The scripture reading comes from 1 Thessalonians 2, starting in verse 1.
Please follow along in your bulletin or Bible.
For you yourself know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.
But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know,
we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.
For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive.
But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel,
so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.
For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with pretexts for greed.
God is witness.
Nor did we seek made demands as apostles of Christ.
But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.
So being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God,
but also our own self, because you had become very dear to us.
For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil.
We worked night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you.
While we proclaim to you the gospel of God, you are witnesses and God also.
How holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you, believers.
For you know how, like a father with his children.
We exhorted each of you and encourage you and charge you to walk in a manner worthy of God,
who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us,
you accepted it not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God,
which is at work in you, believers.
For you, brothers, became imitators to the church of God and Christ Jesus that are in Judea.
For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,
who killed both the Lord Jesus Christ and the prophets,
and drove us out and displeased God and opposed all mankind
by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved,
so as always to fill up the measure of their sins.
But wrath has come upon them at last.
This is the word of God.
Great. Thank you, Jonah.
Can I invite Al to come up this morning?
One of the great things that being in the city of Hong Kong
and being here amongst some of the other churches
is there is a real sense of churches trying to work together.
We have been so blessed by many churches ourselves,
and we've been able to go and engage with other churches in the city.
And one of the amazing things this morning is to have Al come to be with us from St. Andrews.
Al is the Associate Minister of St. Andrews.
We met, I can't remember when we met, a couple of years ago.
I just had such an encouraging conversation.
Al has just got a real heart for Christ and for his people
and really shepherding people in his congregation there.
And one of the things you need to know about Al is,
apart from the fact that he has a wife, two kids, and one on the way,
he's also spent a lot of time in South Africa,
which growing up in South Africa, so that's okay.
We're used to that, but we'll forgive you.
We'll forgive you for that.
But if you repent of that, that's okay.
No problem.
But Al's going to come and bring,
he's graciously agreed to bring God's word to us this morning.
So can I pray for you this morning?
Father, I just want to thank you
that where brothers dwell together in unity,
there is your blessing.
And I'll thank you that in this city,
there is one church, and it's your church.
And we are not part of our own little kingdoms,
but it's your kingdom.
And Lord, I thank you for Al coming this morning.
I pray that you would speak to him, speak through him,
and speak through him into our hearts,
that we would hear your word,
that we would be challenged and changed through him,
and that we would learn to walk by faith
and to be ministers of the gospel,
as you call us to be.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen.
Thank you so much, Chris.
And as Chris has said,
it's a real joy for me to be here with you this morning.
It's great that we do have a network of churches
that work together.
I did spend quite some time in South Africa.
I lived there until I was 15.
But as you can tell,
the accent has become a little bit British.
So forgive me if I'm neither one thing or another thing.
I'm going to suggest,
if you could keep open your booklets,
that would be great,
because we'll be having a look at these verses over here.
Over the recent years,
I don't know if you've noticed,
but there's been a lot of films about con artists,
people who can con,
who can talk their way into kind of any situation
for their own benefit.
So films like The Hustle,
Inception,
Parasite,
Ocean's Eleven,
and the remake,
and all of the sequels.
One film a bit like that,
from a few years ago,
is Catch Me If You Can.
I don't know if you remember it.
Tom Hanks,
Leonardo DiCaprio.
And DiCaprio was actually playing a real-life figure
called Frank Abagnale,
who was a notorious con artist from the 60s.
So whilst he was still a teenager,
he managed to convince people
that he was a medical doctor,
and actually practiced for several months.
That's a bit scary.
He also managed to pass the bar exam
and conduct himself as a lawyer for several months.
And he,
as well as all of that,
he convinced people
that he was an aircraft pilot
and took loads of flights,
and at one stage,
allegedly even took the controls
of a passenger airplane
full of people on board.
Well, fortunately,
he has repented of his ways.
He doesn't con people anymore.
He now tries to help firms
to avoid being conned.
But there is something about these con films
that we rather like,
don't we?
We like hearing about con artists.
We probably enjoy less actually meeting con artists,
and it's not impossible
that some of us have met con artists
in the sort of wrong kind of situation.
Now, in One Thessalonians,
that is the allegation
that is being charged against Paul.
That's the background to the whole letter,
in a way,
that Paul is nothing more than a con artist.
Now, we've been enjoying One Thessalonians
at St. Andrews.
We're just wrapping it up, actually, this Sunday.
And so, I hope you don't mind
me sharing a message from a few weeks ago.
And you may remember from the Book of Acts
the situation that Paul,
as was often his situation,
as often his practice,
when he arrived in Thessalonica,
he went to the synagogue there,
and he preached for just three Sundays.
And a few people became Christians.
They accepted Christ.
He planted a little fledgling church.
But then,
a mob was rounded up,
and he had to leave town in a hurry,
all of these angry people.
And afterwards,
they went to those young Christians,
and they said,
well, you can't believe Paul.
Paul is nothing more than a trickster,
a charlatan.
He's nothing more than a con artist.
And this gospel message of his,
well, that's just empty words.
That's just ideology.
That's just a pack of lies.
You don't believe that he actually cares about you.
He's tramping all over the place,
planting churches.
It's one just,
it's just one big ego trip for him.
He's after fame,
and he's after your money.
I mean, look,
he's left town in a hurry.
He's got something to hide.
That's the kind of allegations
that were coming through.
And if you read the letter through,
it's so very clear.
And so,
Paul has to address these.
And in chapter one,
he firstly affirms the gospel
and the faith of the Thessalonian church.
He says,
with this gospel message,
it's not just empty words.
No,
it's God's power to transform you.
And you yourselves
are the evidence of that.
Just see how you've changed.
You've turned from worshipping idols
to worship the Lord Jesus Christ
and wait for him.
Your lives are now marked
by faith and hope and love.
You've even accepted suffering.
You bear all of the hallmarks
of authenticity.
That's chapter one.
And now in chapter two,
with what we're looking at today,
Paul turns to himself
and he says,
and I bear all of the hallmarks
of authenticity as well.
Now,
Paul isn't trying to boast here,
big himself up.
No,
he's doing it
for the sake of the Thessalonians.
He knows that if they reject him,
then chances are
that in the end,
they'll reject the gospel as well.
And so what we have here
is like a little portrait
of faithful gospel ministry.
Now,
Paul isn't saying
that he's perfect.
In other places,
he admits that he's not perfect.
But he is saying
that he ticks these boxes
of basic faithfulness.
And he wanted the Thessalonians
to be able to discern
what counted as faithful gospel ministry
and what wasn't faithful gospel ministry.
And as such,
these verses are very helpful for us.
You know,
we're inundated
by people who claim
to be Christian leaders.
If you go onto the internet,
there's no end of people
who want you to watch their video
and read their blog
and buy their book.
And some of those teachers
are excellent.
And sadly,
some of those teachers are not.
And we need to be able
to discern
what's faithful teaching
and what isn't.
It's also very helpful
for gospel ministers,
this passage
that we should reflect
on our own ministry
and to think,
am I doing
what the Bible says?
But more than that,
these marks,
these things
that Christian ministers
are meant to do
are for us all.
You see,
the Bible tells us
that we're all the ministers.
We're all the pastors
in the church.
Sadly,
Kevin,
your senior pastor,
has been unwell.
We've been praying for him.
Praise the Lord
that he's on the mend.
But he's not
the only pastor here.
Nor is just Chris
or Henrika
or Jeremy
or the rest of the staff team.
No,
the Bible says
if we're a Christian,
then we're all the pastors.
We're all the ministers.
And so we should all
be doing these things.
So whether we're
in Sunday school
or helping to lead
a community group
or whether we're a parent
teaching our children
or whether we're
just one ordinary Christian
trying to encourage
another ordinary Christian,
these are things
that we should all do.
All aspire to do.
We won't do them perfectly
but these are things
that we should do.
Now we're going to split
our passage up into three.
Forgive me,
I am a kind of
three-point sermon guy.
So we've got
three points this morning.
I'm sorry about that.
Three points.
Firstly,
right motives.
Right motives.
So have a look with me
at verse one.
Paul says,
remember back
to how we lived amongst you.
And he uses this phrase
again and again,
you know.
You know how we lived.
Verse one.
But you yourselves know,
brothers,
that our coming to you
was not in vain.
But though we had
already suffered
and been shamefully
cheated at Philippi,
as you know,
we had boldness
in our God
to declare to you
the gospel of God
in the midst
of much conflict.
So he's saying,
remember back
to what happened.
We arrived in your city
and we'd just come
from Philippi.
In Philippi,
Paul had preached
the gospel
and he'd been opposed.
An angry crowd
tried to take hold
of him.
The city officials,
they arrested Paul
but instead of protecting
him from the crowd,
they unlawfully beat him
and threw him into prison.
Eventually,
he managed to extricate
himself from prison
but that didn't stop him.
Then he went on
to Thessalonica
and he was opposed there.
He had to leave
in a hurry.
Next,
he went to Berea.
Again,
he was opposed
and had to leave
in a hurry.
Then he went on
to Athens.
His message
was mainly rejected.
Eventually,
he found himself
in the city of Corinth
where he was writing
this letter from
and he's saying,
remember
how our lives were.
We weren't doing it
for fame
and glory
and money.
No,
it was highly inconvenient
for us
sharing the gospel
with you
and that shows
that our motives
were right.
See what he goes on
to say
in verses 3
and 4.
For our appeal
does not spring
from error
or impurity
or any attempt
to deceive
but just as we
have been approved
by God
to be entrusted
with the gospel
so we speak
not to please man
but to please God
who tests our hearts.
For we never came
with words of flattery
as you know
nor with a pretext
for greed.
God is our witness.
He's saying,
look,
we never did any
of that con artist stuff.
We never used flattery
to get into your good books.
We never put on a mask
to hide greed
in our hearts
because we were
after your stuff.
No,
we weren't trying
to please ourselves
or to please others
or even really firstly
to please you.
No,
as custodians
of the gospel
firstly we were seeking
to please the Lord
not con artists.
One of the most infamous
con artists
in the animal kingdom
if you can call it that
is the angler fish.
I don't know
if you know
about angler fish.
I'm at the stage
where my oldest daughter
is three years old
so I'm always
showing her pictures
of animals and things
and the angler fish
is this rather grotesque fish
that lives in the murky depths
of the ocean
where there's hardly
any light at all
and it's got this bulbous protrusion
that comes off
that someone's nodding.
You know what I'm talking about
at least.
Or the top of its head
which glows in the light
and the little fish
are attracted to this
and they swim up to it
and then it just swallows them
with one big gulp.
Fortunately,
it's only this big
so you don't have to worry
too much about the angler fish
but there's almost
a sense in which
some gospel ministers
are sadly
a bit like that.
They're holding out
the light of the gospel
in a dark world
and people are attracted
to that
but their intention
all along
is to exploit those people
and so we hear about
ministers
who are after money.
They're stolen
from their church.
They're paying themselves
huge salaries.
They've got luxury cars
and private jets.
Meanwhile,
their congregation
is impoverished
after money
or after fame.
They've turned ministry
into a vehicle
for self-promotion.
It's all about them
and what they're doing
and their latest CD
and their latest book
and Paul here
is defending himself
against that.
He's saying,
look,
I really wasn't
that kind of
con artist
Christian minister.
I really wasn't.
Just remember
to how I lived amongst you.
You know.
It wasn't like that.
It had the right motives.
Right motives.
And I think
this reminder
about having right motives
in what we do
is so important.
It's so easy
if you're anything like me.
It's so easy
to do what seems
to be the right thing
for the wrong reasons.
Now,
we'll never have
perfect motivation
because we have
a sinful nature.
We can't wait
until our motives
are perfect
before we do something
because otherwise
we'll never do it.
But we do need
to work on our motivation
and I need to be reminded
that sometimes
at church
it's so easy
first to be
thinking about
what other people
think about
what we're doing
whether that's
in the music team
or whether we're
serving in kids zone
or Sunday school
to be thinking
about other people
and to want
their affirmation.
It's not wrong
to want to please others
but we need to
remind ourselves
we're doing this
firstly
to serve the Lord
to please Him.
The same is true
in evangelism.
We know that we
should be doing
evangelism
and it's possible
to do that
in a way
to please ourselves
just so that we
get it off our conscience
phew,
I've told them
I can rest now
or to convince
other people
that we're keen
other Christians
can see that
we're bringing
our friends
to church
and that
we're a keen
Christian
but we should be
doing evangelism
firstly to serve
the Lord
and to please Him.
Equally wrong
motivation
can keep us
from service.
For instance
if we firstly
are thinking about
serving our boss
and getting ahead
in our career
then we might be
quite reluctant
to take on
additional responsibility
at church
because it might
get in the way
or if we're seeking
to please ourselves
if someone asks us
to take on a role
on the welcome team
or the AV
we might think
well this is quite
menial and inconvenient
I don't really want
to do it.
Well gospel ministry
wasn't convenient
for Paul
but he was willing
to do it
because he had
the right methods
inspired through
the gospel
and what Jesus
had done for him.
Right methods
and secondly
right methods.
So Paul says
well I was an apostle
and I could have
made demands of you
but I didn't live
like that.
Instead
verse 7
have a look with me
he says
but we were gentle
among you
like a nursing mother
taking care
of her own children
so being affectionately
desirous of you
we were ready
to share with you
not only the gospel
of God
but also
our own selves
because you had
become very dear
to us.
Well Paul is making
an analogy here
saying that he's
like a mother
and mothers
I think are really
the epitome of caring
that's true isn't it
and I see that
very much first hand
in my wife
as Chris has said
we've got
a little girl
who's three
and one who's one
and another little girl
who's coming in October
we're absolutely
thrilled by that
it is quite an
exhausting phase
of life
and a lot of that
falls on the mum
now obviously
dads have to do
their part
but there's some
things that dads
can't easily do
and so the mums
are the ones
who end up doing
a lot of it
and they just keep
on giving
and giving
and I see that
in my wife
just the epitome
of caring
and Paul is making
this comparison here
now I don't think
that we need
to misunderstand him
he isn't trying
to claim motherhood
for himself
he's not trying
to say that he
understands all women
he's just using
an image
that most people
can understand
and he's saying
look we cared for you
we didn't want
to be a burden
at all
we weren't
so often Paul
would get a job
as a tent maker
or repairing tents
and he's saying
look remember
how we lived
amongst you
during the day
we were working hard
repairing and making
those tents
and then in the evening
we'd come
and we'd tell you
about Jesus
and we'd do a bible study
and we'd pray together
and we'd be there
late in the evening
up in the early morning
repairing those tents
and all the while
we were opposed
and sometimes even
fearing for our lives
but through it all
it was worth it
because we really
cared about you
like a mother
and also
like a father
see what he says
in verse 11
for you know
how like a father
with his children
we exalted each of you
and encouraged you
and charged you
to walk in a manner
worthy of God
who calls you
into his own kingdom
and glory
now again
I don't think
Paul is trying to
promote gender stereotypes
he's just saying
that in the average family
so often
the mother
is a bit more gentle
and the father
is often
but not always
a bit more stern
often in a helpful way
and he's saying
we were a bit like
a dad to you
we set you an example
through our conduct
through our speech
and we wanted
the best for you
we didn't pander to you
no we were willing
to have that slightly
more difficult conversation
because we wanted you
to really live
for the Lord Jesus Christ
there's a kind of honesty
and straightforwardness
gentleness
on the one hand
and honesty
and straightforwardness
and sometimes
those things
are lacking
from Christian leadership
there can be
a lack of gentleness
some Christian leaders
are so determined
in their zeal
to build the kingdom
that they become
quite authoritarian
and domineering
in order to get things done
and that might work
in the short term
but in the end
it always leaves
a trail of destruction
and sadly
over recent years
there's been a number
of high profile pastors
who've had to step down
from their ministry
amongst allegations
of bullying
and abuse
now that is
absolutely scandalous
a Christian leader
should not be
a bully
Paul was not a bully
Christian leaders
should be gentle
gentle
but also
honest
and forthright
some Christian leaders
are so scared
about upsetting anyone
that they're not
willing to say
to anyone
hey you're a Christian
you shouldn't be
doing those things
but for Paul
the gentleness
and the forthrightness
went hand in hand
that's how it works
for Christians
gentleness
and forthrightness
go hand in hand
Paul was willing
to get emotionally
involved in the lives
of these individuals
not a kind of
professionalism
keeping them
at arm's length
no he says
we loved you so much
that we were willing
to share our lives
our very selves
getting emotionally
involved
now I think
that's a big challenge
for us here
in Hong Kong
getting emotionally
involved
you know
we lived in a city
that's just packed
with people
and so many of those
people are stressed
and angry
and tired
and don't have
much energy
and we're stressed
and tired
and without much energy
and it's easy for us
to say to ourselves
well if I had more
time and energy
and more emotional
resources
then maybe I could help
but I just
don't have it in me
to deal with
all of the stuff
that's going on
in other people's
lives at the moment
but brothers and sisters
the Christian way
is to get involved
to get emotionally
involved in other
people's lives
now obviously
we all have our limits
in a larger congregation
like this
we can't get to know
everyone
which is why
I think our
small groups
are so important
and at St. Andrews
we're always saying
join
we call them
growth groups
join a growth group
because of course
in these smaller groups
we're able to
study the Bible
and pray
but more than that
to really get to
know each other
and support each other
so that if we hear
that someone in our
community group
is going through
a rough patch
well we pray for them
but more than that
we bring them up
and we say
hey how are you doing
can I take you out
for lunch
can we go out
for coffee
what can I do
to help you
because we really can
and if we hear
that someone
in our community group
is maybe
making a bad decision
or fallen into
some kind of sin
then we don't ignore it
we don't bulldoze
they know we're gentle
but we don't do
nothing at all
instead
we get in touch
with them
and we say
brother, sister
I care about you
very much
but these are the reasons
why I think
this may not be
the right course
of action
and these are the verses
in the Bible
that say that
maybe this is not
the right thing
to do
and we're willing
to have that conversation
and the potential pushback
that we might receive
in it
because we care
about that person
right motives
right methods
and finally
right message
well Paul is talking
about a gospel message
here
which is not his own
look with me
at verse 13
and we also
thank God
constantly for this
that when you received
the word of God
which you heard
from us
you accepted it
not as the word
of men
but as it really is
the word of God
which is at work
in you
believers
say
he repeats
word, word, word
it's not his word
it's the Lord's word
and it's a word
which is opposed
see what he says
in verse 14
for you brothers
became imitators
of the churches
of God
in Christ Jesus
that are in Judea
for you suffered
the same things
from your own countrymen
as they did
from the Jews
who killed
both the Lord Jesus
and the prophets
and drove us out
and displeased God
and opposed
all mankind
well Paul is making
the point here
that from beginning
to end
this message
was opposed
now he mentions
the Jews
not because he's
anti-semitic
of course
he's a Jew
himself
he has a deep
love for the Jewish
people
but he's making
this point
that from beginning
to end
this gospel message
was opposed
it was first
preached in Jerusalem
and there was
opposition
that message
spread all over
the place
and now even
in Thessalonica
there was opposition
even from their
own countrymen
that is what
the Thessalonians
had experienced
so opposition
and suffering
was intrinsic
is intrinsic
to the gospel message
and isn't that
what we see
in the Lord Jesus Christ
the Lord Jesus Christ
was opposed
the Lord Jesus Christ
suffered and died
when he bled
on the cross
in order to bring
God's love
into this broken world
in order that we might
receive his forgiveness
and if you're here
and you're still exploring
the Christian faith
then all you need to do
to receive God's forgiveness
for sins
that our shame
might be washed away
is to say
Lord Jesus
I'm trusting in you
I'm trusting in your
suffering
in my place
that's all we have to pray
and our sins
are washed away
but even as we
receive Christ
the Bible says
that we also need
to submit
to Christ's authority
that we need
to pick up
our cross daily
and that leads us
inevitably
into a path
of opposition
and even of suffering
but that aspect
of the gospel
is often deeply
unpopular today
and sometimes
people want to
minimize it
and even to deny it
so take for instance
two ways
in which that
sometimes happens
liberal theology
amongst other things
I think
liberal theology
often says
well you don't need
conflict in the Christian life
the main thing
is that we're a nice person
and that we get on
with everyone else
and don't worry too much
about doctrines
and the miracles
and other religions
and the resurrection
and things like that
it doesn't matter
exactly what you believe
so long as you're
a nice person
we don't need conflict
liberal theology
or another
another form of false teaching
is prosperity gospel
which in many ways
says we don't need
suffering in this world
that God loves this world
and he wants to bring
an end to pain
which is true
but that we can have that now
if we just believe
and trust
then he'll give us
healing
and he'll give us
health
and wealth
and self-actualization
and we can receive
all of our dreams now
we don't have to have
suffering
in this world
well those two forms
of teaching
are at variance
with the apostle Paul's
personal experience
and so clearly
with the verses
that we've been looking
at this morning
and it's important
that we as Christians
are able to discern that
you know sometimes
people come up to me
at St. Andrews
and they say
oh Pastor Al
I was watching YouTube
last week
and there was a brilliant
guy on that
and I watch him every week
and you should really
watch him too
you'll love him
and then they mention
the name of the person
and my heart sinks
because it's a well-known
prosperity gospel preacher
or liberal theologian
and just because
someone holds a bible
and smiles
and tells a few nice stories
and is emotionally engaging
doesn't make them faithful
we need to be able
to discern
what's faithful
ministry
and what's not
of course
I'm not talking
about watermark church
but the ministry
here is very faithful
I mean more
what's out there
on the internet
and in the books
that we read
now Paul was that
kind of faithful
minister
even through the
opposition
even through the
persecution
he went to Thessalonica
and the Lord
used him
to richly bless
those Christians
there
he told them about
Jesus
he led them to Christ
he nurtured them
he discipled them
he wrote to them
he prayed for them
he sent other Christians
to look after them
and it was a wonderful
thing
now we haven't had
the privilege
of being led to Christ
by an apostle
but if you're a Christian
here today
then the Lord
would have used
someone in your life
in order to richly
bless you
and I want to ask
who is that person
and who are those people
just think back
I can think of many people
in my life
like that
take for instance
a few
just to mention
take for instance
my parents
would describe themselves
as ordinary people
and ordinary Christians
but every single Sunday
they went to church
and every single morning
they got up a little bit early
in order to read the Bible
and pray
and as a young person
that made an enormous
impact on me
or take for instance
my youth group
when we immigrated
from South Africa
to the UK
I was a confused
Christian teenager
trying to figure out
what it meant to be a Christian
in a foreign culture
and having a youth group
to journey alongside me
was profoundly helpful
during that time
or when I was at university
I arrived at university
not really sure
what I wanted to do
with my life
and it was really
really really helpful
when an older Christian
from the local church
met up with me
for about six months
in order to read the Bible
and pray
and that started to change
the whole trajectory
of my life
as I began to think
more seriously
about Christian ministry
now my hunch is
that you probably
have people like that
in your life as well
everyday people
ordinary people
broken people
sinful people
but people who
nevertheless
the Lord has used
to bless you
richly
and I think
part of the challenge
of this passage
is whether we're willing
to be that kind
of person
to the people
whom God
has put in our lives
and to the people
whom God
has put in the room
around us
and we might feel
like we don't have
much time
or that we don't
have much experience
or that we're the wrong
kind of character
remember the apostle Paul
he was completely
the wrong kind
of character
and the Lord
turned his life around
and used him
to richly bless others
the Lord can use you
to richly bless others
and what we see
in this passage
is a little portrait
of how we go
about doing that
right motives
not seeking to
please others first
but seeking to
please the Lord
right methods
being gentle
but also honest
right methods
sticking faithfully
to that good news
of Jesus Christ
despite opposition
and suffering
let's pray
heavenly father
thank you so much
for your rich goodness
to us
in the Lord Jesus Christ
thank you
that he suffered
and died
that we might have
forgiveness
a new life
and renewal
and thank you
that you bring
that renewal
through everyday
ordinary broken people
thank you
for the example
of the apostle Paul
and the way
that you used him
to bless that church
in Thessalonica
thank you
for the ways
in which you've used
people in our lives
to bless us
and strengthen us
in our walk
and help us
we pray
and show us
how we can do that
and be used by you
to bless others
Amen