Until The Whistle Blows

Today, the title of the message is this, Until the Whistle Blows. Now, we raised four sons, and I got to coach our sons in football. And I just have to tell you, when I coached second and third grade football, it was the biggest leadership challenge of my life. Is you got these little guys there that are, you know, look, a bird. Their attention span is short, and the helmet is bigger than some of their bodies, you know, and they're trying to get together. And then parents are on the sidelines, convinced that their kid is Tom Brady, and that everybody wants their kid to be a quarterback. And so somehow I had to figure out a way to help them play a game, and learn the game, and learn how to be a teammate, listen to the coach, and what those life lessons play out long beyond the sport, when they learn how to persevere, and be a good teammate, and a good colleague at work someday, and learning how to listen to the instructions of whoever is in authority, and follow that, and learn to trust that others are gonna do their part if you do your part. So there's tons of lessons.

One of those lessons was, I needed to teach the Wolverines, that little class of kids, and I had the picture that was about when they were in fourth or fifth grade. But I needed to teach them how to play until the whistle blows. Because when they get on the football field, there's a referee, the game, the play starts, but when the referee blows the whistle, that's when you stop. Now most of the kids, the problem wasn't getting them to stop. The problem was helping them continue until the whistle blew. Because they would get off in that first step, or their first play, and they would do what they were supposed to do, and there's another five or six seconds ahead of them, but they forgot what those were supposed to be about. So I had to teach these players how to continue to persevere beyond the initial step. And this would be true of a human experience for all of us, because we are pretty good at starting things. Very difficult for us to finish things. I'm gonna start this diet. How's that going for you? We're in March now. All those New Year's resolutions, right?

We're good at belief and love and forgiveness for the start of it, but to follow it through until the whistle blows, that's the larger challenge in our life. And as we complete this series, I truly desire to see you finish the assignments that God has for you as you invest in others. That you wouldn't give up on your marriage. That you wouldn't quit before the end of the call for your kids, but that you would follow through on those assignments of the people that are in your life to finish the job and play until the whistle blows, not stopping before the end of the day. And learning to depend on the people that are around you requires understanding that life has seasons and cycles. It's really a series of sprints. It's not just a long run, but it's learning to play up to that next whistle. Then get ready, play up to that next whistle. Because we go through so many changes. When Jody and I were first married, we had about just over a year, and then we had our first son. And then we had our second. Then we had our third. And then we had our fourth. We have four boys in six and a half years. You can still pray for Jody on that one. That was an amazing thing.

Well, the thing about that was it was the greatest joy. We prayed for kids. Thank you, Jesus. And then I know some of you might be praying for kids. I pray that God helps you have kids. For us, that also kind of took us into a new season where it was just Jody and me together. We had a rhythm, my relationship with her, my relationship with the Lord. But then when you introduce the child, now our schedule changed. Attention deficit disorder kicks in because you're running from thing to thing to thing to thing. Now, as we raise our kids, then our relationship, then we played a particular role. When they were just toddlers and we were still handling potty training and all of that, that was one thing. Then they moved into elementary school, and it required a different kind of parenting for them at that stage. And then we moved into teenage years. And parents of teenagers, we'll call a prayer line for you after service if we need to. Because that takes parents into whole different places as kids develop a desire for independence. They're learning to think for themselves. They think their parents aren't as smart as they are. And that creates a tension in the relationship.

And so, it goes through a seasonal shift and then, of course, eventually, they graduate. Well, actually, before they graduate, many of them get their driver's license. And when they get their driver's license, whew, now there's freedom somewhat. We have leveraged as parents. Our car insurance went way through the roof, so our bank account shrank as our kids got more freedoms. That's not fair, is it? Well, the day comes when they leave and they get married and they leave the payroll. Come on, somebody. That's like the best thing ever and they leave the payroll and they're on their own and now you have that money back and you get to do what you want with it and your time. My point is this. It's not that you just believe in and care for an individual the same throughout their whole life. Actually, it changes. Your seasonal of life changes and you have to learn to run and play until the whistle blows in the season that you're in in appropriate ways, adjusting but still finishing and completing the assignments. We need to do that with our relationship with the Lord as well, whether it's you and God or you and the people you're called to reach into the future with. As Paul wrote in Romans, in Romans 15, verse 5, it says, may the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had so that with one mind and one voice, you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the promise that it will affect the relationships around us. So how do you reach into their future until the whistle blows in every season? Well, I want to look at a story that Jesus shares in Luke 15. If you ever have Bibles, go ahead and pull them out. In fact, if you have a paper Bible, wave them in the air like you just don't care. Okay.

Let me have the electronic version. Let me see those. Do they count? And then we have the Emmanuel MN app as well. Luke 15, Jesus shares a story and it shows us how to persevere. You might not see it when you first read it, but of course, we're going to talk about that here. Luke 15, starting with verse 11. To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story. A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, I want my share of your estate now before you die. So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. A few days later, this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land. And there he wasted all his money and wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him, but no one gave him anything. And when he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, at home, even the hired servants have enough food to spare. And here I am dying of hunger. I will go home to my father and say, father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I'm no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant. So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming, filled with love and compassion.

He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. His son said to him, father, I've sinned against both heaven and you, and I'm no longer worthy of being called your son. But his father said to the servants, quick, bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet and kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found. So the party began. And meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. Your brother is back, he was told, and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return. And the older brother was angry, it wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him. But he replied, all these years I've slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time, you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. When this son of yours comes back after squandering your money, I'm prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf. And his father said to him, look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day, for your brother was dead and has come back to life. He was lost, but now he is found. Amen to that story. How many know Jesus tells the best stories?

Now, why was he sharing this story? It's kind of wrapped up in the three characters that Jesus presents. He shares the story about a father who had an inheritance and gave it away. It's about a younger son who took advantage of his father, was disrespectful and dishonorable to take the inheritance before his dad died. And then it's about an older brother who stays, but lacks the father's heart. Now, many of us see ourselves in one of those three characters. Many of us could see ourselves, for example, as the prodigal son. How many of you remember when you left the home? Your heart left what was right and what was good, and you kind of went your own way. And when it comes to this younger son, when we do our own thing, we get what we deserve sometimes. Isn't that true? I mean, life is hard. And how many of you remember that day when you came home to Jesus? There's nothing better than that. That's the story you see within this younger son. But I want you to see that in this story, Jesus is revealing something about the heart of the father that is absolutely critical. In the heart of the father, we see somebody who had a love that's different

than the kind of love we see in the world today. He let his son go. He didn't cancel him. He didn't control him. He didn't manipulate him. And he let him go. And then all of a sudden, the son is in working on a farm. He's in the middle of pigs feeding them. And then he finally wakes up, and he decides to go home because he knows something about the heart of his father. And there's something in there that even when people leave, do they know what's in your heart? And I'm not just talking about your biological kids. I'm talking about friendships and people that you spend time with. This lost son decides to go home. You know that in your family, there will be family members or friends who write you off and forget about your investment in their life and take off. You can identify with the heart of the father. That hurts. How many of you have been hurt by somebody? Let me see your hands, okay? I'm not the only one. But the father never gave up. It says in verse 20, so he returned home to his father, and while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

This action of running to him, and first of all, he was looking for him. He saw him. And then he ran to him, and he embraced him, and he kissed him. He restored him to the family right back in. Now, I want you to see when Jesus is sharing this story, the story is not really about those first two categories, those first two characters. It's actually about the older brother. Because when Jesus is talking to the crowd, the people in the crowd that were already religious and already had everything, they were living right, but they were judgmental to those that Jesus was seeking and saving, the lost. And Jesus wanted the lost to come home, but many of them were like the older brother. And so Jesus contrasts the father's heart with the older brother. The older brother was angry about the younger son being allowed back in, because he had a works-based theology. All these years I slaved for you, as if it was a transaction. I'm expecting a payoff from you. And here this guy goes and blows it all, and you still care for him? Listen, though he was in the father's house, he didn't have the father's heart. Are you hearing me today?

See, the danger is being in the father's house, but not having the father's heart. This older brother's religion was more like karma than Christianity. You put it in, you expect it back out. Whatever goes around comes around. But that's not the kingdom of God. And so Jesus is declaring that it's different. The key to going to the whistleblower in every season starts with having a father's heart. Let me give you five actions a father's heart takes until the whistle blows. Five actions a father's heart takes until the whistle blows. I want you to think about a father's heart, whether you're a male or female here. This is about the God, the father's heart in Jesus' story. And it's not just about your family, although you can think about it with your kids, your grandkids, or your brother, your sister, or whatever it may be, or your spouse. But also expand the circle to the people God is investing through you. You're reaching into the people, future of those around you, the people that you work with or go to school with. Five actions a father's heart takes until the whistle blows, number one. A father's heart prepares for both your and your family's future.

Hidden within Jesus' story is the fact that this father had an inheritance to give. He had prepared something. He was ready to share. And I think all of us need to order our lives so that we're prepared to share. That may mean, in a practical sense, I'll get a little bit, some of you might wanna pull your toes in for a sec. In a practical sense, dealing with our debt. Because our debt could prevent us, you know, people that are uptight about their finances have a hard time being nice in other ways. It's not just about the money or generosity, it's the generosity of heart. Because we're afraid, we're trying to conserve, we're worried about our creditors, or whatever it may be. Listen, deal with the debt so you can leave a blessing and not a bill, are you hearing me? Like, pastor, get back to the Bible. This is the Bible, okay? This is the Bible. We've got a lot of people in our church that have gone through things like Financial Peace University and learned how, because nobody ever taught them, how to do a budget or how to order their finances. But listen, the most generous people I know have an ordered life. They have the capacity to give.

And I'm not just talking financially, but they live an ordered life. They live an ordered life with their devotions. They live an ordered life with their sleep time and their Sabbath. They live an ordered life. If you're going to be like the Father and you're gonna be in a state where you're not worried about losing something, then you gotta have an ordered mind. Oh, now he's preaching up on me. You gotta have self-control. It can't be about, your dreams can't only be about you. They can't be about just you in retirement and living the good life later on. Not if you're gonna invest in those that are behind you. You gotta order your life. Jody and I, at one point, we went to a financial planner and he helped us figure out where do we wanna be and how are we gonna get there? And that meant that we had to start saying no to something. Some people that go through Financial Peace University, the hard part comes first. I have a friend who said it's Financial Pain University. And I'm not saying that's the only tool that's out there, but you can learn from somebody else that has an ordered life. If you wanna have the Father's heart, then one of the things that you'll do is you'll have an ordered life. What if you had a vision for your friends' families

and your people around you, beyond the financial picture, but a vision for their soul? What's your vision for the soul of your kids? What's the vision for the soul of your friends? What's the vision for the soul of your friends' marriage? You know what, I think we need to fight for each other's marriage in this culture today. While I'm at it, I'm leaving the notes now. It's not easy out there. And so let's fight for each other. Let's not let people just slip off. They need to know they're not alone and have a vision about the future. In Genesis 21, Abraham and Abimelech are two guys that are like tribes and they have a war essentially going on, a dispute. And then they got together for a treaty, much like a treaty. I hope happens soon in the Middle East, and that we end the war. Let's get this war stuff out of the way so that people can live and get evil out of the way, too, right? But Abraham and Abemlek are getting together and they make a treaty, and that treaty is for them and for everybody, it works for them. But an interesting thing happens afterwards. It says in Genesis 21, 33, then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba,

and there he worshiped the Lord, the eternal God. And that is just the weirdest thing to me. So you went and planted a tree. So he's like really, he's into climate stuff, I guess. I guess he hugged a tree today. What is going on here? What's going on here is that a tree, a tamarisk tree, I've got a picture of one that's in the desert, they're unique trees in the desert that grow super high, but they only grow a foot a year. And it takes up to 400 years to reach their full height. So here's what you need to consider. When Abraham planted a tamarisk tree, he wasn't doing it just for himself, but that treaty was for his grandkids. It was for the next few generations. And we as believers need to learn to plant tamarisk trees in our thinking. That's what the father did in Jesus' story. He was prepared to care for his kids. A father's heart, number two, remains stable. It remains stable. Won't let their emotions take you out too. I put that won't, I'm not gonna let somebody take out my emotions. How many of you know that sometimes the people in our lives get a little emotional and it can have an impact on us? When I was coaching the football team, one of the things that we had to do is teach these kids

to stick it out when something bad happens. So we would yell the phrase, sudden change. Sudden change. So sudden change meant after we fumbled the ball or there was an interception or something, the tendency of these young boys was to quit and give up. Oh, we're losing now. You're like, the game just started, right? So not only did we have to get them to play until the whistle blows, but we needed to help them handle difficult news. So when something happened that they didn't like, they're disappointed or maybe they messed up, we didn't want them to stop or lower their effort in the next play. So we had to teach them is sudden change means leave that thing behind you, get 100% ready for the next play. Otherwise, that bad last play turns into five bad plays. This is what happens with people in our lives that when they go through a difficult experience, don't let their emotions take you out. You gotta have your own sudden change attitude. How am I gonna stay in this? The Father in Jesus story didn't allow, didn't follow the emotions of either son. He's got one older son that's whining in the field and the other son took his stuff and left. If I'm the father, I'm feeling pretty lonely. But he didn't, he was not moved.

He let them go through their emotions so he could remain strong. If you're going to have the heart of the Father, you can't be moved by every drama thing around you. In fact, if you wanna do a little of your own research later on, not right now, you can Google the drama triangle and you'll see within a drama triangle is the tendency when three people are together and you have one that has a problem and they feel like the victim and then there's somebody in the other part of the story that's the perpetrator and then the third one that comes in, it's usually you and you're the rescuer, the hero. But you get into the conversation and the emotions are going and all of a sudden the victim changes chairs and then throws an accusation against you as if you're the perpetrator. And you're like in this argument, you're like, how did we get here? I walked into the room and you guys were mad at each other, now you're both mad at me, what's going on? That never happened to any of you guys too? It's their emotions. Don't jump into the drama triangle. That's, don't let their emotions take you out and that's a rollercoaster ride. Proverbs 12 says this, a fool is quick-tempered but a wise person stays calm.

when insulted. We need to memorize that, parents of teenagers. When insulted, stay calm. Turn to the person next to you and say, stay calm. And by the way, when somebody goes through their stuff and they're not the best version of themself and they're saying things that are mean things against you, don't take the bait and don't burn the bridge. Gotta have a bridge that comes back. Can I get an amen to that? A father's heart, number three, won't quit even when you feel like it. Won't quit even when you feel like it. The younger son was gone a long time, moved to a distant land. Have you ever felt like when somebody left you, cut you out, canceled you, whatever else, they're gone a long time, you felt like giving up on them? Felt like giving up because they've given up on you and you're not hearing anything back, they're not texting you, they're gone. And you're feeling this like, well, what do I do with what? Listen to me, don't quit. The father in Jesus' story was still on the farm, still looking to the horizon, would not quit. The problem that we have in America, it's too easy to quit on people. We cancel them on social media. I used to tell this to the students in the youth group

when I was a youth pastor, it's like, you've been dating people and hanging out with boy or girl so often, you quit, you broke up with them, and then you went to the next one. You broke up so much, it's too easy. It's a pattern in your life. And those same people then, when they get married, and you had a hard time, all of a sudden, they're quitting on them because it's a habit. Quitting is a habit in America. It's not a habit in the kingdom of God. So we need to learn to keep persevering and don't quit. Don't give up on them. The father doesn't give up on his kids. I think about that as Easter is coming. And the good news of Jesus' gospel is for everybody, especially people who aren't in church today, he hasn't quit on them. In Romans 2, 4, it says, "'Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, "'and patient God is with you? "'Does this mean nothing to you? "'Can't you see that his kindness is intended "'to turn you from your sin?' His kindness, he's waiting, he's patient. How many of you feel like a patient person? How many of you are sitting next to somebody that you know is not patient? I saw a few elbows just now. Patience does not come from you, it comes from God.

So we gotta lean into this. In fact, in Romans 15, verse four, it says, "'Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago "'to teach us, and the Scriptures give us hope "'and encouragement as we wait patiently "'for God's promises to be fulfilled. "'May God who gives this patience,'' let me say it again, "'May God who gives this patience and encouragement "'help you live in complete harmony with each other "'as it is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.'" You gain that, don't quit. Hang in there, be patient. A father's heart, number four, trust God's timing, it's always the best. The son had come to the end of himself before he would turn around. He had to reach that spot. He had spent everything he had. Until he reached that spot where he was desperate, he was not gonna think about coming home. Sometimes, sometimes it's not on our schedule, sometimes it's on God's schedule. And all we gotta pray, by the way, those of you who have a friend or a loved one that has been on the run from God and they're doing whatever they're doing, you need to pray, Lord, just keep them alive until it's their time and then bring them home. Because you don't know when that time is.

And if they only come because you made them come, that's not a life change yet. But when they wake up to themselves and recognize, I need Jesus, that's when they come home. And then they get save, save, come on, somebody, not just save, they get save, save. Second Peter 3.9, the Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. Sometimes it's just not time yet, friends. I want you to repeat something after me. Say, God knows better than me. Better than me. Turn to the person next to you and say, God knows. Better than you. We gotta trust him in his time. And finally, a father's heart, number five, is always ready to welcome home without shame. Now I'm pausing because we can say amen, but to live that out when somebody's hurt you, somebody left you, somebody disappointed you, and then they come home. Your first instinct is, do you know how much you hurt me? And we wanna throw shame on them. And when we say, do you know how much you hurt me, who are we being more like? The father or the older brother? See, we aren't the judge.

We are the welcome team. And we gotta shift gears. And remember, he forgave us, so he released others. This is the core message of the gospel. And we've gotta be prepared to show the love of the father to those when they return without shame. First Corinthians 13, verse four is gonna be on the screen, and I want you to read this out loud with me. First Corinthians 13, verse four says this. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable. And it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice, but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Come on, somebody. There is nothing better than to embrace someone who has come home. And in Jesus' story, the father is looking to the horizon, looking for his son. And then when the son comes, he restores and does the work, puts a robe on him, puts a ring on his finger, starts a party, says, you're home. Now, I'm not saying if somebody has abused you that you just let them right back in, uh-uh. There needs to be appropriate boundaries.

And if trust is ever gonna be restored, it's gonna take a lot of time. So I'm not saying you just let somebody that's abusive just jump right back into your life because they said they're sorry. No, the sorry doesn't match their offense yet. They're gonna have to go through a process, but you don't need to shame them if they're owning up to their own stuff. They need to find their pathway and they need to come. But the father's heart believes right up to the end until the whistle blows. I want you to think about this. Jesus is on the cross and the thief next to him says, can you bring me into your kingdom? And Jesus says, this day you will be with me in paradise. The final whistle had not blown yet on that man's life and yet he gave his life to Jesus. Come on, somebody. That's the promise until the whistle blows. And of course, the day is coming soon when Jesus returns and when Jesus returns, that's the final whistle. There aren't gonna be any chances after that. So we've got an urgency problem, church. We need to be like the father, not thinking about our own needs, but looking to the horizon. Who is God gonna call from the north and the south and the east and the west?

Who's he calling back? Your sister, your brother, your friend, your son, your daughter, the people in your community, the people who have yet to come to faith in Jesus Christ that you've been praying for. Their day is coming and when they come, they better come to the welcome committee, the welcome team. We're so glad you're home. We're so glad. You came back. It's his kindness that leads us to repentance. We know that father God forgives us of our sins and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. I don't have hope if I don't have Jesus and The people outside in our lives don't have hope unless we invest into their lives See them find Jesus. Would you stand with me today? The Father's been waiting for you Would you just close your eyes Bow your heads for a moment Got something very important to do in a few moments. But first the most important thing It's for those that have come to church today And you are the younger son And you need to give You give up your life that you've been living and come home You need to put your faith and your trust in your hope and father God who sent his one and only son your way If you've never given your life to Christ you can do that today Or maybe you once did and you wandered away and it's time for you to come home Nobody's looking around right now in any of our locations in Lakeville, Elk River, Maple Grove Spring Lake Park, but in this moment, there are people among us That the father is looking their direction If you're here today and the father is looking at you, you know, you need to give your life to Jesus today. I

Want to pray with you. You just put your hand up right where you're at. That's me Yes, yes Yes 13 14 people in Spring Lake Park. I know 15. God is doing his work. He knows he sees Those are just the hands I saw I Want to lead you in a prayer if you raise your hand and you mean it you want to give your life to Christ Or come home to him Mean it from your heart. I'll give you words to pray but Repeat this after me and everybody else you can join right and say Jesus Thank you for loving me so much came to the earth Dying across for my sin Then you rose from the dead You're alive today, I surrender to you Please forgive me of my sin and make me new I choose to Turn and follow you for the rest of my life in Jesus name Amen, amen. Amen. Somebody give the Lord some praise in the house You gave your life to Christ really interested you continue to follow Jesus keep coming to church and Then keep coming back to worship and talking to the Lord We'll have prayer teams available after the service that you can you can pray with we have a Bible for you If you need one, we'd love to help you one more time. Give it up for those that gave their life to Jesus today All right the most important part of the day is right now because It's the end of a series and I just want to say a personal Thank you to Emmanuel for helping me with the book

It was one of my kind of bucket list items that I wanted to do and I didn't have the courage to do it and People in this church got behind me and helped me get over the finish line. So thank you to Emmanuel for helping me with this But the heartbeat of it the heartbeat of it is you reaching into other people's future Not just letting it rest on the pastor But that God has a special design in your life no matter how old you are So I want to do something we're gonna conclude with a unique prayer in each of our locations I'm gonna ask people by generations to come forward and we're gonna pray for the generation ahead of us. So we'll start with this anybody 20 and under I want you to get out of where you're standing come up front Just stand up like you're as close as you can to the platform Hurry up those 20 and under give it up for all of the youngsters the next generation Come on up here. Come on up. Some of our come from the balcony in the Spring Lake Park Yeah, all the way up come up as far as you can because we got people there they're gonna come behind you Yeah, give it up for them All right Those of you there in your 20s the 30 year old 20 to 30 Once you get out where you're standing come on up and those up front move all the way to the front of the platform because we've got a lot of people coming behind you. Yeah, come on up. Work your way in. Give it up for the 20s and 30s, the people in here. All right. 30 to 40. 30 to 40. You're in the 30s to 40s. Come on up here. Give it up for the 30s and the 40s category. Parents, leaders, young adults, everybody, come on. Come on. They're running from the balcony. I love that. You guys are awesome. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Let's get you in. Spread out this way if you can, even together because we've got more people coming in the aisles. Come as close as you can. We've got like the COVID rules going on or something where people are afraid of being close. We just need people close enough. All right. All right. Those of you that are between 40 and 55. 40 and 55. Come on out. Yeah. Yeah. Let's go. That's mine. Look at that. Look at that. Look at that. I intentionally came up with that category, by the way, because I'm in that category. Barely. This year is, yes, I won't even say it. I'm not saying it out loud. All right. Everybody 55 and above, go ahead and get out if you can because you're very important. Turn around if you would. Let's honor those that are 55 and above in our church. We honor you today. Yes, we honor you.

So now this is what I want to do. It's very simple and it's the visual of investing and reaching into the future for others. Once you put a hand on the back of the person that's in front of you, on the shoulder in front of you, and for the next 30 seconds or so, church, we're going to pray. I'll join you in a minute. And when I say amen in each of our locations, they're going to go into worship. We're going to go into worship here at Spring Lake Park as well. But you know those people in front of you are really important. And how about all of those that are 55 plus? We got their back, right? We're not giving up. Our journey's not done. We still got work to do, right? As we lean into the future, one, two, three, go. Begin to pray. Begin to pray out loud for the people that are in front of you. Just begin to pray, Lord, the best. Pray for God's blessing. Pray for God to move, to step into their story, that God would move in powerful ways, that God would have his way. God would do it. Remembering that generations ahead of us, that they can do this. They can do this. That they're not alone, that we're connected. The family of God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Father, we thank you today that, Lord, you see us. Lord, that you're building your church, and that your church is not built off of one generation only. It's all the generations together. And we thank you, God, that there is hope in the future because of how you put your kingdom together. We need each other. And so, Lord, we accept the responsibility to turn and reach into someone else's future. We pray and declare the goodness of God over their life. We pray, God, for perseverance over their life. We pray, God, for open doors of opportunity in their life. We pray, God, that you would kick the devil out of their life. We pray, God, that they will overcome the enemy by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. That they'd be living examples of light in the darkness and being the salt of the earth. And we pray, God, that you would do it in Jesus' name. We declare this day, oh God, Lord, good things. Good things for the future. And by faith, we reach into the future. And we bless them in Jesus' name. In Jesus' name. Amen.