God’s Purpose In All This
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Derrel Strickland
Acts 17 explores Paul's time in Athens, highlighting the cultural and religious environment he encountered. The progression from Abraham's faith, to Moses' law, to the grace of Jesus Christ illustrates God's purpose for guiding humanity from family faith to national law, culminating in grace for the entire world.
The core takeaway is that God's purpose unfolds through faith, law, and grace, revealing that while the law shows our need for a savior, it is through Jesus Christ that we receive grace and the fullness of life.
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Understanding God's Purpose Through Abraham, Moses, and Jesus
In Acts 17, we find Paul in Athens, Greece, a city renowned as the cultural center of its time. While waiting for his companions, Paul observed the city, noting its deep spiritual and philosophical roots, which were steeped in idol worship. The city was full of idols, and Paul’s spirit was provoked, compelling him to engage with the people in the synagogue and marketplace. This chapter offers a profound insight into how God’s purpose for humanity has evolved, as seen through the lives of three pivotal figures: Abraham, Moses, and Jesus Christ.
The Cultural and Religious Landscape of Athens
Athens was a hub of intellectual and religious activity, home to various philosophical schools, including the Epicureans and Stoics. These philosophies represented the diverse and often conflicting beliefs that dominated the city. Despite the city's advanced knowledge and religious devotion, Paul identified a crucial gap in their understanding. Among their many altars, Paul found one dedicated "To the unknown God," which he used as a starting point to introduce them to the God who created the world and everything in it. This highlights the limitations of human wisdom and religion when disconnected from the truth of God’s revelation.
Abraham: Faith for the Family
Abraham's story begins in Genesis, where God promises him that he will be the father of many nations. Despite his old age and the seeming impossibility of the promise, Abraham's faith remained steadfast. His belief was not just a casual acknowledgment but a firm conviction that God was able to fulfill His promises. This faith was the foundation of his life and was counted to him as righteousness. Abraham's primary role was to teach his family about faith, instilling in them the importance of trusting in God’s word, regardless of circumstances. His legacy of faith is evident in his descendants, who continued to walk in the footsteps of the faith he exemplified.
Moses: The Law for the Nation
While Abraham laid the foundation of faith for his family, Moses was chosen to lead the nation of Israel and give them the law. The law, given through Moses, served as a guide to show the people how to live in a way that was pleasing to God. However, the law also brought with it the reality of transgression and the consequences of sin, highlighting humanity's need for a savior. The law was necessary to maintain order and justice, but it also revealed that no one could perfectly keep it, thus pointing to the need for something greater—grace.
Jesus Christ: Grace for the World
The culmination of God's purpose is found in Jesus Christ, who brought grace and truth to the world. While the law, given through Moses, showed humanity's shortcomings, Jesus offered a solution through His life, death, and resurrection. He came not just for a family or a nation but for the entire world, bringing the light of God to all who would believe. In Him, the purpose of God is fully revealed: to offer grace and mercy to a world in need of salvation. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross made it possible for all to experience the fullness of life that comes through faith in Him.
The Progression of God's Purpose: From Faith to Grace
The progression from Abraham to Moses to Jesus illustrates the unfolding of God's purpose for humanity. Abraham taught faith, which was essential for the family. Moses introduced the law, necessary for the governance of a nation. Jesus brought grace, which is vital for the salvation of the world. This progression shows that while the law is important, it is grace that ultimately brings life and salvation. Faith, law, and grace are all parts of God's plan, but it is through Jesus that we receive the grace that leads to eternal life.
Conclusion: Embracing God's Purpose for Our Lives
Understanding the roles of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus helps us to see the bigger picture of God’s purpose for humanity. It reminds us that faith is the foundation, the law is a guide, but grace is the key to salvation. Through Jesus Christ, we are invited to experience the fullness of God’s love and to share that love with the world. As we reflect on these truths, let us embrace the grace offered to us and live in a way that honors the purpose for which we were created.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
Discussion Guide: Embracing Faith, Law, and Grace
Reflect on Abraham’s Faith: What does faith mean to you? Can you share a time when having faith led to a positive change or outcome in your life?
Understanding the Role of Law: How does the law influence our actions today? Do you find comfort or restriction in having rules to guide us?
Receiving Jesus’ Grace: How do you personally experience the grace of Jesus? In what ways can you share this grace with others around you?
Living in Grace and Truth: How can we, as individuals and a community, prioritize grace and truth in our daily interactions?
The Purpose of God in Your Life: Reflecting on this sermon, what do you believe God's purpose is for you right now? How can discovering this purpose enhance your faith journey?
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Understanding the Historical Context: Moses, Abraham, and Paul's Athens
Moses and the Law
Moses' era, described in the Book of Exodus, occurred around the 13th century BCE. At this time, the Israelites were amidst transitioning from slavery in Egypt to becoming their own nation. The laws he received, known as the Ten Commandments, provided a foundation for morality and societal structure during their desert journey and upon reaching Canaan, the Promised Land. This period was pivotal as laws not only guided but preserved their identity.Abraham and Faith
Abraham is considered one of the patriarchs of the Hebrew Bible, often dated to around 2000 BCE. His story is found in Genesis, positioning him within Mesopotamia—current-day Iraq. Abraham's faith set the foundation prior to the establishment of Jewish law. His journey marked the beginnings of a covenantal relationship with one God, against the backdrop of multiple deities common in ancient Mesopotamia.Paul in Athens
Paul's visit to Athens, detailed in Acts 17, happened during the first century CE. At that time, Athens was under Roman control but retained its status as an intellectual hub from its prior classical glory. Greek culture was rich with philosophical schools like Stoicism and Epicureanism, which heavily influenced religious and ethical thought. Paul’s engagement with Athenians highlighted the dialogue between incoming Christian monotheism and the prevalent polytheistic practices and philosophical ideologies of the time.Understanding these historical contexts helps us see how faith, laws, and the message of Jesus operated within their times, offering pillars that transcend boundaries even today.
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Acts, chapter 17 tells us when Paul was in Athens, Greece. Athens was the cultural center of that day. I'm not sure exactly where the cultural center of the world is today. I know New York is one of the financial centers of stock market, all these places. But in the days of Paul, Athens, Greece was the cultural center.
Several of the buildings that were there in Paul's day are still there. They're still standing. So I want us to start today in acts, chapter 17. Acts, chapter 17. And let's read begin at verse 16.
Now, while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked. Now, it didn't say God's spirit. Did it say the Holy spirit? It said that Paul's spirit. I tend to believe that we need to allow our spirit to get provoked.
Nobody agree with that? Don't you think that sometimes we need to let our spirit get provoked. Now, we don't need to carry it out, but, you know, sometimes the spirit of slap comes over us, huh? Yeah, sometimes we need to allow our spirit to get provoked. Not in a bad way, not in carrying it out and doing evil things, but we need to understand that our world's in a mess.
And Paul looked out over Athens, the cultural center, and, you know, it seems like the more people begin to think of how great they are, the bigger mess they get into. And in Athens, Greece, they were a mess. It says he saw that the city was full of idols, so he reasoned, in the synagogue. Now, the synagogue were the Jews and devout persons. The synagogue was basically another name for a local church.
It was just a place. And in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Some of the epicurean and stoic philosophers also conversed with him. Now, there was a number of religions. Now, how many knows that?
There's a few religions today, but there was a number of religions that were very prominent in Athens. And it mentions a couple of them, stoism. They believed in morality, but it was based on pride. In other words, I'm better than you.
I think that might have invaded the church a little bit, because we're not. See, the stoists believed in morality because they were better. The Christians are taught we believe in morality because of our humility and realize that Jesus Christ is our answer. But then there was also the epicureanism. There were three of the main religions represented.
It mentions those here. And some said, what does this babbler wish to say? Now, how many knows that in the US, there are some circles that would call me a babbler, huh? Why is this idiota think he's telling us? Because he doesn't have a clue.
And I can tell you there's a lot of things in this world that I don't have a clue about. I said, there's a lot of things, and there's a lot of things I don't want to know a clue about. But it says he was a babbler. That's what he called Paul. Now, see, you have to remember, Paul was highly educated.
I said, paul was highly educated. He could probably debate these people and intended to do that. He said, what does this babbler wish to say? And others said, he seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities. Now, this was right down there alley, because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
And they took him and brought him to Areopagus. The King James version said, mars Hill. This was one of the big places, the religious places in Athens. May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting for you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know, therefore, what these things mean.
Now, all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there and spent their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new, they thrilled. Hey, here's a new guy. Here's a new man with some new beliefs. Let's listen to him. Let's see what he's got to say.
So, Paul, standing in the midst of the air, pagos said, men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. How many knows? There are a lot of religious people out there. I mean, you know, Opal Renfreys got her own religious station. She's religious.
There's a lot of religion. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription. To the unknown God, what therefore you worship as unknown. This I proclaim to you the God who made the world and everything in it, being lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hand, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on the face of the earth.
Having determined, allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not forth from each one of us. Now, this next phrase, I was shocked when I found this out, that Paul was not quoting the Bible here. He was quoting one of their religious leaders. Actually, he was quoting a song that was sung to the God Zeus.
In him we live and move and have our being. And even some of your poets have said, for we are indeed his offspring. So, see, they were religious. That wasn't their issue. They were religious.
But I want us to go to verse 27 and look at that for a moment, that they should seek God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us. Now, I read that in the new living translation in Ithoodae really spoke to my heart. It says, his purpose and all this. How many knows.
There's a lot of all this. How many knows that we can't cover all this today? But he said, his purpose in all this.
I mean, let me find my spot. His purpose in all this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. That's amazing. He said, all this has happened because God's purpose. God's purpose was to let them know about Jesus.
My message this morning is his purpose in all this. His purpose in all this. We can't cover it all. We'd be here forever. Well, let's look at three aspects of what God has done, his purpose, and all this.
But before we leave the scripture, let me mention that Paul's ministry in Athens appeared to be his least successful, had very little results in Athens, speaking to all the religious people. Now, from my experience, the religious people are the hardest to reach because they've got their own religion. And he had very little results with them. Even though he could debate with them, he could discuss it with them because he was a well learned person, but they wouldn't hear it. And after he left Athens, where did he go?
His next stop was a place called Corinth. What was Corinth known for? They weren't known for their education. They were known for their sinfulness. They were known for their sinfulness.
In chapter one, he talked about against the wisdom of man. But in chapter two, he sums it up in verse one and two. And when I come to you, brothers, I just left that bunch of heathens over there that knew everything. And a lot of people said they were good folks because they were highly educated. They were good folks because they had plenty of money.
But they didn't listen to the gospel. They didn't want anything to do with it. And so he said, when I came to you, brothers. I did not come to you. Proclaiming the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
He said, I tried that in Athens. And it didn't work. For I decided to know nothing among you. Except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Folks, when we get tired of trying to explain all this.
Let's just be reminded. There's Jesus Christ and him crucified. And his resurrection from the dead. It's his resurrection. That's what makes the difference.
So what was God's purpose in all that? What's God's purpose? We know that the reason Jesus came to earth. Was what to seek. And to save that which was lost.
Now, let's go all the way back to the book of Genesis, chapter 15. Where we find a man by the name of Abram. Who God changed his name to Abraham. Now, this was not the first time he spoke to him. He'd already told him that he was going to have son.
He'd already told him that he was going to bless him. But let's pick up here in Genesis, chapter 15, verse one. After these things. The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. Fear not, Abram.
I am your shield. Your reward shall be very great. But Abram said, o Lord God, what will you give me? For I continue childless? In other words, that promise had been made a long time ago.
And the longer it went, the more confused or more maybe doubtful. That Abraham got. Because he was just saying. How can I be a father of a nation without only having a kid? And he says, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus.
Eliezer was his servant. Eliezer was his household servant. Who was the highest ranked. And Abram said, behold, you have given me all. No offspring.
And I, and member of my household. And a member of my household will be my heir. Or in other words, Eliezer's descendants. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him and said, this man shall not be your heir. Your very own son shall be your heir.
And he brought him outside and said, look toward heaven and number the stars if you're able to number them. Then he said to him, so shall your offspring be. And he believed the Lord. And he counted to him as righteousness. He believed the Lord.
Now, what was the purpose of all this? Well, Abraham's purpose, his main thing that he taught. And he taught a lot. But the main thing that he taught was faith. And he taught it primarily to his family.
Because the jewish nation had not been established. That was happened to his great grandchildren. He taught it to his family. When you see Abraham's name, we see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. It was always the family.
It was always the family. So we see that Abraham spent his entire life. Yes, he was traveling or he relocated. He did so much. But his main emphasis that he taught his family about faith.
And how many are glad that Abraham taught his family about faith? It's all about faith. It's all about faith. Now the word there says, and he believed. Now, this is one of the problems when we talk about faith.
We say faith so haphazardly and many times we don't even know what faith is. He believed. He believed the Lord. Now, that word believed in the Hebrew means to be firm, to endure, to be true, to stand fast, to have believed, to be certain. So when it says that Abraham believed, it wasn't just a saying.
Yeah, I believe it was an acknowledgment that God was everything that he said he was. And that he could believe. Even though the longer he went, he could still believe that God was going to do what he said he would do. And it says, and his faith was counted to him for righteousness. Faith was counted to him for righteousness.
Have you noticed every time I've said that, when he talked about Abraham, it almost invariably says, and Isaac and Jacob. Because he taught them faith. He taught them faith. Now I want us to go to Romans chapter four. Now, I think you can understand that I could spend hours on this message.
But in Romans chapter four, it says this. Just pulling out a few verses. But let's start at verse three. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God and was counted to him as righteousness.
Abraham believed God and was counted to him as righteousness. Now drop down to verse twelve. It says this. And to make him the father of the circumcised. Who are not merely circumcised, but who walk in the footsteps of what faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Now we have to remember, circumcision was an act of the Jews. But it started before they were Jews. It started with Abraham. And Abraham by faith, accepted God's word. And he walked in the footsteps of the faith.
And to make him the father, now the father indicates means that he was having offspring. And all those that followed him would walk in faith. And that's what exemplified in Abraham's life, Abraham taught about faith. Let's continue on. For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For if it is the inheritance of the law who are to be their heirs, faith is null and promises void. For the law brings wrath. Catch that? The law brings wrath. For where there's no law, there's no transgression.
That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all the offspring. So not only to the adherent of the law, but also the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. I have made you verse 17. The father of many nations in the presence of the God in whom he. He believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into the existence the things that did not exist at that time.
In Abraham's mind, it had to be something from God, because he knew that he and his wife were beyond childbearing age. But he believed, he had faith that God would do what he said he'd do. Now go with me to the book of Galatians. Galatians and I just want to read a couple of verses because this whole chapter is that. But in Galatians chapter three, in verse ten or verse seven.
Excuse me, let's try one more. Six. Just as Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, it was counted to him as righteousness. Then let's drop to chapter, verse 15 to give a human example. Brothers, even with man made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.
Now, the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. What's his offspring? And to his family, referring to many, but referring to one. Now, his offspring was talking about Jesus. And to your offspring, who is Christ.
This is what I mean. The law which came 430 years afterwards does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God 430 years after Abraham, after this, because he prophesied that the children of Israel would go stay 400 years in Egypt. So 430 years afterwards does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God. For if inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise. For God gave it to Abraham by a promise.
Now that sounds a little confusing, but let's back up again to chapter 32. Excuse me, not 32. Go back to Genesis, chapter 16. And read 15. And read verse 13 and 15 again.
We'll find it here in a moment. God made the covenant with Abraham.
No, I'm sorry. In Romans. Let's go back to Romans. Hey, I didn't do this first service. Y'all got me nervous now, actually, I wanted to make sure I included that passage in Galatians.
Because I did not have time to do it in the first service. But. So if you go back to Romans and chapter three, I want to read verse 13 again. Chapter four, verse 13. For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
For if it is the inheritance of the law who are to be heirs, faith is null and promise is void. For the law brings wrath. But where there is no law, there is no transgression. Abraham brought faith to the family. Moses spent 40 years, four books of the Bible giving us the law.
Moses gave us the law. And did you notice that it says the law brings wrath? Any of you ever got a speeding ticket? Any of you ever been had to pay a fine? That's the wrath of the law.
I'm not going to ask you how many of you serve time in prison. I don't want to do that. How many of you? But that's the wrath of the law. And I know some say, well, wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have a law?
Do you think so? Without the law, there would be no transgression, you say, well, why have the law? That's a good question. Why have the law? How many of you would like to get on on interstate 75 today if they went out of notice?
There's going to be no laws today.
Hey, I don't like to drive with the laws. Matter of fact, I don't mind it when the highway patrolman gets in front of me. Cause everybody gonna slow down. But if there wasn't a law, there'll be no transgression.
Some of you may understand what I'm about to say. Maybe I'm confusing.
I never believed in America we would see lawlessness. I never believed I'd see that. I said that would never happen in America. Because, you know, Matt Dillon would have took care of that. And if you forward a few years, somebody else would have taken care of that.
Because we had law, we had order. But do any of you remember those mob scenes where they said, just do what you want to.
That's what the world would be like without the law. We would be afraid to stick our head out the door. We would be afraid to do anything because we would not have the law. Why did God give the law? He wanted to prove to us that we could not obey all the laws.
He wanted to prove to mankind that we needed some kind of supervision.
We need somebody to tell us right or wrong. So Moses spent 40 years telling the nation of Israel how to live.
He was teaching about the law. He went on the mountain for 40 days.
40 days. And what happened while he was on the mountainous?
Let's go to Exodus, chapter 32. Exodus, chapter 32, verse two. So Aaron said to them, Moses was up on the mountain. What was he doing up on the mountain? He getting the Ten Commandments.
He was getting the law. And he says, so Aaron said to them, take off the rings of gold that are in your ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters, and bring them to me. Said, bring me all your gold. You know what that tells me? That tells me those people were pretty serious, huh?
How serious would that be before you gave me all your gold? I mean, even your part gold gonna wait a long time. But the reality is, they wanted it. They were willing to give their gold and everything. So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.
And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. Now, I want to tell y'all, all my staff, you know this. You lie to me, you gone.
But Aaron was his associate. Aaron was the priest. Aaron was supposed to be the most religious guy there. He was the head of the Levites. But when Moses confronted him, oh, I just threw the gold in.
It came out a calf, huh? Man, I'd like to have that kind of ability. I just threw this. But I wouldn't want gold. I'd rather throw dirt in and let it come out of golden calf.
I mean, if you're going to do something great, do it. And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord. And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
Rose up to play.
Let me read that. That word to play. In the new living translation says, rose up for pagan revelry. The living bible puts it down a little bit more to our level. They sat down to feast and to drink at a wild party, followed by sexual immorality.
And they called it worship. They called it God. And the Lord said to Moses, go down for your people whom you brought up. God said, listen, Moses, these are your guys whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves, for they have turned aside quickly, out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and a sacrifice to it.
These are your gods, o Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And the Lord said to Moses, I have seen this people, and behold, it is stiff necked people. Now, therefore, let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, that I may consume them in order that I may make a great nation of you. He said, moses, I am ready to write them off. I will write them off.
And Moses said, no, they're your people.
And now we got a set of rules that they got to go by, the ten Commandments. But you know, they've been making laws ever since then.
And the laws help as long as they're enforced.
But without the law, we have no direction. We have lawlessness. Now, I want you to notice this. Notice the progression. Abraham taught his family to have faith.
Moses taught the nation, the law. In that progression, what do you think would come next? You got the family, the nation, somebody guess the world. Thank you. I knew somebody was smart enough to figure that out.
08:00 I had two that knew it.
The world. The world. Abraham taught faith for the family. Moses taught a law for the nation. But what did it say?
We were talking about the purpose of God. What was the purpose? Let's go to John, chapter one. John, chapter one, verse nine. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through him. Yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name. Faith believed in his name.
He gave the right to become the children of God, or the family of God, who were born not of blood, nor the will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. And the word speaking of Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. And we have seen his glory. Glory as the only son from the father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness to him and cried out, this was he of whom he said, he who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.
For from his fullness, whose fullness, God, from his fullness, we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses. But grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Faith for the family, the law for our nation. But grace and mercy and love and forgiveness for the entire world.
Reminds me of the lamb for sacrifice. The first lamb was for a family or an individual, then a family. Then after that, it was a family for the nation. But what does it say here in John? Let's go over to John, chapter 18.
Excuse me. Verse one. Verse 29. The next day, he saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said, behold the lamb of God. Who takes away the sin of Oxford.
Takes away the sin of Gator's family. No. Who takes away the sin of the world. That was what the purpose of why Jesus came to this earth. See?
John, chapter 18.
John, chapter 18 tells us this. Verse 37.
When he was standing in trial before Pilate, he said, sir, you're a king. And Jesus answered, you say, oh, my king, for this purpose, I've come into the world to bear witness to the truth. And everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. What is truth? Pilate asked.
Jesus previously had answered that I am the way, the truth and the lie. So what did it say in acts, chapter 17?
To show his purpose and all this? His purpose and all this was to reveal to us the fact that we needed to have faith. The law told us how rotten we are and how rotten we were. But Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. Abraham gave faith for the family.
Moses gave the law for the nation. But Jesus Christ come that we might have life. He came that we would have grace. Came that we would know what love is. He came that we would have joy.
And whenever I thought about that, I couldn't help but think about that old Christmas song. Joy to the world, the Lord has come. His purpose was to come so that you and I might have life and have it more abundantly. Not just a family, but. But the entire world.
Joy to the world. The Lord has come. Let's bow our heads in prayer. Holy Father, we thank you for your love.
We thank you for your love. God, I thank you for your anointing. God, I thank you that we speak Jesus. Abraham was a great man, but he was just a man. Moses was a great man, but he was just a man.
But Jesus Christ was the son of God. So we don't speak Moses. We don't speak Buddha. We don't speak any other name but Jesus. Because there's no other name under heaven whereby a man must be saved.
And so, Father, we speak Jesus over this congregation and God. If there's anyone here today that's never accepted Jesus Christ, their lord and savior, let them realize that the reason you gave us a law to show us that we need a savior, that we need forgiveness, that we need help. We can't do it of ourselves. Father, have your willing way today. Have your willing way today.
I've asked Pastor Jeff if they would re sing that song we closed out with a while ago. Speak Jesus, speak Jesus. And we're going to use this song as a. As an altar call. If you're here and you need Jesus, we'd like to invite you to come to this front.
Let's pray with you. If you hear and need Jesus to do anything else for you, we're going to speak Jesus over you. Feel free to come and be prayed for.
