I'll be reading from Matthew chapter 18, verses 1 to 14.
At that time, the disciples came to Jesus, saying,
Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said,
Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.
But whoever causes one of these little ones who believes in me to sin,
it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck
and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Woe to the world for temptations to sin.
For it is necessary that temptations come,
but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes.
And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin,
cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame
than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.
And if your eye causes you to sin,
tear it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to enter life with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.
See that you do not despise one of these little ones.
For I tell you that in heaven,
their angels see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
What do you think?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray,
does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains
and go in search of the one that went astray?
And if he finds it,
truly I say to you,
he rejoices over it
more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven
that one of these little ones should perish.
Good morning.
My name is Bo.
I am one of the elders of the church.
I would like to welcome all the visitors in particular today.
I have seen quite a number of visitors.
And you have me today because I am a regular preacher.
They brought us away for holidays,
so you will have me for two weeks.
Today, I am using this Nebel mic for the first time.
I mean, if it is not clear,
please raise up your hand so I can just use that big mic.
We will see how it goes.
So last week,
they brought us that,
as we went back into the book of Matthew,
they brought us that the book of Matthew
could be divided into two parts.
From chapter 1 to 16,
it is about who Jesus is.
And then 17 onwards,
it is about what he is going to do.
And so today we come to chapter 18 of Matthew.
We have done 1 to 17 last year,
or the year before,
some time ago.
So we start from chapter 18,
onwards,
for the rest of this year.
So chapter 18,
I think,
is talking about,
as we know,
what Jesus is going to do.
In particular,
he is talking about
Jesus is going to build his church.
And to build his church,
the first challenge that Jesus needs to face
is the crucifixion.
he needs to suffer and die for his people.
And subsequent to that,
I think it's more challenging
is what we will be dealing with
in chapter 18,
that is his people.
This is the challenge.
How are his people going to live together
as a body?
As you know,
in any social gatherings,
there's always competitions,
jealousy,
resentment of not giving opportunity
or something like this.
So it's not easy
to put a group of people
who are not really together.
So today we shall,
hopefully today and next week,
consider a bit about
how,
as God's people,
we should live together.
Let us pray first.
Almighty God,
we know that it's a privilege
for us to come together
as the body of Christ,
as your children.
we pray that as we go through
chapter 18 of Matthew,
you will help us to consider
how we should love one another
and start one another
to do good works as well.
Thank you, Lord.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
So to start with,
for chapter 18,
it says that at that time
when the disciples
were asking
questions.
So,
we need to consider
the context.
What does that,
what time there was,
what,
what does at that time
point to?
The word time
could be,
could mean
a long period of time
or just a short period of time.
If we take it
for a long period of time,
we can look back
to previously
to 17,
say the transfiguration
on the mountain.
So,
the disciples
may be asking
in the kingdom of God
who was the greatest,
is it Moses,
Elijah,
or Jesus,
or someone else?
Or,
we can look forward
because
after the mountain,
Jesus again
told the disciples
that he would
be arrested
and killed
by people.
And so,
the disciples
may be thinking,
after Jesus is gone,
who would take over
the leadership?
Especially
who among them
would be the one
succeeding Jesus?
And that,
I mean,
that is a relevant
and important question.
If you,
if
Christianity
developed
like other religions,
like,
if you look at
the history of Islam,
you will see that
after Muhammad died,
there was a lot
of bloodshed
among his followers
to grab power,
see who
could lead
the group.
And so,
that question
is relevant.
But then,
I'm not going
there today.
I'm,
I take this
at that time.
The time means
a short time,
like,
at that hour.
So,
what happened
just before
18?
That,
at the end
of chapter 17,
we read that
Jesus,
the,
religious leader
were asking
Jesus'
disciples,
whether Jesus
and the disciples
would pay
temple tax.
And so,
they came
to ask
Jesus.
Peter said,
yes,
we would,
but then,
when they asked
Jesus,
Jesus said,
the tax is
for the ruler
of this world
to collect
from their subjects.
But they don't
collect tax
from their children
or from their sons
in particular.
And so,
Jesus said,
we are
the sons of God
and so,
we don't need
to pay
tax,
at least
the temple tax.
But Jesus
still paid
for it,
partly because
Jesus,
Peter said
he would,
they would pay,
but partly
also,
Jesus didn't
want to,
I suppose,
create conflicts
unnecessary
in this instance.
But the,
what Jesus,
how Jesus
answered the
disciples,
told the disciples
that they
were a special
community,
they were the
sons of God.
And so,
if we put
this in mind,
and that's why
they asked
this question
in this
community,
who is
the greatest,
or what
is considered
important in
this community.
And the
second question
they asked
that we'll do
next week
is,
what rights
do I have
in this
community?
Like,
if you join
the army,
you would know
what is considered
important that you
can get promotion
by doing
or serving?
Or,
what rights
you have
when you
are bullied
or being
despised
in the
community?
And that's
why,
even as a
church community,
I think this
is an important
question that
we should
consider.
And so,
today,
I would
consider,
the title
of the
sermon today
is,
a question
of importance.
So,
this is an
important question,
but also
about how
do we
become
important
in this
community?
How do we
gain our
identity?
So,
next week,
we'll talk
about the
question of
rights.
What rights
do we have
as a
church?
So,
we will
consider
in this
14 verses
of chapter
18,
three things.
The first
one is,
our need
to be
important.
It's not
only what
is important,
it's the
need that
we need
to be
important.
So,
that is
our great
need.
The second
one is,
how this
need of
importance
causes
a
temer
to sin.
Because we
want to be
important,
so it's
likely that
we'll do
something,
and something
that would
be considered
sinful.
And so,
the second
part of it
is our
great sin.
And so,
the need for
importance,
and then when
we try to
achieve the
importance,
we tend to
sin.
So,
we are in
a dilemma.
And so,
the third part
of it is,
how can we
be delivered
out of this
dilemma?
And that is
our great
savior.
Okay,
for the
first part,
the disciples
ask,
who is the
greatest in
the kingdom
of heaven?
Or who is
the most
important person
in the kingdom
of heaven?
This question
just reveals
the deep
needs that
we all
have to
be someone
important.
We need
to be
somebody.
You can,
if you're
new to a
church in
particular,
and nobody
say hello
to you,
or greet
you,
how do you
feel?
that's not
what we
would like
to experience
because we
want to be
considered
important.
And that
is natural
for each
of us.
And the
way the
world knows
that one
is important
is to be
great,
to be
successful,
or to be
better than
other people.
We can see
that in
President
Trump's
slogan,
to make
America
great again.
It's named
what he's
driving to.
And that
is the
drive
not only
America,
all of us
will have.
We want
to be
considered
somebody
significant
and not
be despised
or looked
down by
people.
And that's
why they
asked this
question.
and they
have been
also
perplexed
by the
way Jesus
conducts
himself.
Because for
the great
people of
the world,
they will
have many
followers or
supporters,
or they are
influential.
But when they
followed Jesus,
they did not
see Jesus
try to be
such.
like when
Jesus
teach,
he
tend to
teach in
parables.
And that
parables that
a lot of
people didn't
understand.
It didn't
seem to
try to
attract more
people.
Even when
Jesus healed
people,
cast out
demons,
he told
those people
not to
tell other
people about
what happened
to them.
He said
Jesus is not
there to
be more
famous.
the
disciples
were hoping
that,
because a
lot of
the
disciples,
as we
know,
they are
uneducated.
They did
not have
any
position in
society,
or status
in society.
And so
they were
hoping that
by following
Jesus,
they can
become
somebody
great.
And they
are willing
to die
for that
if Jesus
would lead
them to
do something
great.
But then
until now,
Jesus
has been
talking about
he will
be arrested,
he will
be killed.
So the
disciples were
a bit
uncertain how
this kingdom
of heaven
works,
what is
considered
important in
this kingdom
of heaven.
And I
think we
all can
identify with
that,
because from
young,
we have
learned to
do a lot
of things
just to
increase our
own importance
in school,
at work,
or even
in church
gatherings.
Many
things that
we do,
even though
it may
not be
the only
motive,
but part
of it
will be
how we
can be
more
acceptable
or approved
by other
people.
And so
the disciples
were surprised
when Jesus
showed them
a child
and said
that you
can't even
enter the
kingdom of
heaven unless
you turn
and like
this child.
I mean,
don't mention
about being
important in
the kingdom
of heaven,
you can't
even enter
into it
if you
are not
like this
child.
And what
characteristic
of the
child that
Jesus is
referring to,
he's not
saying that
we need to
be childish,
we need to
be ignorant,
but he's
saying that
you should
be like
a child
in his
humility.
And what
is humility?
Humunity
is when
a person
is not
thinking so
much about
himself,
herself,
and because
he's like
a child
whose identity
is in the
parents.
A child
does not
have a
personality
yet or
individuality
but he
refers to
the parents
as their
identity.
A few
weeks ago,
Leanne and
I went
to Hobart
with our
grandson,
Thomas,
he was
20 months
old.
And that
was because
his father
was there
for a
conference.
We went
there and
when we
went up
with them
and when
the other
tourists
saw Thomas,
they usually
would say
hello to
him.
And I'm
quite amazed
to see
Thomas
straight away
point to
the parents,
daddy,
mommy.
He didn't
point to
himself,
daddy,
mommy.
Is that
what you
see?
His
identity
is holy
in the
parents,
at least
at this
stage.
And so
that is
what it
means to
be humble.
Humble
does not
mean that
I feel
humble.
We can,
from television,
we can see
that when
somebody gets
an award
or something
and the
person will
usually say,
I'm
humbled by
this award
or something.
But he's
not humble.
He's
actually proud
of that.
But he
just wants
to know,
he knows
that if he
says,
I'm proud,
nobody will
like him.
So he
will have
to say,
I'm
humble.
But
someone is
humble,
he won't
say,
I am,
he'll just
say,
I'm
thankful
for this
award and
I'm thankful
for those
who have
contributed to
it,
all these
things,
but not
about himself.
That is
humanity.
And so
Jesus is
saying that
in the
kingdom
of God,
you will
not find
someone
who is
boasting
about himself
or herself.
And because
in the
kingdom of
God,
everyone is
deferring
himself,
herself to
Jesus as
their identity.
And if
we know
that we
need to
refer to
Jesus or
identify
ourselves in
Jesus,
but we
still
struggle
every day
because
in our
flesh,
we will
still want
to be
great.
But if
we keep
trying to
be great,
eventually we
will become
more and
more self-focused,
self-centered.
And then
we won't
be able to,
I mean,
we won't have
anything to do
with the
kingdom of
heaven because
in the kingdom
of heaven,
nobody who
is self-centered
will be
there.
We need
to be
Christ-centered.
But we
still
struggle.
So in our
struggle,
we sin.
We also
cause other
people to
sin.
And so we
come to
the part of
our great
sins.
In
verse 6
of chapter
18,
Jesus said,
let me
just read
to you.
But whoever
causes one
of these
little ones
who believe
in me to
sin,
it would
be better
for him
to have
a great
mewstone
fastened
around his
neck and
to be
drowned in
the depth
of the
sea.
So who
are the
little ones?
Jesus
used a
child as
example.
But a
little one
is someone
who is
learning to
trust in
Jesus,
learning to
live for
Jesus.
And so
this person
is not
there yet,
is learning,
and so
they can
fall.
And we,
when I'm
preparing for
this sermon,
I was
thinking to
myself,
am I a
little one
or am I
a great
one?
Then I
realized that
as soon as
I think
about this,
am I a
little one
or a
great one?
I'm
surely not
a little
one.
Because a
little one
will not
even think
about,
a true
little one
will not
even think
about
himself or
herself.
He's not,
he doesn't
care so much
because he's
lost in
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
And that
is a true
little one,
but there's
none of us
here,
so we are
halfway to
dare to be
the true
little one.
So we
can be the
great one
and we can
sin and
influence the
little one
who look up
to us,
or we can
follow those
we look up
to and
sin as well.
So this
is something
that's
happening all
the time.
How do
we cause
the little
one to
sin,
or how
the little
one's
cause to
be sin?
Their
cause to
sin is
not to
trust God
for their
importance.
We show
them that
we need
to try
hardest
to be
important,
and not
to trust
God for
that.
And how
do we
sin?
By using
our eyes,
our hands,
our feet.
So our
eyes sin,
when we
see something,
we cover
it, we
want it.
Our hands
sin, our
feet sin,
we move
closer to
that target,
the thing
that I
desire,
and our
hands sin
by grabbing
it and
wondering
it for
myself.
in the
history of
mankind,
I think
the two
persons who
are closest
to the
little ones
besides
Jesus,
Adam and
Eve,
yet they
fell into
temptation
and sin
as well.
And how
did
Satan
tell Eve
to sin?
Satan
asked Eve,
did God
say that
you shouldn't
eat any
of the
fruit from
the garden?
And then
if they
know only
that
particular
fruit,
we shouldn't
eat,
otherwise
you will
die.
And what
did Satan
say?
He said,
no, you
won't die.
That fruit
is good
for you.
God
knows that
if you
eat that,
you will
know,
you can
decide,
you will
have wisdom
to decide
what is
good and
evil.
What Satan
means is
that don't
trust God
on this
because that
fruit
would make
you great.
You will
be like
God
in being
able to
decide
what is
good and
evil.
And so
Eve saw
with his
eyes
that
fruit
can make
her
greater
person.
And then
she moves
closer to
the tree
and then
she used
her hands
to pick
the fruit
and eat
it.
love.
And that
is how
generation
after
generation
we
attempted
to sin
or
caused
others
to sin
by doing
the same
thing.
We see
that in
the life
of Lot,
Abraham's
nephew,
when Abraham
and him
had too
much
property,
servants
and stocks,
that Abraham
said we
should move
apart so
that we
do not
fight for
resources.
so
Lot saw
with his
eyes
that the
lands
near
Sodom
was
fertile.
He knew
that the
people in
Sodom
were
wicked
but
because
he was
rich enough
Lord
but he
wanted to
be
richer,
he wanted
to be
greater
so
his feet
moved
closer
to that
place
and his
hand
grabbed
her
of the
land
and
lived
there.
And
we know
the
consequence
of that
he eventually
lost
everything.
But we
see a
different
story
in the
life of
Jesus.
When
Jesus
was
tempted
by
Satan
the same
thing
happened.
Satan
said,
look at
the
world,
all is
glory.
If you
will
worship
me,
I will
give that
to you.
And
Satan
said,
use your
hand to
turn the
stone
into
food
and
eat.
Satan
told
Jesus
to jump
down
from the
high
place
and God
will
protect
his
feet.
So
all
this
just
to
tempt
Jesus
to be
great
on his
own
terms.
But
Jesus'
whole
identity
was in
God
the
Father.
And
so
Satan
had
no
way
of
being
able
to
tempt
Jesus
to be
great
because
Jesus
was
completely
satisfied
for
his
greatness
in
God
himself.
When
we
look at
ourselves,
we can
look at
examples
in the
church
context
how we
want
to be
great
as well.
Sometimes
I'm not
talking about
our church
but I've
been to
many
churches
in
Malaysia
but this
can happen
in our
church or
other
churches.
Sometimes
Christians
will not
serve
or will
not do
any
ministries
without
being
given
a
title
or
position.
So
a
position
like
an
elder
or
a
deacon
or
a
leader
of
some
sort.
A
title
like
a
reverend
or
father
and
that
because
even in
the Christian
community
a lot
of
Christians
are still
seeking
to be
great.
If we
follow
a
title,
they
don't
want
to
be
involved
in
ministries.
And
in
particular
in
Chinese
churches,
a lot
of
the
people
who
are
in
positions,
even
though
they
are
elderly,
80
years
old,
90
years
old,
they
still
would
not
want
to
step
down
because
that
is
their
identity.
And
that
is
how
we
can
be
a
bad
example
to
the
younger
ones.
Sometimes
Christians
will not
give
unless
their
giving
is
published.
It's
not
very
common
in
Austria,
but
in
Malaysia
it's
very
common
that
churches
will
publish
the
list
of
people,
their
names,
and how
much
they
give
week
by
week.
We
may be
short,
but this
is a
common
practice.
And
churches
do that
will
tend
to
have
more
income.
Because
if your
name
appear
there
and
you
give
more,
then
you
are
important,
somebody
who's
great.
If you
really want
to be
accountable
to the
giving,
they
could
have
just
published
the
figures
before
the
name,
because
people
can
give
a
unique
number
of
some
to
know
that
your
money
has
been
given,
which
could
be
required
in
some
Asian
context,
because
the
money
is
quite
a
big
temptation
for
people
who
handle
money
to
steal.
And so
it's
not
without
reason,
but
now
it's
just
been
abused
to
make
somebody
great.
There
are
also
times
when
Christians
would
not
turn
up
to
service
unless
they
are
leading
on
their
Sunday,
or
they
are
leading
in
songs.
Again,
in
Malaysia,
we
visit
some
churches
repeatedly,
we
know
that
every
time
if
we
go
to
the
church,
if
that
leader
is
not
doing
something
on
the
front,
that
leader
will
not
be
in
the
church.
So
every
time
unless
the
leader
is
doing
something
in
front,
that
is
also
accepted.
Again,
there's
a sign
to show
that we
want
to
be
great.
the
other
thing
about
Christians'
tendency
is that
in a
church
setting,
roads
that
would
attract
attention,
like in
the front
or doing
something,
usually it's
not difficult
to get
people to
take up
those roads,
but if
you get
people to
do
cleaning
behind
things
behind
the
scene,
it will
be a
lot
harder
to get
people to
do
that.
So
that is
something
that we
all
struggle.
I'll
mention
one more
way that
we can
be a
bad
example
is
how
an
altitude
when
in a
church
setting,
if
one day
your
small group
leader
or an
elder
come to
you
to
challenge
you
about
your
behavior
or
belief,
if
your
first
response
is that
how
dare
you
look
down
on
me,
regardless
of what
the
problem
is,
then we
need to
be very
careful.
So
when we
are challenged
and our
first response
is that
these people
are looking
down on
me,
then
if we
have such
a response,
it is
easy for
us to
subsequently
criticize
those
leaders
who
talk to
us,
and so
being a
bad
influence
to
people
whom
we
talk
about
this
too.
And so
for all
these
examples,
we can
see that
we are
all
great
sinners,
even in
the church
setting.
How can
we be
safe?
How can
we get
importance
at the
same time
and not
sin?
And that
is,
we have
to come
to the
great
Savior.
In
verse 14,
we are
thankful
that
Jesus
did not
stop
in giving
us a
warning
about
sinning.
Verse 14
he said,
so it
is not
the will
of my
Father
who is
in
heaven
that
one of
these
little
ones
should
perish.
And that
is a
great
promise.
In
chapter
18,
basically,
there are
two things
that will
happen for
us to
be delivered
from this
dilemma or
to be
safe.
One
thing is
mentioned
in the
second
half that
I will
talk about
next week,
that is
we recognize
that we
have sinned
and we
confess
this sin
and by
doing so
we will
be turned
back into
the little
one when
we realize
that we
have been
trying to
be the
great one.
But in
this first
half,
Jesus is
talking about
the other
thing that
is the
shepherd or
God himself
will come
and seek
those who
are lost.
So there
is the two
things that
will happen.
One is the
seeking from
the shepherd or
God.
the other
thing is
the response
from the
sheep.
And so
Jesus said
one sheep
that is
lost,
the shepherd
will go
and look,
will search
and bring
him home.
And there
are 99
sheep that
is out,
sorry,
one out of
a hundred
that is
lost.
But he
doesn't,
he didn't
mean that
the 99
sheep were
not lost
though.
The 99
sheep usually
in the
context is
to refer
to the
Pharisees,
the religious
people who
don't think
that they
are lost
because they
are not
struggling with
greatness because
they already
gain greatness
from their
position.
So we
know that
Pharisees like
to be called
teacher or
some sort
of names
or give
them respect.
And they
pray long
prayers,
impressive
prayers.
They wear
impressive
attires.
And so
those 99
sheep,
they do
not rely
on God
for their
identity or
their
importance.
But the
one sheep
is the
one who
is struggling,
who are
struggling
to either
trust
himself or
trust
himself or
trust Jesus
for their
importance.
And so
Jesus came
to a
person like
that.
And how
does this
great shepherd
save us
from the
denom?
The first
song we
sing, we
have a
strong
plea
before the
throne of
God.
So Jesus
pleads for
us.
He said
that he
has died
for us.
So our
debt has
been paid.
We sing
that.
But on
the cross,
he shows
two things.
One is
that the
pursuit of
importance or
greatness is
not meaningful.
Second thing
is the
pursuit of
importance or
greatness is
not necessary.
Why is it
not meaningful?
We just
now, in
the beginning,
Gareth
read to us
that
Jesus,
despite
Jesus being
equal with
God,
Jesus is
the greatest
in the
kingdom of
heaven.
Despite,
well,
not despite
actually,
because he's
the greatest
in the
kingdom of
heaven,
he was
able to
consider
this
greatness
not a
thing to
be grasped,
but empty
himself.
That's because
he's great.
He can
do that.
And he
become in
the form of
a servant
and born in
the likeness of
man and
being found
in human
nature,
he humbled
himself by
being
obedient to
the point of
death,
even death
to the cross.
Jesus is
showing us
on the
cross that
if you
want to
be the
greatest
person,
you need
to be
basically the
greatest person
is the
one who
can lay
down the
greatness
and give
it away.
And that
is the
true
greatness.
And so
the greatness
that we
gain from
this world,
from the
praise of
other people,
from our
own
achievements,
performance,
they are
quite empty.
They don't
have much
substance.
We can
see that
President
Trump is
trying to
make
Americans
great again
by making
them wealthier,
the tariffs
that he's
imposing,
because they
don't want
Americans to
be taken
advantage by
other countries.
In a sense,
Americans have
been subsidizing
the economy
of many
countries,
but that
had to end
so that
Americans
themselves
can be
richer
again.
But is
that
greatness?
When Americans
were greater,
when they
were
considerate
to other
developing
countries,
when they
were helping
other people,
and that
is true
greatness,
to be
able to
put down
oneself.
And so
if we
try to
gain
greatness
in this
world,
they
don't
have
much
real
meaning.
The
second
thing
is
that
it
is
not
necessary,
because
while we
were
enemies
towards God,
God has
shown his
love to
us that
Christ
died for
us.
If God
loved us
despite
us being
hostile to
him,
that means
we are
precious in
God's side.
And so
we really
don't need
to be
any more
important
if the
Almighty
God,
if the
Lord Jesus
Christ
loved us
and we
already are
important.
And so
we don't
actually need
to seek
importance
elsewhere.
Who is the
greatest in
the kingdom
of heaven?
in chapter
11 of
Matthew,
Jesus
said
John the
Baptist
was the
greatest
person
ever
born
until
his
time.
But he
said
even the
least in
the kingdom
of heaven
is greater
than John
the Baptist.
What does
that mean?
Why was
John the
Baptist
the greatest
in his
time?
Because
of all the
prophets,
John the
Baptist was
the only
one who
was the
voice of
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
His whole
life purpose
was to
witness to
Jesus Christ.
But why
is the
least in
the kingdom
of heaven
greater than
John the
Baptist?
Because
John the
Baptist
couldn't
say one
thing that
all those
others in
the kingdom
of heaven
subsequent
to Jesus
death
could say.
We all
can say
I have
been
crucified
with
Christ.
It's no
longer I
who live
but Christ
who lives
in me.
The life
I now
live in
the flesh
I live
by faith
in the
Son of
God
who loved
me
and gave
himself for
me.
You see
it's no
longer you
or I
who live
is Christ
who lives
in me
and in
you.
And that's
why we
are greater
than John
the Baptist
in that
way.
John the
Baptist
died before
Christ was
crucified.
Jesus is
building his
church with
people whose
purpose in
life is to
honor the
Lord Jesus
Christ himself.
I mean if
our church
mature towards
this then
we can be
generous
towards one
another.
We can
sacrifice our
time.
We can
compliment
one another
more and
we can be
a true
witness for
the Lord
Jesus Christ
by the way
we love
one another.
Let us
pray.
Father God
we
know there
so many
times
we
are tempted
to trust
ourselves
or trust
our
achievements
to gain
approval.
We are so
forgetful
that we
are tempted
by advertisements
by how
other people
live.
we thank
you for
your goodness
to us
that you
come and
seek us
and you
remind us
that we
don't need
to do
so because
you love
us to
the extent
of giving
your son
for us.
Father we
ask that you
might help
us to enjoy
this love
and enjoy
one another
as brothers
and sisters
in the kingdom
of God.
we pray
in Jesus
name.
Amen.