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Gospel of Matthew and the 21st chapter, Matthew chapter 21. We're going to read the first 21, the first six verses chapter 21 and It's my desire this morning Not so much to deal directly with the passage in its totality, but to use the words in verse 6 to Help us think through some thoughts concerning Following the Lord Jesus Christ.
What that entails and and what really is the essence of being a follower if you will of Christ? So let me read to you and again, you know from the New King James in Matthew chapter 21 verse 1. Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethpage at the Mount of Olives Then Jesus sent two disciples Saying to them go into the village Opposite you and immediately you will find a donkey tied and a colt with her.
Loose them and bring them to me and if anyone says anything to you You shall say the Lord has need of them and immediately he will send them. This was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying Tell the daughter of Zion behold your king is coming to you Lowly and sitting on the donkey occult the fall of a donkey.
So the disciples went and did as Jesus had commanded them. Let's just ask God's Continued blessing on his word father again We come to you in in that name the name that is above every other name and we pray Lord that That as we look at your word that you Holy Spirit will come and do what only you could do.
That is to make it real to us to make it understand herbal to make us More into the image of the one who so loved us that he gave himself for us. So father clear our minds Lord Jesus come now Holy Spirit Teach us as only you can in Jesus name.
Amen. So as I said, I want to focus in mainly on verse 6 and and and not to just totally ignore the context in the passage of where we are in the Gospels and certainly this is the time of the triumphal entry of the Lord Jesus Christ as he is about to enter into his suffering and his sorrow and Of those things that will shortly take place that will certainly Cause his disciples to have many different thoughts and many different actions as a result of the crucified Savior of sinners, but what I really want to do is again is focus in on what he says in in verse 6 he says the disciples went and they did as Jesus had commanded him now I Want to just say this in the beginning that is a tremendous statement just stop for a second and just think about those words and think about the the Magnitude of it that the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them now if you and I were Kings or Queens and you and I had given a command to our servants.
Would we not find it.
Pleasurable.
Will we not find it? Desirable to have those who we've commanded to follow the commands that we've given them. That is a tremendous statement. And concerning who it is that has given this command that the King the Lord Jesus Christ has Given instructions to disciples.
And.
They have done. What was commanded them? And if you need to think about what the purpose this morning is I want to try to Open that up a little bit further and ask us a number of questions. Number one.
Do we follow the commands of Jesus? Are we those who find it pleasurable to follow the instructions given to us? by the Savior sinners.
What are the things that could be attached to that or? Both in the Before it and after it. In other words Things had taken place before this command. Lord Jesus Christ had been with those disciples. And let me just say we're not told who these disciples are.
There are two.
However.
And again just for Discussion in your own mind We're not told who they directly were but if you were to read in the gospel Luke you will find out that Peter and John were the ones that were sent to set up the Passover dinner.
Now again, we're not told who the disciples are. And in one sense. It's not essential.
But.
Let's just Say that it was Peter and John or Others that had been close to Christ the setting. They have been with Jesus for a while at least Three years roughly. They have witnessed many things. They have seen miracles they have seen things that Have caused men to fall to their knees.
They have been with Jesus in private. They have been with Jesus in public and They have now come to the point where he is about to be handed over to wicked men to be hung on a cross. That you and I would be set free and so again I say to you that as we we think about this and the thought that they went and did as they were commended as a parent and whether you're a parent of.
Little one.
A medium or extra large. Is it not great to give instruction to your children and as a parent when do we stop giving instruction to our children? Never. But isn't it great to to think about as you would give directions to your children that they would follow your directions.
Follow your commands now again. Certainly. You know when you get up into the The extra-large size a little more difficult to have your kids follow your commands, but nevertheless What wouldn't it bring?
Gladness to your heart that they would at least consider and at least Think it over. Well, so as Jesus gives this command It's important for us to think about it this morning. Do you do I do we as a body?
Do we follow the commands of Christ? Remember what Jesus said if You love me you will what? Keep my commandments. What does that mean? You will follow me. You will be those who take my instruction and Put it into action.
If you think about the issue that Jesus had with so many in Israel in those days What was the real one of the great issues of those that argued Resented rebelled against the the commands of of the Lord Jesus Christ the commands of God.
Well, was it not the fact that they? Discarded the commands of God they refused to follow the instructions of the King of Kings in the Lord of Lords they refused the very words of God that God had given them from the very beginning and That not only had they done that not only had they refused to follow the commands.
They actually created their own set of commands and their own set of instructions and they were pleased to follow their own words. This very gospel Matthew says that they taught for doctrine the commandments of men and So in that sense Israel as a nation Rejected not only the person of Christ, but the very commands that he had given them through the prophets through the many witnesses that had come forth and In this chapter, he makes it very clear Matthew if you wanted to you could read even in Verse 28 and talks about the parable of the two sons and we don't have to specifically read it.
But you remember there was one who said I'll go and what did he do? He didn't go I'll follow your commands, but he didn't and then there was one who said at first I'm not going but he followed and As you read that little parable You find out which one was the one who was truly Willing to follow the commands and it was the one who at first hesitated resisted, but then he went.
So in seeking to open these words this morning, here's what I'd like to do. I would like to ask us to think about other things that we could attach to this text. In other words, it says that the Disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.
But what what are the thoughts or what other? Realities can be attached to it for certainly the Christian life is to be made up of many Different aspects of which the primary one is to what? Follow the commands of Jesus.
Follow the commands of the Word of God. Follow the commands of the Spirit of God. In whatever way we want to set that forth. What are some of the other things that we can look at? In this statement of them following the commands of Jesus and so I Want to look at five things this morning make five Thoughts to you and then ask you to consider them that has an attachment to that fact that they they went and They did as Jesus had commanded and so here's the first one.
Brother Stephen had asked me if I had slides. And I said no, I'm just a part-timer brother Keith, he'd have 17 slides and six acronyms and All that good stuff. But first point before they were Before they obeyed his command they were followers of Jesus.
Yeah, now you might say well, that's come on brother. You could do better than that. That's really simple. No, it's not Before they did as they were commanded they were followers of Christ. And I will say this to you no one will ever truly follow the commands of Jesus.
Until they are followers of Jesus. You will find over and over and over again Throughout the Gospels in particular, but throughout the Word of God overall That before man or a woman and this is addressed to you kids this morning listen let me say this you kids don't get off because From your obligation to listen and follow the Word of God just because you're a kid.
Right.
Because I'm a kid and I'm almost 70. Especially before Jack and Charlie. But before you are those who will follow you must be those who follow. Before you will obey the commands. You must be a follower of Christ and the reason for it and the reason for it is very important and very essential.
The reason why we must be followers of Christ is because the natural man. The man apart from Christ the man that has no true relationship with the Living God. He not only cannot follow Christ. He will not.
So again, this is no simple statement to say that before we will be those who obey his commands We must be made to be followers of him that it is truly a very significant thought to be had. Now I want to give you a couple of examples of that because I do think it's important for us to take our our understanding from the Word of God.
And to bring it into subjection to it. In other words, listen, I have many thoughts you have many thoughts. We have many beliefs we have many this that the other thing. But what good is anything that you and I have if it's not in accordance with the Word of God?
And so let me just ask you to think in your mind of some of the instances where we find out that the ones who truly Did what Jesus commanded were those who were followers. Do you remember the the first meeting if you will of Peter and John With Christ.
What would it what were they they were fishermen and there's nothing wrong with being a fisherman. Believe me. There's nothing wrong with being a fisherman. But they were out there and they were doing fishermen stuff and They were met by Christ and guess what happened.
They immediately left their nets and Followed him remember the other fishermen Peter and Andrew and They were doing their fishermen stuff. Again, a lot of people do a lot of things and and and just because we follow a different cost of life doesn't always mean It's wrong.
But I will say this it's wrong if it's if it's not being Done to the glory of God.
But remember Peter and Andrew and they were fishermen and they went out and did their thing and.
Immediately.
After Jesus told them Follow me. They left their nets. They're gone. They follow. And you could read in the in this opening Accounts in the gospel of so many that follow that line. You remember Matthew the tax collector.
Now I don't think anybody in this. At least in that day or maybe in our day nobody really thinks being a tax collector is the coolest job in the world and. And he certainly was not in my event, but do you remember how Jesus confronted him?
Simply by saying to him Follow me.
And he followed.
You see my friends in order for us to follow the commands of God. We must first be a follower of him. And so I will ask you that this morning along with other things are you a follower of Christ. Well, of course, I'm in church.
Why would you ask such a silly question? Listen going to church doesn't mean you're a follower of Christ. Going to church doesn't mean that you will follow his commands and you will do as he has told us to do.
It just means that you came to church and and we're glad that you came. But that doesn't get you In truth to be Considered as a follower of Christ because again remember what you said if you love me. You will not only follow me you'll keep my commandments.
So the real evidence and even in this account the real evidence that they were Disciples was they went and they did what he commanded them to do. And again, as I say to you we can We could look at many you remember the demoniac.
That's somebody who was hell-bent Living in darkness the chains couldn't hold him. Nobody wanted to be near him. Until he met Christ and Christ made him a follower. And what happened then? He followed him and he wanted to follow him to the ends of the earth.
And so I asked us this morning my friends if if you want to say that you are a disciple. Then are you really a follower of Christ? And I'm gonna get off track here. I know I'm going to get off track with that.
Listen who gives you your instructions. Now we could probably shut it down for about an hour and shut the lights. I really put their heads down on the desk and you could think about that for about an hour or so.
If you can hold it together long enough who is giving you your instruction? And whose instructions are you desirous to follow. And then we could take it a step further. Is there evidence of that in your life?
Because again everybody can say lots of things about lots of things and Convince other people about lots of things and all of that could be false. We first have to be made a follower before we can Truly do what he has commanded us to do.
You go on and on blind deaf dumb mute crippled paralyzed all kinds of things and What happened was that immediately upon? Christ confronting them. And I got to say that you know, that's what the gospel does.
Listen the Word of God Will confront people it will confront their lifestyle. It will confront their hearts it will confront their souls it will confront them for the way they live their lives. And by the Spirit of God, what does it do?
It changes them from being followers of the evil one being those in bondage to sin. Those who care not for the things of God. All of a sudden they become followers of Christ, you know how much time we could spend on Saul.
Who was Saul. Well Saul Became Paul. Well, how did he become Paul? I thought his name was Saul. Saul was the one who went around and tried to kill the very followers of Christ. Until what happened on the road to Damascus?
He was confronted by the riven Savior risen Savior and in that confrontation He became a follower of Christ. Listen, my friends this there's so many things that that could be said concerning this truth but just let me just mention that to you today that There's so many places and so many churches and so many preachers and so many different speakers and they just keep.
Trying to spread the news that well just give Jesus a chance. Just try him out for 30 days with a money-back guarantee. That's not the Word of God. The Word of God teaches us. Declares with God interferes in people's lives and praise God that he does that.
Where would you be this morning if God didn't interfere in your life? I'll tell you where you would be you'd be where everybody would be on the way to hell. So you see my friends. Before as we read this text that they went and did as Jesus commanded them.
They were first followers of his. The second thing. I want to ask you to think about. Is before they went and did as they were commanded they were listeners to him. They were followers and they were listeners.
Let me just ask you to remember What Jesus said concerning those that follow him. That the shepherd calls his own sheep out. What does it say? His own sheep hear his voice and They follow him. See they were listeners.
Not only were they listeners in his specific instructions, but long before they did what Jesus commanded. They were listeners to the voice of God in Psalm 18. It says this it says as soon as they hear of me.
I love this as soon as they hear of me. They shall obey me. See. Part of obeying is that you're a follower and part of follower means you're a listener. You hear the Instruction you hear the Word of God.
Let me ask you this morning. Do you hear the Word of God? Now, I'm not asking you if you heard. Yeah, I'm not going down that road. God doesn't in that way speak in that same way where the heavens will open up and and Or an angel will be sitting next to you or even the very words of the Lord Jesus Christ but what I am saying to you and what I'm saying with a hope that we would Understand is that before we will ever do what we are commanded to do.
We must hear the voice of the Son of God we must listen to the Spirit of God within us. We must listen to the very Word of God. You know that's this. People say well, why do you keep reading the Bible over and over and over and over again?
What's wrong with you people? You always got a Bible in your hand it's because we need to listen to the Bible. We need to be followers of the Bible we need to be those who who take it in. And not only just hear it.
Listen, there are many people Who hear the Word of God, but there are not as many people who listen to the Word of God. I'll make that distinction there are many people who can Quote the Word of God. I think I told you that time.
I remember years and years ago in New York. There was a Broadway show and the Broadway show was some Guy that all he did was he came out on stage and he repeated verbatim word by word the gospel of Mark and Then the curtain came down.
That was that was his thing and I remember they interviewed him they said well, I assume you believe it. I don't believe it. I Just make a lot of money doing it. He never really listened to the Word of God now brother Mike could probably Get up and repeat the gospel of Mark for us.
But listen friends, are we really listeners? Are we those who? Pay attention and remember it's it's interesting in it in the way. It says it so imagine this all these things are going on and they've witnessed all the problems with Christ and and his his enemies and his Adversaries and all the miracles and everything and now Interestingly the instruction.
I Want you to go into a city? That's over there and Bring me back to donkey. That's tied up. Okay, and and and there's an occult with it and bring him back. And then he tells them and by the way, if somebody questions you Tell them that the master has need of them.
But they listen to that very instruction. And I I will show you that rather shortly, but let me ask you Are you really listening to the Word of God this morning you young people I Don't know every time I stand up here.
The young people are on my mind. Again, you figure out who you are. There are so many Voices out there trying to get you to listen to them. You got tick-tock and you got whatever.
Snapshot whatever whatever out is out there.
I'm not the tech guru. He's back there sitting in the back. But listen, I know this there's a lot of voices out there telling you young people to listen to them. And I'm here to tell you this morning.
Listen to the Word of God. There are so many people that listen to only the voice of the evil one. And they're gonna be people in your life as you get older and go on. They're gonna try to say no, listen to me.
Don't listen to me. Listen my friends to the Word of God. And that goes for all of us. Listen, we're all pretty much bombarded daily With things I I try to keep you know, I mean, I'm not on social media and I'm okay with that.
But I still have exposure from outside things bombarding me at times. And one of the things that I consciously seek to do is to listen to the Word of God first. I Don't just mean in in order. Although I do try to stop my day with the Word of God because if I don't listen to God early in the morning by breakfast time I'm in trouble and Then if I don't listen to the Word of God at noontime by lunchtime, I'm a mess.
And it just goes downhill. But they before they went and did as they were commanded they've listened to exactly What they were to do. Do you and I know what we are commanded to do have we listened to the Word of God.
Truly listen just because you listen to a Preacher's message on Google or YouTube or whatever is out there. It doesn't necessarily mean that you can then say you've listened to to God. All we really Desire is to listen.
So you see how these things they kind of connect at least in my mind they connect so. They did as they were commanded but the reason why they did what they Will command it was because they will follow us and the reason why they will follow us is because they had listened to the very Living Savior, are you eager to listen to the Word of God friends?
Are you swift to hear. Are you willing to listen. Follow obey. Well, there's no other way To be happy in Jesus is to what? Follow and obey. Oh, let me put it to you this way. Does the Word of God? Penetrate into your soul.
To a point where it determines What you will do and what you will not do why you mean the Word of God is to affect my daily life.
Amen.
Are you listening to the Word of God and it does that? Resonate in such a way that it determines where you will go where you won't go. What you will say or what you won't say what you will allow and what you will not allow.
What is the Word of God. Just kind of come in this one and go out that one and yet we say well I'm I'm a follower of Jesus. I've been a Christian for bumpity bump years. Are you a follower? Are you one that obeys?
Does Christ? Lordship affect you and I don't want to get into that whole controversy of. You know, you take Jesus as a Savior today in six months two years three years. You can have him as Lord baloney.
Either he's Lord Or he is Lord and he is Lord. And so one of the reasons why they Did as they were commanded Was because they had first followed. And they had been those who Listened and they were in the third place.
Those who? Believed. Now you might say wait a minute. You you're saying the same thing. They were those who believed. Isn't that the same as being a follower? Well, I suppose you could make that statement, but I do think there is something that we could Say to help.
Drill down a little bit further and here's here's the point. They were told Again, go to this village find a donkey. You never knew was there and If a man who you don't know ask you what you're doing with his donkey.
You just tell him the master needs it and.
That'll work.
That's like me going into someone else's driveway and trying to start their car.
Then they come out of the house and they say what are you doing, dude? Well, the master needs it pretty unbelievable. Command in that way and yet they believed it. They believed what their eyes could not see.
And they believed the unbelievable. I'll ask you to think about that this morning. Do you and I believe the unbelievable? What do we only believe. What we can touch and taste and feel. It's interesting to me that in today's world.
Everything has to have a video or a picture to make it true. We'll let someone die in the street to get a video of him dying in the street. To tell other people this really happened. You and I as followers of Christ we believe the unbelievable.
They believed that what Jesus said was true. It's like in today's world. If you're a fisherman you got to have a picture. No more of this. How big was it? It was this big. Where's the picture dude, come on man.
Don't work that way. But listen as Christians. We don't need God to send us pictures. Do we? We have to believe. The things that are unseen. Because that's what faith is. Faith is the conviction of things unseen.
Substance faith is a substance of things unseen in the convictions of things that that are not really present before us. And so listen, you see I do think there is a connection to all these things. That's why I say to you young people.
Believe the unbelievable about God. Believe God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you ask or think. Where do we fall in in that on that scale friends. Do we really believe God is God? Do we really believe that God holds?
Everything in place. Do we really believe that God's principles are a true and everlasting and God does not change and that God once he has said something will not alter it. He shall not alter the thing that comes out of his lips.
Do we really believe that. And are we willing to go even as we know of Abraham. Remember the story with Abraham with Sarai. I Mean this man's a hundred years old folks and she's not far behind him and.
Listen things just don't go like they used to go. Things don't take place like they used to take place and yet God tells him you're gonna have a son, you know what it says and Abraham Believed God. For the unbelievable because he knew his body was dead in that sense.
But he believed God was able to do what God said he would do. And that great listen. Isn't it great that we serve a mighty God in the great that we serve one Who can do whatever he pleases to do? Whenever he pleases to do it for whatever reason he pleases to do it and we could rest in that.
And I say it reverently. God is cool. Some of you might get upset that I say that but I mean that from the depth of my heart. The God that you and I serve. It's a great God. And he's made us his followers.
I hope you're glad you're a follower of God. I hope you're glad that he's changed your life. I hope you're glad that you can now be one who will do as he commanded you to do. I'm not sure what time it is.
I Thank you brother. Want to go a little further done? They did as they were commanded. They were those who were believers. They were those who had listened. They were those who had followed and in the fourth place.
The reason why they went and did what they were commanded is because they were doers. I Didn't know how else to say that. They were doers. They were goers listen. Life in Christ is actionable, isn't it?
Life in Christ means you will in your life Move from one place to another place from one Train of thinking to another train of thinking and that many times the gospel Will send you where? You might not even want to go.
You got to be a doer and a goer always think about that that situation when Jesus after he raised from the dead and there's that conversation between Peter and John and Peter thinks that Jesus is saying to John you're gonna you're just gonna continue on you're not really gonna die and Peter says wait.
Wait a minute. You just told me when I get old I'm gonna go where I don't want to go. What about him? Sounds a lot like us doesn't it?
And you remember what Jesus said?
He says what does it matter to you what I do with him you follow me. I could just imagine Peter saying Okay, but listen friends life in Christ is actionable. And that's why it says They went do you go for Christ?
Alright, you might say what in the world? What does that mean? Are you a doer? Are you a giver? Are you willing to do more than what people expect of you? Remember what James says? Faith without works is what?
Does the does the Lordship of Christ Affect what you do and Will you do what Christ commands you to do will you go? Even where you might not want to go and you can you can open that up in in so many different ways.
You know that you read the one another's in the Bible. And I think me and brother Mike went through that once. I think it was 36 or I think there's even more I think it's 48. But anyway, I did maybe it's 36.
There's 36 specific one another's in the New Testament. Listen. Are we willing to go Where we're not comfortable going are we willing to do what's not so comfortable to us? See that's part of being a doer in a goer or I do I only want to stay in my own little comfort zone.
Oh I'm good at doing this, but but I ain't good at that. So I'm staying away from that see. When Christ changes our life and that's why I said to you in the beginning God confronts us to make us his children.
How much just very quickly show you something in Matthew 25. Look at Matt 25 and and think of it along this line and In the parable of the talents and you can Hopefully remember that the situation was set up that the landlord landowner had given out some talents and and There was one person he gave five to when there was one person he gave two to and there was one person he gave one to and.
And as he went back to taking the count of his servants. And that's what it says after a long time in verse 19. Matthew 25 a long time the Lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received the five talents came and brought five other talents saying Lord You deliver me five talents and look I have gained five more talents besides them.
And his Lord said to him well done good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things I will make you ruler over many things enter into the joy of the Lord. And he also received two towns came and said Lord you delivered to me two talents and look I have gained two more towns Beside them and his Lord said to him well done good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful over a few things I will make you rule over many things and to is the joy of the Lord. Then he who had received the one talent came and said Lord Just check this guy out Lord. I know you were a hard man reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
He must have thought he was pretty spiffy. Didn't he and I was afraid and I went and hid your talent in the ground and look there you have what is yours but his Lord answered and said to him you wicked and lazy servant.
You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gathered where I have not scattered. Therefore you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers. Am I coming that I would have received back my own with interest therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one Who has ten talents?
But to everyone who has more will be given and him will have more abundance. But from him who does not have even what he has we take it away and cast the unprofitable Servant into outer darkness where they'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth my friends.
There are so many multitudes of people who are going to be confronted in that day. What have you done? What would God has given you and we ourselves those of us who have been saved by his great mercy and grace.
We're going to give an account of what we have done what what he has enabled us to be able to do. What will be in that day? Well, you Lord, you know, I wasn't really comfortable. I Really didn't like the idea of you wanting me to show hospitality to other people.
And I want to thrill Lord that that you really wanted me to Seek to exhort other people other Christians and you know, I've got my own life to live. Listen, my friends. We're gonna give an account all we do is are we willing to go we're willing to serve.
Well serving is for others, you know, that's why We got Deacons, right? That's why we got Sunday school teachers and and and if not, you could always Accused the elders or pastors, I mean because hey.
That's why they're here. Is that really the instructions of Christ? Faith without works is dead my friends. And again, I'll go back to the text because we need to start to Finish up but the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them all these things were in that sense already in place.
And they were to grow. Because who if this if we're even close to being right that that these were close disciples if it was Peter and John. Remember now what takes place after Christ rises from the dead and ascends on high what happens with Peter and John?
Well, no, they become the pillars of the church.
The situations that Peter will enter into you cast your bread on the waters. Wait for God to bring it back. You young people you willing to do what is right now and Trust God to take care of the rest.
Are we all willing to? If need be take the the long road rather than the short road. You see my friends. The Word of God searches ourselves, doesn't it? It doesn't leave much uncovered. And that's a good thing and if God does not continue to interfere in my soul I'm gonna be in big trouble.
Because there's so many things that still need God's interference. How about you. And are you willing to do and go wherever he sends and then finally the results of doing what he commanded was. They were overcomers.
Because remember that they go and Lo and behold, there's there's the donkey. And oh, by the way, there's the guy who says hey, what are you doing? And.
Lo and behold.
We tell him the master has need for it. He says, okay. They were victorious. They overcame their situation. The real Christian life is to be a life that overcomes sin Overcomes Situations overcomes obstacles overcomes perplexities.
Overcomes.
Discomfort overcomes sorrow. Overcomes confusion. Is it not? Listen to what John says. He says whatever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith.
Who is he that overcomes the world that he but he that believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? I'm gonna take another shot at you kids again. Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God?
Do you believe that he came into this world? To give himself a ransom for many. Have you overcome the sin that keeps so many in bondage. Have you been set free this morning and listen, you don't get to your 18.
Or 21.
There's no guarantees. There's no guarantees in this life my friends. I had someone tell me the other day that they were about to retire and and They hoped to get 30 years of retirement for putting in 30 years at work.
And I said to him you could be gone in 10 minutes and that's the truth. But here's the thing To those that overcome it says he who overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be as God and he shall be my son.
Have you overcome by the blood of the lamb this morning? Are you washed in the blood? Are you willing to be? Instructed by the Word of God. Are you willing to to follow his commands? Are you listeners?
Are you hearers? Are you? Believers listen. God has many great things yet to do amongst us. You might say well, how do you know? Because God always does great things. We might not consider them great, but they're great.
And so as a body of believers, let us be those who do exactly what the text says let us do as Jesus commands us. Let us press on in this most holy faith. Let us put our hands to the plow and never look back let us serve the Lord with gladness this morning.
Let's pray our Father in God again. We Can offer nothing but thanks for what you have done for us and in us Lord that you have taken us from Slaves to sin and you've made us slaves to Christ. Oh God, what a blessed truth.
That is Help us to be help us to be those who do what you command us with gladness of heart with with faith believing That no matter what you do It is for your glory and for our own eternal good. So be with us now as we come to your Remembrance of Your life and your death and your burial and your resurrection in Jesus name.
You.