Mission Sunday - Martin Paterson

Good evening again everyone.

Hi.

I guess people don't say good evening.

Really great to be back with everyone this evening.

Thank you for having us as a family through today.

I just want to say to you guys it's such a blessing

getting the chance to spend time with

James and Vicky and the boys this afternoon.

It's so great getting to spend time with

like-minded brothers and sisters and being encouraged by them.

So I just want to say to you guys continue to.

I know you do but continue to pray for them

and all that they're doing because

the Lord is at work in what it is that they are doing.

Just to give you a little bit of an update or a picture

for you if you've never met me my name's Martin

and my family are currently sitting through the back

and Jennifer is looking after the little kids

getting them into the pajamas etc.

But we are getting ready to leave Scotland

and serve in Vietnam Lord willing later this summer.

And much like Carl and son we hope that by July

or the summertime of 2022

we'll be able to leave where we are based right now

to be involved in ministry.

And it will be in a similar context

not the same nation or same city

but in a city based at a theological education establishment

in the city of Hanoi.

Our hope is that after a few years

of language and cultural learning

we'll be able to slot in, fit in

with this really important and essential ministry

for any church throughout the world

which is the equipping, the journeying alongside

of those who will be the pastors

those who will be the evangelists

the church workers

the next generation

or sometimes even the first generation

of pioneer cross-cultural missionaries themselves.

We're really excited by this

and really looking forward to doing it

but are also aware that it is going to be a huge challenge

a lot of changes

and will come with multiple ups and downs along the way.

the kids, if Jennifer was here

one of the things we would invite you guys to pray for

is for our kids

that they would make that transition well

to moving out to Vietnam later this year

and that in the years to come

they wouldn't turn round to their parents and say

see that God that you worship

that moved us away from everything

we want to hear them say

see that God that we worship

he is good

he is glorious

and we are so grateful that you moved

with what he called you to do

so would you pray that for our kids

that they would grow to know Jesus more

through this transition

and would not have that sort of resistance

that comes sometimes with moving cross-culturally.

To give you a bit of a picture

about what we do at present

Jennifer looks after the kids

and right now what I do is serve the denomination

I've been seconded from the organisation

that we serve with and that we'll be going to Asia with

and I get to work alongside the mission board

of the denomination

and particularly helping to coordinate

and focus on some of the global ministry activity

for the churches throughout Scotland

that the Free Church has and part of the family

and getting alongside local churches like yourselves

doing things like this

advising people about what it might mean

to be a sending church

how to support people well

and also to just walk alongside some people

who are thinking through

a cross-cultural mission and ministry

for the future.

It's an excellent time to be able to do this

and I'm so grateful to the Lord

for the chance and the opportunity

to serve our family of churches across Scotland

in this way.

In a couple of weeks' time

I'll also be covering for your own

dear brother Daniel

as he takes some time

to finish up his PhD writing

I'm going to be covering for him at ETS

so please do pray for me

as I take up that new venture

and for all the blessed students

that have got the great opportunity

to learn from someone

who is also learning on the job

please pray for them as well in that.

If you want to find out any more

about what we're doing at present

and also what we're going to do

in the future, God willing

then please do just come and chat to me afterwards.

I know that I have got a nice loud voice

but trust me I'm not actually that scary

I'm like a big teddy bear sometimes

okay?

Happy to come and chat to you at the end

please do come and speak to us.

We're going to hear now from the Bible

that's far better than listening to me

so can I invite you to turn to 3 John

and we'll spend some time thinking about this

little letter

and as you turn there

I'll pray

and I'll get these up and running.

Father the call to your mission

is not something we can instigate in ourselves

it is not rooted in our clever ideas

or our amazing strategies

because in many ways

Father what we think is clever and amazing

ultimately before you

is nothing.

it comes from your heart

out of a desire to see your son

made much of

amongst all the peoples and languages

that exist throughout your world

and as we think now

about what it means for us

as your people

to engage in your mission

my prayer for all of us

is that this

these moments

this time

would be an opportunity

for us

to take seriously

what you say to us

and our responsibility

as your people

as we partner together

with your people

throughout the world

taking the message of Jesus

to those who do not yet know his name

do not let us leave here

the same as when we came

Spirit of God

teach us from your word

for we are gathered here

as your servants

to listen

Amen

Now this morning

in one sense

is the sort of

here is the vision

this is why we do

what we do

God is great

God is glorious

and he deserves

and demands glory

from all that he has made

that's brilliant

but the first question

I ask the guy at the front

who says that

is this

Super how does that happen?

It's great

you give me this amazing big picture

how on earth

do you get to the point

where these things

kind of fall into place

to see that great picture

become a reality?

That would be my question

anyway

I don't know if that's your question

you're going with my question tonight

what are some of the practicalities?

I think that this little letter

3 John

which we can skip over

very quickly

and we might not even realise

is there

has actually got some

really really helpful

practical

points

for us to touch on

as we begin

to think through

what gospel partnership

looks like

and our role

and responsibility

as the people of God

in that

now to the coming of Christ

there will be the need

for the church

to globally

send workers

throughout the world

the global church

will need to send people

throughout the world

to proclaim

and announce

the gospel of the kingdom

of Jesus

Jesus is clear about this

in many places

throughout the gospels

he asks people

to go and make disciples

that's the big text

we all know

Matthew 28

you to go

and to make disciples

of all the nations

he says

we're to pray

for labourers

to be raised up

and sent out

into the harvest fields

and he also says

guys

do you not see

that the fields

are ripe to harvest

but

when we are faced

with challenging circumstances

which I think we are

when we are faced

with these challenging circumstances

each of us

in some way or other

has a tendency

to at a greater

or lesser extent

to pull back

look inward

and drop off

the radar

when it comes

to the spiritual realities

of life

and the world

in which we have been

placed

instead of

focusing on

what is

truly important

our heads

and our hearts

can entertain

thoughts

of delusional

fantasy

avenues

of proud

self-interest

or misplaced

fears

and through

maybe a combination

of those

different things

and many more

we begin to become

detached

from that bigger

vision we thought

about this morning

and it begins

to suffocate

and choke out

that great purpose

God has

for his people

it's in these

moments of great

challenge

that we need

to regain

our senses

and recognise

once again

the main

and the plain

things of

scripture

and one

of those

main things

is the

necessity

of global

evangelism

in a chaotic

world

making

Jesus known

in a world

which wants

to reject

him

and in a world

which is in

constant flux

Christ

is to be known

and loved

and treasured

he is to be

believed in

throughout the world

but how does

that happen

in these

sorts of

challenging

circumstances

well let's

turn to

this letter

because I think

there is a

wonderful example

in such a

predicament

because I think

in here

we see

genuine

gospel

partnership

in challenging

circumstances

but before we

look at the

specifics of

this little

postcard

letter

we need

to have

some

awareness

of what's

going on

1 to 3

John

those letters

right at the

end of

the New

Testament

these three

letters are

written by

the wise

old apostle

the wise

old disciple

of Jesus

John

and they

probably come

near the

end of

the first

century

persecution

and opposition

is kind of

on the upward

trend at this

point

there was a

degree to

which

authorities

sought

people

throughout the

empire to

show allegiance

to different

forms of

imperial worship

and if you

did not do

that your

material prosperity

would have

gone a

downward

trajectory

this is the

backdrop that

you see to the

seven churches

in Revelation

Revelation 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 and

3 and it

makes sense

that these are

all written at

roughly the same

sort of time

period in history

things are not

easy for

believers in

the Roman

world at this

point in time

you've also got

to add into

the mixer

not only have

you got opposing

forces on the

outside you also

have challenging

people on the

inside

throw this

person into

the mixer

deotrophies

false teacher

infiltrating the

local church

it'd be fair to

say that you

wouldn't want to

have his cv

he's not exactly

the sort of

person that you

want to imitate

is it

i've written

something to

the church

but deotrophies

verse 9

who likes to

put himself

first does not

acknowledge our

authority

so if i come i

will bring up

what he is doing

talking wicked

nonsense against

us and not

content with that

he refuses to

welcome the

brothers and

also stops

those who

want to

and puts

them out

of the

church

he seems

like a

great guy

doesn't he

model yourself

on him

i don't think

that's what

john is saying

if you want

to get a

real picture

as to probably

what is

happening and

the false

teaching that's

taking place

flick back over

to 2 john

chapter

chapter

to verse

7

he talks about

many deceivers

having gone out

into the world

and here is

their false

teaching

those who

confess the

coming or

those who do

not confess the

coming of jesus

christ in the

flesh

that's the

doctrine that's

being put forward

by some of

these false

teachers

is it

diatrophies

maybe

possibly

but it is not

exactly a good

thing

they don't

believe that

jesus has come

as a man

which by

logical extension

means that they

fundamentally disagree

with the penalty

paying substitutionary

atonement of

god's messiah

for the

taking away of

wrath from

sinners and

rebels against

god

it's a big

thing

these people

ultimately are

gospel haters

they do not

like what is

central to

god's revelation

of salvation

that in jesus

christ fully

god and fully

man there is

a

atonement for

sin

they take away

his humanity

and they take

away his

salvation

make no mistake

about it john and

his mission team

were well aware of

challenging circumstances

so the next time you

feel hard pressed

the next time you

think hey this is

pretty tough

maybe turn to

third john

and hear john

saying to you

i hear you brother

i hear you sister

it is difficult

work

but here's what he

seems to do instead

of what we would

naturally do

instead of turning

inwards they look

upwards and

outwards and they

rejoice in the

wonderful blessing of

being involved in

taking the gospel of

christ to the world

the temptation that is

set before us in the

midst of these

challenging

circumstances as the

church in scotland

is to forget about

the world out there

and to concentrate on

what is in front of

us

but i think that we

are on good grounds

to say that john

his mission team

and brother gaius

would not have

allowed these things

to become the

constraints

they would have not

taken on these

blinkers so easily

they were captivated

by this central

vision of

scripture

that big vision of

god

god deserving

and demanding to

be glorified and

worshipped by all

that he has made

and so in this very

personal letter we

get a glimpse at

some of the most

important aspects of

genuine gospel

partnership in really

difficult challenging

circumstances

now with those things

said with those

thoughts put in place

i'm going to give us

another three set of

headings which will

hopefully allow us to

work our way through

here and really

we're going to do

the first few

verses probably the

first eight that's

where we're going to

be spending our time

picking on a couple

maybe later through

but what i want us to

look at is this

first of all what is

true should set the

agenda

what is true sets the

agenda in forming

gospel partnerships

second thing

who we send and

partner with matters

who we send and

partner with matters

and how we send and

partner must honor god

so those are the three

things we're going to

notice when we go

through this and let's

crack on and press

through we see that

first then don't we

the what is true sets the

agenda popular opinion

culturally or even

theologically should not

be the defining marker

of what we do that

should just never be the

defining marker of what

we do what we should be

doing is coming back to

god's word time after

time and not allowing

people like diatrophies or

modern day equivalents

tell us this is what the

big agenda is we should

be coming back to what it

is that god has said

remembering what it is

that god has done and

accomplished in christ

jesus through and and

that message of the

gospel rather than taking

in our culture and false

teaching the gospel truth

should set the agenda

look at how john speaks

about gaius gaius is a

brother you see in those

first few verses who

clearly is a man of truth

he loves christ he loves

christ's people he loves

to be a jesus follower he

loves to be a disciple of

jesus their friendship john

and gaius's friendship is

founded on the truth of the

gospel you see that in verse

one he loves gaius in the

truth what's more gaius was

no charlatan he walked what

he talked look at verses

three and four i rejoice

greatly when the brothers

came and testified to your

truth and indeed you are

walking in the truth i have

no greater joy than to hear

that my children are walking

in the truth you know what

gaius believed he did he put

his faith into action he

lived what he believed and

there is a very clear way

that we can see this gaius was

invested in seeing the work of

the gospel among the peoples of

the world flourish how do we

know this we can see that in the

way that he welcomed in john's

mission team a group of potential

strangers that he may not have

known and he serves them well

why why would you do that

people are annoying do you know

that i know i am and then these

random people just turn up in the

city that you're part of and you

know they need somewhere to stay

and they need somewhere to eat and

it's a bit cold outside and they

need some heat and all the rest of

these things and what does gaius say

oh no in fact actually if you had

emailed ahead in order to be able

to schedule when it is that you

could do he didn't do that

obviously because emails weren't

there

he said come on in we'll sort you

out we'll look after you because

you love jesus i'm on board with

people who love jesus let's do this

see that verse 7 first half of

don't you they've gone out for the

sake of the name accepting nothing

these people um have come out with a

specific task to tell others about

jesus so we know that these people

love jesus we know that gaius clearly

loves jesus and so they come together

and they say right let's make this

work

gaius lived in challenging times but

his context did not distract him from

ultimately what was true

people needed to hear about christ so

he served in such a way to allow that

to happen

want us to notice a very important

detail about global mission in the

local church

gaius's conviction about the truth of

the gospel

was the rhythm setting the agenda of

his life

not just his spare time

his life

and it led him to recognize the

normality of global gospel ministry

his conviction about the truth meant

that he saw global gospel ministry as a

normal part of the christian life

but all too often there is an

incorrect vision that we touched on

this morning

where you have an elite few of people

set aside for a task

or an obsessive minority of people who

just get really excited about all this

overseas stuff

again i want to say really clearly

tonight i don't think that's what the

bible actually

teaches us

to be people who love jesus christ is to

be people who love

his glory his honor his value his worth

wherever we're placed

and where that is not known and true

we desire that that would be known and

true

friends what john says about gaius shows us

this he says gaius is faithful

what you're doing is a faithful thing

verse five

it is a faithful thing you do in all

your efforts for these brothers

strangers

though they are

because gaius loves christ the

circumstances don't define his

response

he serves freely in order that god would

be glorified

okay so our circumstances could be

challenging

let me make it a little bit more

encouraging for you tonight as you

sit here

in edinburgh about six o'clock

what happens if they get more

challenging

what happens if it becomes more

difficult

what happens if there is increased

opposition

what happens if things don't seem to

reverse and there is an upward trend

will we still serve

in the coming months and years who

knows where our culture will go in

scotland

if things do get more challenging and

more difficult

will we be so committed to global

ministry and see it as a normal part

of life

all the pressures and the challenges

as it brings

will we see

sending people out to other parts of

scotland for ministry

as something that is just a normal

aspect of a healthy church

or will we want to keep a hold of

those who are our best and our

brightest because

well we don't really want them to

leave here because that would mean

that we would

we would find it hard

let's not become play-doh in the

hands of our context

allowing external pressures to force us

and

change us

instead let our convictions

concerning the truth that god has

laid out in his eternal word

set our agenda

that until jesus returns the church

must engage in this ministry

throughout the world

for his glory

here's a question for your own

reflection your own

time

have you allowed the scope of god's

purposes in his word

to shape

your understanding

of his work

in his world

this is the point that i would point you to

brother

brother gaius

i love guys like this in the new testament

gaius

a guy

we don't really know tons about him

but he's someone who loved jesus

and allowed what he knew about jesus to shape his life

let what is true set your agenda and you will see each of us has a role to play in the gospel going forward and then those partnerships those healthy partnerships and challenging times grow flourish and develop for the glory of god

second then who we send and partner with really matters

i mean you could have lots of people come to you and say i believe this is where the lord is asking me to go to

and through a little bit of probing about this thing that thing or the next that might not be the case

who we send really matters

who we partner with really matters

gaius's church most likely had received suspect teachers in the past

um listen to deutrophies in the midst

what we know for sure

is that this man deutrophies

is not a particularly pleasant character

he is self-absorbed

he is self-appointed

and he is a charlatan who is ruling the church

by force of his overbearing personality

as i've already said

we do not want to aim to be like this guy

this is where i need to stop and make a really serious and important point

if ministry

in the gospel

is what it is that god is leading you to

you do not follow the pattern of this man

if you have an aspiration to be involved in ministry or leadership in scotland or in other parts of the world

do not be like him

because it kills gospel witness

it destroys and tears up churches

and it ultimately does not lead or point people to the living christ

don't be that guy

don't follow his example

listen up to what john does point out about a healthy gospel ministry and partnership

and i just want to point out a couple of things here

have you noticed the importance of the church in this small letter

the church are very important

in this concept of

of of of sending

of of being involved in partnerships

this isn't transfer deadline day

with lots of free agents

and people are just going

oh well we just need to get somebody to fill this position somewhere

because

well we just need someone to come through the door

that's that's not what we seem to see happening here

these brothers who were sent out

by john have accountability in their church setting

they are not lone rangers

going and doing whatever they feel like

did you see that in verse six

let's read verse five through six

beloved it's a faithful thing that you do in all your efforts for these brothers

strangers that they are

who testified to your love before the church

so what john is painting a picture here is

these brothers have gone to gaius

and they have returned to him

and they have said to the church

with john present

that these people have done this for them

so they've not just gone out and done their own thing

they've gone out

they've done what it was they were appointed to

and they've come back to the church

they're not out doing things by themselves

this is a clear sign of accountability

they are not lone rangers

this is a ministry partnership

and especially if people are going to be serving and partnering at a distance

we need to be really clear about who it is that we are partnering with as a church

so here is what i would leave for you guys to think through consider and to embrace

partner with and raise up people who love the church

to serve in mission with you

not people who want to raise up their own flag and raise up their own empire

but people who genuinely

for the zeal and glory of jesus

would love to see his bride flourish

in places where it does not exist

raise those sorts of people up

and partner with those sorts of people

like craig

who has a genuine heart's desire

to see christ exalted

in the borders of scotland

second then did you notice their purpose

in the first century world

many of the major cities were interconnected

and the people could travel there for work and study

restrictions aside

i think that's been a normal pattern of life

over the past 20 to 30 years

increased travel

increased economic connectivity

which leads to global jobs

and different education options

that people can access

in different cities

it's been upscaled in our generation

and people who live nearby to global cities

like edinburgh

will travel to parts of the u.s

or people from other parts of the world

will move to somewhere like edinburgh

for the university

or for their work

but that's not what you see happening here

this isn't just because these guys are moving to another part of the world

because of their work or education

or something like that

what we hear is that these brothers

have been sent out with a purpose

they are not moving for work or study

they have a specific role

and a specific purpose

they have been sent out

they have been sent out

for the sake of the name

you see that verse 7

these brothers have gone out

for the sake of the name

what does that mean?

surely it's got something to do with

announcing and proclaiming

Jesus

we need to realise that this purpose

can be warped by human sinfulness

people can be sent out

and in the western church

there can exist sometimes sadly

a saviour complex

which becomes justified

by being sent out

for the name

when in reality

it becomes

making a name for myself

I'm just at a distance

and people can't hold me accountable

and I can do what I want

I can say what I want

and no one will know any different

and that is not what John has in mind here at all

in this gospel partnership

and that is not how these believers acted

these brothers

didn't care about their own name

and maybe surprisingly

we are not told

that they were concerned

about the need

which existed

you don't see that

in this letter at all

they are not being concerned

about the need

they have a concern

about his name

the main thing

which reverberates

throughout scripture

is not

look at the need

which exists out there

it is hallowed

be your name

among all the peoples

that exist

there are a thousand and one needs

that exist

in the world

but if our only purpose

is to go and to meet

those needs

which exist

in God's world

and not about the fame

of the name of Christ

realistically

we are going to burn out

very quickly

and possibly

we may have missed

the point of it all together

this isn't about

name makers

or fame takers

this is about obedience

for the sake

of the name

to be sent out

for Christ's name

much as I did

a minute ago

here is something

to reflect on

for yourself

as a church

here is what I would

long for

that you would

partner with

and raise up

people like

these brothers

who did not care

about their own fame

at all

one jot

they cared about

the name of Jesus Christ

because to them

to live

was Christ

and to die

was gain

they were willing

to count the cost

because they knew

that treasuring Christ

was more

than life

raise up

and partner

with people like that

let's finish up

because

how we send

not just who we send

and partner with

how we send

and partner

must be something

which honors God

and we can see that

how we send

and partner

must be something

that honors God

and John

says that

really specifically

even in the

challenging circumstances

which he faced

what does that mean

from this letter

it seems clear to me

that the churches

must be working

in cooperation

with the mission team

and with the other churches

that are involved

it is to be

an outpouring

of lavish generosity

an outpouring

of lavish generosity

you see that

I think

in verse 6

and verse 8

they testified

to your love

before the church

you will do well

to send them

on their journey

in a manner

worthy of God

skip down a verse

we ought to support

people like these

they've not accepted

anything from the Gentiles

that we may be

fellow workers

for the truth

we've already seen

that first aspect

these churches

were seeking

to work together

they sent people

backwards

and forwards

by the looks of it

Gaius served the brothers

the brothers served

their home church

and John served Gaius

it's his dear

beloved friend

that he wants to

encourage

in a difficult situation

they worked in union

they worked united

oh man

imagine the church

of Jesus

worked in unity

imagine that we

actually worked

together in unity

for the gospel

of Christ

to go through

the world

and not put up

some things

which become

blocks and

stumblers

on the road

being sent

into the world

for the sake

of the name

was not something

that they did

in isolation

as one church

they worked

in partnership

and it was

a beautiful

way to show

that interdependence

which we have

as the body

of Jesus Christ

what's more

I would argue

and love

the fact

that within

our Presbyterian

church history

this is just

something that

we should do

naturally

normally

and everyday

we love

to serve

together

as the body

of Jesus Christ

where the strong

help the weak

and the weak

love the strong

because they work

in partnership

to see Christ

glorified

we desire

to serve

for the gospel

in Scotland

and to the ends

of the earth

sending out people

in cooperation

with each other

to see God's mission

become an increasing

reality

and in so doing

it turns out

we are blessed

we have deepened

relationships

and that is something

which can only be

honouring to God

but we can also see

that this sort of action

is a responsibility

for those

cooperating churches

these brothers

were sent out

for the sake

of the name

they were accepting

nothing from the Gentiles

verse 7 tells us

and I think that

that is another way

of saying

they are not taking

anything from

non-believers

they are not relying

on those who are

outside of the

household of faith

and that means

that each of us

have been given

a responsibility

to come alongside

such people

who have been sent

out and identified

by the church

to be involved

in taking the name

of Jesus

to other parts

of the country

or other parts

of the world

and seeing that

their need

not their want

that their need

is met

in order for ministry

to continue

look at what John says

we should support

people

like these

verse 8

remember

John's underlying

conviction

we saw that

earlier we read it

didn't we

that these

verse 6

these ones

should be sent

on their journey

in a manner

which is worthy

of God

I don't know about you

but I read a statement

like that

and I'm like

right well

how does God

send

if we are to

send people

in a manner

worthy of God

how is it

that God

sends

in some ways

reading John 3

wouldn't have been

a bad thing

because God

gave his one

and only son

that whoever

would believe

in him

would not perish

but would have

everlasting life

when God

sends

God

sends

lavishly

God

sends

abundantly

God

sends

graciously

and full

of love

he sends

for the good

of many

people

he sends

for his

glory

to be known

this is the

sort of

sending

and partnership

that we are

called to

we are not

God

and ultimately

we can never

send

in that

full sense

but we're

to be sent

in a manner

which is

worthy

of our

father in

heaven

to be

exalted

and known

and remember

John is not

saying this

from an ivory

tower

detached from

reality

he's saying

this

with a man

who's in

this church

who's a

false teacher

in a context

where people

are opposing

the spread

of the gospel

in the surrounding

culture and

context

on the backdrop

of such a

dark

situation

filled with

thoughts of

self-preservation

and self

fulfillment

the church

of Jesus

Christ

in Scotland

I would

argue

has the

opportunity

to say

we want

to give

everything

to Christ

because he

is worthy

of everything

that I

have

because his

glory is

better than

life

and so the

brothers and

the sisters

that have been

raised up by

him to go to

places like

Galashiels

to go to

places like

Bangkok

to go to

the north of

Scotland

to go to

all sorts

of places

even my

wonderful home

city of

Glasgow

we will

give it

all

so that

Christ

would be

worshipped

and adored

through the

ministry God

has given

to those

people

friends

challenging

circumstances

are going

to exist

until the

day of

Christ's

coming

and return

to see

many more

peoples

and places

come to

join with

us

in

worshipping

God

well that

is going

to require

our

obedience

to the

truth

it is

going to

require

us

as the

church

partnering

with

gospel

saturated

Christ

loving

disciples

and having

a unified

desire

as his

people

to glorify

Christ

in the

world

and here's

what my

note says

at the

end of

that

because I

feel that

that is a

huge

huge

responsibility

which I

am not

worthy

of

Lord

Jesus

make me

a man

like that

make us

a people

like that

captivated

by you

once again

let me

pray

father

all that

we have

has been

given by

your

gracious

hand

and so

once again

as your

people

we would

come to

you

this

evening

and say

please

take my

life

I give

it to

you

and I

pray that

you would

use it

for

whichever

purpose

you

desire

so that

your

son

may be

exalted

that a

lost world

may hear

of his

grace

and of

his

coming

and that

when I

take my

last breath

I will

know

that I

have lived

according to

your truth

according to

your purposes

joyfully

giving over

everything

so that

your son

may be

exalted

and that

I may

become

low

make us

people like

that

because really

we don't

want to

be

help us

to move

away from

the concept

of building

our own

kingdoms

and our

own

empires

and grant

us the

great and

wonderful

gift of

humility

to take

step after

step with

King Jesus

Amen

to

a

giving

gospel

an

re