The Bible reading today is 2 Timothy verses 1-7.
The appeal renewed.
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
! and the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses,
entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
Join with me in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs,
but rather tries to please his commanding officer.
Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor's crown
except by competing according to the rules.
The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a shower of the crops.
Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all of this.
Amen.
Well, once again, I'm David.
Let me welcome you.
Thank you for being here this morning, whether you're a regular or you're a visitor or a guest.
I'm really glad to see you.
Really happy to be able to bring this passage to you
and just talk through what the Lord has helped me learn in it this week.
Steve, graciously, was busy yesterday and Friday with another church up in York,
and so the privilege falls to me to lead us this morning.
Let me just pray for us before we get started.
Father, we thank you for gathering us here today,
for prompting in our spirit to get up and to turn up to church this morning,
whether that's a normal thing for us or something that is not as normal.
Lord, we pray that the words from 2 Timothy would not just be words on a page,
not just something that was in a book from antiquity,
but live and fruitful and has something to say to us that we might believe it and hear it
and our lives would be different when we walk out.
Father, we pray that our hearts would be open to hear what you have to say,
to accept your teaching in us and allow it to change us,
as you promise you will do if we reflect on these things.
You will give us insight.
So we pray.
We thank you, and we pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, so we are back in 2 Timothy.
It's the second letter that Paul wrote to his protege, Timothy.
Timothy, of course, had been with Paul on some of his journeys,
and then Paul handpicked him to stay in Ephesus with the elders and teach the church there.
And so what we see is that Paul is writing this letter,
as we've learned the last few weeks, is that he's writing this letter from prison.
This isn't his first time in prison.
He's been there before, but this time feels different.
This time it feels like he's probably not getting out.
Right?
He's now an elderly man.
He's gone through many journeys.
He's been around and done a variety of things,
and he finds himself in prison, literally chained to a Roman jailer.
And he knows in his heart that this is it,
that he will either die in this cell or that he will be put to death because of what is happening.
And so he's writing.
He decides in his last moments, his last days of his life,
he wants to write a letter to Timothy, his protege, of course,
but one that he calls his dear son, his child.
Right?
Paul is never married and doesn't have a child of his own,
but Timothy is his child in the faith,
his son that he's brought up to know and understand the teachings that he has carried on.
And so he takes this last moment to write in his final words,
to give him a final exhortation of all the wisdom and the truth that he has to offer.
And he writes this last message to Timothy,
and he says, you know, of all the things,
of all the things Paul could say in a final message to Timothy,
he comes up with these words.
And he appeals to Timothy.
He says, you know, you see him, he's gray.
I want you to picture Paul coming to the end of his life.
He's gray.
He says, hold on, I've got to write one more letter to Timothy.
And this is what he says.
He appeals to Timothy to entrust what you have heard from me to reliable people,
to pass on what he has learned to the next generation.
This is the appeal of Paul to Timothy in these words.
Right?
He says, do not let it die with you, Timothy.
And this is the appeal from Paul to us today here at West Kilburn.
He says, don't let this die with you.
All of this message, don't let it die with you.
Amazingly, all of us who believe are here today as believers because of a passage like this.
Right?
Jesus met Paul on the road to Damascus and entrusted him with the truth and said, go give it to someone else.
And then we see Paul entrusting it to Timothy in the stories in Acts and Ephesians and 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy.
And here we see Paul encouraging Timothy to entrust the same to faithful people who could teach the next generation.
And by God's grace, that process has carried on for 2,000 some odd years such that today you have heard it from someone if you believe.
And it has made it to you such that you could understand it and now you believe that this is the truth.
It is amazing.
This is unbelievable.
This is a miraculous thing.
What Paul is encouraging here is that we might entrust what we have heard to someone who hasn't yet.
To someone who could pass it on to someone else.
And on.
This is the strategy laid out for the church by Jesus and then Paul and then on.
This is what we're here for.
Right?
To reflect on the things that we have been taught.
To commit them into our lives.
And then to entrust them to someone else.
This is the glorious work of the church.
The passing on of the gospel truths.
The holding of the good deposit.
Protecting it as we looked at last week in chapter 1.
To guard it.
To protect its integrity.
Not to let it be diluted.
But not to keep it for ourselves.
Not to protect it like a precious stone or a ring that you might want to hold tightly to.
No.
Instead sharing it.
Entrusting it to the next generation.
So that the Bible and these truths are preached in this building for one more 150 years.
And 150 years beyond that.
Until the Jesus.
Until Jesus returns and makes everything new.
Right?
This is the emphasis of this passage.
Entrust what you've heard.
Entrust what you've heard from me, Paul says.
And what exactly are to we entrust?
He says in verse 2.
He says,
The things you have heard me say.
Things you've heard me say publicly.
What are these things that he's said?
Paul refers to this in a variety of places.
In his teachings.
In this book and elsewhere.
In Romans chapter 6 verse 17.
He says,
But thanks be to God that through you used to be.
Through you.
That though you used to be slaves to sin.
You have come to obey from your heart.
The pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.
And in Acts.
When Paul is saying farewell to the elders at Ephesus.
He says to them.
Therefore I testify to you this day.
That I am innocent of the blood of all of you.
For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.
And in several places just in the chapter preceding where we are today.
As we looked at last week.
In verse 12.
This is from the ESV translation.
But he says,
I'm not ashamed.
For I know in whom I have believed.
And I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day.
What has been entrusted to me.
In verse 13 he says,
What you heard from me.
Keep as the pattern of sound teaching.
With faith and love in Christ Jesus.
And then in verse 14 he says,
Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you.
And then in verse 8, a little bit earlier, he says,
Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord.
So what are the things that Timothy has heard Paul say?
That Paul is encouraging him to entrust again.
It's the pattern of teaching.
It's the whole counsel of God.
It's what he has believed.
It's the things that were entrusted to him.
It's the pattern of sound teaching.
It's the good deposit.
It's the testimony about our Lord.
Paul tells as he continues there, he says,
Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord.
Who saved us.
Who saved us and called us to a holy calling.
What are the things that we're to entrust?
It's the whole gospel.
It's the whole story.
It's all the teaching and clarity of what God has done in Christ for you and for me.
That we were as good as dead, but Christ made us alive.
And that our fortunes go from running into a dead end to glorious life with Jesus.
Not because of what we have done.
Not because we can earn it or do anything that justifies us.
We have been like those children in the other story that are running the opposite direction.
Throwing the mints in the gutter because we didn't care.
And yet, because of what he has done, he brings life and immortality.
And the beauty and wonderfulness of that fact is what compels Paul,
and then Timothy, and then every believer since,
to endure through hardship to do the work of entrusting this message and these truths.
Why? Because we know how it ends.
Because we know that there is life and immortality through the gospel.
We have to get this message, this truth, this pattern of teaching
to the next generation because it is so good.
It's worth going through anything that we might endure.
It's worth pushing past whatever might stand in our way.
And did you notice we must endure?
Because, as Paul says,
somehow this work of entrusting and teaching these truths to the next generation
seems to be inextricably linked to suffering.
Paul doesn't hide it from Timothy, nor us.
Paul says to Timothy here in verse 3, he says,
join with me in suffering.
Echoing what he had already said in chapter 1,
he says, join with me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God.
Somehow in God's economy,
suffering seems to be a necessary part of preaching and teaching the gospel.
How do we know?
Jesus suffered.
Paul suffered.
Timothy suffered.
Suffering is part of it.
But look, there's hope because in verse 1,
we find that there is...
Oh, that was before.
This work brings suffering.
Okay.
But we need supernatural strength to do the work of entrusting.
Look at verse 1 again.
It says,
You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Jesus Christ.
The ESV translates it slightly differently.
It says,
Be strengthened by the grace that is in Jesus Christ.
And I like that one better.
Be strengthened.
We need strength,
but he doesn't say,
muster all of your strength.
He doesn't say,
grit your teeth and work as hard as you can.
No, he says,
Be strengthened by the grace.
Right?
This verb is in the passive voice.
Be strengthened.
We are not doing the action.
Right?
We are not doing the strengthening.
Who is doing the strengthening?
It's Christ Jesus doing the strengthening.
In fact, it's the grace in Christ Jesus that's doing the strengthening.
We are strengthened by his grace.
It's not only for salvation that we are dependent on his grace.
But no, it's for sanctification and service to Christ as well.
Look at chapter 1, verses 8 and 9.
It says,
Share in the suffering for the gospel by the power of God who saved us and called us to a holy calling,
not because of our works, but because of his own purpose and grace.
Right?
We are commanded to allow ourselves to be strengthened by grace in Jesus.
Because we don't have the strength.
Right?
You say,
Go endure that suffering in your own power.
We don't have what it takes.
Nor can we gain it on our own in some way.
Right?
We can't work hard enough, do enough lifting or studying or whatever it would take to get the strength to endure on our own.
That's not how it's built.
We need grace that comes from Jesus.
We need his grace in our lives to work.
And this is what it is.
And so you might ask,
Why do we need such strength?
Why do we need supernatural strength in order to do this task of entrusting?
It doesn't seem like that would be something that you need some, like, extraordinary level of strength.
Right?
People teach things all the time.
People tell people, you know, maybe I'm taking it back now.
School teachers do need some supernatural strength.
But, like, the point is, what do we need this for?
I think there's a clue in 1 Corinthians chapter 2.
It says,
This is what we speak.
Not in words taught to us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit.
This is the entrusting.
This is the work that we're doing.
Explaining spiritualities with Spirit-taught words.
The person without the Spirit, the person who does not believe,
does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God,
but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them,
because they can only be discerned through the Spirit.
Right?
A person without the Spirit does not accept, thinks it's foolishness,
because they can't understand, because understanding is only through the Spirit.
So there is resistance.
We know this to be true.
Any time the truth of the gospel is proclaimed,
there is resistance from the enemy.
There is resistance from those who are there.
And there is suffering because of it.
Some of it might be intense suffering that Paul and Jesus might have gone through,
that our brothers and sisters in countries,
where they're not allowed to say these things,
they might go through.
And some of it might be softer, but still feels like real suffering
when your friends or your family don't accept what you believe,
when they ridicule you,
or they make light of the things that have changed your life.
Right?
This is suffering.
And so, like a good Baptist preacher,
Paul gives us three examples of how we might stand strong
in our task of entrusting to the next recipient.
Right?
So he says, be like a soldier, be like an athlete,
and be like a farmer.
So first he says, be single-minded like a soldier.
Look at that verse there.
In verse 3 he says,
Join with me in suffering like a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No one suffering as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs,
but rather tries to please his commanding officer.
Soldiers on active duty,
if they're out there,
they do not expect,
or at least they should not expect,
it to be an easy or safe time.
Right?
Soldiers would take hardship,
and risk,
and suffering,
as a matter of course.
This is what they signed up for.
Right?
And those things are part and parcel
of the calling of a soldier.
Modern day soldier,
or going back to the times
when what Paul is talking about.
Right?
Church Father Tertullian puts it this way.
He says,
No soldier comes to the war surrounded by luxuries,
nor goes into action from a comfortable bedroom,
but from a makeshift and narrow tent,
where every kind of hardness,
and severity,
and unpleasantness is to be found.
So similarly,
like the soldier,
the Christian should not expect an easy time.
This is what Paul is saying.
If we are loyal to the gospel,
we are sure to experience opposition.
The soldier must share in the suffering with his comrades,
and in spite of everything going on around him,
he has to focus on the task at hand.
He has to focus on the mission.
And in order to do this,
the military,
they understand what's at stake.
And so they make great effort
to free the soldiers
from having to deal with the everyday tasks
that we might get bogged in as civilians.
Right?
Soldiers live on a base
where there's no rent that comes due.
No repairs that need to be done.
Right?
So they can live with mental clarity.
They're given a uniform
so they don't have to be distracted
about what they might wear to work.
They go to a mess hall to get food.
They don't have to worry about shopping
or getting anything,
making anything,
deciding what they might make for dinner.
Their medical and dental care
are taken care of.
Right?
The leaders of the military
have recognized
we don't want our soldiers
to have to worry about all these things
and get distracted
from the most important mission.
Keep your mind on the mission.
And this is what Paul is saying to Timothy.
Be like a soldier.
Don't get distracted
on all the things
that the world has to offer.
Don't get distracted
by the little things
that are keeping you.
But focus on the mission.
We've got to be focused
on the mission of God
and not be distracted
by the whims of the world.
So he says,
be like a soldier.
Not only that,
he says,
be like an athlete.
Be full of integrity
like an athlete.
He says,
similarly,
anyone who competes
as an athlete
does not receive
the victor's crown
except by competing
according to the rules.
the London Marathon
was in town
just a few weeks ago.
And the race course
that they set out
is meticulously planned
and organized
to be exactly 26.2 miles.
No shorter,
no longer.
Right?
And they make very clear
that there are walls
and gates and things
that keep you on that path
so that you can't deviate
and go a little bit less
than that 26.2 miles.
If a runner were to
jump off the course
and take a shortcut,
they might finish first,
but they would,
of course,
be disqualified
from winning the prize
because they cheated.
Right?
Every runner,
in a similar way,
they enter the race
in hopes of winning
or completing the race
in their personal best time.
They've consistently trained
for months and months
to prepare for that race.
Right?
And if any of them
tried to shortcut
the training,
they would find themselves
unprepared
and not able to win
or beat the time
that they hoped for.
Right?
There's no way
to run a race
and take a shortcut.
You have to run the race.
You have to do the training.
There isn't a shortcut way
to make it happen.
Right?
And this is what Paul is saying.
If you want the victor's crown,
you can't take a shortcut.
And he looks at Christians
and he says the same thing.
That,
you know,
in the same way
that the performance
on race day
is a reflection
of the work
that the runner
has put in training,
we must follow
the path laid out for us.
There are no shortcuts
in sharing the gospel
with a friend
or a family member.
There are no magic words
that Steve can give you
that will make that easier
or make it go faster.
Right?
We are simply
to hold fast
to the truths
that we've received
and we share them faithfully.
Right?
And trust that the Lord
will do the rest.
Right?
This is what Paul is saying.
He says,
be like a soldier
and keep focused.
Be like an athlete
and follow the rules
and do what it takes.
Right?
And then he says,
be like a farmer
and be diligent
in hard work
like a farmer.
He says,
the hardworking farmer
should be the first
to receive a share
of the crops.
And the way
that the soldier's focused
and the athlete
has integrity,
the farmer has to be diligent
to do the work
when the reward
is not yet visible.
Right?
Much like the runner
logging mile after mile
in the rain
and in the dark
of their training,
the farmer gets up early
every day
to till the soil
and plant the seeds,
doing what is necessary
to yield a crop
in its due time.
Right?
For weeks,
there's no evidence
at all
that the work
the farmer is doing
will yield any result.
There's weeks
where there's nothing
coming out of the ground.
Right?
And for months,
the farmer carries on
this task
of his daily work
in hopes
that the crop
will actually produce
the fruit.
Or the corn
or whatever it is.
Right?
It takes months of time
for him to realize this.
And his whole life
is dependent on this.
If the crop
doesn't produce,
he has no food to eat
and he has nothing
to take to the market
to sell.
What an exercise
of faith
it is.
And in the same way,
the life
of a Christian disciple
looks very similar.
We walk by the Spirit
and follow the ways
of Jesus
which often
look incredibly
fruitless,
especially in light
of the way
the world
would look at it.
But daily
faithfulness
in pursuing
Christian character
one day produces
a man or a woman
worthy of respect.
And in serving
the Lord
and teaching
and evangelizing
can be the same.
We might
share the gospel
with scores
of people
and no one
comes to faith.
We might teach
the children
or the youth
faithfully
for years
and years
and wonder
if they've hurt us
at all.
Right?
You might
raise your son
or daughter
and faithfully
entrust them
with all the things
that they have to say
and never realize
what comes of it.
And yet in God's timing
and in his grace
he produces a crop.
And when that happens
there is
joyful singing
in all of heaven
because of it.
And so like a farmer
we must walk
in diligence
not worried about
what might come
but
following
in the task
of the day.
Right?
So Paul is giving this
to Timothy.
He's saying
look
this stuff
that I've taught
the things you've heard me say
it's worth telling
and it's going to be hard
but look
be like a soldier
be like
an athlete
be like a farmer
and do it
and
it's not out of a sense
of duty
because
Paul actually includes
a promise
with each of these examples.
He does use the example
of the soldier
but not to say
that he must
soldier on
because he's bound
by duty
but instead
the soldier
remains focused
so that he might
receive the praise
of his commander.
Paul does use
the example
of an athlete
but not to say
that Timothy
must grind away
day after day
to no end.
No, instead
he says
the athlete
reaches the end
of the race
and receives
the crown
of victory.
Paul does use
the example
of the farmer
but not to say
that we must
begrudgingly
and mindlessly
toil away
our days.
No, instead
the farmer
works to then
receive the first fruits
of the harvest.
there are
great promises
awaiting us
if we carry on.
There are great
promises awaiting
Timothy
if he listens
to Paul
and does this
but notice
the promises
are of grace.
They're not earned.
You don't get
those things
because you did
those things.
No, once again
the beauty of the gospel
is that no amount
of work we can do
no amount
of work
that we do
can earn us
the praise
or get us
the crown
or bear the fruit.
No, Jesus
has done
all the work
and he gives it
to us.
See, Jesus
received the praise
from the Father
and it's imputed
to us.
In his high priestly
prayer in John 17
he says
the glory that you
have given me
this is Jesus
talking to God
to the Father
he says
the glory you
have given me
I have given
to them
that they may
be one
even as we
are one
I in them
and them in me
that we may
be perfectly
one so that
the world
may know
that you sent
me
and love them
even as you
have loved me.
See, Jesus
was given
the praise
and he gives
it to us.
Jesus won
the crown
of victory
over Satan
and over death
and we get
to share in it.
In John 16
he says
I've told you
these things
so that in me
you may have
peace.
In this world
you will have
trouble
but take heart
I have overcome
the world.
Jesus
is the first fruits
of the redeemed
and we get
to enjoy him
and eternity
forever.
In 1 Corinthians
Paul writes
but Christ
has indeed
been raised
from the dead
the first fruits
of those
who have fallen
asleep
for since death
came through a man
resurrection
of the dead
also comes
through a man
for as in Adam
all die
so in Christ
all will be
made alive.
Right?
The means
for us
to do the
entrusting
the means
for us
to endure
the suffering
are grace
and in the
end
the result
and the reward
is also grace.
It's grace
by grace.
Oh look
I had that there.
Sorry.
Look
and so finally
we see verse 7.
So Paul
has gone through
this and he says
he looks to
Timothy
and he
recognizes
something in
Timothy
that I think
we can recognize
in ourselves.
He says
look
even if you're
afraid
that you don't
have what it takes
even if you're
not sure
you can do
what it takes
to do this
entrusting work
that he's called to
even if
you're not
100% confident
in your ability
to explain
the teachings
of the gospel
to someone else
Paul
and God
gives us
something here
and he says
look
reflect on
what I'm
saying
for the
Lord
will give
you insight
into all
of this.
See that
reflect
in the ESV
again this time
translate that
he says
think
on what I
say.
Think
reflect
right
we
we as
Christians
we don't
read the
Bible
we read
the words
and then
we close
it
and then
we move
on
thinking
that somehow
that's
what we
have to
do.
We have
to think
about it.
We have
to reflect
on what
it says
think
about what
it means
and when
we do
the Bible
says the
Lord will
give you
understanding
the Lord
will give
you the
insight.
Once again
the Lord
is doing
the work
we're not
doing the
work
but the
Lord is
doing the
work
and yet
at the
same time
we're told
to put
effort
into it
to do
the work
of reflecting
and so
the reality
is some
Christians
we never
do any
serious
Bible
study.
It might
be that
we're lazy
it might
be that
we don't
understand
but it
also might
be that
we think
somehow
that the
understanding
will come
from the
Holy Spirit
in a
miraculous
manner
and it's
just going
to fall
on us
without us
ever having
to look
at the
words
and it
doesn't
require
any effort
from us.
We skim
through the
verses in our
morning devotion
and expect
somehow
that the
Spirit
will just
deliver
understanding.
It doesn't
seem to
me
that Paul
thinks it
works like
that.
See on the
other side
others of
us are
very good
and very
diligent
at Bible
study.
We're the
hardworking
farmers as
it were
and we
might grapple
with the
text of
Scripture
we might
listen to
all the
sermons
on YouTube
we might
know them
backwards and
forwards and
commit them
to memory
but we
forget that
it's the
Lord who
imparts
true
understanding.
There are
professors of
religion at
major universities
who don't
believe the
text.
They know
the words
they know
it backwards
and forwards
they know
it better
than many
of us
do but
they don't
believe it
because the
Lord has
to give
understanding.
and it's
the Lord
who does
it and
he imparts
it as a
gift so
we can't
divorce what
God has
in his
wisdom that
he's put
together.
This think
reflect and
then I'll
give it.
Those go
together.
It's not
two separate
things.
And so a
balance of
careful thought
careful reflection
and devoted
prayer for
understanding is
essential.
we do the
considering and
God gives the
understanding.
So church
as we kind
of move
towards closing
here if
if there is
to be a
future here
of vibrant
spirit filled
life in this
building in
this community
if if if
West Kilburn
Church is to
be a gospel
anchored place
of worship
for the next
150 years
if Queens
Park and
Kilburn and
Maida Vale
are and all
the surrounding
areas are to
hear the gospel
and to be
transformed by
Jesus as we
hope and pray
we can't expect
Steve to do
all of the
teaching.
We can't expect
Steve to do
all of the
what's the word
that I've been
using this whole
time?
Entrusting.
Thank you.
Sometimes my
brain just
we can't
expect it.
We can't
expect the
paid workers
of the
church to
do all of
this for
us.
The message
that Paul
hears, he's
writing it to
Timothy who
would arguably
be a paid
worker of the
gospel.
He's writing
it to him but
he's writing
it to us.
And the
message is for
each one of
us that we
must think
and reflect on
these words
and pray that
God might give
us insight.
We must be
strengthened by
the grace that
is in Jesus.
We must be
like soldiers
and athletes
and farmers
entrusting the
gospel deposit
that we have
received by
God's grace
that he's given
it to us and
helped us
understand and
that we've
come to believe
and our life
has been
changed forever.
We then
have to pass
it on to
someone else
that doesn't
know it yet.
We have to
entrust this
pattern of
sound teaching
so that there
are more
teachers.
We have to
teach the
many, many
would-be
listeners.
There's 50,000
people within
one kilometer
of this room
living here.
50,000 people.
Do you believe
that?
A very small
percentage of
them are
trusting in
these words.
So they're
out there and
it's up to
us to
entrust them
with the
things that
we have
received.
Things that
we have
heard and
committed to
our lives.
And if
by God's
grace,
by God's
grace,
we can do
that.
So let's
pray that we
would do
the entrusting.
Let's pray
that there
would be
reliable people
that would
do the
listening.
And let's
pray that
we would
both be
strengthened
by the
grace that
in Christ
Jesus,
right?
That both
of us,
those who
are entrusting
would be
strengthened by
grace and
those who
are listening
and want
to hear
would be
strengthened
by grace.
Amen?
Let's pray.
Father, we
thank you
for your
grace to
us.
That in
your mercy
and love
and grace
for us,
that you
made us
who were
dead in
our
us to
open our
mouths and
tell them
about what
we have
learned,
what we
have received
from you,
and that
there is
much grace
in your
name,
that there
is life
and immortality
that comes
from you
in your
grace to
us,
Father.
Lord, I
pray that
we would
be so
enraptured
by the
goodness and
grace that
is in you
that we
couldn't help
but share
it and
entrust it
with other
people,
that we
wouldn't
have a
choice.
You've
done a
work in
us such
that we
can't keep
it to
ourselves.
It would
not be
like the
ring of
power,
our precious
that we
hold and
put it in
our pocket,
Lord, no,
that it
would be
something that
we share,
that we
excitedly
invite others
into.
Lord, and
you do
the work.
It's your
grace in
their lives
that they
might receive
it.
It's your
work by
your spirit
that they
might hear
it and
understand it.
And so
it's your
things that
you do.
And we
simply want
to be
faithful.
We want
to follow
you.
We want
to share
what we
have learned.
And by
your grace,
you do
the things
that it
takes.
We pray
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.