2 Corinthians 12:11-13:10 (Final Pleadings, Jeff Kliewer)

Extra long, let's go to the Lord in prayer. God, we do thank you so much for this amazing opportunity on a beautiful morning as the sun is shining down and the crispness in the air, just the Christmas season.

Lord, you have given us so many good gifts, it's just overwhelming and we thank you for all that we have. Lord, we do think of these women, these eight new believers who have come to know you. Lord, we pray for them this morning that they would be worshiping you in spirit and in truth right where they are and experiencing the joy of the Lord even while they are in prison.

Lord, their hearts are free, so we pray that you would meet with them this morning and give them joy. We thank you for that great gift of salvation and we recognize that it's only by your grace that any of us have come to know you.

Thank you, God. This morning now as we open your word, we pray that you would speak to us in Jesus' name, amen. Surely everyone here has heard of D .L. Moody, the great evangelist and preacher who began a church in Chicago and it became one of the first mega churches and just reaching hundreds and thousands of people for the gospel.

Well, there was a minister whose name is John Harper from Scotland who traveled to the United States of America in the year 1911 and preached there at Moody's church. And under the ministry of Harper that fall, there was a great revival continuing with what Moody had begun, this great move of the Spirit.

And so, Harper returned to Scotland and when he got home, he found a telegram from the church, from Moody's church, inviting him back in the spring. And so, glad to do the work of the Lord, Harper accepted.

Harper's church in Scotland was also thriving. It had begun about 25 people and had grown to about 500 people because Harper pled with men to be reconciled to God. He preached the gospel and he called them to repentance and faith and people began to come to faith.

So, Harper and his daughter set off on a journey in the spring of 1912. They got on a ship whose name you'll recognize, the Titanic. And Harper and his six-year-old daughter and also Harper's sister were on that voyage, the maiden voyage of Titanic.

Now, the reason that his wife was not there, she passed away just shortly after the six-year-old was born, Nana. And they got on this fateful journey and just before nearing New York, speeding along trying to make harbor, hastening quicker than should have been done, of course, the Titanic struck an iceberg.

And they were awakened in the night and John Harper grabbed his daughter, his precious six-year-old Nana, wrapped her in a blanket and ran to the to the front, up on top the ship. And passed her to one of the captains who handed her to the lifeguard who was taking the children and the women first into the lifeboats.

Before saying goodbye, he said to her, Daddy has to stay because many on this ship don't know the Jesus that we know. And he said, I will see you again. If not on this side, I will see you again. And that's the last words that he ever spoke to her.

Handed her into the lifeboat and then he went back aboard that ship and began to plead with men to be reconciled to God. Do you know the Savior? He pled. Come, and he quoted Acts 1631. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

He cried it out to person after person. Every person who dove into the water as the ship was going down. He cried out Acts 1631. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Finally, at the last moment, he dove into the water.

But he was able to swim for a few minutes. He came to one man who was drifting on some kind of wood or some wreckage from the ship and he pled with this man. Do you know the Savior? And the man said, no I don't.

And the waves moved them apart. But by God's providence, they were reunited and he pled with this man to be saved. And just minutes later, Harper disappeared under the water. That man was one of six. One of six who were rescued from the water that day.

Out of 1 ,500 who didn't make it into the lifeboats. A few years later, I think it was four years later, at a reunion for those who survived the sinking of the Titanic, he says, there that day with two miles of water underneath me, I was John Harper's last convert.

He trusted in Christ in the water. And he was pulled safely and as people looked and tried to discern who made it and who was lost, there were two columns written of the names of the passengers. They were not organized by class.

First class, second class, third class, and fourth class as the ship was organized. They were organized under two categories. Saved and lost. And that physical salvation represented from the Titanic can be applied spiritually as we think about the human condition.

There are two groups of men and women on earth. There are the saved and there are the lost. And we, brothers and sisters, although when we are at our Christmas party this year, we're not at the Titanic and we don't sense the urgency of the moment because surely we'll have another conversation.

And yet, we don't know the shortness of the hour. And what I found is with most people that I share the gospel with, I shared the gospel with some lady at Costco yesterday, most people it's one and done.

It's like the Titanic. You will probably not have another opportunity to share the gospel with a stranger. You may run into them a second time as Harper did, drifting back together with his last convert.

But when we share the gospel, we should have the same urgency, the same pleading, the same passion in our voices, understanding that this may be their final opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.

As we come into our text this morning in 2nd Corinthians, I see it as a final pleading. Paul is pleading with this church. And in a sense, the Corinthian church that he planted and then moved on to Ephesus and to the continent of Asia, in a sense, this Titanic of a church is beginning to sink.

How so? Because the church is beginning to follow false teachers and they are gaining sway and gaining influence and there's a competition at Corinth. Who will follow these false super apostles and who will follow Paul?

And so throughout the course of the letter, just remind ourselves here quickly in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 16 and following, how Paul has been pleading with them to remain true to the gospel, to the gospel that he brought them and that he represents.

Notice the pleading and point out quickly three things from 2nd Corinthians 5 16 through 6 2 and then we'll get to our main section today in chapter 12. 2nd Corinthians 5 16, from now on therefore we regard no one according to the flesh.

Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

That is, verse 19, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them. First thing to notice about how we should plead with people, this offer that we give is valuable.

The gospel that we have to give means that God will not count your sins against you. Though you may drown in the sea, or be killed by arrow, or by disease, or pass quietly in old age, all of us meet the same fate.

Harper's daughter died in 1986, the wife of a pastor, and she was resurrected into glory, her sins not counted against her, standing in the presence of God and of the Lamb. Her sins not counted against her.

This message is urgent, but look at the second thing, the very next verse. The message that we have, the offer, is entrusted to us to deliver. We're the stewards of it, verse 20, therefore we are ambassadors for Christ.

Imagine an ambassador going to a foreign country with a message to deliver from the United States of America and fell quiet, never delivering the message. We would say, that's a horror, it could lead to war, that could destroy a people.

It's a terrible thing for an ambassador to fail in the thing that he was trusted to do, but we are ambassadors, God making his appeal through us. We're the instrument. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

So that's a second thing, that we are entrusted to be the ones who deliver this message. Verse 21, just one of the greatest gospel verses in the Bible, for our sake he, the Father, made him, Jesus, to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

But now in verse 1 and 2 of the next chapter, notice the urgency, the now of this. This is the sinking of the Titanic. There's not time to play around. Working together with him then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain, for he says, in a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.

Behold, now is the favorable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. So as we come into the main text today, in chapter 12, verse 11, notice that Paul has already been pleading with them. Now, now, it's urgent.

This is not a small matter. This is a desperate matter, one that requires immediate attention. Salvation is not something to fall asleep on. Salvation is heaven and hell, and we plead with that kind of urgency.

The Signs of a True Apostle

Chapter 12, verse 11. So let's take it kind of a few verses at a time and recognize the urgency of our plea. This is a consequential decision that needs to be made, and when something is so consequential, we need to have the same kind of energy, the same kind of passion that matches how serious the moment really is.

Verses 11 and 12, he kind of brings this pleading to a final crescendo, and he's going to come out and say it, you need to choose me as the apostle over the false apostles. Verse 11 and 12, I have been a fool.

You forced me to it. Don't you love Paul's language and his use of rhetoric? For I ought to have been commended by you, for I was not at all inferior to these super apostles, even though I am nothing.

The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. So here in this final section, the first appeal that Paul makes as to why they should listen to him and not to them, is he is marked by signs of a true apostle.

Now there's some people that take those signs of a true apostle to mean signs and wonders and miracles, but notice in the text in verse 12, it actually says with signs and wonders and mighty works. And notice the context in which we've been dealing in chapter 12, verse 12, the signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience.

These signs required patience, utmost patience. Remember, Paul was in Corinth for 18 months and then has been ministering to them by visit and by letter since then. Patient with them, what are these signs of a true apostle?

In this first part of the sentence, I think the signs are the signs he's been appealing to already. His genuine teaching, his suffering, and all of the marks of his being willing to suffer with Christ as an evidence that he's truly commended by God.

His weakness, all the things that he's been appealing to since chapter 10 really, he's been appealing to these things that demark him as the true apostle vis-a-vis the false apostles. And that brings to mind, well, you're talking about signs, were there physical signs?

Were there some demonstration of the power? And his answer is yes, with signs and wonders and mighty works. So miracles too. So we don't know what those miracles are because if you read in Acts chapter 18, we're not told of any actual miracles that happened in Corinth, but you see miracles before that in Macedonia, Philippians, the the casting out of the demon, you see miracles after in Ephesus, and we're not told what they were, but evidently miracles were happening in Corinth under the ministry of Paul.

This is part of how they know that he's a true apostle, but let's not take this one step farther than the text does. Follow with me for just a second. The text says that the signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.

That indicates that Paul's apostleship was marked by miracles, and part of how you know he's true is just like Peter and the other apostles, he is doing miracles. But that is not juxtaposed to ordinary believers.

You know he's an apostle because he does miracles, but you ordinary people don't do miracles, so you're not an apostle. That's not the comparison. The comparison is Paul is doing miracles, he's a true apostle, but the super apostles, the ones who are getting rich and have all the credentials, there's no power in their ministry.

So the comparison is between true apostle and false apostle, not between true apostle and ordinary believer. Very important, because many people take this as the key verse to prove cessationism, that the gifts of the Spirit have all ceased, or at least the miraculous sign gifts were only given to validate apostles.

It's a step beyond what the text says. Now, I will say, as I look at the world and the alleged miracles that happen in Christendom, they don't look to me to have the same quality and quantity as what marked the apostles.

There was certainly a distinct power involved in the apostolic ministry. People being raised from the dead demonstrably, undoubtedly, healings that are just like that, complete. But we can't take that a step farther and say that because the apostles were marked with this special power that cessationism is therefore proved by this text.

It's not. Stephen did miracles, Philip did miracles, other people in the text did miracles, but it was always God doing it. He didn't distinguish between ordinary believers who can't do miracles and apostles who can.

He distinguished here between apostles and false apostles. So let's not take the extra step and say that God no longer does anything miraculous in any significant way. Some of those things we have to leave as unanswered questions.

To me, I'm not sure why there's not more obvious miracles happening in the world. But I sure do believe that if we're sick or diseased, maybe terminally ill, that we should pray and anoint with oil with elders and believe that God is still able to do it, trust Him, and I still think He does it.

I still think He heals. It's not a validation in the sense that now you know that the person through whom this happened is an apostle. No, because here is the meaning of an apostle. The word itself just means sent one, right?

Apostolos, messenger, sent one. But there was a particular group of believers who were marked out having seen the Lord Jesus, Acts 121, and been with Him from the beginning. Paul wasn't with him from the beginning, but as one abnormally born, he was included in that number, 1 Corinthians 15, 7 -9.

These apostles were the ones who are witnesses of the resurrection, and they had the special authority from God, Ephesians 2 -20, for the foundation of the church. This is what Paul is appealing to. As an apostle of the Lord, the miracles that marked his ministry are part of what authenticates him.

And so bring it back to the big picture of what we're talking about here. Paul is pleading with them, finally saying, listen, you saw it with your own eyes. Signs, wonders, miracles. The power of God was in this ministry, and that was part of the evidence that he was a true apostle from God.

So this is 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 11 and 12. The first thing he talks about is signs and wonders that validate his message. Secondly, his selflessness. How he stewarded money. Let's read this, verse 13 through 18.

Paul’s Selfless Stewardship and Refusal to Be a Burden

For in what were we less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong. Here for the third time, I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden.

For I seek not what is yours, but you. That's interesting. We heard this morning in the testimony, the gift is not what the grandparents can give. You're the gift, grandparent. Don't worry if you don't have money and you can't provide stuff for your kids.

You're the gift, mom, dad. And Paul is saying something similar here. I wasn't after your money. I don't want stuff. I wanted you, your hearts. The gift is you. Verse 14 again, for children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit.

You see, he's mimicking the the words of the false teachers, the false apostles who are trying to steal the flock from him. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go and sent the brother with him.

Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? So in verse 14, he says, for the third time I'm ready to come to you. He's telling them, when I came and planted the church, that's his second missionary journey, that's number one.

He moved on to Ephesus, but then he made what's called the painful visit when he for just a few weeks came over and tried to set things in order. It was painful. It was harsh. It didn't seem to happen.

He went back to Ephesus and wrote that letter, that grieving severe letter, and he was worried that he'd lost the church. Titus carried it. He was waiting for Titus to come back. Well, now they've met up in Macedonia.

He's about to come for the third visit, and he's reminding them, in all of this, were we ever taking money from you? As missionaries, we were supported by other churches so that you wouldn't be confused about our motives.

We brought this gospel free of charge. Whenever I sent Titus, he came free of charge. We sent him to you. And see, this is a mark of true apostleship here. He's not in it for the money. He's not trying, like some prosperity teachers, to fly in a 70 million dollar private jet.

He's not in it for the money. He doesn't care about money. True ministers of the gospel, true pastors, true Christians have died to the things of this earth. It's not that there's not a need for the things of this earth.

God will provide, as he provides for the birds. He'll provide our food and our homes and everything we need for life and godliness. But Paul is appealing to the fact that he's dead to those things. He's selfless.

That's what he's saying here. I was never even taking an offering from you, Corinth. Remember that. Third, he points out that he fought for their holiness. Even if it offended them, he said what needed to be said.

His preaching was true. It was not ear-tickling. It was not just saying what people want to hear. In fact, I'll say this. If all I ever hear on a Sunday morning as people are leaving, great sermon, pastor.

I loved it. I really liked your sermon. I'll start to get nervous. I've had a few people say a few times, and I love this when it happens, I was really angry at you about that sermon. I want to hear that.

Okay, I'm just going to give you a hint. I want to hear that something I said made you angry if it was true from the Word of God. This is what Paul appeals to next here. Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you?

It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ and all for your upbuilding, beloved. For I fear that perhaps when I come I might find you not as I wish and that you may find me not as you wish.

That perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. Eight words to describe this disorderly, rebellious spirit. And then he moves in verse 21 to sexual sins.

I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

The peddler of God's Word that's mentioned in chapter 2 verse 17. There are many peddlers of God's Word. Peddling God's Word they tickle ears so that people will listen and feel good. The emotion, the sensuality, being affirmed, and feeling great about it.

Paul warns against that and he says this is how you know. Compare me to the super apostles. You know you've got us in the balance here and it seems like the church is teetering. These guys always tell you what you want to hear.

But Paul says a word that seems to be almost anathema in churches today. He doesn't use it in this actual, the actual word in this text, but this is what he's saying. Paul says repent. He says the sexual sin, for sexual immorality here the word is pornea.

This kind of sexual immorality is impure and it must die. You see the mark of Paul as a true apostle is he's fighting for their sanctification because there's something that's fighting against their sanctification.

That's sin. It's trying to kill them. The true sheep are under attack from the world, from all around. Sexual temptation, the temptation of pride to rise up to some position of authority and to gain for oneself.

Sin is crouching at the door. It desires to have you. But Paul says remember how I spoke to you. I love you and I said hard things but it was all to build you up. I was fighting and he's fighting in these very verses right now.

It's a mark of his true apostleship. He'll say the hard things. He'll call sin, sin. Any preacher that capitulates to the culture and says that what God says is sin, if they say it's not sin and they redefine sexual morality contrary to the Word of God, that is not a true apostle.

That is not a true preacher. That's a worldling, a peddler of God's Word. The truth of God's Word must be upheld and we must fight for it. Brothers and sisters, Paul was marked by that fight. So, so far we've seen three things.

One, there are signs and wonders. Two, he stewards selflessly, not for for for filthy lucre, I guess the old King James used to say, for filthy mammon. And he fights. He tells the truth. Now in verse 1 to 4, and we're almost done with his final pleadings here, this final argument, he's telling them, I'm coming back and we are going to deal with this.

There's going to be a church discipline situation. It will be orderly. There will be witnesses, but it will be authoritative in the power of Christ. As Christ was crucified in weakness and raised in power, so in the church we are going to operate in power with authority.

Church Discipline, Witnesses, and Christ’s Power in the Church

So notice, verses 1 to 4, this is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. I warn those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again, I will not spare them.

Since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me, he is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you, we will live with him by the power of God.

So what's going to happen when Paul gets there? We're calling the church together. These false apostles are going to appear, and they're charging me, Paul, with being a deceiver and in it for selfish reasons, and I've tricked you and whatnot.

They can say that in front of me now, and they can call their witnesses to account, and I will stand before them, and the truth will be established. You see what's happening? An orderly church discipline situation.

This, of course, reminds us of Matthew 18, 1 Timothy 5. Two or three witnesses are called into account, and how does this work? And this is probably a good refresher. If you are wronged by someone in the church, you go privately to that person, Matthew 18, and you work it out.

If you cannot work it out, you bring one or two. In the case of an elder, 1 Timothy 5, you have to bring two or three witnesses to deal with that situation. If that small group can't work it out, you do bring it to the church, and the congregation, the church, has final authority.

They listen to the final pleadings, and they make an authoritative answer. A situation of church discipline. Now, listen, guys. Discipline doesn't have to be that final step. We pray it never gets to that.

That repentance comes in the one-on-one when a situation arises. That's what we want. But Paul is saying here, look, this has all been done in public. When I get here, it's the witnesses, and we're going to hash this out, and it's going to be done with.

Okay? So this is what he says. He appeals to that. Now, finally, the last major point here. Paul tells them, look. Look into your own heart. As I am in Christ, and I belong to Christ, so are you. All of you who believe in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit, unless you fail the test.

How about examine your heart now, and see if there's evidence that you're truly belonging to Him. The power of Christ is in you, and you'll be fine. The false apostles do not have the Spirit of Christ.

They name His name. They claim to be speaking for Jesus Christ, but they are lying and deceptive prophets. So now, look at verses five to nine, and this is a great reminder for all of us. Examine to see if you're truly saved.

Examine Yourselves to See Whether You Are in the Faith

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? Unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test. So pause right there.

There needs to be evidence that Jesus is in you. Not that your works would justify you, but that there would be fruit that demonstrates that that root has been established. The root comes first, the tree grows, and the fruit comes forth from it.

If there's no evidence of power in your life, there's no victory over sin, there's no progress in the Christian faith, there's no desire to witness, there's no desire to read the Bible, no prayer. He's saying, examine yourself.

Are you really His? You say, well, I did pray, pray a prayer one time, or raise my hand at a crusade. And Paul's saying, no, examine to see if you are in Him, if the power of Him is in you. First John gives these tests of love of the brother, fruit of righteousness, a confession that comes from your mouth.

Examine yourself. Verse six, I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test, but we pray to God that you may not do wrong. Not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.

I'll explain that in a second. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. He's saying the power of God will be demonstrated and is demonstrated in His ministry.

But don't confuse His weakness with the lack of God's power. He's saying, I am suffering. You see me as the suffering apostle, but we're glad for that. In other words, the test is not how well your life is going.

You say, well, I must not be a Christian because my finances are a wreck and my family member just died and everything seems to be going wrong. No, no, don't hear that. Because Paul says that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.

What does that seem to have failed? Looking like he's the beat up apostle. Wherever he goes, beaten, stoned and left for dead, 40 lashes minus one, shipwrecked everywhere, attacked by bandits, in danger and hungry and all of these things.

It looks like he's a failing prophet. And by the way, I think the false apostles are saying just that. Look how blessed we are. Look at the discipline he's under. That's not the test, he says. The test is if Christ is in you.

The truth, we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for. Let's just pause for a minute. Are you a Christian?

Are you born again? I know you've heard the preaching of the gospel, but each one individually, ask yourself, are you a Christian? Do you meet the test? It's not a test of how good you are, but do you believe the gospel?

Are you willing to confess him? If not, let me plead with you for a moment. This Titanic is sinking. Have you noticed? This world is not going from better to better, but from bad to worse. And even if the world does improve, we don't get to stay here forever.

We go before our judge and our maker. What are you waiting for? Too many people think, you know, I'm just going to continue like I'm doing. And when I get a little older, I might then repent and believe.

But now is the day of salvation. How do you know that you'll have another day? Our sister had a younger brother, our sister in the Lord, who's part of this church, and he just died. A picture of health, a cyclist.

We think he's with the Lord, praise God. But how do you know, as healthy as you are, that tomorrow you'll be standing before the throne? Right before the Titanic sank, people were dancing and carrying on and admiring the beauty of this ship.

And look at the world that we have and all the things that we're given. It can be very enticing, can't it? But this ship is going down. I'm pleading with you now, be reconciled to God. Don't put it off another day.

Now is the day of salvation. Our part is to repent of sin and believe in the one that God has sent. Ask him to come save you. To as many as receive him, he gives the right to be called children of God.

If you're not sure that you passed that test, in your heart, you can ignore me for the rest of the time. You start praying, you ask him to save you. Believe in the Lord Jesus, you will be saved. And so that's where it leaves us in verse 10.

And the last 11, 12, 13, and 14, last four verses, will be the last sermon in 2 Corinthians. I'll preach that next week. It's got this Trinitarian, beautiful, almost Christmassy feel to it. So with the peace and love, it'll be fun.

So we'll close with that next week. But I want you to see the last verse of this sermon. Verse 10, for this reason I write these things, while I am away from you, that when I come, I might not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me, for building up and not for tearing down.

Preempt that moment of judgment. Because in the here and now, we are given his word. He says, I write these things. He is writing the very words of God. And now in this day of salvation, we have the scriptures.

If you've been in sin, if you've been straying like a wandering and lost sheep, return now. Listen to the word now. Don't wait for that day of judgment. He says, for this reason I write these things, while I am away from you.

Our Lord Christ is away from us now. In the body, he ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. But he is coming back in power and with great glory. He was crucified in weakness, but raised in power.

And when he comes, he's coming in power. His robe dipped in blood. King of kings and Lord of lords on his thigh, riding on a white horse. The word of God coming from his mouth like a sword. That's a picture of power.

He's a blazing fire. That's how he comes. Don't wait for that day. Take him now in the day of salvation. In the time of salvation, believe what is written of him. Trust him now. Let's go to him in prayer.

God, we have learned last week, we learned to intercede, to plead with you for the souls of men. This week, Lord, teach us to plead with men for their own souls. It's not their money that we're after.

It's them, their souls. Help us, Lord, to go out pleading with men to be reconciled to God. Help us to plead like John Harper, crying out to those who are perishing. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

Like this dear girl, Nana, who lost her father but not her heavenly father. We pray, Lord, that we would go forth pleading, interceding, almost begging men to be saved at these Christmas parties, the women's tea, and the IHN families come, Christmas Eve service.

Lord, we pray that you would draw men, women, boys, and girls to you, to saving faith. We pray that all of us would just be dripping with the Holy Spirit, anointed, passionate to plead with men to be reconciled to God.

Help us, Lord, to be ambassadors, to discharge this duty which was entrusted to us, the preaching of the gospel. Paul would tell the Galatians, before your eyes, Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.

He's astonished that they were so easily departing. We pray, Lord Jesus, that we would never depart, that this church would remain faithful to your gospel. Even as Corinth, for 30 years after this letter, was pastored by Apollos and remained faithful to the gospel.

They chose the truth because your word established them in truth. We pray for Cornerstone Church, Lord God, that we would be established in truth and nothing could move us from that mark. Thank you for your grace to us.

It's all by your grace you have saved us. And Lord, finally, I pray for any person here today that is yet to fall on their knees, repent, and believe. I pray that when they go home, in the privacy of their own home, that they would fall before you, call on your name, open your word, believe, and be saved.

In Jesus' name, amen. Let's stand and worship.