So Luke chapter 5, which is on page 1032, Luke chapter 5, starting at verse 1.
One day, as Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, which was also known as the lake of Galilee,
with the people crowding round him and listening to the word of God,
he saw at the water's edge two boats left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore.
Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.
Simon answered, Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything.
But because you say so, I will let down the nets.
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.
And they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said,
Go away from me, Lord.
I am a sinful man.
For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken.
And so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, Don't be afraid.
From now on you will fish for men.
So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.
When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him,
Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.
I am willing, he said, be clean.
And immediately the leprosy left him.
Then Jesus ordered him, Don't tell anyone,
but go show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded
for your cleansing as a testimony to them.
Yet the news spread about him, spread all the more,
so that crowds of people came to hear him
and to be healed of their sicknesses.
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law
who had come from every village in Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem
were sitting there.
And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.
Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat
and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.
When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd,
they went up onto the roof and lowered him on his mat
through the tiles into the middle of the crowd
right in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said,
Friend, your sins are forgiven.
The Pharisees and teachers of the law began thinking to themselves,
Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy?
Who can forgive sins but God alone?
Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked,
Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?
Which is easier to say,
Your sins are forgiven?
Or to say,
Get up and walk.
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,
he said to the paralysed man,
I tell you,
Get up, take your mat and go home.
Immediately he stood up in front of them,
took what he had been lying on,
and went home praising God.
Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God.
They were filled with awe and said,
We have seen remarkable things today.
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth.
Follow me, Jesus said to him.
And Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.
But the Pharisees and teachers of the law who belonged to their sect
complained to his disciples,
Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?
Jesus answered them,
It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Well, let's keep that open before us.
Amazing, incredible encounters with Jesus Christ.
Let's pray before we look at it together.
Our Father God, we marvel and wonder
at these people who met Jesus.
And it is our prayer
that we would meet and encounter Jesus afresh today
through your word.
That the pictures and the understandings that we might have,
we would surrender them to you afresh.
And that you would paint before us
a portrait of Jesus.
That we would see him as he really is.
And we would understand his work
and his calling.
And that we too
would leave everything
and follow him.
Help us, we pray.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
The Apprentice,
that TV show,
is best known for the catchphrase
you're fired.
You're fired.
The host, Lord Shuker,
looks to select various business partners
from about 20 candidates
and only the best person
is chosen.
The people that are there,
well, they're all very successful,
very talented,
confident, popular,
and they all appear very good looking.
And out of this group,
Lord Shuker,
must select one person
to be his partner.
And if you show any sign of weakness,
failure,
or incompetence,
you're fired.
You're out of the game.
Well, that's how life works,
doesn't it?
If you're clever and talented
and popular,
well, you get to go places.
But if you live with some kind of impediment
or you can't quite hold things together
and you struggle to fit in
and you've got this label,
outsider,
well, then you get ignored
and overlooked.
You're fired.
Only the best
are chosen.
Well, it seems that in the kingdom of God,
it's only those
who know they are weak
and only those
who know they fail
who do get hired.
Look what Jesus says
in verse 31.
It is not the healthy
who need a doctor,
but the sick.
I have not come to call
the righteous,
those who think they are good,
but sinners to repentance,
those who know they fail
and mess up.
Chapter 4,
Jesus had just identified himself
to be God's chosen king.
Remember,
as he read from the prophet Isaiah,
the spirit of the Lord
is upon me
to proclaim the year
of the Lord's favour,
to bring grace
to the world.
And Jesus stood up
and he said,
I am the Messiah.
I am the one
who has come
to bring favour
to people.
And as he begins
his public ministry,
as he goes out
meeting people,
Jesus is seeking
mission partners.
calling people
to be with him.
First,
the outsider sinner.
So as we march
into chapter 5,
we are introduced
to a number
of different kinds
of people,
all who encounter Jesus.
And they all have
something in common.
I wondered if you noticed it
as we read through.
They are all outsiders.
First,
we are introduced
to the leper.
If you look in verse 12,
while Jesus was in
one of the towns,
a man came along
who was covered
with leprosy.
Now,
it could be any kind
of skin disease.
It could be leprosy
or it could be something
even as basic
as ringworm.
And people
who had
the skin disease
like leprosy
were considered
a danger
to society.
If you had
a skin disease,
well,
you were contagious
and you were
considered ritually
or ceremonially
unclean.
That meant
you couldn't go
to the temple
to worship God.
You were barred.
You weren't allowed
in there.
You weren't even
allowed into
the local synagogue.
You weren't even
allowed in the
marketplace
where everybody
gathered.
So long as you
had a skin disease,
you were on
the outside.
God was
off limits.
You were
an outsider.
And then we meet
the paralytic.
Verse 17.
One day,
as Jesus was
teaching,
Pharisees and
teachers of the law
who had come
from every
village,
so obviously
news about
Jesus was
spreading and
they were
coming from
Judea and
Jerusalem and
were sitting
there and
the power of
the Lord was
present for him
to heal the
sick.
Some men
came carrying
a paralytic,
a man who
couldn't walk,
and tried to
take him into
the house to
lay him before
Jesus.
Now,
literally,
this guy,
we don't even
know his name.
He's on the
outside.
He can't
get near to
Jesus.
He can't
walk.
The crowd is
too big and
no one is
making room for
him to get
in.
In fact,
the religious
leaders who
are in the
inside,
who are all
able-bodied,
have taken up
the best of
seats.
And he and
his friends are
left on the
outside.
And then we
meet Levi,
don't we,
in verse 27.
After this,
Jesus went
out and saw
a tax
collector by
the name of
Levi,
sitting at
his tax
booth.
Levi, of
course, is
also known
as Matthew,
who would
later write
Matthew's
gospel.
But for
now, we
see him
here as
Levi, and
he's a tax
collector.
And they
were the
worst of
the worst.
They were
scum.
As a tax
collector,
Levi worked
for the
enemy, the
occupying
Roman
authorities.
They acted
as informants,
traitors of
their very
own people.
And to
make matters
worse, not
only would
they charge
a certain
amount of
tax, but
they would
always add
on a little
bit extra
and keep
it for
themselves.
Levi was
not just
on the
outside.
Outsiders
considered
tax collectors
on the
outside of
them.
So here
we're
introduced to
all these
outsiders, but
there's one
more.
We met
him at the
very beginning
in verse
four.
When Jesus
had finished
speaking, he
said to
Simon,
Simon of
course would
become
Peter.
He
says, put
out into
deep and
let down
the nets
for a
catch.
Simon
answered,
Master,
we've
worked hard
all night
and haven't
caught
anything, but
because you
say so, I
will let
down the
nets.
Fishing was
always done
in the
evening time
when the
sun was
down.
That was
the best
time to
go fishing.
Here they
are having
fished all
night.
And then
Jesus, a
carpenter, I
mean, what
does he
know about
fishing?
Let down
your nets.
When they
had done
so, verse
six, they
caught such
a large
number of
fish that
their nets
began to
break.
So they
signaled to
the partners
in the
other boat
to come
and help.
And they
filled the
boat so
full that
they began
to sink.
Now you
picture yourself
as Simon
the fisherman,
a tough
job.
you've
worked hard
all night.
You're not
going to get
any pay
because you've
got no
fish.
In fact,
it would be
quite common
to go for
days, even
weeks, with
no money
at all because
you catch
no fish.
And then
all of a
sudden, your
boat, and
not just your
boat, but
your mate's
boat, is
full with
the weight
of fish.
They're
falling out
over the
sides.
Ching,
ching.
You can
see the
dollar
signs flash
or whatever
currency they
used, I
don't know,
in Simon's
eyes.
I'm rich.
Look at all
this money.
Look at what
we're going
to make when
we go down
to the
market today.
But that's
not how he
responds, is
it?
Look at
verse 8.
When Simon
Peter saw
this, he
fell at
Jesus'
knees and
said,
go away
from me,
Lord.
I am a
sinful man.
You see,
encounters
with Jesus
is an
encounter
with the
living God.
Because
only God
could make
fish swim
into your
net at a
time of the
day when
you don't
catch fish.
fish.
For Simon,
as he was
just about
his business
washing his
nets, he
is confronted
with the
power and
the purity
of the
Creator
Almighty
God.
And knowing
what God
is like,
that God
is perfect
and pure,
and that you
cannot even
look upon
God without
being struck
down.
And knowing
what Peter
is like,
what Simon
is like,
that he's
weak and
failing,
that he has
been confronted
with the
living God,
he falls
down on
his knees.
He can't
even bear
to look.
Go away
from me,
Lord.
I am a
sinful man.
I can't
be with you,
Jesus.
I am not
worthy.
I am a
broken,
sinful mess.
I can't
come near.
I am an
outsider.
You see,
when we
truly grasp
and understand
who Jesus
is,
and as
Luke
orders his
material in
such a way
that we begin
to meet him
and hear his
words and
see what he
does,
we realise
that when
confronted with
Jesus,
us,
we are
all
outsiders.
To other
people we
might appear
to be
successful
and popular
and confident
and live in a
certain place
and have a
great job
and we
might appear
to have it
all together
and that we're
morally good
and religious
and life
goes well
but an
encounter
with the
God-man
Jesus
Christ.
Hearing his
words,
seeing what
he does,
we see that
we are not
like him
at all,
but that he
is powerful
and he
is pure
and we
are not
good enough
for him.
We are
all on
the outside.
We are
all sinners
just like
Simon,
just like
Levi,
just like
the man
who is
lame
and just
like the
leper.
How
would
Jesus
respond?
Get away
from me
Simon,
you dirty
rotten
sinner.
Stay away
from me.
I don't
want to
have
anything
to do
with
you.
Amazing
grace.
Look at
verse 10,
the second
part of
verse 10.
Then Jesus
said to
Simon,
don't
be
afraid.
Don't
be afraid.
Peter
knew his
old
testament
that when
people
met
God,
they fell
down
dead.
Don't
be afraid.
From
now on,
you will
catch men
or literally
you will
fish for
people.
So they
pulled up
their boats
and shore
left everything
and followed.
Simon
is a
sinner.
And Jesus
knows what
Simon is
like.
And Jesus
knows what
I am
like and
what you
are like.
And we
can come
here and
we can
have masks
on and
we can
hide the
things that
are deep
down in
our hearts.
But Jesus
knows exactly
what we
are like.
But when
he sees
Simon,
he sees
not just
confession,
I am a
sinner.
He sees
one who
is humble
and completely
dependent on
God.
Look again
at what he
says in
verse 8.
He fell
at Jesus'
knees and
says,
go away
from me,
Lord,
I am a
sinful man.
Simon is
dependent.
As he
falls on
his knees,
he is
looking for
mercy and
grace.
And grace
and mercy
he receives
from an
outsider to
an insider,
from catching
fish to
now fishing
for people.
His whole
life in an
instance has
been changed
and transformed.
He's not
fired.
He's hired.
Jesus is
saying to
Simon,
I want
you now
to tell
people about
me.
Tell them
about the
grace and
the mercy
that you
have received.
Treat people
as I have
just treated
you.
You see,
Jesus calls
outsiders to
follow him
and to
join him
in his
great mission
of welcoming
outsiders so
that they
too can go
and welcome
others.
Well,
how is
Jesus going
to do
that?
How does
he just
suddenly see
Simon in
one way and
then say,
listen Simon,
it's okay,
you can come
and catch
people now?
Well,
I think the
following stories
illustrate what
actually is
going on in
Simon's life.
First,
cleaned.
if we look
at the story
in verse 12
of the leper,
we saw that
he is an
outsider.
He is
unclean.
Now,
if you were
to touch
someone or
to come
into contact
with someone
with a skin
disease,
well,
then you
became
contaminated.
So,
just even
sitting within
their vicinity,
the law
said,
well,
you've now
become
unclean.
In other
words,
you are now
an outsider
as well.
The law
was very,
very clear
to those
who had
a skin
disease.
This comes
from Leviticus
13.
The law
said,
anyone with
such a
defiling disease
must wear
torn clothes,
let their
hair be
unkept,
cover the
lower part
of their
face and
cry out,
unclean,
unclean.
As long
as they
have the
disease,
they remain
unclean.
they must
live alone.
They must
live outside
the camp.
So,
you see,
you had
to be
very,
very careful
about coming
into contact
with a
leper.
If you
saw one,
you ran
the other
way.
You avoided
them at
all costs.
Well,
look at the
middle of
verse 12.
When this
leper saw
Jesus,
he fell
with his
face to
the ground
and begged
him,
Lord,
if you
are willing,
you can
make me
clean.
Well,
what would
Jesus do?
To be
near a
leper runs
the risk
of being
contaminated,
becoming
unclean.
To engage
with this
leper means,
well,
other people
would see
you and
you could
become
ostracised
and pushed
to the
outside and
you would
be treated
like him.
Jesus,
amidst the
crowds,
reached out
his hand
and touched
the man.
I am
willing,
he said.
Be
clean.
And
immediately
the leprosy
left him.
I mean,
the miracle
is incredible.
Something
extraordinary
has just
happened.
Instead of
Jesus being
the one who
becomes
unclean,
it goes
into reverse.
The leper
becomes
clean.
Everybody
else the
leper had
touched,
they became
unclean.
But now
as Jesus
reaches out
and touches
him,
Jesus doesn't
become unclean,
but the leper
does become
clean.
Instead of
his uncleanliness
being passed
on to Jesus,
Jesus'
cleanliness
is passed
on to him.
And by
a simple
word of
command,
be clean,
the leper
has his
life
restored.
He's no
longer an
outsider.
He now
can walk
into the
marketplace,
he can
now go
to the
temple,
that's why
Jesus said
to him
in verse
14,
go show
yourself
to the
priest,
go show
them that
you're
clean and
that you
can go
and worship
God.
It's
just a
brilliant
picture.
of the
compassion
and love
of God
towards
people like
you and
me,
of God
reaching down
and touching
unclean
people like
us.
And through
Jesus,
our uncleanliness,
all our
impurity,
all our
sin is
removed,
and we
instead are
covered with
his purity.
So that
people like
you and I
can come
and stand
in the
presence of
God.
Jesus has
come to
clean us
so that
we can
be welcomed
into his
mission.
But not
just
cleaned,
forgiven.
Remember the
lame man?
we left
him in
verse 18
on the
outside.
Verse 19,
when they
could not
find a
way to
do this,
that was
to get
to Jesus
because of
the crowd.
Well,
they went
up onto
the roof,
which would
have been
flat roofs,
and they
lowered him
on his
mat through
the tiles,
easy to
take apart
and drop
somebody
down,
into the
middle of
the crowd,
right in
front of
Jesus.
Now he's
on the
inside,
right in
front of
Jesus.
Now Jesus
can heal
him and
make him
walk.
But what
does Jesus
say,
verse 20,
when Jesus
saw their
faith,
their
dependence,
their
humility,
he said,
friend,
your sins
are forgiven.
Well,
this guy,
he can't
walk and
he wants
Jesus to
make him
walk again.
That's why
he's there.
But Jesus
sees past
the physical
and he
sees the
heart and
he sees
the life
and he
sees a
greater need
for this
man.
The need
to be
forgiven,
yes,
physically
he's on
the inside,
he's right
in front
of Jesus,
but he
needs to
be brought
to the
inside.
He needs
to be
made clean.
He needs
to be
forgiven.
You see,
unless we
experience
forgiveness,
we remain
on the
outside.
Without
being made
clean,
we cannot
be part
of his
mission.
Verse 21,
the Pharisees
and the
teachers
of the
law
began
thinking
to
themselves,
who is
this
fellow
who
speaks
blasphemy?
Who does
he think
he is?
Who can
forgive sins
but God
alone?
Jesus'
claim to
forgive sins
is sending
out another
clear message.
I am
God.
I have
the authority
to forgive
your sins.
Yes,
only God
can forgive
sins,
but don't
you realise
who I
am?
I can
forgive
your sins
and I
can wipe
the slate
clean
and give
you a
fresh start
so that
your sins,
past,
present and
future,
are remembered
no more,
no longer
held against
you.
And to
prove it,
look at
verse 23,
Jesus says
to them,
which is
easier to
say,
your sins
are forgiven
or to
say,
get up
and walk?
Well,
it's easy
to say,
your sins
are forgiven.
I mean,
I could say
that to
any one of
you.
I could
say,
your sins
are forgiven,
your sins
are forgiven.
How do
you know
if your sins
are forgiven?
How do
you prove
it or
disprove
it?
Anybody
can say,
your sins
are forgiven.
It's much
harder to
say,
get up
and walk
because it
must be
proven by
that person
getting up
and walking.
Verse
24,
but so
that you
may know
that the
Son of
Man
has
authority
on earth
to forgive
sins,
He said
to the
paralyzed
man,
I tell
you,
get up,
take your
mat and
go home.
Jesus
heals
the man
physically
to prove
he can
forgive sins
spiritually.
He does
a greater
work,
more than
this guy
ever thought
or imagined.
he takes
him from
the outside
and brings
him into
the inside.
And unless
we have
come to
experience
this forgiveness
from God,
we remain
on the
outside.
And the
point is
clear,
it's only
when we're
forgiven
and cleaned
that we can
be part of
his mission.
because
his purpose
is to
call us
to his
mission.
Look at
the story
of Levi.
The
encounter
with Jesus
is just
stunning.
It's a
brilliant
little story.
Verse 27,
after this
Jesus went
out and
he saw
a tax
collector
by the
name of
Levi
sitting at
his tax
booth.
Follow
me,
Jesus
said to
him.
And
Levi
got up,
left
everything
and
followed
him.
It's
astounding.
Tax
collectors
are
outsiders
and
they
should
stay
outsiders.
They're
meant to
be
condemned,
not
welcomed.
But
these are
the people
that Jesus
calls.
He
cleans
them,
he
forgives
them,
and he
says,
follow
me.
Verse 28,
and Levi
got up,
left
everything,
and
followed
him.
Well,
Simon's
response was
pretty much
the same,
wasn't it?
Verse 11,
they pulled
their boats
up on
shore,
left
everything,
and
followed
him.
Now,
we know
that Simon,
as we read
through the
Gospels,
that he did
continue to
fish.
and it's
very possible
that Levi
continued to
be a tax
collector,
although
an honest
one.
So,
what does
it mean
that they
left
everything
and
followed
him?
Well,
in following
Jesus and
leaving
everything,
it's the
same call
that goes
out to
us.
Jesus is
saying,
look,
your
priorities
in life
have now
changed.
I am
your
priority.
Their
whole
life was
now
reorientated
around the
mission and
the plan of
Jesus,
who was to
call people
into his
mission.
Jesus has
become central.
Their life
was all about
now serving
his purpose,
whether they
were fishing
or tax
collecting or
whatever they
did,
their mission
was about
serving his
purpose.
Jesus was
now their
Lord.
God
that is
what and
how Jesus
was referred
to, a
title that
was reserved
for God
alone.
In other
words, there
is no longer
any I
or me.
It's no
longer what
I want or
what I want
to do.
But what
does God
say in
his word
and what
should I
obey?
He is my
master.
I must
follow
him.
And that's
the call
of Jesus
when he
cleans us
and forgives
us.
He is
calling
outsiders
like you
and me
to follow
him and
to join
him in
his mission
of welcoming
outsiders.
So third,
outsider
sinners
welcome
others.
Levi
immediately
understands
that because
he has
been
welcomed,
brought
from the
outside to
the inside
by Jesus,
he now
welcomes
other people.
Look at his
response,
verse 29.
Then Levi
held a
great banquet,
this massive
party in his
house,
for Jesus
and a large
crowd of the
tax collectors
and others
were eating
them.
Levi
sends out
an invite
to all his
other tax
collector
friends.
all the
other
outsiders.
He says,
come to
my house,
come and
have a
party.
Because he
wants them
to meet
Jesus.
He wants
them to
experience
what it
is to
be cleaned
and forgiven
and called.
And here
we see
mission at
its simplest
but at
its best.
Sitting
down with
his friends,
eating and
drinking and
talking about
what Jesus
has done
in your
life.
But not
everyone is
happy.
Verse 30.
The Pharisees
and the
teachers of
the law
who belong
to their
sect,
remember they've
come from all
over the
places.
We read that
in verse 17,
wanting to
know who
this Jesus
is.
faith.
And they
complained to
the disciples,
why do you
eat and
drink with
tax collectors
and sinners?
Remember tax
collectors were
like traitors.
They were
working for
the occupying
Romans.
For the
Pharisees,
God's Messiah
was meant to
come in in a
blaze of glory
and get rid of
the Romans and
overthrow the
enemy and set
up and establish
God's kingdom
and restore
everything and
everybody to
their rightful
place.
But here's the
Messiah,
sitting down in
the middle of
these outsiders,
sitting amongst
these traitors,
sitting amongst
the outsiders,
eating and
drinking.
And in case
we're missing
the point,
that's precisely
the mission of
Jesus.
He says,
verse 31,
it is not
the healthy
who need
the doctor,
but it's
the sick.
I haven't
come to
call the
righteous,
but sinners
to repentance.
As we
finish,
I want to
ask ourselves
some questions.
How are we
doing at
welcoming
others?
sinners?
Do you
sit down
and eat
with tax
collectors
and sinners?
Let me
ask a couple
of questions.
Who are the
people that
you intentionally
socialise with
and chat to?
I don't
mean the
people who
you kind of
bump into
at work or
in college
and kind of
they're there,
but who do
you intentionally
take time
out with
and socialise
with?
Or do you
just like to
keep it
safe and
hang out
with the
good
Christians?
After all,
we don't
want to
become
contaminated
by those
who live
in moral
lives,
do we?
Who do
you invite
into your
homes?
Or who do
you invite
out if you
go out for
dinner or
a drink?
The nice
people?
The ones
that believe
the same
kinds of
things that
you believe?
After all,
we don't
want to
become unclean
by those
who hold
different views
about abortion
or gender
identity.
We don't
want to
touch them.
Or perhaps
the sad
reality is
you actually
don't know
anyone you
could welcome.
There's no
one you
can invite.
Maybe you've
lost the
reason that
Jesus called
you in the
first place.
Maybe we've
become like
a Pharisee
gossiping
about those
who eat
and drink
with sinners.
I'm not
going to
be like
them.
Well, let
me remind
us all.
Jesus has
not cleaned
us and
forgiven us
so that we
can stay in
our nice
cozy Christian
bubble with
our nice
Christian
friends,
sending nice
little Christian
text messages
on our
Facebook page.
church.
Jesus
welcomes
outsiders like
you and
me so
that we
can go and
welcome
outsiders in.
Three
things to
consider.
Very
simply, how
do we go
about welcoming
others?
Three
things.
Intentional.
Be
intentional.
Take the
time to think
through, right?
Okay, at the
weekend, I'm
going to go and
meet people.
I'm going to go
and invite them
and they're going
to come over to
the house or I'm
going to go out
and see them.
Be intentional.
Plan it.
Yes, it's going to
be sacrificial and
you won't get to do
the things you want
to do, but be
intentional about
where you go and
the people you
hang out with.
Second one,
communal.
That is, don't
do it alone.
Invite other
believers along
with you to
meet other
people.
If you're having
friends over,
invite all kinds
of friends over.
Be intentional.
Be communal.
And the last
one, be
real.
And I simply
mean by that,
look, Jesus
sees right into
our hearts.
we don't need
to put on a
mask or a
pretense to
pretend that
we're better or
superior, that we
don't mess up or
we don't fail.
Be real about
your life.
Admit your
weakness.
Admit where you
need help.
Show that you
are dependent
on an amazing
God and an
amazing Savior
who comes to
clean us,
who comes to
forgive,
and who comes
to call us
to be part of
his mission.
Let's just
pray a
minute.
Let's
pray a
minute.
Let's
pray a
minute.
Let's
pray a
minute.
Let's
pray a
minute.