Christ's Pre-incarnate Glory

Let me begin by letting you know that I think, Pastor Saul, we have about 100 Gospel of John's that I want to encourage you along with our study in the book of John that you carefully and prayerfully consider adding to your pocket wear.

Pardon?

They're at the visitor center.

Now what we're going to do when we were working our way through the book of Ephesians, one of the blessings that we enjoyed was that periodically we relied on different ones of you to recite one of the chapters in the book of Ephesians.

And we are not going to do the same thing with John necessarily.

There are going to be different times perhaps where we may have some recitations from the book of John.

But one of the things that I want to encourage you to do is I want you to prayerfully consider taking one of these Gospels and putting it in your pocket and carrying it with you and praying about the Lord giving you an opportunity to share the Gospel and encourage someone.

Hey, by the way, why don't you read this book?

And periodically, every couple months or so, we are going to have various ones of you that have been praying and looking for the opportunities as God gives that opportunity for you to share that and say, hey, here's how God answered that prayer.

Okay?

I don't want you to go out there and grab nine or ten Gospels at one shot unless you are anticipating using all ten of them here in short order.

But you prayerfully consider if I take one, then I am making a commitment that I am going to pray and ask God to give me opportunity.

And I will be one of those that God uses as He answers prayer and gives people opportunity to use you to kind of touch them with the Gospel.

Okay?

Let's keep that in mind as we work our way through the Gospel of John and you continue being in prayer.

Lord, give me the opportunity.

Use me to draw attention to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's take a moment and pray.

Our Father God, this morning as we come

with a glad dependence upon your sufficiency and your word,

we're mindful

that the word that we have and will handle this morning is that which you have declared

from all eternity,

true, settled,

unchanging, sufficient,

all that we need for life and godliness.

And we are thankful that not only have you given to us the word,

but you have also given to us the indwelling spirit

spirit.

And those of us that are here this morning

may rely upon the ministry of the Spirit of God

to give us hearts to hear

and apply

and enjoy

and delight in the sweetness of the truth

that is found in these verses.

And that as it says in 2 Corinthians 3,

2 Corinthians 3:18

verse 18,

we beholding as in a mirror

the glory of the Lord are being changed

from glory to glory.

And we're reminded that that is the work of the Spirit of God.

And so this morning we,

without hesitation,

call upon you to work in us

as a fellowship

and in me

as a preacher of the gospel

to make the word clear

and to allow it to impact our lives

for the glory of Christ.

And we ask this in Jesus' name

and because of His glory.

Amen.

I want you to take your Bible.

If you haven't already turned to the book of John,

there was a,

it was interesting to listen to Tom in Sunday school

give us a great overview of salvation.

And I have to tell you

that Tom did a great,

a great ministry

of laying out

the broad scope

of what comes

when a person comes to faith

in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And in that flow,

Tom alluded to the fact

that we're probably going to be

in the book of John for,

I think he used the word forever.

That is not true at all.

Okay.

And then John Kroll,

I can't believe you did that.

He made a very similar,

did you guys kind of collude together

and say,

all right,

we're going to ding pastor with this.

Hey, listen,

I want to tell you something

in the evening sermon.

I am going to take Deuteronomy

and I'm going to cover

in a broad flow

from chapter one to 31.

And it can be done.

You're going to see it happen.

So show up

and see how it actually happens.

There's going to be

a broad overview.

In fact,

listening to you guys,

I'm thinking

one of these days

I'm going to preach

all 66 books of the Bible

in one sermon.

And you guys will walk out of there

and say,

if he could do that once,

why doesn't he do it twice?

Now,

listen,

there is a beauty

and there's a satisfaction

in the word,

isn't there?

And every time we open it up,

we see the glory

and the significance

and the supremacy of Christ.

And if that is true

in any place,

it is particularly true

in the book we're in right now.

And I want you to listen,

follow along

as I read to you

verses one through five

to kind of just set

in your mind

the glory

of the introduction

of John

to us.

In the beginning

was the word

and the word

was with God

and the word

was God.

He was in the beginning

with God.

All things

were made

through him

and without him

was not anything

made

that was made.

In him

was life

and the life

was the light

of men.

The light

shines in the darkness

and the darkness

has not

overcome it.

I remind you

that John

explained to us

when we began

our study

in this book

that his objective

is to give us

a clear picture

of who the Lord

Jesus Christ

is.

In John

John 20:30

chapter 20

verse 30

and 31

he talked about

the fact that

there was an awful lot

that could have been written

but the things

that he chose

to write about

all focused in

on giving us

information

to bring us

to faith

to bring us

to life.

And as we begin

the book

of John

the thing

that John

the apostle

wants us to understand

very clearly

about Christ

is that he

indeed

is God.

He is

God

the son

the second

person

in the trinity

and he

in his

entire

capacity

as God

the son

is supremely

important

and supremely

equipped

to be the one

who makes

God

known

to us.

As we look

at this

second lesson

I want you

to pick up

with me there

in verse 2

when John

says this

he was in

the beginning

with God.

We can

understand

from that

that he

is making

a statement

about the

fact that

Jesus Christ

is face

to face

with God.

His opening

statement

that we

looked at

last week

reminded us

that for

one

the word

was eternal

from the

beginning

the word

was secondly

with God

or face

to face

with him

as I've

referenced

already

and he

is equal

to God

in communion

and person

and he

is entirely

equal

in all

aspects.

Furthermore

as we

see at the

last part

of chapter

1 verse

1

it says

that Jesus

Christ

is God

he is

divine.

So in

one sense

what we

find in

chapter 1

verse 2

is a

repetition

of what's

already been

said.

Now why

do we

repeat

things?

Why do

you repeat

things as

parents?

Or why

do you

repeat

things when

you sense

that there's

a need

to do so?

It's not

just to hear

yourself talk

it is to

hammer the

point home

and make

it clear.

Sometimes

I remember

I think

about some

of the

experiences

of raising

children

and there

were some

things that

you thought

were fairly

important and

you would

emphasize it

again and

again.

And so here

is John

at the

very

beginning

at the

outset

he says

listen if

there's

anything I

want you

to understand

I want

you to

grab the

reality of

who the

Lord Jesus

Christ is

and the

Holy Spirit

instructs

John and

John writes

this verse

and blesses

us with a

repeated

reminder of

who our

Savior the

Lord Jesus

Christ really

is.

I want

you to

understand that

Jesus deserves

more than a

glance or a

hurried nod.

He came to

be the

Lamb of

God.

He came to

be our

Savior.

He came to

die for our

sins.

And at the

very outset as

we begin to

think about who

Jesus is and

what he has

done for us

it's appropriate

for us to

recognize the

magnificence of

his person.

You know to

kind of stop and

think about so

he died.

That really

doesn't have any

resonance or any

significance unless

you stop and

realize who he

is and why he

did it.

And so as John

starts out here

and presents his

gospel to us he

wants us to get

this idea firmly

fixed in our

mind that the

Lord Jesus Christ

our Savior is

God and

eternal and

with the

Father face to

face and

entirely equal

to the

Father.

And I want to

tell you something

if you are not

gripped this

morning by the

reality of who

Christ is it is

an indication of

one of several

things to consider

carefully.

For one you may

be sitting here and

the truth of the

matter is the

Holy Spirit has

never touched your

life drawn you to

the cross and you

are by nature at

this point dead in

trespasses and sin.

And who the Lord

Jesus Christ is to

you is maybe a

word that you've

heard used or you've

used it yourself but

he's not significant

to you.

It may be that you're

here and you know

Christ as your Savior

but the reality of it

is as it says in

the book of

Revelation your

love has grown

cold.

You've lost your

first love.

He's no longer

significant to you

and I want to

remind you that

that love is to be

rekindled by an

understanding of who

he is and what he

does.

And so as you look

at this verse you're

reminded he was in

the beginning with

God.

The one that you

have a relationship

with is not just

some kind of person

who came along and

is moderately

significant for the

moment.

He is God the

Son eternal and

significant.

There's one other

little piece that I

want us to recognize

here.

Verse 2 doesn't

silence the heretic.

Many of us here at

one point or another

have either had a

Jehovah's Witness or

perhaps maybe a

Mormon or somebody

else show up at our

door and talk to us

about Jesus and

they've been willing

to say well he's a

pretty important person

but he's not God.

You cannot get through

the two verses in

John without coming

to grips with the

fact that the

Bible if we are to

rely upon it to

speak accurately and

honestly the Bible

makes it clear that

Jesus is God.

He's not some kind of

special person alone.

He's God.

So I want you to

understand that at the

very outset at the

beginning the

scripture wants you to

understand that the

one we are dealing

with and all that

John is going to

write about is God

the Son who came to

be our Savior.

There's another fact

that we want to pick

up there in verse 3

and let me read it to

you.

It says all things

were made through

him and without him

was not anything made

that was made.

Let's stop just for a

moment and do a

little bit of a mental

exercise.

So why is it there?

That's a fair question.

And when you are doing

your own reading of the

scripture when you're

studying at home by

yourself one of the

things that will help

you is asking yourself

the question over and

over again as you're

reading as you're

studying.

So why is that there?

What's it saying?

What's its value?

Why did the Holy Spirit

choose to put that

information there?

Well I want you to

understand that the

statement that we are

looking at here in

verse 3 is that Jesus

is the creator.

John moves from that

statement about the

glory and transcendent

beauty of the Lord

Jesus Christ being God

the Son.

He kind of comes down

into a more practical

relationship with us as

created beings.

And he announces in

essence that we owe our

existence to him.

Everything was made by

Jesus.

Look at that statement

again.

All things were made

through him.

It's interesting if you

kind of skip down the

page just a little bit to

come to verse 10.

He was in the world and

the world was made

through him.

How is it that we enjoy

the creation that we

exist in and that is all

around us?

It is not because it came

about kind of some you

know.

Yeah evolution.

Thank you.

It wasn't a matter of

chance.

It was a matter of

creation.

I love the fact.

I'm trying to think of

the name of the

missionary who can help

me.

The last missionary we

had is going to be a

missionary in Toronto,

Canada.

Who can give me the

name of them?

Kruger.

Kruger.

Ben Kruger.

He shared when he was

here with us he shared

the fact that he has had

this ministry with

Chinese up there in

Toronto and one of the

Chinese students that

they had been ministering

to said that they came

to realize that if they

could look at an artist

picture they had to

realize that there was an

artist who did that.

And they had to

recognize the reality

that somebody else

made that.

And this Chinese

student came to

Christ by recognizing

that when they looked

out at the creation

they had to admit

somebody else brought

that into being.

It just didn't happen.

The Bible is

undeniably clear about

the fact that Christ is

the creator.

I want you to look at a

couple other passages

kind of solidify this

in your thinking.

Turn if you will to

Colossians chapter 1.

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

Colossians chapter 1

Colossians 1 · chapter mention

and we're going to look

at verse 15 through 17.

Very interesting to find

how often this issue of

Christ being the creator

comes forward and is

presented for our

attention and our

thought.

Colossians chapter 1

Colossians 1:15

verse 15.

He is the image of the

invisible God the

firstborn of all

creation.

For by him all

things were created in

heaven and on earth

visible and invisible

whether thrones or

dominions or rulers or

authorities all things

were created through him

and for him and he is

before all things and in

him all things hold

together.

Let me draw attention to

yet another text that I

want you to mark and it

might be one of those that

I you might find benefit

in underlining in your

Bible.

Turn if you will the

first Corinthians chapter

1 Corinthians 8:6

8 verse 6.

You have people who come

to you and say well

Jesus is a very very

important person but he's

not God.

If A equals B and B

equals A are they the

same essentially?

Okay let's look at 8

1 Corinthians 8 verse 6.

1 Corinthians 8:6

Yet for us there is one

God the Father.

Stop.

That's monotheism isn't it?

Agreed?

One God the Father.

And it goes on.

From whom are all things and

for whom we exist.

Stop right there for a

second.

Good declaration that

sounds very much like what

we have in Genesis chapter

Genesis 1:1

1 verse 1.

In the beginning God

created the heavens and

the earth.

Now let's go forward with

the remainder of what the

apostle has to tell us in

verse 6.

And one Jesus the Lord

Jesus Christ through whom

are all things and through

whom we exist.

What's it saying?

How is it that I exist?

I exist because of the

Lord Jesus Christ who is the

creator of the universe.

Furthermore as you go back to

John we see it stated first of

all positively that he is the

creator of all that exists.

But in order to emphasize it

John turns around what he has

already said positively and he

says it in a negative way not

negative in terms of he is not

the creator but he reverses the

logic a little bit to force us

to think deeper about the

reality of Christ and his

significance in creation.

Let me read it to you back

there in John chapter 1.

John 1 · chapter mention

And without him was not

anything made that was made.

Whoa.

He made it all.

In fact there is nothing that

exists that he didn't make.

The apostle wants us to

understand very clearly the

reality of the fact that the

entire creation that we enjoy

that we marvel at that we are in

wonder when we consider all of

that came into being because God

the son created it and made it

exactly the way he made it.

The diversity of the universe the

the diversity of each of us

individually we are the express

creative power of the Lord Jesus

Christ who made us for his

pleasure and for his glory.

I want you to stop and recognize

another little piece in that

verse.

It says that he made all that was

made out of nothing.

He made all that was made out of

nothing.

The other day we're in the

process of doing a little bit of

cooking in our home and if you're

going to cook guess what you have

to have.

You have to have the stuff to

cook with is that right.

And so if you're going to make

macaroni and cheese guess what.

You can't start with hamburgers and

rice.

You have to have macaroni you have

to have cheese and and for us what

does it mean.

If we don't have it in the pantry

what do we have to do.

We have to make a list we have to

go to the store we have to buy it

we bring it home we do something

with it.

But when we make something in

essence what we are doing is

relying upon various pieces that

are already in place and putting

it together.

And we can make something a little

different.

It's not just dry old macaroni

noodles and it's not just old

plain old cheese it's mixed

together and a little bit of

spices and it comes out pretty

good.

That's not what happened with

Christ.

I want you to recognize that when

God created the universe when

Christ created all that we see he

made it out of nothing.

He made it out of nothing.

I want you to stop just for a

moment and ask yourself that

question as I did earlier.

So why is this here.

What's the significant of the

fact that Christ is the creator of

the universe.

Well because he is our creator he

owns us and he has the right to

determine our purpose.

Do you follow that.

As I was thinking about a way to

illustrate that I thought of maybe

taking a balloon and blowing it up

fairly large and then letting it go.

And you know what would have done

around here and so landed in one of

your laps and you think well okay

pastor blew it up he can let it go

and go where it wants to.

And so another thing I could have

done is I've blown that balloon up

and then taken my pen out and

popped it because I blew it up.

It was my right to do with it as I

chose.

I want you to understand that God is

the one who made you and he made you

for his glory and Christ intends for

you who he created to be a value and

bring glory to him.

I want you to turn back if you will

just for a moment to a passage in

Psalm 8.

Go back to Psalm 8 and listen to

what the psalmist has to say in

relationship to the issue of

creation.

Psalm 8 verse 3 and 4 it says when I

Psalms 8:3

look at your heavens the work of your

fingers the moon and the stars which

you have set in place what is man that

you are mindful of him and the son of

man that you care for him.

You know sometimes we get overwhelmed

with our own significance and it's an

entirely deceitful thought.

What I mean by that is we kind of

obsess about who we are.

We get all bent out of shape about what

other people think about us.

We're kind of all wigged out about how

it's working out for us and the truth

of the matter is is that in the scope of

the glory of God and the person of

Christ we are really pretty relatively

insignificant and the psalmist says what

in the world are we that he actually

cares for me personally and for you

personally.

The majesty of that equation lies in his

significance and the absolute stunning

reality that we who are nothing we're

just a breath we're just a moment.

He thinks about us and cares about us and

has chosen to become our Lord and our

Savior.

Have you look at another passage if you

will over in Psalm 19.

Psalm 19.

The heavens declare the glory of God and

the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

When you look at what you see around you

and you really take some time to look at

it fairly carefully you have to admit it's

pretty stunning isn't it.

I remember looking at my neighbor's oak

tree and there it kind of stands and it has

these massive limbs that are stretched out

into just all over the yard and I think

to myself that is amazing how that's all

done.

The root system underneath supports this

gargantuan tree and the weight that is

there and it all is held together because

he designed it that way.

You look at the stars and we sang this

morning about the creating God that we

worship and enjoy and we remind ourselves

he's the one who did all that.

I want you to recognize that the one who is

the creator is the one who designed creation to

point attention to God.

Turn over in your Bible if you will we are

there in Psalm 19 but I want you to go if you

would to Romans chapter 1.

Romans 1 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 1.

Romans 1 · chapter mention

I want you to listen if you would to what we

find there in verse 20 it says for his

invisible attributes namely his eternal power

and divine nature have been clearly perceived

ever since the creation of the world in the

things that have been made.

You know what it's saying?

It's saying that that which has been created

is an undeniable signpost pointing to the

reality of Christ as the creator and because he

is the creator we are without excuse to listen to

the other things that he has to say and that's

the argument that the apostle makes in Romans

where Paul says let me tell you something he

who created us is someone to be listened to and

attended to.

And so I want you to recognize this morning as

you look at this passage going back to John

John 1:3

chapter 1 verse 3 it says all things were made

by him.

He's our creator and because he is our creator he

has a right to tell us what to do and how to live and

he has a right to the outcome and glory from our

life.

I want you to look now if you will also at verse

3 and 4 or 4 and 5.

In him was life and the life was the light of men.

That little statement in him was life is kind of a

very interesting declaration of the reality that is

in Christ Jesus and in particular was in Christ Jesus

at the beginning of recorded history.

In the garden when mankind enjoyed communion with the

father with the son we have to understand that that that

was a blessed state to be in.

And as you look at the Lord Jesus Christ being light and

life I want you to understand that through his creation he

granted to us an existence that allowed us to have communion

with him.

And we are given understanding particular that this

business of life and light is not just physical existence but

also a spiritual relationship and a spiritual communion with

him.

And in the garden you'll remember that as the day unfolded and

man and woman had been involved in whatever they were involved in in

that in that Edenic state in the evening what did they do?

They enjoyed fellowship with the father with the Lord Jesus and in

the cool of the evening he would walk with them and be in communion.

It says and in with him was life and light.

I want you to turn if you would again back to Psalm 36 verse 9.

Psalms 36:9

Psalm 36 verse 9 as we think about the relationship we have with God the

Psalms 36:9

father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 36 verse 9.

Psalms 36:9

For with you for with you

is the fountain of life in your life we do see light.

For with you is the fountain of life in your light we do see light.

So what is it that we enjoy apart from Christ?

Not life.

We enjoy hardship and difficulty.

We enjoy no lasting purpose.

We suffer under the the delusion of our brief state and we are deceived to

think that we are far more significant than we really are.

And the fact of the matter is that apart from the Lord Jesus we live in

darkness and suffer.

In John chapter 1 verse 4 it says the light is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 1:4

The life is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now I want you to recognize also one other little piece of information that we

find here and we mark it in particular there in verse 5 it says the light

shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

What's this world like?

How many of you find yourself on occasion as you listen to the news getting a

little depressed?

A little discouraged?

Whether it is what is going on in Iraq or what is going on in Israel or what it

is going on or whatever is going on in Washington.

Whatever it is that's going on in your community around you.

The lives of people that you know.

Some of the messes that you're involved in and aware of.

You look at these things and say man this is a dark dismal world.

John says this.

The light shines in darkness.

And the light will not be overcome by the darkness.

You know we live in a very dark world.

This is a dark world.

It's filled with the blackness of sin and that is a terrible reality.

When you stop and realize it you look around and you recognize this world is a

poor poor place because of what sin has brought in to the lives of people.

I want you to recognize that not only is the world a dark place but people choose that

darkness and they prefer it.

Darkness as we are looking at here in the scripture is not just talking about the

absence of the lights being on but it's really talking about the spiritual condition

of man's heart.

And one of the sad sad realities is that the world is in a dark position but the world

also chooses to stay there.

I want you to turn your Bible if you would to John chapter 3.

John 3 · chapter mention

We're there just a chapter or two away.

But look at John chapter 3 verse 19 and 20.

John 3:19

And this is the judgment.

Let me go over that again slowly and just listen as you hear it.

This is the judgment.

The light has come into the world and people have loved the darkness rather than the light

because their works were evil.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light lest his

work should be exposed.

Let me give you an illustration.

I love the fact that every politician in the early going promises that they are going to

do a better job than the previous administration.

And when election time comes around we're going to hear another set of promises.

Isn't that right?

This will be the most illuminating administration that we have ever had in the history of mankind.

And what happens after individuals get into place?

Not just on one side of the aisle but on every side of the aisle darkness descends.

Do you know why it descends?

Because of the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

And here in John the apostle says let me tell you something.

Then the characteristic of the heart of the unregenerate man is that he prefers the darkness

because he doesn't want to have his sin exposed.

Romans chapter 1 verse 21.

Romans 1:21

Not only do men choose the darkness but there is a consequence that comes with choosing the

darkness.

And it says this for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks

to him but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Now that's a pretty frightening thought.

I want you to think with me about it.

It's saying that when men choose darkness it gets darker.

Think about that.

When you refuse the light you're given things get worse.

And going back to John chapter 1 it says this.

John 1 · chapter mention

The light shines in the darkness.

The light shines in the midst of that.

Men who want to suppress the truth.

Men who want to deny the goodness and glory of God.

Who want to turn their back on all that is part of God's blessing and his character for us.

It says this.

Men choose the darkness because that's the way they want to be.

Does that mean that the world is shut out then from the light?

No.

That's not what it says.

Because what it says there in the latter part and the darkness has not overcome it.

I want you to recognize this morning that the reality of it is this.

Is that despite the world that we live in.

The light of the Lord Jesus Christ and the sweetness of his gospel.

Is something that will outshine the darkness of the world that we live in.

And it will not be suppressed.

Wherever it is that darkness exists.

We can count upon Christ to bring light through the gospel and the truth of his salvation.

And I want you to understand that we who have received the light.

Who have had our sins forgiven through the blood of Christ.

Live to make the light known to those who are in the condition that we once were.

Do you recognize that?

One of the things that you and I carry with us is we remember what it was to be in the darkened room.

Of our own sinfulness and the blackness of our heart.

And we have received the light.

The blessing.

The forgiveness of Christ.

And we know the sweet privilege it is to be delivered from the burden of our sin.

And it is our privilege.

To lift up the light and say listen.

I want you to know that there is hope for you.

In the darkness of the moment of your life.

The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

He came to pay the penalty for sin.

And the scriptures make it clear.

Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be what?

Shall be saved.

So as you look this morning at this passage.

I want you to understand.

Here's the sweet truth.

God in his mercy sent his son the Lord Jesus Christ.

He who was the creator of the universe.

And that is the absolute baffling reality.

That God himself was willing to step into our brutal and ugly mess.

For the sake of redemption and for us.

He invaded our darkness.

And he came here to invade the darkness.

To rescue sinners from the pit.

And that's me.

And that's you.

And I want to encourage you to recognize.

That if you are sitting here this morning.

And you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is hope in the corner of darkness that you are.

And that hope is in coming to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who is the light.

And the truth.

And the life.

And you may have deliverance from the darkness of your sin.

Through one simple fact.

Through the fact of coming to grips.

I am a sinner who stand justly condemned before a holy God.

I would deserve eternity in hell.

Because of the darkness of my heart.

But God sent his son the Lord Jesus Christ to die in my place.

And the scripture says.

Whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Shall not perish.

But have everlasting life.

And let me encourage you to understand this morning.

That we who know the light.

Guess what our business is.

It is to be pointing our finger towards the one who is the light.

And letting other people know.

He is the one who can bring light into the darkness of their life.

And those who sit here today who do not know Christ.

Today is the day.

Let me make it clear to you.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

And you're one of them.

Let's close our eyes as we pray.

Our precious Father in God.

This morning we rejoice in the beauty of the scripture.

And the reminder that the Lord Jesus Christ.

The creator of the universe.

The one through whom and by whom all things exist.

And by whom all things are sustained.

Is also the one who came into the world.

To bring light into darkness.

And to bring salvation.

Where there was brokenness and sin.

And Father my prayer would be this.

That if there are those who are sitting here today.

Who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ.

That today by the power of the spirit of God.

They would be drawn to recognize.

That the despair of their soul.

The burden.

The shame.

The guilt.

May be relieved.

By confessing their sin.

And believing on what Jesus Christ.

Has done to save them.

Thank you for the sweetness of the gospel.

That reminds us.

That our salvation is not a matter of our own works.

But the work of Christ.

Who came to die and rise again.

And to be our savior.

To all who trust in him.

And that's our prayer this morning.

We ask in your precious name.

Amen.