Who is God? God the Son, Saviour & King
What were in the series called firm foundations and we are examining just who God is specifically who God the father and Holy Spirit and son are in a way that instructs us and encourages us we started the series with the message on the Bible. We talked about scanning. The Bible scan is an acronym s c h a n s means that the Bible is sufficient. See the Bible is clear a the Bible is authoritative an n in the Bible is necessary. We did that because we learn who got the father is God. The holy spirit is God. The son is we learned that from the Bible. So if you're not confident in the Bible, if we don't think that is sufficient in clear and authoritative and necessary that our star witness our primary teacher to understand who God is is hopelessly fractured. We started our series off with a message on the Bible. And then we had a message on Who The God Who God the father is and we tried to explore his character in a way that would be instructive but also encouraging and we found that God the father is personal and powerful and passionate. And then last week we were talking about God the Holy Spirit and we found the god the Holy Spirit baptizes us seals us and fills us for service. Today we're going to be talking about God. The son is matter fact for 2 weeks this week and next week. We'll bring our serious to a conclusion this week and next week. We're talking about God the son Savior and King. If I were doing this chronologically, I would do G God the son Savior and then God the Sun King. Because God the son savior is mostly about the first coming of Jesus. God the son King is really the message of his second coming. Course Jesus is a king right now. He is seated at the right hand of God the father but the Bible talks about a common time where Jesus will return to Earth not to rain in heaven as king but to rain on Earth physically in a political Geographic physical since Jesus is coming to rule the world. We want to examine five Bible truths that Andy was reading to us through the various scripture references just to see how that Earthly can you ship Jesus becoming King. How's that all going to work out? What does that mean? And I think when you see this story when you hear these Five Points, you will be excited you will be encouraged cuz let me tell you you have a very exciting future in front of you. By the way, did you notice is Andy was reading the scripture that the sermon will start in Genesis and end in Revelation. So buckle up team. We're going to be here a while know it will be a normal size serving but it does start in Genesis and it does end in Revelation. I do want to point out though that I have stolen the outline for the sermon. I've been preaching here for 10 years. And when I preached the sermon to remind I do research and I read books and I lift various things from the books, but the sermons The outlines the illustrations, they're all mine. I think probably five or six times in the past decade that I have lifted so much from an external source that I want to tell you about it. And today is one of those sermons my son Caleb and I read theological books together. We get together every Sunday on the phone to discuss them and about a year ago. We read this book. He will reign forever to wonderful book. I would highly recommend it to you. But the sermon today is really an outline of chapter 36 if you go buy that book you don't need to listen to the sermon because I'm in chapter 36. Let me tell you these Five Points these five points that describe the coming King ship of Jesus and in doing so will give us the tools to understand all of human history. That is not hyperbole. When we understand these Five Points. We will understand why human history is the way it is point number one. When God created Adam Adam was created as a king as a vice Regent to rule over all the Earth. That was Adam and Eve's original Mission to be King's over creation and to manage the Earth on behalf of God. We see that in scripture in Genesis 1 and 26. God said let us make man in our image. By the way. This is unusual. Let us make man in our image after our likeness if you were reading through the creation account you would say that's something different cuz I watched God create the Earth and the Sun and the stars and the dry land and the oceans and the fish and he's never said anything was In His Image. He created everything but this is the first part of the creation story that says he's creating something in his image. I'm not sure what that means but it sure sounds significant. Let us make man in our image and let them have dominion over and then he describes what he's just created efficiency and birds and Heavens. This is another unusual thing God when he created Adam and Eve he gave them Dominion you are over this crazy. He didn't say that to the fish. He didn't say that to the bird. You didn't say that to the mountains. You didn't say that to the Stars man is unique in that he is created in the image of God and he has Dominion control over creation. We see that as part of the image of God. We were created man and woman men are not created in the image of God and women or something else men and women together form human society and together men and women male and female form the human image of God. And then God gives him an assignment again. If you were reading through creation account carefully you'd say okay, this is unusual because this is the first time this is not the first time in the creation account that God has created but this is certainly the first time that he has created in His image and given dominion and spoken to part of his creation. He never speaks to the animals. He never speaks to the mountains never streets the legs, but he does speak to men and women. And he says be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth.
Did you have you ever thought of this the plan for Adam and Eve was always to procreate and to create other human beings remember? This is Genesis 1. This is before the fall. This is before they falling away from God even before the fall Adam and Eve were going to have children and their children were going to have children. The original intent was that Adam and Eve would be mother and father to the entire human race and this human race would fill the Earth. In a perfect loving society and they would manage the Earth and wisdom and offer worship up to God. And what are we going to do on the earth? They're going to subdue it. To subdue simply means to control something for your own benefit when engineer's divert a river. So that water can be used for a town. There's subduing the river. They are controlling me the environment for their own benefit. That's part of our mission Adam and Eve were created to procreate to create more humans. And then we is an entire human race would fill the Earth and subdue it and it control the elements of the earth to form this beautiful Human Society United under God and worshipping him. By the way, some say this word subdue is negative. Subdue is not exploit Adam and Eve in the human race or never to exploit the creation. We are to subdue it. And I have those beautiful Human Society. The original plan is that God creates Adam and Eve Adam and Eve create more humans and together. They fill the Earth and subdue it and build this beautiful Society by the way, just think about this. I don't know if you've thought about this or not before.
Science technology and the Arts were always going to happen. Even if Adam and Eve had not Fallen. They would still have discovered metals and how to build tools, you know, the internet would still have happened because they would have been involved in subduing the earth, and when people are all over the Earth in a beautiful unfallen States. We would need to communicate with one another. We would still have eggs. We would still have created the internet if Adam and Eve had been falling. They would still have had children still organized and biological families. We would still be pursuing the art. We would still be exploring science. We would still be using technology in our mission to subdue the Earth and create the perfect society and worshipping God. We pursue Science and Arts and Technology because that's part of our mission, but we're falling. So instead of using the internet to keep in touch with one another we use the internet to spew hatred and Division. And transport terrible images to other people. Yes, it was going to be a beautiful world a society United in harmony Adam and Eve and their children would have had Harmony three kinds of Harmony. They would have had perfect harmony with God. Can you imagine an Earthly Society worldwide billions of people subduing the Earth in harmony with God and not only harmony with God but living in harmony with each other no police no locks. No dishonesty. No violence because we have this perfect society that it's in harmony with God's and harmony with one another and in harmony with the Earth itself. We subdue the Earth. We don't exploit it. That was the original plan.
By the way, the world gives us a very different narrative, doesn't it? We're here. Because we're creation of God, but because we're an accident of evolution. And we don't subdue the Earth we exploited. We are animals just like dogs and cats. It's just that were smarter than dogs and cats and that's why we exploit them. That's a very different narrative. The world says we need to be kind to animals because we're animals just like them and we share the planet with them and we have no more right to live than they do cuz that's not the biblical narrative. Friends if we can understand the biblical narrative creative creation a lot of pieces start to fall into place for us. We're kind to animals. We're kind of animals, but not because we're animals not because we're equal not because we're sharing a planet with you. We are not equal to animals and we are not sharing the planet with them. Where are Trying to animals because Proverbs 12:10 says whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his Beast. We are kind to animals because that's what God would have us do. That's a reflection of who he is. We're kind of animals because we want to live in harmony with creation. If we understand the narrative creation of creation a lot of pieces fall into place, why are we kind of animals? Because we are here to subdue not to exploit. Why are we kind to people? James 3:9 and talking about the tongue says with it the tongue we bless our Lord and father and with it the tongue we curse people and that's wrong. Why is it wrong? Because people like us are made in the image of God when we disrespect people ones. We agree with ones we disagree with one's of a similar Heritage one with a different Heritage when we disrespect people we disrespect the god that made them because they are made in His image. That's why we're kinds of people that's why we're kind to animals. If you understand The Narrative of creation a lot of pieces fall into place. That's why we believe human life is sacred.
We defend the sanctity of Life. The other narrative does not explain why that is if we are just animals like other animals and we Slaughter other animals. Why can't we be slaughtered and that's why we do in the womb.
But we are not animals. We are images of God and we are not equal with the animals. We are human beings made in the image of God and the scriptures forbid The Taking of human life.
We descend the sanctity of human life and yet we kill animals for food and there is no contradiction because we are not animals and animals are not made in the image of God to kill animals for food is just part of subduing the Earth, but to destroy human life is to blaspheme and dishonor and to show contempt for God the Creator.
If we understand The Narrative of creation a lot of pieces fall into place even our own salvation. We see that God created Adam and even his own image. We learned later that we send and we falling away and this image has been broken and marred. You know, what salvation is. Salvation is restoring the image. We reading Colossians 3:10 having put on the new self. What is this new self? What was being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator salvation is when we start to become the people that we were always meant to become.
The full route with a lot of things by the way speaking of the Fall. Did it ruin our mandate to subdue the Earth? I mean God did God say to Adam and Eve fill the Earth and subdue it you're going to have dominion over the fish in the cattle. And if you going to have dominion over this whole thing, this is my property. I'm the owner, but I'm electing you was in my property manager. That's what Adam and Eve were property managers, but then they fell. Does that affect it? Are we still God's property managers? Do we still have dominion over the Earth?
The answer is yes we do. After the fall man still possesses the right to rule creation.
Where do you see that in the second reading? Andy gave us Psalm 8:3 and 8328. This isn't several such as let me just work through this quickly. Psalm 8 verse 3 the song that says to God when I look at your Heavens the work of your fingers the moon and the stars. Would you have set in place verse 3 when I look at the universe is pretty amazing absolutely huge is unbelievably complex. It was all works and it's beautiful. When I looked at your creation, I'm really surprised you spend any time on Mannitol verse for verse 3 when I look at your Heavens, I'm amazed verse for what is man that you are mindful of him. And the son of man that you care for him when I looked at the billions of stars when I look at the galaxies when I look at the the intricacies the creation. I'm really surprised that you're that you that you are mindful of man and you actually care for him. I don't get it. I don't get it. We seem so small and insignificant. It really surprises me that you're Mindful and caring for for us. As a matter fact, you've made us a little lower than the Heavenly beings and you've given us this beautiful estate were crowned with Glory and Honor. I don't get it. I just don't get it and then noticed what the song says you have given him dominion over the works of your hands. This is quoting the Mandate from Genesis 1 The song that says you have given man dominion over the work of your hands put all things under his feet and then starts quoting all the things in Genesis 1 that he created all the sheep in the auction in the beasts of the earth Beasts of the field birds and Heavens. What I want you to notice here about Sami is it is in the present tense.
Show me doesn't say you gave Dominion to the Earth of the earth to us. But then when we fall you took it back, we're now out of a job. He doesn't it doesn't say that it says you have given we permanently the human race still has the original Mission to multiply to fill the Earth and subdue it.
Friends, I just want to pause here. I understand. This is a little more theological than nessus than usual. But if you will hang with me just understanding these two points. God created us to be Kings and vice Regent over creation and to fill it and subdue it and bring it for his glory and we still have that mandate if you can understand that you can understand human history.
Man is in a constant quest to subdue the Earth. You know why we're hardwired for that. God made us for this. We are in a constant quest to unite Society why we were made for this but we're falling. And so we don't want to bend the knee to God, but we still have this inner need to subdue the Earth at the building. So we try to build one unified world. That doesn't worship God but raises its fist to God. The last attempt to build a world Empire that was not subduing the Earth to give glory to God that attempted to subdue the Earth to stick its finger in the eye of God's the last attempt was 1939 to 1945.
The Third Reich that would last a thousand years that was an attempt to execute the Eden mission in a fallen State and that was just the last attempt at MP4. That was the Roman Empire and the attempt before that was the Greek Empire any attempt before that was the Babylonian Empire and the attempt before that was the Assyrian Empire attempt before that was the Egyptian Empire in the attempt before that was the Tower of Babel the Tower of Babel. We're all of humans got together and say nuts to you God. We are going to build a society in harmony with we don't need you were so good. We don't need you. This is what explains human history.
We are pre-wired with the Adam Mission. We are pre-wired with the Eden Mission. We want to fill the Earth and subdue it and United in some great purpose, but it can't be God because we will not bend the knee and so we has fallen men spend eternity trying to build not the city of God, but the city of man. Everybody knows this. You don't have to teach people that is pre-wired. If you're a little bit older, you may remember the 1970s Brew Crosby Stills and Nash sometime in the seventies that came out with an album called Deja Vu there was a song in that album called Woodstock. Listen to the lyrics We Are Stardust we are golden. We are billion-year-old carbon. And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden. This is a completely wrong worldview. We are Stardust. No, we're not a creation of God. We are golden or not. We are Fallen. We are alienated from God. We're not golden were ruined. We are billion-year-old carbon no or not. We're not some Cosmic accident. We are not the Confluence of random elements. We are images of the most high we are not Stardust. We are not golden. We are not billion-year-old carbon and yet even they know we've got our get ourselves back to the Garden the Garden of Eden. There's something Mission. There's something we need to do. Everybody does knows this. Adam is a king Embrace region. We still possess that mandate man still has the right to subdue the Earth to the glory of God. And we're not doing that right now, but one day we will we're not doing that right now, but one day we will. In Hebrews 2529. We we read these words.
But it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come. Oh, wait a minute. There's a world to come. You mean like we're in the world now? Yeah, and there's a world to come. Yeah. And the angels will rule no. Never gave this mission to Angels. God gave this mission to mankind. Fruit was not the angels that God subjected the world to come with which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere and then he quote Psalm 8 where we just were what is man that you are mindful of them. Son of man that you are care for him. You made him a little lower than the angels real crown him with Glory and Honor putting everything in subjection under his feet. Chucky is quoting soulmate. This is still in effect. And then he says now I'm putting everything and subjected in subjection to him. He left nothing outside his control. We should do the entire Earth at present. We do not see everything in subjection to him. What Hebrew what Genesis 1 says is we have this mission? What Psalm 8 says is even though you fall and you're still on 1st? You still got this Mission what Hebrews 2 says you still got the mission, but it's not happening. You've been given given Dominion. To bring this whole world together in glory to God. That's not what I see. That is not happening right now notice the next line in Hebrews 2. But we see him. And who was him?
namely Jesus
you guys still have the mission right? Did you know that or yes, we know that and you're not really getting it done. Did you know that that's pretty evident? Well, I don't see you accomplish in this Mission, but I'll tell you what, I do see Jesus.
He was made a little lower than the Angels remember when he became a man. He's always been God, but when he was born, he also became a man. Is crowned with Glory and Honor friends? Here's the truth of the scriptures. Jesus the ultimate man and last item Will Rain Over creation before he hands the kingdom over to the father. Let me just unpack that a little bit. Jesus has always been God the son at his Incarnation. He became man and God. The Bible calls him the second Adam the last Adam Adam was given a mandate and he failed. Fill the Earth and subdue it for the glory of God. He failed. There is another Adam coming who is going to accomplish this mission.
He is going to bring a worldwide beautiful human culture human society that does feel the entire Earth does subdue the entire Earth does execute the Mandate of giving glory to God that day will come. And when's at kingdom is firmly in place on Earth. He's going to hand it over to the father.
The Eden mission is on a long pause, but it will be resumed where the first item failed the second Adam will succeed and there will be a worldwide human society that is united in harmony harmony with God the Father harmony with each other and harmony with the creation itself.
What is that look like? Where does the bible say that? 1st Corinthians, 15:24 want to go through this little bit carefully then comes the end. This verse is talking about the end of the temporal world were in.
You know, the temporal world is going to end. What we see is going to end this verse is talking about that time. This verse is talking about when we move into the Eternal State then comes the end what comes after the end.
Revelation 21 M22 then comes the end what happens at the end like a how do we actually get into this eternal State? How do we get into Revelation 21 and 22 well, Jesus that's the he here delivers the kingdom of God to God the Father.
Think about that. Jesus is coming again. Not a savior. But as king. And he will fulfill Adams Mission a building a worldwide Coast-to-Coast everywhere beautiful human society that is united in harmony. With god with each other with creation itself and when he is established that Kingdom.
when he has accomplished Adams mission He will take that Kingdom that Adam was supposed to build and he will deliver it to God the Father. You know, we often say that Jesus died for us. And that's true. We absolutely needed salvation and he died to win that salvation, but it is also true to say that Jesus God the son died for God the Father.
Because his death was the only way for God the Father to have what he's always wanted. You know what God the father has always wanted a people for himself a people he can call his own. But when we saw that became impossible because we became sinful he can associate with sin God the son died to win us, but he also died to make us the people that God has always wanted this and he builds us into a kingdom and then when he's finished at Kingdom, he hands it over to God the Father. And you know what this kingdom. Does this Earthly Kingdom that Jesus is King over. It destroys every Rule and every Authority and every Power when Jesus has formed us into the perfect Earthly Human Society. He hands over a kingdom that has destroyed every Foe and God the Father receives this Kingdom knowing that his leadership will never be in doubt again. His godship will never be challenged again. We will be at perfect peace with him forever. Then comes the end Revelation 21 and 22. How do we get there? What comes before that a time where Jesus Reigns a time where he's destroying these enemies and The Last Enemy is death. Friends just before revelation.
21 and 22. This is the end. What how do we get there? What leads up to there? Revelation 20 which describes does beautiful Earthly kingship where Jesus returns and is King over the Earth in a physical political way has an actual room on which he sits to administer the Affairs of the earth, and he does what Adam should have done.
Allow us to fill the Earth and subdue it for the glory of God.
That's very nice story. I find that compelling because you know, what was done wrong and Genesis 3 is corrected and God the Father gets what he wants a people and Human Society finally becomes what it should have been all along. I like that story. I just wish I could fit in it. Friends Jersey exciting part you do. When Jesus returns and administers this Earthly Kingdom, which will fulfill the mission of Eden and when that is working perfectly, he hands it over to the father. You know, what when he returns as king he shares that kingship with us.
We return with him and we helped rule. Revelation 2:26 to 27. Jesus is speaking directly to a church here to encourage them. And what does he say? He says hang in there because the one who conquers and keeps my works until the end or really what happens. I will give authority over the nation's. The coming world will still be organized in Nations and we will help rule them.
The Authority that Jesus has received from the father he delegates to us friends you will be in this Earthly Kingdom and you will have an assignment I don't know what that'll be. I don't know if it's going to be organized geographically and you might be responsible for Ontario and you might be responsible for France or maybe by Mission you're responsible for music and you're responsible for teaching drums, I don't know I don't know but I do know this we will participate Justin Adams children Adam was not going to subdue the Earth on his own. He was not going to fill the Earth on his own. He was going to have children and he was going to leave them in this. Jesus will be king and he's going to rule with us. And you say this is weird and wonderful. Like I've never heard the sort of thing before it is true in our Evangelical world. We don't often teach on the coming Kingdom and its Earthly nature and so forth, but it is not true that the scriptures don't emphasize this. Let's just eavesdrop on Jesus as he's talking to his disciples did the end of his life. Jesus said to them truly I say to you in the new world or wait a minute. This is no there is no no, no. No, there's a new world coming. You guys didn't know that. Let me just tell you a little bit about the new world when the son of man will sit on his glorious future tense. That's when he comes not a savior, but it's game. When that happens you who followed me will also sit on the 12 Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel. The disciples will have special responsibility for the nation of Israel, but they are going to help Rule and so will you
and by the way, I can't say this categorically, but it seems pretty clear at least to me from the scriptures that the degree of your responsibilities will depend on the degree of your faithfulness here in now, That will be the Sorting mechanism.
servewell servewell How is this all going to happen aren't the disciples dead. They're buried someplace all be dead by the time all this happened yet What Maisie but we are going to have our lowly bodies transformed into glorious bodies and the same power that enables Jesus to subject all things to himself noticed. This is Genesis.
Subject all things with Dustin. C Eden Mission the same Authority the same power that gives Jesus the Jesus uses to do that. He will you to give us a glorious bodies you will be there.
Let me just conclude with weird about location.
Two words of application notice the graphic that I've chosen really displays. Jesus is savior the crown of thorns. suffering that was his path to win our Salvation. That would be the focus of next week's message. But this week's message is not the crown of thorns, but the crown of gold. I want you to I want to give you two words of encouragement word of encouragement number one. Hang in there. Hang in there. I thought this message would be so appropriate because the world if you don't mind me saying so it looks like it's falling apart. It really does I know which look like this and other times in history, but the world looks like it's just falling apart. I was watching a political program the other day and one very respected commentator ask the other respected commentator. What do you think of the state of the nation? They were talking about the United States and this respected Savvy commentator said I think we're on the verge of a national divorce. I have never seen it. So chaotic so divided friends. Hang in there. The current chaos will not succeed. And I am just the stress. I don't want the to make this into a political speech, but I am distressed. To see how evil is winning in our world crazy unrighteous self-destructive ideas are now accepted as unassailable truth, and we are now organizing around wickedness and it's working.
The bad guys are winning. Hang in there. It's all very temporary. Jesus is coming and he destroys it all that's Revelation 19 Revelation 19 is the fall of Babylon and Jesus just destroys this Earthly Wicked Kingdom. By the way, I was saying that the man is always tried to subdue the Earth and United in one great Kingdom the Nazi Germany and Rome and Greece and Babylon and Assyria and Egypt in the tower of the Bible of the Tower of Babel or there's one more coming. There's one more. There's one more Grand attempt with the word the world tries to unite one more time not to worship God but the pope as a finger in his holy I to slap his holy face and they will need a leader and Satan will be happy to supply at he's called the Antichrist. Revelation 19 is ruining that Kingdom. The bad guys will not win. This will not stand. This is temporary Revelation 19 is the destruction Revelation 20 is to set up what eating was always supposed to be. 19 destroying the evil Kingdom 20 establishing the Garden of Eden the way it was supposed to be 21 and 22 the Eternal State delivering the kingdom over to the father. Hang in there.
Justice will be done so much of what we call Justice today is in Justice. It's just depressing. Hang in there. Hang in there. Justice will be done truth will win hang in there. And then the second thing I'd say in closing is Living Hope Living Hope This thing isn't lost yet. The Genesis Mission will be accomplished. We will fill the Earth. We will subdue it. We will live in a society that is united in harmony with god with each other with the Earth itself. And not only is it not is it going to happen? You're going to play an important part. This ruling will be shared with you in your Resurrection body with your current personality you the real you will not only live in this Kingdom. You're going to help make it happen. Living Hope and then finally just a word. I would encourage all of us to live today in light of our future responsibilities. We're going to be big wheels in the Kingdom. We're going to have significant Authority in subduing the earth and bringing Harmony. Live today as if that's true in a very often a politician will have this meteoric rise, and then something will be discovered about his life 10 years ago. And then he has a catastrophic fall because he's suddenly seen is unqualified. If we hadn't known that about you. We would never elected you in the first place. Yeah, don't forget we are kings and queens and waiting. We will be coronated. We will leave live now. So that nothing I'm embarrassing comes up. Live now in a way that's worthy of the role that you will have in the world to come.
Hang in there Living Hope and live today in light of your future role.
We're friends that ends The Sermon Just let me say a word about next week's sermon. This week's sermon is all about the future king and the future Kingdom. Did you know that Jesus is coming back physically, he will reign physically on a throne physically the seat of human government will be based in Jerusalem. Did you know that is true and you're going to be in that Kingdom and you're going to have a tortoise. Did you know that it's true? Yeah, but what about today? Does the kingdom exist today? Do I have responsibilities for the kingdom today or am I just waiting for Jesus to come? That is next week. Let's pray Heavenly Father. We thank you for the truth. We thank you. The easy move would have been to give up. You create for us this whole universe and this beautiful planet and then you you give us kind of a starter pack of the Garden of Eden. And then you give us this beautiful Godly Mission. You could have done it on your own but you wanted to do it through us. So you say that, you know, this little Garden of Eden that I built for you. I want you to extend the boundaries extend the boundaries extend the boundaries until the entire Earth is an Eden old with beautiful Human Society. We thank you for that mission and then in Fairbanks We slapped your holy face. Our father's father and mother Adam and Eve said we don't need you.
We don't believe your loving we think you're holding out on us. We don't think you're acting in our best interest. We think we need to do exactly what you're told us not to do and then we fell it was ever a time to revolt the mission if there was ever a time to walk away and discuss it was that time and yet and yet. You promised the Savior to come and buy us back and reconcile us to you and a coming that will make the Eden Mission real. Jesus Heavenly Father we are overwhelmed we were like the psalmist of soulmate. We look at this whole big plan and we're just mystified that you would think of us verse of Psalm 8 verse 3. We look at the whole universe were amazed. So maybe it's amazing that you would even remember us. Let alone be mindful of us and care for us verse 5 and Kronas with Glory and Honor. We bow to your greatness. We rest in your mercy, and we look forward to the day where we can serve you in the New Kingdom. We offer this prayer in Christ name. Amen.