Hebrews 5:11 - 6:8 Jesus - Grow in HIM

The speaker begins with a prayer thanking God for the day and asking for wisdom and understanding in studying His word. They then introduce a controversial passage of scripture that can be interpreted in different ways depending on the audience it is referring to. The speaker states that they believe the passage is addressing those who have already been saved and are brothers and sisters in Christ. They explain that being spiritually dull is a result of not repenting, not obeying, and not trusting in God. They emphasize the importance of acting on and obeying God's word in order to grow and mature spiritually. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this day that you've made, and thank you for helping us to be glad and to rejoice in the rain that we've received and the cool weather now. Thank you that Psalm 118.24 is such a reality in our lives this very day. And also the reality of Hebrews 4.12, that the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, divides to the soul and the spirit, joins to the marrow, is the discerner of the motives and intents of the heart. This day and every day, dear Lord, we pray Psalm 90.12 for each of us, that you help us to order each moment of every day right, so we will continue to gain a heart of wisdom through the study of your word. And we pray your blessings upon David as he teaches, and that you would prepare our hearts to hear your word being taught, and use David to speak your truth and love to every one of us. We pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Alright David, he gave me a preview of this study on Monday, it's full of controversy, so we're going to love it, you're going to love this lesson. Thank you David. Good, I'm in an argumentative mood. You get to pick sides tonight. He gets to pick sides. So what he's referring to is this passage of scripture we're going to study tonight, is one of the more challenging passages of scripture in the word of God, in terms of what it truly means, and there are theologians all over the place on it. But primarily two sides, and their sides are dictated by who they believe the audience is that this passage is referring to. So if the audience is those Jewish people who had heard the gospel, but are yet to respond to it, then they take a position that I'll explain in a minute. If the audience was those Jews who had heard the gospel and had received it, and were therefore brothers and sisters in Christ, then you look at it a totally different way. And so, you know, there's elements in here that could lead you to think that you can fall from grace, and so there are those out there that hang their hat on this passage as one of the proof texts where you can fall from grace. In this class, in this church, we don't believe that. So I'm not going to go down that path, all right? If you want to go down that path, go find another class. I'm just saying, we don't, I'm not going to teach that you can fall from grace, that's what I'm saying, all right? Okay. So, after I did all my study on this, when it's all said and done, I landed on the group that took the position that this passage of scripture is talking to those who had been saved, already saved, already brothers and sisters in Christ. And so, my lesson is geared that way. So I just want you to understand, if you don't see it that way, it's okay. You'd be in good company, all right? I'll tell you who I sided with was Brother Jimmy and Warren Wearsby. And one of the key guys on the other side of the fence was John MacArthur, okay? So you can see how there's a possibility of going either way, okay? But when I looked at it, especially as I studied Wearsby, Wearsby made some sense to me, so that's where I'm going with it. Is that okay? Okay. All right, here we go. Let's see what we can do with it. Jesus, grow in him. And I said, first of all, don't be a spiritual infant. So again, taking the position that we're talking about believers, all right? Don't be a spiritual infant. Concerning him, we have much to say. It's hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you've come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he's an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Now, concerning him ties back to what we studied last week, for those of you who were in the study last week, chapter 5, verses 9 and 10. So I've got that on your handout, on your Bible, your scriptures. So let's start right there, and let's see what he's referring to and concerning him. So whoever wants to start tonight. 5, 9, and 10? I'll start. Okay. And having been made perfect, he became to all those who obey him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Last week, when we finished that lesson, I brought up Melchizedek, and as I said then, I'll say again now, we're not going to unpack Melchizedek yet. It's coming. It's chapter 7, all right? And the author has yet to unpack Melchizedek, but suffice it to say, last week we talked about Melchizedek, what set him apart. There were two things. One is that he was known as the king of Salem, which means the king of peace, okay? And the other was that he had no beginning and no end. There's no record of his beginning or of his end. In other words, he was eternal. And as Ron brought up, which we'll get into when we unpack Melchizedek, I'll bring that up as well. He brought up that there's a position out there that it could have been what's called a theophany, correct? A pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus, okay? It could have been a theophany, all right? Don't know that? There's all sorts of positions on that, but we're not here to talk about that tonight. However, as you can see, as I've just explained it to you, if you're talking to someone who is still in his ABCs, unpacking Melchizedek isn't something that would come easy, okay? And so that's what he's saying here concerning Melchizedek. We have a lot to say, but he's looking at his audience right now, and for whatever reason, he's taking the position that they're not ready to hear that. They can't fully digest what he had to say about Melchizedek. Okay, y'all with me? Everybody tracking? Okay. So, what was important to understand about Melchizedek? Well, I've already kind of explained it to you. He's the high priesthood of Melchizedek. Why? Well, to have a full understanding of the high priesthood of Jesus, because he refers, the Psalms refers to Jesus being, you are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek, all right? So the author had referred to that Psalm last week when we studied, and so that high priesthood of Melchizedek, if you want to understand the priesthood of Jesus, in other words, you've got to understand the priesthood of Melchizedek. That's the significance of it. To have a full understanding of the high priesthood of Jesus, the source of eternal salvation, the superiority of his priesthood over the high priest in the line of Aaron, you have to understand Melchizedek, because that's who he's referred to. Well, so, you're a spiritual infant when you're unable to listen to the Word. It says, though by this time, no, I'm sorry, it says, concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. So unable to listen to the Word. Why? I just gave you the answer. They're characterized as being what? Dull of hearing. So that Greek word that's translated dull, one of the definitions that is applied to that word is no push. No push. In essence, they are lethargic. They're spiritually dull and lethargic. There's no push to grow. No push to understand. No push to take the next step. Okay? So I ask the question, how does one become spiritually dull? By not repenting of our sins. There you go. Susan gets the first gold star of the night. By not repenting. Now, you're talking about after salvation here, right? And so the reality is, we are all sinners, even after we're saved, and the reason that we should repent of our sins is what? To have that relationship, the right kind of relationship with God. There you go. To maintain your fellowship and your following, right? And to be obedient to the Holy Spirit. And to be obedient to the Holy Spirit. Because if you're His child, and you sin, God is going to bring it to your attention because you're His child. Right. If you're not His child, maybe not, but if you're His child, I promise you, if my kids got out of line, I got their attention, but if some friends of theirs got out of line, maybe not. Yeah. Because they weren't my children. Yeah. Yeah. So I think it makes a difference whose children you are. Well, sure it does. Sure it does. Yeah. Number one, you're dull when you don't repent, right? You're dull when you hear, but you don't what? Obey. Obey. You don't obey. You hear, but you don't obey. You hear, but you don't, another word, starts with a T, trust. You hear, but you don't trust. Going back to the Israelites that came out of Egypt, and the thing that I said several weeks ago, we studied that, right? And they didn't enter into His rest because they didn't what? Trust. Didn't trust. He said go, they said no. And when they said no, that's disobedience, but the disobedience was generated by a failure to trust, which still blows my mind every time I think about it, right? Every time you think about what they experienced of God's power and might, but ten spies come back and say, hey, we're just like little grasshoppers in their eyes. And that was enough to cause them to say, hmm, I don't know, God's big enough. After He opened the sea and walked on the island. Just saying. I'm just saying, man. Wow. Right? So, they hear, but they don't trust. They hear, but they don't obey. They hear, but they don't dig in. In other words, they're not interested enough to really say, well, I need to understand that more. They hear, but they don't dig in. I'd say everybody in this room and online tonight, that doesn't apply to them. You're digging in. You're not spiritually dull. You're maturing in your walk and your faith because you're exploring to understand more. That's the difference. Make the comment, until you obey and act on what you hear from God's Word, you can't grow into maturity. You can't. So, don't be a spiritual infant. The spiritual infant is unable to listen to the Word. The spiritual infant is unable to share the Word. Verse 12a, for though by this time you ought to be teachers, you ought to be sharing the Word. Well, why would that be? Why are you unable to share the Word? Well, you don't know it. You don't know it. You ain't got nothing to share, do you? You ain't got nothing to share. And if you believe it, don't believe it. Even if you try to share it. There's something about someone speaking and not really believing what they're saying that just doesn't... It becomes apparent, right, when a teacher teaches something that he doesn't know how to live himself, right? It's really easy to see when a teacher is teaching something that he doesn't fully do himself. And so, yeah, you should be maturing enough to share what you've learned, but if you haven't matured, then you can't share what you've learned. You've nothing to share. Until you live what you learn from God's Word, you have nothing to share, is the statement I make. Until you live what you learn from God's Word, you have nothing to share. A spiritual infant is unable to listen, unable to share. And he can only digest milk. It says, for this time, there are going to be teachers, etc., and you have come to need milk and not solid food. Well, milk is the elementary principles of the oracles of God. That's what it has described, all right? That's what Jesus did while on the earth. What does this include? In other words, they know about his what? First of all, they're believers. They know about his birth, right? They know about his life. They know about his death. They know about his burial first. And they know about his resurrection. That's the ABCs of the faith, isn't it? Is there anything else to the ABCs besides that? Well, it is life. In his life, there was miracles, there was teachings, and all that, right? Yeah. All right? So that's the elementary principles of the oracles of God, what Jesus did while on the earth. His birth, life, teaching, death, burial, and resurrection. All of that leads to a big word that we all are all gung-ho about and we all love and care about, salvation, right? But salvation is not where God intended for us to stay, is it? He didn't bring you to the point of bowing your knee and receiving the gift for you to say, thank you, God, I really appreciate it, and we'll check you later. You have something? See ya? Right? Right? That's not the reason you were saved. So salvation is just the beginning. Salvation is just the beginning. It's birth. It's birth. Exactly. It's birth. And if all you can do is get saved, then you're in an infant state. If nothing goes beyond that in terms of your spiritual growth, then you're going to be in an infant state. All right. So an infant is unable to listen, unable to share, can only digest milk, can't eat solid food. Solid food is our Lord's ministry now in heaven as our high priest. What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? What is our Lord's ministry? He gave it all, right? He gave it all in total obedience to the Father. Philippians says, because of that obedience, God highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name. Right? That's what it looks like to be conformed to the image of the Son. Paul does a great job of describing it in Philippians chapter 3, doesn't he? He says, that I may know Him. Right? And the first thing he wants to know is what? The power of His resurrection. The second thing, huh? Oh, that's right. Yeah, you got ahead of me. Another gold star. Right? But the second one is what's puzzling. The fellowship of His sufferings. That He might be what? Conformed. To what? His image. His image. To even unto death, to His death. Right? That somehow He might attain to the resurrection of the dead. Wow, that's not a spiritual baby talking there. No. That's a mature believer talking there. And what's also mature about Him is He sits there and readily admits, I hadn't got there yet. But here's what's the difference between one that's mature and one that's an infant. Forgetting what's behind, he says. Right? And doing what, Ed? Striving forward. Reaching for what? Right? Lays ahead. I press on towards the mark of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. I haven't attained it, but I'm pressing for it. There's you a mark of maturity. That's in contrast to who the author's talking about here. Who is the infant spiritually. Okay? Solid foods are the Lord's mission now in heaven. The results of that ministry is according to verse 14. Solid foods for the mature who because of those practices have their senses trained to do what? Discern good and evil. In other words, righteous living. If the birth, life, teaching, death, burial and resurrection leads to salvation, what does righteous living lead to? There's another S that we like to quote. Sanctification. Sanctification. Y'all are tracking, that's good. Sanctification. Sanctification. What's He doing with sanctification? Here's a perspective that I read again the other day and I thought, yeah, that's right. He's getting me ready for what comes later. Isn't He? He's getting me ready for what comes later. What comes later? Heaven. Heaven. Glorification. Wow. But the closer I can get to it while I'm here on this earth, the transition will not be near as much of a shock when I get there. Right? And when I go to that great white... Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself. We're going to get to the great white throne judgment. Not to go... I mean the being of the seed of Christ. When I go to the being of the seed of Christ, it will be a more enjoyable experience. Right? It'll be a more enjoyable experience. There we go. Reflection. Am I continuing to grow in my faith and knowledge of the Word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ? I mean, that's a yes or no answer. And I don't know about you guys, but I pray that prayer in various ways almost daily. But the way I pray it the most is, Lord, make me more like You. Make me more like You. And I pray it for my family. I pray it over my wife and my kids and grandkids. I pray that we might grow in our faith, grow in our knowledge of Him, and become more like Him every day. Now, if you want to pray a prayer that God wants to hear, I think that's a prayer God wants to hear. What do y'all think? So as you answer that question, just make a commitment. I'm going to start praying that way. If you don't already pray that way, hopefully you do in some way. But ask God to make you more like Him. All right. Jesus, grow in Him. Don't be a spiritual infant. Make spiritual progress. Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity. There's that word again. Let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washing and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. So that word leaving translates to the Greek word ephemi. I don't think I pronounced it correctly, but there you go, which means to forsake. Forsake. It means to put away once for all. To make spiritual progress, what's the author encouraging his readers to leave? The basics. The basics. The basics. If all you do is stay in the basics, you never turn the page, right? You finish chapter one, but you never go chapter two, you're not going to know the whole story, are you? You're not going to have the whole experience. Leave the basics. That was a gold star answer there, Chad. Good job. The basics. It's the elementary teaching about the Christ in the Old Testament, which includes the sacrificial system using animal blood. Remember, their perspective is what they grew up with, right? He's saying you've got to let all that go because the new covenant is in place now, and we're going to look and see how all that comes together right now. The Old Testament sacrificial system is referenced in verses 1b through 2, and elements of that system include repentance from dead works, that's turning away from evil deeds that bring death. What is the New Testament saying in Romans 6.23? And we all know this in God's memory. For we have all what? Sin. No, that's not what it says. For the wages of sin. I got off on the wrong verse. For the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The free gift of God. The free gift. What I find interesting, I agree, but what I find interesting is how that word free is in there. The free gift of God. A double emphasis. Right? On the fact that it's a gift. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life. Wait a minute, wait a minute. You mean no more sacrificial system? So, okay, so option one, stay in the Old Testament under the old system. Option two, go to the New Testament and do what? Receive what? A gift? And that's it? Which one are you going to choose? Absolutely. Absolutely. So, leave the old behind, embrace the new. Right? Next one. Faith toward God. Turning to God. What does the New Testament say in Acts 4.12? Okay, end of story. Old system, ever how many sacrifices you have to bring in order to make it right. And last week we talked about, or a week, two weeks ago, whenever it was, we talked about this. Did we go through Leviticus last week? We did, didn't we? It was last week. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Leviticus. Went through Leviticus last week, and we looked at all the requirements that God had because of sin. And that's just to get right. And yet, you go to the new system, and it says, there's no other name given under heaven by which you must be saved. Wait, that's what it says? Yeah. For as many as who, what, call on the name of the Lord. Right? You mean all I've got to do is call? All I've got to do is call. Old, new, which is better? I like the new one. I do too. I do too. Keep going. Washing, ceremonial cleansing. What does the New Testament say in Titus 3.5? He saved us not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. Oh, is that good or what? Is that good or what? Old system. Every day, I've got to bring another sacrifice. Every day. Why? Because I sin every day. Right? Every day, I've got to bring another sacrifice. New system. Has nothing to do with my deeds. It has everything to do with His Spirit renewing and regenerating me. Isn't that good? The ceremonial washings were the routines they went through to make sure that they were able to present their sacrifice. Or able to go up into the temple mount to worship. Or able to get into the courtyard of the tabernacle. Anybody know what the mikvah is? The bath. There were ceremonial baths. They would literally go through water symbolizing themselves getting cleansed of the filth in their life. And coming out of the water to go into a place where they could then present their gift or their sacrifice. You see what I'm saying? That's that ceremonial cleansing we're talking about. Here, man, we've been ceremonially cleansed forever by the Spirit of God who's regenerating. Regeneration has a say. It says the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit is by His mercy. It's not based on our deeds. Which one do you want? The old or the new? When you look at it, you really see how sinful we are. And what it took. You know, when you talked last week about what the high priest had to do. And then he still wore bells after he went to the Holy Spirit. And he didn't hear the bells. But, I mean, it took the Lord that was perfect as a sacrifice and order for us to attain what we've attained. Not on our own merit, but His alone. That's right. It's really kind of incredible. It's a great relief for sure. Yeah. A great relief. That's great. So, we are saved. Cleanse of all our sins by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. Back page. Laying on hands symbolically identifying with the sacrifice presented at the altar. Who do we lay a hold of and identify with for eternal salvation? This is Sunday School answer. Everybody say it at once. Jesus. Right. Jesus. Alright. How? By faith. By faith. Again, talking last week about Leviticus. Referring back to that. Remember I told you they would come in with their sacrificial animal. And there would be a transfer, symbolically transferring of their sin and their guilt to the animal by laying their hands upon the head. As they're doing that, they're identifying with that animal. And they're saying, He represents me. So, when the animal died, in essence, He's dying in my place. So, it's that identification of laying on of the hands. Here's my sacrifice. He represents me. That's the old. The new. What do we lay a hold of? Right? You just grab a hold. You don't let go. Right? You grab a hold and don't let go. He died in our place. That's right. Once and for all. And what's beautiful about that is once you grab hold of Him, my friend over here in the red shirt, I have to say, He never lets go of you. He never lets go of you. Because He's convinced. According to the Apostle Paul, I'm convinced. That neither what? Death nor life. Angels or principalities. Keep on going. Ron, help me. Nothing can separate us from the Lord. Thank you, Lord. Amen. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, demons, or any power, nor height, nor death, present or future, nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God. Isn't it interesting? All we've got to do is one time bow our knee and say, God, save me. Have mercy on me. Save me. And Jesus does it the moment we put our faith in Him. And then nothing can take us out of His love. Once He takes a hold, it's over. It's over. Alright. So, laying on of hands. Resurrection of the dead. The life after death included rewards for the good and punishment for the wicked in the Old Testament. What does the New Testament say about life after death? John 11, 25. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even if he dies. So, what is Jesus? He's the resurrection and the life, right? In 1 John 3, 2. Go ahead, Brent, read that one, too. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it does not appear as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. So, two things we know about what the New Testament says about resurrection. Number one, Jesus is the resurrection and the life. So, when you grab hold of Jesus and He grabs a hold of you, guess what? You just grabbed a hold of life itself. And just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead, you have been resurrected from the dead. And your life is now eternal, right? And number two, we learn about the resurrection is when the day comes and that other expression of salvation comes into play called glorification. When that day comes, we don't know what we're going to look like, but we know one thing we're going to be like, right? Who are we going to be like? We're going to be like Him. How does it get any better than that? So, what do you want? The old or the new? I think that's pretty obvious, right? One more, eternal judgment. Every act will be brought to judgment. Ecclesiastes 12.14 says what? Who hasn't read yet? God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. Lest anyone think that the Old Testament doesn't talk about judgment, it does, alright? And lest anyone think that God is not going to judge, guess again. Every act will be brought under judgment. Every act. Now, fortunately for those of us in this room, the judgment has already occurred in terms of the eternal penalty for our sin. Correct? Yeah. Isn't that good? Yeah, it is. I don't have to worry about what I misspoke about a while ago, the great white throne judgment. That's going to be a non-issue for me and for you. Now, there's another judgment seat that we've got to talk about, that's called the Bema seat, right? The judgment seat of Christ. So, let's look at Romans 8.1. Back to my point, first point. Don't have to worry about the great white throne because, in chapter 8 he just quotes it all, right? There is therefore now what? No condemnation for, hold on now, for, say it, me. Me. Put your name right there. There is therefore now no condemnation for David Ingram. Why? Because he's in Christ. Because he's in Christ. Not because he earned it or deserved it. Lord, help me. Ask my wife if I could ever earn it. You know better than that. If she was truthful, she would tell you the honest truth that, there's no way the dude can earn it or deserve it. I can tell you that. No. But I'm in Christ. There is therefore now no condemnation for me. Isn't it? Man. And then 1 Corinthians 3, 12-15 is the one we need to be concerned about. Claire, have you read yet? Without any man built on a foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident, for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as his fire. So, back to the point about who the audience is. The one concern for a spiritually immature believer is he doesn't fully understand that verse. When the day is done... Okay, let me rephrase this. Let's rethink it for a second. If you are walking with God, then your focus and the things that you do are in tune with what He wants. And your obedience to His commands... Jesus says, if you love me, you'll obey my commands, right? Your obedience to His commands results in works of righteousness. Not in your own strength, it's the Spirit of God, as John has been preaching about for the past several weeks, that enables you to accomplish all that, right? Full understanding, full disclosure. Anything I do for the kingdom, it's God's working in me and through me that's accomplishing that. Because the moment I set Him aside, this old boy in his own flesh can't do it. He goes the other way. So those things that we do when we walk with God, as we grow with God, as we mature in our faith, those things we do are works of righteousness. And when the Bema Seat of Christ happens, those works are gold, silver, and precious stones. But when you're immature and the Spirit of God is not in charge, what kind of works are you producing? It burns up. But what happens to the one who gets his works burned up? He's still saved. He's still there. Smells like smoke, but he's still there. You get the picture? So, that word, if God permits, states a reality, that the only way for spiritual life to begin and mature is by the power of God. And that's just what I just finished saying, was it's the power of God working in and through me that accomplishes the righteous works that please Him. It's relying on His power. So, reflection. What do I need to do to continue to mature in my faith in service to the Lord? Now, we could all be at various levels of maturity in service. But if our goal is to be... Another one of Romans verses that we like to quote is Romans 12-1. Go ahead, Ron. I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your body, your soma, fully acceptable, which is your reasonable service of worship. Yes. So, it's that willingness to say, Here I am, Lord. I'm at your service. Do with me as you choose today. That's how you're going to mature in your faith and in your walk with Him. Alright. Grow in Him. Don't be a spiritual infant. Make spiritual progress. Don't fall away. Now, here comes the controversy. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain, which often falls on it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it was also tilled, receives a blessing from God. But if it yields thorns and thistles, it's worthless, and close to being cursed, and ends up being burned. So, there's five characteristics of those who are believers in Christ that are given here. Now, again, I'm taking the position that we're talking about believers. Okay? First of all, the word enlightened. It's once enlightened. That term once means once and for all in the Greek. So, it indicates an experience of true salvation. Hebrews 10.32. Get this. Chris? But remember the former days when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings. Isn't that interesting? Same author uses the same word in a different segment of the letter. And it's clear that that's indicating he's talking about a believer. Remember the former days when after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings. Now, this is out of context. When we get to Hebrews 10 next spring, we'll explore that more deeply. But, take the point here. That word enlightened. I won't go where my author took it. But anyway, he took it the different way. Okay. But Weersbe and Draper take the position that this is talking about someone who has experienced salvation. And in 10.32 it says, it's the same use of the word that indicates salvation and the suffering that results from it. Right? If you're a believer, you're going to suffer because of your faith. There's probably not one in here that can't say, I've never suffered because of my faith. I can tell you it's real. So. But David, I can also say that God continually strives. I mean, you continually hear His voice. All during the day, when you're thinking, I might do what the guy next to me does, and you hear His voice in your head, that, don't be disobedient. You can trust me. Do the right thing. And it's not, it's not like a voice. But, I know for sure when I hear that, that's coming from God. It's the Spirit of God that dwells within you that's speaking to you, not audibly, but in your spirit. He's checking your spirit. And then in one way, you know that He's... If you don't ever hear from God, maybe you're doing right so right He didn't have to tell you. But, I am not there yet. When I do think about doing, say what the guy beside me that's lost is doing. There is not even a breath before I hear from God, or His Spirit, or an angel, or whoever's in my mind is saying, don't go there. Remember when you disobeyed me. Thank you Noel. Next point. The word tasted. It's tasted of heavenly gift, tasted the good word of God, tasted the powers of the age to come. Tasted carries with it the idea of experience. The argument given by the other guy, I won't name a name, was that tasted didn't mean drank, or totally consumed. Right? As I'm reading it, that's what I'm thinking. So there are people out there that think that too. Oh yeah. You weren't here to start with. Okay, I'm sorry. That's okay. There's two sides of looking at this. Two ways of looking at this. And so what I'm teaching here is the way that Wiersbe and Draper look at it. And MacArthur looked at it the opposite way. I'm not here to say... I'm just saying I landed on the side of Draper and Wiersbe. That's just my study. That's where I got it. It doesn't make me right. That's just where I got it. And here's what's interesting about that word tasted. What did Jesus taste? Hebrews 2.9 Same author. Same word. Different passage. I mean, we can debate this if you want to. Okay. Now I'm going to get to that in just a second. There's a way of understanding what the Greek says that might help you with that. Okay. Having been made partakers of the Holy Spirit... So Jesus tasted death for every man, right? Having been made partakers of the Holy Spirit. Partakers means to become sharers. Of what else have they become sharers? This word become partakers. If you look at Hebrews 3.1, they've become partakers of what? A heavenly calling. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus the Apostle and priest of our confession. In verse 3.14, for we've become partakers of who? Christ. If we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. And that word if doesn't mean conditional. Another way of translating that would be since we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end. For we've become partakers of Christ. We've become partakers of a heavenly calling. I shared with the guys my journey on Monday. And this might help you a little bit. I don't know if it will or won't, but we'll see. I grew up in this church. In 1968, my family joined this church. I was an 8th grader. So I've seen a lot of things in my couple of years on this earth. And by my own testimony here, you heard me say before that I responded to the Lord's free gift of salvation early in life. Okay? It was really interesting though. So we go away to college. We get married. Our first year of marriage, or second year of marriage, we're teaching Sunday school up in Lubbock. 9th graders. We get back here and immediately get asked to teach Sunday school. And the wise wife I had said, no, we need to have some relationships with some couples our age. So we declined for one year. Got on a softball team, and then that's where relationships began to develop. So we start serving. And I knew a lot of the Word. I mean, it wasn't like I was... But something happened. It was a revival in March of 1980. A guy named Angel Martinez was the evangelist. I don't remember a word he preached that week. But in the middle of the week at 3 in the morning, God wakes me up. I have a sound sleep. I sit up straight in bed. Startles Terry. She says, what's wrong? I said, I don't know what this means, but this is what I'm hearing God saying to me right now. I either want all of you or none of you. Which is it going to be? Now that's a startling question. Well, it didn't take me long to say, well, all. You know, you've got all. I don't know what this means, but you've got it all. I don't know what this means. Well, what I come to realize is I was a partaker. Alright? I was a partaker. But I wasn't all then. Does that make sense? You like getting fed. Yeah. But I wasn't pursuing Him with passion. I wasn't doing Romans 12, 1 and 2. I wasn't living in such a way that my objective was to become who He wanted me to be in Christ. I didn't understand all of that. And I wasn't doing that. And God says it starts with a desire. Either you're going to have a desire for me or you're not. Which is it going to be? Well, it didn't take long for me to go make a decision on that. And the very next service, I went to the front as we used to do. And I said, I don't know what this means, but here's what the Lord said to me. And what I'm saying to Him is here I am. You've got all of me. Whatever this means, you've got all of me. And thus began a journey of growing out of spiritual infancy into spiritual maturity. Even though I was teaching Sunday school, because I had the intelligence to know how to read and comprehend, but I didn't really know how to take what I read and make it real. Does that make sense? So, as I told the guys Monday morning, the reason I'm standing here tonight is because of March of 1980 when God said enough with being a child. Grow up and become a man. Thus began a pursuit. So, that word partaker is a heavenly calling. I was given a heavenly calling. I became more than just a partaker, a sharer. I became one who passionately pursued. In verse 6, the term falling away translates to the Greek word peripipto, which literally means to fall alongside. It's not apostasy. Apostasy is turning your back on Jesus Christ and going back to your way of life. But peripipto is what we used to call backsliding. Does that make sense? Backsliding. Had I pursued God for just a year or two and then for whatever reason said, you know what? I don't know. Too hard. I never got persecuted for my faith until I said yes to that. It wasn't long after that and I had that boss trying to convert me into who he was and doing something unreal. I think I told you all that story already. Man, I'm telling you. I didn't get persecuted for my faith until I did that. But had I gotten persecuted and said enough of this, stopped pursuing Him with passion, I could have backslid. It wouldn't have had anything to do with my salvation. I wouldn't have gotten away with it. I wouldn't have gotten away with it. He would have come after me. Getting down that road and going to the stop sign. It's not apostasy. It's falling away or falling alongside. This might help you with the crucify and the put. Both crucify and put are present participles in the Greek. You go, what does that mean? Here's a way it could be translated. While they are again crucifying to themselves the Son of God, and while they are putting Him to open shame, they're not interested in anything such as repentance. Does that make sense? If you are actively engaged in doing things that bring shame to His name, until God gets your attention, you have no interest in bowing the knee and repenting. So in essence, if the attitude is that way, then the implication is that you really can't repent because your attitude isn't where it needs to be to repent. Does that make sense? Okay. So those who have fallen away can't bring in repentance while they are living their lives in such a way that they bring shame to His name. Why? Back to what this passage is all about. Because they have not continued to mature and grow in their faith. They're still spiritual infants. Does that mean a spiritual giant can't fall? I think we know better, don't we? We can probably rattle off about half a dozen names of men and even women probably who are high-profile Christians that have messed up. Right? And we talked about this before. One thing Brother Jimmy said a long time ago when Jimmy Swaggart messed up after Jimmy Baker had messed up. Jimmy Draper in a sermon says, you know, he says, one thing I've learned in my 30-plus years of ministry, there's not one sin that I can't commit. That's exactly what he said. But for the grace of God, there go I. Yeah. Yeah. The difference is, normally, when the mature man messes up, he owns it and fesses up. Right? When you mess up and it's going to happen, the mature man says, okay, I did it. I agree with you guys. That I shouldn't have done. That I shouldn't have said. And you seek forgiveness and cleansing. And 1 John 1-9 makes us a phenomenal promise. Right? If we do that, He's what? Faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all our iniquities. That's the mature man who says, yeah, I'm going to mess up. But when I mess up, I'm going to own it and make it right. And David pleases Him when we mess up and fess up. Yeah. Okay. Let's finish this. What kind of fruit does a mature believer produce and what is received from God as a result? I've already said this tonight on more than one occasion, but what kind of works are they? A mature believer produces what? Works of what? Righteousness. Works of righteousness. Works that are useful for the kingdom. Works that are useful for the kingdom. That's what He's all about, guys. He's all about His kingdom. And when you are walking with Him in maturity, you're going to be all about the kingdom as well. And so you're going to be doing works that are useful for the kingdom. And as you do that, what does God say in His Word right here that those types of works receive what? A blessing. Receive a blessing from God. But if you're not a mature believer, you're an immature believer, gone away, what kind of works does He produce? Fatality. Yeah. You could almost say works of the spirit versus works of the what? Flesh. Works of the flesh. And you know, some of that is in your motivation, like you were sharing in your experience. You were doing a good thing by teaching a class and that kind of thing. But if our motivation is to do something to get credit or to be looked up to or because I'm so smart, then that's a work of the flesh too, even if it looks spiritual. Sure, sure. Your motive is off. Absolutely. If it's about you. Yeah. Right, if it's about you. Yeah. That's a good point, Susan. So, works of the flesh or bad motives or whatever, works that are worthless to the kingdom and bring shame to His name. And what happens to these works? We've already looked at that passage of Scripture one time tonight. When the day is done, they are burned up at the judgment seat of Christ. Fuel for the fire. Exactly. So then I ask one final reflection question. Are the spiritual fruit and works that I'm producing useful for the kingdom and bringing glory to God? That's the question that we all need to be answering. And that answer to that question indicates whether we are growing in our faith, making progress, or we're sliding aside. You ready? Yes, I am, thanks to you. Now, have you been encouraged or what? You know, this is a mark of humility and a mark of maturity. Because humility marks us as men and women of maturity. Now, this is how it works. Now, this study, you know, we can come away with saying, oh, that poor soul, you know, he's going to lose his salvation. Because, and we can leave a litany of things, okay? Now, the point is that David, Pastor Jimmy Draper, and also, well, Lott Maxwell Cato, you know, and David Jeremiah, you know, I'm naming a bunch of people, J. Vernon McGee, they hold the position that can we, once we're saved, lose our salvation? See, that's not the issue here. See, the issue of this whole context of chapter 6 of Hebrews, which is very controversial, can make us think, well, am I a rascal? Well, yes. Yes, I am. But am I rascal enough to lose my salvation? Because now we realize that when we truly believe that Jesus is Lord, okay, this is Romans 10, 9 and 10, if we believe in our heart that Jesus is Lord and confess with our mouth that He's raised from the dead, we'll be saved. Period. Because it's with our heart that we believe and are made perfect with God, it's with our mouth we confess and we're saved. Now, in Matthew 5, 48, it says be perfect. Sermon on the Mount. Jesus says be perfect because I in heaven am perfect. Earlier in 1 Peter, you know, we see that God says be holy. This is 1 Peter 1, verse 16. Be holy because I am holy. Now, how many of us here in this room can say we are perfect and holy? Okay. Positionally. Okay. Yes, that's correct. A plus answer. But from the standpoint of the natural man, none of us are close to perfection or holiness, right? Only because of what Jesus did. And in Genesis 15, 6, you know, Abraham believed God and God counted that to him for righteousness. When we believe God, God counts that to us for righteousness, perfection, holiness. So in and of ourselves, we're nothing. Just like John 15, 5 says. You know, He's divine. We're the branches. If we abide in Him, live in Him, and His Word abides in us, we bear much fruit. For without Him, we can do nothing. Now, the fruit that we bear is His fruit in and through us. The moment that we come to salvation, the moment we come to trust in Jesus Christ, He gives us the fruit of the Spirit. That moment. Now, all of us know that that moment was when we trusted in Jesus. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. He gives the whole load to us because Jesus enters into our being. And we're talking about now the triune God. See, God the Father, He potentiates that love. He initiates that love for us. We love because God the Father first loved us. So that love now is from Him as a gift to us. Now, the point is that God has to say, well, you get to choose whether you're going to love me or not. Right? We get to choose every day whether we're going to love God or not. Now, the point that, you know, the Hebrew writer is making here in chapter 6. Now, a lot of us have different beliefs on who wrote that book. Okay. Now, Joyce and I figured out who wrote it. Today at dinner. Not really. The Holy Spirit wrote this book. So because of the Holy Spirit, now we realize the triune God wrote this book for our comfort and for our revelation of truth. So God the Father initiates that love. God the Son mediates it. He came to die, and was resurrected on the third day to show us that His promise is going to come true today and forever. And then God the Holy Spirit makes it real, potentiates it. So we have the triune God acting on us all the time. So now we have an issue. And the issue is this. Now, when we mess up, we can read this passage and say, Well, we're going to lose our salvation. Because if we have experienced God's word, and we turn from it, we've lost it forever. You see? Some of you have that. When you read that, you said, Well, is that really true? Well, see, the thing is that word that David shared with us earlier, that is that word called peripateo. That means that we turn, not completely around, but turn aside. That means what He is. Pastor Ed, you can help us with this. But you know, what it means is that we put aside what God has shared with us. In other words, we say, Okay, God, I'm a Christian, and I have chosen to do something really, really bad, like David did with Bathsheba. Yeah, he's not talking about me. No, I'm referring to you, because you did that kind of thing. No, I'm not talking about this David. I'm talking about the great King David. So, we have committed the sin that we think is unforgivable. Now, the question is, are there any unforgivable sins? Something that God the Spirit cannot forgive. Is there such a thing? It's a blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, but that's a whole other... Well, yes, but that's an A plus answer, because it's true. The sin that God cannot forgive is the sin of unbelief. Alright? That's why people that don't believe in Jesus are destined for a place that's pretty hot. But now, see, we have fire extinguished promise from God that when we trust in Jesus Christ, we have our fire insurance paid for. So, what God is saying through the Hebrew writer is the fact that when we set aside God and His Word, okay, in other words, we're no longer paying attention to what God has for us to do. Okay, we're all rascals. We all mess up. I always have to say something like, to Joyce all the time, 12 words. I'm sorry, I was wrong. Would you forgive me? And then I love you. That always works, okay? But see, those 12 words are important because those are words from God Himself, right? See, because if we mess up, David very well explained the fact that, and you all agreed, that 1 John 1, 9 is the key. See, 1 John 1, 9 is if we agree with God. Confession is parakaleo. And what that means is you agree with God. And so now we realize that confession is to agree with God. So then when we agree with God, then what happens is we're just reciting to Him. All of us are plagiarists of God's Word. So when we plagiarize God's Word, we say, okay, God, You tell us that if we confess our sin, You are faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Do you keep your promise? And God says, of course. And you see, even though we're unfaithful, God is faithful. 2 Timothy 2, 13. Why would He be faithful, see, in spite of the fact that we're unfaithful? Why would God do that? Because that's who He is. He's His character. A plus answer again. But you all have that inclination to say just what David said. See, because God is a God of promises. And He keeps His Word. That's why, like when Hebrews 4, 12, the Hebrew writer writes, The Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword. It divides to the soul and the spiritual. It's a discerner of the motives and intents of the heart. So now He's talking. This book is designed to speak to the heart of we believers. Because they're being chased around the countryside by evil men. And the thing is, is that we know that the evil that's chasing them around is Satan. Satan doesn't want the likes of us roaming around the earth. He would like to take... Satan would like to take us out. He doesn't want anyone with salt and light to be here. Because Satan wants everyone to end up where he is. But see, the problem with Satan is the fact that he is a liar. He's a cheat. He's a deceiver. He's a father of lies. So he came to steal, kill, and destroy truth. See, John 10, 10. But Jesus came to give us what? He came to give us life to the full. And the only way that He can fulfill our life is to help us to be like David was teaching earlier from Romans 8, 28, 29 to be conformed to the image of His Son Jesus Christ. So now we realize that where God is taking us is down a road of life. A life of true love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. So we are fruit-bearing Christians. When we're not fruit-bearing, then we're immature. So that's the purpose of this writing. He says, now, when you read God's Word, can you be reading God's Word for 20, 30 years and not be a fruit-bearer? See? See, so life here on earth as Christians is not quantitative. It's qualitative. Now, I'm a plagiarist of God's Word because I'm not smart enough to live it. But you are living God's Word. See, by your very presence here tonight, giving up an evening to hang out with the likes of us, you know, it's pretty amazing. So I tell you, you know, this is why God does what He does. He gives us opportunity to choose what we do. And that opportunity to choose what we do free will is something that is very important for us to consider. So this writing is to tell us that yes, we mess up, but there's no sin that God will not forgive. So He gives us a do-over. In other words, we're now given a new chance to redeem what God has given us, to share that which He's given us. So the moment that we come to trust in Jesus, He gives not only the fruit of the Spirit, but He gives us His love, agape. That's 1 Corinthians 13 that all you women know. But there are 16 points that are so important. Love is patient, it's kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud, not rude, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no records of wrongs, does not delight in evil, but rejoices only in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, and this kind of love never fails. That's why God is permitting us to be here on planet Earth, to be a conduit and an instrument to communicate that love to everyone that we meet and greet and serve. The other thing that He gives us is His wisdom from above. That's James 3.17. This is the moment that we come to know Him as Savior. He gives us His wisdom from above, James 3.17, that's first of all pure, peaceable, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, full of good fruit, impartial and sincere. I sound like a broken record, but all these 33 points are given to us the moment we are saved. But the issue is, are we maturing in that? See, so now He's given us the opportunity to evaluate ourselves. This passage is not for us to be judging other people. Okay? Because of the log in our own eyes. Because most of those qualities we mess up on, right? And I have, I'm guilty. I still do the same thing. I tell Joyce when I'm driving along together, I'm not going to call someone a stupid idiot. They cut me off on traffic. But sure enough, when that happens, I call them a stupid idiot. You know? So I've started trying to repent and try to call this something else. But still, but still, see, you don't want to know what I call it. But you see, but you see, I'm sure God's smiling on me. Oh, there goes Yammy again. She's doing the same old, same old. You know? But you see, now what happens when we start to do that which we ought not to do. Okay? Okay, like talking about this. Are we losing our salvation? No, we're not. But we're losing the joy of our salvation. You know, which David does in Psalm 51. So now we realize that what God is saying to us is He says, okay, you're going to do better, but you can only do better if I help you do better. Okay? That's the purpose of this passage. Because if He puts us aside, because sometimes if we choose to continue to do that which we ought not to do, God says, I'm going to set you aside so I can't use you as my instrument of love and grace and wisdom. See, now we see that. Now, because I've had this experience with another friend of mine who was a deacon. Loved the Lord. But he chose to go down a road that was just fist in God's face. You know, so we come to him, we plead with him, we pray with him, and he says, no, I'm going to keep on doing what I want to do. And so within a few months, this guy gets cancer, and he dies. God took him home. Now, this guy's a believer. He's still in heaven. We're going to see him up there. But the point is that this is what God does, Bill. He takes us in disciplines, those He loves. See, so now we realize that what God is doing, what He's doing is serious. This is a serious matter. But He doesn't want us to judge others because we have the log in our own eye. He wants us to judge ourself. Now, who is the hardest judge on ourself? Us. We're the one that's hardest on ourself in the whole world. And God wants us to forgive ourselves as He forgives us. So that we would, you know, take God's discipline to heart and say, okay, what is He doing with us? See, so He's asking us to do this. And we're enclosed with this thought. But this is something for us to continue thinking in terms of. He asks us a question. Who do you say that I, Jesus Christ, am? If we agree with God and say, you're the Christ, the Son of the living God, that's what Peter gave Him. And it was right. So then what Peter does then is something awful. You know, at the upper room, okay, at the end of time, Jesus is praying at Gethsemane. Not my will, but Thy will be done. And then He comes out and sees Peter. He's asleep like all the rest of them. And Jesus says, now you guys, you're all going to deny me. You know? Peter says, oh no, I'm not. I'm your best friend. I'll never deny you. I'll die before I deny you. And sure enough, He says, Jesus says to him, I'll die before the cockroach when it denies me three times. And sure enough, that happens. So after that happens, now he's really feeling bad about this. Because he really knows that Jesus is his best friend. So when Jesus is resurrected, He looks Peter up specifically after He's resurrected and meets him. You know, this is after He catches 153 gigantic fish, after He fishes and doesn't catch anything. But Jesus is cooking the fish when Peter arrives at the shore. And Jesus asks him three questions. Peter, do you love me, Agape? And Peter answers all three times. You know, I love you, Phileo. Jesus says, feed my sheep. He still entrusts him to feed sheep. Why would God ask him to do that? Even though He doesn't understand what Agape love really is. So now He asks him a second time, Peter, do you love me, Agape? Peter answers again, you know I love you, Phileo. Feed my little lambs. Third time, Jesus asks him, Peter, do you love me, Phileo? And Peter answers the same thing, you know I love you, Phileo. You're my best friend. See, God doesn't want us to love conditionally, which that kind of love is. See, Eros love, Phileo love, Sorge love are all conditional. Based upon if they love me, like I love them, Eros, Phileo, Sorge, then I'll love them, Phileo, Sorge. But God says, no, the only way you can love that really is love that counts is to love me, Agape, unconditionally. That's the way we're to love Jesus. So He says, a new commandment that I give you that you love one another is I have just loved you, Agape. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you are a foot-washing leader, lover of God. This way, God knows that we're His disciples. So, closing thought is, Jesus then asks Peter, after he answers correctly, you're the Christ, the Son of the living God. He says, what I would like you to do is this. He says, if any man will, let him deny himself, take up his cross, follow me. See, taking up the cross in life is to look at ourselves and assess ourselves individually and privately and say, okay, Lord, I want to do what David Ingram has chosen to do. I want to do Romans 12, 1 and 2. I want to, with all my heart, offer myself as a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable, which is your reasonable service, which is our reasonable service of worship. We should worship God every time we choose to love God that way. And this is what God is asking us to do. Hebrews goes into some great detail about this, but this is really a great lesson. Thank you for permitting us to give you this lesson, to ask the questions that really count. Because when we answer the three questions that God is answering here in Hebrews, why am I here? Where am I going? How shall I live? Now we realize that God wants to live with him. Because we're here to live out the purpose and plan of God, to be conformed to his image. So let me pray for us. Dear Lord, thank you so much for this time together. Thank you for this wonderful lesson from Hebrews 4, 5 and 6. And we thank you that you give us a mantra by which to live. And that's to live with you. Because the whole point of the teaching is to learn that you love us with an undying love. So like Paul says, you know, the secret and mystery of life is Christ in us, the hope of glory. Because of the glory we have in you, dear Lord, we know that we are to proclaim you, teaching and admonishing everyone with all wisdom, so that we would be able to present everyone that we meet, greet and serve to be perfect and complete in Christ Jesus. And we can only do this with you, so that to you be the glory. So dear Lord, like we tell you, tell us in Jeremiah 9, 23, and let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, nor the rich man glory in his riches. But let him who glory, glory about this, that he knows me and understands that I am the Lord who exercises loving kindness, justice and righteousness. So help us, dear Lord, this day and every day to love you with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, so we can love others, even our enemies. And we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, thank you so much, everyone.