Sermon
The Truth That Sets Us Free
December 1, 2002
Pastor Donald Sheley

For you that join with us today, we have been spending months, in fact, we're in our second year working our way through the gospel of John. We just take a phrase or two or three verses week after week, and our desire really is to get to know the word in its depth and that's why we take such a long time with each particular passage. We're in an extremely interesting chapter. It's a chapter, chapter 8 of John, it's the chapter where Jesus' opponents really come at Him with intense criticism. And we find Jesus defending Himself amidst these critics. His answers all are absolutely sublime. His criticism is unfair, and the snears and the jesting that they throw at Him is almost in human.

When I think of all of the great chapters of the Scripture, this has to be one of the greatest, as far as I'm concerned, because it shows Christ defending His deity, His personhood, and what a marvelous display of godliness. So we come to chapter 8; we're reading today from verse 25. We're going to talk about a few verses in this portion of the conversation that He is having with His critics. It says:
"Then they said to Him, "Who are You?" And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.
I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."
They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."
As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Now you'll notice that this is a conversation that's carried on. Jesus has said, I'm going away and where I go you cannot come. They suggested that He might commit suicide. Jesus said, no, you are from beneath, I am from above, and if you do not believe who I am as I say I am, you will die in your sins. The implied is you'll be lost eternally if you reject the deity of Jesus Christ and His saviorhood.

Then comes the reply, who are You? Now let's go to our notes for a few moments, shall we? We need to understand, if we are to enter fully into the spirit of this chapter, that the relationship between Jesus Christ and the religious leaders of His day is really deteriorating very, very rapidly. They have one goal. Ultimately, when we get to the end of this chapter they're ready to stone Him. They want to get rid of Him. They want to destroy Him.

Now the great controversy began in chapter 5. It was in chapter 5 that Jesus healed the man down by the pool who had been there for 38 years. He told him to take up his bed and go home. But to carry your bed on the Sabbath was a violation of Sabbath rules, and those religious leaders did not like that breaking of the law. It was there they started their desire to destroy Him. So when we come to the end of chapter 8, as I have noted, they're going to stone Him.

There'll be a change when we come to chapter 9 because the theme changes. It will be the relationship of Jesus to those whom the Father has given Him and His provision for them. But in the remaining verses of this chapter, John traces the deteriorating pathway in this relationship. Now it sunk quite low already.

First, there was the attempt to arrest Jesus; now this failed. Next, there was the attempt to trap Him in the matter of the woman taken in adultery. He proved Himself to be wiser than they. Third, there was the attempt to have His testimony discounted on the basis of a legal technicality. You remember last week as we took the verses before this, Jesus is saying My Father is My witness. But of course, they say, where is Your Father? And the implied is, you're not following the rules of the court. If you're going to claim a witness, have Him present. Now notice, Jesus had an answer for this.

And so after Jesus had escaped His arrest, over come them in the test, and answered their objections to His testimony, the Pharisees and the other leaders sank to the lowest level of all and they began to make fun of Him personally.

I've noticed something that frequently on these television programs where you have two opposing positions: there's one person defending one side and one another, in most cases they will let the discussion go on as long as you are on the issue, and issue is the center of the comments, but as soon as you digress or degrade yourself and start attacking the person personally, that usually ends the discussion. Because when you attack the person personally you're already admitting that you've lost the argument. And this is exactly where this has come to.

And what they do is they ask Jesus three insulting questions. Now the first one was this: "Where is Your Father?" At the least this was a scornful rejection of Jesus' statement that there was a second witness to His claims, and that was His Father. But it also may have reference to the particular nature of the facts surrounding His birth. When you read the ancient histories you'll find that there was a line of gossip being spread around Palestine concerning this Jesus. They said He was a child fornication, and here's where they got it from. Up in Nazareth, at His hometown, there was a garrison of soldiers, and the implied was that Mary and one of those Roman soldiers had an affair and Jesus was a child of fornication. They'll allude to that a few verses further in their criticisms. So really what they are saying is, where is Your Father? Implied: we don't know who birthed You.

Let's go to page 2. That's insulting. Now the second question was: "Will He kill Himself?" The force of the query is seen in the Jewish belief that those who killed themselves went to the lowest part of Hades. Jesus had just said; "Where I go, you cannot come." They had correctly understood that He was speaking of His death, but they reasoned that since they would surely be going to heaven, then He was going to hell, and the lowest part at that.

Suicide was regarded as a very serious matter by first-century Jews. They were impressed by the words of Genesis 9:5 which reads: And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. So generally speaking, suicide was thought of as desperately wicked and as inevitably bringing the punishment of hell on its perpetrator.

Now I often refer to Josephus. He was a brilliant man. He was conquered by the Romans. They paid him to write history from a Roman point of view, and he was a contemporary during the days of Jesus. Look at what he writes. He speaks very strongly about this matter of taking one's life. "But as for those who have laid mad hands." Look at the adjective he uses there. "On themselves, the darker regions of the nether world receive their souls, and God, their father, visits upon their posterity the outrageous acts of the parents."

He goes on to point out that, though even the bodies of suicides remain unburied until sunset (as a form of punishment). He also says that in other nations a suicide's right hand must be cut off, "holding that, as the body was unnaturally severed from the soul, so the hand should be severed from the body."

Those were the thoughts concerning suicide during the days of Christ. It's interesting that the Jews should take such a strong line when the philosophers of Greece could regard suicide as permissible, even a praiseworthy way of bringing to an end a long and honorable life that had now become burdensome. What they are saying is, Jesus is mentally off balance because He's even got suicidal tendencies.

Let me stop here for a while. I want to touch on something that probably no minister very seldom talks to you about. I want to talk to you about this issue of suicide. I came from a background where I was taught that if someone to their life they were naturally going to go to hell. That is part of some of our tradition in the past. But you know, after pastoring and preaching for over 50 years now, I've had to deal with something the last ten years that I never had to deal with the first forty years, and that's the issue of suicide.

I had two boys in our Sunday school a few years ago; one was 17, and one was 15. He was deeply depressed. A very, very alone person and one day in his home over in Daly City he took his life. I went with the family to bury that young lad, but his brother became so lonely without him, two weeks later he took his life. Now I have to stand there in that cemetery and I watch a dad and mom grieve two boys -- gone. I tell you the pain is deep, far more intense even then a natural death, I think.

I had lady who for many months a few years ago sat right here. My heart went out to her, but I knew that her mind was being ravaged by the tensions of life and she was at her wits end. And I still remember the morning, the sermon, and she left this church and went out to the Bay Bridge and she became another casualty. I've had to deal with it. And I'll tell you I become very, very tender. And I would suggest to you, no matter what your teaching has been in the past, if you're ever confronted with an issue were someone close to you are within the family -- be exceedingly kind and exceedingly gracious.

Here's what I've concluded: for one to go that far and to take their own life, they have moved to a point where mental stress and their mind has been so ravaged by life's tensions they move beyond a point where they are no longer responsible for the decisions they make. And God is a God of grace, and God is a God of mercy, and when I come to those situations I just have to tell the folks let's leave this matter wholly in God's hand. He understood. He's gracious. He's loving. But never deal with the eternal issues, I mean, telling somebody that someone else because of suicide went to hell. Don't ever say that. Leave it in God's hands. Amen?

Back to our notes. The third question that is hurled at the Christ by the Pharisees was: "Who are You?" Implied: You're a nobody. It was a rejection of all the things He had said about Himself previously. It's probably more accurately rendered in the R.V. "They said therefore unto Him, Who art thou? Jesus said unto them. Altogether that which I also speak unto you."

Probably, another rendering, dropping down a few lines -- I am essentially and absolutely that which I have declared Myself to be. I have spoken of "light": I am the Light. I have spoken of "truth": I am the Truth. I am the very incarnation, the personification, the exemplification of them. Jesus said, I'm everything I said I was.

Then He said something interesting, and when you get into the original Greek, it's a very hard sentenced to interpret. I have many things to say and to judge of you; but He that sent Me is true. And so taking all of the various translations and manuscripts here's what I came up with: what he's really saying is, Your incredulity is very reprehensible, and your insulting sneers deserve the severest censure, but I forbear. What He's saying -- you guys are unfair. You're accusing Me of wrongful birth. You're accusing Me of being mentally incompetent. This conversation doesn't even deserve to continue. In fact, it's reprehensible; it's degrading. But Jesus said I'm going to withhold judgment. I could judge you now, but I'm not going to do that.

If Christ had dealt with these insulting opponents as they thoroughly merited, not only would He have upbraided them, but He would have passed an immediate sentence of condemnation upon them. Instead, He doesn't do that. He contented Himself by affirming once more that the witness He bore of Himself was true, because it was the most perfect accord with what His Father Himself had said.

What Jesus is just simply saying is, you can talk, you can make all the accusations you want, but there's one thing for sure, what I'm saying are the words of God. And God is true and no matter what you say or think, does not change the truth. That's what He's saying.

Again and again John reports words of Jesus that bring out the truth that His message was not of human origin. He brings out a revelation from none less than the Father; And whatsoever I have heard from Him, these things I speak to the world. Every word that Jesus said had the mind of the Father behind it, and He expressed the mind of almighty God.

When the Jews reject the One who now addresses them, they thereby reject God Himself, the Father. What Jesus had heard from all of eternity from the Father; these things He uttered not only to the Jews but to the Jew and Gentile alike. They were meant for all, for the entire world. Jesus said, I don't care what you say, fellows, let's come back to the facts. What I say had it's origin in eternity, and what I say to you are the words of God.

I'm down in the middle of the page. So Jesus takes the discussion further. He spoke of the time when they would have "lifted up the Son of man". John uses this when he speaks of Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the wilderness. He uses it four times, and on each occasion he's making reference to the crucifixion. In a sense that was a physical lifting up, so we can understand it being used of death in this way.

A victim who has now been condemned to death by crucifixion -- he's taken out to the place of crucifixion, the cross is laid on the ground, they lay the victim on the cross, nail his hands and his feet, and then by some apparatus they hoist that cross into the sky and then drop it into the ground. It's the lifting up of the cross, and that's where that phrase comes from. So He says, then shall ye know that I am He. In other words, He's saying, when you nail Me to the cross. He intimated that the crucifixion would be accompanied and followed by such manifestations of His Divine glory that He would be fully vindicated, and many would be convinced that He was indeed the Messiah, and that He had done and said only what He had been commissioned by the Father to do. Jesus said, when the cross takes place, you'll all know.

Well let's go back to the day of the cross. What takes place? First of all, when He utters those closing words, it is finished, the sun refuses to shine and darkness covers the earth. And then the rocks begin to quake and the earth begins to shake! And in the temple the veil in the temple is rent from top to bottom. And standing by the cross is that centurion who gives that great proclamation of faith, truly this was the Son of God. Placed in a tomb, three days later resurrection morning, here's what Jesus said, you nail Me to a cross but the world will witness things they've never witnessed before, and it will vindicate that what I've said is true.

When this lifting up takes place, Jesus said, you will know that I am He. This means that the cross is not only the means of our redemption, but that it has a revelatory function. Here's what I meant by that. The cross is very confronting. You know there is a sacred moment that takes place here at every service that you come -- it's the passing of the communion plate. And there's not a person in attendance who does not know something about the sacredness of that plate. And immediately when that plate starts down the aisle, down their row, they are confronted. They know that communion plate represents the Christ who died on the cross, who paid the penalty for our sins, and they've got to make some spiritual decisions. Where do I stand before Jesus, with Jesus? And many times they'll let it pass by.

Many of us come from backgrounds were it was customary that at the end of each service there was what was called an altar service, where everybody was asked to bow their heads and people were given the opportunity to make a decision for Christ. I'm frequently asked by guests on the blue registration forms, do you ever have an altar service in your church? And I answer back and say yes, at every service; because you take the communion, pass it down the aisles, they are confronted with the cross. And it's at our communion services were some of most marvelous eternal decisions are made because they realize that there on that cross 2000 years ago Jesus paid the penalty and He died as our substitute for us. And that's why we call Him our Savior.

What Jesus says, when you come to the cross you are confronted. I note here that the cross forces people into a final decision. Face to face with the cross His hearers would come into either a place of salvation or of final condemnation. They would accept Him as God's own Son and the Messiah who was bringing salvation, or they would turn away from Him with finality. When we orient ourselves to the cross, we begin to see the I AM, the eternity and the magnificence of God.

There's an old hymn that I used to sing as a little boy. And the words went like this: "I must needs go home by the way of the cross, there's no other way but this; I shall ne'er get sight of the gates of light, if the way of the cross I miss. I must needs go on in the blood-sprinkled way, the path that the Savior trod, If I ever climb to the heights sublime, where the soul is at home with God. The way of the cross leads home, the way of the cross leads home, it is sweet to know as I onward go, the way of the cross leads home."

So when we come face to face with the cross, when we see the One who died on it for us, then either we respond with penitence and faith and so enter salvation, or, we harden our hearts and reject the revelation, and shut ourselves up to an eternal consequence for our actions. Jesus said it's at the cross. We sing it in another song: At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away -- It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day! Jesus said, when I'm lifted up then you'll know I'm everything I said I was.

Down at the bottom of the page: While He was saying this, many put their faith in Him. It's interesting that John uses a phrase 'puts their faith in Him'. He implies that there's a mental assent to some of the things that Jesus had said. It wasn't a saving faith.

I'm over at the top of page 5. Jesus therefore said to the Jews who had believed Him, "If you remain in My word you are truly My disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." Now this passage is a dialogue between Jesus and some Jews who had believed Him. And it's plain from the exchange that their faith had not gone very deep. In fact, it can be scarcely called faith at all. We are reminded that there are degrees of conviction.

Evidently these people had been impressed by some of Jesus' sayings. They believed them, and they counted themselves as followers of Jesus. This may mean only that they agreed that some of Jesus' teaching was true. The Greek construction that John uses here in his original text means no more than they simply accepted as true what Jesus said. These people who claimed to be disciples of Jesus had a very shallow commitment. Jesus now speaks to them about the meaning of true discipleship.

I really folks this is probably the heart of the lesson today. Jesus has taken these terrible accusations, demeaning, degrading questions. He's responded by saying, I don't care what you say, what I tell you is the truth because it comes from God. And I want you to know that the day will come, you'll nail Me to a cross, and God will vindicate by many miraculous signs the truth of what I've said. The response was, it says that some of them said, hey, I think what He's saying is true.

And then Jesus comes to a very serious matter. It's interesting as you follow the intricacies of this conversation. Remember last week He gets down to the point and says, if you reject who I am, if you reject My deity, you'll die in your sins. Implied: you'll be lost forever in hell. It's that serious. To go to heaven we must put our trust in Jesus Christ the divine Son of God as our Savior. And Jesus says, if you don't, you'll go to hell. It's that serious.

They come at Him again with these ugly questions, and finally Jesus says, I want you to know that only those who abide in My word are disciples. That word 'indeed' in the original is 'genuine'. You're only My genuine disciple if you follow in My words. Here's the point, ladies and gentlemen, when Jesus talks about discipleship and being a Christian, every time He puts qualifiers to it. He is saying if you abide in My word then are you My genuine disciple. Don't give Me any of the lip stuff, Jesus is saying, I'm not interested in just verbal talk. If you're going to be My disciple you've got to follow My words.

Now let's set our notes aside and take our Bibles. I want to show you that here's a truth that's followed all the way through Scriptures. Go with me to 1 John clear back in the back of your Bible and here's my point. Jesus said there are qualifiers that define you if, in fact, you are truly a Christian, My disciple. There are certain characteristics that are going to mark you.

Look at what he says in 1 John 1:7. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light -- there's the qualifier -- then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. What's the qualifier? Walking in the light then we're forgiven.

Look at chapter 2; look at verse 4: He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His Commandments. Now remember Jesus said My words must abide in you if you are My disciple. So John is saying it in a different way. He who says, "I know Him," that is, I'm a Christian, and does not keep His Commandments is a liar. It's clear, isn't it? What Jesus says -- it's not what you say, it's how you live that's going to prove true discipleship.

Look at verse 5: whoever he keeps His word, there's abiding in His word, truly the love of God is perfected in Him. By this we know we are in Him. How do we know we are in Him? We are keeping His word. Right? I didn't change that a bit, did I? That's what it says.

Well look at what verse 6 says: He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. What's he saying? If you say you are a Christian then act like one. Be a follower of Christ. May your life be marked with the characteristics of Christ's likeness. Be like Jesus.

Go with me to Titus. Now here's my point folks, you'll find this throughout the Scriptures that Jesus says don't say you're something if you don't prove it by your life, because words mean nothing. Look at Titus 2:11. I wanted you to see these words with your own eyes. Notice verse 11, For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeemed us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. It's quite clear, isn't it?

We become followers of Christ, and in so doing, we deny worldly lusts and we live soberly, and righteously, and godly in this present age looking for the appearing of Christ. Jesus said something very serious to those who were falsely accusing Him, he said, look at you can give Me all the lip service you want, but let's get one thing straight if you are My disciple you're going to live according to My words. You're going to have a desire to be obedient to Christ. You're going to want to honor Him in all that you do. You're going to want to walk away from all that's sin and that's marked in all of its ungodliness and want to go serve Him with all of your heart. That's what he's saying.

I've got about eight minutes to talk to you about one of the most serious things that's happening in Christendom today and evangelicalism, because this subject brings us right heart to heart with it, face to face. Jesus is laying down the stipulations for being a Christian, for being a follower of Christ. He had a gospel that was very, very clear.

But ladies and gentlemen there is another gospel that is being preached in evangelicalism that is total heresy, and when you understand the flow of theological thought today and you read the writings in theology, you'll see that the conflict and the controversy is severe. Now let me show you the difference. These will not be in your notes because I typed these on another sheet of paper.

First of all I want to read what you and I believe as Christians, and you see if this is not what we believe. We believe that Christ's death on the cross paid the full penalty for our sins and purchased eternal salvation. Amen? We all believe that. Secondly, that salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone plus and minus nothing. Amen? For by grace ye have been saved through faith, Paul writes to the Ephesians.

Number 3, sinners cannot earn salvation or favor with God. Amen? We agree to that. Fourthly, God requires of those who are saved no preparatory works or prerequisite of self-improvement. Just as I am without one plea I come to Thee. Amen? We don't make preparations; just with an open heart say, Jesus, here I am, warts and all. Amen? We don't make any preparation for His grace.

Now the gospel call to sinners includes repentance, and repentance is the turning from sin. A very simple word. I was going this way in my pathway of sin; I make the decision; it's mental assent; I'm now going to turn my life and I'm going to follow Jesus Christ with every bit of my strength, my energy, I'm going to put my whole life into this. Repentance is that moment when I turn from sin and start following Christ. Remember it's the first word that Jesus preached -- Repent! -- that was His message. It was the message of John the Baptist -- Repent, turn from your sins and follow me. We believe that, don't we?

Real faith inevitably produces a changed life. It's true. Once the spirit of God indwells within us, life takes on some tremendous changes. What we hated, now we love; what we loved, now we hate, because we become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Old things are passed away. Behold all things have become new. Amen?

Jesus is Lord of all and the faith He demands involves unconditional surrender. We sing it -- I surrender all, I surrender all, all to Jesus I surrender, I surrender all.

One more item to our Christian faith -- genuine believers stumble and fall, but we get up and keep trying again, don't we? We come to the service and get on our knees and say, Jesus, please forgive me. I made a mess out of things this week. And the marvelous thing about our Christ is He lovingly and patiently forgives and cleanses us. Amen? That's what we believe.

Now if you went to another church that preached another gospel, and it's being widespread today, and it comes under evangelical preaching, and if I told you it's source it would alarm you. But here's what you would hear. This is another gospel and it's taking the place of the gospel I just talked to you about. If you went to this church the pastor would say that repentance is a change of mind, not a change of life, a change of mind about Christ. In the context of the gospel invitation repentance is just a synonym for faith. No turning from sin is required for salvation.

Now as soon as we heard that, time for us to exit because we are amidst heresy. But they go on, look at what they say -- the whole of salvation is a gift of faith, but faith might be lost or it not last, and a true Christian can completely cease believing. Now I copied this right out of their books folks, their sermon books. Saving faith is simply being convinced or giving credence to the truth of the gospel. That is, yeah, I believe 2000 years ago Jesus died on a cross; I believe he's the Son of God; I believe...mental assent, and then go on and live like you want to live.

Some spiritual fruit is inevitable in every Christian's experience, however it might not be visible. I've never seen a fruit tree that tried to hide its apples. I mean if the fruit is there, you're going to see it. But they say, some fruit, some Christians may not even give any evidence of spiritual fruit.

Now listen to this one. Submission to Christ's supreme authority as Lord is not germane to the saving transaction, neither is dedication or willingness to be dedicated to Christ are issues of salvation. That's a lie. You see, here's their logic. If I do anything, even confess or change anything, that's human works and I've negated the meaning of grace. Do you see their logic? You don't do anything, you don't have to do anything to let grace be everything it's supposed to be.

Christians may fall into a state of lifelong carnality. Disobedience and prolonged sin are no reason to doubt the reality of one's faith. Repentance is not essential to salvation. Ladies and gentlemen, this is being preached in evangelical churches. It's what is known as No-Lordship. What they say is believe in Jesus as a Savior and when you make up your mind you want to serve Him as Lord, then let Him be the Lord. You can't divide Him, ladies and gentlemen. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. He's either Lord of all, or He's not Lord at all. It's that simple.

And lastly, it is possible to experience a moment of faith that guarantees heaven for eternity, then to turn away permanently and live a life that is utterly barren of any spiritual fruit. Genuine believers might even cease to name the name of Jesus or believe in the tenets of His Christian faith. It's known as easy-believism, and it's a gospel that is being preached that is absolutely riddling and robbing the evangelical church of its spiritual dynamic, because the pews are being filled with people who have only a mental assent but not a total commitment to Jesus Christ.

Jesus brings that crowd to a halt, I'm sure, when He says, listen, I don't want to hear lip service. Don't give Me any of that. If you are going to be My disciple then live in My word.

My prayer is that all of us will be followers of Christ and want to serve Him with all of our heart, and we'll want His word to be so much a part of our living. You know, ladies and gentlemen, that's the reason why Sunday after Sunday I try to stay as close to the word. I want the word to fill you heart and life and I want a transforming power. When you walk out of this place I pray that His word is ever at work within you. And I pray that there is a desire in your heart to be obedient to His word. You walk out of this service today and God by His spirit has convicted your heart that something needs to change -- change it! Let His word transform you. Amen?

Jesus, You didn't leave us in doubt. You didn't confuse the issue. You made it very clear. If we reject You as the divine Son of God, we will die in our sins; eternally lost, but we're here today. We've trusted in You, dear Jesus, that all You said about Yourself was true, and all that You did was according to an eternal plan. You went to that cross and You died for me, and I shall forever be grateful to You Lord Jesus for doing that. But You also made it very clear that Christianity wasn't something of the lips, it was a transformed life and that to truly be Your disciple we must allow Your word to abide, take its home, inside of our hearts, and we are to follow it obediently.

Thank you Jesus for making it so clear. You say, Pastor, now I understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus is to pledge my life and my soul to His word, and to follow Him as best I possibly can. Now I know what it means to be a Christian, and that's what I want to be today. Would you raise your hand? Yes. So many raised their hand. God is looking on this scene and He knows your heart.

Before we go let's pray, and then you just say, Jesus, from this day on just help me to live for You. I want everyone to pray with me: dear Jesus I turn my life over to You. I ask You to forgive me. I repent of my sins, and I turn to follow You Jesus with all of my being. You're my Savior and my Lord. Thank you Jesus.

Now father I just pray that Your wonderful Holy Spirit will just flood the hearts of these today. We understand what You want of us, all of us, to love You, to believe that You're the divine Son of God, and to follow Your word with all of our being. We'll make mistakes and You'll forgive us, but we're going to try in Your strength dear Jesus. Amen. God bless you all. God bless you.