We Is Greater Than Me Part 1

you leave. In an isolated world, together is better than alone. Say that with me. In an isolated world, together is better than alone. We're going to look at a biblical book or a letter written by the Apostle Paul, and it was written to new churches in the ancient world. Paul had planted churches in many places, but specifically what we know is Turkey today and Greece or a number of churches that were in cities. In the city of Ephesus is what we're going to look at, the letter called Ephesians, is to the church that's at Ephesus. And within that church, you need to know a few things, because we're going to identify with that church. It was a port city that was a major metropolitan area. In fact, they were in competition with Rome with a lot of the things that they were building out. It's one of the most excavated cities in the world now, and they're discovering just amazing things in there. In fact, went there earlier this year on a trip, took a few photos. I just want to mention a couple of them. The first one is the library there in Ephesus. It's one of the wonders of this ancient world, and it's just kind of an iconic place we went and we visited that. And then they have a stadium, a stadium that seats over 70,000 people, to be more people in their stadium than in U.S. Bank Stadium this afternoon, and so it's major events that would take place there. And then they had these, what we call terraced houses. And I took a little video where now they've excavated. There's a modern roof above it to protect it. But if you look down into this space, they're on a hillside on mountains. They have whole tiers or terraces of housing. And further up you go, there's socioeconomic changes as you go up. It's just like we are in neighborhoods that have higher price or lower price housing. And so Ephesus was this place that was much like an equivalent to modern day Minnesota, Minneapolis, if you will, St. Paul area, in that it had a lot of commerce. It had a, if you want to really dive into what the gospel did there in Ephesus. You could look at X-19 later on because when the gospel went and there was a supernatural move of God and people that were demon possessed were being set free. And now people were like abandoning the cultural gods and religion of that day. Artemis was a God that they served or Diana. And they, they, they abandoned all of that. And it caused a problem with their economic system. So now the authorities in the land, the governmental figures came after the church. And there was great persecution. So this is a church that Paul has spent three and a half years of his life there. Now he's writing back to the church because he wants them to not give up. He wants them to continue. And in a day and age like we live in today, we have some of the same kind of parallels. You see, as he's writing

back to them, it wasn't easy for the church. And it's not easy for the church today. People lived under enormous cultural and spiritual pressure. Sexual immorality was commonplace. And there was pagan worship in the middle of it all. God raises up a church. And he wants them to hold on to live out this powerful truth that actually will help them in the circumstances that they're in. And he presents a vision that is different than every other conventional societal wisdom that the church knows. So these churches, they gathered together and they weren't in a big room like we're in today. They actually gathered in those houses, like those terraced houses. And that's where the church was in homes. And so on the platform today, I have a typical living room set up, if you will, in this one, it would be much like in our house. We raised four kids and we got rid of all of our toys. And now they've come back. And now we're picking up after our grandkids leave and all of that. But in a house, people would gather together. And just like today, they get together and they would do conversations differently than they would out in the public sphere. Because in the public, you weren't allowed to say certain things. You're prevented from saying what you really thought. And if people knew what you really thought, they might trash you. And nowadays, it doesn't matter what you are in our cancel culture, they'll take you out. So there was great comfort and security when the church would gather together in homes. You've got your Bibles, go ahead and wave them in the air. Somebody got paper Bibles. I had somebody earlier that came up to me and said, "Look, Pastor Nate, I have left the digital space. "I brought a papal Bible to church." I said, "Come on, revival is happening in our church." Bring on the paper. How many have electronic versions those count to? Yeah, come on. We have the Scripture on the Emmanuel M.N. App. You've got, look with me at Ephesians chapter one. Paul writes this letter to the church that's gathered in living rooms. And somebody in the room, like me, would start reading.

And it was meant to encourage them. This is what he says. This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I'm writing to God's holy people in Ephesus who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Now what you see here, by the way, is a introduction. Paul does this in almost all of his letters where he kind of states who's sending the message. They would know who Paul is. And he's talking about who they are. They're God's holy people. In some versions it says saints. Some of you are like, I'm not a saint. Nobody's a saint without the blood of Jesus Christ. Come on, somebody. Because of Jesus, you're one of his holy people. Okay, let's keep going, verse number three. All praise to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. I'll keep going here a second, but, what does it say there? Even before he made the world he loved us. Now I want you to notice in this, this whole text, this sense of a bigger plan,

something larger than us, beyond our performance. God loves you so much, he chose you before he began the world. He chose us and he doesn't find fault and we don't find fault in his eyes. Verse five, God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do and it gave him great pleasure. He's adopted you in. Turn to the person next to you and say, you're in the family, you're welcome here. You don't have to go to church for 50 years. It's your first Sunday, welcome to the family. Verse six, so we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us, who belonged to his dear son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. This is fantastic as you look at it, and by the way, as we go through the scripture here, I want you to notice how many times it's a plural. It's not, he's been good to you individually, but us. When you're a part of the family, this is all of us gift to Sharon. He's showered us with this kindness. He's showered us with his grace. And you'll notice it as you go through the scripture. And in fact, if you look at it, you go, wow,

there's a connectedness here. It's not individual only, it's connected. Verse number nine, God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ, which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan. Somebody said, this is the plan. Yeah, what is the plan? What's he gonna tell us? At the right time, he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ, everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God for he chose us in advance and he makes everything work out according to his plan. What does it say here? He's got a plan. So no matter what you're walking through, I don't know what age you are and the stage of life that you're in, the responsibilities that you have, whether you're married or single, you have kids or you don't, it doesn't matter the season of life that you're in, no matter what's going on in the political world, no matter what's happening with the economy, no matter what's happening in your workplace or at your school, you need to hear this. God has a plan.

So when you are tempted to give up, to lose heart, to worry for the Ephesians, they had a whole bunch of a dark cloud The demonic was commonplace in Ephesus. They had it every time. If they would have had TikTok or Instagram or Twitter or something, they would have seen all the stuff that you see scrolling through. But Paul would say to you and he's saying to me, "God has a plan and everything on earth is up underneath the power of Jesus." He's the one in charge you don't need to worry. Come on, somebody. He chose us in advance and makes everything work out according to his plan. Verse number 12, "God's purpose was that we Jews who were first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the good news that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own. By giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago, the Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. Whoo, this is good stuff now. Yeah, go ahead and put your hands together for the reading of the Word of God.

Now Paul sets us up and I'm not done reading through Ephesians here, but I want you to catch what he does before he does anything else. He establishes our identity and our security, not in ourselves, but in God. Did you know that there's something bigger than me and it's God, that he sees things around us. He understands where we're at and even though we can't see clearly, he can. Me, turn to the person, actually you say, he's talking about me too. By myself, I can't see clearly in the dark. I bump into things in the dark. I make poor decisions in the dark. I have fear of what's around me in the dark. Sounds could trigger me in the dark. By myself, I am not the best version of me. In fact, by myself, I can't overcome everything happening around me. Life is too big, it's too relentless. It's coming from every direction. I get too tired, I can feel overwhelmed. Anybody here ever feel overwhelmed? And I can search for the wrong kind of help when I'm in a place where it's overwhelming me. Some people, they reach out for the bottle or an addiction of some sort. And they use that to calm themselves in the dark. But how many know, you're still in the dark? By myself, I fight alone.

I can win some fights, but I can't win everyone by myself. Battles wear you out and they can leave you with scars. The past losses can keep you from trying on the next battle that you face. But here's what I want you to see. And Paul lays it out here right away in Ephesians chapter one. With Jesus, me plus Jesus equals we. In other words, when Jesus is in your equation, anything can happen. When you move beyond me to we, there is great possibility the light starts going on. There's, you're not alone in your battle. You are, there's another person there to give you direction. And with Jesus, Jesus enters the equation. You have possibility. With Jesus, I'm included into his family. Says we're adopted in by the Father. Our culture trains us differently, trains us to things in terms of me, my truth, my happiness, my success, my preferences, my future. Even our faith can become my Jesus, my blessing, my purpose, my destiny, my calling. It can all be about me. But, and by the way, Jesus absolutely loves you. He died on the cross from your sins. But without Jesus, you are lost. It isn't all about you. Jesus wants you to be with him.

He wants to be coming to a re-equation in your story. But God's vision, for me, has always included that we. See, Jesus never saves you into isolation. He brings you into a family. This is really critical. And I want you to understand that in this moment, He says that if there's a father in there, this is good Trinitarian text here 'cause the father adopts you in. There's the son who died for you and there's the Holy Spirit who secures your inheritance. All three are there found in Ephesians chapter one. And the spirit secures all those things that God has promised for you. Now, I know that any time that I preach, there are people in the sound of my voice that really you live with a fear about the future or an insecurity about the future thinking somebody's gonna take it from me because you've had people in your life that have used you and you've lost things. So even when you hear a promise, you think, ah, that's not for me. Paul is saying, listen, this is bigger than you. This is bigger than even your personal story because God the father will send a Holy Spirit to secure your inheritance. You aren't gonna lose what he gives you. Don't live in fear of losing it. I love how it says that he identified you as his own

by giving you the Holy Spirit whom he promised long ago. The spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. The spirit secures your inheritance. Turn to the person and actually say, you don't have to lose it, you don't. God's vision revealed through the spirit is this. We is me plus the father's son and the spirit equals power for my life. When you enter that equation where the father's son and the spirit are connected to you, you have his power in your life. And for Paul the Apostle, he then lets us know what he is praying for the church. So go with me back into the living rooms and those terraces. What is Paul praying for us and over us? Says there in verse 15, ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere. I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly asking God, the glorious father of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called, his holy people who are as rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand

the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else, not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body. It is made full and complete by Christ who fills all things everywhere with himself. Come on, somebody. That is just who? Pray that over me, Lord. Paul is essentially saying in this letter, God help them see it, help the church see it. The light bulb go on, let the eyes see and perceive and understand. 'Cause when we're in the dark, we're in trouble. We can't see it. So he wants us to see it. Let me give you four things that he prays in this prayer and then we're gonna move ahead into service. The first is this. He prays for spiritual wisdom to grow in God that we might see that.

That we would have spiritual wisdom. Many of us have wisdom in our careers on our particular expertise. Some people are experts in sports and you could critique the game this afternoon and you know more than anybody else and then you're more depressed than anybody else later on as well. Some people have financial problems. Some people, they have studied more than anybody else, and they didn't even go to college, but they've learned on YouTube University, right? And they've learned more than anybody else. But let me ask this question, because this is what Paul is really saying. He's saying, listen, I pray that you actually have spiritual understanding. Spiritual wisdom. Wisdom isn't just knowledge, wisdom is the ability to know what to do with what you see. I pray that your eyes would be open earlier on, and throughout this chapter, he talks about the heavenly realms. The heavenly realms are both the natural world that we see and the supernatural world that we're in. Did you know that it says in there that Paul is illustrating that God has, Jesus has all authority in both dimensions. And he knows how to navigate the spiritual warfare that you're in, and he knows how to navigate the natural decisions that you need to make. Parents, when you don't know how to discipline or what to do with your kids as they grow up, you need spiritual wisdom so that you can do the right thing for their long-term health, not just react out of the way your mom and dad did it to you. And not just go, well, I'm just going to let them do whatever, because that's not parenting. Parenting means you train up your child in the way they should go and when they're all they won't depart from.

So you need spiritual wisdom in order to make the decisions that you need to make, amen? And this is what Paul is saying. Secondly, he wants us to see light to flood your heart, he says there in verse 18. Light, because when things are in the dark, we stumble, we make bad choices, we live in fear, and we need light to go on. When light goes on, it clears things up. And even your worries and your fears and your anxieties, when the light shines in there, you're a different human being. But we need the light to go on. Just a few years ago, Jodi and I went on a trip to another country, and we stayed in an apartment housing unit, and we were there. We liked it for a couple days, and then we went to another part of the city for a couple days and stayed in a hotel, because I was speaking in another place, and then we came back to that original apartment, so I've been dormant for a couple days, and when we walked in, we stepped on a couple things. And we're like, what's that? And we turn the light, and there are like five cockroaches right there in the apartment. Jodi's like, ahhh, she's like running for the bedroom to get up on top of the bed. She's like, no! Well I was with the missionary that was with the pastor of Missionary, that was with us, and she went into the bedroom, and I turned the corner into the kitchen and turned the light on, and I'm not lying, there were more than 50 cockroaches all over in the kitchen. And I said, Jodi, stay in the bedroom. Stay in the bedroom, while we went, and we just had a dance, we were literally killing all of these cockroaches. Now the thing was, there were a couple days in darkness, and these cockroaches thought they owned the house. But when the light came on, they went running. We have a lot of things in our minds, and our hearts, and our emotions, that when it's in darkness, the enemy just goes, shh, plays with us.

We need the light to shine. What does Psalm 119 say? Your word is a light to my path. We need to have that light go on. It's like, it's like taking out a flashlight, I brought a flashlight with me. It's taking out a flashlight and saying, I'm going to shine this. And by the way, when there's already light, bring on more light. Keep turn on it. The light's not offended by more light. We want more light. We don't want to stay dim. We want to become those that are full of light. Can I get an amen to that? Paul is praying that over us. All right? Third thing, he praises, understand that we would understand the greatness of God's power. That's the second half of verse 18. But we need to understand, in whatever we're walking through, God's power is bigger, grander. In fact, he uses the language where he says, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power we have in this moment. But when we don't understand that, when we're not embracing that, then people become giants to us. Obstacles. in the Old Testament, and they came back and Joshua and Caleb said, "Hey, we can conquer the land." But the other 10 said, "We became like grasshoppers in our own eyes. They were intimidated by the world around them. Intimidation does not come from God." And another letter, Paul says to Timothy,

"God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and sound mind. He's given you the ability to overcome the biggest obstacles in your life." And the only way that you can do that is when you understand just how powerful Jesus is and the power of the Holy Spirit that raised him from the dead is available right now in 2026. Come on. (congregation clapping) Think of all the obstacles, the enemies, the problems, the fears, and then ask God to show you his greatness in the moment that you're in. And finally, he prays that we would be connected to the church, whether to say God in verse 22, God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body, say that with me. And the church is his body. It is made full and complete by Christ who fills all things everywhere with himself. You cannot in the we, it isn't just me and Jesus, makes the we, for Jesus he includes the family. As we think about the futures, you think about the challenges that you face. You cannot face it alone in the dark. You need the body of Christ. You and I together is better than alone. In an isolated world, we need to recognize

that we need more than ourselves. It's not just your personal prayer life. It's just not you holding on by yourself, but where two or three are gathered together in his name, Jesus shows up. I need you, you need me. I cannot do this alone. We can do all things to Christ who gives us the strength. Come on, somebody, we need each other. This is where we, greater than me, gets very practical. You're gonna get discussion guides on your way out today and you can take advantage of all of the weekly discussions and I would encourage you, either join a group or start a group. Don't wait around. Get one other friend or two other friends or we've got larger groups that are gonna be shared on each of our locations on midweek. You can jump into one of those as well. We call them super groups. But my thought is, why not start diving into Ephesians together and see what God begins to say to you? And there's just something about not just listening to me yell at you on Sunday when you can go back into the living room and you're sitting down and you got your real life stuff you're dealing with and you're able to talk about it. And then, you know, it doesn't matter what the subject is, whatever you're really dealing with,

you get to pray together with somebody else. You know, we're going through this. I can tell you over my lifetime, the groups that I've been in are just as powerful and important to me as Sunday morning. And it isn't always like, I can tell you this, there are some Monday nights. I'm like, Jody will tell me, we got group tonight. I'm like, I don't want to go. I'm busy, it's the end of a long day. I'm not sure, but I don't leave that way. 'Cause when we show up and we start seeing our friends and we're sharing each other's stories and we pray together, when I leave, I leave better. Together is better. Can I get an amen to that? It absolutely is better. So as a church, we're in four different locations. We got Elk River, Maple Grove, Lakeville, Spring Lake Park, but even beyond the big sanctuaries, we're actually in thousands of locations when the church gathers together. And in a moment, I'm going to stop talking in the past or in each location is going to finish today's message. Because God's vision for your life is not merely to watch somebody preach on a screen. It is to know and be known by the people God has placed around you. And I love this about a manual.

We're many locations, but we're still one church by the power of the Spirit. We is greater than me, does not just happen on its own. It happens where you are with the people God has placed around you. And I want you to see Zack and Tori's story outside of just attending church. Go ahead and watch their story. (laughing) - Hi, my name is Zach Anderson, and this is my wife, Tori, and we attend at the Lakeville location. We have been married for a few years. We're starting our family, and we're just looking for a new church that fit the season of life. And Emmanuel was super awesome, but it just kind of stayed isolated to Sundays. - I had been praying for years to find friends, to find a community. Through volunteering, we found people that we really enjoy spending our time with, and through that, we would get involved in Connect Groups. - That's where it kind of broke past that layer, and over time, that Connect Group family will literally start becoming a family, and it moved from, these are just people that we see on Sundays, and oh, we see them with our Connect Groups, too, and now it was people that we're going out to eat with, and people that we're taking our families to the zoo with,

and-- - Through these Connect Groups, I found some of my best friends. People that we laugh with, people that we enjoy life with, people that our kids, our boys, get to grow up with, and friends that they also have, which is even more of a blessing and an answer to prayer than what we had originally asked for. - There's actually one memory that really stands out, and that was we had just had Sebastian, and yes, everybody who's, you know, new parents that first week is crazy. You're in like zombie mode, you don't know what day it is, and there were so many people that showed up with diapers and with food, and all of that was just such, such incredible experience that it's just locked in my mind forever as like, that's what it feels like to have community show up. You know, I think a lot of times we think of it as like, oh, well, I don't wanna go to someone's house and do a Bible study, and that's awkward. It's like, it's more about we get together, we do life together, and that is just such a blessing, and it just really like fills out life in a way that you don't really understand that there's a part of life missing there until you have that community piece, and now I can't give it up. Like, I just cannot give up the community

that we found at a manual, 'cause it's just so awesome. (audience applauding) - It's so good, isn't it? In an isolated world, together is better than alone. Can we say that together? In an isolated world, together is better than alone. I love Zach and Tori's story, and I love how they could have settled for just the surface relationship, and just knowing and having people more in an acquaintance type of relationship, but they were desiring something deeper than that. Friends and people they could do life with, laugh with, people that could bring a meal train, that's always helpful for your brand new parent, right? And I can identify with the challenge of changing diapers and sleep this night and all that, and I'm so grateful that we've graduated out of that season and stage of life, and every season brings its own challenges. I love that Zach and Tori were open to pursue that, but you know what, it wasn't just their idea, that's God's idea, not only for them, but for all of us, because as he begins to work in our lives, he will always draw us onto himself into deeper connection with Jesus, with God the Father, with the Holy Spirit, but he will also draw us into connection with each other, and it is easy for all of us to stick to isolation, it can feel safer, but that's a lie.

It's actually weaker to stand alone. When we learn how to stand with Jesus and we are not fighting alone, like Pastor Nate said, we get to lean into his authority and his power. Think of other stories, beyond Zach and Tori's from Spring Lake Park here. I talked to someone in the lobby today and they said, "You have no idea how much my life has changed "over the course of this past year." And the people that God has brought into my life have been part of that journey. I am a different person from what I was a year ago. And that's what God does, is he connects us with other people as we are on this journey together. I love that we can pray for that, we can pray for it, we can ask God, and here's the thing. If we ask, then we're also gonna notice when he responds. If we seek, like Pastor Phil talked about last week, then we're gonna be on the lookout to recognize God's answers to us as well. And we'll find what God has placed. Think of my own connect group, and I can identify with what Pastor Nate said, whenever I'm hosting at my home, I know that I have vacuum duties at my house. That's my, it's a, we vacuum more than whenever we're hosting the group. I do want to mention that. But we especially, we need to make sure that the lines are evident in the carpets

as people show up. 'Cause that speaks to intentionality and cleanliness. And sometimes I don't feel like it. I'm like, oh man, I got just, I'm kind of exhausted. But every time we come together, what does it say, Matthew, wherever two or three are gathered, Jesus is in their midst. It's not only my friends, not only the people I'm on the journey with, but Jesus is at the center. Every single time there's something replenishing, refreshing, encouraging that happens. And I get to lean into them when we're going through different challenges. When we've had health issues within our extended family, I get to say, hey, I need you guys to pray with me and believe with me. That's not weakness. That's what Jesus modeled and get semi. He said, pray with me. This is a really difficult moment. And he leaned into his friends, being the son of God. How much more do we need to do life with others? How much more do we need to invite others to come to our side and we can be there for them. They can be there for us. I think of a family that came a few years ago and they were checking out a manual. And they said, we're going to give it three tries. And I thought that's pretty good 'cause a lot of people will give you like 10 minutes

or three minutes, right? And they said, we're going to check it out. We're going to kind of do a three phased sample of a manual. And then after the first Sunday that they were here and their girls got to get plugged in at kids ministry, it was already decided. 'Cause right away they felt at home. Right away their ministry lead, learned their names, connected with them, they made new friends and kids have an ability to do that, right? They can play, they don't even have to speak the same language. They can play for hours in a part together. And over time we lose that ability and we become more isolated. That's just how the world around us works. But in an isolated world, together is better than alone. I love the story that Pastor Nate talked about with Jody as the lights are off. You might feel like the floor is a little crunchier than it should be, right? Cracked, snappled, pop. And won't get too graphic 'cause we got cheese curds and all kinds of good stuff later. So I don't want to ruin your appetite. But as the lights go on, the cockroaches realize they don't own that house. And sometimes we're afraid of the light 'cause we're afraid of what it might expose in our own hearts, in our own soul.

There's so many barriers and things that happen in our contacts that could prevent us from being connected to Jesus or connected to others that could get us stuck in the me approach to life without ever getting to the we approach to life. And the good news is that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is Paul praised for the Ephesians. He prays that over us that we would get, that we would discover the reality of what God has already done that we would see the truth for what it is. That same power is at work in me. It's at work in you. It's work in us. And Jesus is the ultimate authority over everything. And if I can bring my life, every aspect of my life, under his guidance, under his leadership, under his authority, then the light begins to come on and he begins to help me overcome the barriers that are on the outside and a lot of the barriers might be on the inside as well. Or what if they don't accept me? What if they don't want? What if I get hurt again? What if I'm not able to trust? What if I'm not? And we struggle, all of us, that's human nature. But with Jesus, we can overcome each of those different obstacles. Like Zach and Tori, they were praying for friends. You know, who planted that prayer in their hearts?

The Holy Spirit. 'Cause that's his ultimate plan is that none of us would be isolated. That every one of us would experience the beauty and the power of being connected to him and connected to each other. So what does it look like for us today? And I wanna challenge you. I wanna encourage you, don't leave today without taking a next step. to look at the different options that you have for groups within the next seven weeks. You might be like, "I don't know what if the people I get connected to are really odd. What if it's like a death sentence that I'm stuck with them from here to eternity? It's not going to happen. I've got an af off-ramp in seven weeks, so I mean, you can in a dignified way just say, "Thank you. This has been great, and we'll see you in the lobby sometime." But what if that next step is to say, maybe pull some friends together and say, "Hey, let's do this study of Ephesians together." What if it is to say, "I want to, you know what I want to find a group that is geared to marriage or a group that's geared to men or women or young adults or whatever it is, just all kinds of options? If you're like at a loss, you don't really know what to do. Come join me on Wednesday nights. I mean, we're going to do this over the next seven weeks. I'd love to have you in our group that's going to meet here on Wednesdays at seven. What is that next step? So this could be one of the things. Maybe you go and talk to some of the different, at the tables outside, we're going to have different group leaders, and you can go and connect with them and talk with them and ask

them some questions and listen because God will give you wisdom and He'll guide the steps that you need to take. God gives us the desire as well as the fulfillment in our hearts. Ultimately, He's the one that is leading us into connection with each other. Maybe the next step is you need to, instead of rushing out, just pause. Take a moment. Talk to someone. Love that. But all kinds of excuses, we've got a petting zoo with alpacas. You can make fun of the pig with someone that you don't even know, right? And just say, "Look at that thing. God is so creative and does say to not pet its face." So I do want to mention, there's hand sanitizer, there's all kinds of, there's inflatables, there's all kinds of things. It's not about that. That's just the context for conversation and friendship and connection in relationship to happen. Let's not just stay at the surface and talk about the weather and about the game this afternoon. Let's take time to notice each other, to listen. Tell me a little bit about your story. Tell me a little bit about how did you come to a manual, how did you connect here? And God will lead each of our steps. He will guide us, He will lead us. But the prayer and the challenge is that you would not leave today without taking that extra step that God wants you to take. I'm going to invite you to stand to your feet. I'm going to pray that the lights would come on so that your steps are not crunchy. And that God will fulfill the desire and the dream that's in His heart in an isolated world together is better than alone.

Would you pray with me before we sing a song together? Father, we just thank you because you love us so much. You know each and every one of us, you know our stories better than we know them. You know God of our joys, you know of our apprehensions, you know of our disappointments, you know of our fears, you know of our shame or anxiety and God you have a plan and a path and a purpose for each and every one of us. Lord I pray just like the Apostle Paul prayed that you would, that your light would pour into our hearts, that you would shine into our hearts, ignite hope into our hearts, God. And lead us in deeper connection with you and in a deeper connection with the people around us. God, we bring all of who we are under your authority, under your lordship. Can you say that together with me? Can you just pray and say, God, I want you to be not only the ultimate authority of the universe, be the ultimate authority of my life. Be the ultimate authority, God, of my thoughts, of my emotions, of my family, of my marriage or my parenthood, of my work place, God, of my friendships. Be my Lord, be my leader in every aspect of who I am. Be at the center of my life. Jesus name and as we sing this song, I encourage you to make room, to listen to God's voice 'cause he gives you insight into that next stop.