Eye on the Father

My name is Jason. I'm also one of the pastors here. It's my privilege to bring you the word this morning and to be, I guess, the first pastor to say Merry Christmas early to you.

It's good to have you here today. If you're visiting with us, a special welcome for you. I think a lot of us have been in and out with some sickness and travels, and so it's good to see a good representation of the family here present today. And if you're at home, we greet

you as well and look forward to seeing you soon, Lord willing. I don't know about you, but I like hearing stories, and I like hearing stories from different perspectives, different perspectives. It's always fun to hear a different person's point of view in a story,

especially a story that you're familiar with. I want to give you a personal example. I remember a number of years back, we had a faithful congregant pass on to heaven. A lot of you knew her. Her name was Marilyn. She went home to be with the Lord, and I went to the family home to prepare for the funeral,

and I sat down with Chuck, with her husband, and with the adult children, and we talked. It's a great family. I love this family. They're no longer with us, but we were there talking in the living room, and I was learning even more about this godly woman who had passed. Her husband, Chuck, he talked on and

on about Marilyn and about how much she loved the garden, their vast garden. And some of you have, we've been out there to Chuck's place for parties we've had in the past, and you know Chuck had a big garden. Well, he went on about how much that garden was a part of her life, and then Chuck left

the room. And the adult children got my attention, and very, very respectfully, but very clearly, they told me it was dad who really loved the garden. Dad was all about the gardening work. Mom,

not so much. She apparently had a different perspective on it. For her, the garden was a lot more work and a lot less joy. Well, today is the last Sunday before Christmas, and obviously, we're

going to consider the Christmas story today. But here's the thing. This story, too, comes from different perspectives in the Bible. As a matter of fact, if you're familiar with the Bible and the Christmas story, you know that there are various perspectives on the Christmas story. Let me highlight them real

quick. Luke offers us a perspective. His, of course, focuses mostly on Mary. We looked a little bit at that last week. You got some shepherds and a great story. Matthew has a different perspective. His focuses on a

king named Herod and some wise men. Mark, Mark skips the Christmas story altogether. It's like Bahambug. Mark doesn't have anything. He goes right to Jesus's baptism. And then John, I really like John's

Christmas story. He packs the whole story into one theologically robust verse. It's this verse in John 1, verse 14. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. It's like, that's it. That's what I'm going to tell

John 1:14

you. You want a Christmas story? John says, there's your Christmas story. No manger, no wise men, no shepherds, no king. Just the word became flesh. Merry Christmas. Well, today, I'm not going to do John's account. I'd like to ask you

to turn to Matthew's. Matthew chapter 1. We have an opportunity this morning to consider a very familiar story from the perspective of a key player whom I would argue is often overlooked. Today, I want to slip

Matthew 1 · chapter mention

into the father's mindset. I want you to put your eye on this human father in our story as we consider the Christmas story from Joseph's point of view. I'm going to read beginning in verse 18, Matthew chapter

Matthew 1 · chapter mention

1, and we'll read through the end of the chapter. Now, the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with

child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband, Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolve to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared

to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus,

for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,

which means God with us. When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. He took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son, and he called his name Jesus.

Let's pray once again, shall we? Heavenly Father, as we look into this word this morning, into a very familiar story, I pray that you would guide us. I pray that you would help us to see fresh things. Father, we know that many of us come from different experiences, different walks of life today,

a different kind of week, and so Father, we pray that you would meet us where we are, draw our hearts to you, and fix our eyes on Jesus. And we pray this in his name. Amen.

Well, this morning, in this rather brief account of the Christmas story, with our eye on the Father, I want to highlight six things for us. I'm going to get right to it today. Six points. Only three of the

six things that I have for us are done by an earthly father, three of the six. The other three are done by the heavenly father. So six things done by a father, three from the earthly one, three from the heavenly one. Now, the things that the earthly father does, Joseph here, obviously, he does within his own

human limitations, right? Joseph is limited in his knowledge, what he knows. He's limited in his power. He's limited by his own mortality as a human being. But the things that the heavenly father does,

he does them without limit and in perfection. So we're going to roll through what are essentially really three points in pairs of two. Three points in pairs of two. I'm going to give us a point about the human father, and then I'm going to follow that with a corresponding point about the heavenly

father. Let's get started. Here's the first one. The first one is this. We'll call it number one letter A. One A. Joseph settles on an imperfect plan that pursues justice and mercy. An imperfect plan that

pursues justice and mercy. You know, it's really hard to get into someone else's mind. You do know that? Some of you, if you're married, you know that. It's hard to get into the mind of even a person you've lived with

for maybe years or decades. And I would say it's even harder to get into the mind of someone who's not even around and who's been dead and gone for like 20 centuries. Joseph, try to imagine what he must have been

thinking. Try to envision, if we can, what Joseph must have been thinking once his fiance showed up after being gone for several months. She's sporting a new look. She's got a baby bump, right? I mean, let's

remember that these two are betrothed. They are together. And please understand that betrothals in the first century. These are more than just our engagements today. For one thing, if you don't want to be engaged to the person you're engaged to, you just take off that ring or I guess ask for it

back and it's over. You don't have to go to the courthouse. You don't have to get anybody's permission. There is nothing legal to an engagement. But that's not how it was in the first century. Back in Joseph's day, a betrothal was a legal status and you could only break it and end it with a certificate

of divorce. Being betrothed was essentially like you were married. The only thing you were waiting on was a wedding ceremony after a one-year period of betrothal, a wedding ceremony, and then having

her move in. And that's where Joseph is right now. They have not moved in together. They have not been together in a married way. And so here he is, faithful Joseph. More than just a fiancé, he's called by

Matthew her husband. And he's been waiting patiently through this year-long betrothal period for it to be complete. Working day by day as a carpenter. We know that's what he was as a profession. Building things with his hands by the sweat of his brow. Probably trying to save up money, pay down the dowry to her

father. Maybe scratch and save a little together to get them a start. As a couple, he's been working for a living every day, probably counting down the days until the final wedding ceremony would come

and he could bring his betrothed home as his bride. All according to custom. He has not strayed. He's been faithful. Perfectly faithful to Mary. He has not even behaved inappropriately with her either.

He's been pure. He's been pure. He's been pure. He's been pure. He's been pure. He's been pure. He's been pure. He's been pure. And patient. And upstanding. And righteous. That's Joseph. I mean, Matthew, right here,

even describes him in verse 19 as a just, righteous man. That means he wanted to uphold the law. Do things the right way. Morally. Ceremonially. In every way he wanted to do what was right. And yet here comes Mary.

Back from her three-month-long girl trip to visit Elizabeth, right? Now, maybe she wasn't showing, you know, when she got back on the first day. I don't know. Three months. Are you showing? Maybe a

little. But come a few more weeks. Come another month or two. She's going to be showing. It's going to be obvious. And that's what we read. It's found that she is with child. She was found to be with child, Matthew says in verse 18. And listen, while Matthew knows, and we the readers know,

it's from the Holy Spirit. Mary herself knows this because she had the Holy Spirit come upon her, just like the angel said. We don't know how it happened. It was not a physical act at all.

Some scholars think it's like what the Spirit does back in Genesis, when the Spirit of God hovers over the face of the waters to bring new creation. However it happened, she knows what's going on.

Nobody else does, except for maybe Elizabeth. But you know, it's not exactly like Elizabeth is available for a text or a call to back up Mary's story. And besides, what kind of story is this?

A virginal conception? Who does that? Virginal conceptions are impossible. Nobody living here in Nazareth has seen the angel Gabriel or heard his words. You say, well, maybe Mary tried to tell

everybody the story of what happened. Oh, I don't know. Maybe she did. Would you believe her? She sounds like a crazy girl. Mom, really? I conceived miraculously. And the Father is God.

Would you believe that? So Mary looks unfaithful. Very obviously, very visibly unfaithful. I mean, you can't miss her unfaithfulness as she walks by the streets of Nazareth day by day. As she gets a

little slower doing her chores day by day. As this signal of her unfaithfulness only grows. And so what's Joseph do? In his own mind, his own thinking, reasoning from his very wounded and

betrayed heart, we're told that he settles on a plan, doesn't he? He settles on an imperfect plan. But it is one that at least tries to pursue both justice and mercy. You see, we have to realize that

by the time the angel shows up in a dream in verse 20, it's clear that Joseph is not still in process. He's not still weighing his options. What am I going to do? No, he has decided. He has made up his mind.

And he has a firm plan in place. It's settled. He has resolved, Matthew says, that he's going to divorce her quietly. You see, Joseph knows that if he wants to preserve his own innocence, this thing with Mary is over.

If he goes ahead and just forgives her and goes through with the wedding, everyone will assume it was Joseph, that he was the father. It must be because who in the world stays with an unfaithful fiance? They would think that Joseph has misbehaved. Joseph has sinned too.

And so he seeks justice. He plans to do things by the law, which is to divorce. It's over with Mary and me. Now, back in the Old Testament era, things would have been very severe for Mary. In fact, the law would say that she had to be stoned for being unfaithful. Yet by this day, the Romans are

controlling things. We know that. And they don't allow the Jewish people to execute people in this situation. So what it would mean in this day is that there would be a very open public repudiation of the unfaithful spouse. Joseph would very publicly renounce his engagement, his betrothal to Mary,

and he would get that certificate of divorce. Everyone would know about it. Mary would be publicly humiliated. And yet he decides to settle on a different plan, doesn't he? A much more merciful plan,

because mercy too is a priority for him. It's not just all about justice. He also is concerned for Mary. And so he has in mind a quiet divorce, no public shaming in front of God and everybody.

He says, we'll just quietly be done. It's almost like you could say a first century version of an annulment. We'll just pretend like it never happened. But here's the thing. This plan, as merciful as it is,

as just as it is, it is still imperfect. And the reason that it's imperfect is because he doesn't know the truth. The truth being that Mary is completely pure and innocent. That she has not

been unfaithful. In fact, she has been very faithful, more than anyone could possibly realize. She's very much still a virgin. And so this brings us to our second point. For while Joseph settles on an imperfect plan that

pursues justice and mercy, here's what God does. Number one, letter B. God executes a perfect plan that upholds justice and mercy. The human father tries. He seeks it. God executes the plan perfectly

and perfectly upholds justice and mercy. You know, we do realize that this visit from the angel here to Joseph is not the first step in God's plan to save. In fact, neither is the angel Gabriel's visit

to Mary recorded over in Luke chapter one. No, this was a plan that began to unfold many years, even many centuries before this night where Joseph sleeps. In fact, it goes back to a promise given

to a man named Abraham, the first of the patriarchs, passed on to his son and his grandson and their descendants. It gets renewed to a certain descendant named David, king of Israel, who gets even more

specificity about a future heir who would one day come and one day reign over a forever kingdom. And by the time you come to the Old Testament prophets, it gets fleshed out even more. And I say

this quite literally, fleshed out. Here's what we read in Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14. The prophet Isaiah says this, therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son

Isaiah 7:14

and shall call his name Emmanuel. Now like a lot of Old Testament prophets, there are multiple fulfillments to this. There was yes, an immediate fulfillment, what we might describe as a partial

fulfillment in Isaiah's day. And the king to whom Isaiah was speaking, who happened to be Ahaz of Judah, he would see this partial fulfillment. But there's also a complete and far more glorious fulfillment to

these words. And that, our angel says, is what's unfolding right now. Verse 22, all this took place, or literally it could be translated, all this has taken place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the

prophet. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us. Now the funny thing here is the scholars are a little disagreed on who it is that's

speaking. That is to say, they don't know if this is supposed to be read as some kind of an inspired editorial note from Matthew, or whether in fact maybe the angel's still speaking and that the prophecy is identified by the angel. Either way, I don't think it matters. What Joseph is supposed to see

is that what's happening is that the fulfillment of prophecy. God is pointing back some 700 years earlier, pointing to an ancient prophecy once made to a king and a kingdom in deep distress and in great

need, and he is saying, this is that. This, what's happening right now, is a fulfillment of that.

A perfect plan. And in the perfect timing. You know, a good plan is good, but timing is important too. And the Bible tells us that God had both. He had the perfect plan, and he had the perfect timing. Check

this out. What Paul tells us over in Galatians, he says this in Galatians chapter 4, verses 4 and 5, but when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those who were under the law. And he says this over in Romans 5, verse 6,

Galatians 4:4 Romans 5:6

for while we were still weak, at just the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. Because Christ comes at just the right time. Because God's plan is always the right time.

And God's plan was also perfect in how it balanced justice and mercy. Because Christ dies in the place of the ungodly. That means that this child is going to grow up, we know this, and go to the

cross, and in their place as their substitute, die for their sins, and satisfy justice. Satisfy divine justice, and redeem us from the curse. And it came with perfect mercy too, didn't it? Because

if it were only justice, all of us would die for our sins. But it wasn't like that. There was a one-time, once-for-all sacrifice that stood in our place, as Hebrews describes it.

One that God provided himself. That's mercy. Yes, on this night, please understand that as Joseph drifts off to sleep, he may have settled on an imperfect plan that was trying to pursue

justice and mercy, but he would find out that God was way, way ahead of him. God was way ahead of him executing a perfect plan that would successfully uphold justice and mercy.

Now let's go on with the next pair of points, and we're going to find these go much faster. So let's go on to number two, letter A. 2A. Joseph receives the angelic word. He receives the angelic

word. Now I'd call this the easiest part of the whole Christmas story. The easiest thing is what Joseph does. He goes to bed that night and falls asleep and has a dream. Does that sound hard?

Anybody ever wish you had a job like that?

One of my brothers had a roommate in college his freshman year at Bethel, and he slept a lot. And he overslept like pretty much every day most of his classes, and he was very honest with his parents.

And so his dad would call him, and you know, it'd be noon or whatever, and his dad would call, and he would confess to his father, Dad, I slept through all of my classes again. And his stated reason, this is

what was really funny. He said he was doing dream research, and he actually was. That's literally what he told his parents. So kids, imagine. We have kids here. We got a few of you. Imagine if that's your job. Would you like that? Go to bed, take a nap. Kids are like, no, I don't want to take a nap. And

adults are like, yes, please, we'll do it. But seriously, this is what Joseph does. The major character in our version of the story today, the real action that he takes is he goes to sleep,

and he dreams. And as he dreams, he receives. He receives an angelic visit, and he receives a word, an angelic word. In this sense, you might say that Joseph, the human father here, is very, very passive.

But you know who's not passive? The other father, the heavenly one. He's anything but passive. God the father acts. And what this father does, he doesn't receive a word. Our parallel point,

number two, letter B, is this. While Joseph receives the angelic word, God sends the incarnate word.

He sends the incarnate word. Yes, it was God the father who took all the initiative here. The Bible is clear on that. Yes, the son was willing. But God the father put this plan into place.

And the son was obedient. It's the father who sends the son. What's the angel's message again? Verse 20, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid. Do not fear to take Mary as your wife. For that which

is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. In other words, the seed she is carrying is a holy seed.

God himself has sent his own son. By means of the spirit, he has sent the word. As John describes it in John 1.1. The very word who was in the beginning with God. The very word who was God. And still, even in that womb,

very much is God. John 1.14. Again, John writes, You see, the son didn't cease to be God when he took on flesh. When we read in Philippians 2 that the son

emptied himself, that Christ emptied himself, it doesn't mean he emptied himself of his deity. No, what he emptied himself of was his heavenly glory. I mean, he did that by taking on lowly human flesh.

Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see. That's what we sing in that famous Christmas song from Charles Wesley. Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see. Hail, the incarnate deity.

Pleased as man with man to dwell. Jesus, what? Our Emmanuel. Well, you know, that original prophecy given by Isaiah back in chapter 7 of the book of Isaiah, Do you realize that it was uttered at a time when things were not good for the nation?

They were very far from God. God's people were literally swamped in disobedience. They were lost in deep darkness under terrible leadership in Isaiah's day.

This king, Ahaz, was a wicked king. An idol-making, idol-worshiping king. And even when Isaiah brought him this word from the Lord, his response was completely faithless.

And God wasn't with him. And God wasn't with them as a people. He was not for them. He was actually bringing judgment against his people. As one half of the split kingdom would fall to a foreign power a little over a decade after this word is spoken.

And then the other half of the kingdom would fall about a century or so later. But there was still that promise. In that original covenant given to their forefather, Abraham.

A promise that God would bless. And that he would preserve. A promise that was made, again, clear to David. That God would preserve through his own line.

And bring this good and perfect king and future Messiah. A king who would really save and deliver them. And who would usher in an everlasting kingdom.

One that would never fall. This is why we go on to read in Isaiah just two chapters later. And we watch as he gives us a glimpse of this promised coming king.

Isaiah chapter 9 verse 2. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness. On them has a light shone.

Isaiah 9:2

A few verses later in verse 6. Isaiah chapter 9 verses 6 and 7. For to us a child is born. To us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder.

Isaiah 9:6

And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace.

There will be no end. On the throne of David and over his kingdom. To establish it. And to uphold it with justice. And with righteousness. From this time forth.

And forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts. Will do this.

So yeah. Our human father here. Joseph. He receives the angelic word. But our heavenly father. God. He sends. The incarnate word. And now we come to our last pair of points.

And for these. I'm going to ask you to put your attention on those last couple of verses in our passage. The verses where Joseph wakes up. And he finally does something.

Verse 24. When Joseph woke from sleep. He did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. He took his wife. Number three. Letter A. Joseph takes his bride.

And thus adopts the child. Joseph takes his bride. And thus. Adopts the child. This is no small thing. What we read here in verse 24. Some translations say.

He took Mary home as his wife. What this means is that Joseph is not waiting for that scheduled wedding day. Joseph is not going to wait out the full one year betrothal period.

He's claiming his bride right now. When he woke up. And this is very, very significant. This is saying something. And what it's saying. Joseph's action in doing this.

What it's saying to the extended family. To the whole community of Nazareth. What it's saying to everybody everywhere. Everybody who knows about Mary and her situation.

It's saying that this child is Joseph's. Joseph is claiming his bride. And in doing so. He is claiming her child legally. And there's something else Joseph does.

In the very last verse. The very last phrase. End of verse 25. We read that he called his name. Jesus. Of course in the first century world.

With the Jews. It was the father who had the naming rights of a child. And that's what he does. He names the child. As only a Jewish father could do.

You know Joseph really doesn't get enough credit. Or attention in the Christmas story. I don't think. He's the nativity piece. That's just kind of hovering in the background.

Isn't he? But his obedience. And his submission. Under these circumstances. I mean a dream. I mean it's just as remarkable. As Mary's famous.

Let it be to me. Because with these two actions. That he wakes up. And proceeds to set about doing. Taking Mary home as his bride. Naming her son.

When he's born. Joseph is completing the legal adoption. Of this child Jesus. As his own son. Meaning this son. This child. Will now like Joseph.

Be a son of David. He'll be a descendant of David. I mean that's the point. The whole point of the genealogy. We did not read. Earlier in this chapter.

To show. To underscore. That this is a son of David. By being obedient to the angel. Joseph will allow this child. This bread of life. As he'll later call himself.

To be born. Not only. In his home. But to be born. As we read about. What happens in Luke. In the place. Where he is predicted to come from.

In Bethlehem. Jesus isn't born in Nazareth. Because Joseph takes Mary. Into his home. Completes the marriage with her. And then there's a Roman census.

That gets called. Which requires them to travel. To Bethlehem. Which is Joseph's home. It wasn't Mary's.

Yes. Joseph. The child's human father. Takes his bride. And thus. Adopts the child. But you know what? The child's. Heavenly father. Does something far.

Far. Greater than that. And this is going to be our last point. Number three. Letter B. Three B. God. Adopts his children. And he will come for his bride.

God. Adopts his children. And will. Come. For his bride. You say. Well you reverse the order there. With these last two points. I know. Adoption.

And then the marriage feast. It happens a little differently for us. And yeah. We know. Technically speaking. It's not the father. Who comes for his bride.

We know. It's Jesus. The bridegroom. But he is God the son. He is fully God. Isn't it a wonder. The way our new testament. Describes. How a people.

So lost. In utter darkness. So alienated. From a holy God. Because of their sin. How they can be forgiven. How they can have. That relationship.

With God. Be restored. And be called. What? His children. To be adopted. As his children. That's what Paul says. He writes this over in Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

He says. We've received the spirit of adoption as sons. By whom we cry. Abba father. Ephesians 1. Paul reminds us that God has predestined. He's planned.

For our adoption to himself. As sons through Jesus Christ. And let me go back and read that passage from Galatians again. Galatians 4. Verses 4 and 5.

Remember. Notice this at the end. But when the fullness of time had come. God sent forth his son. Born of a woman. Born under law. To redeem those who are under the law.

So that we might receive adoption. As sons. We get adopted legally. Spiritually. And eternally. When any person comes to faith in Jesus. And receives his work of redemption.

And allows his work on the cross. To cover them. The Bible describes it as our adoption. And it's a forever adoption. And whether we're still alive.

When he comes. Or we're dead and buried. When he returns. We know he will return. We know there will come a day. And it will be a day. When the bridegroom claims his bride.

When God the son. Comes again into our world. To claim his bride. And take her home. Joseph takes home his bride. And as the church. We too have the assurance.

That someone is going to come. And claim. And take us home too. So yeah. Matthew's story. Gives us a different perspective. On Christmas. It's got an eye on the father.

Doesn't it? On not just one. But both fathers. Of course. The human father. But more importantly. It has an eye on the heavenly father. And so what should you and I do.

In response to what we're seeing. To what we're being reminded of today. I would say we should thank him. And we should praise him. Praise the heavenly father.

Who is the kind of God. Who executes a perfect plan. That upholds justice. And mercy. Where would we be without mercy? I say praise him. That he's a God.

That sends the incarnate word. Sends his very own son. For us. To be our substitute.

So as you're thinking over Christmas. As you're pondering this. Very familiar story. I would encourage you. If you've got younger children. Especially read the Christmas story.

Maybe read it before you open the gifts. Or before you have that big meal. As you're doing that. Think about this God. And this savior. For the promise.

That he has come. And not just a promise. That he's come. But a promise. That he will come again. And claim his bride. And he will. Bring home.

All of his adopted children. To be with him forever. Father. I don't know. If you're here this morning. As a believer. Or if you're someone.

Who is still seeking. Considering. Or if you're far from God. And I pray this. This story. The truths of this story. Will resonate deeply. Within your heart.

And I pray that you would come to him. And that you would be adopted. As his child. Can I ask you. If you would stand with me. We're going to sing a closing song.

But before we do. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father. Where would we be. Lost in utter darkness. Lord. The people living in darkness. That applies not just to ancient people. In the 8th century.

In Palestine. Lord. It applies to this area. It applies to. All of this world. It applies to our hearts. We would be lost. In utter darkness.

If not for the shining. Of your light. Lord. You took the initiative. In sending your son. You enacted this. Divine rescue plan. And we praise you.

We thank you for it.

Jesus. We think of what you yourself did. Humbling yourself. To not just take on flesh. But to come so vulnerably. To come as a baby. To come in these.

Humiliating circumstances. Father. We thank you. That you are the kind of God. Who lays aside the glory. Takes on flesh. And who pays the ultimate price.

To win your bride. To make it so that we can be. Adopted by the Father. Father. So Jesus. Our prayer this morning. Is that you would draw us to you.

Anyone far from you. That you would surround them. With your love. And call to them. Father. For those of us. Who are experiencing your love.

This Christmas. May we not crowd that story out. But always remember. What you have done. We thank you. We pray this. In your holy name. Emmanuel.

God with us. In Jesus name. Amen. Let's sing.