By Grace Through Faith

EPHESIANS 2:8-10 LIVE OUT THE GIFT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU A COAL MINER WENT TO HIS PASTOR •ONE DAY AND SAID •"I WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO BELIEVE THAT GOD WOULD FORGIVE MY SINS… •BUT I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT HE WILL FORGIVE THEM IF I JUST ASK HIM. •IT IS TOO CHEAP." •THE PASTOR REPLIED, "MY DEAR FRIEND, HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING TODAY?" "YES, I WAS DOWN IN THE MINE." •"HOW DID YOU GET OUT OF THE MINE? DID YOU HAVE TO PAY?" •"OF COURSE NOT. I JUST GOT INTO THE CAGE AND WAS PULLED TO THE TOP." •"WERE YOU AFRAID TO TRUST YOURSELF TO THAT CAGE? •WAS THAT CAGE TOO CHEAP?" THE PASTOR ASKED. "OH NO," SAID THE MINER, •"IT WAS CHEAP FOR ME, BUT IT COST THE COMPANY A LOT OF MONEY… •TO SINK THE SHAFT… •TO INSTALL THE CAGE… •TO POWER IT… SUDDENLY THE TRUTH STRUCK HIM. •SALVATION MAY NOT COST HIM ANYTHING… •BUT HIS SALVATION HAD NOT COME CHEAP TO. •THIS MINER HAD NEVER THOUGHT •OF THE GREAT PRICE GOD PAID↓ WHEN HE SENT HIS SON •TO RESCUE FALLEN HUMANITY. •NOW THE MINER REALIZED THAT ALL ANYONE HAD TO DO IS •"GET INTO THE CAGE" BY FAITH… NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE… •EVERYTHING COSTS SOMEBODY SOMETHING… •THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH… •AS CHRISTIANS IT IS VITAL THAT WE UNDERSTAND •EXACTLY WHAT WAS REQUIRED FROM US TO RECEIVE SALVATION… AND WHO PAID THE PRICE •FOR ME TO FOLLOW GOD’S WILL •I NEED TO UNDERSTAND I DID NOT EARN SALVATION... •FOR US TO DO GOD’S WORK IN THIS WORLD WE NEED TO TRUST •THAT SALVATION WAS A GIFT FROM GOD... MAYBE THERE IS SOME PART •OF YOUR WALK WITH GOD THAT WOULD BE STRENGTHENED •BY LEANING MORE ON GOD’S SAVING GRACE… •TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT ONE OF MY FAVORITE PASSAGES… •IN THESE 3 VERSES PAUL PROVIDES A SNAPSHOT OF THE GOSPEL. TURN TO EPHESIANS 2:8 •PAUL SAID WE WERE DEAD IN OUR SINS… •BUT GOD LOVED US EVEN IN OUR SINS… •HE MADE US ALIVE WITH CHRIST, RAISED US UP WITH CHRIST, AND SEATED US WITH CHRIST… •GOD DID THIS TO DISPLAY HIS GRACE FOR ALL ETERNITY… EPHESIANS 2:8 FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD; WE NEED TO LIVE IN GOD’S GRACE. •WHEN PAUL TOLD THEM •THEY WERE DEAD IN THEIR SINS BUT GOD HAD MADE THEM ALIVE IN CHRIST •HE HAD SAID (BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED) •NOW PAUL COMES BACK TO THIS IDEA AND EXPLAINS IT IN MORE DETAIL. HE DOES THIS BECAUSE •IT IS IMPORTANT, •BUT, I THINK HE ALSO EXPLAINS IT BECAUSE THIS CONCEPT IS HARD FOR US… •BEING SAVED BY GRACE MEANS YOU DID NOTHING TO DESERVE TO BE SAVED. IT IS A FAIRLY SIMPLE IDEA.. •BUT IT TOTALLY GOES AGAINST OUR HUMAN NATURE… •OUR HUMAN NATURE TELLS US •WE DESERVE THE BEST… •IT TELLS US WE ARE WORTH IT… •WE ARE THE CENTER OF THE WORLD… AND EVERYTHING IS ABOUT US.. •BUT GOD’S WORD TELLS US; •FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD… •WE WERE DEAD IN OUR SINS AND TRESPASSES… •THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS NO NOT ONE… THE HEART IS DECEITFUL AND DESPERATELY WICKED.. •THIS IS WHY WE CAN ONLY BE SAVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD… •WE CAN ONLY BE SAVED BY GOD’S UNMERITED FAVOR… •SALVATION FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION IS BASED ON GOD GIVING US↓ SOMETHING FAR BETTER •THAN WHAT WE EARNED… •AND WE ENTER INTO GOD’S GRACE •THROUGH FAITH… •NOTICE PAUL SAID; BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH •THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THAT PAUL MAKES HERE. IT IS GOD’S GRACE THAT SAVES US… •NOT OUR FAITH… OUR FAITH IS A NECESSARY PART OF SALVATION… •OUR FAITH IN CHRIST IS REQUIRED •BUT OUR FAITH IS THE MEANS BY WHICH WE ENTER INTO GOD’S GRACE… •IT IS GOD’S GRACE AND GOD’S GRACE ALONE THAT SAVES US.. YOU NEED TO GET TO DALLAS •SO YOU BUY AN TRAIN TICKET.. •NOW WE ALL KNOW IT IS NOT THE TICKET THAT GETS YOU TO DALLAS.. •IT IS THE TRAIN… •BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE TICKET TO GET ON THE TRAIN… •THE TICKET GIVES YOU ACCESS TO THE TRAIN… JUST LIKE FAITH GIVES YOU ACCESS •TO THE GRACE… •IT IS NOT OUR FAITH THAT SAVES US.. •BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE FAITH TICKET TO GET ON THE GRACE TRAIN •WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH.. NOW I KNOW THIS CAN KINDA •SOUND LIKE SPLITTING HAIRS… •BUT THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT REASONS FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE... •PAUL’S ENTIRE POINT HERE IS ABOUT GOD SAVING US… •NOT ABOUT US SAVING OURSELVES… IF WE GET TO THINKING OUR FAITH •SAVED US… THEN THAT MAKES IT ABOUT US AND NOT ABOUT GOD… •WHEN WE KEEP IT CLEAR THAT WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE… •WE KEEP IT FOCUSED ON GOD.. AND NOT ON US…. •AND THAT IS WHAT PAUL IS FOCUSED ON… GOD’S GLORY NOT OURS… •JUST TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND WE DID NOT SAVE OUR SELVES PAUL SAYS •AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES •THE WORD THAT… IS OUR SALVATION… •THE GRAMMAR MAKES IT CLEAR PAUL MEANS SALVATION IS NOT OF OURSELVES… AND REALLY THE WHOLE ARGUMENT •PAUL IS MAKING SUPPORTS THE IDEA THAT OUR SALVATION IS NOT OF OURSELVES.. •HE SAID WE WERE DEAD IN OUR SINS.. •WE WALKED IN THE COURSE OF THE WORLD… WE LIVED IN THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH… •BUT, GOD IN HIS RICH MERCY, OUT OF LOVE, MADE US ALIVE WITH CHRIST… •PAUL’S POINT IS THAT SALVATION IS FROM GOD AND NOT MAN… •GOD GETS ALL THE GLORY… NOT MAN… GOD GETS THE GLORY BECAUSE •SALVATION IS THE GIFT OF GOD; •6 TIMES IN 4 VERSES PAUL MENTIONS GOD’S GRACE, MERCY & KINDNESS. •3 TIMES IN TWO VERSES PAUL MENTIONS OUR INABILITY TO EARN SALVATION… •BY REPEATING THESE THINGS SO MUCH PAUL IS TRYING TO HELP US •UNDERSTAND JUST HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE… •PAUL KNOWS HOW WE ARE… •WE GOTTA HEAR SOMETHING A BUNCH A TIMES BEFORE IT SINKS IN… •ADVERTISING FOLKS UNDERSTAND THIS.. •THAT IS WHY THEY RUN THE SAME COMMERCIAL 40 TIMES A DAY… SO PAUL WANTS TO MAKE SURE •WE UNDERSTAND WE COULD NOT EARN SALVATION… •WE ONLY RECEIVE SALVATION AS A GIFT FROM GOD… •GIVEN OUT OF LOVE AND GRACE AND MERCY… •BUT HOW SHOULD KNOWING THIS CHANGE ME? IF I KNOW THAT I DID NOT •EARN SALVATION… THAT SALVATION IS A GIFT FROM GOD… •WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT IT? •WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST I SHOULD SHOW MY THANKS AND GRATITUDE FOR GOD’S GIFT OF SALVATION… I SHOULD ALSO STOP TRYING •TO EARN SOMETHING GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN ME… •I SHOULD HAVE ASSURANCE OF MY SALVATION BECAUSE IT IS A GIFT OF GOD NOT REWARD FOR MY WORKS… •I SHOULD BE HUMBLE… AND NOT GLORIFY MY SELF… •I SHOULD GIVE ALL THE GLORY TO GOD… EPHESIANS 2:9 NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST. WE DID NOT EARN SALVATION •I THINK PAUL UNDERSTANDS US BETTER THAN WE DO… •HE KNOWS IF THERE IS ANYWAY WE CAN TAKE CREDIT FOR SOMETHING…WE WILL.. •SO HE SAYS… •NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS, PAUL HAS JUST TOLD US THREE TIMES •IN THREE DIFFERENT WAYS… •THAT SALVATION IS NOT BASED ON HUMAN PERFORMANCE: •NOT OF YOURSELVES, •GIFT OF GOD, •NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS. ONE OF THE REASONS IT IS SO •IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DID NOT SAVE OUR SELVES… •IS SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW SECURE OUR SALVATION IS… •IF WE THINK WE DID THE SAVING… WE END UP THINKING WE CAN LOSE OUR SALVATION… BUT IF WE UNDERSTAND THAT •WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH… •NOT OF OUR SELVES… •NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS… •WE CAN HAVE ASSURANCE OF OUR ETERNAL SALVATION… •BECAUSE IT IS IN GOD’S HANDS AND NOT OURS.. TAKING CREDIT FOR SALVATION •ANOTHER REASON WE NEED TO KNOW WE DID NOT SAVE OUR SELVES •IS SO THAT IT DOES NOT GO TO OUR HEADS… •GOD IS VERY AWARE OF WHO WE ARE… •THAT IS WHY HE INSPIRED PAUL TO WRITE… SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS •ABOUT THE BIBLE HOW IT PULLS NO PUNCHES… •IT TELLS IT LIKE IT IS… •OTHER RELIGIONS TELL MEN THEY ARE GOOD… •THEY CAN EARN HEAVEN… •THE BIBLE SAYS… NO YOU CAN’T EARN HEAVEN↓ DON’T EVEN THINK YOU COULD… •CAUSE IF YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD EARN HEAVEN… •YOU WOULD GO AROUND BRAGGING ABOUT HOW GREAT YOU ARE… •AND HOW YOU WERE SO GOOD GOD HAD TO LET YOU INTO HEAVEN… GOD NEVER INTENDED •FOR US TO PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK. •IF HE HAD, OUR SHOULDERS AND ELBOWS WOULD BE DIFFERENT. •GOD OPPOSES THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE… •AND ONE OF THE MOST PRIDEFUL THINGS WE CAN DO↓ IS TO THINK WE OUR EARNED SALVATION. •WE HAVE BEEN SAVED BY GOD’S GRACE BECAUSE OF GOD’S RICH MERCY… BASED ON HIS LOVE FOR US… •WE ENTERED INTO THIS GRACE THROUGH FAITH… •WE ARE SECURE IN THIS SALVATION BECAUSE IT IS BASED ON GOD AND NOT US… NOW, PAUL JUST SAID WE DID •NOT EARN SALVATION BY OUR WORKS… •DOES THAT MEAN WORKS HAVE NO VALUE? •DOES THAT MEAN WE SHOULD STOP WORKING… •STOP… HELPING THOSE IN NEED? •PAUL IS GONNA ANSWER THAT QUESTION NEXT.. EPHESIANS 2:10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND SO THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THEM. WE ARE SAVED FOR A PURPOSE •GOD’S MERCY SAVED US FROM ETERNITY IN HELL… •GOD’S GRACE SAVED US TO UNION WITH GOD IN HEAVEN… •BUT OUR SALVATION IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST GETTING OUT OF HELL AND INTO HEAVEN… WHEN PAUL DESCRIBES OUR SALVATION •AS GOD’S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, •HE IS TELLING US THE PURPOSE OF OUR SALVATION… THE REASON WE HAVE BEEN SAVED… •IS TO SERVE GOD…TO DO GOOD WORKS.. •GOD DID NOT COME AND DIE ON THE CROSS↓ SO THAT WE COULD SIT ON •THE COUCH… •WE DID NOT EARN SALVATION BY OUR WORKS… •BUT WE ARE CALLED TO RESPOND TO SALVATION WITH WORKS… •WE TO RESPOND WITH WORKS BECAUSE WE ARE GOD’S WORKMANSHIP… WHEN PAUL CALLS US •GOD’S WORKMANSHIP HE USES THIS INCREDIBLE WORD… •IT MEANS WE ARE GOD’S WORK OF ART… HIS MASTERPIECE… •A FALLEN HUMAN WHO HAS TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST FOR SALVATION… •HAS BEEN REMADE… RAISED TO NEW LIFE IN CHRIST… •AND THIS IS GOD’S WORK OF ART… •GOD’S MASTERPIECE… •THE BIBLE USES THESE SAME WORDS TO TALK ABOUT GOD MAKING THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH.. IF YOU TOOK THE MONA LISA •AND RIP IT OUTTA THE FRAME •AND USE IT TO WIPE SOME CHILI OFF YOUR CHIN…. •THAT WOULD BE A HORRIBLE ABUSE OF A MASTERPIECE… •IT IS A GREAT WORK OF ART.. •WE HAVE BEEN CREATED IN CHRIST BY GOD… WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP… •HIS MASTERPIECE… •IT IS A HORRIBLE ABUSE OF GOD’S MASTERPIECE •FOR A CHRISTIAN TO GO AROUND DOING THE SINFUL WORKS OF SATAN…. •LIVING A LIFE THAT PURSUES↓ NOT GOOD WORKS BUT.. •WORKS OF EVIL…. •GOD CREATED US IN CHRIST FOR GOOD WORKS… •WE NEED TO NOT WASTE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US… •WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE PURPOSE OF OUR SALVATION WAS TO SERVE GOD… TO WORK↓ THE WORKS OF GOD… •PAUL IS REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THE WORKS WE ARE TO DO… •FIRST, HE SAYS THEY ARE GOOD WORKS… •HE USES A WORD THAT MEANS MORALLY GOOD… OR RIGHTEOUS… •HE COULD HAVE USED A WORD THAT MEANS GOOD… AS IN USEFUL.. OR EFFICIENT •HE COULD HAVE USED A WORD FOR GOOD THAT MEANS… GOOD AS IN BEAUTIFUL.. PLEASANT… •BUT HE DID NOT HE ANY OF THOSE WORDS… •HE USED GOOD AS IN PLEASING TO GOD… RIGHTEOUS… GOD CREATED US IN CHRIST •TO DO HIS WORKS… •MANY TIMES GOD’S WORK IS NOT PLEASANT… •SOMETIMES IT IS NOT VERY EFFICIENT… •BUT HE DID NOT RAISE US TO NEW LIFE TO DO WHAT IS PLEASING TO US… •BUT TO DO WHAT IS PLEASING TO HIM.. WORKS WHICH GOD PREPARED… •THE WORKS WE ARE CALLED US TO WALK IN ARE NOT ONLY GOOD.. •THEY WERE PREPARED BY GOD… •WHEN PAUL SAYS GOD PREPARED THESE WORKS BEFOREHAND •HE COULD MEAN… WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS… BUT… BECAUSE OF THE WAY HE WORDS IT… •I AM PRETTY SURE HE MEANS… BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE… •HE USES THE SAME KIND OF WORDS HE USED WHEN HE SAID… •GOD HAD PREDESTINED US… BACK IN CHAPTER ONE… THE IDEA HERE IS THAT…. •AT THE SAME TIME GOD PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION IN CHRIST… •GOD ALSO PREPARED THESE WORKS •THESE THINGS REALLY GO TOGETHER… •THEY ARE PART OF THE SAME PLAN… AND GOD PREPARED THESE •GOOD WORKS SO THAT WE WOULD DO THEM…. •WAIT… THAT IS NOT QUITE WHAT PAUL SAYS.. •PAUL SAYS GOD PREPARED THESE GOOD WORKS.. •SO THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THEM. BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE •BETWEEN DOING A GOOD WORK… AND WALKING IN A GOOD WORK?... •IF PAUL HAD SAID WE WOULD DO GOOD WORKS •THAT WOULD MEAN THESE WORKS WERE DONE BY OUR POWER, •THAT WOULD MAKE IT ABOUT US… HOW GREAT WE ARE…. •IF WE DID THE WORKS WE WOULD GET THE GLORY.. •BUT, PAUL SAID WE WOULD WALK IN THEM •THE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN THESE GOOD WORKS… WE HAVE A PART •IN THE GOOD WORKS OCCURRING… •BUT THEY ARE NO DONE BY US… •THEY ARE NOT DONE BY OUR POWER… •THE TRUTH IS… •APART FROM GOD WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO ANY GOOD WORKS.. JOHN 15:5 “I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES; HE WHO ABIDES IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE BEARS MUCH FRUIT, FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.” WE WALK IN THE GOOD WORKS •GOD PREPARED BEFORE HAND… •WHEN WE ABIDE IN CHRIST… •WHEN WE YIELD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT… •WHEN WE DO GOD’S WILL AND NO OUR OWN… THIS IS THE GOAL OF OUR SALVATION. •CHRIST DID NOT DIE ON A CROSS •SO THAT I COULD SIT AROUND ON THE COUCH AND WAIT TO GET INTO HEAVEN… •WE ARE CALLED TO WALK IN GOOD WORKS… •TO ABIDE IN CHRIST… TO GROW TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS.. •THIS IS NOT EASY STUFF… •THESE THINGS DO NOT COME NATURALLY.. •THEY GO AGAINST OUR HUMAN NATURE… •THEY GO AGAINST THE CULTURE WE LIVE IN… DOING THESE THINGS TAKES TIME •WE ALL MESS IT UP EVERY NOW AND THEN… •BUT GOD IN HIS LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE •FORGIVES US WHEN WE MESS UP… •AND WE CAN GET RIGHT BACK IN THERE AND WALK IN HIS GOOD WORKS… I HAVE ON MY DESK A GUITAR STRING •IT IS FREE. I TWIST ONE END OF IT AND IT WIGGLES AROUND. •IT IS FREE, BUT IT IS NOT FREE TO DO WHAT A GUITAR STRING IS SUPPOSED TO DO – TO PRODUCE MUSIC. •SO, I TAKE THIS GUITAR STRING AND ATTACH IT TO MY GUITAR… I TIGHTEN IT UNTIL IT IS •STRETCHED TIGHT…. IT IS NO LONGER FREE TO WIGGLE ABOUT •BUT IT IS NOW FREE TO BE A GUITAR STRING. •WHEN I PLAY THE GUITAR… THE SOUND COMES FROM THE STRING… •BUT I AM THE ONE PLAYING THE MUSIC… THE STRING IS PARTICIPATING… •BUT IT IS NOT PREFORMING THE SONG.. •WHEN WE TRUST IN CHRIST, WE ARE FREED FROM THE POWER OF SIN… •BUT, WE ARE ONLY TRULY FREE WHEN WE DO WHAT GOD DESIGNED US TO DO… •WHEN WE WALK IN THE GOOD •WORKS GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US… WHEN YIELD TO THE HOLY SPIRIT… •ABIDE WITH CHRIST… WALK WITH GOD… •WE ARE NOT PERFORMING THE GOOD WORKS GOD IS… •BUT, WE ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE GOOD WORKS… •WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US… •THIS IS PART OF HOW WE ABIDE IN CHRIST… BEFORE CHRIST •CAME INTO OUR LIVES •WE WERE DEEP DOWN IN THE BOTTOM OF A COAL MINE… OUR SINS AND TRESPASSES… •THE ELEVATOR THAT RAISED US OUT OF THAT PIT WAS POWERED BY GOD’S GRACE… IT WAS INSTALLED •OUT OF GOD’S LOVE AND MERCY… •THERE WAS NO FEE TO GET IN THAT ELEVATOR… •ALL IT REQUIRED WAS THE FAITH TO STEP INSIDE, SHUT THE CAGE… •ONCE WE HAVE ENTERED THAT CAGE BY FAITH OUR RIDE OUT OF THE PIT IS SECURE AND CERTAIN… PAUL’S MESSAGE HERE IS SIMPLE… •WE WERE DEAD IN OUR SINS… •WE WALKED ACCORDING TO SATAN AND THE FALLEN WORLD… •WE LIVED IN THE LUSTS OF OUR FLESH.. •WE WERE CHILDREN OF WRATH… •WE COULD DO NOTHING WITHOUT GOD… WE COULD NOT EARN SALVATION… •WE CANNOT SAVE OURSELVES… •WE CAN’T EVEN DO GOOD WORKS •BUT… GOD IN HIS GRACE AND MERCY SAVED US… •WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP… HIS MASTERPIECE WHICH HE CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS… •WE CAN ENTER INTO HIS GRACE THROUGH FAITH… •WE CAN WALK IN GOD’S GOOD WORKS WHEN WE ABIDE IN CHRIST… •WE GET NO GLORY… NO PRAISE… •ALL THE GLORY GOES TO GOD… •ALL THE PRAISE… ALL THE CREDIT… IN THESE THREE VERSES •WE FIND THE MESSAGE OF THE GOSPEL.. •THE GOOD NEWS… •THAT THERE IS A GOD WHO LOVED US.. •AND IN HIS GRACE HE GAVE US THE GIFT OF SALVATION… •WE HAVE BEEN SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH… WE DID NOT EARN OUR SALVATION.. •AND WE HAVE BEEN SAVED IN ORDER THAT WE MAY WALK IN THE GOOD WORKS GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US.. •IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE TODAY •WHO HAS NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS CHRIST… •ANYONE STILL DOWN IN THAT COAL MINE.. IN A MOMENT •I AM GOING PRAY A PRAYER… •AND WE ARE GOING TO SING A SONG… •AND DURING THAT SONG…