Latest / HBCWestminster / 9.19.21 Luke 17:20-37 Pastor Danny Gardner

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9.19.21 Luke 17:20-37 Pastor Danny Gardner · HBCWestminster

• 0:00
  Good morning, church. We are so glad that you could join us for Worship in Time in the Word this morning. If you have your Bibles, you can open to Luke chapter 17. Luke 17, 20 to 37. Allow me to read our text and then we'll pray and begin. In verse 20, being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, the kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, look, here it is or there, for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you. And he said to the disciples,
• 0:28
  The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, Look there or look here. Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation, just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man.
• 0:54
  They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage until the day when Noah entered the ark. And the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot. They were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. So will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
• 1:16
  On that day, let the one who is on the housetop with his goods in the house not come down to take them away. And likewise, let the one who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. I tell you, in that night, there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left. And they said to him, where, Lord?
• 1:43
  He said to them, where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. And Father God, open our minds and our hearts by your Holy Spirit to receive your word. Teach and mold us according to it for your glory and for our joy. And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Well, you know, in raising our three sons,
• 2:05
  I wanted to try to say yes as often as possible. If my boys wanted to try something new or to pick up a new hobby, I wanted to, as often as I was able, say yes. I wanted them to have new experiences. I wanted them to go new places. I wanted them to try as many things as they could so that they would know what they're good at and what things might interest them. And so, when my tiny little Zach, who is now not tiny anymore,
• 2:30
  But when my tiny little Zach asked me to take him fishing, I enthusiastically said yes. And then when he asked, well, can we go fishing for sharks? I said, well, maybe.
• 2:44
  We, at the time, lived in Southern California, so I thought, okay, we do live near to where sharks live, maybe, and thus began about a two-year search and research for how to catch sharks while standing on the sand. And we actually got pretty good at it, catching little sharks, sand sharks, shovel-nosed sharks, leopard sharks, right out of the surf in the ocean not far from our house. Now, on the flip side, there were plenty of times I had to say no.
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  When asked to see certain movies or to own a cell phone or to quit piano lessons or to quit their sports team, things that I knew wouldn't be good for them, I never wanted to be a dad who said yes just because he was afraid to say no. But if I said no, I wanted to be able to defend the reason. I wanted them to understand the why for the no. I never wanted to be a because-I-said-so parent.
• 3:36
  When my boys asked me why, I wanted to have an actual answer ready. And if I didn't have an answer, I wanted to question myself rather than to shut them down because a caring parent wants to put their child's fear and anxiety and doubt at ease. The text before us this morning answers the questions that matter, at least to some degree. And one of my absolute
• 4:01
  favorite things about the Word of God is that like a caring parent, it answers our questions. The Lord has declared that everything will be okay. Isn't that great news, church? Everything will be okay. I, a couple of years ago, visited an exhibit down at CCU, Colorado Christian University. It was a tribute to Billy Graham.
• 4:23
  And there's a quote of his that I enjoyed at the end of that exhibit as you walked through and looked at pictures and other things, mementos that remind us of Billy Graham. There was a quote at the very end, and Billy Graham said, I've read the last page in the book in reference to the Bible. I've read the last page in the book, and it turns out everything will be okay. God has declared it to be so, church. But he doesn't just declare it. He doesn't just leave us with...
• 4:50
  Because I said so, he lovingly answers our questions in order to put our fear and anxiety and doubt at ease. I've titled this morning's message, The Coming Kingdom That's Already Here. The Coming Kingdom That's Already Here. And I know that just based on the title of today's sermon, some of you are excited to find out if I've converted to a new eschatological framework. And unfortunately, you will remain disappointed.
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  I'm fully aware that my stance on end times events is somewhat muddy. I tend to blur the lines depending on the text that I'm teaching. But this is the problem that I have with systematic theology. Systematics are difficult because it is difficult to squeeze everything that Christ said was true into one single system that has no treble passages. I much prefer a biblical theology, which takes texts like this one in the context and in the book in which it was chronicled.
• 5:48
  which Christ spoke it. Now, if none of that made sense, don't sweat it. It honestly matters very little in the scope of eternity. But having introduced the topic of the second coming of Christ two Sundays ago, you'll recall on our realignment Sunday, I kind of introduced this topic knowing that we would study this soon, that the coming of Christ is imminent with the reminder from two weeks ago that our focus should be on his appearing rather than on our view of politics or social agendas.
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  with the additional reminder that his coming should be an encouragement to the saints. Do you remember that from 1 Thessalonians 4? Encourage one another with these words. Jesus himself in our passage this morning provides further detail about what that day will be like. What will it be like when Jesus comes again? When, how will he establish his kingdom? When will he return?
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  as we turn our attention to the text and with the understanding that its main focus is not a timeline or a chart. I know that so many times when we're talking about in-time events in the second coming of Christ, there's a timeline. Everybody gets out their charts and that wasn't his purpose here. There's nothing wrong with those things, but that was not the emphasis of what Christ was saying. The return of Christ, rather, will break
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  The tension of the now, not yet kind of strain of human history. We're going to notice that there are some questions that Jesus clearly answers about the nature of his kingdom, both in its present state right now.
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  and in its future fulfillment. So there is a now, but also a not yet tension created in the reign and rule of Christ. And so let's look at these verses together. You'll notice first that he answers the question by what he meant when he said the kingdom of God is already here. What does he mean when he says the kingdom of God is right now? And you notice in verse 20, being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come.
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  He answered them, The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed. Now, the Pharisees asked Christ plainly about the coming of his kingdom, and Christ replied that his kingdom would not come in ways that would be observed. What did he mean? The coming of the Messiah, as predicted in the Old Testament, was said to come with heavenly signs and great power. Thus, when Christ came the first time as a carpenter,
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  And born to poor parents from Galilee, questions naturally arose because his being meek and mild was unexpected. When the Pharisees read the Old Testament and they had this messianic expectation, they did not imagine a humble servant. They did not imagine a crucified king. They imagined a conquering king. And so when he started to come and say that he would not conquer, but rather be killed, crucified,
• 8:53
  buried and then raised from the dead, it naturally posed some obstacles in the Pharisees' theology. Now, his second coming, he says, will be just as unexpected, but for perhaps different reasons. Christ's coming did not come, Christ's kingdom did not come with great pageantry or pomp.
• 9:16
  or circumstance. It did not come with great signs and unmistakable warnings when he was born in that manger. His second appearing will be sudden and unexpected. There will be more on that in verse 24. The vast majority of mankind, in fact, will be asleep when Christ comes again, and they may wait to find that the kingdom is already here.
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  In fact, J.C. Ryle has said the vast majority of men are utterly deceived in their expectations with respect to the kingdom of God. They're waiting for signs which will never appear. They're looking for indications they will never discover. They're dreaming of universal conversion in the day of election. They're fancying that missionaries and ministers and schools will change the face of the world before the end comes. He says, let us be aware. Let us beware.
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  of such mistakes let us not sleep as do others the kingdom of god will be upon such men sooner than they expect and notice what jesus even says in verse 21 he says nor will they say look here it is or therefore behold now look at this verse the kingdom of god is in the midst of you is in the midst of you what did he mean by that he's saying the kingdom of god is already here how well the simple reality is that the king
• 10:37
  was present among them. And so the kingdom was present among them because where the king is present, so is his kingdom. He says, why are you waiting for a kingdom? The king is already here. Now, the reason for my title this morning is because some of the more observant among us may recall that this is not the first time that Christ spoke of his kingdom in the gospel of Luke.
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  In fact, because Christ's first appearing and his kingdom were so radically different than what the people expected, he was often asked the same question. You see that in Luke chapter 4 when he says, the kingdom of God is here. It's fulfilled. All of these prophecies are talking about me. The king is here. Luke 11, by what power do you cast out these demons? He says, the kingdom is already here. And now here in Luke 17.
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  So we know from the Gospel of Luke that at least some element of Christ's kingdom had already been established when he came to earth, when he launched his earthly ministry. But we also see in our text this morning that there is at least some element of Christ's kingdom which has yet to be fulfilled. Hence we have what many have called that now but not yet tension of the kingdom. Now but not yet. Is Christ on his throne, church? Yes and amen.
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  Is he ruling and reigning from there? Yes and amen. Is he sovereign and just? Yes and amen. God reigns supreme, right? Of course he does. And yet, is there not some element of his kingdom which seems out of control?
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  Some element of his creation which is allowed to rebel? I mean, how can you say that God is absolutely sovereignly reigning supreme in heaven from his throne, and yet sin abounds, the violence and licentious behavior are everywhere, there are rebels and wickedness everywhere? There is some element of his creation which is allowed to rebel, at least for now.
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  Is there pain and suffering and disease and discord? Yes. So what gives? How could his kingdom be both now he is on his throne, but also not yet? No. No matter your view of eschatology, and I know that we have many differences of opinion, even within our own church, but no matter your view of eschatology, you probably believe one of two things. Either
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  Christ will return and establish a physical kingdom on earth and rule and reign for a thousand years. That's known as the millennium, a thousand year rule and reign of Christ on earth. Or you believe that Christ's kingdom is already here. We are currently living in that era and he will return at some point and fulfill his promises to his people in eternity. So you either believe that it will be a future physical
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  thousand-year reign and rule of Christ on earth, or you believe it's a spiritual kingdom that is right now, but at some point he will return and fulfill it. It will be completed. Honestly, church, I'm good with either one. I couldn't care less, as long as Christ returns. The promise of this scripture is that he will come back, regardless of your view of eschatology, church. He will come back and fix it all.
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  And to that, we say, come Lord Jesus. Amen. Come Lord Jesus. You pick up in verses 22 and 23, and you're going to notice that the closer we get to that day, the closer we get to the return of Christ, the more the enemy will work overtime to ensure our failure. Look at verse 22. He said to the disciples, the days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the son of man.
• 14:39
  and you will not see it. And they will say, look there or look here. Do not go out or follow them. So in other words, I think he's making reference here to many antichrists, many false prophets who will come declaring themselves to be the returned king. And he says, don't fall for it. The enemy is going to kick it into overdrive. He will carry out perhaps his greatest work.
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  his greatest evil work as the day draws near, which could cause some to ponder, are we perhaps in the birth pains of the end times even now? As we see the unbelievable amount of discord, tension, hatred, violence in our own country and around the world, are we perhaps in the birth pains even now? Maybe, maybe. I think it's difficult to tell. Spiritual revival could still come. Spiritual reform could still come.
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  Certainly the outpouring of God's grace on our nation could come. Certainly we pray for that. But what we see here in our text is that as the days are drawing near for Jesus to come back, the enemy will work even harder. Every year, right about now, every year in September, as the Major League Baseball season draws to a close, those teams who are no longer in the running for the postseason have a choice to make. Do we continue to push?
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  Do we continue to push knowing that our season is effectively over or do we simply cash out? Sell off our best players and look to the rebuild the future rebuild that you can imagine the team who knows they have lost They have no shot at making it to the postseason in
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  October. And yet they just want nothing more than to make it as difficult as possible for every opposing team they face. They don't want to roll over. Their attitude would be empty the bullpen. Use every pitcher. Use every pinch hitter. Cash in all the chips. We're going all in. Even though we know we've lost, we're going all in. Now imagine for a moment the enemy of our souls acting that way.
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  He knows he will be defeated. He knows. And yet, the closer we come to his eternal destruction, the more violent he becomes. The claws are coming out. The fangs are bared. His goal is to destroy as many people as possible on his way down, to grab as many as possible and tear them down with him. And his greatest tactic, which hasn't changed since the beginning, is deception.
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  He will send all kinds of false prophets claiming to be the Lord. I mean, claiming, look here, look there. And Jesus just says, do not go out or follow them. That's first. What did he mean when he said the kingdom of God is already here, is in our midst. But notice second, when will Jesus come again? Just tell us plainly, Lord, when will you come? You'll notice in verse 25 that Jesus
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  Does not give a date. We're gonna skip verse 24 just for a second, but you'll notice in verse 25 He doesn't give an actual day. It's not like January 15th, whatever of you know year 2023 or something. He doesn't say any of that Rather he just says something will have to happen first Something will have to happen first notice verse 25, but first before that happens He Jesus the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation
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  Now, Jesus' disciples were guilty of running together the two comings of Christ. Now, we modern-day believers who have the advantage of hindsight know that Jesus came once and he will come again, that there would be two separate advents, there would be two separate comings of Christ. But they didn't know that. They thought...
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  that he would just come once and establish his kingdom and be done. They were not, and this is why he had to say so many times, don't be deceived, so many times, the Son of Man must suffer. We who have that advantage, looking backward, understand that Christ would come once, be crucified in order to pay the sins of the world, and then leave, but leaving his Holy Spirit and ushering in the church age.
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  But the first-generation followers of Christ couldn't understand why he would have to die. The Lord Jesus, before he could return, had to suffer many things, both from the hands of unbelievers and also from the hands of the Father. He had to suffer, because without his substitutionary sacrifice, there would be no forgiveness from sin. He didn't just come to establish an earthly kingdom.
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  where when people died would go to hell anyway. That's not what he wanted. He wanted to redeem us, not only physically, but spiritually also. And so he came and died, paid the penalty for sin, and will one day return. The current church, you and I, are now in between those two second comings. We are waiting for the fulfillment of his promise to come again and to redeem his bride. Notice finally.
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  What will it be like when he finally comes again? And you see in verse 24 that his second coming is going to be very much unlike his first, where his first was meek and mild, humble, lowly, quiet, and in a manger in Bethlehem. His second coming will not be that way. Look at verse 24. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.
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  His first coming was miraculous. It was a virgin birth. But it was also possible to miss. His second coming, church, will not be so. This says when Christ comes again, it will be unmistakable. It will be inevitable. It will be undeniable. Now, we who are from Denver understand lightning, right? Lightning in the middle of our country is unlike lightning anywhere else.
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  I mean, no doubt the Pacific states experience lightning, but not like here. No doubt the East Coast has lightning, but not like here. There is something about the middle of the country that makes the lightning here unique. And every May, June, July, our city gets hit with massive lightning, thunder, and hail storms, which break our windows, they dent our vehicles, they destroy our gardens, and they postpone our baseball games. But one thing they do...
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  They get our attention. There is no mistaking when that lightning strikes, when that hail comes. Everyone knows I moved here from LA seven years ago, but something not very many people know is that I actually lived in Littleton, Colorado for two years when I was a kid. I was young. I don't remember a ton, but I do remember very vividly a massive hail storm.
• 21:56
  that struck our neighborhood. I was maybe three or four years old, and my dad was not much of a runner. I mean, he didn't run. I never remember my dad running, barring this story, this exception, when I and my friends, four-year-olds, were out in the middle of our front yard in the middle of the street on a summer day, all playing and laughing and have fun, riding our bikes or doing whatever, and a massive hailstorm hit.
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  big hailstones were coming down, then I can remember my dad running out of the front door, jumping over this hedgerow thing we had in our front yard, scooping up me and my friends in his arm in stride and running across the street inside of the neighbor's garage, which happened to be open. Right? I mean, it was unmistakable. It was a terrifying event. And here Christ says his second coming will be like that.
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  It will be like lightning. It will be undeniable. It will send people running for cover like lightning, which begins on one end of the sky and then bolts across to the other. It will be universal. In other words, everyone on earth will experience it. The last thing you will have to do if you're on earth when Christ returns is wonder if Christ is returning. I wonder if this is it. Listen, if you're wondering if this is it, then it's not it.
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  it will be absolutely undeniable that's first what will his second coming be like it will be like lightning undeniable send people running for cover but notice second jesus likens his coming to two past events which his hearers were very familiar with we read in the remaining text that although jesus came the first time to save he will come the second time
• 23:48
  to judge and this is why he says at the very end of verse 37 where the corpse is there the vultures will gather he's coming the second time to judge but don't misunderstand he will also on that day still be willing to save and so let's look at these past two events you'll notice we pick up in verse 26 the days of noah the days of noah
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  Verse 26, just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They, that is the people of Noah's time, were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage until the day when Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all.
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  Now, everyone knows the story of Noah. He was a man chosen by God to build an ark. He was warned that an eventual sudden and worldwide flood would be unleashed on the earth because of mankind's violence. Alistair Begg says this, life was going on as usual when one day Noah went into the ark and suddenly, dramatically, surprisingly, there was a drastic
• 25:00
  change right up until Noah went into the ark. It was business as usual on planet Earth. People were just going on as though it was going to continue this way forever, as though God would never intervene. And here he says, but on that day, suddenly a flood came and destroyed them all. And he says, so it will be when the Son of Man returns.
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  The days of Noah, when everybody's just going about business as usual, and then sudden judgment comes upon them, so it will be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man. That's the first story. Notice the second story, the days of Lot. Pick up in verse 28. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, they were eating and drinking.
• 25:47
  buying and selling, planting and building. But on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. So will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed." Lot moved his family into Sodom and Gomorrah. It was an evil city filled with licentiousness. Abraham, who was Lot's uncle, was warned by God that judgment would come upon the city because of their sin.
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  But Abraham pleaded with God, you'll recall from the book of Genesis, and his nephew Lot and his family were allowed to escape, but not Lot's wife. And this is why it says in verse 32, remember Lot's wife. Second shortest verse in the Bible. Isn't that funny? The first, Jesus wept. The second, remember Lot's wife. Three words long, remember Lot's wife.
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  who, as they were departing the city, longingly looked back. It wasn't just that she cast a glance backward and turned into a pillar of salt. Rather, she longed to return. She liked it there more. Remember Lot's wife, and it says, so it will be when Christ.
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  returns. And so when Jesus comes back, he will come back in judgment, just like it was in Noah's day, just like it was in Lot's day, so will it be in the day of Christ's return. Now, what I want us to see about the days of Noah and of Lot is that although they are remembered as days of judgment and doom, I don't know if that's how God intended them to be.
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  You think about Noah and the ark and all of that that goes along with it, right? I mean this was the destruction of the world all Every single person on earth except for eight were killed on that day tremendous day of judgment and sorrow and doom You think about lot? Sodom and Gomorrah were buried in burning sulfur and ash
• 27:58
  I mean, today, modern-day archaeologists think that Sodom and Gomorrah are probably underneath the Dead Sea, the northern area of the Dead Sea, completely destroyed, salt, brimstone, and fire. These are days of doom and judgment. But honestly, church, I don't know if that's what God intended them to be. If he intended for those days, the days of Noah and the days of Lot, to be judgment and doom, why would he have sent warnings like he did?
• 28:28
  If he was eager to pour out his judgment, why would he have warned Noah? Why would he have warned Abraham and eventually Lot? Would he have offered to rescue any who wanted to be spared? If he was just eager to kill everybody, he wouldn't have offered to spare people.
• 28:47
  Would he then have rescued those who were faithful? And now I would posit, church, that God commanded Noah to make that ark huge, and he did. That ark was enormous, and not for the animals' sake, but I think for everyone else's sake. I think that ark had plenty of room for more than eight people. I think God was offering to save as many as wanted to come.
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  I would wager that based on the Lord's conversation with Abraham prior to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, do you remember this? Abraham says, if I can find 50 faithful, if I can find 45 faithful, if I can find 40 faithful, and every time the Lord said, yeah, if you can find them, yes, yes, I'll spare them, I'll spare them, I'll spare them. What about for this many? What about for this many? What about for this many, right? He gets all the way down to five, right? And the Lord says, listen, the city is going to be destroyed. And I think the idea is,
• 29:43
  Get out as many as want to come. Any who want to come can come. I think the Lord was very willing to save all of the citizens who wanted shelter. We remember those days of Noah and Lot as days of judgment and destruction. But I think they could have been with a different human response. I think they could have been days of grace and salvation.
• 30:09
  And I think the day of the Son of Man will be the same. The only people who will not be saved on that day, church, are those who refuse salvation. Those who refuse it. I think salvation is always offered. Notice in the last few verses, we'll pick up in verse 31. In the last few verses, Jesus just talks about what it will be like, how sudden it will be on that day. Verse 31.
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  Says on that day the day of the son of man let the one who was on the housetop with his goods in the house Not come down to take them away Likewise, let the one who is in the field not turn back remember lots wife Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it I tell you in that night there will be two in one bed one will be taken the other left there will be two women grinding together one will be taken the other left and They said to him where Lord? where another questions object
• 31:09
  is ambiguous. Where will they go? Right? If they're taken, where will they go? And I think the object here is ambiguous. Either the disciples were asking where those who have been taken have gone, or they are asking where those who have been left have been left. I don't know that it specifies which one they're talking about. Are they being taken to judgment or are they being left in judgment?
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  But honestly, church, the object here doesn't matter. What matters more is what happens to each group. Either some will be taken to judgment or they will be left in judgment. But no matter which it is, the return of Christ will divide humanity into two groups, two camps, one to be judged, the other to enjoy the presence and paradise of God. There will be a dividing at some point in the future of the sheep and the goats.
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  There will be a day, beloved church, when all of this ends. Now, this has seemed like the longest 18 months in history, hasn't it? This feeling is to some degree based in ignorance because there have been far worse times in history.
• 32:22
  Maybe from our perspective, this 18 months has felt really long, but honestly, there have been way worse eras in world history, wars and pestilence that far outshine what we're dealing with now. But from our limited perspective, these have been difficult months, but there will be an end. And I don't just mean an end to COVID. Certainly that will come, but there will be an end to war.
• 32:48
  There will be an end to injustice. There will be an end to inequality and all of it. I mean, all of it. There will be an end to all of it. And church, the question I will leave us with this morning is, are you prepared for that end? There will be a day when Christ returns and it will come suddenly, just like the flood upon the people of Noah's day, just like the salt and fire and brimstone of the people of Lot's day. So will be the coming of the son of man.
• 33:17
  Are you prepared to stand before the Lord in judgment? Are you covered by the blood of Jesus? Just like in Noah's day and just like in Lot's day, God is willing to save. He's willing to rescue anybody who wants to be rescued from that coming judgment. And the Lord, I believe, like a loving parent with great care and precision, answers our questions. And in case your question after hearing this sermon is,
• 33:46
  I do want to be prepared. Am I prepared for that day? I'm not sure. How do I prepare? Well, he answered that question too. Turn with me if you would. And with this, we end to the gospel of Matthew. Go back just a couple of books to the left. Matthew and chapter six. And look at verse 33. Matthew six and verse 33. It says this, but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things will be added to you.
• 34:15
  How do I prepare for the coming of the kingdom? Seek the coming of the kingdom. He says, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things. Like what things? If you go back and look at the context, he's talking about food and clothing. All of these things, earthly things will be added to you. The Lord will take care of those things. Doesn't he know you need those things?
• 34:35
  Yes. So you don't have to frantically run around pursuing those things, gathering those things, stockpiling those things. You don't have to worry about those things. The Lord will take care of that. You seek his kingdom and his righteousness, and the Lord will take care of everything else. And what a great promise. And God, I pray that that is what our heart's desire would be, that we would seek your kingdom and your righteousness.
• 34:59
  And Lord, that we would prepare our hearts and our lives and our families for your coming again. Lord, it could be soon. It could be tomorrow. So God, I pray that we would just be ready at any time to stand in judgment. I pray that we would be prepared to stand before you and to give an account. God, knowing that Jesus, Jesus has covered our sin. And so because of that truth, we have hope. We will be spared. We will be rescued. God, thank you for answering our questions so clearly.
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  with such precision and care. We're thankful, Lord, that you're not a because-I-said-so parent, but that you want to calm our fear and doubt and anxiety. We love you, Lord, and it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.