Nobody Grows Alone

Intro: Theme/Topic (What’s the problem, the question, etc.)

Growing up as a kid in the 90s, I was a huge Michael Jordan fan. Like millions of other boys my age, I wanted to Be Like Mike.

I wore the shoes. I watched every game I could. I tried the fadeaway jumper in the driveway — and I can assure you, it did not look the same.

And like most people, I grew up believing a certain story about how Michael Jordan became Michael Jordan.

Maybe you’ve heard it…

He was cut from his high school varsity team as a sophomore. He went home, locked himself in his room, and cried. And then he picked himself up, worked harder than anyone else, and through sheer grit and determination became the greatest basketball player who ever lived.

It's the ultimate self-made story. The lone wolf in the gym before sunrise, outworking everyone, driven by an internal fire that no one else could match.

And we love that story because it confirms something we deeply believe — that real transformation is an individual project.

That if you just want it badly enough, work hard enough, and dig deep enough, you can become whatever you want to become on your own.

But here's what most people don't know.

Jordan wasn't actually cut. His coach, Pop Herring, placed him on the JV team intentionally to develop him — and gave him access to practice with the varsity. That coach saw his potential and made a deliberate decision to put him in a position to grow.

Then Dean Smith at North Carolina shaped his discipline, taught him to play unselfishly, and refined his raw talent into something the world had never seen.

And later, Phil Jackson challenged him, got under his skin, pushed him toward a team-first system that Jordan initially resisted — and it's the reason he went from being a scoring champion to a six-time NBA champion.

Jordan didn't become Jordan alone. The version of the story we celebrate — of the man who willed himself to greatness — is a myth.

The real story is a series of people who got close enough to challenge him and honest enough to tell him what he didn't want to hear.

And here's the thing — this isn't just true in sports. It's true in the most important area of your life. Every one of us in this room, if we're honest, wants to become more like Jesus.

We want to grow. We want to change.

But most of us are going about it as if spiritual growth works the same way we've been told the Michael Jordan story works — as if it's an individual project.

Just read your Bible more. Pray harder. Listen to another podcast. Try a new devotional. Just dig deeper and do more, and eventually you'll get there.

But what if that's not how it works? What if that story is as much of a myth in your spiritual life as it is in Michael Jordan's career? What if the answer to the question,

"What does it actually take to become more like Christ?"

…is an answer you weren't expecting?

That's exactly what the Apostle Paul shows us in our text this morning. So if you have your Bibles, turn with me to Galatians chapter 4, and we'll be reading verses 12 through 20.

If you need to use a pew Bible, you’ll find today’s text on page 1156. Once you’re there, please stand with me if you are able and follow along with me as I read...

Galatians 4:12–20 ESV

Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

This God’s Word!

Prayer

Father as we sit under the preaching of Your Word this morning may it prove to be powerful and effective in each of our hearts. May Christ be lifted high and the cry of our hearts become: I Want to Be Like Christ. Open our eyes in these moments to see and know what it takes to get there. We ask all this in Christ’s name — Amen!

Intro: Formal (give context to passage, setting the scene, big idea)

Now, to understand what Paul is doing in this passage, you need to know where we are in this letter.

Galatians is a letter Paul wrote to a group of churches that were in trouble — not because they had rejected Jesus, but because they were being persuaded to ADD to Him!

False teachers had come in after Paul left and told these believers, "Yes, faith in Christ is important — but it's not enough.

If you really want to be right with God, you also need to follow the Law of Moses. You need to be circumcised. You need to observe certain days and feasts and food laws." And the Galatians were drinking the Kool-Aid!

So Paul writes this letter, and he is not calm about it. If you go back and read this letter from the beginning, you'll see that he spends the first two chapters defending his apostleship and the gospel he received directly from Christ.

Then in chapters 3 and 4, he builds this rigorous theological argument —

from Abraham, from the purpose of the law, from the promise of the Spirit — all to prove one thing: You are made right with God by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

And he wraps up that argument just before our text with that line in verse 11 that drips with frustration: "I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain."

And then something shifts.

When we get to verse 12, Paul puts down the theologian's pen and picks up a pastor's heart. He stops arguing and starts pleading. He moves from, "here's why I'm right," to, "don't you remember what we had? Don't you remember who I was to you? Don't you remember who you were?"

And by the time he gets to verse 19, he's using the language of a mother in labor — anguishing over these people he loves because they're drifting away from the very gospel that set them free.

And here's why this matters for us this morning. Because in this deeply personal, deeply emotional appeal, Paul reveals something about how spiritual growth actually works — something most of us overlook.

We tend to think that becoming more like Christ is between me and God.

My quiet time. My prayer life. My discipline. And those things do matter — I don’t mean to minimize those things.

But Paul reveals in this passage that there is a dimension of your growth in Christlikeness that will never happen apart from other people.

Remember our question from a moment ago:

What does it actually take to become more like Christ?

And here’s the answer Paul shows us:

You won't become more like Christ without people who love you enough to anguish over your soul.

And Paul is going to show us that we need people who will invest in us in three important ways if we're going to grow.

We need people who draw near.

We need people who speak truth.

And we need people who give their heart.

And when we're done, I think you'll see that every one of these ultimately points us to Jesus — who does all three perfectly.

So let's look at the first one. Back in verse 12…

People Who Draw Near

Galatians 4:12 ESV

Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are.

Notice that Paul doesn't say, "I command you." He says, "I entreat you."

This is not an authority figure pulling rank. This is a spiritual father opening his heart. There's a difference.

And when someone who loves you pleads with you, that should get your attention even more than a command.

So what is he pleading for? "Become as I am."

Now, Paul is not saying, "Become perfect like me." That's not the appeal. The appeal is: come back to the freedom I'm living in.

Think about what's happening here.

Paul was a Jew — a Pharisee — a man with every reason in the world to build his life on law-keeping and religious performance.

And he walked away from all of it for Christ. He already told us that back in chapter 2, verse 19:

Galatians 2:19 ESV

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.

And now these Galatians — Gentiles who never had the law in the first place — are picking it up! They're chasing the very thing Paul laid down. The irony is staggering.

So Paul is not saying he’s the perfect example in every way. He’s simply saying, "I'm further down the road than you are. I've tasted the freedom you're walking away from. Follow me back to it."

This is the same thing he says in 1 Corinthians 11:1

1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

And church, this is what you need if you’re going to grow. You need people in your life who are ahead of you on the road. Not perfect people. But people who are close enough for you to see how the gospel has changed them. People whose lives make the freedom of the gospel visible.

You can't imitate someone you've never observed up close. You can't follow someone who's standing at a distance. Growth requires proximity.

Now look back at the second half of verse 12: "for I also have become as you are."

Don't miss the order here. Paul drew near to them first. Before he ever said, "Become as I am," he became as they were.

As a Jew, he crossed cultural, religious, and social boundaries to live among Gentile.

He ate with them, He entered their world. Listen to how he describes this in 1 Corinthians 9:

1 Corinthians 9:19–22 ESV

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law… …To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

Do you see what Paul is saying here? He didn't stand on a hill and shout, "Come up here and be like me!" He came down. He entered their world. He got close.

And this principle isn't just for missionaries and pastors — it's for every Christian.

The way you engage your neighbor, your coworker, your classmate, a family member who doesn't know Christ — it all comes down to whether you're willing to draw near first or whether you're waiting for them to come to you.

But here's where we need to be very careful, because there are two opposite errors to avoid — and both of them will kill your ministry.

The first error is refusing to draw near. There is a stream within Christianity that has historically demanded that people become like them first.

Dress like us. Talk like us. Eat like us. Do everything our way — then we'll accept you.

They are rigid not just in the gospel but in everything —

Their methods, Their preferences, Their cultural expectations.

And it keeps the very people they want to reach at arm's length.

I read recently about some missionaries working among a tribal people group who struggled for months to see any gospel fruit.

A visiting missionary finally pointed out the problem: The tribe was offended because the missionaries refused to allow the eldest member of the tribe to speak first at their gatherings.

The missionaries explained that their training taught them it wouldn't be appropriate for a nonbeliever to address the group.

Do you see what happened? Their rigid adherence to a method had become a barrier to the very gospel they came to share. They were so committed to their strategy that they couldn't see they were keeping the people at a distance.

But the second error is just as dangerous. Other streams within Christianity have gone the opposite direction. They've become so much like the culture around them that there's nothing discernibly different about their lives.

They drew so close to the world that they disappeared into it.

And for them to say, "Become as I am," would make no sense — because there's nothing to become! There's no observable Christ-formed life to imitate.

Paul avoided both of these. When it came to the gospel, he was absolutely rigid — not one inch of compromise. Remember what he already said back in chapter 2, verse 5:

Galatians 2:5 ESV

to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.

But when it came to cultural methods, personal preferences, and ministry strategy? Paul had open hands. He was flexible and willing to adapt.

Because drawing near to people matters more than preserving your personal comfort.

So here's two questions for you this morning:

Are you letting anyone who is more spiritually mature than you close enough for you to be changed by them?

And are you drawing near enough to anyone for them to see Christ in you?

Because if you're holding everyone at a distance — if your Christian life is just you, your Bible, and your earbuds — you're missing what Paul says you need. You need people who draw near. And you need to be people who draw near.

But drawing near is only the beginning. Because people who truly love you won't just get close. They'll do something far more costly. They’ll be people who speak the truth…

People Speak the Truth

Next, in verses 13–15, Paul takes them back in time to remind them of who they were when the gospel was fresh and undistorted —a time before the false teachers arrived.

Notice how the grace of God was evident in their lives:

In verses 13–14, Paul recalls how he first came to them in weakness. He had some kind of bodily ailment. Now, the nature of this illness is debated, but the point isn't the diagnosis — the point is that Paul didn't arrive in power, all polished up and impressive.

He was weak. He was unattractive. He came to them in need.

And Paul says his condition was a trial to them — meaning his physical state may have been so off-putting, and his care such a burden, that they had every natural, human reason to send him away.

But they didn't! They didn't scorn him. They didn't despise him — and that word "despise" in the Greek adds the vivid picture of spitting something out of your mouth. They could have spit him out. But instead?

They didn't just welcome him as a guest or a visiting teacher — they welcomed him as God's own messenger — an angel of God — as if Christ Jesus Himself!

That's who they were when the gospel was new and fresh among them.

But then Paul asks a haunting question in verse 15:

What then has become of your blessedness?

Or, “Where did your joy go?"

There was a time when these people were happy, alive, overflowing — because of the gospel.

They showed extravagant, self-sacrificing love. Paul says if they could have, they would have plucked out their very eyes and given them to him.

That's who they were!

Church, this is what people look like when they are walking close to Jesus.

There's joy. There's warmth. There's generosity. There's spiritual receptivity. There’s sacrifice There's a willingness to welcome even unimpressive people into your life.

Church, when the gospel is doing its work in you — it shows.

But now look at what they've become. Verse 16:

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Let that sit with you for a moment.

The same people who would have gouged out their own eyes for Paul — now treat him as an enemy.

What changed? Not Paul. Not his message. The only thing that changed is that the truth became inconvenient.

Notice what Paul doesn't ask. He doesn't ask,

"Did I mistreat you?" "Was I too harsh?" "Did I insult you?"

No. Just this: "Did I become your enemy — by telling you the truth?" That's all it took.

Church, here's what you need to understand:

When someone is drifting, truth feels like an attack. The messenger becomes the enemy — not because they did anything wrong, but because they exposed something the person didn't want to face.

Proverbs 27:6 puts it this way:

Proverbs 27:6 ESV

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

The people turned on Paul — not because he failed them, but because he refused to stop telling them the truth.

Now, let me slow down here for a moment and press in with two questions…

First — Is there someone in your life telling you a hard truth right now?

A pastor, a mentor, a small group leader, a friend? And are you pulling away from them?

Paul's question should haunt you: Have they become your enemy simply because they told you the truth?

Is it possible that the person you're pushing away is the person who loves you most?

Second — have you told someone the truth and been cut off for it?

Maybe a friend or family member. Maybe someone in this church.

You spoke the truth in love, and they pushed you away.

I want you to know — Paul felt that too. And the fact that it hurt doesn't mean you were wrong…

Faithful wounds are still faithful.

Now in verse 17, Paul paints a stark contrast by exposing the false teachers:

Where Paul told them the truth at the risk of rejection, the false teachers told them what they wanted to hear to earn their allegiance.

Paul says they "made much of" the Galatians.

In other words: flattering attention, zealous interest, enthusiastic affirmation. And it felt like love. But it wasn't.

Then Paul exposes their motives — it was "for no good purpose." Their flattery wasn't sincere. It was strategic.

Paul says they wanted to "shut you out" — they created an insider-versus-outsider dynamic that said, "Follow our rules or you're out."

And that made these false teachers the indispensable gatekeepers. It was a system designed to create dependency.

And church, let's call this what it is: This is toxic codependency dressed up in religious clothing.

Because these false teachers were really feeding their own emotional need to be needed.

They needed fans who adored them to feel validated, To fee important. To feel sure they were right with God.

So they told people what they wanted to hear to keep the praise flowing.

And these kinds of teachers are still out there today. There are leaders and teachers who have built massive platforms at the expense of making disciples — because they want your applause more than your growth.

This is what you need to see:

There is a massive difference between a person who tells you what you want to hear and a person who tells you what you need to hear.

The first one feels like a friend but functions like a drug dealer — they keep you coming back for the next hit of affirmation.

The second one might feel like an enemy in the moment — but they're the one who actually loves you.

And what makes the difference? — The gospel.

Because only the gospel can free you from the need for people's approval. And that freedom is exactly what makes honest love possible.

Because, if you need someone to like you, you will never tell them the hard truth. You'll flatter them to keep the relationship safe.

But Paul didn't need the Galatians' approval — because he already had Christ's. And that freed him to love them with honesty even when it cost him everything.

So let me ask you: Are you a truth-teller or a flatterer?

When you see a brother or sister drifting, do you say something? Or do you stay quiet because you don't want to rock the boat?

When your love for someone is selfish, you will not tell them the truth they need to hear — out of fear of their disapproval.

Now, Paul doesn't want to give the impression that making much of someone is inherently a bad thing. Look at verse 18 —

Galatians 4:18 ESV

It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose…

Church, it’s a good thing to encourage one another — to build each other up as we pursue growth in Christ.

The question isn't whether you build people up — the question is why.

The false teachers made much of the Galatians so that the Galatians would make much of them. That was a transaction.

Paul made much of the Galatians so that Christ would be formed in them. That was a sacrifice.

Are you the kind of person who builds others up so they'll think well of you? Or so that Christ would be formed in them? Same action — completely different motive. And the motive is everything.

Now, now Paul offers a pointed rebuke in the second half of verse 18 when he says — "not only when I am present with you"

Paul is confronting the Galatians for shifting their convictions based on whoever was in the room at the time.

When Paul was there, they followed Paul. When the false teachers showed up, they followed the false teachers.

Their faith was being shaped by the last persuasive voice they heard — rather than by the truth itself.

Church, this is why we must root ourselves deeply in the Word of God. Because you need to be people whose faith is stable even when the voices change — people whose convictions don't shift based on who's in the room.

So Paul has shown us that we need people who will draw near, and people who will tell us the truth — even when it costs them. This is what it takes to become more like Christ. But there's a deeper level still.

In verses 19 and 20, Paul reveals what's underneath all of this — the kind of love that drives a person to draw near and to speak truth in the first place. And when you see it, I think it will wreck you in the best possible way. Look at verse 19…

People Who Give Their Heart

Galatians 4:19 ESV

my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!

So far in this letter Paul has been a theologian, an apologist, a debater — But now he calls them “my little children.” This is the tender language of a parent not a professor.

And then Paul does something stunning that should stop us in our tracks!

Paul — a man — reaches for the most viscerally costly human experience he can think of to describe his love for these people.

He labored for their spiritual birth the first time when he preached the Gospel to them.

But now because of their regression — he’s going through it all over again.

The word “Anguish” is the Greek word used for labor pains:

Not mild discomfort. Not frustration. But the gut-wrenching, Body-breaking agony of bringing life into this world

Paul is saying, this is what your drifting is doing to me! It’s not irritating me… It’s not frustrating me… It’s tearing me apart!

——

But this also tells us something about Paul’s determination. Because a mother in labor doesn’t quit. She doesn’t walk away. She endures the pain — because she knows that what’s on the other side is worth it!

And Paul endures this anguish because he knows that what’s on the other side is worth it — Christ formed in them!

And church, this the goal of everything Paul has been writing in this entire letter…

Not doctrinal correction for its own sake. Not behavioral compliance. Not allegiance to Paul. The goal is Christ being formed in them!

The labor metaphor keeps going — Like a child being formed in the womb — Christ is being formed in them…

Their character, their affections, their priorities, their loves — are all being shaped into the likeness of Jesus!

This is the goal of all spiritual growth across the New Testament:

Romans 8:29 ESV

…to be conformed to the image of his Son.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

…beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.

1 John 3:2 ESV

…when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

So let me bring us back to our Big Question:

What does it actually take to become more like Christ?

Paul has shown us the answer. It takes people who are willing to endure the anguish of laboring over your soul until Christ takes shape in you.

Spiritual formation is not a solo project. It’s an intensely relational, deeply costly, profoundly vulnerable process.

And it takes people who will invest their hearts in you and anguish over you.

Look with me now at verse 20:

Galatians 4:20 ESV

I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

I love Paul’s honesty here — because he acknowledges that even the very letter he is writing is not enough. — He wishes he could be in person.

To see their faces. To read the room. To adjust his tone in the moment.

A letter is one directional. It can’t respond to tears. It can’t soften when it sees brokenness. It can’t press harder when it senses stubbornness.

Sometimes love needs to be firm. Sometimes it needs to be tender. But you can only know which is needed when you’re in the room.

And church, if an Apostle writing a letter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says that even a letter isn't enough — what does that tell us about our modern substitutes?

The pastor on YouTube doesn’t know your name. He cannot anguish over your soul. The podcasts you listen to can’t read the room of your life. That TikTok influencer can’t change their tone for you. Chat GPT will tell you what you want to hear — and has no heart to anguish over you.

Now hear me — I'm not saying any of those resources are bad. They can all be used for good — they have their place…

But they are not — and they can never be — a substitute for people who are physically present in your life…

Who know you by name, Who can look you in the eye and say… Somethings not right — Let’s talk.

Paul wanted so desperately to be in the room. And you need people in your life who are in your room!

So let me be direct with you: Do you have people in your life who anguish over your soul?

Not people who are casually interested in you Not people who will cheer you on from a distance. But people who will lose sleep over you, People whose hearts break when you wander and burst with joy when you grow!

In a general sense, this is what church elders do. And this is part of what it means to be a member of a local church like ours. It’s saying that these are the leaders I want to hold me accountable. These are the people I want to let into my life.

This is what Hebrews 13:17 is all about:

Hebrews 13:17 ESV

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls.

Not Submit in a servile way — but in a way that says, "I respect the role of spiritual leadership they have over this church and over my soul."

But this goes deeper than elders — Who are the spiritual mentors, the teachers, the small group leaders in the church who love you enough to hold you accountable?

If you don’t have these people — Seek them out!

Find people who are over you in the Lord… Who love you… And who have the Gospel in their hearts.

People whose hearts you will break when you wander… And whose hearts will burst when you grow in Christ.

But let’s flip this question around? Whose soul is your heart aching for right now? Whose spiritual drift keeps you up at night? Who are the people you would gouge out your eyes for if you could?

This is not easy. And it’s not for the faint of heart. It requires the heart of a mother for her child. And it will make you vulnerable. When that person is doing well, it will bring you unspeakable joy! But when they wander — they will break your heart.

If you’re not sure you can bear that, consider these words from C.S. Lewis:

“If you don’t want your heart broken, don’t give it up. Wrap it in a casket of selfishness, and in that casket it will stay. It will not be broken. It will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”

Church, to refuse to put your heart out there feels safer. But it’s actually more dangerous — because a heart that never risks breaking for someone else is a heart that is slowly dying.

——

God works in your life through a variety of means. But one primary way He forms Christ in you is through other believers who give you their hearts.

Christ did not die to establish a church service you could sit through for an hour and a half on Sundays to meet some arbitrary obligation!

The church is community. It’s people who love and care for one another. Who hold each other accountable. Who weep when you wander and rejoice when you thrive!

And becoming a member of a local church is a way of saying: These are the people I will give my heart to and who will give their hearts to me.

And church, there are some real and tangible needs for this kind of ministry right now. And I want you to seriously be in prayer about them.

We need people who will give their hearts for our teens like this in our youth ministry.

We need people who will give their hearts for our children as Sunday School and Children’s Church teachers.

We need people who will give their hearts for the youngest among us by serving in our nursery.

This is not a volunteer announcement. This is what I’ve been preaching about for the last forty-five minutes with skin on it. This is drawing near, speaking truth, and giving your heart — for the next generation. And it starts with you saying, "I'm willing."

But I don't want to end this sermon without asking the most important question of all: How could someone like Paul possibly love people like this? What kind of person is willing to have their heart broken over and over, to endure suffering, and hardship for people who might reject him? Where does that kind of love come from?

It comes from knowing Christ — who is the ultimate embodiment of everything we’ve seen in this text today.

Jesus drew near to us — He didn’t stand up in heaven and demand that we climb up to Him. He came down. He was made like us in every way. He entered our world — our weakness, our brokenness, our mess — and He drew near.

Jesus spoke the truth — Even when it cost Him everything. Even when people He loved turned on Him. Even when telling the truth led to a cross.

Jesus gave His heart — His heart was in anguish over you. And He did more than gouge out His eyes for you — He gave His life for you. He died on the cross and rose again to pay for your sins and forgive you.

Jesus did this to welcome you — When you were unattractive and weak — He received you as an angel of God so that you could become as He is.

It's only when you've been on the receiving end of that kind of love —

A Savior who drew near to you… Who spoke truth to you… Who gave His heart and His life for you… That you can begin to do the same for others.

And if you’ve never received this love before — Jesus offers it to you today. It's not something you earn. It's not something you add to. It’s a gift of grace received by faith alone.

And you can receive it right now from wherever you’re sitting, by simply calling out to Him from your heart.

You might pray something like this:

Jesus, I have treated you like an enemy. I need Your forgiveness. And I trust that when You died on the cross, you paid for all my sin. And I believe that when You rose again, You did so to give me life! Forgive me, Jesus. Give me life. And make me part of Your family. — Amen!

If you prayed something like that just now, I'd love to celebrate that with you. I'll be at the front doors after the service — come find me. Because the Bible says you have passed from death to life, and that's worth sharing and rejoicing over.

Conclusion/Response (Gospel & Repent/Believe)

We began by today by seeing that Michael Jordan didn't become Jordan by himself.

It took a coach who put him in a position to grow. A mentor who taught him discipline. A leader who got under his skin and told him what he didn't want to hear.

And Jordan fought some of them along the way — but they wouldn't let him go.

And church, you won't become more like Christ alone either.

You need people who draw near. People who speak truth. People who give their heart.

And you need to become that person for someone else.

So as you leave here this morning, I want you to sit with one question. Don't answer it out loud — just let it work on you this week:

Who in your life needs you to be their Paul?

Prayer

Jesus, we thank You that You did not leave us alone. You drew near to us. You spoke truth to us even when we didn't want to hear it. And You gave Your heart for us — all the way to the cross. Holy Spirit, form Christ in us more deeply. Give us the courage to draw near to others, the faithfulness to speak truth, and the love to give our hearts — even when it costs us. Show each of us this week who needs us to be their Paul. We ask this in the name of Jesus — Amen.

Closing Song: “Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me”

Closing Words:

Yet not I but through Christ in me — That’s what looks like to have Christ formed in you! — His life living through yours. May He continue to use believers in your life to form Christ in you more and more every day.

Now before I end the service, I want to say three brief things:

Gospel Appeal:

First — if God has moved in your heart today and you're ready to receive Christ as your Savior, there will be people up front after the service who would love to talk and pray with you. If you trusted Christ today for the first time — I’d love to hear about it. Come tell me at the front doors on your way out today so I can celebrate with you!

Next Steps:

Second — if you're already a believer but you've been sitting on the sidelines, today is the day to take a step. Maybe that step is being baptized to publicly declare your faith. Maybe it's becoming a member of this church and saying, "These are my people." Maybe it's answering the call to serve — in youth ministry, in children's church, in the nursery. Whatever that next step is — take it. Don't put off what God is stirring in your heart today. Fill out our Next Steps form today by scanning the QR code or tapping your phone to the white tag in your pew.

Missional Charge:

And finally — you are not staying here. I'm sending you out. You are going back to your homes, your workplaces, your neighborhoods, your schools. And when you get there, I want you to carry one question with you: Who needs me to be their Paul this week? Draw near to someone. Speak truth to someone. Give your heart to someone. Because that is how Christ is formed — in you and through you.

Benediction: Hebrews 13:20–21

“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”