Luke 15:1-32

No? There we go. Hey, how about that?

Woo! There we go.

Well, if you all will pray with me as we look into God's Word together, that'd be great.

Father, we come to you tonight thankful that you are God who has not left yourself unknown and unknowable,

but you have revealed yourself and you have given us your Word, this book, the Bible, to speak to us.

And Lord, we praise you tonight for the story that we are going to read together

and for the way it reveals the kind of God you are.

Lord, I pray tonight that by your Spirit we might see these things rightly.

And as we see them rightly, we might also rejoice in them and embrace them and make them our own.

God, we know that only your Spirit can do this, so we ask for your help tonight.

Lord, I ask for your help. Give me words to speak.

We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

What does God think of you?

Have you ever asked yourself that question?

I don't know about you, but when I think about it, the first thing that comes to my mind is,

I know my stuff.

I know the moments when I saw the ugly of my heart rise up and just spew out the people around me.

I know the times when I've used my words to crush those around me.

The times when anger or rage has just exploded like Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens

when he just takes his lightsaber and smashes all the machinery in his control room.

Times when your selfishness exerted itself at the expense of those you cared about.

Or the times when you fell in again into those destructive patterns that you've worked so hard to try to escape.

Your mess.

What the Bible calls sin.

Our own willful sin and the effect of the sin of mankind that affects us in so many ways.

Does it haunt you?

Does me?

Does it ever make you think, can God ever accept me?

Could I ever come back to God?

Could he ever really welcome me?

The passage we're looking at tonight is for people like us who wonder those questions,

who think about those things.

We're going to look at three parables.

It's a fairly long chapter, so we're going to look at it in two chunks.

But three parables that reveal God's heart and reveal something of our own heart as well.

And then the big idea, what I want you to hear,

what I want to hear myself in the depths of my heart,

is that God is a God who celebrates when repentant sinners are returned to him.

And God doesn't just accept us, but he celebrates when people turn back to him,

acknowledging how much they've messed up.

And that's the kind of God that we see in this passage tonight.

So if you have been coming here, you know we're preaching through the book of Luke,

the central part of it from chapter 9 to chapter 19.

We're in Luke 15, which is a very well-known chapter.

The three parables are well-known.

The third one particularly is the parable of the prodigal son.

And so that's what we're going to look at tonight.

As we look at it, you can turn.

Do we have a page number in our pew Bibles?

I don't know what it is.

8-7-4.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This is crowd participation tonight.

So 8-74, Luke 15.

As we look at this, what we've seen is that Jesus in chapter 9 turned his face towards Jerusalem.

And he's headed.

He's headed to his death.

He's headed to the height of conflict with the world.

And conflict particularly with the religious leadership of Israel in that day.

And yet in the height of that conflict where he dies,

he also accomplishes the purpose for which he had come.

To die on the cross for the sins of humanity.

To somehow do a work whereby God might reconcile us to himself.

Where he might make a way back to God when we had no way.

And so this is what Jesus is heading towards.

And as he's heading towards that, he's teaching and he's clarifying the nature of his mission.

And he's doing so with increasing conflict.

To those around him.

As we read, I want to just point out before we start reading.

Notice verses 1 and 2 because it sets up the context of who is his audience and who he's talking to.

So let's read.

We're going to start by reading verses 1 through 10.

And we're going to talk about those for a while.

And then we'll talk about 11 through the end of the chapter.

And that's what we'll see.

So let's read together.

Luke chapter 15 starting in verse 1.

Luke 15 · chapter mention

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.

And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying,

This man receives sinners and eats with him.

So he told them this parable.

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing.

And when he comes home, he calls his friends together and his neighbors, saying to them,

Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.

Just so I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?

And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.

Just so I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Typically, when we read parables, parables are stories that have one main point.

Sometimes they have auxiliary things.

Sometimes we see that happening.

But typically, they have one point.

And the point here seems to be so clear.

He's telling these stories.

And then in verse 7 and verse 10, he gives the point.

And there's a pattern that you see in both of these stories, in both of these parables.

Something of value has been lost.

The one who is responsible for the thing that has been lost then goes and seeks to find it.

And when he finds it, he then gathers his friends and neighbors around and says,

Let's rejoice and celebrate because the thing that is lost has now been found.

And then in verses 7 through 10, Jesus says,

And this is the point.

This is what God does when sinners,

And by that he means people who recognize that they have rejected God,

That they have lived outside of his laws and his commandments,

And also they have lived outside of a real living relationship with him.

Those who have lived outside of that and sought to live independently of him,

When they return,

The heart of God is like the heart of the shepherd and the heart of the woman.

It is full of joy and celebration.

And this is the main central point of these parables.

And they're fairly straightforward.

There isn't a whole lot more to say.

Some people have read these parables and think,

Well, how is God like the woman?

Or how is God like a shepherd?

And you know, we could get into how those metaphors might point us to particular aspects of God.

But that's not the point of the parable.

The parable is saying,

Hey, you know how a shepherd is, right?

A shepherd, when he loses his sheep, he goes to find it.

And similarly, you know how it's like,

If you lose a silver coin,

What are you going to do?

You'll turn your house upside down to find it.

Because that silver coin is precious and worthwhile.

And when you find it,

You will throw a party.

Because the thing you've regained

Brings great joy to your heart.

And that's the way God is.

God is like that.

He celebrates.

Now, it's really interesting.

If you notice, look with me at verse 7.

Because he says a little bit more than just that.

Verse 7,

Just so I tell you,

There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents.

Okay, that's the point overall.

But then he goes on and he says,

Then over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Now, who is he talking about here?

Because the Bible will tell us in other places,

And clearly we see that Jesus,

Throughout his ministry,

Said that there is no one who is without sin in the world.

No one who lives a perfect life.

No one who relates perfectly to God.

So what is he talking about here?

Well, it's very similar to what happens in Luke 5.

If you go back to Luke 5,

Jesus is calling his disciples and he calls a man named Levi.

Now, Levi is a tax collector.

And as a tax collector,

He is the rejected of the rejected.

Because he's a traitor.

He's a Jewish man who's working for the Roman oppressors.

And he probably is stealing money from his Jewish neighbors along the way.

He's pretty much a wretch and a lout.

And you would never, ever do anything with him if you could avoid it.

You would want to avoid him.

And Jesus calls him to say,

Come and follow me.

And he gets up and he leaves his tax collection booth and follows Jesus.

In fact, they go back and they have a party at Levi's house.

And the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the religious leaders of the day, say this.

The Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples saying,

Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?

Those are the unacceptable people in the minds of these people.

Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?

And Jesus answered them,

Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

This is a similar theme that you see throughout the scriptures.

Where Jesus responds incredibly graciously and welcome, with great welcome,

to people who know their neediness.

Who know that they can't do it on their own.

Who know that their own righteousness is never enough to please God.

But,

but,

to those who think

that by their religious duty,

by their good deeds in the world,

by their striving to be the best person they can be,

by whatever your standard is of trying to be as good as you can be,

if you think that by doing that,

you are good enough for God,

what Jesus says is,

you don't even know what you need.

You don't need my salvation,

because you think you can save yourself.

And that's a scary place to be.

Jesus doesn't celebrate over those people.

But for those who know that they need him,

for those who come,

turn away from this life of independence,

and this life of sin,

and this life apart from God's commands,

and his instructions,

Jesus says,

come,

I'm going to throw a party.

I'm going to throw a celebration.

Think.

I want you to think for a minute.

What is it that we do in our culture

when we really,

truly celebrate?

Right?

It happens in,

I think there's some,

there's some unique circumstances in our culture today,

where you see real celebrations.

I was rooting for the Golden State Warriors,

but when the Cleveland Cavaliers

won the NBA championship a few weeks ago,

when they arrived home on their plane from California,

thousands,

literally thousands of people

were waiting for them at the airport,

on the runway,

waiting to cheer for them.

And when they emerged from their plane,

people erupted with joy.

with shouts of praise,

with gladness in their hearts.

The poor people of Cleveland

who've been waiting over 50 years

for some championship to celebrate.

And finally,

LeBron James,

the Savior,

came back and gave them one,

and they celebrated.

And they had a huge party.

And they went from the airport

to a ticker tape parade

in downtown Cleveland.

And they worshipped

the Cleveland Cavaliers.

And it's the same thing that happens

when Beyonce gets up in a concert.

It's honestly the same thing that happens

at a Donald Trump rally.

This celebration.

Now, let me say this.

None of these things are celebrations

that have their object placed

in something worthy

of what they're giving.

Right?

All of these celebrations

are giving praise and glory

and rejoicing in something

far less important.

But I want you to see

that when we use this to celebrate,

sometimes we can be so stayed in church.

We think, well, you know,

those people out there can be crazy,

but we have to be sort of,

you know,

buttoned up and all serious

about worship.

You know?

And worshipping God

should be a celebration

because the God that we serve

celebrates.

And what you see humanly

expressed in our culture

is something that we will do

even much more greater in heaven

and what we can do

even now on this earth.

This is what God does.

And this is God's heart.

This is what he thinks

when one sinner

turns from their sin,

repents,

changes their mind

and says,

I'm not going to live that way anymore.

I'm going to come to God.

God's heart is rejoicing.

What a wonderful thing it is

when someone who is lost

is found spiritually.

This leads us to the third parable.

As Jesus takes this point

and he expands on it more.

And one of the things

that's so beautiful about this

is Jesus is a masterful storyteller.

And he takes this core concept

and he pushes it even further

into the hearts

of those who are listening

and hopefully into our hearts as well.

Let's look at it together

and read the rest,

the third parable

starting in verse 11.

Let's look at it together.

And he said,

there was a man

who had two sons

and the younger of them

said to his father,

father,

give me the share,

the property

that is coming to me.

And he divided his property

between them.

Not many days later,

the younger son

gathered all he had

and took a journey

into a far country

and there he squandered his property

in reckless living.

And when he had spent everything,

a severe famine arose

in that country

and he began to be in need.

So he went

and hired himself out

to one of the citizens

of that country

who sent him

into his fields

to feed pigs.

And he was longing

to be fed

with the pods

that the pigs ate

and no one

gave him anything.

But when he came

to himself,

he said,

how many of my father's

hired servants

have more than enough bread?

But I perish here

with hunger.

I will arise

and go to my father

and I will say to him,

father,

I have sinned

against heaven

and before you.

I am no longer worthy

to be called your son.

Treat me as one

of your hired servants.

And he rose

and came to his father.

But while he was still

a long way off,

his father saw him,

felt compassion,

and ran

and embraced him

and kissed him.

And the son said to him,

father,

I have sinned

against heaven

and before you.

I am no longer worthy

to be called your son.

But the father

said to his servant,

bring quickly

the best robe

and put it on him

and a ring on his hand

and the shoes

on his feet

and bring the fattened calf

and kill it

and let us eat

and celebrate

for this is my son

who is dead.

For this my son

was dead

and is alive again.

He was lost

and is found

and they began

to celebrate.

Now,

his older son

was in the field

and as he came

and drew near

to the house,

he heard music

and dancing.

And he called

one of the servants

and asked

what these things meant.

And he said to him,

your brother has come

and your father

has killed

the fattened calf

because he received

him back safe

and sound.

But he was angry

and refused

to go in.

His father came out

and entreated him.

But he answered

his father,

look,

these many years

I have served you.

I have never

disobeyed your command.

Yet you never

gave me a young goat

that I might celebrate

with my friends.

When this son

of yours

came

who has devoured

your property

with prostitutes,

you killed

the fattened calf

for him.

And he said to him,

son,

you are always

with me

and all that is mine

is yours.

It was fitting

to celebrate

and be glad

for this your brother

was dead

and is alive.

He was lost

and is found.

So you see

that the principle

is the same.

There is a celebration

about one

who was lost

who is now found.

But,

Jesus,

the master storyteller,

put some twists

in here

and in doing so

he digs into our heart

a little bit more.

First thing

I want you to see

is that

the thing

that was lost,

a son,

wasn't just misplaced.

He didn't just

wander off

like a sheep.

It wasn't just

dropped under the counter.

The son

was culpable.

He was responsible

for being lost.

And not only

was he responsible

for it,

he was reprehensible

in it.

When he comes,

when you go

to your father

in this culture

and you ask him

for your inheritance

now,

it's like saying,

Dad,

I wish you were dead.

I just want your stuff.

I wish you were dead.

It is an act

of disowning your family

and simply

in a mercenary way

wanting to get

your inheritance

without anything else.

Not only did he then

take that inheritance,

but then he showed himself

to be a wretch.

He went and he squandered it

in the worst possible way.

And then,

at the end of it,

this good Jewish boy

ends up in a field

feeding pigs.

Now,

you may not know much

about Jewish culture,

but pigs were unclean animals,

unacceptable to be eaten.

You wouldn't touch them.

You wouldn't raise them.

You wouldn't have anything

to do with them.

The fact

that he was

feeding pigs

made him

the most

pitiable

and the most

despisable person

in the story.

And as you're hearing

this story

as a Jewish person,

you're thinking,

I don't want him

to be saved.

I don't want him

to be found.

He doesn't deserve it.

He's left himself.

He's made his bed

and he should lie in it.

And so,

when the son

comes to his senses,

when the son

in his heart

repents

of his sin

and turns back

and physically

turns his way around

and walks

the long road

back home,

there's this

anticipation

that the other two stories

don't pull out.

How will the father respond?

Will it be the same

or will it be different?

Will it be,

well,

you got what's coming

to you,

didn't you?

Isn't that what

you would expect

from God

at this point?

But no.

The son even

prepares himself

to humble himself.

The son comes back.

His repentance

is true.

He doesn't come back

not in a demanding

sense of entitlement

like,

I'm your son.

I know I blew it

but you should take me back

and treat me

like I'm your son.

He knows he blew it.

His repentance

is real

and his heart

is broken

and he's just hoping

that he might get

undeserved favor

from his father

in the form of

at least treat me

like your servant.

At least give me

food to eat

so that I won't starve.

There's a reality

about his repentance.

But we still don't know

how the father

will respond.

Till we get to,

where is it?

Let's look at it together.

Verse 20.

He arose

and he came

to his father

but while he was still

a long way off

his father saw him

and ran

and embraced him

and kissed him.

The father's love

is the same

celebrating love

that we saw

in the first two parables.

He comes

and he runs out

and the son

begins his speech.

I know I've blown it.

I know I'm not doing it.

He doesn't even get

to give his request

to treat me

as a servant.

The father

cuts him off

in the middle

of his speech

and says,

no, no, no.

I'm going to treat you

like a son.

The robe

and the ring

and the sandals

are all symbols

of being accepted

in the family.

You are now

an honored part

of this family.

the son

doesn't just say,

yeah, you can come

and live

in the garage

apartment.

I'm not going to

really let you

in the house

but you can at least

get close.

But he says,

yes, it's a full

embracing of the son.

And he lavishes

upon him

these tokens

of acceptance

and of belonging

in the family

and then he lavishes

on them

the celebration

of killing

a fatted calf.

Something that they

would have raised

for a special occasion.

It wasn't just a,

well, you're back.

Here's your hamburger

helper for the day.

He pulled out

all the stops.

They went to Pepe's.

They didn't go

to Papa John's.

You know,

he pulled out

all the stops

to get the best

celebration

for that.

And you would think,

wow,

God's love,

his joy

over the return

of a repentant sinner

is so great.

You think,

that's great.

That's the end

of the story,

right?

No.

Jesus has one more

twist for us.

One more exploration

into our heart

as he looks

into this.

Because if you look

in verse 25,

you realize

there's not one story

in the story

of the prodigal son.

There are two sons.

And the older son,

who has always

stayed at home,

who has always

been dutiful,

who has always

done what is right,

but has clearly

not quite acted

like a real son.

when he comes,

he has the emotion

that maybe many

of us had

when you think

about the younger son.

He doesn't deserve it.

He should be

thrown out.

The wretch,

he ruined our family,

took half of our fortune.

He embodies

that heart

when he hears

about what has happened.

It's interesting.

The father then,

just as he ran

to the older,

the younger son

as he was returning,

now again,

the father goes

out of the house

to the older son,

doesn't he?

He goes out

to him

in an attempt

to bring him in.

He says,

your brother

is back

and we're

throwing a party.

Come on in.

verse 28,

but he was angry.

Look,

this many years

I've served you

and I never disobeyed you.

You never gave me anything.

It almost seems like

the older brother,

like the younger brother,

wanted his father

more for the stuff

than for the relationship.

That the older brother

wanted all the perks

of being the dude

and the things

that he had earned

by doing the right thing,

not a relationship

with the father,

but the status

and the position

and the privilege

and the stuff

that comes with

being that dutiful father.

And then verse 30,

you see the depth

of his heart.

But when this son

of yours,

right,

I have disowned him.

He is not part

of my family.

This son of yours

come back.

You celebrated.

And he says,

I am not going to do that.

And the parable ends

not with a conclusion,

but with a hanging storyline

because it ends

with the father saying,

son,

you are always with me.

It has always been.

You've always had everything

that I've had,

but it was fitting

to celebrate

your son,

your brother.

You notice how

the father calls him

your brother,

not my son,

but your brother.

Your brother who was lost

is now found.

You,

it is fitting

to celebrate that.

And there is

an inherent invitation

at the end

of this parable

because it doesn't resolve.

If you know anything

about storytelling,

this doesn't wrap up.

This is the climax

of this part of the story.

The tension is raised

to this point.

The question is,

how will

the younger brother

or the older brother

respond?

How will he respond

to his father's expression

of welcome and embrace?

And the story ends.

And I think,

remember how I told you

that in the audience

there were two kinds

of people.

There were the tax collectors

and sinners

and there were the Pharisees.

And what Jesus is saying

in this story

is that God's heart

for all people,

both the people

who know

that they've completely

blown it

and wonder if God

could ever accept them again

and the righteous people

who think

they don't need God,

think that they have

earned his favor

by the way

that they have lived,

think that they are

good enough

on their own.

The Father goes out

to both of them

in love

and calls both of them

to repent.

To repent

of your wild,

sinful living

and to repent

of your best righteousness

and to say,

come in.

Repent from your sinful

self-justification

and come in

to the family.

Come in

to the household

and come be a part

of the celebration

because I am a God

who celebrates

things that were lost

that have now been found.

I am the God

who celebrates

sinners

who repent

and come back

and turn

to me.

Which, of course,

leaves us

with a question.

Who are we

in this story?

Who are you

in this story?

Have you wandered

off to a far land?

Far from God?

Doing your own thing?

Wasting your life?

There is a God

who is calling you

to turn to Him

and to return to Him.

He is ready

to run to you

and to embrace you

and bring Him back.

Or are you

the religious

dutiful type?

You have done

everything right.

You cannot quite

understand

why life

is not working well.

Maybe you are one

who hates

to be corrected

and can never

be wrong.

Thinks that God

agrees with you

all the time.

These were the

Pharisees of the day

who thought

that by their

obedience

by their

descendants

from Abraham

because of their

position in society

because of their

religious observance

that they were

acceptable.

It's so easy

isn't it

in our culture

today maybe

to think that

if I'm a good

church goer

if I go to church

and I give my money

and I try to be

a good person

isn't that enough?

Doesn't God

accept me

because I am

those things?

And what Jesus

tells us is

no

no

you need to

repent of those

good things

as much as

the wild

profligate

has to repent

of their sin

but the heart

of the Father

is the same

if you repent

and come to me

I will accept you.

but friends

Jesus doesn't

explain it fully

in this story

he doesn't

tell us

exactly how

but in the

storyline of Luke

we know why Luke

has put this here

in this story

because where is

Jesus headed?

He's headed to

Jerusalem

and what is he

going to do

in Jerusalem?

He is going to

go be crucified

on a cross

and up on that cross

he's going to

cry out

my God

my God

why have you

forsaken me?

Father

into your hand

I commit my spirit

this perfect son

who did actually

live the perfect

life of obedience

who was the

older brother

for all of humanity

by his perfection

he

was cast

out

of the house

so to speak

he

was removed

from the

father's favor

and the

father's embrace

as he hung

on the cross

taking the

judgment

for our

sin

this

Jesus

as he's

heading towards

that event

is telling

this story

so that

us

and all

who heard

him

when we

when

now looking

back

we saw

what Jesus

was going

to do

now we

know what

he has

done

he has

died

and he

has risen

from the

dead

and he

now has

removed

all of the

offense

of both

our

wild living

and

our

self

righteousness

he has

died for

both of

these things

and risen

from the

dead

so that

he might

be the

firstborn

of a

whole

family

of God

and so

he is

not ashamed

to call

us

brother

and sister

as we

repent

of our

sin

and come

to the

foot of

the cross

and celebrate

what Jesus

has done

for us

because

through

this

now the

father

opens

wide

his

embrace

and says

come

to me

come

to me

and be

my son

my daughter

in my

family

forever

friends

this is

the good

news

of the

gospel

and this

is the

hope

that we

have

and this

is what

Luke 15

is telling

us about

the heart

of the

father

let's

pray

Lord we

thank you

we thank you

for this

beautiful

parable

and for

the power

that it

has

for it

reminds us

Lord

of our

self

righteousness

it points

to how

easily

we try

to justify

ourselves

Lord

and it

points us

to you

and to the

kind of God

you are

that you

celebrate

us

Lord

that you

rejoice

when we

are lost

and then

are found

by you

Lord

because

you are

a great

God

who delights

to save

your

creation

Lord

we praise

you for

that

Lord

help

us

I pray

tonight

to know

Lord

that this

is what

you think

of us

that you

know

our

sin

you know

how bad

we are

and Lord

you even

know how

good we

are and

see how

far short

it falls

but Lord

you love

us

and you've

opened up

your embrace

for us

in Christ

Lord

may we

repent

and turn

to you

tonight

we pray

this in

Jesus name

amen

well friends

we have

the privilege

and the honor

of

it's fitting

isn't it

to celebrate

the Lord's

table

Lord's

supper

after this

after looking

at this

story

we have

the joy

of being

able to

think of

this

as we

come to

the Lord's

table

what the

Lord's

table

is

a

remembrance

remembrance

a remembrance

of what

Jesus

has done

for us

a remembrance

of

a reminder

for us

on a regular

basis

this is why

as the church

we celebrate

the Lord's

supper

on a regular

basis

so that

we can

so that

we can

remember

because when

we remember

we are shaken

out of our

self-righteousness

we are

freed

from

the shame

that might

keep us

from coming

to God

because this

reminds us

that at

the cross

God dealt

with our

sin

decisively

forever

if you are

here tonight

and you have

placed your

faith in

Jesus Christ

as your

Lord and

Savior

then this

table is

for you

maybe you've

been wandering

a little

maybe you've

been convicted

tonight that

you've had a

heart of

self-righteousness

and tried to

please God

and be acceptable

in your own

but if you've

placed your

faith in

Jesus Christ

repent of

those sins

and receive

these elements

receive them

as an act

of grace

and a reminder

of God's

grace to you

if you're

here tonight

and you

haven't made

that decision

if you have

not placed

your faith

in Christ

then what we

ask is that

you wouldn't

take these

things

because they're

by taking

them

it's an

expression

of faith

and belief

we don't

want you

to do

that

lightly

so if

you haven't

placed your

faith in

Christ

we ask

just let

it pass

by

and instead

consider

consider what

we've talked

about tonight

consider this

parable

consider

Jesus

invitation

instead of

taking these

things

maybe you

in your

heart of

hearts

as you pray

before the

Lord

would take

Christ

to be your

savior

tonight

that would

be a

wonderful

thing

apostle Paul

writes this

for I

receive from

the Lord

what I

also

deliver to

you

that

the Lord

Jesus

on the

night

when he

was

betrayed

took bread

and when he

given thanks

he broke

it and said

this is my

body which

is for you

do this

in remembrance

of me

we'll pass

out the

bread

together

and then

you can

hold on

to it

and we'll

eat it

together

and as

we do

so we

can

continue

to

worship

so