Food That Lasts

We're in the Gospel of John this morning again, continuing on the story, chapter 6.

Just a reminder of what we've been through these past couple weeks.

We've looked at some of the pretty spectacular things that Jesus has been doing.

First, he fed a crowd of over 5,000 people out in the middle of nowhere with just a boy's lunch.

Then last Sunday we saw how he walked at least several miles across the Sea of Galilee

and then jumped into a boat with his disciples in the middle of a storm.

Amazing.

We talked last Sunday about how some of the crowd from the 5,000 that Jesus fed,

they couldn't find him the next day on that eastern side of the lake,

so they hitched a ride with some of the boats that had come over from Tiberias

back to the western side of the lake where they found Jesus.

And we ended last Sunday with their question,

Rabbi, when did you get here?

So we're going to continue the story this morning in John, chapter 6, verse 25.

John 6:25

When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him,

Rabbi, when did you get here?

Jesus answered,

Very truly, I tell you,

you were looking for me not because you saw the signs I performed,

but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

So it all starts with the question of the people,

the people who had been there at the feeding of the 5,000.

And they came back across the lake,

they found Jesus,

they're puzzled about how Jesus got here,

and they ask him,

Teacher, when did you get here?

And what does Jesus say in response?

Let's just hit the pause button for a moment here.

What's the true answer to this question?

Jesus could have looked them in the eye and said,

I actually got here in the early hours of the morning

after a leisurely stroll out on the lake.

Even as the crowd asks this question,

you can imagine the disciples thinking to themselves,

like, oh boy,

like, how is Jesus going to respond to this?

They would never believe what happened last night out on the lake,

even if all of us told them that this is what happened.

Well, Jesus decides to simply not answer the question.

And instead,

he makes a statement that shifts the focus of this conversation

onto the people themselves.

In verse 26,

he says,

What is Jesus saying to them?

Well, let's first notice the kind of statement that this is.

Jesus is telling them why they have been looking for him.

He's saying,

You've been seeking me.

You've been searching for me.

Not for this reason,

but for this reason.

Have you ever had somebody tell you

why you are doing something?

Most of us probably have,

and usually we don't appreciate it

when someone tells us why we did something.

I'm sure many of us have had that happen in a conversation

where someone's telling us why we did something,

or we almost would take it as an accusation.

And perhaps they even assumed wrongly about us.

And you're thinking or you're saying,

That wasn't my motivation.

That wasn't my reason.

Who are you to tell me why I did that?

Are you judging me?

Are you claiming to know my inner thoughts and motivations?

Most of the time,

it's best not to assume that you know

exactly why someone is doing something.

There could be reasons you simply do not know.

There could be reasons buried in that person's heart,

or rooted in that person's past experiences.

As Paul said to the Corinthians in his letter,

1 Corinthians 2 verse 11,

1 Corinthians 2:11

For who knows a person's thoughts

except their own spirit within them?

And this is kind of a side point here,

but wouldn't it be wonderful if all of us just refused

to assume that we know why other people do the things they do?

And I'm talking to myself here as well.

Think of how much less misunderstanding and conflict there would be

if we just simply chose not to assume anything about other people's motives.

Instead, maybe just ask the question.

Ask them why they're doing what they're doing.

The truth is,

we really don't know other people's motivations,

and we can guess at them,

we can speculate,

but at the end of the day,

only they know

why they are doing what they are doing.

And this is pretty relevant today.

I mean, here's one example.

Many people assume that people are wearing masks

because they're afraid of getting COVID.

And yet some of those people

would say to you that they are wearing them

not because they're afraid of getting COVID,

but because they care about you.

They want to minimize the chance

that they would spread it to you

if they happen to have it.

For that person, it's not fear.

It's in fact kindness and love

that motivates them to wear their mask.

On the other side of the coin,

some people might assume

that if you're not wearing a mask,

it's because you're angry at the government

or because you don't care about the weak

and the vulnerable in our community.

And yet for some who aren't wearing masks,

that's simply not true.

Some people are just simply not wearing them

because they genuinely don't believe

that the masks help

in preventing the spread of COVID.

Now, I'm not here to try and settle the debate this morning

on whether they work or not work or whatever.

I just say this to illustrate

how often we assume that we know exactly

why people are doing what they're doing,

and yet how easy it is for us to be wrong.

And we do this all the time.

We speculate on people's motives and thoughts,

like why they're changing jobs,

why they had a conflict with so-and-so,

why they believe this or that,

why they haven't been coming to church,

why they just bought a new vehicle,

why my kids are acting the way they are.

Wouldn't it just be wonderful

if we all just embraced this simple truth

that Paul reminds us of?

Who knows a person's thoughts

except their own spirit within them?

Back to Jesus.

Jesus is saying the kind of thing here

that ordinarily we shouldn't say to one another.

And notice how he says it.

He doesn't say, you know what,

I think that the reason you're looking for me

is not this, but this.

No, he states it very matter-of-factly.

He says, truly, truly, I say to you,

the reason you're looking for me

is not this, but this.

He's claiming to know the truth

of what's going on in their inner thoughts

and motivations.

Coming from anyone else,

this would probably be an immediate turn-off,

and maybe some people were turned off

when they heard Jesus say something like this.

But with Jesus, it's different.

He's already demonstrated repeatedly

that he knows things about people

that no ordinary person could know.

We saw it with Nathaniel.

We saw it with the Samaritan woman at the well.

The disciples witnessed this kind of thing

repeatedly at the first Passover festival

that they went to with him.

Remember back in John chapter 2,

John 2 · chapter mention

where John said this,

Jesus would not entrust himself to the crowd

that saw his signs,

for he knew all people.

He did not need any testimony about men,

mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Amazingly, in all these instances,

the disciples have seen that Jesus has been correct

about people,

about their inner motivations

and thoughts and reasons.

He's not just guessing or speculating.

He's not assuming things

that he doesn't know to be true.

Somehow he has divine knowledge.

And he actually knows the things

that God alone knows about people.

This is the kind of thing that's going on here.

Again, in the passage we're looking at this morning,

Jesus is telling these people

that he knows what's really going on

inside their hearts.

He knows why they're really going to all this trouble

to come all the way back across the lake

and hunt him down and follow him around.

So now let's look at the reasons Jesus gives.

Verse 26.

Jesus answered,

You are looking for me

not because you saw the signs I performed,

but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

Do not work for food that spoils,

but for food that endures to eternal life.

So according to Jesus,

why are they following him?

What's the real reason?

And what's the problem with their motivation?

You're looking for me

because you ate the loaves and had your fill

and not because you saw the signs.

Do not work for food that spoils,

but work for food that endures to eternal life.

Now at first glance,

and this is kind of what I was thinking at first,

we might think that these people care more about getting more free food

than they do about the miracle that Jesus did.

It kind of sounds that way a little bit.

You guys came all the way across the lake

because you got a free meal.

Don't wear yourself out for food that spoils.

But the more I reflected on this and thought about that,

it just didn't make sense.

Like how could people really be more excited

about getting some free food

than about the fact that Jesus whipped this meal

for 5,000 people out of almost seemingly nowhere?

And we heard two weeks ago

that at least some of them started to think

that he was the prophet or the Messiah

and they wanted to make him king.

So did they care more about getting more free food

than the miracle?

Were they just a bunch of lazy freeloaders and moochers?

I don't think so.

I think we get a clue about this

from what Jesus tells them to do.

He says,

Do not work for food that spoils,

but for food that endures to eternal life.

A more literal translation of that

would be something like this.

Work not for food of the perishing sort,

but for food of the lasting unto eternal life sort.

As we reflect on these words,

we begin to see that Jesus is giving them

a larger principle of life.

And he's using food as kind of the metaphor.

I mean, what kind of food endures to eternal life?

This is not ordinary food.

This is a metaphor.

And do not work for food that spoils.

They're meant to apply this more generally,

more broadly to their whole outlook.

In other words,

I don't think Jesus is saying,

The reason that you're following me around

is just to get more free food.

Stop putting in all this effort

to get more free food that doesn't last.

I think Jesus is saying more than that.

And I think the key,

if I'm reading this right,

is in,

we see it a little bit in verse 26.

You are looking for me,

not because you saw the signs.

The signs.

Jesus refers to the things that he has been doing.

Things like the feeding of the 5,000

and healing people as signs.

And a sign by definition

is something that points to something.

So what's the problem with their motivation?

If I'm hearing Jesus right,

it's that they're more excited

about the miracle itself

than they are about what it points to.

They're thinking,

and we can guess here,

we don't know for sure,

but maybe something like,

here's a guy who can multiply bread

and they're not going to do it.

Come on, everybody.

Look at this.

What's he going to do next?

Isn't this awesome?

They're all excited about the miracle

and they probably should be,

but the main point,

it seems,

is not the miracle itself,

but what the miracle points to.

It's a sign.

It seems that these particular people

are going to such lengths

to follow Jesus

because they want to be,

we might say,

sensationalized.

They want to see more of the same.

They want to be wowed

by things like this,

this meal that they had.

And so it seems that

Jesus is saying

that the feeding of the 5,000

was not something that he did

just to fill the stomachs of people.

God the Father

had given him that work,

that miracle to do

as a sign.

And signs are meant

to tell us something.

They're meant to point to something.

And it was a spectacular sign.

It was something

impressive.

Give a bit of an example here.

I mean, imagine you're,

happened to be in Madrid,

Spain.

You're driving around

and you see this

on the side of a building.

That's a pretty big sign.

They actually broke

the Guinness Book of World Records

for the largest billboard

back in 2018.

The thing is,

the size of 20 tennis courts.

It covers most of this huge building.

And I don't know,

I kind of like it.

Even how the tree branches

kind of go in between the windows.

I mean, imagine how much time

it took just to put that up

and to take it down,

all the scaffolding.

It's impressive.

So impressive,

you might even take

a slight detour

on your way home

just to show your kids.

Now imagine that

the next day

after you see this billboard,

you're at work

and it comes up

in conversation

and you're talking

to someone about it

and someone at some point

just says,

so?

Are you going to buy one?

And you're kind of like,

what are you talking about?

Buy one what?

Well, a Ford EcoSport.

Oh, well,

I wasn't even really

thinking about that.

I was just thinking about

how awesome that sign is.

Like, it's huge

and it's so well done.

I think that's a bit

of an example,

an illustration

of what's happening here

with the crowd

and Jesus.

They see the signs

that he's doing

and how spectacular they are,

but they're more caught up

in the excitement

of the sign

than what it points to.

Like,

hey everyone,

here's a guy

who can make food appear

out of thin air.

We saw it.

We ate it

as much as we wanted.

Come on,

let's go see

what he'll do next.

Maybe next time

he'll make something

even more awesome

than that.

Who knows?

Maybe if we stick

with him long enough,

it'll be like

that Oprah episode

where every guest

received a brand new car

worth 30,000 bucks

for free.

We don't know exactly

what they're thinking,

but it seems

that this is kind of

along the lines

of what they're thinking.

They're missing the point.

The key contrast,

I think,

comes in what Jesus says

in verse 27.

Do not work

for food that spoils,

but for food

that endures

to eternal life.

Again,

the more literal,

work not for food

of the perishing sort,

but for food

of the lasting

unto eternal life sort.

They're more excited

about the bread

than the reality

that the bread points to.

I think Jesus

is saying something

to the effect of

the physical bread

that I made

is not the point.

Don't put in all this effort

to follow me around

just to see more things

like that.

Where's the bread

that you ate now?

It's gone.

It doesn't last.

It's a perishable thing.

It's either consumed

or it spoils.

No,

the point of the miracle

is that you would look for

and seek after

the food

that doesn't perish.

The special provision

of God

that lasts,

that never goes bad,

that there's always

more of,

the special food

or provision of God

that when you eat

of it,

it gives you

not just life

for another few days,

but life

for endless days.

And it might be here

that we're starting

to remember back

to what Jesus said

to the woman

at the well

where he again

used a familiar thing

like water,

food,

water,

to describe

a much greater thing.

He said to her,

whoever drinks

the water I give them

will never thirst.

Indeed,

the water I give them

will become

in them

a spring of water

welling up

to eternal life.

It's as though

Jesus is saying,

I'm here to offer you

more

than just

a spectacular show,

more than just

some material blessings,

more than just

some things

that will eventually

be consumed

or spent

or wear out

or lost

when you die.

I'm here to offer you

the food and water,

the most essential

needs

of your soul,

a special provision

of God

so that you might

truly live

forever.

This is the reality

that the sign

of the feeding

of the 5,000

points to.

If you're going

to put in the effort

like you've been

putting in

to follow me around,

do it for this reason.

Do it to get

this food

that lasts

into life eternal.

So you can imagine

at this point

that Jesus has

their attention,

that there's no

shortage of questions

rising up

in their minds

like,

well,

what kind of food

are you talking

about, Jesus?

What sort of food

lasts into

eternal life?

we've never

heard of that

before.

What are you

saying?

Are you talking

about a food

that we eat

and then we

live forever?

Is it a food

that,

like,

what are you

talking about?

Is it literal

food?

Kind of like

the fruit

of the tree

of life?

Or are you

just speaking

metaphorically?

What is this

food and where

do we get it?

Where does it

come from?

Jesus answers

one of these

questions immediately,

even before they

ask,

where does this

lasting food

come from?

He says,

do not work

for food

that spoils,

but for food

that endures

to eternal life,

which the

Son of Man

will give you.

Which the

Son of Man

will give you.

So where does

it come from?

It comes from

the Son of Man.

And we won't

look at all the

passages today,

but there's

many places

where it's

just obvious

that when

Jesus says

the Son of Man,

he's referring

to himself.

In other words,

you get this

food that

endures to

life eternal

from me.

I will give it

to you.

It's quite the

claim.

It's quite an

offer.

And then

Jesus throws in

this little

statement at

the end of

verse 27,

which the

Son of Man

will give you,

for on him

God has

placed his

seal of

approval.

Literally,

for God the

Father has

sealed this

one,

referring to the

Son of Man.

What does that

mean?

There's a couple

different ways that

the word sealed

can be used,

but the way that

makes the most

sense here is

like the seal,

like a wax seal.

Back in the day,

it was common for

them to use seals.

They had a stamp

or sometimes even

a ring that they

would, it had a

detailed pattern on

it.

It was unique to

the family that

had it or the

town that used it,

and they would

press it into

hot wax or

clay to

authenticate

whatever the

seal was on,

to show that

this is the

real deal.

This letter

really came from

me.

This license is

authentic.

It has been

issued by the

town officials.

You may still

see a seal of

sorts today if

you look back on

your high school

diploma.

Gold sticker

kind of thing

with detail and

kind of impressions

in it.

It's there at

least historically

to prove that

your diploma

paper is

authentic.

So what is

Jesus saying

when he says

for God the

Father has

sealed the

Son of Man?

He's saying

that God the

Father has

placed his

seal, his

mark of

authenticity

upon the

Son of Man.

Literally for

Jesus, upon

me.

So that we

would know

that he is

not just a

Son of Man

but the

Son of Man.

The one who

really can

give this

food which

lasts unto

eternal life.

God hasn't

just left us

to guess or

to speculate.

He's made it

clear.

He's put his

own unique

seal, mark,

or sign

upon him.

And what

is the

clear sign

or mark

or seal?

Well, Jesus

has already

mentioned the

signs he

has been

doing in

this conversation.

So I would

suggest that the

seal or mark

of authenticity

is the signs

which the

Father has

given Jesus

to do.

Things which

are impossible

for any

ordinary

Son of Man

to do.

God has

set apart

the Son of Man,

the one that

was promised,

the glorious

one by giving

him special

works or

signs to do.

This is

similar to

what Jesus

said to the

religious leaders

back in

Jerusalem.

John 5,

36,

for the works

that the

Father has

given me to

finish,

the very

works that

I am doing

testify that

the Father

has sent

me.

And so I

think they

are the

seal,

they are the

distinguishing

mark upon

Jesus that

helps us

to identify

him as

the Son

of Man

and give

us confidence

that yes,

he really

can give us

this food

which lasts

to eternal

life.

At this

point in the

conversation,

the crowd

asks a

question.

Verse 28,

then they

asked him,

what must

we do

to do

the works

God requires?

Jesus answered,

the work

of God

is this,

to believe

in the

one he

has sent.

Now there's

some translation

issues here.

Literally,

it's what

must we do

to work

the works

of God?

And Jesus'

answer is

literally,

the work

of God

is this,

that you

believe in

the one

he has

sent.

Now I

don't want

to get

into the

whole

Calvinism

and Arminianism

debate here.

Some people

point to this

passage to

make the

point that

even our

believing is

a work of

God.

It's something

that he

does in

us.

If that's

what Jesus

means,

then he's

not really

answering the

question of

the people

the way

that they

asked it.

And sometimes

Jesus does

that.

Sometimes he

doesn't answer

the question

the way that

it was

asked.

But the

overall flow

in the sense

of this

question and

this answer,

at least to

me, I

think Jesus

is saying

the work

of God

or the

work God

requires,

the work

he wants

you to

do is

that you

believe in

the one

he has

sent.

Seems to

be the

logical flow

of the

passage here.

Jesus has

told them,

don't work

for this,

work for

this.

What do

we need

to do to

work the

works that

God requires?

requires,

this is

the work

that God

requires.

What is

it?

What is

the thing

that God

wants us

to do,

that God

wants you

to do?

Very

simply,

believe in

the one

he sent,

is what

Jesus says.

It's kind

of a strange

answer.

You can

kind of

imagine that

there might

be some

thinking like,

that's it?

Like,

isn't there

more?

I mean,

when it

comes to

food,

putting perishable

food on the

table,

like,

we go to

work,

and we're

going to

get this

lasting food

that never

spoils

just by

believing?

think?

I think

Jesus wants

to,

you know,

make it

clear that

there is

no earning

this food.

You don't

go to

work to

put this

food on

the table.

He said

already,

I will

give it

to you,

which the

Son of

Man will

give you.

I don't

know what

some of

them were

expecting,

maybe a

checklist,

maybe a

list of

commands,

maybe a

new contract

position in

Jesus'

crusade.

food,

I don't

know,

but Jesus

doesn't give

them any

hint that

this food,

this lasting

food can be

bought or

earned.

It's not

something that

he is selling,

it's not

something that

he's offering

in exchange

for a

life of

good works.

He says,

which the

Son of

Man will

give to

you.

What do

we do to

get it?

Believe

the one

he has

sent.

So simple.

And yet

even that

statement

right there

is so

pregnant.

Jesus again

is holding

up the

mirror to

them.

He's

saying it,

I think

it's implied,

because they

don't believe

him.

I'm calling

you again,

I'm inviting

you again,

believe in

me,

believe that

I am the

one that

God has

sent.

Why is he

saying it?

Because they

don't believe,

many of

them.

And we'll

continue the

conversation

next Sunday.

But what is

God saying

to us here

this morning

in all this?

There's so many

places that this

could hit home

for us today.

the first

thing that we

saw was how

Jesus challenged

their very

motives for

following him

that day.

You guys came

all the way

across the

lake for

the wrong

reason.

You were

more excited

about the

signs themselves

than the

reality that

they point

to.

There's a

question in

there.

What are

your motives

for following

Jesus?

Do you

know that

Jesus knows

the real

reasons?

Do you

know that

he knows

what's going

on in

your thoughts,

in your

heart?

Do you

know that

he sees

through the

face that

we so

often put

on for

other people

that he

sees the

real you?

If he

were standing

up at the

front today

instead of

me,

do you

think he

would challenge

or correct

our motives

for following

him?

I think

he would.

And not

because he

wants to

stir up a

good fight,

but because

he loves

us.

He cares

about us.

He wants

us to

follow him

for the

right reasons,

to come to

church on

Sunday for

the right

reasons,

to serve

in the

church and

in our

community for

the right

reasons,

to give

generously to

people in

need for

the right

reasons.

He's not

just looking

for a crowd

to cheer him

on or a

group of

fans to

enjoy the

show of

his miracles

and hoot

and holler

whenever he

sticks it to

the Pharisees.

Speaking of

motivations,

how about all

this COVID

stuff?

Do you

think Jesus

would have

some things

to say to

us about

our attitudes

and motives,

even our

behaviors when

it comes to

COVID?

I think so.

I felt

convicted about

it anyway.

the second

thing we

saw was

the misplaced

focus of

the crowd.

There's a

question there

too.

Are we

more excited

about the

signs that

Jesus did

than with

the greater

realities that

they point

to?

Are we

more enamored

with the

miracles

themselves

than with

the man

who did

them?

Now,

I know

most of us

here are

not into

sensationalism.

we're not

really that

kind of

group that

are chasing

after miracles,

but increasingly

in our

culture,

we are being

taught that

we need to

invest deeply

in the

things that

entertain us

most.

We're being

told that we

are consumers

and we need

to weigh

carefully what

we buy into

because it's

all about what

we can get

out of it.

And this

attitude creeps

into the

church as

well.

For a long

time, this

hour of

church on

Sunday morning

has been

called a

worship service.

A service.

The idea is

that you

come here

to serve,

to serve up

worship to

God.

I'll be

honest,

sometimes when

I'm writing

that weekly

email, I

feel a little

tempted to

just take

that word

service out

out.

Because I

know that

many in

their hearts

don't want

to come to

church to

give a

service to

God.

They want

to come to

church to

get something

from Him,

an experience,

a blessing.

And we see

this often in

the reasons why

people leave

a church or

shop around

for another

church.

The church

didn't have

this or

that or

the music

wasn't to

my liking

or the

pastor's

preaching was

biblical,

yeah, but

it wasn't

really to

my tastes.

Are we

looking to

be entertained

on Sunday?

Are we

into church

only if it

caters to

our preferences

and tastes?

Only if it

sounds and

feels the

way we

like?

Following

Jesus and

being the

church is

not about

being

entertained.

It's about

Jesus, the

Son of Man

and the

Son of God

who we

love and

adore.

And we'll

give Him the

best offering

of praise that

we can

whenever we

meet with

whatever we've

got.

It doesn't

matter if it

doesn't sound

polished or

professional or

entertaining or

if we miss a

chord or sing

the wrong note.

The Lord knows

what we have to

give and what

we don't.

The miracles were

meant not to

entertain us.

They were meant

to point to the

man who did

them and the

Father who sent

him.

And so does

my attitude

towards church,

towards following

Jesus need an

adjustment?

What about for

my kids?

Am I helping

them?

My grandkids?

I don't have

any but maybe

you do.

Am I encouraging

them to follow

Jesus simply for

who He is and

what He has

promised?

Another thing

we see here is

a clear warning.

against spending

our efforts

mainly on stuff

that doesn't

last and wears

out.

The stuff of

this world.

Maybe some of

you as we

looked at that

verse heard

these words in

the back of

your mind.

Do not store

up for yourselves

treasures on

earth where

moth and

vermin destroy

and where thieves

break in and

steal but store

up for yourselves

treasures in

heaven.

Sounds a lot

like do not

work for food

that spoils

but for food

that lasts

unto eternal

life.

Jesus said

at one time

what good is

it for someone

to gain the

whole world

and yet forfeit

their soul?

what's your main

goal in life

right now?

What's your

mission?

Is it

measured in

earthly

success?

In the

acquiring of

some certain

nice to have

things that

when I get

those things

my life's

going to be

good.

My life's

going to be

better.

I'll be

comfortable.

I think

Jesus wants

us to set

our aim

on the

things of

heaven.

On things

that last

forever.

On the

true needs

of our

souls and

on the

souls of

other

people.

Do my

overall goals

and priorities

in life

right now

need an

adjustment?

Finally

where does all

this hit us

as we

prepare to

some of

us

gather with

family

and have

a delicious

meal with

perishable

food?

Maybe with

family and

friends this

Thanksgiving?

I don't know

how all of

you plan to

mark Thanksgiving

this year.

I've asked a

couple of

you.

It's a

strange year.

That might

factor into

it or change

it for some

of you.

Some of

you may not

be having

a big meal

like you

have in

the past

with family

or friends.

And so

if there's

anything we

take from

Jesus'

words about

food,

I hope

we know

that it's

not about

the food.

It's not.

Thanksgiving

is about

much more.

Or maybe

you do

have plans

for a

special meal

later this

afternoon

or tomorrow.

Let's not

forget to

look with

our families

as we

gather beyond

the physical

food and

having our

fill.

To the

God who

has so

generously

and graciously

given us

everything

good that

we have.

Who's not

only provided

us with

good perishable

food to

eat,

but has

given us

his son.

And through

him the

food that

lasts unto

eternal life.

A gift that

we receive

simply by

believing.

we can

thank God

for the

good food

that we

enjoy today

and tomorrow

if we are

having a

celebration

meal.

But we

have so

much more

than earthly

food to

be thankful

for.

Let's

pray.

Lord Jesus,

we thank you

for speaking

these words

to the

crowd.

Lord,

Lord,

we admit

that maybe

these were

not the

words we

wanted to

hear from

you today,

but we

ask that you

would give us

ears to hear

and hearts

that are

willing to

respond.

Make those

adjustments that

we need in

our hearts.

Fix our

attitudes,

Lord,

where they're

wrong.

We confess

those things

to you.

Give us

the right

motives

and give

us a

proper

understanding

of what's

really going

on in

our lives.

Thank you

for all

the good

things you

have been

doing in

us, for

us, even

through us.

We pray

this in

Jesus' name.

Amen.