, all for thee. Ever, only, all for thee.

[49:42] Speaker 5: Let us go to God in prayer. Dear God, we are in the season of Easter, where we remember and rejoice in the good news that Jesus rose again from the dead. And it's a fitting time of year to be celebrating this good news, because the natural world around us is waking up after a long, cold winter. Thank you for the leaves that are beginning to fill the trees, for the budding plants and flowers, and for the warm weather that is good for both our bodies and souls. Spring is a testament to Your resurrection power, Lord, and to Your faithfulness. You are faithful to us, even when we are not faithful to You. Lord, there are times where we do not step out in faith, where we put our trust in worldly things, rather than in You. We're sorry, Lord, for the times we have fallen short, and we ask that You draw near to us. And as You draw near to us this morning, we lift up prayers of thanks.

[50:54] Speaker 5: Thank you for the marriage of Levi and Annika yesterday, and for the profession of faith of Charlie and Will this morning. Thank you for the continued work of the Long Range Plan Committee, the architects, and the partners in ministry, as they continue to move forward with plans for the building next door. Thank you for the Kids Hope mentors at Congress Elementary, and thank you for our G.E.M.S. program. Thank you for Tina and the other leaders, and for the girls in the program and the friendships they have made over this past year. While our hearts are full of gratitude, Lord, we also lay before You prayer requests. Be with Michael Hoisington, who is training and leading pastors who face difficult circumstances on a regular basis. Be with our missionary, Emily DeRuyter. Be with Blake and Tim as they serve in our military. Strengthen Ruth DeWinter. Heal Dan Moellenbeek and Bill Stroh as they go through physical therapy.

[52:00] Speaker 5: Be near to Ray as he recovers from surgery, and with Jack as he continues to recover at home. And alongside these specific requests, Lord, we lift up our nation's leaders. Protect them as they serve, and give them wisdom. Lord, we also lift up those who go unnamed today. We lift up those who are struggling with mental illness, for those battling cancer, for those who are surviving in abusive relationships, and for the ones who are considering how to seek help. Lord, we cast all these cares upon You, Lord. Because You ask us to, because You care, and because You love us. As we begin another week, may we step out in faith and trust in You. May we turn our hearts and minds toward You. And when things feel long, hard, tiresome, or difficult, lift our eyes, Lord, to the new life on the trees and bushes. And help us to rest in the good news that Your Son, Jesus, rose again from the dead. In Your name we pray, amen.

[53:16] Speaker 5: (organ music playing)

[55:14] Speaker 4: (gentle music) Praise God from

[56:05] Speaker 4: whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy

[58:49] Speaker 4: Ghost. Amen.

[59:14] Speaker 12: (gentle music) Our two Bible texts for this morning are both, uh, come from the JEMS universe. The second one I'm gonna read, the one verse from Deuteronomy 7, was the, the base verse for the JEMS this year. And the first passage I'm gonna read, which is really what my sermon is based on, is one of the stories that the JEMS read as they explored their theme of stepping out. So this sermon is based on their stuff and it's pitched at them. All right. Matthew 14:22-33, found on page 1524 in your Pew Bibles. Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side while he dismissed the s- the crowd, the other side of the Sea of Galilee. And after he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before John, Jesus went out to them walking on the lake.

[01:00:37] Speaker 12: When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them, "Take courage. It is I, don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," said Jesus. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came towards Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord save me."... immediately. Jesus reached down His hand and caught him. "You of little faith," He said. "Why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind had died down, and those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God." This is the word of the Lord.

[01:01:36] Speaker 4: Thanks be to God.

[01:01:38] Speaker 12: I should've said that after the next verse, of course.

[01:01:42] Speaker 4: (laughs)

[01:01:42] Speaker 12: I'll say it after that one, too. And you can just listen to this if you want, or turn if you want, this is the, the base verse for the JEMS this year. Deuteronomy 7:9, "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God. He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand of generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments." This, too, is the word of the Lord.

[01:02:11] Speaker 4: Thanks be to God.

[01:02:13] Speaker 12: Here's a question. Do you think that, um, Jesus ... uh, that Peter comes off, uh, in a good light or a bad light in this passage? Is he faithful or is he falling flat on his face? Is he someone you say, "Be like Peter after this passage"? Or do you say to someone, "Don't be like Peter after this passage?" The way Jesus rebukes him at the end of the passage makes you think it's, it's the latter, right? That it's, uh, you know, don't be like Peter. 'Cause Peter gets scared and he sinks and Jesus has to pull him up. And He says, "Oh, you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Peter messed up, don't be like Peter. Maybe that's our instinct. But if it is, um, l- let me say that's not fair to poor Peter. Poor Peter, he's not such a bad guy. I feel this keenly.

[01:03:08] Speaker 4: (laughs)

[01:03:10] Speaker 12: (coughs) Is he a bit headstrong? Yes. Does he talk before he thinks? Sure. Is Peter s- sometimes a little bit out of control? Yes, indeed he is. But at least he got out of the boat, right? Which is more than you can say for those other disciples. The rest of those disciples were still in the boat, holding onto their life jackets and shaking in their sandals. Only Peter steps up, only Peter steps out. So sure, Jesus says to him at the end, "Oh, you of little faith." But at least at the moment when he gets out of the boat, um, Peter is doing something amazing. So if he's a person of little faith, the rest of those boat-sitters are people of microscopic faith, because Peter steps out. Stepping out, that was your JEMS theme this year, right? That's what you all focused on all year long. And I want all of us to come along with the JEMS and think about what stepping out looks like.

[01:04:14] Speaker 12: And I'd like to say four things about stepping out, um, four things that are based on this passage and all of scripture. And the first thing I wanna say about stepping out is that it's something that all of us are called to do. Every single person here is called to step out, whether you're eight or you're 98, whether you are an able-bodied person or whether your body is betraying you and you don't feel like you have much power. Regardless of who you are, when the Holy Spirit comes into your life, in one way or another, you are constantly called to step out. You see that all through the Bible. God gets involved in people's lives, and inevitably they are called to step out. The JEMS studied many of those stories this year. The JEMS studied, for example, Moses. Right? Moses called to leave his comfortable life as a shepherd and go off and confront kings and pharaohs, stepping out. The JEMS learned about Mary, right?

[01:05:18] Speaker 12: Mary was happily planning her wedding, getting the bridal registry ready, thinking about happy things to come, and an angel came to her and said, "No, you're going to bear Jesus." And Mary had to step out. Abraham was called to step out, leaving his family and home behind and going to a distant country. Paul was called to step out. Thought he had it all sorted out, the Lord knocked him down, he ends up going to the ends of the earth as a servant, preaching to the Gentiles. And then there's this, and this is the Gospel of Matthew, right? This story from Peter is in the Gospel of Matthew. At the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus calls us to step out. "Don't put your light under a bushel, let it shine before others. You are the salt of the earth." Step out. At the very end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus, the last thing He says is to step out.

[01:06:12] Speaker 12: "Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them everything I've commanded you." All throughout scripture, we hear this call. When you follow Jesus, when the Holy Spirit works in your life, no matter who you are and what your level you're at, at some way you will be pushed to step out. The second thing we can say about stepping out is that when you feel that push, there will be a strong voice inside of you that will tell you to stay in the boat. I just d- listed a whole bunch of stories where various, um, Bible leaders, Bible characters w- were called to step out, and they did. High percentage of them, not all of them, but if you know your Bible, a high percentage of these people, when the call first came, their first instinct was absolutely to stay in the boat. So when God called Moses, what was the first thing Moses said? "Oh, don't ... No, I c- no. I'm not a good speaker.

[01:07:15] Speaker 12: Please send someone else." He wanted to stay in the boat.When God called the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah said, "Woe to me, I am a man of unclean lips." "I'm not a good enough person. Maybe there's a better prophet you should send." Mary said, "How can I possibly do this? I'm way too young. I'm still a virgin." When Jesus first called Peter back at the beginning of the Gospel, do you remember what Peter said? "Go away from me, Lord. I'm a sinful man. I'd rather just keep fishing. Literally, I'd rather stay in the boat." Stepping out is hard. Because when you step out, there's nothing between you and the icy depths. You're out on the water. You're perilously close to danger. The winds and the waves are all around you. The boat is lovely. The boat is designed to protect you. It's got that nice hard bottom that, that's perfectly shaped to keep you afloat. So when Jesus calls you to step out, there's something that's gonna say to you, and it'll be like a very reasonable voice, it'll say, "No.

[01:08:21] Speaker 12: That's not what Jesus is calling us to do." Right? "Jesus wants us to be happy. Jesus doesn't want us to compromise our safety. You've got enough going on. This is too risky." That is not a reliable voice. Think of the parable of the talents. It's also about this, right? Jesus comes to three servants and gives them all talents, money. Five, three, and one. And the first two guys, they step out of the boat. They take risks. The five talents turns into 10. The three talents turns into six. The one talent guy, what does he do? He stays in the boat. "I'll just keep everything safe. I'll keep myself safe. I'll keep the money safe." But when the master comes back, he's not pleased with the logic of the third servant. Yes, stepping out is hard, but master does not want us clinging to our life jackets.

[01:09:22] Speaker 14: (coughs)

[01:09:23] Speaker 12: The third thing to say about stepping out is that stepping out is often small and daily. A lot of the, the, the things that you studied in GEMS, um, a lot of the stories that we're familiar with th- are about stepping out, they tend to be big things, right? Right? Like Paul going off to the ends of the earth to spread the gospel or, uh, even this story, Peter getting out in a storm to walk on the water. That, that's big. And sometimes stepping out is big for us too. Maybe you do get called to become a missionary and to do some sort of kingdom work on the other side of the sea. But most of the time, for 99% of the people here, stepping out is way smaller. You're a nine-year-old girl planning a birthday party, and you're excited to invite everyone in your class except for one of your classmates who is just this difficult person. And every time she's in the mix, things are just more complicated, they're hard.

[01:10:23] Speaker 12: And you know that your friends don't really want you to invite her, and you're pretty sure you can keep her from knowing that she's not invited. But you also kind of know that as a Christian person, you should try to include everyone. When you're facing that moment, what do you do? Do you step out or do you stay in the boat? Or maybe you get a phone call and you look at the caller ID on the phone call and it's that friend of yours that's really going through a lot of stuff right now. And you know that if you press answer on that call, this is gonna be a 45-minute phone call and it's going to be very stressful. And you're holding in your hands a bowl of popcorn and you're just about to sit down to watch your favorite show. Do you step out or do you stay in the boat? Or you're thinking about profession of faith. You haven't made it yet. You're kind of a shy person, you just really hate getting up in front of church.

[01:11:22] Speaker 12: But your youth leaders have been pushing you and you keep saying to yourself, "Why do I have to do this? I love Jesus. I pray. I'm involved in things. I don't want to do this. Do I have to do this?" Do you step out or do you stay in the boat? Every day, every day for every single one of us, there are situations th- that arise where this is precisely the choice that we face. Are we gonna take a risk, give a little, or are we gonna protect ourselves? And in every one of those moments, Jesus is standing in front of us holding out His hand and saying, "Come." Which brings me to the last and the most important thing that we all need to understand about stepping out, and that's simply this: we do not need to be afraid of stepping out because Jesus has gone ahead of us into the storm.

[01:12:21] Speaker 12: The only reason Peter would ever consider getting out of the boat and walking on water, and the only reason Peter ever does is because he sees his Lord out there in the water already, holding out His hand and saying, "Come." Because Jesus is out ahead that any of us would ever dare to take any of these risks. Please note though, and this is so important, just 'cause Jesus is out there ahead of you in the storm doesn't mean your risk will succeed exactly the way that you want, right? It doesn't for Peter at all. It's still possible to mess this up. We do mess this up. You can step out and have some things go well and other things go terribly and have a deep sense of confusion of what's going on. Having Jesus out in front of you in the storm is no guarantee that you will succeed in the way that you think success should look.

[01:13:19] Speaker 12: Things ahead will not be all sunshine and flat waters.Having Jesus out in front of you in the storm doesn't mean you will succeed, but it does mean that you will be okay. Because Jesus is in the w- storm ahead of you and if you sink a little, He will reach down and grab you. And if you sink down a lot, all the way down to the very bottom, He will descend into Hell to pick you up and take you home. I say this and point this out whenever I give a new member's tour of the building, so many of you have probably heard this. One of the things I love about our windows, and as you know there are so many things, is, uh, the front and the back and the two Jesuses. So on this side you have Jesus at the very top, there's two Jesuses. But the high Jesus is the ascended Jesus flanked by the cherubim, ascended in glory, the Lord of Lord, the King of Kings. That's the Jesus who calms the seas and walks on the water, right? Now without turning around can you remember who the other Jesus is?

[01:14:32] Speaker 4: Gethsemane.

[01:14:32] Speaker 12: Gethsemane, right? This is Jesus at the highest of His heights. That's Jesus descending to the lowest of His lows. And who's in between those two Jesuses? You are. Wherever you are in your journey, some of you are high, some of you are low, some of you are sinking. Wherever you are on that journey when you come into this place-

[01:15:00] Speaker 15: (coughs)

[01:15:00] Speaker 12: ... by the power of the Holy Spirit you are surrounded. The Lord is gone ahead of you into the storm. Wherever you are laboring through that storm, Jesus is ahead of you and behind you and above you and all around you. And you will be okay. Remember that next time the moment comes when you have to decide whether or not to step out. Amen. (background noise) Thank you, Lord Jesus, for this familiar call that we need to hear again and again and again and again. Thank you even more for these deep promises which surround us on all sides every day, promises that we also need to hear again and again and again. Lord, walk with us this week as we labor through the storm. Amen. (background noise) (organ music) (choir music) Lead me, guide me along the way. For if you leave me I can stray. Lord, let me walk each day with you. Lead me my whole life through.

[01:18:00] Speaker 12: I am weak and I need your strength and love to endure in faith's tidiest hour. Help me through the darkness your face to see. Lead me, O Lord, lead me. Lead me, guide me along the way. For if you leave me I can stray. Lord, let me walk each day with you. Lead me my whole life through. Help me walk in paths of righteousness till we arrive on life's shore. (singing) Receive the blessing of your God. The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be and abide with you all.

[01:20:45] Speaker 4: Amen.

[01:20:48] Speaker 12: (singing) Amen. Amen. (bells ringing) (instrumental music)

[01:21:08] Speaker 4: (background noise)

[01:24:01] Speaker 4: (instrumental music)