Thank you for praying this week out in Spain. This week we have some stuff up, ministers and missionaries checking over there. It was a really encouraging time. And Jose Sigourvia, who we support, it was really good to see his work and to see many other really faithful men, people that have devoted decades to small churches and yet are beginning to see growth.
So it's a really good time. Now in July and August, I'd like to kind of prepare for next year, the next academic year. And a couple of people are going to preach tonight and I'm going to give you some of the fruit of what I'm reading at the moment. I'm doing a ministers conference in October and I'm going to speak on the Apostle Paul as a minister.
And so tonight I want you to pretend you're all ministers. The Apostle Paul is a great model. He's a great apostle, isn't he? We look into him as the one who has written so much of the New Testament. He is unrepeatable in that sense.
He is a great model as a minister, he is a great minister, as a church leader, and he is a model as a Christian. And so tonight you might have to do a little bit of the work of application on your own to see how this applies to you.
But I hope you'll be as excited as I am in what we've found.
I want to speak tonight on the Apostle Paul and self. And self image, if I can put it like that. I don't know what your self image is. I hope you don't think about it that much.
But we live in an age where people are obsessed with me and self. And I don't want to go potholing into the subconscious of the Apostle Paul tonight. Because the Apostle Paul was a Jesus Christ centred man.
And the Apostle was not interested in himself. He was not preoccupied with himself. His desire was to know him, to know Christ.
And in a generation that is self absorbed, we have to be a church that is Jesus Christ absorbed.
But I do think we have to have a balance of a biblical view of ourselves.
And a person's self concept will go a long way towards determining his worth.
If we've got too high an opinion of ourselves, or too low an opinion of ourselves, then that will be shown in our lives.
The worship of the temple of Apollo and Delphi entered into the temple under the motto,
And that will be shown in our lives.
When you see someone who is angry with people, that person is often angry with themselves.
And is simply venting that anger on other people.
A person who is insecure in themselves, they will be touchy and self protective.
And they'll be quick to take offence when they're disintended.
And so I think it's really important that we see ourselves as we should in the light of the Bible.
And the Apostle Paul is a really great example.
How did Paul see himself?
We can give a really complex answer to that.
But I want to hold in tonight on two things.
Two strands from his self concept.
And on one level they seem to be contradictory.
But in fact they are complementary and both are vitally necessary.
So we're going to see in Paul number one, dignity.
And number two, humility.
Paul took his job as a leader in Christ's church with extreme seriousness.
The Apostle Paul believed that he was a man of destiny.
He believed that he was a chosen instrument of God.
And the Apostle Paul believed that he was somebody who was engaged in a work of supreme importance.
And I will show you that in three ways.
First he had great dignity in what he was doing.
Because he considered the purpose for which he'd been set apart.
He considered the purpose of his life to which he'd been set apart.
And we're going to begin in his mother's womb, bizarrely.
As his starting point.
He seeks to understand himself.
And explain himself.
And the Apostle Paul that we read of in the New Testament believed that he had been a man set apart.
I'm going to give you lots of Bible tonight.
But I'm not going to get you to turn into the references.
If you want them you can ask me later.
In Galatians chapter 1 and verse 15.
He says, God has set me apart even from my mother's womb.
And the movie which he uses now means separation.
That even when he was in his mother's womb.
He was set apart for a specific or expressed purpose.
Set apart for a purpose from my mother's womb.
The same word is used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament.
The firstborn was set apart for God.
The first fruits of the harvest were set apart for God.
The Levites, the priests of the Old Testament.
They were set apart for God.
And again and again the word is used for the people and the things which were separate from God.
And so in the New Testament we see the same word used in Acts 32.
The Holy Spirit set me apart, says Paul.
Set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I call them.
He begins his great letter to the Romans.
And he says that he has been set apart for the gospel of God.
That God has set him apart for a specific purpose.
He was set apart for the gospel of God.
But more specifically he was set apart by God to be a missionary preacher.
To be someone who would bring the gospel to the nations.
If you know your Bibles and all you'll be familiar with Jeremiah chapter 1.
Where God says in this amazing verse.
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
Before you were born I set you apart.
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.
And Paul is very self-consciously echoing those words from Jeremiah 1 in Galatians 1.15.
God set me apart from my mother's womb so that I might preach, I might teach him.
Among the Gentiles or among the nations.
And Jeremiah was set apart to be a preacher.
And so was Paul from the very first moment of his life.
There's another parallel in Isaiah chapter 49.
In one of those servant passages which looked forward to the Lord Jesus.
And Isaiah says, listen to me you islands.
Hear this you distant nations.
Before I was born the Lord called me.
From my birth he's made mention of my name.
And now the Lord says, he who formed me in the womb.
To be his servant.
To bring Jacob back to him.
And gather Israel to himself.
Is it too small a thing?
For you to be my servant.
To restore the tribes of Jacob.
And to bring back those of Israel I've cared.
I will make you a light to the Gentiles.
To the nations.
So that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.
And again there's a parallel isn't there?
The apostle Paul knows that passage from Isaiah.
And Paul sees him as part of the Messiah of the Lord's people.
That he continues the Messiah's mission.
The servant of the Lord.
Taking the gospel of God.
The message of God.
To the ends of the earth.
And so it's a tremendously high view.
Of what he was to do.
It's a tremendously high concept of his calling.
He's been marked out from all eternity.
By God for mighty purpose.
He's been called and shaped in time.
To be God's chosen instrument.
His Jewish background.
His rabbinical teaching.
His knowledge of the Greek language and culture.
His Roman citizenship.
All those have been worked together by God.
To equip and prepare the apostle Paul.
For the work that he was interested to do.
And that gave him tremendous dignity and authority.
As he thought of his calling.
Or you can think of the way secondly he speaks of himself.
How does the apostle Paul describe himself?
Take his favourite term which is apostle.
And apostle means the saint one.
The saint one by a superior on a mission of great importance.
The representative of a man.
The one sent by a man.
Is as a man himself.
So if you've seen the representative.
If you've met the apostle.
You've met the risen Christ.
The apostle of God is as God himself.
The apostle of Christ is as Christ himself.
That's why we don't have apostles today.
New Testament says that the apostle was to be a witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
Who has been directly and personally commissioned by Jesus himself.
He is a man who has been chosen by God.
To receive the message of Christ.
It's a term of immense dignity and authority.
And privilege.
And in 10 of the 13 letters that we have from the apostle Paul he uses it.
He is called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God 1 Corinthians.
He is an apostle not sent from men nor by man.
But by Jesus Christ and God the Father.
That's Galatians.
He is an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Saviour and of Jesus Christ our home.
He is no self made apostle.
He's a false apostle.
But an apostle who has received his commission from the risen Christ.
Well think of the term servant.
How often Paul uses that word when he describes himself.
He says Paul and Timothy servants of Christ.
Paul a servant of Christ Jesus.
When we think about the word servant.
We often think don't we immediately of humility.
Of the word slave.
And I think there is a sense in which that's right.
But the New Testament uses it in a slightly different way.
Our mind raises to submission and humility and loneliness.
The fact that he has no rights at all before his master.
Paul believed that in many ways.
He did believe that.
In writing to the Corinthians.
After there was that kind of a superstar personality in college.
He says after all what is Apollos?
What is Paul?
What are we but servants?
But I think when the apostle Paul calls himself a servant.
He's not actually using that in there as a term of humility.
He is a servant of Christ.
It's rather a badge of honour.
And authority.
It's one of those times when New Testament words have New Testament meanings.
Sometimes we have to go back to the Old Testament.
To find out what the New Testament is speaking about.
They give us the meaning.
And so think of the servant of the Lord in the Old Testament.
Abraham.
The Lord's servant.
Moses.
My servant.
David.
My servant.
Isaiah.
God's servant.
My servant.
The prophets.
And the servant of all servants.
Was Jesus Christ.
And when Paul says a servant of Christ Jesus.
He's not particularly at that point expressing.
At that very point.
Humility.
Although he felt it.
He is overwhelmed with dignity.
He is overwhelmed.
With honour.
That he is.
The servant of Christ.
He is privileged.
To bear that name.
It was said.
Wasn't it.
That the slaves of Caesar.
Rejoiced to be known.
As his servants.
Paul says.
I am a servant of Christ.
He remembers that encounter with Jesus.
And when he first met the Lord Jesus.
And he kneels on that road.
And the glorious figure.
Of the Lord Jesus.
Appears to him.
To appoint him as a servant.
And as a witness.
Of what you've seen of me.
It's a term of great dignity.
And privilege.
Think of some of the other words.
That he uses.
He says.
We are Christ's ambassadors.
A plenicentary of the King.
The ambassador goes.
To entreat.
He goes.
With terms of peace.
To those who need it.
He says.
Of this gospel.
I was appointed a herald.
To Timothy chapter 1.
Verse 11.
Bearing a message from the King.
With all the authority of the King.
Behind it.
Let a man show account of us.
As stewards.
Stewards of the mystery of God.
1 Corinthians 4.
A steward.
One who is entrusted.
With another person's goods.
And has the responsibility.
Of his friends and them.
He says.
We speak as men.
Approved by God.
Entrusted with the gospel.
We are God's fellow workers.
And when you put all those things together.
There is mighty privilege.
And responsibility.
And Paul says.
By his grace.
This is what I am.
Or you can look thirdly.
At the authority.
That he exercised.
Paul was not a non-entity.
Paul was not a man.
Who was easy to push aside.
Or to ignore.
He was a man of weight.
Of force.
Of strength.
Of self-conscious authority.
And we see it.
In his relationships.
With people who are not Christians.
In Cyprus.
Where the Bible.
Moves from calling him Saul.
To Paul.
And he confronts the sorceress.
With vigor and authority.
He says.
You are a child of the devil.
And an enemy of everything that is right.
And the hand of the Lord is against you.
And we see him standing.
And afraid.
In Athens.
Before the kind of intelligentsia of the day.
In Areopagus.
And he's not intimidated.
He's not embarrassed.
And he speaks to these men.
With power.
And with authority.
And he's not apologising.
Here is a man.
With weight.
He can stand before.
Governor Felix.
And strike fear.
Into his heart.
He speaks to the government.
Of his day.
About self-control.
And righteousness.
And judgment to come.
He chose the king Agrippa.
And he says to the king Agrippa.
Do you believe the prophets?
It's a tremendous force of authority.
He's sailing to Rome.
And there's a great storm.
There's going to be a shipwreck.
And Paul.
Emerges as the leader.
The one to whom men turn for advice.
And counsel.
What force there is in this man.
And when we think of his authority.
To believers and Christians.
When his authority was attacked.
Like it was in Galatians.
Galatians.
He takes pain.
To defend his office.
With passion.
He says.
If you go to church.
And if anyone is preaching.
A gospel to you.
Other than the one you accepted.
Other than the one I preached to you.
Or even an angel preached to you.
Let him be accursed.
He says.
I'm really astonished with you Galatians.
That you are quickly deserting.
The one who called you.
By the grace of Christ.
Let no one cause me trouble.
For I bear on my body.
The marks of Jesus.
Or in Corinth.
Right.
He said.
Do you need some.
Letters of recommendation to you.
Or from you.
Do I need that?
Do I need letters of recommendation for you.
You know that you are a letter from Christ.
A result of our ministry.
And that is why I write these things.
That when I come.
I might not have to be harsh.
In my use of authority.
Even in the letters.
Where Paul doesn't use the word apostle.
That note of authority is evident.
We command you.
He says in 2 Thessalonians.
If anyone does not obey our instructions.
Take special note of him.
Philemon.
Where Paul is so tactful.
And gentle.
But there is an iron glove in that fist.
In Philemon.
He says.
Although in Christ Jesus.
I could be bold.
And I could order you.
To do what you ought to do.
Yet I appeal to you.
On the basis of love.
And everywhere in the New Testament.
The impression is given.
Of a man who is convinced.
That he holds a position.
Of vital.
Vital importance.
His authority isn't to be disregarded.
His preaching is to be received.
As the word of God.
As it actually is.
One Thessalonians.
He's a rock like man.
He's a man of strength.
And courage and force.
And yet at the same time.
In this same person.
There is a great deep consciousness of sin.
And unworthiness.
He says.
I'm the least of the apostles.
And so certainly.
Let's see the humility.
Of the Christian leader.
He says.
I do not even deserve to be called an apostle.
He describes himself.
As less.
Than the least.
Of all the saints.
Have you ever thought about that?
Logically.
Doesn't even make any sense.
Does it?
How can you be less.
Than the least.
You can't be.
Paul would say.
I am.
Some of the statements.
By the apostle Paul.
Are taken by many people.
With a large pinch of salt.
Some people think.
There is a morbid sense.
Of guilt.
Here was a tormented man.
A psychologically disturbed man.
Who had a guilt complex.
Who was driven by demons.
And self-loathing.
Nietzsche described Paul.
As a much tortured.
Much to be pitied man.
An exceedingly unpleasant person.
Both to himself.
And to others.
Others suggest.
That he is guilty.
Of just a little.
Pardonable exaggeration.
That he is painting.
His sin.
In kind of.
Dark colors.
So that other people.
Might not.
Feel so bad at him.
He is saying.
Oh.
I am as bad as you.
I am worse than you.
I am the chief of sinners.
But actually.
You know.
What he is doing.
Is not exaggerating.
Paul meant.
What he said.
And I think again.
That shows us.
In three ways.
First of all.
Paul was humble.
Because of his past sins.
The memory.
Never left.
The apostle Paul.
Of his pre-conversion life.
The terrible sins.
Against God.
That Paul committed.
By persecuting his people.
His first appearance.
In the bible.
Is at the martyrdom.
Of Stephen.
Where the first Christian preacher.
Is stoned.
And it says.
In Acts 8.
Verse.
Is when Paul is giving approval.
And it's a present.
Continuous tense.
He's there giving approval.
He wasn't there.
Thinking.
This is a terrible thing.
That should never have happened.
Paul's first settled conviction.
Was that the death of Stephen.
Was a good thing.
He went home that evening.
And he said to his wife.
It was a good day today.
The right thing happened.
And he woke up.
The following morning.
And he still thought.
It was a good thing.
He approved.
But in Acts 8.
Three.
There's a particularly.
Horrid word.
Where it says.
Paul made havoc.
Of the church.
It's used often.
Of a wild animal.
In its angry.
Destructive.
Behaviour.
It's like a bull.
Getting into a vineyard.
And feeling trapped.
And there's furious rage.
And in his fury.
And in his rage.
He went from house to house.
And he dragged off.
Men and women.
And he put them in prison.
And he says.
I persecuted followers.
Of the way.
To their death.
And then.
When they were put to death.
I cast my vote against them.
I went from synagogue.
To synagogue.
To have them punished.
He writes to the Galatians.
You've heard of my previous life.
Way of life.
In Judaism.
How intensely.
I kept on.
Persecuting.
The church of God.
And I tried to.
Ravage.
And sack it.
As a city.
Is sacked.
By an invading army.
It's a frightful.
Fanaticism.
In the apostle Paul.
Even.
Terrorism.
Hendrickson says.
Paul can never forget those days.
A blasphemer.
And persecutor.
And a violent man.
He'd been a great sinner.
And the memory of what he'd done.
Kept him humble.
Secondly.
Here's the shocking thing to us.
He was humble.
Humbled.
By his past righteousness.
It was not only his past persecution.
And the things that he'd done against the church.
That caused him regret.
But Paul came to see his righteousness.
His law keeping.
His religiosity.
That too was sin.
He expressed it clearly in the passage that we read.
That once he put confidence in his own flesh.
Once he put confidence that he was a Jew in pedigree.
That he had an impeccable upbringing.
As to the righteousness of the law.
I'm blameless.
He said.
I considered it to my profit.
I relied on it.
I raised my assurance.
That I was a religious person.
He took his law keeping.
And Paul presented it to God.
And said to God.
God you have to forgive me.
Look.
God.
And now he says.
Whatever was my profit.
I now consider lost.
The sake of Christ.
And he glories in Christ Jesus.
And he says.
Put no confidence in the flesh.
He's abandoned all the works of the Lord.
He's abandoned trying to be religious.
I consider the rubbish.
That I may gain Christ and be found in him.
Not having a righteousness of my own.
That comes from the Lord.
But now.
All I hope.
All my trust.
Is found in faith in Christ.
That is my only hope.
And that righteousness.
Comes from what God is by faith.
And Paul is saying something.
Very very profound to you and I.
But the religious person.
The respectable person.
Is living a life.
Which is fundamentally sinful.
Why?
Because he's not relying on God's grace.
He's relying on himself.
For himself.
The religious person.
Is misusing the law.
To try and place God.
Under an obligation to him.
To maintain himself.
In God's presence.
Herman Riddinost says this.
Boasting in the law.
In trying to burden away to people.
And go on.
Boasting in the law.
Is fatal.
Because it no longer relies.
On the grace of God himself.
But on man's activity.
In this manner.
Man becomes confident.
And strong.
Against God.
The flesh boasts itself.
Instead of boasting about God.
Zeal.
Zeal for the law.
Can alienate a man from God.
And has precisely the effect.
Of making him a sinner.
Riddinost goes on to say.
This confronts man.
Not only with his deficiency.
But casts his gain.
What he thinks he's done.
Into the balance.
And compels him.
To not only acknowledge his sin.
But to renounce his very virtues.
To renounce his very virtues.
Before God.
To become a Christian.
You have to come to see.
That your whole life.
Like my whole life.
Has been an offence.
To the God of grace.
His law keeping.
Was sinful.
As well as his law breaking.
To be a Christian.
You have to realise.
That you are sinful.
When you're at your very worst.
And we've been sinful.
When we've been at our very best.
As the Apostle Paul.
His righteousness.
His past righteousness.
What he thought.
Had got him right with God.
Captain Humboldt.
His arrogance.
And pride.
Preeding myself.
And boasting before God.
What my sin.
My sin.
Thirdly.
By greeting.
The present struggle.
Captain Humboldt.
Paul knew nothing.
Of the Christian leader.
Who presents himself.
As a kind of.
Spiritual superman.
That is far removed.
From the ordinary.
Frailties.
And weaknesses.
He acknowledged.
His imperfections.
And his struggles.
And his defeats.
Listen to him.
From Romans 7.
What I want to do.
I do not do.
But what I hate.
I do.
I have a desire.
To do what is good.
But I cannot carry it out.
For what I do.
Is not the good.
I want to do.
No.
The evil that I want.
I do not want to do.
This I keep on doing.
There is a lot of controversy.
About that passage.
Isn't there.
Who is he speaking about.
Let me ask you this.
When you first read that.
Doesn't that passage.
Chine.
With your heart.
Doesn't it.
Charles Hodge says
the inward conflict here described
every Christian understands
and that is right
Apostle Paul says
I'm a man like you
you remember how he spoke to his goal
in Philippians 3
his great goal
was to know Christ
we read it but immediately afterwards
he says don't mistake me
it's not that I've already obtained this
or I'm already perfect
that is my aspiration
but it's not my achievement
that's my goal
I have reached it
and he acknowledges his creaturely weakness
he speaks of
three men that came to visit him
in prison
and he says I was encouraged by them
I needed them
I was lonely
his experience in Asia
when he was under great pressure
Charles the Corinthians
he says we are hard pressed
on every side
we are perplexed
for certain Christians
they're never perplexed today
but you and I
we are perplexed aren't we
some people pretend
they know all the answers
Paul says
I didn't know what to do
I think that's fine
in an elders meeting
I think that's fine sometimes
in a Christian
I don't know what to do
you've got a thorn in the flesh
and he doesn't say
he doesn't say
well I knew at once
I had this strange feeling
that this was something
I was going to have to live with
all my life
this difficulty
Paul says
I had to pray on and on and on
and the Lord had to tell me
listen for
you're not going to have to live with this
he's an intense human man
he says to the Corinthians
I came to you in weakness
and in fear
and in much trembling
and here was a man
who had no airs and graces
he said once
to the people of Listerate
he said
we are also men
of the same nature as you
now let me try and apply this quickly
Paul had immense authority
and yet that on itself
that on its own
would have made him very harsh
and obscure
and intimidating
and Paul was another instinct
he was a broken man
he was a humble man
he was overwhelmed
by the riches of God's mercy
and that gave him
a warmth
and a humanity
and a compelling gentleness
and this balance
of authority
and humility
is essential
for the church's leadership
the world attacks it
doesn't it
the world looks at church leaders
as a joke
as effeminate weaklings
that come to a promise you all
and the church can attack it
I think at times
we're so terrified
of leadership
being overbearing
that congregations
actually refuse to follow
ministers and elders
get treated like
dog study bodies
to run here
there and everywhere
and everyone's back
and call
leave it to
dot dot dot dot dot
there is something
in ourselves
that questions
our authority
sometimes
for every Christian leader
every Christian leader
has those questions
occasionally I get asked
to speak at public schools
I think they're kind of like
a voice from the working
class occasionally
so I'm wheeled into
Egypt and Arbor
and places like that
and they are amazing places
I don't know if I've ever
been to them
they are amazingly well run
headmaster's office
you're ushered in
for a cup of tea
and it's so
incredible really
and the staff
respect him
place is jammed
full
packed of
able people
and it runs
like clockwork
and then I go
I go to my wooden shed
at the bottom of the yard
and it feels shabby
it feels tawdry
for an hour or two
and every Christian leader
feels a sinking in their heart
thinking
what am I doing
isn't this really important
and Christian leaders
have many things
that come on us
to attack our sense
and authority
and so what has happened
in this country
is that Christian leaders
have become weak
and ineffectual
and apologetic
terrified of offending
and so you see
the big
I don't even
period
Darylmas
who's simpering
kind of
pink-cheeked
limp-wristed
giggling
cheek-drinking
nitty
and that's what he is
he's a figure of fantasy
and we get brainwashed
by that
and so ministers
can be like little dogs
you're little dogs
you're the tender little dogs
you grow
a little dog
and it's going off
don't they
but if you pat
a little dog
they'll do anything
for you
you scratch their ears
oh
they actually see that
they do grovel
and compromise
and apologise
they'll do anything
if you scratch their ears
now in a Christian
leader today
he's not an apostle
it's very important
to say that
we have not
Paul's unique
commissioning
we are not apostles
but I do want to say
to you that
if you are a preacher
of the gospel
God has chosen you
in eternity
he created you
he shaped you
into the person
that he wanted you
to be
and he has called you
to a serious
to preach
and to teach
to proclaim
the word of God
in his infallibility
and authority
and if you're going
to be a Christian preacher
you must be convinced
of your calling
convinced of your message
I love the words
of the apostle
of Jesus and Saul
on the Damascus road
he says
now get up
get up and stand
on your feet
I will be into you
to appoint you
as a servant
and as a witness
to what I have seen
of you
and what I will
surely get up
stand on your feet
for Christ
to appear to you
and commission
to you to his service
we need that
as Christian leaders
and yet we also
need personal humility
there are now
very able men
and they're
orthodox men
and yet there is
a coldness
about them
and something
about them
that is not
attractive
and we want
to say to them
you are very
very clever
you are very
very bright
but have you
ever cried
you've read
the books
and you have
them taped
but have you
ever made a fool
of yourself
have you ever
gone home
on a Sunday
afternoon
and buried
your head
in the desk
and said
Lord forgive me
coldness
so
preachers
write answers
but they're
like robots
and I think
it's right
for those
who preach
to be frightened
and to tremble
at God's word
to be broken
down
and if that
isn't you
don't do it
and we need
to learn
don't we
from this
ex-baracy
of the ugly
barren arrogance
we all need
this
of a religious
life that is
divorced by
grace
divorced from
grace
that is an
ugly thing
because all
our righteousness
is as filthy
rags
and self
if anything
should keep
us humble
sometimes I
despair
that I will
leave my
dirty
egotistical
hands on
every single
thing I do
for God
and so
when you're
doing something
for the Lord
is that I
find it when
I'm praying
for God's
blessing on
my students
and I was
this afternoon
and God
says to me
why are you
praying for
blessing
are you sure
it's for me
is it not
just a little
bit for you
we have to
sing away
at that
time
well yes
for that
mercy
I don't
know
but I
believe it's
your word
less than
the least
that I
the blasphemer
the violent
man should
preach among
the Gentiles
dignity
and humility
and we
live with
this great
tension
we are
sinners
but we
are saints
we are
beggars
and yet
we are
princes
and that
is the
Christian
life
that's the
Christian
life for
you
it's what
God said
in Psalm
113
isn't it
he raises
the poor
from the
dust
and he
lifts the
needy
from the
ashim
to make
them sit
with princes
that the
princes are
his people
and when
we do
that we
personify
the gospel
and so
you as
a Christian
as a
child of
God
you have
great
dignity
and yet
you are
a sinner
what is
the gospel
it is that
Jesus saves
sinners
it is that
Jesus saves
sinners
and we
come as
saved
redeemed
forgiven
chosen
blessed
and you
sinners
as far as
in prayer
let's pray