Thank you so much, Derek and Lynn, for reading.
Folks, lovely to see you this morning.
Hope you've been enjoying the sunshine over the last week or so.
It doesn't happen often here, does it?
So we've been enjoying it over the last few days.
Let me encourage you to come to Acts chapter 2
and to this thrilling part of God's Word
that I hope is going to be so instructive
and also just inspiring for us today
as we continue to live our lives for the glory of Jesus Christ
in the city which he has called us to live in.
But let me just pray as we get there.
The words of Psalm 119.
Your hands have made and fashioned me.
Give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
And so it's to you, Heavenly Father, our creator,
the God who loves us, the God who provides for us.
Father, we pray that you, by your Spirit,
would help us understand something more of the glory of your Son.
And may today what we look at, Father, be inspiring for us
as we just glean an insight into your worldwide purposes
for the glory of your Son.
And we pray these things in his precious name.
Amen.
Well, folks, with Acts chapter 2 open in front of you,
let me just put a number on the screen to get us going this morning.
If you're like me, you get easily confused by the number of zeros
that appear in figures.
Let me put you out your misery and tell you that that number is 97.2 million.
Now, I wonder if you can think on the spot as to what that number represents.
What does it represent?
Well, let me tell you that according to Christian charity Operation World,
that is the number of people living in China today
who claim to be following Jesus Christ.
So 97.2 million people.
Let's agree that that is an awful lot of people.
If you're trying to put it in some kind of context in your mind,
know that there are just under 70 million people living in the whole of the UK today.
So this is the number of Christians, disciples of Jesus,
who are living in China today.
Now, let me ask you, as you consider that number,
how do you explain it?
How do you explain it?
How do you explain how, despite being an atheist nation
where the government not only discourages faith
but is known to close churches and jail believers,
that the number of Jesus followers, disciples in China
has risen roughly 10 times since 1980?
How do you explain the fact that despite real persecution,
it's why we should be always praying for our brothers and sisters
in other parts of the world
who are counting the cost for following Jesus in such a real way.
How do you explain the fact, despite persecution,
despite limitations on things like social media
where communication is really easy,
how do you explain the fact that China is currently on course
to be home to more Christians in the world
than any other country by the year 2030?
How do you explain it?
How do you explain that despite all the odds,
against all the things that should tell us otherwise,
the church in China is growing exponentially
and nothing seems to be able to stop it?
What we're looking at today in Acts chapter 2
is the Bible's number one answer to that question.
And I imagine it's the question that Luke's original audience
are asking themselves as they pick up the book of Acts,
as they read the story of the early church,
they think, how has this happened?
Well, it's a great question to ask.
That's the one that we're going to ask today.
Here is the number one answer that the Bible gives.
I'm going to throw another number on the screen.
This time, I hope, a bit more manageable.
It's the number 120.
Go back one, 120.
Now, if you come with me to the text,
verse 15 of chapter 1,
this is kind of where we'll pick it up today.
120, a lot more manageable number.
That is the number of disciples in Jerusalem
at this point in the Bible story.
Okay.
Not an impressive number.
Again, if you're trying to put that in some sort of context,
can we call there's kind of 40 adults in this room just now,
maybe even less than that?
And that's just three times that number.
So again, just get your heads around 120 people.
All the world, 120 people.
Now, that's not an impressive number.
And more than that,
this is not a very impressive group of people.
Okay.
If you've ever seen the film 500,
okay, this isn't Gerard Butler and 500 trained Spartan soldiers
who are armed with weapons and six packs galore,
ready to take on anyone who comes against them.
This is 120 everyday people.
You have former fishermen.
You have a former tax collector.
In the text, you'll see Jesus, his mum and his brothers.
120 people.
They don't have numbers on their side.
And they don't have, I guess,
what we would call worldly prowess on their side.
But what they do have is a mission from the risen Jesus
to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
They've got a mission and they've got a promise
that he will send from the Father and the Son,
the Holy Spirit to empower them to do the mission.
And more than that, over, above all else,
they possess hearts that have been gripped
by a glorious Christ.
They have been loved by Jesus.
You know, one of the men that God used in the years gone by
to make a gospel impact in our city of Edinburgh
was an American by the name of D.L. Moody, right?
So he used to speak here,
Corroboros Christian Centre in the Royal Mile.
And people used to look down on D.L. Moody
for his ineloquence,
for his humble upbringings,
for his lack of education,
for the fact that he used to sell shoes
for a living back in America.
And yet, despite those things,
during his life, God used him to bring the gospel
to an estimated 100 million people across the globe.
And for Moody, the words that captured his heart
were the ones that were spoken to him by a friend
as they sat together somewhere, I think, down south
on a park bench.
His friends simply said,
Dwight, that was his name,
the world has yet to see
what God can do
with one life
that is fully consecrated to Jesus Christ.
And D.L. Moody made a pledge in his heart right then.
He said,
I can be that man.
Now, I hope that's an encouragement
for some of us here today
who are feeling a bit like the 120 disciples.
Really got nothing going for me.
Could God use me?
What about my lack of education?
What about my ineloquence?
What about all the faults and failings that I have?
And I hope we're encouraged by this text today
to say that it's never been about us.
Here is God, through his spirit,
accomplishing his purposes.
And so what Luke is recording for us here
is the beginning of that mission
and the fulfillment of that promise.
And these things kind of come together
in verse 1 of chapter 2.
On the day of Pentecost.
If you've got the text there,
on the day of Pentecost, verse 1.
Now, Pentecost, one of the Jewish festivals,
happens 50 days after Passover.
And I guess it's kind of the equivalent
to what we might call today,
some churches do this, don't they?
They have a harvest festival.
This is what the people are doing.
Celebrating God's faithfulness
and giving them the harvest.
Of course, it's...
The camera angle changes, isn't it?
It's not just about a physical harvest.
Right here in Acts 2,
here is the start of the spiritual harvest.
It's great, isn't it?
What's going on?
And Luke kind of unfolds what goes on.
Remember, the doctor come historian
with an eye for the details
trying to record for people what's happened.
Right? For Theophilus.
But I imagine for the readers
who are behind Theophilus looking at this,
he records the details of what happens
on the day of Pentecost.
We're going to look at it in three quick scenes
to get us through this, right?
He firstly records an undeniable moment
as God pours out His Holy Spirit on His disciples.
Now again, if you've got the text there,
notice Luke's plural emphasis
as he records what happened in this section.
Okay, how often he repeats the word them
or they
or just collective language which he uses
to emphasize that the Spirit fell
not on a certain few individuals.
The Spirit fell.
God poured out His Spirit on all
of His people.
So what happens when we put our faith in Jesus?
The only reason we can say that
we could come to be a Christian
is because the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives.
All of us have
the Spirit.
You see, as you read the Old Testament,
you encounter the Holy Spirit falling on select individuals,
anointing people to fulfill a certain task.
But now the Spirit has fallen on all believers
as God takes up residence
in the lives of His people.
Again, I hope that's encouraging for you this morning.
See what Luke describes verse 2.
There was a sound
like a mighty wind
and there was a sight.
Tongues like fire
rested on
each of the believers gathered here.
Which I guess shouldn't surprise us in a sense
because what this is all about
is this is going to be about proclamation.
Proclamation.
Verse 4.
The disciples start speaking in other languages.
Understandably,
verse 7,
the people are
amazed and bewildered.
What did they say?
I think this is quite funny
if you look at the text.
What did they say?
They say,
are these people not Galileans?
Do you see it?
Are these people not Galileans?
Because apparently,
people from the region of Galilee,
which I guess
to the north of,
way to the north of Jerusalem,
they're known for two distinct things.
They're known for their distinct accent.
It's why,
if you remember where Peter's gathered
around the courtyard
and the servant girl says,
I recognize your accent.
Your accent betrays you.
Apparently,
people from Galilee have a distinct accent.
We should get that in the UK.
Right?
You can immediately tell
within two or three sentences
listening to somebody
where they come from.
Right?
Geordies,
Scousers,
Cockney,
Weegees.
Okay?
I remember the couple of years
I spent living down south.
Within two or three sentences,
people had placed where I came from.
We get that.
These people are known for their accent
and they're known for their,
I guess the word is,
commonness.
Okay?
And so the people look at these people speaking
and they say,
where did they learn how we speak?
Because it's not,
which is a great question.
Cracking question.
Because it's not like they've signed up
for a night class at college
and learnt this.
It's not like they've downloaded an app
on their phone
and they sit in bed every night
listening to somebody speak to them.
Remember when we did that at school?
French is the only language I can speak.
Equity and reputie.
That was it, wasn't it?
Listen and say it back.
These people didn't have that.
Verse four is clear.
The Spirit gave them this ability.
And as a side,
let me just deal with this here.
I think that's why
we need to see this as a one-off event.
Unrepeatable.
And I think what we need to see
is that this is what differentiates this
from the tongues that we see later on
in Scripture, 1 Corinthians 12.
It seems there,
Paul is addressing their unintelligibility.
People can't understand what's being said.
Whereas here,
yes, it's supernatural.
And yet this seems to be all about intelligibility.
People can understand
what's being said immediately.
Look what Luke describes.
Who is there from verse 9?
Who is there at verse 9?
Do you see it?
People from 15 different nations.
I love that.
15 different nations.
He takes the time,
again, the historian,
to tell you where all these people have come from.
From the surrounding nations.
They've come to Jerusalem for this festival.
And I guess what's going to happen
is they're going to hear this good news,
these mighty works of God,
understand,
and then go back to their own countries
and proclaim Jesus there.
Do you see how this is happening?
The ripple effect of the gospel.
And do you see God's international heart here?
And I think this is where we maybe need to pause
and reflect on it.
God's international heart
for the peoples of the world.
Have you ever wondered,
stopped to think,
why we are here?
Why are you here?
Why should the gospel have made it to Edinburgh?
Why should somebody have told you
about the good news of Jesus?
Because this God has an international heart
to reach the peoples of the world
throughout the generations.
His desire to see the peoples of nations
come to have life in Jesus.
And you see here,
it's categorical.
There is no gender barrier.
There's no race barrier.
There's no ethnicity barrier.
There's no class barrier.
There are all people coming to know Jesus.
And in the Bible story,
if the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11,
looked at at the beginning of last year,
was about God's response to mankind's rebellion
as he scattered the peoples of the world
and confused their languages.
Do you see how this is kind of like
the reversal of Babel?
What God is doing is through the diversity
of language.
They are united in the one common message.
United in this common understanding
that Jesus is king.
Psalm 67,
we're going to look at it tonight
in the prayer meeting.
Let the peoples praise you, God.
This is what's going on.
The peoples of the world
in their distinct tongues
praising God.
It's a wonderful scene, isn't it?
It's a wonderful scene.
But here's maybe what hit me this week
as I thought about it again.
I love the Bible's realism here.
Again, it's just something
that helps me understand
that this is something that I can trust.
I love the Bible's realism
because maybe you're here
and you're thinking to yourself,
I don't know,
maybe the same thing
that was in your mind this week
when you heard about those plans
for the European Super League.
Okay?
You heard about that stuff?
people saying in the news,
no, the idea behind this is
we just want to see
the best teams in Europe
play together.
We just want to see sports,
entertainment,
and that's what we want to see.
And you're thinking,
yeah, sure it is.
Sure it is.
People speaking in different languages?
Yeah, sure.
Sure it is.
Nonsense.
I don't know,
maybe that's your response.
I'd say that
that's a perfectly plausible response
because this isn't something
that happens every day,
is it?
But I love the Bible's realism here.
Not only is that included,
I think that's included
because Luke realizes
that people will be asking
this question.
What do the people say?
Verse 13.
They're drunk.
That's what people thought
at the time.
They're drunk.
Right?
And Luke's readers
reading this many years later
who might think the same thing
and yet here is people
in the first century
who can smell a rat as well.
They can smell a rat.
That's what they thought
and yet Luke is helping us see
that I'm guessing
that many of those
who mocked are in the crowd
that hears the message
that comes next
and they're in the huge group
of people that respond
at the end.
So if you're thinking that today,
then know you're in good company.
These people thought that as well
and that's why I want you
to hang on in here
and see what happens next.
Okay?
Because we move
from an undeniable moment.
We move to an unmissable point.
Sermon with an unmissable point.
Verse 14.
Upstands Peter.
And the very fact
that Peter is the guy
who speaks here,
I hope that encourages you as well.
He's just been loved by Jesus.
Forgiven.
Restored.
Heart inflamed.
By Jesus.
Again, it's Peter.
Right?
This guy who only a short while ago
collapsed like a house of cards
when somebody asked him
if he were with Jesus.
collapsed when a servant girl
interrogated him
and yet here he is
filled with the Holy Spirit
unashamedly and boldly
exploiting what has happened
to an enormous crowd of people.
I take it there's no explanation
for that other than
the power of the Holy Spirit
and the life of somebody
who was willing to be used.
If you want to distill its contents
because of time,
his sermon's got two big points
and I'm aware of the irony
it's in a three point sermon,
okay, but stay with me.
Here's two big points
of his sermon.
He's talking about,
he's saying to the crowd,
listen, a new page has turned.
A new page has turned, right?
This isn't a random event.
You see how he brings in
the prophet Joel.
This is something that
Joel spoke about.
You look at Joel,
Joel in his day,
he's looking forward
to the two big things
that God is going to do
in the future.
Right?
These two kind of markers.
The first one,
that God is going to do
something incredible
in the eyes of the world.
He's going to do it
and pour out his spirit
on his people
as a result of it
and the word's going to go forth.
And in so doing,
after this moment,
the new page is turned.
This is going to usher in
the period of gospel proclamation.
So that,
verse 21,
everyone and anyone
who hears
and calls on the name
of the Lord
will be saved.
And that's the page
that's turned
because of this event.
You know,
our little girl Chloe,
we've been going
through the Narnia series.
She's just devouring
the Narnia books,
right?
And I absolutely love them.
I think I'm enjoying them
more than her personally,
right?
We're reading these Narnia books.
Lewis is just such
a brilliant way
of weaving biblical truths
into his stories,
but more than that,
helping us understand
why all of our best stories
are caught up
in the bigger Bible one.
That's what I love
about C.S. Lewis,
just his insight
into things.
I love as well
how Lewis first
became a Christian.
I once said to him
by his friend J.R. Tolkien,
who was a Christian,
said to Lewis,
he said,
have you ever wondered
why you love stories
so much?
The reason you love
stories so much
is because you're in one.
You're in one.
Love that.
You're in one.
Friends,
this is the story
we are in,
right?
You need to understand
our lives,
not random.
We're in this story,
God's story,
and this is the part
of the story
that we are in.
participating in what
God is doing
and taking this news
of his risen son
to the peoples
of the world.
This is the part
of the story
that you and I
are in.
And the other thing
that Joel is talking about,
the other event,
verse 20,
is the great and glorious
day of the Lord.
Right?
The return of the king
when Jesus returns
to judge the living
and the dead
according to how
they have responded
to him.
Eternal life,
eternal death.
That is the next thing
that has to happen
in the Bible story.
And so we now find
ourselves,
do you understand this,
living between
these two bookends,
the pouring out
of the Spirit
and the return
of Christ.
This is where we are
in the story.
And God is going
to accomplish
his purposes.
And because of that,
verse 22,
I assume Peter says
because the page
has turned,
because these bookends
are now in place,
you've got to listen
to what I say.
Right?
What's he saying?
Second point,
the two-point sermon,
the king is crowned.
You see verse 25,
you killed him,
says Peter.
You killed him.
Right?
It doesn't beat
around the bush.
It doesn't hold
the punches.
You killed him.
Now if you hang
on a second there
and think about it,
not everyone listening
to that would have
killed Jesus
or played any part
in it.
Right?
So I'm trying
to get into the text
this week thinking
how did,
how would they have
responded to that?
You killed Jesus.
No we didn't.
Well in a greater sense,
maybe in one sense
they didn't.
But in a sense
they did, friends.
And we all did.
It was our sin
that put him there.
You killed him.
You know I remember
as a teenager
going to the cinema
to watch Mel Gibson's
film The Passion
of the Christ.
I know you ever saw
that when you were young.
I'm sure you can get
it on Netflix
or something today.
The Passion of the Christ,
one of the only films
I can ever remember
where at the end of it
nobody moved for 10 minutes.
It was incredible.
Never experienced
anything like that before.
But a little known fact
about that film,
Mel Gibson,
the director,
Mel Gibson's only in it
at one point
in the whole film.
And it's his hand
that's on the hammer
that nails,
the nails into
Jesus' hands.
Right?
His hand.
And it's his way
of saying in the film,
I take some responsibility
for what happened
to Jesus.
You killed
the Son of God.
Friends,
we killed
the Son of God.
Our sin put him there.
But here's what else
Peter wants them to know.
Even that act
of murder
was all part
of God's plan.
All part of God's plan.
His purposes
will not be thwarted.
Would it look like defeat?
No, God got his greatest
victory on the cross.
Death could not hold him.
And I think the idea
is that the fact
that Jesus is sinless,
death had no hold on him.
Right?
Death, because of our sin,
pays us wages.
This is what we deserve.
We deserve death.
But Jesus, sinless,
death had no hold on him.
It wasn't paying him anything.
And so that's why, friends,
his victory is our victory in him.
And I think that's why
he brings in Psalm 16
at this point.
To show them
that even David
saw this coming.
Even David was looking forward
to this day.
David, I guess,
the fan's favorite
of the people in the crowd.
Right?
Poster boy.
We love David.
Even David called Jesus Lord.
Psalm 16.
Love it.
Peter knows his scriptures.
And even David knew
that the only way
that he would see life
after death
is because his life
was caught up with
God's anointed king.
And this Jesus,
verse 36,
is now at the right hand
of God.
God raised him.
God vindicated his servant.
And this is the message
that the world
needs to respond to.
Some of you might be old enough,
I don't know,
to remember US TV anchorman
Walter Cronkite.
Right?
The only reason I know of him
is because he was
a US anchorman
that kind of signed off
every night
after he'd read
the evening news
with his catchphrase.
Right?
And his catchphrase was
and that's the way it is.
Right?
And that's the way it is.
I think that's exactly
what Peter is saying here.
Right?
This is no blog piece.
This is no TV debate.
This is no podcast.
This is no opinion piece
in The Guardian.
This is news.
And I think that's why
at this point he says
you can know this for,
or do you see the word?
Certain.
This is news.
And that's the way it is.
And having heard the sermon
with the unmissable point
comes verse 37,
an unbelievable response.
And it's unbelievable,
I guess,
in two directions.
We need to see this.
Firstly,
it's unbelievable
from heaven.
From heaven.
Do you see the response
that the people make?
They are cut to the heart.
Now I love that phrase.
They're cut to the heart.
The Holy Spirit
is impacting people
like a surgeon
with a scalpel
going right into the heart.
These people feel
the conviction.
Conviction that this is true.
What this man is saying,
the man that we thought
was drunk,
is true.
And they ask,
what should we do?
That's the question.
And the answer should be,
there is nothing you can do.
There is nothing.
You had your chance.
You killed the Son of God.
There's nothing you can do.
And yet,
do you see,
that's not the response.
They killed the second person
of the Godhead.
We killed the second person
of the Godhead.
And yet,
God offers them
the third.
The gift of the Holy Spirit.
How good is this God,
friends?
Just take a moment
and think about that.
How merciful is this God?
How patient is this God?
How compassionate is this God?
You know the words
of Charles Wesley
in one of his famous hymns,
My God is reconciled.
His pardoning voice I hear.
He owns me as his child.
I can no longer fear.
With confidence I now draw near.
And Father,
Abba,
Father,
cry.
How good is this God?
It's unbelievable from heaven.
And it's unbelievable on earth
to see verse 41.
3,000 people respond
in repentance and faith.
They publicly nailed him
to the cross.
And yet,
now as they get baptized,
repent,
they publicly nail their colors
to the mast
that they follow this king.
One unbelievable day,
the day of Pentecost.
Friends,
let me just ask you
really quickly an application
and I know our time
has almost gone.
Two questions
as we respond to this.
Trying to think about
how do we respond
to what's going on here.
I think this should call us
to pray.
Call us to pray in action.
Here's two things
I just want to,
questions I want you
to think about
as you go home today.
In terms of your prayer
and witnessing.
Friends,
are we praying for places?
Are we praying for places?
As we see God's
international heart here,
the heart of our Father
for the places
and peoples of the world,
let me ask us,
do we share
that same concern?
That his glory
would go forth.
You know,
we have got
a brilliant opportunity
to do that tonight.
We're going to gather
on Zoom,
okay,
six o'clock.
You'll just find
the link in the newsletter.
We're going to pray
for countries in the world.
We've been kind of focusing
on different continents.
Tonight,
we're going to focus
on Europe.
Different people,
different members
of this church
from different countries
are going to come
and just bring us
ways that we can pray
for the advance
of the gospel
in their country.
So please come in tonight.
Love you to be part of that.
Just a movement of prayer
to pray for the places
in the world.
Maybe something we used
to do with our girls
when they were really young,
when we had family
Bible times,
just bought a really old map
and we laid it
right on the ground
and just went through
different countries
of the world.
They found the countries
on the map.
We, as a family,
worked out how we could pray,
right?
Geography and theology
kind of come in together.
How can you creatively
do this?
Are we concerned
for the places of the world,
the peoples of the world?
But also are we concerned
for the places
of our everyday lives?
Okay, there was a
British missionary once
by the name of
Norman Grubb
and every day
when he used to get up,
he just prayed a simple prayer
as he got out of bed
in the morning.
He prayed,
Good morning, Lord.
What are you up to today?
Can I be part of it?
Thank you.
Amen.
What are you up to today, Lord?
Can I be part of it?
Friends, I love that
sense of expectation.
Love that sense of expectation.
Do we share it?
Do we understand
that our Father
has put people
in our lives today,
that we are not here
by accident?
His purpose is
that he's accomplishing,
so there's no chance
encounter
as we go about
our daily lives.
Who are you meeting
in your lives?
Think about it.
On the school run,
in the office,
on the commute,
at the barber's,
in the supermarket,
who's on your street?
Are we praying
for places expectantly?
Are we going
about our days
expecting that God
by his spirit,
and we have no idea
how he is at work,
yet we know that he is?
Is that even
on our radar?
Are we praying
for places?
And secondly,
are we praying
for faces?
Are we praying
for faces?
You know,
I had a mate
at university,
he used to carry
about in his wallet,
you know,
the little see-through bit
where your driving
license goes?
He had in there
the name
of three friends.
Every time he opened
his wallet,
just reminded,
shoot it up,
shot up rather,
a prayer for three individuals.
I'm going to pray
for these three friends.
Pray for these
three friends again.
Friends,
who are we praying for?
Wouldn't it be
a wonderful thing
that as a church family
we just committed
to praying
for one friend
this week?
Everyone,
if everybody does it
in the church family,
okay,
I don't know what's that,
150 friends
we're praying for.
Imagine that.
Lord,
would you,
and take the language
from the text,
by your spirit,
cut them to the heart.
Cut them to the heart.
Help me witness,
help me speak,
but by your spirit,
would you cut them
to the heart?
Friends,
are we praying
for places?
Are we praying
for faces?
You know,
we started with a number.
Let me just finish
with another number.
98.
Do you know
what that number is?
We're gradually
working our way down,
I know.
Do you know
what that number is?
That is not a number,
well it's a number,
it's a percentage.
Okay?
It's the percentage
of people in Scotland
who do not know Jesus.
Now I hope
that that breaks our heart,
that that is as high as that.
Given the spiritual heritage
of our country,
that 2% of people
in this country
claim Jesus is Lord.
Friends,
are we burdened by that?
Are we praying
for people in our country?
Now let me just encourage us,
the Lord is at work.
Some of the greatest,
the greatest stories
that I've heard
over this period
of lockdown,
in amazing ways
the Lord at work
in people's lives,
people becoming Christians,
in unexpected ways.
Prayer meeting
on Friday night
of 400 different people
in Edinburgh
and Fife
and the Lothians
praying for people
in our city,
in our country
to come to know Jesus.
The Lord is at work,
Aslan is on the move.
But do we,
are we burdened
by that number?
98% of people
in our country
do not know Jesus.
So how do you explain it?
How do you explain it?
How do you explain
those 97.2 million people
in China?
How do you explain
what the Lord is doing?
Answer,
the Father
whose heart beats
for the peoples
of the world.
Answer,
a Son,
Jesus Christ
who has loved us,
who is risen
and is glorious.
Answer,
the Spirit
who is sent
into the hearts
of believers
to enable them
to relationally
revel in the Godhead
and empower them
to declare his praises.
Let's pray together.
And maybe just
in the silence now,
friends,
let's just take
this opportunity,
maybe just
as a way of response,
let's think of
that one friend,
the person
in our lives,
and let's just
maybe 10 seconds,
let's just pray
for that individual
just now
as we respond
to this.
Amen.
2 Corinthians chapter 5.
Therefore,
knowing the fear
of the Lord,
we try
to persuade
others.
Heavenly Father,
thank you so much
for your gospel.
Father,
thank you so much
for the way
that you have loved us
in your Son,
Jesus.
And Father,
we pray that as we
respond to this,
your Spirit
poured out
on your people
for us to revel in you
and declare your praises
to the world.
Father,
help us to do that
this week.
I pray for those
watching this today
who maybe don't know you,
maybe those in this room.
Father,
I pray that you would
bring a sense
of conviction
about who Jesus is.
Father,
thank you so much
for your wonderful
love for us.
Father,
where would we be
if you were not
this kind of God?
And we just commit
ourselves to you,
Father,
in Jesus' precious name
we pray.
Amen.