Christ | Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer | Hebrews 1:1-3, Colossians 1:15-20, and John 1:1-14

[0:00] Welcome to Ontario Community Church, where we're dedicated to encouraging, equipping, and engaging lives for Christ. Located in Ontario, Oregon, Pastor Patrick Daley preaches insightful sermons from the Word of God, offering practical applications for modern living.

[0:16] We're delighted to share this sermon with you. Today we're gonna go through something that was a result of studying God's Word.

[0:28] You know, one of the most beautiful things about reading and studying the Word of God is sometimes you find patterns, you find connections in Scripture.

[0:39] We went over the study of Philemon, we went over, and for those who've been going to Wednesday Night Bible study, we've been going over the names of Scripture. And I found that what was very interesting in all of this study was this repeated pattern about Jesus Christ.

[0:56] So we're gonna learn, and we'll put this on the slide, the title for this sermon is Christ as Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.

[1:07] Some beautiful language, beautiful words about who Jesus Christ is. These are part of the attributes, these are part of the qualities of who Jesus Christ is.

[1:17] You see, when you start seeing a pattern in the Bible, you need to pay attention to it. You need to see maybe God is revealing something to you, some wisdom, some insight, some knowledge that helps you in your growth, in your spiritual walk with the Lord.

[1:36] The more I studied this concept, the more I saw that there was a pattern to this. Every time we read the Bible, we will learn something new. We will learn something that will help us grow and mature from being baby Christians on drinking milk of the Word to solid food from the Word of God.

[1:56] So this sermon series is based on, and I put this picture up here, Christ as the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer. So today it's gonna be an overview of the three biblical concepts of Jesus Christ, and then we'll break it down in the coming weeks.

[2:14] So it's gonna be a thematic exposition today. It's this biblical concept of the attributes of Christ. These aren't all of the attributes of Christ. These aren't all the qualities of Christ.

[2:26] This is a specific pattern that is found in many verses, and you'll see on your notes that, about this pattern, the verses that we'll be referring to today. But before we begin any further, what I'd like us to do, I want us to, let's pray to the Lord, and then let's begin together.

[2:42] Can we do that? Let's pray. And Father God, we thank you for this time and for this opportunity to be here today. We ask that our minds be open to biblical transformation and biblical truth.

[2:56] Your word calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We pray that our hearts will be open to live like you, to love like you.

[3:07] May we be Christ-like. Your word calls us to love like you have. Your love is everlasting. Your love is beautiful.

[3:18] It's unconditional. Your love never fails. And we ask that as we gather today, the lives will be transformed. We ask that we will have a deeper understanding of who you are and who your son, Jesus the Christ is.

[3:34] May we have that saving knowledge of who you are to make a decision for Jesus Christ and to grow in the faith. May we grow in the implanted word of God.

[3:48] For it is in your son, Jesus. It's okay, you can go. It's all right. It is in your son, Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life.

[3:59] As we will learn today, help us to learn about Jesus, the Creator, the Redeemer and the Sustainer. We ask that you send down your Holy Spirit to be with us this morning and carry us along in love and in unity.

[4:16] We ask that you are with us this morning. It is in Jesus mighty and holy name that we pray and we say this all together, amen. Amen.

[4:27] So in your notes, you'll see that there is, there are a couple of things on there. There's pages for our scripture reading and you'll see that Jesus in Colossians, John and Hebrews.

[4:39] We're going to be reading these three parts in scripture. Because you'll see this pattern that exists between pointing to Christ as Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer.

[4:55] So I want to ask you, this is our opening question. What words come to mind when you think about who Jesus is? For some people, you will think of Jesus as the great teacher, right?

[5:10] He taught many, many great wisdom and insight. For others, it might be, well, Jesus is the savior of the world. You silly? Who is Jesus to you?

[5:24] How do you, what comes to your mind when you think about Jesus Christ? Jesus was a fulfillment of prophecy found in the Old Testament.

[5:35] Well, Jesus is the way, He's the truth in the life. How do you answer that question? I want you to think about that. When preparing the sermon series for Philemon, I found this close connection with the book of Colossians.

[5:50] And that's where I first found this Jesus as Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. And then there were other verses that were pointing to this idea.

[6:01] Jesus as Creator. Well, we know about Jesus as Redeemer. Well, what about a sustainer? Well, we are held together. If you remember when I did the thematic exposition of the book of Philemon, there was mention about how God holds us together, just like Kinstughi art, holding things together, taking that which is broken and bringing it together, piecing it together, and God holds us together.

[6:34] Seeing patterns here helps us to come to know who Jesus is. And it helps us to grow in our faith and to understand his role, his significance in our lives.

[6:46] I am in awe of who Jesus Christ is. The Bible tells us that we are to have the mind of a child when coming to the Lord, or maybe you've heard of having the fear of the Lord.

[6:59] I always struggled with that as a child. I'm to be afraid of the Lord. Well, be afraid if you don't know the Lord. But when we talk about the fear of the Lord, it's being in awe and in wonder of who our God is.

[7:13] Are you in awe of creation? Are you in awe of the things that are made, the sun that shines every single day? Are you in awe of the stars in the sky, the trees, the mountains, nature?

[7:28] That's just a testimony of the power of our God. Being in awe and wonder of who he is and the fact that our Lord, our God sent Jesus Christ as the atoning sacrifice, as the sacrificial lamb to sacrifice his own son so that we can have salvation in faith through believing in him.

[7:53] I don't think I could send my own son. I don't think I could do it. And to think the Creator God, that our Lord, our God sent his son is just remarkable.

[8:05] To us, to believe in Christ is to receive the gift of salvation. To hear these words about Jesus though, Jesus as creator, redeemer and sustainer, it is beautiful language in of themselves.

[8:20] And it should be noted that there are some churches out there that will use this language to describe the Trinity. But I have found that when we're finding biblical verses to support this, there are more verses that directly support the idea of Christ as creator, redeemer and sustainer than you find of language describing the Trinity.

[8:46] So I know for some of us, you may have heard that before. And it is beautiful language to describe the Trinity. However, there is more to directly support as part of the attributes of Christ.

[8:57] There is more biblical backing to support Christ as the center of these descriptive words. Learning of these three attributes of or nature of Jesus, like I said, it helps us to understand who he is.

[9:12] Aren't you amazed the more you learn about the Lord? Aren't you amazed learning about scripture and the wisdom that's in it? I know I'm always in constant amazement.

[9:24] More that I actually study and look at the languages and look at the connections with other scriptures speaking to itself. You know, when we read scripture, we look at the context of what's going on, but we also look at the connections with other scripture because we'll find that connections and context will help us with our understanding of scripture.

[9:47] And I want us to turn in our Bibles to page 1168 in your ESVP Bibles or your Bible of choice. We're gonna go to Colossians. It's gonna be Colossians chapter one, verses 15 through 20.

[10:03] So please turn there with me. It's page 1168. We're going to be turning to three verses or three section of verses.

[10:18] The first one here is gonna be Colossians here. So it's Colossians chapter one, verses 15 through 20. Here we go.

[10:34] Here we're seeing Paul talking about Jesus Christ here. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

[10:45] For by him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things were created through him and for him, through Christ, for Christ.

[11:03] He is before all things and in him, all things what? They hold together. That is Christ as sustainer.

[11:17] It's beautiful language. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross.

[11:41] Right off the bat, we see that the apostle Paul begins with the idea that he is writing about how Christ is in all things. What beautiful language talking about Christ as creator.

[11:54] Paul is writing, wishing for the church in Colossae for the saints in Christ to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, within wisdom and in understanding of the Lord.

[12:06] Standing to live a life that is pleasing to God. That is a call for us as Christians to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. Certainly we're not perfect though. We will make our mistakes, we will sin, it will happen, but still live a life that is pleasing to the Lord.

[12:22] First and foremost, make a decision for Christ and then from there live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. He is wishing for the church to grow and to give thanks to God the Father.

[12:34] Thank God the Father for the Son, Jesus, the Christ, defined as the Messiah. What does it say in verse 14? In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

[12:51] Verse 16 goes to show that Christ is in all things. It was created through him and for him. This goes to show that Christ played a significant role in creation.

[13:01] Christ is enough for us and he reigns supreme. In verse 17, he is before all things and in him all things hold together.

[13:13] Talking about Christ as sustainer. The verse talks about the idea of Christ's sustenance, right? The very idea that Christ holds all things together.

[13:27] While we were sinners, Christ died for us. Are we not broken? Are we not lost before we know the Lord? When we come to know the Lord, we are found and we are taken back together, just like the broken bull.

[13:44] Just like a piece of pottery that is shattered onto the ground. I think of that imagery a lot now, ever since we've gone over Philemon, but now thinking about Christ as sustainer, piecing us back together, being rendered useful.

[14:00] It's very hard language being made pure. It's a beautiful language, seeing how God will work in and through us, holding us together, never abandoning us, but always being there for us.

[14:14] When we make a decision for Christ, we are justified in our faith and there's the ongoing purification process of sanctification making us more holy.

[14:27] In verse 18 through 20, let's go to verse 20. It says, through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross.

[14:40] It is in Christ that we find, the Christ's death on the cross, it provides a way for us to be redeemed, to be reconciled. Reconciled, the significance of when Jesus said on the cross, it is finished.

[14:57] Or when Jesus said, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. Do we know what we are doing when we sin? Do we know?

[15:09] And to think that when Christ died on the cross, saying it is finished, fulfilling prophecy, no longer being a part of the old covenant, but being part of the new covenant, seeing that the mystery of Christ is revealed through Jesus Christ.

[15:27] To be reconciled is to know that through our faith in him, our sins are forgiven. They are taken care of. They are justified. And in other words, as that song says, Jesus pays it all, Jesus paid it all.

[15:42] And doesn't this make you want to come to the Lord? Doesn't this encourage you? Doesn't this make you want to share in your faith with others? About the good news of the gospel?

[15:54] Doesn't this make you wish to have peace that surpasses all understanding that comes from God, the joy that comes from the Lord, that no matter what happens to you on the earth, you still have that joy in the Lord.

[16:08] It is peace. It is joy, identity, life and confidence that come through him. Now I want us to turn to page 1053. Again, this is an overview.

[16:22] We're not going super deep, but we will in the coming weeks here. So 1053, or it's going to be John, the Gospel of John chapter one, verses one through 14.

[16:40] I like John. It's a good book. You should read it sometime. I've been in my personal study. I've been going over the Gospel of John. It's been really good going through it again.

[16:53] Now, many of you know these words. So John chapter one, verses one through 14, or page 1053 in your ESVP Bible. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.

[17:13] He was in the beginning with God. Does this seem like similar language that you're going to find? All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.

[17:30] In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Does this language sound familiar?

[17:41] I want to stop right there for a second. I want us to focus on those first three verses. Just like how we found in the Colossians passage, we found that all things were made through him.

[17:55] Well, who is the word? The word became flesh, right? It's talking about Jesus Christ. One of the significant points that is found in John is learning about how the word is Christ.

[18:13] So when this passage is talking about how the word was with God, we're talking about how Christ was there with God the Father. It's a lot to think about, but it's very deep.

[18:28] It helps us with our walk. When the verse speaks of the word being God, the verse is making mention of how, well, we should know that there's the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, depending upon your background.

[18:43] It's the same thing, the three in one. In Genesis, it's in the bottom of your notes. In Genesis chapter one, verse 26, some of you know this one.

[18:54] Let us make man in our image after our likeness using that plural word, right? Making mention of the Trinity. So now we have John that's talking about Jesus being at the foundation, at the creation of the world, just like how in Genesis, let us make man in our image.

[19:16] And then in verse four, in him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and darkness has not overcome it. That is Christ as sustainer.

[19:30] It is in having a life in Christ, right? Christ's life is everlasting. We have everlasting life through him, through believing in him, that we should have belief in Christ.

[19:46] And this life is sustained by him. It's the idea that Christ is the light of the world. Well, that light shines in the darkness.

[19:58] The darkness has not overcome. The darkness will not overcome the light. Just as we are called to exhibit the love of Jesus Christ to other, to exhibit the light that comes from Jesus Christ.

[20:15] How do we do that? Loving one another as Christ has loved us. Teaching people the word of God, preaching the word of God, sharing in your faith about the power of Jesus Christ.

[20:31] That he is the way, the truth, and the life. I always refer to that song. They will know we are Christians by our love. Some of you know that. Some of you may not know that. It's a good song.

[20:43] How will people know we are Christians? How will they know? Think about that. The verse helps us in understanding of Christ being the sustainer.

[20:56] Because in him there is life. Christ is the light of the world. John chapter 8 verse 12. It's in the bottom of your notes.

[21:08] I am, Jesus Christ is saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

[21:20] Let that light shine. Let that light shine. Jesus Christ loves. It never fails. His light will always shine.

[21:32] And in him we are sustained. Going back to the Gospel of John, go to verse 14. The word became flesh and dwelt among us.

[21:44] And we have seen his glory. Glory as of the only son of the father, full of grace and truth. I'll just, we'll just read to verse 18.

[21:55] John bore witness about him and cried out, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me. For from his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

[22:10] For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth come through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only God who is at the father's side, he has made him known.

[22:22] Verse 14, it is because of Christ that grace is freely available for all who believe in him. By our faith in him, we receive the gift of salvation.

[22:34] The verse is telling of Jesus Christ that Jesus came down to earth, right? The things that were seen. And also knowing that Jesus is the only son of God.

[22:49] It is in Christ. He is full of grace and truth. In that verse 17, we've gone over in our Bible study this verse. The law was given through Moses, grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

[23:04] It's talking about how the prophets, right? They had the law given through Moses, grace and truth coming through Jesus Christ.

[23:15] Salvation being made available. How many of us seek for truth in this life? How many of us seek life in this life?

[23:26] How many of us feel that there is something missing? I know I've met some people, they say they use that kind of language. There's something missing in my life.

[23:38] I feel that my life has no purpose. Doesn't that remind you of Ecclesiastes? Having a life under the sun. Life is meaningless, but having a life in the sun.

[23:52] The S-O-N. You find life. We are saved in Jesus Christ by faith in him. By believing in him, we are saved.

[24:04] It is in Ephesians 2-8-9, by grace you have been saved through faith. This is not of your own doing. It is a gift from God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast.

[24:17] Remember when I talked about last week, can you imagine if it only cost $10,000 to go to heaven? Imagine how boastful you could be, right? If you're a multi-millionaire, I'm paid for a thousand people to go to heaven.

[24:30] Man, it's not that way though. Unfortunately, if there's ever a church that teaches that, that is against what scripture says, because grace is free.

[24:41] It is available for all who believe. Just as this verse is saying, it is not of your own doing, it is a gift from God. And that leads us to our third passage.

[24:52] Let's turn to page 1187. Reading these verses, it's setting the stage for our understanding of our series for this week, and then three weeks after, four weeks total, about Christ, creator, redeemer, and sustainer.

[25:11] Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1-3, for page 1187 in your ESVP Bible.

[25:36] So, Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1-3, page 1187. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.

[25:52] But in these last days, he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he what?

[26:04] Created the world, Christ as creator. He is the radiance of the glory of God, and the exact imprint of nature, and he what?

[26:17] He upholds or holds. Huh, Christ as sustainer. Upholds the universe by the word of his power, after making purification.

[26:33] Purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. For those of you who I've mentioned before, if you've been attending the Wednesday Night Bible Study, you will know we've gone over the origin of scriptures, the author of scriptures, and we're at the names and the titles of scripture at this point.

[26:52] When we went over the origin and the authors of scripture, we talked about how the Holy Spirit was built along the prophets and the apostles.

[27:04] The word of God was divinely inspired. Can you imagine getting the feeling, the overwhelming feeling of the Holy Spirit to write down, or to dictate to your scribe to write down the word of God, the word of life.

[27:22] God spoke to God's people through the prophets and the people they were bound by the Old Covenant. It's significant that verse two is referenced how God spoke to the Jewish people through the prophets, but he spoke to the early church through Jesus Christ.

[27:39] In the same way in our Bible, we know that the apostles, the prophets, the word of God, it speaks to us today.

[27:53] That is why we are so blessed to have scripture. Christ is the air of all things. The name of Jesus is above all names and even the angels, just like it mentions in Hebrews.

[28:05] There's such mention of Christ being above the reign of angels, which is very interesting in Hebrews. Christ's name is above all names and through him, he also created the world.

[28:19] We can also see that Christ, like other verses, there was that significant part in creation, in the creation of the universe, if you will, for Christ reigns supreme over his creation.

[28:35] For Jesus is not just the Lord of all, but he is the savior of all people. John chapter three, verse 17, God sent his son into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

[28:57] We all love John 3 16, right? For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, right? That whosoever believes or believeth shall not perish, but have everlasting eternal life.

[29:09] What's that next verse? God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

[29:21] In verse three, he is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

[29:32] It's the sustainer. For Christ having the role of creator, he holds things together. I love the language that is used uphold. Since creation is set into motion, things are held together.

[29:47] And it reminds me of us in our lives. Our lives are like grass, or it's like a vapor that fades away. But the love that God has for us is forever.

[30:01] It is unconditional. And when we choose Christ, we are saved by being upheld, being sustained by his promises, by the gift of salvation through faith in him.

[30:16] Continuing on that verse three, after making purification for our sins, it's referenced to the cross of Christ. Christ's death on the cross provided the availability for all to be saved by belief.

[30:32] By belief in him. That's what makes Christianity so different than any other faith, any other religion, any other belief system.

[30:43] The other religions tell you, you must give X amount of money. You must pray a certain amount of times. You must pray a certain direction. You must wear certain types of clothing.

[30:56] You must do, do, and do. It's a never ending list. And God forbid you forget. God forbid you run out of money.

[31:07] God forbid you, you know, forget you pray in the wrong direction. I get really, it's really scary if you don't. And I, to think about that compared, and I think that's, I would say that's how humans, how man understands things.

[31:27] Isn't our world made like that by the things that we do? If you are an athlete and you train, you will reap the benefit. If you are a student and you study hard, well, you should at least get a good grade, not an F, not a D, hopefully not a C, you get an A, maybe an A minus.

[31:48] But that's how our, the human world works. When we talk about salvation, it's very different. Beyond our human understanding and our human reasoning, if you will.

[32:01] Logically, it makes sense that if I do so many things, I should be saved. But that's not what the Word of God says. It is through belief.

[32:12] It is through faith. And it's a great reminder. You'll always hear it from me. It's not about, it's not about the things that we do. It's about what has been done through Jesus Christ.

[32:27] And because Jesus Christ has done so much for us, we should do good in the name of Jesus. You got to think of your priorities, right? You got to think of first belief, then let God work in and through you.

[32:41] Let God motivate you and mold you. Let God influence you to have compassion for others, to love others like he has loved us.

[32:53] Christ paid for our sins. His death on the cross provides purification for our sins. The language that is used of, it speaks of Christ's death being the atoning sacrifice.

[33:07] I think of so much about how the story of Abraham and Isaac. God will provide a sacrifice. Now there was the immediate sacrifice, right?

[33:21] But there's also the idea that the atoning sacrifice through Jesus Christ will come and God does deliver.

[33:33] You know, in the Old Testament, there was the purification. There was the day of atonement, which was done annually, where the priest made sacrifices to cleanse for the sins of the people.

[33:46] With Christ, with his death on the cross, there was no longer a need for an annual sacrifice. God provided the sacrificial lamb, his son, Jesus the Christ.

[33:59] And to think of Christ as creator, redeemer, and sustainer is remarkable. As our closing question, how will seeing Jesus as creator, redeemer, and sustainer, how will that help your walk with the Lord?

[34:17] We are all on a spiritual journey. Where is that spiritual journey though? Is it towards the Lord? Is it towards someone else or something else?

[34:28] Let your walk, let you, may you walk with God, may you make that decision and may you walk with the Lord. My friends, to bring all of this together, I'd like to, I'd like you to think of this idea of Jesus Christ as the bread of life.

[34:46] You'll see it in your notes. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall not thirst.

[34:57] How many of you have baked bread before? Right? You don't have to raise your hand, you can nod or, or, or look away, I guess. Right? When we think of Jesus Christ, we can be reminded of this sermon about the baking of bread.

[35:17] We need the correct basic ingredients to make bread, to make bread, correct? Just so too did God create all of his creations. He used the ingredients to make, he spoke into existence.

[35:33] The heavens and the earth, the sky and the sea, the birds of the air and the fish and the sea and all of us. Even considering it all, us being made in the image of God.

[35:48] Think of how God likes to put things together. Think of a table with different bowls of ingredients when you're making that bread. Every ingredient has purpose in the making of bread.

[36:02] This is much how every part of the earth, if we have the wrong temperature or the earth is spinning too fast, or the distance from the sun is not correct, there is no life possible.

[36:18] So think of the ingredients that are made in making bread. Even the inward parts, consider how God made us in the womb, how beautiful life is.

[36:35] Did you know that scientists have found that when life begins, there's a little flash. Look it up sometime, it's a little flash that happens.

[36:48] It's a beautiful thing to see, I saw a video on YouTube about it. But the intricacy of God's design for our lives, just like his creation, God has a design and a purpose for all of us.

[37:01] This would symbolize creation, or Christ the Creator. As the ingredients are put together, bread cannot become bread without the help of the maker, the baker or the cook, if you will.

[37:17] In the same way, we cannot be saved by our own efforts. We can't do it on our own. The only way we can be redeemed, or in this case made whole, or made complete, we seek Christ.

[37:33] We seek the Lord seek first the kingdom of God. Can the ingredients make something of themselves?

[37:45] They need help or assistance. They need to be put together. Think of it needing, right? It's the act of needing, right? How we give the bread structure and form.

[37:59] Much like how God molds us in our lives. Sometimes, when we're making bread, we need to refine our work until it's ready to be baked.

[38:13] And this is a reminder of how Christ's sacrifice, it reshapes our lives. It gives our lives new meaning and purpose. And sometimes in life, we have no idea why we exist.

[38:26] Sometimes we don't know why we are here. Sometimes we don't know what our purpose is. But a life in God, His redeeming love, His saving grace, it gives our lives purpose.

[38:39] It gives us direction, identity, and fulfillment. We receive peace and joy that comes from God's love and grace for us. God molds us to be more like Him.

[38:53] This would symbolize Christ as the Redeemer or redemption. And finally, the baking of bread. We don't leave bread alone in the oven, do we?

[39:04] Just leave it and go on your way. We don't leave bread alone in the oven, but it's much like how God will never leave us or forsake us.

[39:15] As we come to Christ, we grow in Christ. We're on a path of becoming nourishing bread through Him. Much like how Scripture says we will produce fruit.

[39:28] They will know you by your fruit. What kind of fruit will you produce? And in this example, well, how nourishing will you be? Are you going to be salad bread or are you going to be good tasting bread?

[39:43] The bread is placed in the oven and it goes through the heating process. At this time, the dough will turn into its proper color and its proper shape. In our walk with the Lord, there will be times of trials and tribulations.

[39:57] There will be time where we face the fire, if you will, the fire of growth. Despite the times where things get hot or we face the heat, God will be there for us in the good times and in the bad.

[40:14] God will make us more like Him. And I pray that we all grow in Christ and that we become more Christ-like. First, make a decision for Christ and let God mold you.

[40:28] Let God make you the man or the woman you are meant to be. May we as a church come to know the Lord, grow in the Lord, mature, going from milk to solid food.

[40:42] May we go from receiving salvation through faith first, then second, do good in the name of Jesus Christ. This would symbolize sustenance, the sustaining of Christ.

[40:58] Let's pray. Father God, you provide for all that we need. You sent your son Jesus, who is the bread of life. May we come to have that saving knowledge of Jesus Christ to believe in Him and to receive the gift of salvation.

[41:14] For it is Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life. He is light. Jesus is the Creator, the Redeemer, and Sustainer. Be with us as we are transitioning to our time of communion.

[41:29] May we come to know you. May we reflect on our lives. May we grow in you. May we live and love like you. It is in Jesus' mighty and holy name that we pray together. Amen.

[41:44] Amen. Thank you for tuning in to the Ontario Community Church sermon podcast. For more about our church and how you can get involved or support our mission, please visit ontariocommunitychurch.org.

[41:57] May God's blessings be with you.