Repentance Changes Everything (U-Turn)

The King of kings, the Lord of lords, we're gonna give Him praise because He's worthy, because He's faithful, because He's good, because He's present in the room today. Oh, come on, let's sing to Him today. Oh, yes. Lift your voice. ♪ Praise in the valley, praise on the mountain ♪ ♪ I praise when I'm short, I praise when I'm down ♪ Come on. ♪ I praise when outnumbered, I praise when surrounded ♪ ♪ His praise is the water my enemies drown in ♪ ♪ As long as I'm breathing, as long as I'm breathing ♪ ♪ I've got a reason to praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ Come on. ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, I praise ♪ ♪ I praise when I feel it, I praise when I don't, oh yes ♪ ♪ I praise because I know you're still in control ♪ ♪ My praise is a weapon, my praise is a weapon ♪ ♪ It's more than a sound, oh yeah, my praise is a shot ♪ ♪ That brings Jericho down, as long as I'm, as long as I'm breathing ♪ ♪ I've got a reason to praise the Lord, oh my soul, come on ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, I praise when I feel it, I praise ♪ ♪ I hope, I hope, why my God is alive, how could I be inside ♪ ♪ We've got to praise the Lord, oh my soul, yeah ♪ Oh, come on, today we're here to praise him because he's faithful, because he's good, because he's in control. So come on, let's lift our voice, let's give him the love, the affection he deserves today.

Hey! ♪ I praise cause you're soft, praise cause you reign ♪ ♪ I praise cause you rose and defeated the grave ♪ ♪ I praise cause you're faithful, praise cause you're true ♪ ♪ I praise cause there's nobody greater than you, lift it up ♪ ♪ I praise cause you're soft, praise cause you reign ♪ ♪ I praise cause you rose and defeated the grave ♪ ♪ I praise cause you're faithful, praise cause you're true ♪ ♪ I praise cause there's nobody greater than you, sing it out ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh lift the room, lift the room, come on ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, hey ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, sing it out, sing it out, come on ♪ ♪ Sing it out, sing it out, come on, praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I keep you secret, I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive, how could I keep you, I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet, my God is alive, how could I keep you inside ♪ ♪ We've got to praise the Lord, oh my soul, come on somebody testify ♪ ♪ He raised me up, turned me around, placed my feet on the side ♪ ♪ I've been depressed, I've been sick, this is really my heart, my heart ♪ ♪ He changed my name, forever free, I'm not the same, I think the Master, I think the Savior ♪ ♪ Because He healed my heart, He raised me up, turned me around, placed my feet on the side ♪ ♪ I've been depressed, I've been sick, this is really my heart, my heart ♪ ♪ He changed my name, forever free, I'm not the same, I think the Master, I think the Savior ♪ ♪ I think the Savior, I thank God, come on give Him praise, we thank you Lord, yeah! ♪ Well hey, good morning, welcome to the local church. You guys may be seated for just a quick moment. And hey, my name is Carson Pedraza, it is my privilege and honor. to welcome you guys here today, especially if you're a guest in our house.

We're so grateful that you're spending your Sunday morning with us. In fact, we have a free gift just for you. It's our little way of saying thank you for joining us. If you haven't already done so, do us a favor, fill out that Connect card in the seat back in front of you. We wanna put a free gift in your hands so much more than that. We wanna get to know your name and your story. Make sure you get a proper welcome here today. And listen, whether you're new or you've been around for a while, if you're here and you're looking to get more connected, you're looking to take a next step, I wanna invite you to join me at Connect Track. Connect Track is a course that we have once a month. It's the last Sunday of every single month, so next weekend. And it's really helpful in helping you get more connected. And listen, we're gonna talk about who we are as a church, what God has called us to and our vision and our values. So we're all aligned on mission as a church body. We're gonna talk about the foundations of our faith, what we believe and why that's important. But my favorite thing that we talk about at Connect Track is you. We talk about how God has equipped you, how God has designed you, how God has given you purpose to do something with that. And so if you're here and you're looking to take your very best next step, Connect Track is that for you.

You can sign up through our website or through our app or just show up. It's a good time for everyone. And maybe on your way in, did anybody see the bin of overflowing backpacks on your way in today? Man, you guys have been so generous. Those backpacks are going to some schools in our local area and some underserved communities. It's part of our CityServe project for this month where we're letting these kids know, hey, you matter to God and you matter to us, kind of one backpack at a time. And we're gonna do some campus cleanup stuff in the next few weeks. You can sign up for that on our website or through our app. But all of that is part of us just fulfilling our calling as a church. We're called to love and serve our local community. And so that's where we show up in these things. And so when you give through the church, you to this church, that's where it's going. You're not just giving to a church, you're giving through a church that's showing up in the community, that's meeting real needs. It's letting these people know, hey, you matter to God and you matter to us. And so when you give, and if giving is part of your worship today,

there are several ways you could do so. They're on the screens behind me. Got some offering boxes on your way out, a giving kiosk in the lobby. You can always give safely and securely online. But right now we're gonna pass some buckets. And so if you're on the left-hand side of your row, you would do me a favor and reach down and pass that to the right. It would be greatly appreciated. And as those are being passed, hey, you guys chose a good day to be here. I'm glad you're here. Every day is a good day to be in the house together. But today's a special day because today's Baptism Sunday. And we celebrate, we get to cheer for that. We celebrate baptism big around here because it's a big deal in scripture. And listen, baptism, it's an outward work, outward sign of an inward work. And what it is is it tells the perfect story of what Jesus's grace looks like, right? When we go into that water, it represents Jesus's death and burial. We come out of that water, it represents his blood that is wiping us clean. And it represents the new life that comes with that. And listen, we put baptism in the middle of service, in the middle of worship

because we think that's where it belongs. And so let's stand to our feet, let's worship together, and let's celebrate baptism together. Amen. Amen, church. As we sing, we sing that everything's changed with Jesus. This is what we get to see, this life change, and let's celebrate it. Let's give him the worship that he deserves today. ♪ Everything changed ♪ ♪ It's getting harder to recognize ♪ ♪ The person I was before I encountered Christ ♪ ♪ I don't walk like I used to ♪ ♪ I don't talk like I used to ♪ ♪ I've been washed from the inside ♪ ♪ I've been washed from the inside ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ No one was the blood that could've only been the blood ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ No one was the blood that could've only been the blood ♪ Oh yes, we thank you, Jesus. ♪ I cannot explain, there's nothing more real than this ♪ ♪ In the presence of God, what my heart experienced ♪ ♪ What my shame did to waste time ♪ ♪ For my sin at the most high, I was washed from the inside ♪ ♪ I was washed from the inside out, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Oh, how wise the blind could have only been the blind ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah ♪

♪ Oh, how wise the blind could have only been the blind ♪ ♪ I have been given you, Jesus ♪ ♪ Oh, yes, we think it's over, over, but change is here, yeah ♪ ♪ But change is here, yeah, it's here, yeah, it's here, yeah ♪ ♪ It's never been about the love, it's never been about the faith ♪ ♪ It's right before the sentence, it's been empty, yeah ♪ ♪ It's only about the love, it's never been about the service ♪ ♪ We're blinded, but if it's free to you, you can tell ♪ ♪ It's only about the love ♪ ♪ Does anybody wanna be holy and righteous? ♪ ♪ Purify this heartless, let me tell you, it's only about the love ♪ ♪ Does anybody wanna be right for me? ♪ ♪ Justify really me, let me tell you, it's only about the love ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, Lord of all the heart, it's only about the love ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, Lord of all the heart, it's only about the love ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, lu, lu, lu, lu, lu, lu, lu, lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu- LU-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, Lord of all the heart, it's only about the love ♪ ♪ And you know it was a lie, Lord, I've only been the blind, hallelujah, hallelujah, Lord, it was a lie, Lord, I've only been the blind ♪ ♪ Oh, yes, we thank you, Jesus, Lord, I've only been your blind ♪ ♪ Oh, yes, we thank you, Jesus, your faith, you are faithful, as we celebrate you, Jesus, in you, amen ♪ ♪ Here is where I lay it down, every burden, every crown, this is my surrender, this is my surrender ♪ ♪ Here is where I lay it down, every lie and every doubt, this is my surrender ♪ ♪ And I will make room for you to do whatever you want to, to do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ And I will make room for you to do whatever you want to, to do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ Here is where I lay it down, every burden, every crown, this is my surrender, this is my surrender ♪ ♪ Every burden and every doubt ♪ ♪ This is my surrender ♪ ♪ This is my surrender ♪ ♪ Here is where I lay it down ♪ ♪ Every lie and every doubt ♪

♪ This is my surrender ♪ ♪ I will make room for you ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ I will make room for you ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ I will make room for you ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ I will make room for you ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to ♪ ♪ I will make room for you ♪ ♪ I will make room for you, Jesus ♪ ♪ I will make room for you, Jesus ♪ ♪ For this, this we give our burdens ♪ ♪ For your good dogs, for people's fears and demons ♪ ♪ Who made you worthy to take it all, to take it all ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ This God of mine, this your faith is better ♪ ♪ This your will is better than me, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ You live in our hearts, you live in our hearts ♪ ♪ We bless you, we bless you, we bless you, we, whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh ♪ ♪ Shake up the ground with all my tradition ♪ ♪ Break down the walls with all my religion ♪ ♪ Your will is better, your will is better ♪ ♪ Shake up the ground with all my tradition ♪ ♪ Break down the walls with all my religion ♪

♪ Your will is better, your will is better ♪ ♪ Shake up the ground with all my tradition ♪ ♪ Break down the walls with all my religion ♪ ♪ Your will is better, your will is better ♪ ♪ Shake up the ground with all my tradition ♪ ♪ Break down the walls with all my religion ♪ ♪ Your will is better, your will is better ♪ ♪ I will make room for you to do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ I will make room for you to do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ I will make room for you to do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ I will make room for you to do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ Whatever you want to do ♪ Sing that with me again, one more time. ♪ I will make room for you to do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ I will make room for you to do whatever you want to do ♪ ♪ To do whatever you want to do ♪ Father, that's our prayer. We've come today to make room for you, room to worship you, room to love you. And we tell you now we make room in our hearts and our minds to receive the truth of your word today. Speak to us, change us, make us more like you. We will make room for you and Christ would make this prayer. Amen. Thank you. Please be seated.

My name's Dan Sutherland. If we haven't met, I would love to put a face and a name together. My privilege to teach today. I am not sweating. This is baptism wet and I hope it happens all the time. Don't mind that at all. We've baptized in all the services Thursday and today, but let me let you know now we're going to do some spontaneous baptisms at the end of the service. Now, what that means is they weren't scheduled. They weren't planning to do it. Good news is we have shorts and shirts and towels, and if God speaks to you in this service and says, yeah, it's your time, you can slip out. Carson will be in the back in the lobby. The prayer partners will be in the back. They'll tell you what to do, walk you through it. I'll mention that again toward the end of the teaching. We don't do this, but two or three times a year where we do the spontaneous thing. We have baptism every month, but we just felt like this weekend was the time to do it. And we've had people in every service to do that. So it's been a, it's been a great day. Grateful. We've all had the experience of realizing we're going the wrong direction on the road and we've made a U-turn. I make a U-turn every time I leave this church property because I live north of here.

But when you north of here would be that to that, to that, to that, to that. No, that's west. That's north, north of here. I walk outside. I know where I am in the room. I get totally confused. So you know what I have to do? If you live north of here, you do the same thing. We go south on Flamingo, get over as fast as we can to that far left lane and take the first U-turn and make the U-turn and head back the right direction. We've all done that multiple times in our lives. The Bible teaches that we have to have multiple spiritual U-turns in our lives as well. And that's what we're talking about today. The series is called Warning Signs. We're taking some highway signs, but we're speaking out of scripture about how the Holy Spirit sometimes says, stop, don't keep going that way. Sometimes he says, yield, surrender, submit. We talked about that last weekend and today we're going to look at what it means to make a U-turn. Ready? I got some great insights on this teaching study in this week from an article by Alan Wachob. I don't know if I said his name right. Good article. I've been a Christ follower for 53 years, a pastor for 52 of those. I'm still studying. I'm still learning.

I hope you are too. You're here. So that says that you are ready to go. Repent is the biblical word for doing a spiritual U-turn. Bible doesn't say U-turn. It says repent, but it means the exact same thing. To repent means to turn and to change. It's what we do when we first come to Christ in faith. When we first surrender our lives to Christ, we say, you know what? I've been running my life. I'm ready for some new management. I'm going to make a stop to that and turn toward God and trust him. For some of us, it comes across as, I've been making a mess of my life. I'm a sinner and I realize it. I make mistakes and I'm tired of living life that way. Jesus has died for my sin. I'm going to turn toward him and walk with him. And we think of repentance as something that's only done when we first come to Christ. That's half the story. The other half of the story is we continue to repent as we continue to follow Jesus. Let's define it further. Repent, U-turn, means turning away from the wrong direction and turning into the right direction. It's what repent means. Whoops, I'm headed south, I want to be headed north. Whoops, I'm in control of my life again, I'm gonna give it back to Jesus. Whoops, that old habit, that old sin, that old addiction, that old attitude has got me again.

I'm gonna stop doing that and I'm gonna turn back toward Christ, and we're gonna keep defining this. It means turning away from sin and turning to God. Would you write that in? All of these are biblical descriptions of repentance. Look at Acts 3.19, repent and turn to God that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Now those first five words, repent and turn to God, is the theme of the entire New Testament. It's the message of the whole New Testament. Jesus says that phrase dozens of times. Repent and turn to God, repent and believe. In fact, here it is in Matthew 3, first time Jesus says it. Repent of your sins and turn to God. That's the central truth of the New Testament. What's the proof? What's the proof that it's really happened? Write this in. Life change is the proof of repentance. Life change is the proof. It's not the tears that you cry, it's not the emotional experience of being convicted that you're messing up your life and you need to do something different. It is the life change that proves the repentance is real. In fact, let's push it farther. Life change is the proof of salvation. Now I did not say you have to change your life to be saved. What I said was if you're truly saved, your life will change.

You're under new management. You got new direction. God is front and center in your life now. That changes things. Look at how James describes it in the New Testament. What good is it, brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Then he says, faith by itself isn't enough unless it produces good deeds. It's dead and useless. And then at the last part of the chapter, just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. It's not the good works that save you. Jesus saves you. But if you've had a real encounter with Jesus, you will be changed. In fact, write it in. You've heard me say it a bunch of times. It's impossible to have a real encounter with the living God and not be changed. It's impossible. The proof that you had a real encounter, the proof that you really repented is that your life changes. I've told you guys this story before. It changed my life in a much less dramatic way but still changed my life.

We bought a house that was 30 years old in Kansas City. Great place, lived in it a long time. The 85, 86-year-old man we bought it from, he'd had the house from the start, original owner, informed me that he was a shade tree electrician, self-taught, and that he had rewired everything in the house. Now, that set off a bit of an alarm in my head because I don't really want a self-taught, shade tree, homemade electrician rewire the house, but he had, and we went with it. One of the things he rewired, I discovered a few weeks later, was that he had an old-style confection microwave in the kitchen, and it required 220, not 110 voltage like everything else, 220. So he had run a separate line down to the main electrical line. He had run it out, and he had run it down and hooked the microwave in correctly. What I didn't know is he'd also extended the line into the garage right above the garage door light and had left it hanging in the open. Now, maybe he thought he was gonna need another 220 appliance in the garage, I don't know. But a few months later, knowing that the microwave is 220, having no idea that the 220 line extended into the garage, I got up to change the garage door light, and it was a short in the wiring, so I had to take the whole thing down, and I'm messing with the wires,

and I managed to hook up to the 220. This is a life-changing experience, people. Thankfully, it knocked me off the ladder. Had it not knocked... me off the ladder, I'm not sure I could've gotten free from the 220, because I had 110 in one hand and 220 in the other and was bringing them together. I was the junction box. It knocked me about five feet away from the ladder, knocked the breath out of me. My life has changed two ways. One, I don't do ladders. I haven't been on a ladder since, I won't. Two, I don't do electricity. I call people who know what they're doing, multiply that 10,000 times. If you have a real encounter with the living God, you are changed. He rewires you from the inside out. Now, sometimes that change is immediate. When I gave my life to Christ, it was immediate change. I mean, I got up the next morning, 17-year-old senior in high school, my attitude was different, my purpose was different. I had a hunger for scripture, I had a hunger for Jesus. I hadn't even thought about Jesus in years. Everything shifted and it shifted fast. For others, it's a slow, gradual change, but you cannot truly repent and hook up with the living God and not be changed.

Life change is the proof of repentance. Life change is the proof of salvation. Write this in. You cannot repent, I just said it. Turn away from sin and turn to God without it changing your life. So, if you're seeing no change, it's time to reconnect. If you're seeing no change, it's not true repentance, it's self-generated, I will do better. We just read Matthew 3, two. Look at what Jesus himself says a few verses later. Prove by the way that you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. It's not me telling you that a changed life is proof, it's Jesus. The way you live will prove that you've repented of your sins and turned to God. So, one more time, I'm saying it a bunch of ways. The proof that you've turned away from sin and to God shows up in how we live. That's where it shows up. And the cool part is, when he's really changed your life, you have enough evidence in your own life to know that God is real. Because he has changed your heart, your mind, your actions, your attitudes, your behaviors. How do we repent fully? Church, let me say this before we get into it. This is not just for when we first come to Christ. We continue to repent and turn to God.

How often? However often you blow it. For me, that's fairly often. An old attitude creeps back in. I'll see it and go, I gotta repent of that. I don't wanna be that person I used to be. I'm turning away from that. God, give me your attitude. Change my heart. Or an old addiction comes back in. Or an old habit of some kind. Whatever it is, we continually repent and turn. Because you and I are human and we continually go in the wrong direction. The proof is how we live and we keep repenting. Repent and turn to God is the theme of the New Testament. For the new believer, for all believers. How do we do it? How do we make sure it's real? Thanks for asking. Three quick points, you ready? Number one, own your sin. Own your sin. Own your own sin. Own your own stuff. Own your own issues. Own your own wrong direction. Own your own wrong behavior. I'm a little bit disappointed that social media has led us in the last 10 or 12 years

toward the direction of it's not your fault. Blame somebody else. Now it did it first by teaching us that we're all victims. Now everybody look this way. I wanna be heard here, not misheard. Are we all victims? Yes. Everybody in this room has been hurt by somebody. Everybody in this room has been disappointed by somebody. Everybody in this room has been let down. Everybody in this room has been mistreated. If it hadn't happened to you yet, hang on, it's coming. This is a part of life. It happened to Jesus. It happens to those of us who follow Jesus. But being a victim doesn't mean you have to be stuck as a victim. Now society says write victim across your forehead. forehead, tell everybody everything that's wrong with you is somebody else's fault. Point the finger, it ain't you, it's everybody else. I wish that were true, it's not. Because the Bible says own your own stuff, your own sin, your own issues, your own behavior. Now do you own what somebody else did to you? No, no, they own that. But you do own your reaction. You do own your response. If you're still stuck in a hurt that happened years ago, you own being stuck there.

That's no longer on the person that hurt you. Jesus is a healer, Jesus is a forgiver. He makes us into somebody new. Look at what happens when we blow it. Here's why we own our own stuff, James one. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions, and when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. Where does it say the temptation comes from? In here. Oh, it's those people I was with that drug me into that. Ha-ah, you didn't have to go. It's us, own your stuff. Quit blaming everything in your life on somebody else. There's no healing till we own our stuff. So let's practice it. Turn to your neighbors, say these words. I'm a sinner, you're a bigger one. Go ahead. That's kind of fun. That's kind of fun right there. Yeah, I got you. Look at what first John one eight says. This is for all of us who have tended to blame everybody else for our stuff. Look at what it says. If we claim we have no sin, no fault, we're only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. Jesus will set you free,

but you gotta own your own stuff first. You gotta own your sin. Second, confess your sin. We don't just own it, we have to speak it out loud. We have to confess it. Look at the very next verse, first John one nine. If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. Now look again. Who do we confess our sins to? To Jesus. How do I know he's the him? He's faithful and just to forgive us. Nobody can forgive you but Jesus. And to cleanse you from all unrighteousness, all wickedness, all your sin, only Jesus can do that. Now I wanna speak carefully, so please again, listen for my words. Many of us have grown up in faith practices where we confess our sins to a pastor or a priest. Please hear me, that's not a bad thing. But it's not what this is talking about. There's only one who can forgive you. There's only one who can cleanse you. There's only one who died for you. I had a Catholic priest that was a good friend in Kansas City, led a phenomenal church. This guy was a Jesus-centered Catholic priest.

He preached Jesus all the time, it was amazing. And I looked at him one day, we were talking about confession. I said, well, let's be honest, you have to go through a representative, I go straight to God. And he laughed and said, so do I. It's okay to confess your sins to other people. There are moments I need to confess something I've done to my wife. There are moments where I need to confess it to my close friends and ask them to hold me accountable and pray for me and check on me and make sure I'm truly repentant. But somebody else telling me, do 50 of these and you'll be forgiven, I'm sorry, the 50's already been done. It's called the cross. 50 of anything you do doesn't measure up to Jesus. We confess to him and we confess our sin. Now, what's the big deal about confessing? The Bible preaches this truth that you speak the truth out loud. That we confess our faith, for example. Romans says if you confess Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. Baptism is confession. That's why we do this the third Sunday every month. It's a public confession.

People are saying, I've repented, I've given my life to Jesus, he's now in charge and I want you to know here's my confession. Baptism is a declaration of a dedication that's already happened on the inside. That's what baptism is. But we gotta realize that we confess our sins. We speak them to God and then we confess them to close friends, maybe to family members, especially to the world, to the church as we are baptized. Confession is agreeing with God about your sin. That's what it is. Lord, I've blown it again, I need to tell you that. I know you know, but I'm telling you I know and I'm turning back to you. I'm owning my sin, I'm confessing my sin. Number three, this is the one that makes the huge change. After you own your sin, after you confess your sin, the Bible teaches you choose to obey Jesus. This is the second half of repentance. Now see if you've ever done this. I've done it hundreds of times. Lord, I committed that sin again, I've got that bad attitude again, I took charge again, I'm sorry, I repent, I wanna put you in charge and the next day I'm back. Lord, I blew it again, I committed that same sin again, I've got that crummy attitude again,

I wanna give it to you and put you in charge and the next day you're back. Don't look at me like you don't know what I'm talking about. We've all been there. It's called the cycle of doing the first half of repentance, admitting it, confessing it, but not doing the second half, not doing this third step. I don't only have to turn from my sin, I have to choose now to obey Jesus. It's not just that I'm admitting the old way didn't work, it's finding a new way. It's not just, God, I don't wanna repeat this sin, it's I want you to make me like you. Not only do I not wanna have that attitude again, I want your attitude, God. Not only do I not wanna be hateful again, I wanna be loving like you are, God. Change my heart. Change this so I'm not back here on the same sin for the 126th time. Make it real. Choose to obey Jesus. Look again at scripture. We're in 1 John today, most of our scripture. Here's just a few verses later from the ones we've already read. Those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That's how we know we're living in him. Now I wanna stop.

The Bible says the proof that you love God is you obey him. Not just Sunday morning, Jesus, I love you, I love you. Monday, I'm gonna blow it again. No, I obey. Jesus himself said, if you love me, you will obey me and keep my commands. This is how we know we are living in him, the scripture says. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. That is a huge verse at the local church. We have taken our definition of a disciple from that verse. We've taken our definition of a Christ follower from that verse. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. Those who love him will obey his commands. So here's the Christ follower right at your definition. It's someone who does what Jesus does and obeys what Jesus teaches. That's the simplest definition of a disciple of a Christ follower that I've ever heard. It's somebody who does what Jesus does and obeys what Jesus teaches. So we turn away from sin and to God. We decide there's a yes in our hearts. Lord, my answer to you is yes before you even tell me what you want me to do.

My answer's yes. Lead me, the answer's yes. Teach me, the answer's yes. Baptism, again, is a step of that kind of obedience. Now, to share something from my past, you can share a little something from yours, okay? How many of you, like me, were either baptized, christened, or dedicated as an infant? Hands. Me too. Tell me about it. Know why we're. We're laughing because we can't. Now maybe you've seen pictures. Maybe if your parents were really hip, they have video. Maybe you've heard the story. You were that wonderful baby who cried until they baptized you and then you stopped. You didn't make that decision. Your parents did. It's a good thing. We do something similar here called family dedication a couple times a year. It's a good thing. Here's the cool part. Jesus did that. Did you know that? When Jesus was eight days old, following the Jewish faith he was raised in,

they took him on the eighth day of his life to the temple, the synagogue, to be dedicated. Jesus did that. He didn't make that decision. Scripture's clear. His parents took him and dedicated him. They made it. Happened to me. In our Baptist faith, we dedicated and christened children. And at two weeks old, the first trip I made out of the house was to church to be christened and dedicated. I don't remember a thing. My parents chose that. But check this out with Jesus. Fast forward 30 years. He's about to start his public ministry and he is baptized as an adult. This time he made the decision. And when he did it, scripture tells us that a voice from heaven said out loud where people heard it, this is my son and I am pleased with him. Being baptized as an adult does not undo, does not conflict with, does not violate your original infant baptism, christening, or dedication. It completes it. Your parents started you on that journey. You are not choosing to go for yourself. It's what Jesus did.

It's what Jesus teaches. And we do what Jesus does and we obey what Jesus teaches. So again, today, if you're deciding right now you wanna get baptized today, you can. We got shorts, we got towels, we got Carson standing right there. She'll lead you back around. You can decide now. You can get up and walk out now. I'm used to people getting up and walking out while I speak. That's somewhat of a joke and somewhat true. It's okay, you can slip out right now. The point is this, write it in your notes. Here's Romans six, let's do that first. We died and were buried with Christ by baptism and just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, we now also live new lives. That's what's pictured in baptism. You're buried in the water to represent, you're turning loose of the old way of life and you're being raised to a new life in Christ. Does the water save you? I promise you, no. That's faucet water. But the symbolism's real. The declaration is I'm proud to follow Christ and I believe when you do it, you get to hear God's whisper to your soul. That's my son, that's my daughter and I'm pleased.

If you wanna do that today, slip out right now, you could do that. Write this in. We are temporarily changed by what we turn away from. If I somehow manage to quit losing my temper because I repented, the cool part is that's a great change until I lose it the next time. But it's a temporary change, it's good. Self-improvement is not bad, it's good improvement, it just doesn't always last. The permanent change happens when we turn to God. The temporary change happens when we turn away from sin but the permanent change is God uniting us with his Son, Jesus Christ. The permanent change is God, I need your attitude. God, I need your control. God, I need you to free me from this sin. God, you're the answer to my addiction, my habit, my behavior. I wanna live for you. Several years ago, I started a habit. spiritual discipline. I adopt a theme for every new calendar year. I don't do New Year's resolutions, I break them. Figured that out a couple decades ago. But in its place, I started this practice. About November, December every year, I'll start praying and say, Lord, what's your theme going to be for me for next year? What do you want to teach me or re-teach me? What new truth or what old truth do I need to be reminded of?

What's the theme for the coming year? He never gives it to me until I've prayed about it for a while. But generally by January, I have it. In this particular year, the theme was surrender. That's the word I got from God as I was praying. No voices heard, just impressed it on my soul. And by the end of the month, I had a phrase to go with it. I'm going to share that phrase with you now. It has changed my life. I can't, Jesus can, join Jesus. That's what surrender looks like to me. I can't get my act together, Jesus can, I'm going to join Jesus. I can't fix my life, Jesus can, I'm going to join Jesus. I can't love my family the way they ought to be loved, Jesus can, I'll join Jesus. I can't beat this addiction, this sin, this habit, Jesus can, I'll join Jesus. That's a U-turn. That's repentance. So if you need a U-turn today, big or small, own your sin, confess it to God, and start to obey Jesus on everything. We've been having a time of prayer, kind of a silent reflection in each of the services in this series. We're going to do it again today. I'm going to tell you now what I want you to pray. That's the last blank, and hopefully you'll get your answer. Jesus, show me where I need to repent. Jesus, show me where I need to do a U-turn. That's the last blank in your notes. Now I led this exact same prayer Thursday night, and while I'm praying, Jesus whispers to me what mine needs to be. That was a moment.

I barely made it through the prayer. There are certain prayers that if you pray, God will always answer. Jesus, show me where I need to repent is one of them. Will you pray that prayer with me now? Just pray it silently. I'll close this out here in a moment. Father, we love praying prayers that we know you want to answer. You've told us to repent, to do a U-turn. All of us are praying this prayer right now. Show me where I need to repent, and I will. Show me what U-turn I need to make, and I'll make it. I'll turn away from what's wrong, and turn to you, God. In Christ we pray, amen. Just a minute. We're going to stand to our feet. We're going to worship. We love worshiping at the end of our time together, and if people have decided to get baptized, we'll do that, and if not, we'll just worship and enjoy what God has done in this place today. Will you stand to your feet? Let's worship together. Let's sing this out together. What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus Oh, precious is the flow What can make me whole again? ♪ There's no other fount I know ♪ ♪ Nothing but the blood of Jesus ♪ Come on, give Him praise in this house. We thank you, Jesus, for your blood

that washes us clean as snow. So come on, let's celebrate with this song. Hey, let's get our hands together. Yes. ♪ See, I'm clean, sin was stained on me ♪ ♪ Shame was running deep ♪ ♪ But love was spilled on Calvary ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah, I'm clean ♪ ♪ God, how can it be? ♪ ♪ I'm ransomed and redeemed ♪ ♪ Standing in your victory ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah, I've been washed in the water ♪ ♪ Washed in the blood, I'm as good as new ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah, I've been washed in the water ♪ ♪ Washed in the blood, I'm because of you ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah, I'm clean ♪ ♪ It's not what I have done ♪ ♪ But what you've done for me ♪ ♪ You've painted all upon that tree ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah, I'm clean ♪ ♪ Love has overcome ♪ ♪ Your mercy is supreme ♪ ♪ Dancing in your victory ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah, I've been washed in the water ♪ ♪ Washed in the blood, I'm as good as new ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah, I've been washed in the water ♪ ♪ Washed in the blood, I'm because of you ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah, I've been washed in the water ♪ ♪ Washed in the blood, I'm as good as new ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah, I've been washed in the water ♪

♪ Washed in the blood, I'm because of you ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Cause you took away my shame ♪ ♪ And you nailed it to the cross ♪ ♪ Got me running out the grave ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, here I come, sing again, you took away ♪ ♪ Cause you took away my shame and you nailed it to the cross ♪ ♪ Got me running out the grave, hallelujah, here I come ♪ ♪ Cause you took away my shame and you nailed it to the cross ♪ ♪ Got me running out the grave, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, cause you took away my shame and you nailed it to the cross ♪ ♪ Got me running out the grave, hallelujah, here I come ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, here I come, hallelujah, here I come ♪ ♪ Everybody, so great, come on, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah ♪ ♪ Oh, every voice, sing it out, come on, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Oh, I've been washed in the water, washed in the blood ♪ ♪ I'm as good as new, oh, hallelujah ♪ ♪ I've been washed in the water, washed in the blood ♪ ♪ All because of you, oh, hallelujah ♪ Come on, church. Hey, church, we got two people that are getting baptized right now. So let's celebrate in the house. We're gonna give them praise. We're gonna keep singing. So come on, let's give them praise in this house. Hey, you're worthy, Jesus.

Oh, God, Jesus, happy me today. Oh, yes, there's a reason to sing, reason to dance. Come on, let's lift it up with one voice. ♪ I praise in the valley, praise on the mountain ♪ ♪ I praise when I'm sure, praise when I'm doubting, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ I praise when outnumbered, praise when surrounded ♪ ♪ Because praise is the water my enemies drown in ♪ Come on, with one voice again. As long as you're with me, amen. ♪ As I'm breathing, I know you hear it too ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ I praise when I feel it, I praise when I don't ♪ ♪ I praise because I know you're still in control ♪ Come on, somebody testify, yes. ♪ I praise the word, it's more than sound, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ I praise the shout that brings Jericho down ♪ Get your voice, come on. ♪ As long as I'm breathing, I've got a reason to ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ Remind yourself, come on. ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet, my God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I keep it inside, we've got to praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ Oh, he is faithful, he is good. He is moving today, yeah. Amen, come on. ♪ I praise because of sorrow, praise because you reign ♪

♪ Praise because you rose in defeating the grave ♪ ♪ I praise because your faithful, praise because you are true ♪ ♪ Praise because there is nobody greater than you ♪ ♪ I praise because of sorrow, praise because you reign ♪ ♪ Praise because you rose in defeating the grave ♪ ♪ I praise because you're faithful, praise because you're true ♪ ♪ Praise because there's nobody greater than you ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive, how could I keep it, I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive, how could I keep it, I won't be quiet, I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive, how could I keep it inside, we've got to praise ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord, oh my soul, praise the Lord, oh my soul ♪ Yeah! Come on, give Him praise, church! Yes, amen!