And we should remember that as Jesus says these things, he was surrounded by a huge crowd of many thousands.
! And within this crowd is quite the variety. There are Pharisees. There's Jesus' disciples.
! There's many who are just here to see Jesus and to hear what he has to say.
We're in Luke chapter 12, verse 49.
And Jesus says this,
I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled.
But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed.
Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No.
But division.
From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other.
Three against two.
And two against three.
They will be divided.
Father against son.
And son against father.
Mother against daughter.
And daughter against mother.
Mother-in-law against daughter-in-law.
And daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.
He said to the crowd,
When you see a cloud rising in the west,
immediately you say,
It's going to rain.
And it does.
And when the south wind blows,
you say,
It's going to be hot.
And it is.
Hypocrites.
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky.
How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?
Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?
As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate,
try hard to be reconciled on the way.
Or your adversary may drag you off to the judge.
And the judge turn you over to the officer.
And the officer throw you into prison.
I tell you,
you will not get out
until you have paid
the last penny.
So Jesus speaks briefly on three different subjects here.
First, he makes a statement about why he has come
and the effect that it will have on people's relationships.
Second, he rebukes many
for their hypocrisy.
And third, he offers a specific
word of wisdom
to those who are in conflict
with others.
And I'd like to work through
these three pieces
in reverse order.
So we're going to start with the last one
in verse 58.
Here Jesus offers
a very specific word of wisdom
to those who are in conflict with others.
As you're going
with your adversary
to the magistrate,
try hard to be reconciled on the way.
Or your adversary
may drag you off
to the judge
and the judge
turn you over
to the officer
and the officer
throw you into prison.
I tell you,
you will not get out
until you have paid
the last penny.
So this is a very specific
kind
of conflict.
We have a person
and his accuser.
This word was used
specifically
for those who were
bringing a charge
against someone else
in a lawsuit.
Now it's
general enough
that it could cover
any kind of
charge or lawsuit.
But our minds
go very easily
to something
involving
the borrowing
of money.
Since at the end
Jesus says,
you will not get out
of prison
until you have paid
the last penny.
And so as we listen
to his words
we're probably
envisioning someone
who's failed
to make payments
on a debt
and now the accuser
has kind of
come to collect
what is owed.
And Jesus says,
as you're going
with the accuser
to the magistrate,
that's like
a civil judge
or kind of like
in a small claims court,
as you're going
with the accuser
to the magistrate,
try hard
to be reconciled
on the way.
Make an effort
to settle
with your accuser
on the way.
Settle before
you get to the magistrate.
Jesus is giving us
some wisdom.
Before the conflict
progresses
into any kind
of legal hearing,
make an effort
to resolve the conflict
just between you
and that person
bringing a charge
against you.
And it comes
with this warning
of what could happen
if we fail
to settle things
before it gets
to that legal situation.
So he says,
try hard
to be reconciled
on the way
or your adversary
may drag you off
to the judge
and the judge
turn you over
to the officer
and the officer
throw you into prison.
Notice how quickly
things progress
to a far worse
situation.
first you're just
going to
small claims court
we could say.
But next
your accuser
is dragging you
before the judge.
The language
intensifies
because once
the magistrate
gets involved
there's now
a legal verdict
or requirement
that you must
meet
and then if you
don't meet that
then your accuser
can now force you
to appear
before the judge
perhaps the judge
that's sort of
the next level up
and then things
are very soon
out of control.
The judge
gives his verdict
hands you over
to the officer
or kind of like
our modern day
bailiff.
The bailiff
throws you
into prison
and the way
things that worked
back then
is very different
than today.
One source
I read
said that
prisoners
were sometimes
beaten regularly
so that
their family
members would
pay
the debt
that they owed
or their
friends
and of course
they didn't
just let you
go free
back then
for good
behavior
in jail
and they
didn't feed
you or
clothe you
or look
after you
your family
and friends
had to
provide for
your needs
or you
died in
jail.
Prison was
rough back
then
and Jesus
warned saying
I tell you
you will not
get out
until you
pay the
last penny.
Early on
in the
dispute
maybe if
you had
made an
effort
to settle
things
and you'd
scrounged up
enough to
offer even
70 cents
on the
dollar
just maybe
the accuser
would have
been willing
to settle
the debt
and avoid
all the
hassle
that would
be far
better for
both
than you
having to
go through
the courts
and legal
fees and
then there's
the public
shame and
embarrassment
of getting
dragged before
the judge
and then
thrown into
prison.
By the time
it gets to
that point
Jesus says
you won't
get out
until you
have paid
the last
penny.
Every last
penny.
The opportunity
to settle
for what you
can manage
is now
long gone
and the
relationship
between you
and your
opponent
is now
so much
worse
that not
even one
penny less
than what
you owed
will be
required.
And so
the principle
here is
in conflict
with one
another
we are
wise to
settle
things
to deal
with things
as soon
as possible
right at
the beginning
before
things
progress
because the
more we
fight
or the
longer
we
delay
to do
what's
right
by the
other
person
the
harder
it's
going
to
be
the
uglier
it's
going
to
get
and
fast.
Let's
think of
a couple
practical
examples.
Maybe
you're not
thinking
and something
slips out of
your mouth
and you say
something you
just knew
you shouldn't
have said to
a person
in the
conversation.
what should
you do?
Well before
those words
even have
the time
to land
in the
heart
of the
other
person
humble
yourself
before
them
and
apologize
to
them.
Admit
I shouldn't
have said
that.
Would you
please
forgive me?
I'm
sorry.
Settle
it before
there's even
a chance
for it
to progress
any further.
Or we
could apply
this generally
to how we
handle our
financial
problems.
That's
what the
parables
or the
wisdoms
related to
here.
A wise
person of
course avoids
borrowing
if at all
possible
from the
get-go.
As Solomon
said the
borrower is
slave to
the lender.
But then
probably most
people have
not really
lived by
that and
we have
debts.
And what
do we
do?
Well
we sort
of do the
best we
can to
juggle all
the bills
and the
payments
with the
money that's
coming in.
But here's
the rub.
We have
within us
this impulse
to spend.
To get
things that
we don't
have.
Things that
we don't
really need.
But we
desire them
so strongly
and then we
just we do
it.
We go against
our better
judgment and
we reason to
ourselves oh
it'll be
alright.
I know I
probably can't
afford this
thing but
we'll manage
it somehow.
wow.
And then
something
unexpected
happens and
one day
there's not
enough to
pay the
bills when
they come
due.
And then
the phone
starts ringing
and it's
the bank
or the
company.
And in
principle this
same scenario
that Jesus
describes can
play itself
out in our
lives.
We might
not be
thrown in
jail in
our culture
but we
might have
companies that
are unwilling
to provide
services to
us.
We might
have SAS
power threatening
to cut the
power off
or the bank
telling us
that they're
foreclosing.
Or we
might look
out the
window to
see our
vehicle being
taken away
repossessed.
Our reputation
in our
community can
be ruined.
Maybe you
know someone
who's been
through bankruptcy
or had their
wages garnished
or their
vehicle repossessed.
make an
effort to
settle
says Jesus
before it
gets out
of hand.
Try hard
before it
gets to
that legal
situation.
That's the
first piece
of wisdom
that Jesus
gives
or the
first one
that we're
looking at
anyway.
Let's now
look at what
Jesus said
before all
this in
the verses
prior
starting in
verse 54.
Jesus said
to the
crowd when
you see a
cloud rising
in the west
immediately you
say it's
going to
rain.
And it
does.
And when
the south
wind blows
you say it's
going to be
hot.
And it
is.
Hypocrites
you know
how to
interpret the
appearance of
the earth
and the
sky.
How is it
that you
don't know
how to
interpret
this present
time?
This is a
rebuke from
Jesus.
He straight
up calls
them
hypocrites.
Normally
that word
brings to
mind a
person who
says one
thing and
then does
another.
A person
who calls
people to
a certain
standard of
righteousness
but then
doesn't live
that way
themselves.
And that's
right.
That is what
the word
means.
But the
word can
also have
this very
strong idea
of being
an actor.
Being a
pretender.
And Jesus
seems to
say that
they're
pretending
that they
don't
understand the
present
time.
This is
the pinnacle
moment in
the story of
the world.
And especially
in the story
of God and
his people.
people.
As we've
seen God
has given
countless
signs that
this is it.
That his
son Jesus
is the
Messiah.
He is the
son of
God.
He is the
savior that
we need.
And God
has unleashed
his power in
all kinds of
miracles,
wonders,
exorcisms,
healings.
And some
are seeing
these signs
and recognizing
that the
time of
God's
fulfillment
is here.
But many
are sort
of faking
ignorance.
They're
pretending
or acting
as if
nothing too
special
is happening.
As if
nothing
conclusive
is going
on.
We've
heard how
the Pharisees
will stop
at nothing
to explain
away the
miracles of
Jesus.
Oh,
he did
that by
the power
of the
devil.
Or he
did that
on the
Sabbath
day.
But we
don't even
really know
who his
father is,
so how
can we
trust anything
he says?
And Jesus
is calling
them on the
carpet here.
He says,
you guys
are pretenders.
You guys
are able
to discern
what the
weather's
going to
do based
on the
telltale
signs.
And so
you're
able to
understand
what God
is doing
right now
because you
see the
telltale
signs.
You're
pretending
that you
don't know
what's
going on.
But you
do know.
You're
deliberately
refusing to
acknowledge
the times
that we're
in.
You're
refusing to
acknowledge
me.
what about
you?
Have you
acknowledged
Jesus as
Messiah?
As the
Son of
God?
As the
Savior you
need?
Do you
see the
signs that
God gave
to show
that it's
true?
are you
pretending to
not really
understand who
Jesus is
or what
he asks?
As I've
often said
we might be
able to
fool the
people around
us but
we can't
fool God.
We can't
fool Jesus.
He sees
right through.
Finally
let's look at
that first
thing that
Jesus said
in this
passage.
these
least
some of
the least
popular
words of
Jesus.
Verse
49
I have
come to
bring fire
on the
earth
and how
I wish
it were
already
kindled
but I
have a
baptism
to undergo
and what
constraint
I am
under
until it
is
completed.
Do you
think I
came to
bring peace
on earth?
No
I tell
you
but
division.
From
now on
there
will
be
five
in one
family
divided
against
each
other.
Three
against
two
and
two
against
three.
They will
be divided
father
against
son
and
son
against
father.
mother
and
daughter
against
mother.
In all
my years
as a
follower
of Jesus
I have
seen the
inside of
many
Christian
bookstores
many
cards
many
posters
plaques
figurines
and
journals
with many
different
Bible
verses
on them
but I have
never seen
these words
on any
of those
things.
I have
come to
bring fire
on the
earth
and how
I wish
it were
already
kindled.
What is
Jesus
talking
about
here?
All
throughout
the Bible
the language
of fire
like this
has to do
with judgment.
It has to
do with
punishment
from God.
In fact
if we
think back
over parts
of the
Old
Testament
story
there's
quite a
few
times
when God
literally
actually
did
bring
fire
down
upon
the
earth
and
not
just
to
scorch
the
land
like
a
natural
disaster
but
to
burn
up
to
destroy
people
and
the
pattern
that we
see in
the
Bible
is that
God
does
this
as a
punishment
for
wickedness.
The
very first
time we
read of
something
like this
in the
Bible
is the
story
of
Sodom
and
Gomorrah
two
exceedingly
wicked
cities
of the
ancient
world.
So
wicked
that
God
said
the
outcry
against
those
cities
from
all
the
neighboring
peoples
had
reached
his
ears.
They
were
praying
for
God
to
deal
with
them
and
do
something
about
them.
So
wicked
that
the
men
of
those
cities
would
gang
rape
strangers
who
were
passing
through
and
eventually
God
says
enough
is
enough
I'm
going
to
give
them
what
they're
due
and
God
rains
down
fire
and
brimstone
upon
these
cities
and
destroys
them.
Later
on
in the
story
God
makes
his
presence
known
to
the
children
of
Israel
in
the
form
of
a
pillar
of
fire.
He
would
show
himself
as
a
pillar
of
cloud
during
the
day
and
then
at
night
as
a
pillar
of
fire
as
he
led
the
Israelites
out
of
Egypt
in
the
wilderness
and
there
comes
a
moment
in
the
story
where
two
of
Moses
sons
blatantly
disregard
the
commands
of
the
Lord
and
in
Leviticus
chapter
10
we read
about
how
fire
came
out
from
the
presence
of
the
Lord
and
consumed
these
two
sons
of
Moses
a
little
later
on
we
read
about
a
time
when
the
Israelites
are
continually
grumbling
and
complaining
against
God
not
long
after
he
had
rescued
them
from
slavery
in
Egypt
and
fire
from
the
Lord
begins
burning
up
and
consuming
the
outskirts
of the
Israelite
camp
and
then
a
little
later
we
read
about
fire
from
the
Lord
consuming
250
men
who
were
actively
participating
in
the
rebellion
against
Moses
was the
man
that
the
Lord
had
chosen
to
lead
his
people
and
so
they
weren't
just
opposing
Moses
but
they
were
opposing
the
Lord
as
the
story
goes
on
fire
becomes
not
only
a
thing
of
actual
judgment
but
a
symbol
of
God's
wrath
but
the
important
thing
to
note
is
that
God's
fire
whether
literal
or
his
wrath
is
always
directed
towards
evil
it
always
comes
down
upon
the
wicked
it's
always
pointed
at
sin
it's
a
punishment
for
wickedness
but
it's
also
a
thing
that
purges
wickedness
it
removes
it
destroys
it
here's
a couple
key
passages
from the
Old
Testament
that
speak
of
this
Deuteronomy
chapter
4
verse
23
be
careful
not to
forget
the
covenant
of the
Lord
your
God
that
he
made
with
you
do
not
make
for
yourselves
an
idol
in
the
form
of
anything
the
Lord
your
God
has
forbidden
for
the
Lord
your
God
is
a
consuming
fire
so
to
worship
anything
or
anyone
other
than
the
one
true
creator
God
is
evil
it's
wicked
and
so
God
reminds
them
that
he
is
a
consuming
fire
he
will
destroy
and burn
up
those
who
do
this
with
a
righteous
jealousy
because
all
glory
and
praise
and
worship
rightly
belongs
to
him
and
to
him
alone
Psalm
21
David
is
speaking
to
God
he
says
your
hand
will
lay
hold
on
all
your
enemies
your
right
hand
will
seize
your
foes
when
you
appear
for
battle
you
will
burn
them
up
as
in
a
blazing
furnace
the
Lord
will
swallow
them
up
in
his
wrath
and
his
fire
will
consume
them
you
will
destroy
their
descendants
from
the
earth
their
posterity
from
mankind
though
they
against
you
and
devise
wicked
schemes
they
cannot
succeed
again
we see
that
God's
fire
and
wrath
are
pointed
at
his
enemies
they
are
pointed
at
those
who
plot
evil
and
devise
wickedness
Psalm
50
verse
3
our
God
comes
and
will
not
be
silent
a
fire
devours
before
him
and
around
him
a
tempest
rages
Psalm
97
verse
3
the
Lord
reigns
let
the
earth
be
glad
let
the
distant
shores
rejoice
clouds
and
thick
darkness
surround
him
righteousness
and
justice
are the
foundation
of his
throne
fire
goes
before
him
and
consumes
his
foes
on
every
side
notice
the
connection
here
between
fire
which
consumes
his
enemies
and
justice
God
is not
just
angry
like
the
Hulk
throwing
a temper
tantrum
because
he
can't
have
what
he
wants
no
God's
fire
and
anger
flows
out
of
his
righteousness
and
justice
he
hates
what
is
evil
and
he
loves
what
is
good
and
so
he
destroys
and
he
consumes
wickedness
and
those
who
come
against
him
in
rebellion
in
Isaiah
66
God
speaks
tenderly
to
his
people
and
he
tells
them
that
he
will
make
all
things
new
for
them
he
will
comfort
them
he
will
give
them
peace
and
safety
and
prosperity
he
says
when
you
see
this
your
heart
will
rejoice
and
you
will
flourish
like
grass
the
hand
of
the
Lord
will
be
made
known
to
his
servants
but
his
fury
will
be
shown
to
his
foes
see
the
Lord
is
coming
with
fire
and
his
chariots
are
like
a
whirlwind
he
will
bring
down
his
anger
with
fury
and
his
rebuke
with
flames
of
fire
God
speaking
in
this
passage
of
what
he
will
do
at
the
end
of
our
world's
story
skip
down
to
verse
22
and
we
read
this
!
As the
new
heavens
and the
new
earth
that I
will
make
will
endure
before
me
declares
the
Lord
so
will
your
name
and
descendants
endure
from
one
new
moon
to
another
and
from
one
Sabbath
to
another
all
mankind
will
come
and bow
down
before
me
says
the
Lord
!
And
they
will
go
out
and
look
on
the
dead
bodies
of
those
who
rebelled
against
me
the
worms
that
eat
them
will
not
die
the
fire
that
burns
them
will
not
be
quenched
and
they
will
be
loathsome
to
all
mankind
that
last
part
about
the
worms
not
dying
and
the
fires
not
being
quenched
Jesus
will
quote
that
later
on
as
he
teaches
about
hell
to
the
people
in
his
day
and
so
from
Genesis
to
Malachi
the
entire
Old
Testament
we
learn
that
God
is
a
consuming
fire
and
this
relates
to
his
righteousness
his
justice
he
desires
to
purge
his
world
of
evil
and
wickedness
and
so
he
promises
repeatedly
to
bring
fire
upon
the
earth
at
the
end
and
to
destroy
the
wicked
let's
now
flip
to
the
New
Testament
one
more
passage
first
second
Thessalonians
chapter
one
verse
five
Paul
says
first
before
this
to the
Thessalonian
Christians
that
he
boasts
about
their
perseverance
and
about
their
faith
which
they've
maintained
through
trials
he
says
your
perseverance
and your
faith
in the
midst
of
trials
is
evidence
that
God's
judgment
is
right
and
as
a
result
you
will
be
counted
worthy
of
the
kingdom
of
God
for
which
you
are
suffering
God
is
just
he
will
pay
back
trouble
to
those
who
trouble
!
you
and
give
relief
to
you
who
are
troubled
and
to
us
as
well
this
will
happen
when
the
Lord
Jesus
is
revealed
from
heaven
in
blazing
fire
with
his
powerful
angels
and
will
punish
those
who
do
not
know
God
and
do
not
obey
the
gospel
of
our
Lord
Jesus
there
we
see
it
again
Jesus
is
coming
back
from
heaven
in
blazing
fire
to
punish
the
disobedient
all
through
the
book
of
Revelation
the
last
book
of
the
Bible
we
read
about
fire
and
how
God
will
send
it
down
on
the
earth
on
the
wicked
and
then
at
the
very
end
we
read
of
how
he
will
throw
the
devil
and
anyone
whose
name
is
not
found
written
in
the
book
of
life
into
the
lake
of
fire
and
so
this
truth
of
God's
nature
his
justice
his
righteousness
his
desire
to
purge
evil
and
wickedness
this
truth
runs
through
the
Bible
from
cover
to
cover
and
alongside
this
truth
runs
the
truth
that
God
is
merciful
and
loving
and
that
out
of
his
compassion
he
has
made
a
way
for
the
guilty
to
be
spared
of
his
punishment
and
so
back
to
Jesus
in
Luke
12
49
he
said
I
have
come
to
bring
fire
on
the
earth
and
how
I
wish
it
were
already
kindled
do
you
hear
how
Jesus
the
son
of
God
has
the
same
heart
as
his
father
the
same
desire
to
consume
and
purge
wickedness
and
sin
but
even
though
that's
one
of
his
reasons
for
coming
Jesus
says
there's
something
I
must
do
first
I
have
a
baptism
to
undergo
he
says
before
Jesus
moment
to
bring
the
fire
of
justice
to
this
world
he
must
first
be
plunged
into
suffering
and
death
in
order
to
provide
a
way
of
escape
for
all
who
will
repent
and
believe
and
what
constraint
I am
under
until
it is
completed
these
words
are
telling
they
tell
us
that
for
Jesus
to
be
face
to
face
with
sin
and
wickedness
is
difficult
as
some
translations
put it
and how
distressed
I am
until
it is
finished
it's
like
Jesus
is
saying
I
want
to
do
something
about
the
sin
and
the
wickedness
and
the
corruption
and
the
brokenness
in
this
world
I
desire
to
bring
the
purging
!
and
cleansing
fire
to
it
distresses
me
deeply
but
there's
something
I
must
do
first
in
the
book
of
James
we
read
that
God's
mercy
triumphs
over
judgment
he
could
make
all
the
sin
and
evil
go
away
in
an
instant
in
a
blaze
of
fire
but
his
mercy
is
even
greater
his
compassion
is
even
stronger
than
his
desire
to bring
justice
he
doesn't
want
us
to
perish
even
though
we
deserve
it
we
should
not
for a
moment
think
that
God
would
be
happy
to
watch
us
burn
God
pleasure
in
our
destruction
listen
to
what
God
said
through
the
prophet
Ezekiel
long
ago
Ezekiel
33
verse
11
God
is not
malicious
God is not
malicious
because he is compassionate and loving
he does not delight in our destruction.
It would satisfy his justice, yes
but he would rather we repent
and be reconciled to him.
Jesus longing to bring fire upon the earth
reflects his justness
and his righteousness
but his mercy and his love
constrains him to let that longing go unfulfilled
until he has provided the way of escape
for all who will repent and believe.
It's like this world is infected by a deadly contagion
that just continues to spread and wreak havoc.
It doesn't just affect our bodies
but it affects our minds and our hearts
and even our souls.
And the only option to fully and finally clean up the mess
is the nuclear option.
It's to wipe out the population entirely
and eventually it must be done.
But before God does it
he offers us the cure
a way to be saved
and Jesus is and has the cure
to this deadly virus.
He's holding open the door for us
to receive it.
He's the only bomb shelter
where we can find
safety from the blast
and he's inviting us in.
And yet many are stubborn
and refuse
to listen.
The last few verses of this section
are sobering.
Jesus states that
he's not come to bring peace on earth
but division.
And these words make us think
because there's a lot
about how Jesus, the Messiah,
will bring peace.
Think about those words
we hear at Christmas time
every year
about how Jesus is the prince of peace.
Peace on earth
to those on whom his favor rests.
Peace among the nations
and that peace will come.
But here in Luke's gospel
Jesus is talking very specifically
about how
his coming brings division
within families.
And it's not that Jesus
wants that division
in families.
It's that Jesus is so polarizing
as we've seen.
Some believe in him
and accept him
but many just stubbornly
reject him.
And so as Jesus stays true
to what he has come to do
which is to proclaim
the word of God to us
this mixed response
is inevitable.
Families must be divided.
And Jesus knows this
because some will respond
in faith and repentance
while others will not.
They will not accept him.
And so there will be
some families
where only two
of the five believe.
Or where three
embrace Jesus
of the five
but two do not.
He says there will be
some families
where a father
follows him
but a son
will not.
Or where a son
embraces him
but the father
will not.
Probably all of us
have some family
if not immediate
then extended
where we see this
to be true.
rare
is that family
where every member
in it
has fully
embraced Jesus
and is following
Jesus.
This is how it must be
says Jesus.
He knows
that his ministry
of speaking God's word
will have this effect.
And if that's the case
in your family
this morning
if you know someone
that's on your heart
we must hold on
to that truth
that God takes
no pleasure
in the death
of the wicked
and he desires
all
to come to repentance.
Let's not give up
praying
for the salvation
of our loved ones.
Even
the family
of Jesus
the earthly family
of Jesus
was divided
over him.
There were moments
where his mother
and his brothers
all opposed him
John tells us
that even
his own brothers
did not believe
in him.
But later on
his brother James
had a change
of heart
and his mother Mary
was numbered
with
the believers.
Jesus knows
what it's like
to have division
of the worst kind
in the family.
These words
of Jesus
are hard.
but they're
true.
They help us
make sense
of what's
really going on
in the grand
story of our
world.
There is no
comfort here
for the
unbeliever
unless they
turn to God
and embrace
Jesus.
But there is
a whole lot
of clarity
for us
who believe
in Jesus'
name.
God
helps us
understand
the times.
Let's pray.
Father we
thank you
for these
words
and
on the
top of our
hearts and
minds
is those
we know
and love
who don't
know you
and we
ask that you
would work
powerfully in
their hearts
and bring them
to repentance.
Grant them
repentance.
Fill them
with faith.
Open their
hearts to see
their need
for you
and to
respond
in accepting
you.
Lord we
don't like
to think
of the
fire
but we
know that's
what you've
saved us
from
and we
want to see
that in the
lives of all
we know
and love
so we
just commit
those people
to you.
We ask
for your
grace
for them.
In Jesus
name
Amen.