One Baptism - THERE'S NO "I" IN ONE, part 6 (Eph 4:5c)

Faithfulness, Church Life, and New Member Recognition

Alrighty. Well hey I'm glad to have everyone here come on in welcome faithful saints. And you know this morning I was pondering and thinking as we were preparing for the service of the fact that that you know scripture speaks of us as faithful saints that speaks of us as saints.

But but it is not our faithfulness that brings us together today. Is it. Is it. Is it our faithfulness. Is it my faithfulness. Whose is it. God's faithfulness. Right. It's the faithfulness of God. And so so for those of you that are weary this week those of you that have felt beaten down by the world and felt distracted maybe felt distant from God at times we are glad that you are here because we are here because of his faithfulness.

Praise God. One of the faithful things that we have seen as of late was actually last night many of you got to come and be a part of our deacon ordination service. As you can see up here on the screen we we were able to establish three men into the office of deacon here at twelve five church for the very first time.

And that is a historic thing. That is a glorious thing God is providing. God has raised up these these three men. Justin Stassney. Brian Agee. And where's Adam at. Is Adam here this morning. Adam Carmichael.

And so God is God is providing. And we got to celebrate me and Pastor Jeremiah were able to lay hands on these three men and ordain them and commission them as elders. That the members that were able to be here last night were able to stand an affirmation of each of those men.

We will have that service online soon. We did record it. So if you want to watch that service you will be able to. We'll let you know when that comes out. But but as we prepare for today I'm so grateful that you're here.

I just want to welcome all of our covenant members. Thank you for your your faithfulness. Thank you for your commitment. Thanks for bringing your gifts to the body. Because that's what we're called to do as we bring up every week.

Right. What's the writer of Hebrews say says do not neglect the gathering of the Saints. Right. And for what purpose. For his purpose was specifically to we mentioned it every week guys. Encourage one another.

Right to encourage one another all the more as we see the day of Christ drawing near. And so thank you for obeying him and gathering to worship together. And we bring our gifts together. And we just want you to know you are loved you are loved in this space.

And I also want to say thank you to a guest. Those of you that are regular guests some of you may be first-time guests. Thank you for being here and joining us as we gather to worship. We have connection cards there in the back.

Please if if you could fill one of those out that way we can get to know you. We have a little section on the back. How can we pray for you. Our desire is to pray for you. Our desire is to be able to to intercede for you and go to the Lord.

If you have questions either there are some next steps on the back becoming a Christian a church member baptism discipleship want to know about children's ministry and other ministries. And if you if you want to fill that out you can find out what it is that it means to be a part of this covenant body of believers.

But we are glad you're here. And our prayer is that all of us would grow in the fear and knowledge of the triune God. Amen God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit. And that's why we we want to gather.

And he is represented in our midst. Well before we actually start our call to worship we often pray for another local church. Don't we today we want to pray for our brothers and sisters at grace covenant.

I reached out to pastor pastor Bobby Shackelford this week and told him hey we want to be praying for you guys. Is there anything specific that that we can be praying for for for y 'all's church. And and he just thanked us for praying for them.

But he asked for wisdom for their leadership. He asked for a smooth transition with their interim pastor that they have preaching at the moment continued adherence to sound biblical teaching fathers to be strong as spiritual heads family evangelism in our community worship that is pleasing to God.

That's a good list isn't it. I can tell he was very thoughtful and wanted wanted us to be able to pray specifically for these things. And again he said thank you. And he asked that I would send his love in Christ to all of you.

And so let's let's bow our heads now and please pray with me as we pray for these specific things as they gather as the Saints to worship the Lord today. Dear Heavenly Father we come before you this morning.

We are so grateful that we get to gather and worship you in spirit and in truth. And we know that we're not alone there are other Saints all over this community all over this world right now that are that are either preparing or already worshiping you as as you have prescribed and called us to do in the first day of the week to give to you to worship you Lord.

We just we thank you for our brothers and sisters at grace covenant. But we thank you for their their their witness God. We thank you for their their love for deep theological truth and commitment to what it is that you have prescribed for the church.

Well we asked for wisdom for their leadership for Pastor Bobby as he helps elder and lead that church for other other men that serve in the roles of deacon. Or we asked for this this interim pastor that's preaching in the moment God with that that that transition if you're calling him to be an elder of that church I pray that you just give them wisdom or we pray that they would continue to to to guard the the good deposit that you have entrusted the church with that sound biblical teaching Lord.

We pray for their families specifically their fathers to lead spiritually be godly men that pastor and care for their wives and their children. Well we pray for for the family evangelism in their community that that as those fathers and those mothers pour into their children and evangelize them pointing them to Christ or Christ alone.

Well we pray that their worship is pleasing to you as they prepare to gather this morning. I pray that you would work in their midst in a mighty way in Christ's name. Well before we go to a call to worship have some something exciting that we love to do here.

We have a new member recognition and Nathan and Becca if y 'all don't mind coming on up here. Y 'all seen Nathan and Becca around here for a little bit and they have they've gone through the whole process the the new member class all four weeks right.

It's like drinking from a fire hose right. All four weeks to see what it is what does it mean to be a part of this covenant body of believers. And they have been thoughtful about it and I'll be honest they y 'all didn't schedule a one-on-one meeting an interview to get going right after the four classes and y 'all went out of town and I didn't know and I thought we lost you because I've seen that before in our new member class people come to it and they see how serious we take it and they're like oh no I'm out and so they went out of town.

I thought oh no we've lost them but then they showed back up they're like hey we want to join. So we were able to sit down and talk through some of those things and and they have felt the call to to commit themselves to this this particular body of believers and we're excited to see their giftings come into this body where God has specifically called them now.

Nathan is a teacher at Ridgefield right. Is Ridgefield Christian School. Is that what it's called right here in town. And what do you teach Bible. Oh wow. Okay awesome. Well maybe he'll be teaching some Bible here then too awesome.

And Becca you you are a homemaker right. And you told me the other day you love making bread but you can't eat most of the bread. Okay. Well that's a shame. But I'll eat the bread. If you ever make bread just bring it here.

I'll eat it all. Right. Well well thank y 'all. We're excited to see what God does in y 'all's lives and specifically for us to be able to minister to your family. We are so excited about this. So members of 12 five if you affirm Nathan and Becca being a part of this covenant body believers please stand.

Amen amen. Welcome to the family. This is awesome. And as we do every week you may be seated as we do every time we we bring in a new family and remember we commission you right with God's Word the this is an ESV study Bible.

We've written y 'all's names and the date in which you've joined today and actually become members of this church. And I pray that that 30 40 years down the road you guys will be able to look at that Bible.

Go man we've been God has worked in our lives in this way and see what all God's done with our family. And we were just thrilled. Can I pray with y 'all. Let's pray for dear Heavenly Father. We thank you.

We thank you for your provision Christ. You said that you will build your church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And you are drawing your your saints to where you desire for them to be in the context of a healthy church that that seeks to be obedient not a perfect church but a church that desires to be obedient to what you've called us to be.

Oh Lord help us to do so. And Lord we thank you for Nathan and Becca. We pray that you would you would just continue to work in their lives. I pray that as they commit themselves to this body Lord I pray that that their gifts their abilities that you've given them would benefit this body.

But but that all of us as other as members of this church would also benefit them in their spiritual mutual edification. We thank you for them. Christ's name. Amen amen. All right. That always starts off to make for a good Sunday.

Doesn't it. I love to see that the family grow here. Well let's stand again. I had you set back down you got comfortable. It's time to start our service with a call to worship. Okay. Our call to worship this morning is the first five verses of Psalm 66.

How awesome are your deeds to the to the choir master. This is a song of Psalm a song this is shout for joy to God all the earth give to him glorious praise. Say to God so great is your power. All the earth worships you and sings praises to you.

Oh come and see what God has done.

Come let's bow at his feet. He has done a great thing our Savior has done. He has done great things right. Let's go to him in a prayer of adoration for the great.

Things that he has done. Oh dear Heavenly Father Lord we come to you this morning and and we just we just acknowledge who you are and you are great you are merciful and kind and you are gracious long-suffering God.

You are just and holy and righteous Lord altogether separate from us. Well we can't even begin to comprehend. We have to think of you in terms of physical realities because we can't even get our minds to comprehend the immensity of who you are.

That is something separate from your creation. So God I pray that as we look at at the mighty deeds that you have done the awesome deeds toward the children of man towards your creation that we we've come here today to see what you've done the great things that you have done to redeem us.

Father. You loved us before you even created us Jesus you sought after us and you purchased us by blood ransom and Holy Spirit. You now intercede intercede for us and in ways that we can't even understand while you and dwell in us as Christians and seal us for that wonderful day of redemption I pray that we would be in all of you that we would be an amazement of you Jesus we would be overwhelmed at the glorious grace mercy Holy Spirit thank you in Christ's name.

Christ's Suffering, Noah, and Baptism in 1 Peter 3

A scripture reading this morning comes from 1st Peter 3 verses 18 through 22 where Peter writes for Christ also suffered once for sins the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison because they had formerly did not obey what God when God's patience waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared in which a few that is eight persons were brought safely through water baptism which corresponds to this now saves you not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels authorities and powers having subjected to him having been subjected to him.

Praise God amen this the spiritual baptism that each of us undergoes in order to be brought into the household of faith glorious thing that we've been saved. You may be seated as I pray for our time of offering if we could get some men to come up and grab the baskets and hand those out.

Thank you Lord. I pray this morning that you are being honored in our worship towards you. And we ask right now that that as we continue our time of worship through giving that it would be from grateful hearts.

It would not be begrudgingly that it would not be out of compulsion but from a heart that knows this belongs to you. You're the giver of all good things and we want to participate in kingdom purpose be honored in it.

We ask in Christ's name Lord's table at the end of the sermon. But today let's do it now. I'm ready. Are you. Are you ready to worship the Lord in this way. I couldn't help but think of the words. I jotted them down because I knew we're gonna be singing that song.

The verse the writer says. God sent his son. They call him Jesus. He came to love heal and forgive. He bled and died to buy my pardon. An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives because he lives because he lives.

We gather today and worship him because he lives. We get to stand in the righteousness of Christ and come before the Father as our own Father in spirit and in truth in perfect union with the triune. God no longer at odds with him no longer at enmity with him no longer under the wrath of him but now standing in the beauty and righteousness of being adopted heirs.

It's perfect isn't it. It's perfect. So we're gonna. We're gonna come around and gather at the Lord's table as a church. And we're gonna remember that sacrifice of our Savior as we continue our time of worship.

Pastor Jeremiah and myself will be up here if you need to pray with us if you want to talk with us if you need us to intercede and prayer with you. Please come talk to us in this moment. Search your heart as you prepare to come to this table.

It is not as I say every time it is not penance. Do not beat yourself over the chest saying I've not been perfect. I can't come to the table. That's not what it's about. It's about not having unrepentant sin in your life and refusing to lay it at the foot of the cross.

If you do that you we fall we fall and we get back up. We fall. We get back up. We fall. We get back up. And we continually lay that at for the cross. And our Savior says hey child I paid for that already.

It's already done. Right. And so we get to come to the table with a clear conscience. Evaluate. Make sure you don't have anything. It's a brother or sister. Make sure that you just are not setting an unrepentant sin.

Lay it at the foot of the cross and then come to the table. So let me pray. Now pastor Jeremiah myself will be up here. We will come around the outsides as we often or we always do. Come around the outsides gather get your wine and bread and go back to your seat and pray as a family.

Pray individually but partake of those elements. And then we will come back together as we prepare to open God's Word. Let me pray. Dear Heavenly Father we thank you. Thank you for this day. We thank you for this ordinance of the Lord's Supper.

We thank you for prescribing that for us. You did so for our good and your glory. Help us to realize that in these elements there is nothing the magical but in these elements as your people gather oh Jesus you you allow us to experience your presence in a unique way.

Long for that. We want to remember what you did for us to bring us into this position to worship you today.

So be honored in our worship at this table in Christ's name when we do the Lord's Supper. This.

Is a time of unity a time of unity with the triune God. As pastor Nathan said it's a time of unity with the Saints. And something that we got to celebrate last night was something tremendous the unity of 12 five.

We were able to ordain 12 fives first set of deacons. And so this is just a time of celebration a time where we have come together and God has blessed the body of 12 5 in such a tremendous way. So I'm excited to just announce that this morning and I want to invite you to turn with me in your copy of God's Word to Ephesians chapter 4 we are continuing our expositional preaching series that we've titled there is no I in one.

One Baptism and the Unity of the Spirit

And so here in Ephesians chapter 4 Paul has used seven declarations about the unity of the body of Christ. And it's no accident that the Apostle Paul chose to repeat this theme seven times because the number seven in Scripture is often used to identify with something being completely finished right.

This oftentimes revert refers to divine accomplishment for the perfection of God as he is performing a task. And so Paul decides decides to use one proclamation and he uses the phrase one baptism. He uses this as one of the proclamations that the perfect unity that God is working in his body.

And so I think this is ironic because there has been so much division and discussion about the topic of baptism. And yet that is the phrase that Paul uses to talk about some work of perfection. It is a notorious fact that the whole question of baptism all throughout church history and continues today is a is a point of disunity.

So I want us to talk about this. How can Paul talk about the phrase one baptism in a way of perfect unity. And yet it causes so much division. So if you would look with me at Ephesians chapter 4 starting in verse 1 the Apostle Paul says.

I therefore a prisoner of the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called with all humility and gentleness with patience bearing with one another in love eager to maintain unity of the spirit in the bond of peace there is one body there is one spirit just as you were called into one hope that belongs to your call one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

Let's pray this morning Heavenly Father I just want to praise your holy name God. Oftentimes we flippantly go about our days without giving reverence honor and thanks to your holy not your holy name. And it is you that gives us breath in our lungs.

So this morning God I pray that we would think deeply about what unity in the spirit looks like as we live our lives to glorify you God you're the only one worthy of our worship in our praise Lord we love you.

We praise things in your name Jesus amen. So we're gonna be looking at that phrase back in verse 5 where Paul says one baptism. There has been much spilled ink riding over. What in the world does this baptism refer to.

Some people say well how hard can it be. He says there's only one. It's so obvious. And I'm just like well Paul is talking about one baptism. But if you are familiar with the New Testament there's so many different kinds of baptism.

For example you have the baptism of John the Baptist the baptism into Moses baptism of fire baptism of suffering. The baptism of Jesus that fulfills all righteousness the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And then you have the ceremonial baptism that Jesus commanded in the Great Commission.

And so we have to ask the question what is the one baptism that the Apostle Paul has in mind here in verse 5. And so looking through all these different options I really think there's only two options that rise to the table that fit the context.

Really. Well this could be referring to water baptism the ceremony that Jesus commanded for all Christians. Back in Matthew 28 he said go therefore make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son and the Spirit.

That is a legitimate option. Another option is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is the moment of regeneration when a person is born again. John the Baptist famously said I baptize you with water for repentance.

But he Jesus Christ who is coming after me he is mightier than I whose sandals I'm not worthy to carry and he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Okay so an important note I want to make here as we're looking through these two options I want to say these two baptisms are not the same.

You get the baptism of the Spirit and then you have the ceremony of water baptism. Because there are many groups that want to say ah that is one baptism. The Holy Spirit has worked through these waters.

And that is not right advocates of these this view that combines these two baptism. They teach the heresy called baptismal regeneration. There's all different kinds of groups that teach this explicitly and call it baptismal regeneration.

Or they just merely do it in practice many groups such as the Eastern Orthodox Church the Roman Catholic Church the Lutheran Church Mormons latter the the Saints the Latter-day Saints in the Church of Christ all of these explicitly or in function teach baptismal regeneration.

And what that means is that these advocates teach that during the sacrament of coming into contact with the waters of baptism a person's sins are washed away and they are thereby born again by the power of the Spirit.

Okay this is wrong. We cannot control the work of the Holy Spirit. That is God's prerogative to move and operate in somebody's heart. Jesus himself refutes this idea in John chapter 3 when he is talking to Nicodemus he says that which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Then he says to Nicodemus don't marvel at this truth. You must be born again. Yes. But think about this Nicodemus the wind blows where it wishes and you can hear it sound but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.

So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. Jesus's point is the Holy Spirit cannot be contained and manipulated by man especially during a ceremony. Right. He even you he talks about the rebirth being born again.

We had no control in our first birth. Right. We have no control in our second birth either. And Jesus says just as we cannot see your control of the wind we can however see the effects of the wind. Right.

We see the flag. Right. We know the winds at work. We see the branches on the trees move. The wind is over there. And Jesus's point in the same way we cannot control when a person is regenerated and born again by the work of the Spirit.

Because it's just like the wind we can see the effects of the Spirit at work in someone's life. When someone is convicted convicted over sin and they're broken over and they see Jesus for the first time as a perfect Savior and put their faith in them.

Well then that's that person is born again. We are seeing the effects of the Holy Spirit. And so we cannot combine these two different baptisms. The ceremony of water baptism is different than the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

A new believer who is born again is justified by faith alone and this person seeks to obey the commands of Christ in their sanctification in discipleship. They want to participate in this ceremonial work of baptism as an act of faith.

Right. Because we understand our our right standing our justification before God is by faith alone. And we say that meaning faith apart from works. The Apostle Paul clearly says in Ephesians 2. For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And this is not your own doing. It is a gift of God not a result of works. Because we could boast about it. We get peace with God by faith in King Jesus. Romans 5 1. Paul says. Therefore we have been justified by faith and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Right. It's a ceasefire. There's no longer enmity. We're no longer at war with our Creator who is our judge. Why. Because our perfect Savior our faith in him is admitting we can't do it ourselves. No baptism is going to aid in that faith.

Not faith plus works of the mosaic law. Not faith plus a sinner's prayer. Not faith plus walking down an aisle. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone in glory be to God alone.

So this will actually help us in the context of Ephesians chapter 4 because we are asking the question what is the one baptism that Paul is referring to. If you would look back with me at verse 1 Paul says.

I therefore a prisoner for the Lord urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling any pause there Paul is exhorting Christians. He is saying daily walk in a manner that reflects Christ. He is saying present your bodies your entire life as a sweet-smelling aroma to God live for his glory.

Your whole life is your spiritual worship to him. Worship is not just once once a week on a Sunday. And when we sing worship is a Christian's whole life saying God it's yours use it as you will. And so Paul has been exhorting the Christians mind for three chapters in Ephesians.

Okay three chapters of deep doctrine pointing us back to the sovereign triune God look to him that changes how you live your life. Paul's been saying that this sovereign triune God works all things together after the counsel of his will who in love he predestined to us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ all to the praise of his glorious grace.

And as we look at God we see his the mystery of Christ unfolding throughout time. The mystery of Christ is his body reconciling two people from the world's perspective that could not come together Jew and Gentile coming together in one new man.

And that is the church. That is the church body that the the work powerful working of God is put on putting on display Ephesians chapter 3 this church and it's through the church the manifold wisdom of God might be shown to the world.

And so Paul for three chapters is just driving us back to who God is and what he is doing throughout all of history in my in light of this amazing work of redemption God that he's accomplishing. Paul says I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling that you have been called and look with me at verse 2 he says we do this with all humility and gentleness with patience bearing with one another in love eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

And so we are talking about unity this morning. Right. This is we've been talking about unity throughout this whole mini-series talking about all these ones all these decorations that Paul is saying that God is doing in salvation.

And so he's telling us to be eager to maintain the unity of the spirit. This is referring to a believers sanctification where the Holy Spirit is making us more and more like Christ. If you've ever thought about this the Holy Spirit is making us holy.

In fact our sanctification is not dependent on our faithfulness. As pastor Nathan said this is the faithfulness of God at work in us and we experience that we desire to be obedient. But it's a work of the Spirit first Peter 1 2 says in sanctification of the Spirit works in us for the obedience to Jesus Christ.

And so sanctification is a believers participation and we desire to obey Christ and all that he has commanded us. So from our perspective we strive to live obediently to honor the Lord. And so we're talking about maintaining unity in the Spirit later in Ephesians.

I believe it's Ephesians 518. Paul says this another way he commands Christians to be filled with the Spirit. That means to let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. As you're being obedient in your walk you will be blessed.

Right. Not a prosperity gospel. But there is inherent blessing when you're living your life to the glory of God and you're walking in obedience. Okay. And so as the the fruit of the Spirit permeates your life you will also bless others.

And so here in verses 2 3 Paul mentions about half of the fruit of the Spirit. Humility gentleness patience love peace. These are things that Christians strive after. But when a Christian deliberately sins and disobeys the Lord this brings disunity.

And so later here in Ephesians chapter 4 this is referred to as quenching the Spirit. Or as Paul says elsewhere grieving the Spirit or quenching the Spirit. Look with me at Ephesians 4 at verse 30. Okay this brings disunity.

Paul says do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with all malice.

And make special note of verse 32. But be kind to one another tender-hearted forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. Right. Our church family is that. Right. We are a family. So sometimes we're gonna rub each other the wrong way.

If you've stayed around for our coin in EFE someone's gonna say something that offends you. It's okay. Forgive them. Right. And this person by God's grace will season their speech with love and grace too.

But we are a family dynamic when somebody offends us. Be kind to one another tender-hearted forgiving them as Christ has forgiven us. Christians strive for unity to be filled with the Spirit not to grieve the Spirit but to walk in unity with one another.

So verse 3 the unity of the Spirit is being as believers being filled with the Spirit as we strive to live in obedience to glorify God. Then look with me at verse 4 there is one body and one spirit. So notice Paul mentions the Spirit again but in a slightly different way.

Paul shifts from exhorting Christians to walk in a manner worthy to maintain unity in the Spirit in the opening three verses. Now he's emphasizing the sevenfold unity and the perfection of God working in salvation.

In verses 4 5 6 right we talked about this one body. This refers to the one people of God the elect who God will perfectly save in his timing. The one spirit is the Holy Spirit who indwells the people of God by sealing them to the day of redemption.

The one hope. This is not a hope as the world hopes and things that may or may not come true but this is an unwavering hope in the unchanging promises of God in salvation. One Lord this is this is referring to Jesus Christ the one perfect Lord and perfect Savior.

And as last week pastor Nathan preached on one faith this is God's all-sufficient Word that reveals to us truth that has been once delivered to the Saints and is able to make us wise unto salvation. Okay so we asked the question what is the one baptism that saves and is accomplished by God perfectly.

I believe that this would be the baptism of the Holy Spirit the powerful working of God. And so much of the context is already in relation to the Spirit. Right back in verse 3 maintain unity in the Spirit we know that is to be filled with the Spirit.

Verse 4 there is one spirit who indwells the church. And now in verse 5 there is one baptism that is the work of the Spirit who regenerates a person who is dead in their sins and causes them to be born again so that they may see the kingdom of God.

Okay this is a theme that Paul has already touched on in Ephesians. Back in chapter 2 we read that we were once dead in our trespasses in our sins following the Prince of the power of the air who is Satan.

And we were by children. We were by nature children of wrath. And then Paul says. But God being rich in mercy with a great love in which he loved us even as we were dead in our trespasses he made us alive together with Christ for by grace you have been saved.

So he's been talking about this perfect union that the Spirit has already begun in our life when we look at the the mercy the grace and the love of God that brought us into that perfect union that is us being immersed or baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit.

So the Apostle Paul when he mentions the word baptism I want to talk about this word a little bit. In the Greek it's a baptism. The the root of this is which means to dip or immerse. But you will hear Pastor Nathan I say this all the time.

Context is king because many people say baptism always means a wet immersion. Well not. The context says that you're being immersed into something else. Baptizo means you could be immersed into suffering.

You could be immersed into one's authority or you could be immersed into water. And so I'd like to invite you for a moment please turn with me to 1st Corinthians chapter 1. I want us to explore three different ways.