Latest / HBCWestminster / 3.13.22 Luke 22:24-38 Pastor Nathan Anderson

Transcript

3.13.22 Luke 22:24-38 Pastor Nathan Anderson · HBCWestminster

• 0:00
  This morning we're going to be going back to the gospel of Luke. We're going to pick back up in Luke chapter 22 where Danny left off just two weeks ago. Our passage is going to be Luke chapter 22 verses 24 through 38. So if you want to begin turning there to prepare to read God's word together, you can do so now. As we ready to read though, may I just give us a gentle nudge, a gentle
• 0:30
  reminder this morning that we should remember what it is we are about to do. We read the very words of God. These words breathed out by God as 2 Timothy 3.16 says which are indeed always, always useful for teaching, rebuking, and training.
• 0:51
  in righteousness. And I don't know which of those areas most resonates with you this morning, but I'd like to ask you to prayerfully seek the Lord to reveal to you what practical role the Word of God needs to play in your life as we study it together. With that said, allow me to read from God's Word, and as is our tradition, if you are able to stand with me now in honor of God's Word, we will read it together.
• 1:22
  Verse 24 of Luke chapter 22 says this. A dispute arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them and those in authority over them are called benefactors, but not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater?
• 1:50
  One who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. You are those who have stayed with me in trials. And I assign to you as my father assigned to me a kingdom that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. Simon.
• 2:37
  Jesus said, And he said to them,
• 2:48
  When I sent you out with no money bag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything? They said, Nothing. He said to them, But now let the one who has a money bag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me. And he was numbered with the transgressors. For what is written about me has its fulfillment. And they said,
• 3:18
  Look, Lord, here are two swords. And he said to them, It is enough. Let's pray. God in heaven, we come before you desiring to gain understanding. God, to grow in our understanding of who you are, who have you revealed yourself to be in your word. And God, in so doing, to be changed by that. To be renewed and transformed by your word.
• 3:50
  Father, I pray that we would seek after you, seek understanding this morning, and that you might reveal to us what you have for us this morning, that we might be changed and go out from here new. We pray for discerning hearts, for humble hearts, as we study now together in your name. Amen. Amen. Well, I have titled today's message,
• 4:20
  Adventures in Missing the Point. And I think as we explore our passage today, that title should be and will be made vividly clear why it fits so well. As I read this passage and studied it for today, I was really struck by how much the relationship of a parent and their child correlates, connects with Christ's relationship with his disciples.
• 4:50
  I tell people often that I find parenting to very closely relate to the game of golf. People often ask, well, how so? Well, if you've ever played golf, it is one of those sports where you can find yourself waffling between the elation and dismay of either feeling you are ready to go pro, quit your job and just golf all day, or
• 5:18
  Being ready to throw your clubs in the lake that you just hit your ball into and walk off the course right then and there because golf is also one of the most maddening sports you'll ever play. You can literally strike a ball with complete perfection to see it travel 300 plus yards, land beautifully on that wonderfully maintained fairway, bounce and roll. And as you walk up to it,
• 5:46
  To hit that second shot thinking, man, I got it. It finally all clicked. Everything's there. I'm going to hit this second ball and it's going to land on the green. And I'll probably actually birdie this hole. And you saddle up to that. You get your club ready and you hit it. Off it goes and you look. And then it starts to tail off into the trees. And that feeling of euphoria is vaporized.
• 6:18
  Suddenly, you only feel defeat and frustration. These emotions are but moments away from one another. And I find parenting is often similar. You can go from feeling like you totally nailed it. That lesson that you've been trying to teach.
• 6:39
  that child of yours for eight long years. They finally got it. They listened without even being told. They acted upon the wisdom that you have imparted to them. And as you do so, you watch them walk from that moment only to step off the ledge once more into disobedience. And you become frustrated. One such time,
• 7:08
  happened in my life, in the life of my son who is sitting up front right here. About a year ago, Oren, you know we have this green grassy area just out the side of our house and it's this really wonderfully maintained huge field where you can play volleyball and soccer and baseball. All the houses in our kind of area all meet up with it and you can
• 7:35
  Go in there and play. We set up slip and slides. It's just wonderful. It's a great place because we can see out the side of our house and see the kids playing in there. We do all kinds of stuff there, and the best part is it's managed by the HOA. I don't have to water it. I don't have to mow it. It's perfect. It's a wonderful place, but...
• 7:53
  There are also, the houses have these little alleyways. Our fences don't actually meet up with one another. There's these alleyways where there's space between each fence, and so there's this rock, and you can walk from your house into that green space. The kids have been explained to them many, many times that they can go in this green grassy area because we can see them there.
• 8:17
  They cannot, when we are not outside, go into these alleyways because we cannot see them there. This expectation has been clearly set many, many times. On this one particular day, Oren had a little buddy over. They were playing and they wanted to go outside, to which I said, of course, go play, have fun, play soccer, enjoy. Do you remember you're not supposed to go in those alleyways? Yep, off they go.
• 8:48
  Soon I look outside, and what do you think I don't see? Them in the grass because they have gone in the alleyway. So I head outside, go walk over and call my son, say, you need to come over here, please. I say, buddy, we talked about this. You can't do that. You can't go over there. This is where you can be, right? It's a huge field. You can be here, not there. All right, Dad, I'm sorry.
• 9:18
  Won't do it again. I'm really, really sorry. Okay, don't do it again. Okay, I won't. Promise. Okay. Off I go. Walk to the house. Get to the front door. Open the front door. I'm on my porch. I look back. What do you think I don't see? Oren in the grass because he once more went back in the alley. I walk back. Say a little prayer. God, please don't let me take my frustration out on him. Let me have a good conversation. Oren.
• 9:51
  You need to come over here. Come here. Buddy, like, we literally, I mean, it's not, it literally had not been a minute. I walked from the grass to the front door and you're where you're not supposed to be. What is the deal? Like, I told you not to do this. And this is one of those moments where there's like that perfect pairing of really, really sorrowful, humble.
• 10:23
  response, contriteness in your kid's heart as well as them saying something so cute and funny that you can't remain frustrated. And so I'm literally holding his face because we learned this with him right here. What's the deal? And he said, Dad, he said, I know. I'm sorry. Sometimes I just have a hard time holding things in my mind. Today in our passage, we're going to see the disciples missing the point.
• 11:00
  in the midst of Christ sharing his heart and the reason he had come. Christ has spent over three years with these men, and in this conversation we're about to study, I think we could all understand if Jesus got a little annoyed, a little frustrated, perhaps a little short with them, because they once more quickly forget. They miss the point in their time with Christ.
• 11:28
  I want to explore our passage today in three main parts, three points, if you will, which I've titled Service, Not Status, Strength, Not Stature, and Scripture, Not Swords. As we begin, I'd like to also just ask you guys to be on the lookout. I believe in our passage today, we're going to see some really beautiful pictures of our Lord's gentle and compassionate heart. Very, very vividly.
• 11:58
  So be on the lookout for these. So let's consider this first section, which is contained in verses 24 through 30, and we see the kingdom of God is about service, not status. First in verse 24, we see a dispute also arose among them as to which of them would be regarded as the greatest. Now in order for us to understand this,
• 12:24
  and just really how egregious the fact they were arguing over who was going to be the greatest was, we need to jump back a little bit and understand the context. At the end of...
• 12:38
  The section that Pastor Danny preached two weeks ago where Christ is telling them that the Passover was no longer going to be needed. He turned Passover into communion. And at the end of that and during that, he tells them that he had been earnestly desiring to eat this meal with them, to do this very thing. The end of that section, verse 23, after Christ tells the disciples that it was going to be one of them who was going to betray him.
• 13:08
  One of them was going to be the betrayer. They begin to, in verse 23, we see question one another. Question one another in regards to whom it was going to be. Jesus just said it was going to be one of us who was going to betray him. I wonder who it is. I wonder who it is. Then verse 24, we see that question of one another goes into a discussion about who was actually the greatest among them.
• 13:36
  I think you can see a really clear progression between these two verses, very natural progression as they begin to question one another like, who's it going to be? Who's it going to be? They begin to actually compare one another and say, well, obviously, it's not going to be me. I'm the best. I can see this conversation starting with Peter making the first accusation and saying, well, you know, maybe it's Andrew. I bet it's Andrew. You always got to look out for the quiet ones.
• 14:07
  You know what? I bet it's Philip. I've never been sure about Philip. Philip retorts, well, Peter, since you brought it up, it's always the one who makes the first accusation who's usually the one who's going to do the thing. So it's probably you. Peter responds and says, well, you know, it's always the one closest to you who's the one who ends up betraying. And you guys all notice how closely John sits to Jesus. I bet it's John. John responds,
• 14:41
  well, it couldn't be me. I hold the place of honor next to Jesus. I'm his most trusted. Obviously, I'm the greatest unless it could not be me. Peter angrily responds and says, John, you always bring that up. You did this last time he told us he was gonna die. As they sought to prove it could not be them who would betray Christ, pride takes over and they begin to miss the point entirely.
• 15:15
  They were caught up with status. What role would they play in this earthly kingdom which they had heard Christ talk about? Jesus steps in, and in this moment, we get our first picture of the compassion of Jesus. His gentle and kind heart revealed for the first time in our passage before us today. Now, I think we could all agree, if we were in the same position, I know if I was in the same position, readying to give my life,
• 15:46
  lose my life in a matter of hours, to have one of my closest friends who was going to be the one who was going to betray me give me over to lose my life, and the way in which my life would be taken, extinguished, would be one of the most brutal ways in which man had devised to that point, and my friends were sitting there arguing about who was going to get my stuff when I left.
• 16:14
  I probably wouldn't be compassionate and kind. But Jesus says here, and he said to them, Christ steps in as they argue over who will be the greatest and once more teaches them. He could have rebuked them. He could have been angry. He could have been frustrated. But instead he shows patience and compassion to once more teach them. He said to them,
• 16:49
  As the disciples had used their positions at the table to try and convey whom was the greatest among them, Christ, towards the end of this section, shows them who truly was the greatest as he asks, for who is the greater? One who reclines at the table or one who serves?
• 17:09
  Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. Christ right away shows them all that based on placement at the table, he was the greatest. But then Christ follows that up and says, but I am among you as one who serves.
• 17:30
  And it is at this moment where John's account gives us such a beautiful and vivid picture of exactly what Christ meant when he said those words. Because in John's account we see that the next actions that Christ takes is to wash the disciples' feet. Christ is showing the disciples that they have missed the point. It is service, not status, which is rewarded in heaven.
• 17:57
  And church, take a moment to soak this all in. Christ has poured out his heart and has shown them that because of his coming, this is literally the last Passover they would need.
• 18:10
  to eat, that they would ever eat. Christ has told them, be on guard. One of you, one of you sitting in this very room is going to turn me over to my death. And in the midst of all of this, the disciples miss the point and argue over who will be the greatest rather than to seek to understand how they can serve the mission for which Christ was about to die. And yet, Christ, rather than become frustrated and impatient, as I'm sure each of us would attest we would do,
• 18:42
  He kindly and patiently once more takes this as an opportunity to convey the real power, the power which is in the kingdom, namely to serve regardless of status or ability. See, church, there are very few things that all of us can actually partake in on this earth, right? As you guys...
• 19:09
  enjoyed worship this morning and you see and hear Pastor Sam sing, you might think, well, that's not my voice. Then you see him sing and play guitar together and you say, well, that's definitely not me. Then you see Jethro play the drums and I was reprimanded by Jake for not mentioning the bass. So, I told him that's because the bass isn't hard. But, that's still something I can't do. So,
• 19:39
  You see Jake skillfully playing the bass. And you say, that's not me either. You see the people in our church who are skilled electricians, mechanics, and you say, that's not me either. There are very few things that we all can partake in in this life. But everyone, everyone sitting in this room and has sat in this room this morning can take part in service.
• 20:11
  in some capacity, we can serve. Church, as we consider this truth, we must search our own hearts and ask some really hard questions of ourselves. J.C. Ryle says it this way, thousands fancy that they are humble who cannot bear to see an equal more honored and favored than themselves. Men who would not envy, men would not envy a brother's advancement if
• 20:41
  they had not a secret thought that their own merit was greater than his. Philippians 2.5 tells us to have this mind. What mind? Christ's mind, Christ's example. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. The truth is this, church, and please hear this, because I think it's vitally important for us.
• 21:06
  The usefulness we have to the Lord's church will be in direct proportion to our humble readiness. Let me say that again. The measure of usefulness we have to the Lord's church is in direct proportion to our humble readiness to serve. Church, we must always remember it is service, not status, which we must seek after. Otherwise, we miss the point as the disciples did here. The disciples thought it was status.
• 21:39
  That measure was the measure of greatness in the Lord's kingdom. Jesus corrects them and says it is service. Next we see the Miss Christ's next point, that the kingdom of God is about strength, not stature. And as I say that you might be a little confused, but I think you will see as we go through verses 31 through 34 what I mean. The kingdom of God is about strength, not stature. As we get started, let us notice a couple things from these verses.
• 22:09
  Which I think set up the contrast of ideas well. First, let us remember the devil is indeed powerful. And he is indeed targeting the believer. In verse 31 of our passage, Christ tells Peter, Simon, Simon. Did you guys know that Christ references Peter as Simon often? Why do you guys think he says Simon, Simon so often to Peter? I think it's probably because Peter often acted like Simon.
• 22:40
  the guy he was before he met Christ. But anyway, Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you. Christ told Peter that Satan was to sift him like wheat. In church, the wolf, the lion, the enemy of our souls craves, seeks after the blood of the sheep.
• 23:03
  As Christians, we should not take lightly that indeed there is an enemy and we should be sober-minded because of this and be watchful lest he devour us or our loved ones. This upcoming sifting in Peter's life, I believe, I truly believe, gives all the more value and power to the words that he would write years later in 1 Peter 5, verse 8.
• 23:31
  in which he cautions the church to be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. And church, how intimately, how closely did Peter know that to be true? The devil is indeed powerful, and he is indeed seeking to destroy Peter and all believers. In verse 31, we find that reality as Christ
• 24:04
  uses a plural word. When he says, Satan has demanded to have you, that he might sift you, that you there first used is you all. You all. All the disciples. Satan has desired to have you all.
• 24:27
  Here Christ is not only telling Peter that the devil has been after him, but all the disciples. After all, each one would in their own way hide away in the days ahead as Christ is crucified, would they not? They would each give way to fear. Finding their own strength was not sufficient for the task of staying faithful in the midst of the despair they were soon to face. So we notice,
• 24:53
  The you in verse 31 is plural, addressing all the disciples, but then, interestingly, Christ shifts to a singular you in verse 32. I have prayed for you, Peter. And here, I think we can notice and be encouraged to notice that Christ, it is because of Christ's prayer for Peter that he does not completely crumble in the face of failure.
• 25:20
  Even though Christ goes on to say that Peter would, in fact, deny knowing him three times in public, Christ also knew that Peter would ultimately be restored and would come back to him. John records this in John chapter 21, and we see Peter later tell Christ humbly, you know I love you, Jesus. And we'll go on to become the apostle recorded in Acts who would stand up
• 25:47
  For Christ, before the council in Jerusalem, and in the face of possible prison and execution, Peter would say this, whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge. For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. The devil is indeed powerful. The power of prayer, though, is amazing. It is restorative. It is powerful. And there is indeed someone who interceded on Peter's behalf.
• 26:19
  intercedes on RPF. Peter would fall. He would fail. He would deny Jesus, but we see in that instance and many others that he would not stay down, that he would indeed fulfill the call Jesus places on him here to strengthen your brothers. When you turn around, Peter, when you come back, Peter, strengthen your brothers, he tells him. We study the Gospels and in the New Testament, we see
• 26:50
  Not only Peter, but the disciples would eventually rise up to this kingdom calling of strength, not stature. But what changes in them? What changed in Peter? What changed in these men? How did Peter and the other disciples go from missing the point here in our passage and failing to stand strong to being men who would later be willing to die to give their lives for that same Christ?
• 27:17
  Well, I think there's a contrast between Peter's response here and his writings later in Scripture, which are very informative for us to understand. Here in this passage, we see Peter respond to Jesus. He says, I tell you, or I'm sorry, in verse 33, Peter said to him, Lord, I'm ready. Lord, I am ready. We see this self-reliance in Peter. I got it, Lord. You think I can't stand? I can.
• 27:47
  My stature, my self is sufficient. I can do it. Contrast that with what Peter says in his introductory statements of 2 Peter 1, written years later, where Peter writes this. Peter, a servant.
• 28:09
  and an apostle of Jesus Christ to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. What has changed? What changed in Peter? Peter starts in 2 Peter with his credentials. A servant. Peter, a servant. Well, he learned something from point number one. Service, not status.
• 28:36
  Then he goes on and says to those who have obtained a faith. Peter actually identifies what has changed in him. He no longer has a faith in himself. He no longer considers himself highly, but as a servant, he also now knows it is faith alone which is his strength, and that the object of that faith ultimately is where the power for transformation is found, by our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
• 29:07
  Peter came to understand it was the strength of faith, not the stature of oneself, which would empower someone to stand firm in the face of trials. As you guys know, many of us here at this church love J.C. Ryle, and you are going to hear another quote from him because he is so eloquent and poignant in understanding Scripture. He says of this passage,
• 29:38
  Grace in a believer's heart is a great standing miracle. His enemies are so mighty and his strength is so small. The world is so full of snares and his heart is so weak. It might seem impossible for him to reach heaven, but the passage before us explains his safety. There is a watchful advocate.
• 30:06
  who is daily interceding for him, obtaining daily supplies of mercy and grace for his soul and church, we must always seek to remember it is faith which empowers and enables us to move beyond fear. It is faith which is our strength, not our own stature. And remember, church, there is someone who is interceding daily on our behalf, bringing in.
• 30:39
  The daily supplies of fresh faith, fresh mercy, and fresh grace. The kingdom of God is about service, not status. It is also about strength of faith, not stature of oneself. And finally, we see that the person of faith in the kingdom of God needs to be about scripture, not swords. Verses 35 through 38. The disciples head.
• 31:11
  missed the point over and over again. Peter had missed the point and said, Lord, I'm ready. My strength is enough. And as Jesus goes on to explain further what things are going to be like when he goes back to heaven, they miss the point once more. Regarding this section, though, there are many different ideas on exactly what Christ...
• 31:30
  but I think to understand it, we understand what Christ has been teaching the disciples, both in the context previous as well as the context to come, it becomes quite clear what Jesus is talking about in this section. Christ first reminds the disciples of an earlier time in which he had sent them out to travel to other towns and share the gospel. That time was recorded in Luke chapter nine. We studied that many, many months ago.
• 32:00
  On that occasion, Jesus told them not to take anything with them, not to bring any provisions or protection. Here, however, Christ tells them that the next time they go out, it's going to be different. He says, if you have money, bring it. If you have a knapsack, take it. If you have no sword, sell something and get one. But how are we to understand this? What is Christ exactly telling them? Is it literal? Are we supposed to go by? Were the disciples...
• 32:29
  literally supposed to go buy a literal sword? I believe here we ought to take these words as proverbial, that when he tells them, sell your tunic and buy a sword, he does not mean a literal sword, but then what does he actually intend for them to understand? What's the point? It is that the disciples and all Christians from Christ's first coming to his second coming ought to use any and all reasonable means and opportunities to share the gospel, to advance.
• 33:01
  the kingdom. They were no longer to expect bread to simply fall into their mouths. No more manna from heaven. Instead, they were going to do the work of ministry and that work was going to be hard. And so they must be diligent to use all the skills, gifts, means which have been entrusted to them and to us by God. I think...
• 33:30
  Here, Proverbs 10, 4 is informative where it says, the hand of the diligent makes rich. We understand from Jesus' teaching that we are to store up treasures in heaven. So when we consider this proverb, that the hand of the diligent makes rich, we can view that in context of our Lord's kingdom message to his disciples, that it is the hand of the diligent who will store up treasures in heaven. I believe Christ is making
• 33:59
  the point that we ought to earnestly labor, that we ought to earnestly work, earnestly strive, give, speak, teach, lead, act, and love for Christ as though all depended on it. Yet, may we never forget, church, may we never ever forget that success is utterly and entirely dependent upon God's blessing.
• 34:29
  Christ is telling them what once was gained through miracles which the Lord had done through them would now be done with diligence, with labor, but still ultimately only by the transforming power of God, by his strength, not theirs. How did the disciples miss the point and how do we know that they missed the point? Well, at the end it says that one of them looked and said, look, Lord, there's two swords.
• 35:00
  Well, because of the close proximity and timeline and time frame, you guys know just down just several verses and just hours later, Peter uses a sword to lop off some dude's ear, right? What does Jesus do when he takes that sword out and lops off the ear? He rebukes him and says, don't. It's very possible that one of these two swords is the sword that Peter draws.
• 35:29
  and cuts this guy's ear off, and Jesus' response tells us that it is not about the physical sword. It is not about the physical sword. Christ was not calling them to arm themselves physically, but rather to ready themselves for any and all opportunities to share the gospel, to advance the kingdom. Christ calls for them to use scripture and fulfill scripture. For this, I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled. Christ calls on them to use
• 36:10
  the spiritual sword, not to use the physical sword. Because it is by the power of the sword of the spirit, not the sword of man, which transforms lives. Scripture, not swords, is Christ's point. You may have noticed that I didn't touch on verses 28 through 30 yet. I skipped over those purposefully. I left them out because I think in them we find the compassion once more of our Savior as we all see a promise.
• 36:41
  to the disciples, and ultimately to ourselves and encouragement to ourselves today. But before we get there, can I just once more draw our attention to the frailness of the disciples during the Lord's earthly ministry. So weak, so quick to forget, over and over and over again, so quick to miss the point were these men. Throughout our study of Luke and in reading,
• 37:17
  The other gospel accounts, we often find them being corrected for their ignorance and lack of faith. As Jesus is talking with them in these moments, he knows he is but hours away from being betrayed. And that after being betrayed, he will see these dear friends draw back, falter under the pressure. They will forsake him in but mere hours from now. And yet, in the midst of this, knowing all that Jesus knows,
• 37:48
  The Lord graciously, kindly, and compassionately commends this band of soon-to-be wayward ragamuffins for the way they had stayed with him to this point. See, it's easy for us, church, it's so easy for us to look at the disciples and the way that they continually miss it and say, come on, guys, you've got the very Son of God in front of you, teaching you and living truth in front of you.
• 38:18
  How on earth could you miss all of this? But Christ doesn't focus on that. Instead, after showing them what true greatness is as he washed their feet, Christ says, thank you. Thank you for being here still. May we not forget, church, there were thousands who had followed Jesus over the years of his earthly ministry. There were 70 who were sent out as his disciples, yet only 12 remain. And for this,
• 38:51
  Christ commends them. May we, church, allow our souls here to find rest, to find encouragement and comfort by the truth that Christ is always the same. Always the same. If we are believers, may we see and hear that he looks at our graces more than our faults. One man has said it this way, never has a master such poor.
• 39:32
  Weak servants as believers to Christ. But church, never have servants such a compassionate and tender master as Christ to believers. Amen? And to all of this, I say, surely we cannot pursue him too much. Truly, we cannot give up too much in service of him. For in him, we find all we need. All we need, church, to be the
• 40:04
  the husband, the dad, the wife, the mom, the daughter, the son, the worker, the employer that we need to be, that he calls us to be. No matter the failure, church, no matter the failures, no matter how often we miss the point, no matter how often, as he says, you missed it again, and we look at him and we say, Father, I know, I know.
• 40:37
  Sometimes I just have a hard time holding it in my mind. Always remember this, church. Christ is interceding on our behalf to bring in fresh provisions of mercy and grace so that when we once again get up, we might in his strength, because of his faith, because of his mercy, strengthen our brother and sister. Let's pray. God in heaven, we love you.
• 41:10
  We thank you for your word because in your word, you reveal your heart, who you truly are. God, it's easy when we mess up, when we sin, when we fall short on a daily basis to become discouraged, dismayed. But Lord, in this passage, we see your patience, your kindness, your compassion, your willingness to come alongside us and teach us once more what it really is all about.
• 41:40
  It is not about us. It's about you. It's about you working through us, not us working in our own strength. It is about the power of your word, not our own. God, we entrust these words to you that you would do a mighty work in and through us in the days, in the weeks, in the months, in the years ahead that you would shine forth from us in our daily lives that we might
• 42:11
  Live out your word humbly and follow you that people might come to know you. We pray these things in your name. Amen.