Dignity & Humility

Thank you for praying this week out in Spain. This week we have some stuff up, ministers and missionaries checking over there. It was a really encouraging time. And Jose Sigourvia, who we support, it was really good to see his work and to see many other really faithful men, people that have devoted decades to small churches and yet are beginning to see growth.

So it's a really good time. Now in July and August, I'd like to kind of prepare for next year, the next academic year. And a couple of people are going to preach tonight and I'm going to give you some of the fruit of what I'm reading at the moment. I'm doing a ministers conference in October and I'm going to speak on the Apostle Paul as a minister.

And so tonight I want you to pretend you're all ministers. The Apostle Paul is a great model. He's a great apostle, isn't he? We look into him as the one who has written so much of the New Testament. He is unrepeatable in that sense.

He is a great model as a minister, he is a great minister, as a church leader, and he is a model as a Christian. And so tonight you might have to do a little bit of the work of application on your own to see how this applies to you.

But I hope you'll be as excited as I am in what we've found.

I want to speak tonight on the Apostle Paul and self. And self image, if I can put it like that. I don't know what your self image is. I hope you don't think about it that much.

But we live in an age where people are obsessed with me and self. And I don't want to go potholing into the subconscious of the Apostle Paul tonight. Because the Apostle Paul was a Jesus Christ centred man.

And the Apostle was not interested in himself. He was not preoccupied with himself. His desire was to know him, to know Christ.

And in a generation that is self absorbed, we have to be a church that is Jesus Christ absorbed.

But I do think we have to have a balance of a biblical view of ourselves.

And a person's self concept will go a long way towards determining his worth.

If we've got too high an opinion of ourselves, or too low an opinion of ourselves, then that will be shown in our lives.

The worship of the temple of Apollo and Delphi entered into the temple under the motto,

And that will be shown in our lives.

When you see someone who is angry with people, that person is often angry with themselves.

And is simply venting that anger on other people.

A person who is insecure in themselves, they will be touchy and self protective.

And they'll be quick to take offence when they're disintended.

And so I think it's really important that we see ourselves as we should in the light of the Bible.

And the Apostle Paul is a really great example.

How did Paul see himself?

We can give a really complex answer to that.

But I want to hold in tonight on two things.

Two strands from his self concept.

And on one level they seem to be contradictory.

But in fact they are complementary and both are vitally necessary.

So we're going to see in Paul number one, dignity.

And number two, humility.

Paul took his job as a leader in Christ's church with extreme seriousness.

The Apostle Paul believed that he was a man of destiny.

He believed that he was a chosen instrument of God.

And the Apostle Paul believed that he was somebody who was engaged in a work of supreme importance.

And I will show you that in three ways.

First he had great dignity in what he was doing.

Because he considered the purpose for which he'd been set apart.

He considered the purpose of his life to which he'd been set apart.

And we're going to begin in his mother's womb, bizarrely.

As his starting point.

He seeks to understand himself.

And explain himself.

And the Apostle Paul that we read of in the New Testament believed that he had been a man set apart.

I'm going to give you lots of Bible tonight.

But I'm not going to get you to turn into the references.

If you want them you can ask me later.

In Galatians chapter 1 and verse 15.

Galatians 1 · chapter mention

He says, God has set me apart even from my mother's womb.

And the movie which he uses now means separation.

That even when he was in his mother's womb.

He was set apart for a specific or expressed purpose.

Set apart for a purpose from my mother's womb.

The same word is used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

The firstborn was set apart for God.

The first fruits of the harvest were set apart for God.

The Levites, the priests of the Old Testament.

They were set apart for God.

And again and again the word is used for the people and the things which were separate from God.

And so in the New Testament we see the same word used in Acts 32.

The Holy Spirit set me apart, says Paul.

Set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I call them.

He begins his great letter to the Romans.

And he says that he has been set apart for the gospel of God.

That God has set him apart for a specific purpose.

He was set apart for the gospel of God.

But more specifically he was set apart by God to be a missionary preacher.

To be someone who would bring the gospel to the nations.

If you know your Bibles and all you'll be familiar with Jeremiah chapter 1.

Jeremiah 1 · chapter mention

Where God says in this amazing verse.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.

Before you were born I set you apart.

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

And Paul is very self-consciously echoing those words from Jeremiah 1 in Galatians 1.15.

God set me apart from my mother's womb so that I might preach, I might teach him.

Among the Gentiles or among the nations.

And Jeremiah was set apart to be a preacher.

And so was Paul from the very first moment of his life.

There's another parallel in Isaiah chapter 49.

Isaiah 49 · chapter mention

In one of those servant passages which looked forward to the Lord Jesus.

And Isaiah says, listen to me you islands.

Hear this you distant nations.

Before I was born the Lord called me.

From my birth he's made mention of my name.

And now the Lord says, he who formed me in the womb.

To be his servant.

To bring Jacob back to him.

And gather Israel to himself.

Is it too small a thing?

For you to be my servant.

To restore the tribes of Jacob.

And to bring back those of Israel I've cared.

I will make you a light to the Gentiles.

To the nations.

So that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.

And again there's a parallel isn't there?

The apostle Paul knows that passage from Isaiah.

And Paul sees him as part of the Messiah of the Lord's people.

That he continues the Messiah's mission.

The servant of the Lord.

Taking the gospel of God.

The message of God.

To the ends of the earth.

And so it's a tremendously high view.

Of what he was to do.

It's a tremendously high concept of his calling.

He's been marked out from all eternity.

By God for mighty purpose.

He's been called and shaped in time.

To be God's chosen instrument.

His Jewish background.

His rabbinical teaching.

His knowledge of the Greek language and culture.

His Roman citizenship.

All those have been worked together by God.

To equip and prepare the apostle Paul.

For the work that he was interested to do.

And that gave him tremendous dignity and authority.

As he thought of his calling.

Or you can think of the way secondly he speaks of himself.

How does the apostle Paul describe himself?

Take his favourite term which is apostle.

And apostle means the saint one.

The saint one by a superior on a mission of great importance.

The representative of a man.

The one sent by a man.

Is as a man himself.

So if you've seen the representative.

If you've met the apostle.

You've met the risen Christ.

The apostle of God is as God himself.

The apostle of Christ is as Christ himself.

That's why we don't have apostles today.

New Testament says that the apostle was to be a witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Who has been directly and personally commissioned by Jesus himself.

He is a man who has been chosen by God.

To receive the message of Christ.

It's a term of immense dignity and authority.

And privilege.

And in 10 of the 13 letters that we have from the apostle Paul he uses it.

He is called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God 1 Corinthians.

He is an apostle not sent from men nor by man.

But by Jesus Christ and God the Father.

That's Galatians.

He is an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Saviour and of Jesus Christ our home.

He is no self made apostle.

He's a false apostle.

But an apostle who has received his commission from the risen Christ.

Well think of the term servant.

How often Paul uses that word when he describes himself.

He says Paul and Timothy servants of Christ.

Paul a servant of Christ Jesus.

When we think about the word servant.

We often think don't we immediately of humility.

Of the word slave.

And I think there is a sense in which that's right.

But the New Testament uses it in a slightly different way.

Our mind raises to submission and humility and loneliness.

The fact that he has no rights at all before his master.

Paul believed that in many ways.

He did believe that.

In writing to the Corinthians.

After there was that kind of a superstar personality in college.

He says after all what is Apollos?

What is Paul?

What are we but servants?

But I think when the apostle Paul calls himself a servant.

He's not actually using that in there as a term of humility.

He is a servant of Christ.

It's rather a badge of honour.

And authority.

It's one of those times when New Testament words have New Testament meanings.

Sometimes we have to go back to the Old Testament.

To find out what the New Testament is speaking about.

They give us the meaning.

And so think of the servant of the Lord in the Old Testament.

Abraham.

The Lord's servant.

Moses.

My servant.

David.

My servant.

Isaiah.

God's servant.

My servant.

My servant.

The prophets.

And the servant of all servants.

Was Jesus Christ.

And when Paul says a servant of Christ Jesus.

He's not particularly at that point expressing.

At that very point.

Humility.

Although he felt it.

He is overwhelmed with dignity.

He is overwhelmed.

With honour.

That he is.

The servant of Christ.

He is privileged.

To bear that name.

It was said.

Wasn't it.

That the slaves of Caesar.

Rejoiced to be known.

As his servants.

Paul says.

I am a servant of Christ.

He remembers that encounter with Jesus.

And when he first met the Lord Jesus.

And he kneels on that road.

And the glorious figure.

Of the Lord Jesus.

Appears to him.

To appoint him as a servant.

And as a witness.

Of what you've seen of me.

It's a term of great dignity.

And privilege.

Think of some of the other words.

That he uses.

He says.

We are Christ's ambassadors.

A plenicentary of the King.

The ambassador goes.

To entreat.

He goes.

With terms of peace.

To those who need it.

He says.

Of this gospel.

I was appointed a herald.

To Timothy chapter 1.

Verse 11.

Bearing a message from the King.

With all the authority of the King.

Behind it.

Let a man show account of us.

As stewards.

Stewards of the mystery of God.

1 Corinthians 4.

A steward.

One who is entrusted.

With another person's goods.

And has the responsibility.

Of his friends and them.

He says.

We speak as men.

Approved by God.

Entrusted with the gospel.

We are God's fellow workers.

And when you put all those things together.

There is mighty privilege.

And responsibility.

And Paul says.

By his grace.

This is what I am.

Or you can look thirdly.

At the authority.

That he exercised.

Paul was not a non-entity.

Paul was not a man.

Who was easy to push aside.

Or to ignore.

He was a man of weight.

Of force.

Of strength.

Of self-conscious authority.

And we see it.

In his relationships.

With people who are not Christians.

In Cyprus.

Where the Bible.

Moves from calling him Saul.

To Paul.

And he confronts the sorceress.

With vigor and authority.

He says.

You are a child of the devil.

And an enemy of everything that is right.

And the hand of the Lord is against you.

And we see him standing.

And afraid.

In Athens.

Before the kind of intelligentsia of the day.

In Areopagus.

And he's not intimidated.

He's not embarrassed.

And he speaks to these men.

With power.

And with authority.

And he's not apologising.

Here is a man.

With weight.

He can stand before.

Governor Felix.

And strike fear.

Into his heart.

He speaks to the government.

Of his day.

About self-control.

And righteousness.

And judgment to come.

He chose the king Agrippa.

And he says to the king Agrippa.

Do you believe the prophets?

It's a tremendous force of authority.

He's sailing to Rome.

And there's a great storm.

There's going to be a shipwreck.

And Paul.

Emerges as the leader.

The one to whom men turn for advice.

And counsel.

What force there is in this man.

And when we think of his authority.

To believers and Christians.

When his authority was attacked.

Like it was in Galatians.

Galatians.

He takes pain.

To defend his office.

With passion.

He says.

If you go to church.

And if anyone is preaching.

A gospel to you.

Other than the one you accepted.

Other than the one I preached to you.

Or even an angel preached to you.

Let him be accursed.

He says.

I'm really astonished with you Galatians.

That you are quickly deserting.

The one who called you.

By the grace of Christ.

Let no one cause me trouble.

For I bear on my body.

The marks of Jesus.

Or in Corinth.

Right.

He said.

Do you need some.

Letters of recommendation to you.

Or from you.

Do I need that?

Do I need letters of recommendation for you.

You know that you are a letter from Christ.

A result of our ministry.

And that is why I write these things.

That when I come.

I might not have to be harsh.

In my use of authority.

Even in the letters.

Where Paul doesn't use the word apostle.

That note of authority is evident.

We command you.

He says in 2 Thessalonians.

If anyone does not obey our instructions.

Take special note of him.

Philemon.

Where Paul is so tactful.

And gentle.

But there is an iron glove in that fist.

In Philemon.

He says.

Although in Christ Jesus.

I could be bold.

And I could order you.

To do what you ought to do.

Yet I appeal to you.

On the basis of love.

And everywhere in the New Testament.

The impression is given.

Of a man who is convinced.

That he holds a position.

Of vital.

Vital importance.

His authority isn't to be disregarded.

His preaching is to be received.

As the word of God.

As it actually is.

One Thessalonians.

He's a rock like man.

He's a man of strength.

And courage and force.

And yet at the same time.

In this same person.

There is a great deep consciousness of sin.

And unworthiness.

He says.

I'm the least of the apostles.

And so certainly.

Let's see the humility.

Of the Christian leader.

He says.

I do not even deserve to be called an apostle.

He describes himself.

As less.

Than the least.

Of all the saints.

Have you ever thought about that?

Logically.

Doesn't even make any sense.

Does it?

How can you be less.

Than the least.

You can't be.

Paul would say.

I am.

Some of the statements.

By the apostle Paul.

Are taken by many people.

With a large pinch of salt.

Some people think.

There is a morbid sense.

Of guilt.

Here was a tormented man.

A psychologically disturbed man.

Who had a guilt complex.

Who was driven by demons.

And self-loathing.

Nietzsche described Paul.

As a much tortured.

Much to be pitied man.

An exceedingly unpleasant person.

Both to himself.

And to others.

Others suggest.

That he is guilty.

Of just a little.

Pardonable exaggeration.

That he is painting.

His sin.

In kind of.

Dark colors.

So that other people.

Might not.

Feel so bad at him.

He is saying.

Oh.

I am as bad as you.

I am worse than you.

I am the chief of sinners.

But actually.

You know.

What he is doing.

Is not exaggerating.

Paul meant.

What he said.

And I think again.

That shows us.

In three ways.

First of all.

Paul was humble.

Because of his past sins.

The memory.

Never left.

The apostle Paul.

Of his pre-conversion life.

The terrible sins.

Against God.

That Paul committed.

By persecuting his people.

His first appearance.

In the bible.

Is at the martyrdom.

Of Stephen.

Where the first Christian preacher.

Is stoned.

And it says.

In Acts 8.

Verse.

Is when Paul is giving approval.

And it's a present.

Continuous tense.

He's there giving approval.

He wasn't there.

Thinking.

This is a terrible thing.

That should never have happened.

Paul's first settled conviction.

Was that the death of Stephen.

Was a good thing.

He went home that evening.

And he said to his wife.

It was a good day today.

The right thing happened.

And he woke up.

The following morning.

And he still thought.

It was a good thing.

He approved.

But in Acts 8.

Three.

There's a particularly.

Horrid word.

Where it says.

Paul made havoc.

Of the church.

It's used often.

Of a wild animal.

In its angry.

Destructive.

Behaviour.

It's like a bull.

Getting into a vineyard.

And feeling trapped.

And there's furious rage.

And in his fury.

And in his rage.

He went from house to house.

And he dragged off.

Men and women.

And he put them in prison.

And he says.

I persecuted followers.

Of the way.

To their death.

And then.

When they were put to death.

I cast my vote against them.

I went from synagogue.

To synagogue.

To have them punished.

He writes to the Galatians.

You've heard of my previous life.

Way of life.

In Judaism.

How intensely.

I kept on.

Persecuting.

The church of God.

And I tried to.

Ravage.

And sack it.

As a city.

Is sacked.

By an invading army.

It's a frightful.

Fanaticism.

In the apostle Paul.

Even.

Terrorism.

Hendrickson says.

Paul can never forget those days.

A blasphemer.

And persecutor.

And a violent man.

He'd been a great sinner.

And the memory of what he'd done.

Kept him humble.

Secondly.

Here's the shocking thing to us.

He was humble.

Humbled.

By his past righteousness.

It was not only his past persecution.

And the things that he'd done against the church.

That caused him regret.

But Paul came to see his righteousness.

His law keeping.

His religiosity.

That too was sin.

He expressed it clearly in the passage that we read.

That once he put confidence in his own flesh.

Once he put confidence that he was a Jew in pedigree.

That he had an impeccable upbringing.

As to the righteousness of the law.

I'm blameless.

He said.

I considered it to my profit.

I relied on it.

I raised my assurance.

That I was a religious person.

He took his law keeping.

And Paul presented it to God.

And said to God.

God you have to forgive me.

Look.

God.

And now he says.

Whatever was my profit.

I now consider lost.

The sake of Christ.

And he glories in Christ Jesus.

And he says.

Put no confidence in the flesh.

He's abandoned all the works of the Lord.

He's abandoned trying to be religious.

I consider the rubbish.

That I may gain Christ and be found in him.

Not having a righteousness of my own.

That comes from the Lord.

But now.

All I hope.

All my trust.

Is found in faith in Christ.

That is my only hope.

And that righteousness.

Comes from what God is by faith.

And Paul is saying something.

Very very profound to you and I.

But the religious person.

The respectable person.

Is living a life.

Which is fundamentally sinful.

Why?

Because he's not relying on God's grace.

He's relying on himself.

For himself.

The religious person.

Is misusing the law.

To try and place God.

Under an obligation to him.

To maintain himself.

In God's presence.

Herman Riddinost says this.

Boasting in the law.

In trying to burden away to people.

And go on.

Boasting in the law.

Is fatal.

Because it no longer relies.

On the grace of God himself.

But on man's activity.

In this manner.

Man becomes confident.

And strong.

Against God.

The flesh boasts itself.

Instead of boasting about God.

Zeal.

Zeal for the law.

Can alienate a man from God.

And has precisely the effect.

Of making him a sinner.

Riddinost goes on to say.

This confronts man.

Not only with his deficiency.

But casts his gain.

What he thinks he's done.

Into the balance.

And compels him.

To not only acknowledge his sin.

But to renounce his very virtues.

To renounce his very virtues.

Before God.

To become a Christian.

You have to come to see.

That your whole life.

Like my whole life.

Has been an offence.

To the God of grace.

His law keeping.

Was sinful.

As well as his law breaking.

To be a Christian.

You have to realise.

That you are sinful.

When you're at your very worst.

And we've been sinful.

When we've been at our very best.

As the Apostle Paul.

His righteousness.

His past righteousness.

What he thought.

Had got him right with God.

Captain Humboldt.

His arrogance.

And pride.

Preeding myself.

And boasting before God.

What my sin.

My sin.

Thirdly.

By greeting.

The present struggle.

Captain Humboldt.

Paul knew nothing.

Of the Christian leader.

Who presents himself.

As a kind of.

Spiritual superman.

That is far removed.

From the ordinary.

Frailties.

And weaknesses.

He acknowledged.

His imperfections.

And his struggles.

And his defeats.

Listen to him.

From Romans 7.

What I want to do.

I do not do.

But what I hate.

I do.

I have a desire.

To do what is good.

But I cannot carry it out.

For what I do.

Is not the good.

I want to do.

No.

The evil that I want.

I do not want to do.

This I keep on doing.

There is a lot of controversy.

There is a lot of controversy.

About that passage.

Isn't there.

Who is he speaking about.

Let me ask you this.

When you first read that.

Doesn't that passage.

Chine.

With your heart.

Doesn't it.

Charles Hodge says

the inward conflict here described

every Christian understands

and that is right

Apostle Paul says

I'm a man like you

you remember how he spoke to his goal

in Philippians 3

his great goal

was to know Christ

we read it but immediately afterwards

he says don't mistake me

it's not that I've already obtained this

or I'm already perfect

that is my aspiration

but it's not my achievement

that's my goal

I have reached it

and he acknowledges his creaturely weakness

he speaks of

three men that came to visit him

in prison

and he says I was encouraged by them

I needed them

I was lonely

his experience in Asia

when he was under great pressure

Charles the Corinthians

he says we are hard pressed

on every side

we are perplexed

for certain Christians

they're never perplexed today

but you and I

we are perplexed aren't we

some people pretend

they know all the answers

Paul says

I didn't know what to do

I think that's fine

in an elders meeting

I think that's fine sometimes

in a Christian

I don't know what to do

you've got a thorn in the flesh

and he doesn't say

he doesn't say

well I knew at once

I had this strange feeling

that this was something

I was going to have to live with

all my life

this difficulty

Paul says

I had to pray on and on and on

and the Lord had to tell me

listen for

you're not going to have to live with this

he's an intense human man

he says to the Corinthians

I came to you in weakness

and in fear

and in much trembling

and here was a man

who had no airs and graces

he said once

to the people of Listerate

he said

we are also men

of the same nature as you

now let me try and apply this quickly

Paul had immense authority

and yet that on itself

that on its own

would have made him very harsh

and obscure

and intimidating

and Paul was another instinct

he was a broken man

he was a humble man

he was overwhelmed

by the riches of God's mercy

and that gave him

a warmth

and a humanity

and a compelling gentleness

and this balance

of authority

and humility

is essential

for the church's leadership

the world attacks it

doesn't it

the world looks at church leaders

as a joke

as effeminate weaklings

that come to a promise you all

and the church can attack it

I think at times

we're so terrified

of leadership

being overbearing

that congregations

actually refuse to follow

ministers and elders

get treated like

dog study bodies

to run here

there and everywhere

and everyone's back

and call

leave it to

dot dot dot dot dot

there is something

in ourselves

that questions

our authority

sometimes

for every Christian leader

every Christian leader

has those questions

occasionally I get asked

to speak at public schools

I think they're kind of like

a voice from the working

class occasionally

so I'm wheeled into

Egypt and Arbor

and places like that

and they are amazing places

I don't know if I've ever

been to them

they are amazingly well run

headmaster's office

you're ushered in

for a cup of tea

and it's so

incredible really

and the staff

respect him

place is jammed

full

packed of

able people

and it runs

like clockwork

and then I go

I go to my wooden shed

at the bottom of the yard

and it feels shabby

it feels tawdry

for an hour or two

and every Christian leader

feels a sinking in their heart

thinking

what am I doing

isn't this really important

and Christian leaders

have many things

that come on us

to attack our sense

and authority

and so what has happened

in this country

is that Christian leaders

have become weak

and ineffectual

and apologetic

terrified of offending

and so you see

the big

I don't even

period

Darylmas

who's simpering

kind of

pink-cheeked

limp-wristed

giggling

cheek-drinking

nitty

and that's what he is

he's a figure of fantasy

and we get brainwashed

by that

and so ministers

can be like little dogs

you're little dogs

you're the tender little dogs

you grow

you grow

a little dog

and it's going off

don't they

but if you pat

a little dog

they'll do anything

for you

you scratch their ears

oh

they actually see that

they do grovel

and compromise

and apologise

they'll do anything

if you scratch their ears

now in a Christian

leader today

he's not an apostle

it's very important

to say that

we have not

Paul's unique

commissioning

we are not apostles

but I do want to say

to you that

if you are a preacher

of the gospel

God has chosen you

in eternity

he created you

he shaped you

into the person

that he wanted you

to be

and he has called you

to a serious

to preach

and to teach

to proclaim

the word of God

in his infallibility

and authority

and if you're going

to be a Christian preacher

you must be convinced

of your calling

convinced of your message

I love the words

of the apostle

of Jesus and Saul

on the Damascus road

he says

now get up

get up and stand

on your feet

I will be into you

to appoint you

as a servant

and as a witness

to what I have seen

of you

and what I will

surely get up

stand on your feet

for Christ

to appear to you

and commission

to you to his service

we need that

as Christian leaders

and yet we also

need personal humility

there are now

very able men

and they're

orthodox men

and yet there is

a coldness

about them

and something

about them

that is not

attractive

and we want

to say to them

you are very

very clever

you are very

very bright

but have you

ever cried

you've read

the books

and you have

them taped

but have you

ever made a fool

of yourself

have you ever

gone home

on a Sunday

afternoon

and buried

your head

in the desk

and said

Lord forgive me

coldness

so

preachers

write answers

but they're

like robots

and I think

it's right

for those

who preach

to be frightened

and to tremble

at God's word

to be broken

down

and if that

isn't you

don't do it

and we need

to learn

don't we

from this

ex-baracy

of the ugly

barren arrogance

we all need

this

of a religious

life that is

divorced by

grace

divorced from

grace

that is an

ugly thing

because all

our righteousness

is as filthy

rags

and self

if anything

should keep

us humble

sometimes I

despair

that I will

leave my

dirty

egotistical

hands on

every single

thing I do

for God

and so

when you're

doing something

for the Lord

is that I

find it when

I'm praying

for God's

blessing on

my students

and I was

this afternoon

and God

says to me

why are you

praying for

blessing

are you sure

it's for me

is it not

just a little

bit for you

we have to

sing away

at that

time

well yes

for that

mercy

I don't

know

but I

believe it's

your word

less than

the least

that I

the blasphemer

the violent

man should

preach among

the Gentiles

dignity

and humility

and we

live with

this great

tension

we are

sinners

but we

are saints

we are

beggars

and yet

we are

princes

and that

is the

Christian

life

that's the

Christian

life for

you

it's what

God said

in Psalm

113

isn't it

he raises

the poor

from the

dust

and he

lifts the

needy

from the

ashim

to make

them sit

with princes

that the

princes are

his people

and when

we do

that we

personify

the gospel

and so

you as

a Christian

as a

child of

God

you have

great

dignity

and yet

you are

a sinner

what is

the gospel

it is that

Jesus saves

sinners

it is that

Jesus saves

sinners

and we

come as

saved

redeemed

forgiven

chosen

blessed

and you

sinners

as far as

in prayer

let's pray