Fruit of Salvation

Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church,

and it's my joy to bring God's word to you today.

A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us.

We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats,

but because we're following Jesus together as one community.

And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced that there's no one so good.

They don't need God's grace, and no one's so bad that they can't have it.

And that's why we come back week after week to hear what God has to say to us in his word.

We're continuing our study on the book of 2 Peter, and you'll remember that the book of 2 Peter

is a letter written by a man named Peter in the 60s A.D. to a church somewhere in the Roman Empire.

And Peter writes this letter because he has one goal, one desire. He wants these people to grow.

We find out in the first few verses of the book that he wants grace and peace to be multiplied to them

in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

And then we find out in the very last verse, chapter 3, verse 18,

that he commands them to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

And this growth has those two components to it.

He wants them to grow in grace, and he also wants them to grow in knowledge.

We looked before in verses 1 through 7.

We saw that God uses his word as an instrument of his power to play a song of obedience in our lives.

And last week, we looked at what that song of obedience was, and we saw that it was things like this,

knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, brotherly affection, love.

We saw at the very end that our obedience is a standing ovation.

It's our response to God's grace in Jesus Christ, that his grace comes first, followed by our obedience.

We're going to continue that discussion of obedience this morning,

and we're going to ask, as I mentioned before, the question of what role our obedience plays in our salvation.

What role does our obedience play in our salvation?

We're told different things in Scripture.

In Ephesians, chapter 2, verses 8 and 9, one of our most precious verses as Christians,

Ephesians 2:8

we know that our salvation is by grace through faith alone.

So there's nothing that we do that can add to it.

It's through what Jesus did, not what we do.

And yet we're also told in the book of James, chapter 2, that faith without works is dead.

James 2 · chapter mention

And so there is some sort of relationship between faith and works.

What do we do?

Is it enough to become a Christian too just?

As some people say, say a prayer.

Does that make us a Christian?

And how do we increase and grow in confidence in our faith?

How do we know that we belong to Jesus Christ, what some people refer to as assurance?

What is the relationship between our obedience and our salvation?

It's with that question that we turn now to 2 Peter, chapter 1.

2 Peter 1 · chapter mention

We're going to start in verse 8.

And I invite you to turn there with me now, either near the end of your worship guide or in your Bible or on your phone.

No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's Word.

And God tells us that his Word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold,

and that it is sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb.

And so that's why we read now, starting at verse 8.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election.

For if you practice these qualities, you will never fall.

For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's Word.

Our Father in heaven, we thank you again for your Word that you've provided to us.

We know that you use knowledge to grow us up in grace and in our faith.

We ask that you would do that this morning, that you would use these words by the power of your Spirit,

and you would honor your promise that your Word does not return to you void,

but instead it accomplishes everything you mean for it to.

And so we ask that you would do that this morning, that you would accomplish in our lives great encouragement from your provision in Jesus Christ,

and great challenge that our response to it would be one of obedience.

We ask these things grateful that we don't have to earn them or deserve them, but we can ask them in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

I have mentioned to you before that I was born in Texas,

and shortly after that my family moved to Southern Maryland right outside Washington, D.C.,

and it was right after we moved and my parents bought a house that my grandfather also was moving and he needed to downsize.

And so he passed off many of his things that he'd accumulated over his life to his sons.

And so my father, as one of his sons, was able to receive some of these things,

and one of the things he received was a Troy-built tiller,

which, of course, is what you use if you're going to till up the ground to plant a garden.

Now, my dad aspired to be something of a green thumb, loved the earth,

and so in our backyard of the house that he'd just bought, he began to create this garden.

He tilled up the soil and set out a portion.

Now, at the same time, I was very young at this point.

I was probably three, four, five years old.

It was around the time my parents decided it was time to give us an allowance,

and so I think it was something like a dollar a week.

Now, they also required certain things of us.

We had probably peanut butter jars with holes cut in the top,

and of this dollar, we had to give certain things 10% to tithe,

so we took our dimes to church, and we also had to save 10%,

so we had to put a dime in the savings.

But we had some money to spend on very exciting things like flashlights

and Toy Army soldiers from Walmart,

and we also had money potentially to spend on the garden,

and we would receive the Burpee Seed Catalog.

Now, some of you are too young to know this, understand this,

but it used to be a time when you didn't order things on the Internet.

You would send in these cards, right, from magazines with money or a check,

of course, things from ancient times.

And so we would go through the catalog,

and I, as a young child, was very excited

because I found something in this Burpee Seed Catalog that appealed to me.

Now, there are all sorts of things that adults would find interesting.

However, they featured a special deal.

You could buy a mystery pack of seeds.

And these, I assume, were the seeds that were swept off the floor, right,

and they just put them in a bag.

You had no idea what was in the pack.

What was most exciting, however,

was that the mystery pack of seeds was a grand total of one cent.

And so I did not have a lot of money,

but this was in the budget.

And so I gave my one penny to my dad.

It was a great investment.

And he taped it with Scotch tape to the order form that he was sending in.

And then I waited excitedly, right,

as a young child for my mystery pack of seeds to come in the mail.

And as a young child, right, I did not know.

I didn't know how to recognize different seeds.

I didn't know what seed was going to be what sort of plant.

And so my dad gave me a little portion of the garden

where I got to spread my mystery seeds out.

And I had to wait, right, to find out what I had.

I had to wait until there was some sort of growth

to know what sort of plants I had because it was a mystery.

And so the point is this.

It is not until there's growth

that you know what you're dealing with.

It is not until there's growth that you know

what you're dealing with.

The fruit shows you

what kind of plant you have.

It's the fruit

that shows you

what kind of plant you have.

That's what we see here in verse 10.

We're told,

Be all the more diligent to confirm

your calling and election.

Now this sounds like a contradiction, right?

Calling and election.

That's talking about the fact

that God is the one who chooses.

So how can we confirm someone else's choice?

Well, what he's telling us

is that the fruit

is what reveals

what kind of plant we are.

Peter is encouraging

these people

to pursue obedience and holiness.

Remember, we saw that last week

in verse 5.

We were told to make

every effort

to supplement our faith

with all of these things.

Virtue, knowledge,

self-control, steadfastness.

Fruit

does not make us

Christians.

Fruit

reveals

that we are Christians.

Fruit does not

make us Christians.

It reveals

that we are Christians.

Faith has

fruit.

Faith

always leads

to fruit.

And so we saw

last week

pursue obedience

as a response

to God's grace, right?

I pointed out to you

in verse 5,

for this reason,

for everything

that God has done

for you in Jesus Christ,

pursue obedience.

We now see

a second reason.

Pursue obedience

to grow

in confidence

in your faith.

faith.

You're going to grow

in joy

and in confidence

as you see

the fruit

of God's work

in your life.

And so it looks

something like this,

right?

Maybe you're someone

who struggles

with anger

and you remember

that time

several years ago

you were so angry

that you punched

a hole in the wall

and then you had

to go and get

the drywall replaced.

And you've looked

over time

and you see

how you've grown

since then.

You've had to seek

help from other Christians.

You've repented

of that sin.

You've asked

for accountability.

You've looked

at the ways

in which God

provides in His word

that He will bring justice

so you don't have to.

God will be with you.

And so now

you still struggle

with your anger, right?

And you don't punch

holes in the wall anymore.

And so you can say this,

wow, God is really

at work in my life.

He is doing something.

New things are starting

to spring up.

Maybe you're someone

who struggles

with self-righteousness.

Your tendency

is to see

the speck

in someone else's eye

and ignore

the log

in your own eye.

And you love

talking about

other people's failures.

And then you realize

that's the way

that you cope

with covering over

your own shame.

And as you grow

in understanding

the gospel,

you realize

that Jesus

is the one

who covers your shame.

And so you don't

have to do it

by repeating

others' shame.

You have new humility.

You talk to others

about your shame

rather than

about others

and their shame.

And so you look back

and you say,

wow,

God really is

at work in my life.

God really is

doing something.

New things

are springing up.

You have joy

that comes from that,

right?

Maybe you're struggling

with an addiction.

You finally worked up

the courage

and the humility

to ask for help.

You've not made it

all the way,

but you've made it

to 30 days sober.

Wow,

God really is

at work.

God really is

doing something

in my life.

New things

really are

springing up.

Maybe you're someone

who loves money

and you resent

ever having

to give it away.

You resent

the idea

that God

would make a claim

on it

or other people

who are in need

would need it.

but then slowly,

little by little,

you begin to realize

that God

is the one

who cares for you

and protects you.

And you haven't

let your grip

off all the way,

but it's loosening.

You find yourself

one day

giving something

and not resenting it.

And you're able

to say,

wow,

God really is

at work in my life.

He is

doing something.

New things

are springing up.

That's the incentive

Peter is giving

these people here

that they,

as they confirm

their calling

and election,

they are going

to have the joy

and confidence

that comes

from seeing God

at work

in their lives.

They know

God's power

in a way

they did not

know it before.

They know the truth

of 2 Corinthians 5,

2 Corinthians 5:17

verse 17,

that if we are

in Christ,

we are a new creation.

The old

has passed away,

the new

has come.

That's what

it means

to make their

calling

and election

sure

to confirm it.

They are

increasing

in their

confidence

and their joy

seeing the

reality

of their faith,

seeing that

it's a genuine

faith because

it leads

to something.

God hasn't

just saved

them,

brothers and

sisters.

He has not

just saved

us from

sin,

but He is

at work

in our

lives,

removing,

sanctifying,

creating

holiness

in us.

And so

we don't

reach perfection

now,

but we

grow.

Plants

grow slowly,

right?

They don't

just spring

from seeds.

If you want

to see a

plant grow

immediately,

you'll have

to watch

a time-lapse

video.

And yet,

there's

growth.

And so

Peter continues

to tell us

the same

thing he

told us

last week.

In verse

five,

last week

he told us

make every

effort.

We talked

about the

Olympic

athletes,

right?

It's because

of their

love for

the sport

that they

work so

hard.

Verse

ten,

here we

see the

same thing.

Be all

the more

diligent.

Be zealous

for these

things,

right?

I've given

you some

examples of

the weapons

of war

that we

use as

God's

at work

in our

lives.

We have

confession

and repentance.

We have

the help

of other

believers

as they

walk with

us.

We have

the power

of God's

word as

he's at

work in

our lives.

We have

this community

that's before

us.

Some of you

in this

congregation

have experienced

that.

You've

experienced

that in

life groups

and Bible

studies.

You've

gone to

the Band

of Brothers

study at

7 a.m.

on Saturdays.

You've

taken the

risk of

sharing

things with

other men

and you

have seen

the way

that God

is at

work.

He has

used that

in powerful

ways.

I mention

that by the

way because

God is at

work in a

powerful way

right now in

our men's

Bible study

on Saturdays.

I've been

hearing stories

about the

way that God

is changing

lives and

bringing people

to new

places in

their walk

with him

as they

are more

and more

diligent

right?

Be all

the more

diligent to

confirm your

calling and

election.

God has

given us

the tools.

He is the

one at work

and so we

pursue what

he's presented

to us.

There is a

joy as I

mentioned before

that comes

when you see

that God's

at work.

work.

I mentioned

a couple

weeks ago

that I was

preparing for

a hike.

James and

I, James

Dunlap and

I went on

that hike

on Friday

and we

had to be

very diligent

and in fact

we had to

make every

effort because

we decided

we were

going to

hike up

Lodgett

Peak which

is just

west of

the Air

Force Academy

and we

did this

after we

had already

hiked

many miles

and I

will tell

you it

was very

painful.

And

when we

got to

the top

we did

not regret

what had

come before.

There was

a joy

that came

from having

reached that

point.

And we

didn't come

to the top

at the

beginning,

right?

We're slowly

working step

by step

by step

each step

just as

painful as

the one

before.

And we

were able

to get

to the

top

and see

the view.

Peter

is exhorting

these people

to work

to get

to the

top

and see

the view

of everything

that God

has provided

for his

people in

his word

through their

obedience.

And so

they should

be all

the more

diligent.

They are

making

every effort.

There's an

encouragement

here then

but there

is also

a warning.

We're told

in verse 10

to be all

the more

diligent to

confirm

our

calling

and election

and we're

told if

we do

these things

you will

never fall.

Now when we

come to the

word fall

in the Bible

there's two

different meanings

that it has.

Sometimes when

writers of the

Bible talk

about falling

they're talking

simply about

a Christian

sinning.

Sometimes when

they talk

about falling

they're talking

about what

we would

call apostasy.

They're talking

about someone

abandoning

Christianity

leaving the

faith.

Here Peter

is talking

about the

second one.

He is talking

about someone

abandoning the

faith.

Leaving

Christianity

behind.

Deciding

God is not

for them.

Now that is

not immediately

clear in

verse 10

but one of

our principles

of biblical

interpretation

is that we

use clear

passages to

interpret

unclear

passages.

And so we're

going to see

in chapter 2

when we talk

about the

false teachers

that we are

talking about

people who

claim to be

Christians but

are not.

We're going to

see that especially

in verses 20 and

21.

And in

verse 11

in this

passage it

is also

clarified for

us.

We're told

confirming their

election there

will be richly

provided for

you an

entrance into

the eternal

kingdom of

our Lord and

Savior Jesus

Christ.

By

implication

logically what's

the opposite

of that?

Not

receiving an

entrance into

the eternal

kingdom of

our Lord and

Savior Jesus

Christ.

And so

Peter is

telling us

there are

people who

seem to be

Christians on

the outside

but actually

do not have

faith in

Jesus Christ.

These are the

same people we're

told about in

verses 8 and

9.

We want to be

verse 8.

We want to

stay far away

from being

ineffective or

unfruitful.

Why?

Because verse 9

whoever lacks

these qualities is

so nearsighted that

he is blind

having forgotten

that he was

cleansed from

his former

sins.

Again Peter is

talking about

people who

claim to be

Christians but

actually are

not.

Now he says

that they were

cleansed.

This is probably

a reference here

to baptism.

In other words

Peter is saying

there are people

who have the

sign of

cleansing.

They have been

baptized.

They do not

live a life

of cleansing.

The box and

the contents

don't match.

The most basic

things about the

gospel they don't

understand.

You could think

about it this way.

I could go to

an army surplus

store over on

B Street and I

could buy all

the uniforms I

want.

I could dress

up in those

uniforms and I

could walk

around town.

That does not

make me a

service member.

I might appear

to be in the

military.

I might fool

some people.

I have the

appearance I

have no

substance.

I have the

appearance I

have no

substance.

This is what

Peter is saying

about these

people.

They do not

have lives that

reflect the

salvation of

Jesus Christ.

And so he's

reminding us that

obedience is a

sign.

Obedience

contributes nothing

to our salvation

and it earns us

nothing from God.

And those who God

saves will grow in

obedience.

Our obedience

earns us nothing

from God.

it contributes

in no way to

our salvation.

And those who

are saved will

grow in

obedience.

And so we have

an encouragement

here to

confirm our

belonging to

Jesus Christ

through our

obedience.

We also have a

serious warning.

It is a call

to self

examination.

Are you

a Christian?

Do you

see signs

of God

being at

work in

your life?

Am I

growing?

Is there

fruit?

Right?

Remember,

it is the

fruit that

shows you

what kind of

plant you

have.

It is not

until there's

growth that

you know what

you're dealing

with.

And so I'll

put it this

way.

If you do

not desire

and seek

to grow

in holiness,

you should

not expect

verse 11

to have an

entrance into

the eternal

kingdom of

our Lord

and Savior

Jesus Christ.

It is

possible to

call yourself

a Christian

and yet it

is clear by

your behavior

that you have

no reason to

believe you

are.

God

will

be

to

God

to

look at

our lives

and ask

is there

fruit?

Not that

there's

perfection,

not that

we've

arrived,

but we

see God

at work

doing what

he has

promised

to do

for those

who have

faith in

him.

It is not

because salvation

is by works,

it isn't,

but because

those God

saves,

God

sanctifies.

Those God

saves,

he

sanctifies.

Hebrews

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

chapter 12

tells us

this,

strive for

peace with

everyone

and for

the holiness

without

which no

one will

see the

Lord.

Holiness

is

necessary.

those God

saves,

he also

sanctifies.

If we

do not

see fruit

in our

lives,

it may

be a sign

to us

that we

are just

going

through the

motions.

It may

be a sign

to us

that we

have had

all the

words of

faith,

and it's

time for

us to

actually

embrace

faith,

actually

time for

us to

repent of

our sins,

to recognize

that there

are many

reasons people

are at the

church,

community,

fellowship,

access to

all sorts

of things,

but there

is only one

reason that

matters,

that we

acknowledge that

we are

sinners in

the sight of

God with

no hope

outside of

his mercy,

and that it

is only

through the

death and

resurrection of

Jesus Christ

that we

have any

hope.

There is

great

encouragement in

this passage,

and there

is great

challenge.

Are you

a Christian?

Chapter 2,

especially in

verses again 20

and 21,

we're going to

meet those who

claim to be

Christians but

are not,

and Peter is

going to detail

for us the

judgment that

they are going

to face.

when I was

ordained back

in 2018,

my parents

gave me this

calligraphy

print that

now hangs in

my office in

the back,

and at the

bottom it has

my full name

and then it

has the

date, I

think it's

May 20,

2018, and

it has the

name of our

church.

And above

it there's a

drawing, and

it's of a

tree, and

within the

branches of

the tree are

written the

words of

John chapter

John 15:5

15, verse

5.

I am the

vine, you

are the

branches,

whoever abides

in me and

I in him,

he it is that

bears much

fruit, for

apart from

me you can

do nothing.

And it's a

reminder to

me, right,

every time I'm

in my office,

that God is

the one who's

at work.

If we have

any hope of

growing in

obedience, it's

because of

Jesus.

He is the

vine, we

are the

branches.

So we

don't whip

up obedience,

we don't pull

ourselves up by

our bootstraps.

Instead, we

recognize God

is the one at

work in our

lives.

Remember, that's

the logic of

all of this.

We don't look

to our works to

see if we've

earned salvation,

we look to

our works because

those God

saves, he

sanctifies.

And so we

turn back again

and again to

that, that we

remember our

growth is a

product of God

as our source

and our life.

Jesus is the

vine, we are

only branches.

And so if we

are in him, we

can have tremendous

confidence and

hope.

Knowing that he

is giving us

everything that we

need to grow.

It's the vine that

shoots the water to

the branches.

It's the vine that

provides them with

the nutrients,

right?

If you cut the

vine, the branch

off from the

vine, what's

going to happen?

It's going to

die.

Leave it outside

in Colorado, it

won't be green

very long.

It is God who

gives us everything

we need for

obedience.

He is the one

who is at work.

And so we know

we cannot do

anything apart

from Christ.

If this church,

right, if we were

to experience a

major revival and

God were to pour

his spirit out in a

special way and

people were pouring

in and we were to

have three services,

four services,

because that's the

only way we could

fit everyone in.

And someone asked

us, how did it

happen?

What would we

say?

It would be wrong

for us to say,

wow, we had an

amazing strategy and

we are just so

smart.

No, God was at

work.

Praise his name.

We're not sure how

it happened, but he

in his power has

done a mighty work

in here.

He is the vine.

We are the

branches.

When you're walking

in the neighborhoods,

when I go in the

neighborhoods and I

see a beautiful

flower garden, what

do I think?

Wow, those flowers

are so hardworking

and smart.

No, I think that

person who lives

there is such a

great gardener and

loves and cares for

that box of plants.

God is the one at

work, not us.

He is the vine.

We are the branches.

We are doing

everything for his

honor and his

glory.

Remember when we

studied 1 Peter, I

told you this quote

from Corrie Ten Boom,

who was an amazingly

successful Christian

speaker and had many

people say many

wonderful things to

her.

And so she said this,

when people come up

and give me a

compliment,

Corrie, that was a

good talk, or Corrie,

you were so brave.

I take each remark as

if it were a flower.

At the end of each day,

I lift up the bouquet of

flowers I have gathered

throughout the day and

say, here you are,

Lord.

Lord, it is all yours.

Here you are, Lord.

It is all yours because

she knows that all the

fruit in her life, any

fruit in her life, is the

product of what God has

done, not what she has

done.

And so there is no place

in the Christian life for

patting ourselves on the

back.

There is no place for

self-congratulation.

There is no place for

beating our chests.

We do not praise

ourselves, but we praise

God.

And so that's why we come

here week after week.

We are reminding ourselves

that God is the one who

receives the glory.

That's why we start our

service singing two hymns

of praise to God.

That's why we end it

singing hymns of praise

to God.

We remind ourselves every

week that we praise not

ourselves, but our great

God.

Worship protects us from

narcissism.

God is the one at work,

and he tells us in John

15 to abide in him.

We abide in him first for

salvation, recognizing that

we have no hope outside of

him.

And we abide in him for the

rest of our lives.

Ongoing abiding.

Everything we've already

talked about.

Abiding in him through

prayer.

Abiding in him in his word.

Abiding in him as we gather

together with other

Christians.

Abiding in him as we have

confession and repentance

in relationship.

Trusting that he's the one

who is at work.

That is the source of our

growth.

And of course, abiding, right,

is only for those who have

faith in Jesus Christ.

There is only one way to be

attached to the vine, and

that is through Jesus.

It is through our faith and

trust and confidence in him.

And so as we ask this

question, are we actually

Christians?

If the answer we come up with

is we're not sure, if the

answer is no, there is only

one choice, one option, and

that is to run to the only

vine.

Jesus is our hope and our only

hope in this world for any real

and true growth and change.

And so for those who have faith

in him and those who do not, the

call is always to Jesus Christ.

He is the vine.

We are the branches.

Several years after my dad

started the garden plot, he also

decided he wanted to plant some

apple trees and some peach trees

in our backyard.

Now if you plant apple trees, you

don't look for good fruit right

away.

You need to wait several years.

And so during this waiting time,

of course my dad was not idle.

He was at work.

He planted two by two stakes in

the ground to hold the plants

firm so that the wind would not be

able to shake them when they didn't

have any roots.

He put wraps around the base of

the tree to protect them from

squirrels.

He made sure, those are a thing

in the East Coast.

He made sure there was a hole in

the ground that was the right

size.

He made sure there was the right

kind of fertilizer for this tree,

right?

He is tending for it in all sorts

of ways.

He's pruning it.

He's spraying it for insects.

He wants to make sure there's the

right amount of nutrients there,

right?

That tree was always an apple tree

before it gave any fruit, tended to

and cared for by my father.

And when the fruit came, then we

knew for sure.

This is an apple tree.

The fruit wasn't perfect, but it was

good.

Brothers and sisters, the same is

true for us.

Our heavenly father is tending to

us and gardening us.

He is protecting us so that the

winds come, we won't be blown over

when our roots haven't grown.

He is giving us the nutrients and

the rich food that we need through

fellowship with one another and

through the power of his word.

He is protecting us from those

things that might attack us and

tear us down.

And he is doing all those things,

not because we have fruit, but so

that we would produce it.

Did that tree produce fruit?

Absolutely.

Because of the nutrients and

protection and care of my father.

Do we as Christians produce fruit?

Absolutely.

Because of the nutrients and care and

protection of our heavenly father.

God is tending to us and caring for us so

that we would produce fruit.

What is the relationship between our

obedience and our salvation?

The fruit of obedience is what confirms

and verifies that God is the one

gardening our lives.

He has cultivated a rich harvest,

and so we work hard to see that in our lives.

We work to see it in part now,

and we work to see it fully in the future

when, verse 11,

we will have an entrance into the eternal

kingdom of our Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ.

Please pray with me.

Dear Father in Heaven,

we thank you that you are a good gardener.

You are at work in our lives,

bringing fruit to bear.

We ask that you would continue to do that,

that you would bring us the joy that

comes from seeing the growth that you

provide for the gospel.

We ask that you would give opportunities

for serious self-examination,

that if there are those who call themselves

Christians that have no fruit or sign of faith,

that you would convict them of sin

and their need for repentance even now,

and that you would bring them

to a true and saving faith in Jesus Christ,

the kind of faith that leads to a rich harvest.

We thank you that we are not the gardeners,

but you are,

and so we ask for these things

in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.