Christianity 101 - The Jesus of the Bible - City Church

My name is Thomas, I'm the pastor at Portland Gospel and

it's our privilege to be able to do church in the city once a

month. We're so thankful for this

space. I office out of this building in

the basement and the owner has given us favor to be able to

meet here. I'm so thankful for that.

I love being close. This is the part of the city we

want to be in. And as you heard Austin pray,

our prayer is for Portland that they would be able to sing the

songs that we sing Jesus, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, that

through his sacrifice on the cross, we can be saved and

forgiven and right with God. That's our desire for every

person. And we don't want to get

political. We just want to preach the

gospel. So that's why we put the name,

the name, the gospel in the name of our church.

And quite briefly, what we do as a church is we exist to help you

believe, live and share the gospel.

If you don't know what the gospel is today, you'll, you'll

get a better chance to, to hear it and understand it.

We want you to believe. That's what God wants.

Once you believe that, then you've got to figure out how do

I live out what God says in his word?

How do I apply this since it's the truth?

And then we want to equip every Christian to be able to share

the good news of the gospel with others.

At this time. We're going to have a time of

Bible studies. We're going to dismiss our kids.

They have their own class if they're going to go right over

there, we may hear some noise from them, but that's OK.

We love kids. Kids are a blessing.

And my wife is with family over the weekend and so it's just a

boy's house right now. So I'm grateful for anybody else

who can level my kids for today. I'm super thankful for that.

We're having a good time at the house right now.

We're going to have to do some laundry and some dishes and

catch up on regular life things, but let me take just a moment

and pray for us, and then we'll get into our time of Bible

study. God, we come before you.

We confess that those songs are true.

Whether we say that to you every day or not, that is true.

And that's the desire of a heart to know you and to please you.

Today, as we come before your word, we ask for your Holy

Spirit to teach us that this room will be filled with your

light and your joy and your truth.

The name of Jesus would be exalted.

You'd be honored that we will be gracious and kind to each other

as the body of Christ direct our time.

I pray in Jesus name, Amen. All right, so we started a

series in our church called Christianity one O 1 and in this

series, is it possible that I can see the no, I don't know why

we had technical difficulties with the computer things today,

but I'll just turn around every now and then.

It's fine in in this series in Christianity one O 1, we want to

introduce the most basic fundamental elements of the

Christian faith. We live in a post Christian US

and especially a post Christian Portland.

I gave the statistic last week that 44% of Portland has no

religious affiliation. And I think that's a pretty

light number. It might be more than that.

And that is the way of our country.

That's the way of the world. And essentially post modernity.

We've had God, we're over that. We don't care, and so how do we

reach people that don't even believe in the concept of a God?

We have to start at the 10,000 foot big picture level.

So if you want help with that, last week we introduced the

topic of theism, which is that there is a God.

It is stands in contrast to atheism where there is no God.

That was kind of a scientific message.

So it's on YouTube and Spotify. You can find it if you go to our

website. All of our things are in your

handouts. Hopefully that'll be a blessing

to you. So if we think about the things

that are core to Christianity and try to define them simply,

one of them has to be Jesus. It's probably super simple,

right? That we believe who, who is

Jesus? That's a unique thing to the

Christian faith, but maybe not because the world has also

hijacked a person of Jesus, some kind of character or identity of

Jesus. Maybe you have seen before the

the social justice movement that that thinks that Jesus needs to

just fix our societal problems, take down, you know, all the

mean guys that are ruling in the world and free everybody.

Maybe you've seen the loving and accepting Jesus who just wants

you to feel good and doesn't have any truth and affirms

whatever you want. Or maybe you've seen Christmas

morning Jesus. You know, dear little 6 LB eight

ounce baby Jesus, the Talladega Nights, Ricky Bobby prayer,

Jesus. We like the Jesus in the Manger

because he's cute and cuddly and he doesn't judge me for my sin.

Or maybe you've seen some form of a pluralistic Jesus where

he's added to the pantheon of gods like in the Baha'i faith.

He is just one of the revelators.

This is I had neighbors recently that were behind.

They would say, well, God spoke through lots of different people

and Jesus is just one of those guys.

This is essentially some kind of syncretism that would say many

of these faiths just align and Jesus is just a part of some

greater universal faith. But I'm here to tell you and you

as you'll see today that that is not the Jesus of the Bible.

And although that's not the Jesus of the Bible, more than

50% of Americans surveyed in 2020 Americans do not believe

Jesus is God. OK, that's Americans.

That doesn't mean they're religious people.

But of Christians in the same survey, 30% of Christians did

not believe that Jesus is God. We have a real flaw in our

society today where we've lost the identity of who is the Jesus

of the Bible. So I have a verse for you to an

introduction today. Second Corinthians Chapter 11

2 Corinthians 11 · chapter mention

and verse 3. The Bible says, But I fear lest

by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his

subtlety, so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity

that is in Christ. He says For if he cometh,

preacheth, he that cometh preacheth another Jesus whom we

have not preached, or if you receive another spirit which you

have not received, or another gospel.

And what the Bible says is that there is another Jesus.

There are different variations of Jesus.

There's a true Jesus of the Bible.

Who is he? But then even in 1st century

Christianity, people had already distorted who they thought that

character was. After he was crucified, buried

and rose again and ascended to heaven, he was no longer walking

around to prove his identity. And there were lots of deceivers

that entered in. So today we're going to have a

springboard of a main text. If you have a Bible, turn to

Philippians chapter 2. The book of Philippians is about

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

3/4 of the way into the Bible. If you need help with finding

that in the front page of your Bible, there's usually like a

table of contents that'll help you find a page number for it.

Both Philippians chapter 2. We're just going to hang on a

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

handful of verses and grab a few things that this is really

strikes at the core identity of who the Jesus of the Bible is.

So if you're taking notes, we're going to see that Jesus lived

before his birth. Jesus lived before his birth.

Let's read in Philippians chapter 2 starting in verse 5.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

It says, And let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ

Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to

be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and

took upon him the form of a servant, as was made in the

likeness of men. And being in fashioned as a man,

he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the

death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly

exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in

heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that

every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the

glory of the Father. So as we look back at these

verses and .1 we see that Jesus lived before his birth and verse

6 says that he was in the form of God.

Philippians chapter 2 is a place we we call it the emptying of

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

Christ or the humility of Christ where he steps out of heaven and

comes to earth in the form of a servant.

He takes on a body but that means he pre existed the body He

was He didn't just become a person when he was born on that

Christmas morning. The Bible tells us in a few

other places in John chapter one in the beginning was the word

and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

The Bible is very clear that he was in the beginning with God.

Jesus said this himself. Many people would say Jesus did

not claim to be God, but if you just read the Bible you'll find

out something different. John 17 five Jesus says now O

Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory

which I had with thee before the world was.

So Jesus from his own mouth would say I was with the Father

before the world was ever created.

So now we're talking about somebody who pre existed

creation. So I put it to you this way in

your notes. The real Jesus is more than just

a man for many. That's what we want to make him

out to be. And we'll see in a moment that

he has a human identity, but for many we just want him to be some

good teacher, some philosopher, some political guy.

But Jesus is more than just a man.

Secondly, if you're taking notes, Jesus is equal with God.

Jesus is equal with God. It says in verse 6 if you have a

King James Bible, it says in verse 6 that he thought it not

robbery to be equal with God. Now we don't usually make a big

deal about Bible version, but you should know if you read a

different version of the Bible, it's going to say the opposite

of that phrase right there. But our Bible says that he

thought it not robbery to be equal with God.

Meaning he was taking nothing away from who God was to make

himself equal. That they are one.

But this, this is a point of contention for many people who

believe in another Jesus. The deity of Christ, if he

really is God, is hotly debated. Not within orthodox Christianity

because the Bible is pretty clear.

But there are what I would call Christian cults who have another

form of Jesus, perhaps an easier 1A, better 1A, cuter 1.

So Google, you know Google is the source of all information.

AI knows all things, and it's absolutely true, right?

So I gave you a definition from AI on Oh I didn't put it on the

screen, I'll read it to you for what a Christian cult is.

It says Christian cults are groups claiming Christian roots

but deviating significantly from mainstream historic Christian

doctrine, often featuring a controlling leader, additional

scriptures, and distorted views on core tenants like the Trinity

or salvation. Examples include Mormonism,

Jehovah's Witnesses, and Christian Science.

They use Christian terminology to deceive but lead followers to

a different gospel in Jesus, emphasizing works or unique

revelations over grace through faith.

That was AI, They did pretty good on that one.

I mean I'm I'm impressed with that one, but that's what I

would call a Christian cult. There's an additional

revelation, a different way to salvation, and Jesus isn't God.

That's always how it ends up in these Christian cults.

I'll give you an example and cited from their own material,

the Jehovah's Witnesses. You can look at the link here

jw.org At at times individuals are known by more than one name.

For example, the patriarch Jacob is also known as Israel and the

apostle Peter as Simon. Likewise, the Bible indicates

that Michael is another name for Jesus Christ before and after

his life on earth. And then let us consider some

things. So the Jehovah's Witnesses, when

you really press into what they believe about who Jesus is, they

would say he's Michael the Archangel.

And that's just not what John chapter 1 and verse one says.

John 1 · chapter mention

He was with God in the beginning, He is God.

But the Jehovah's Witnesses conveniently have distorted

their own version of the Bible. And if you read it from their

version, John chapter 1 and verse one, it says something

John 1 · chapter mention

different. So source material matters, but

not all people agree the Bible is very clear.

First John 57 for there are three that bear record in

heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost.

And these three are one Titus chapter 2 and verse 13 looking

Titus 2 · chapter mention

for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great

God and say our Savior Jesus Christ.

Notice there's no comma. The great God and our Savior

Jesus Christ. First Timothy 316 and without

controversy. Great is the mystery of

godliness, that God was manifest in the flesh.

When did God take on human form if it wasn't in the person of

Jesus Christ? Clearly it had to be Jesus.

So let's talk next that Jesus had a physical body.

As we look at our verses here in Philippians chapter 2, we're

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

going to we're going to break down some of those descriptive

words. But this really is the

antithesis of what some other Christian heresies have been.

One of them the 1st century Christians really had to deal

with, it was called Dosatism, which is the doctrine important

in Gnosticism, that Christ's body was not human but either a

phantasm or of real but celestial substance, and

therefore his sufferings were only apparent.

So meaning Jesus didn't have a real physical body if he was

God, he just had some spiritual body.

And the things that we saw, maybe we didn't see everything

quite right. It didn't happen the way we

think it happened, but that's just not what the Jesus of the

Bible is second John Chapter 7 for many deceivers are entered

into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the

flesh. A person who would say Jesus

didn't have a real body or he did not, He did not physically

exist on the planet would be what the Bible calls a deceiver

because the disciples, the people that walk with him.

They said that our hands have handled of the word of life.

They had interactions with Jesus while he was in the body.

He was not just a phantasm or a spirit or a ghost or some kind

of spooky thing. No doubt after his resurrection,

his glorified body was more interesting than a physical

body. But look at verse 7 in

Philippians chapter 2. It says he made himself of no

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

reputation. He did not choose the best

worldly identity. The Jesus of the Bible did not

come stomping out the kingdoms of the world.

He came of no reputation. The prophet Isaiah, 700 years

before Christ's birth, described him as having no form nor

comeliness. There was nothing about his

person that we would say, man, he's cute, he looks great, man,

he's got to be important. We would just say looks like

another Hebrew. Verse 7 also says that He took

upon him the form of a servant. This is the Jesus of the Bible.

He says in Matthew 20 the Son of Man came not to be ministered

unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.

Verse 7 also says that He was made in the likeness of men.

In verse 8 being found in fashion as a man.

So no doubt he was human, but also a male.

And if you try to distort God's pronouns, you're going to find

yourself looking at a different version of Jesus.

He's clearly a male. So I gave you just a list of

some things. This may not be in your notes,

but things that Jesus did in his body.

He ate food, experienced hunger, felt pain, He slept, He embraced

others, He washed people's feet, He wept, He experienced

temptation. When he was crucified, blood and

water came out of his side very much.

Jesus was a human, and verse 8 tells us that he humbled

himself. This Jesus stepped out of a

glorious, perfect heaven. In Hebrews Chapter 9 says he was

Hebrews 9 · chapter mention

made a little lower than the angels.

He humbled himself to a physical body.

We maybe can't fully understand that, but there are many things

that you don't understand that you still believe.

I used the example before of Wi-Fi and technology.

There are many things about your phone, especially if it's an

iPhone you don't understand, but you know it's there.

You don't understand how all the packets travel all over the

world back and forth and you somehow you're able to FaceTime

somebody. You don't have to understand it

if it's true, you just believe it so that I put it to you This

way, the the real Jesus is a real person.

Maybe I'm behind one. Sorry.

The real Jesus is a real person, and this would stand in contrast

to the Jesus myth. Many people, atheists are so

staunch. You've got to listen to last

week if you didn't hear it. Atheists are so staunch in their

worldview that they aren't open to objective information and

they develop their own sources and they cite their own

materials and they ignore historic sources.

I have a a scholar for you. I don't want you to read this

guy. OK, I'm going to put him up on

the screen. His name is Bart Ehrman.

Bart Ehrman is a New Testament historian.

He's not a Christian, he's an atheist.

OK, so just because someone has a degree and they talk about the

Bible doesn't make them a Christian.

And this guy truly isn't by his own words, he says the reality

is, whatever else you may think about Jesus, he certainly did

exist. That's an atheist scholar, OK?

He doesn't believe Jesus is God. He's not like saying I believe

the Christian fundamentals, but he would say certainly there's

enough historic evidence to say he was a real person.

If you promote the Jesus myth, you just you're missing a whole

lot of information and we can't have a reasonable conversation

anymore. But let's move on next to point

#4 that the the Jesus of the Bible died on a cross.

If we look back to Philippians chapter 2 and verse 8.

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

It says he became obedient unto death, even the death of the

cross. So now we have something really

specific. This Jesus didn't just come to

build a revolution or multiply bread and feed all the homeless

people. He came for a sacrificial death

on the cross. That was his purpose.

That's why he came into the world.

But this is not the same Jesus of many other religions,

especially the synchronous, the pluralist.

They want to add Jesus to their pantheon.

They don't usually add the crucified Jesus.

They add the storyteller moral Jesus.

So check this out. I have a reference for you can

check it out on your own. I encourage you to be careful.

Read your Bible and not other sources but Islam in the Quran

chapter 4157 says and for boasting we killed the Messiah

Jesus son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.

But they neither killed nor crucified him.

It was only made to appear so. Even those who argue for this

crucifixion are in doubt. They have no knowledge

whatsoever, only making assumptions.

They certainly did not kill him. So there is a just a tricky

deceitful tactic that Muslims will use to say we believe in

Jesus and they absolutely do not believe in the Jesus of the

Bible. They believe in a fictitious,

made-up, perverted, distorted, non crucified Jesus.

That's not the Jesus of the Bible.

A Jesus without a cross is a perverted Jesus.

So I can't tell you enough how you have to hone in who is the

real Jesus. There are a lot of them.

Many would appeal to you or to another religion.

But the Jesus of the Bible, it says in Mark 15 they crucified

him. In Acts chapter 4 after the

Acts 4 · chapter mention

resurrection, the disciples preached and they said, whom ye

crucified? The apostle Paul in Acts or I'm

sorry in First Corinthians 15 defines for us what the gospel

is. What is the good news?

The good news is that Christ died for our sins, was buried,

and rose again. The good news isn't just that

Jesus fed some people and he liked some stuff and he did some

things. The good news is there's a

sacrificial death on the cross that will atone for your sin.

And if you believe it by faith, you'll be right with God and

have a home in heaven. That's the good news.

Peter says it this way. For Christ also has suffered for

sins, the just for the unjust and man.

That is true. He was just the just one and he

died so the unjust could be made righteous.

That's me. I'm the unjust.

I'm not good, I'm not perfect, I'm not holy.

Jesus died for me. That is the best exchange on the

planet. You couldn't come up with a

better deal than to say I'll take all of your sin and take it

over here and I'll give you all of my perfect righteousness.

I mean, that's there's no better deal than that.

So I put it to you this way in your notes, the real Jesus laid

down his life for. You.

He wasn't. Just doing good and changing

society. He lived to die in his own

words. Jesus says greater love hath no

man than this, That a man lay down his life for his friends.

That's what he did. He willingly laid down his own

life. The New Testament later records

you are bought with a price. If you know the Lord Jesus,

you're a Christian because he purchased you with his blood.

That's that song we sang. There is a fountain filled with

I'm in. I love that song.

I requested that song. If there's some old weird hymns

in there, it's because of me. OK, but those songs this be

saved to send no more. I mean, these are just words and

phrases that these this is just really biblical language.

This is true Christianity redemption.

You're bought with a price. All right, let's look next and

#5 Jesus is above all gods. Looking back to Philippians

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 and verse #9 it says Wherefore God also hath highly

exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name,

the Jesus. The real Jesus is not tolerant

of other gods. He doesn't play well with

others. Acts chapter 4 and verse 12.

Acts 4 · chapter mention

Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none

other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be

saved. So the Bible is really clear

that we're not pluralists or universalists.

It's not always get you to heaven.

And I put it to you this way, the Jesus of the Bible doesn't

play well with others, doesn't mean he doesn't love people.

He laid down his life for you. But as it concerns his glory and

for how to be right with God, you can't go through Krishna,

you can't go through Allah, you can't go through being a better

person. If you reject his sacrifice,

there is no other hope for you. This is this is basic

Christianity. OK, you know this.

The 10 commandments, Exodus 20. What's it say?

Someone read it now? I should have.

No other gods before me, That's right.

And that is that isn't a stretch to just say, hey, this is a

basic fundamental Christian idea, right?

He does not allow for any other gods.

In Jesus's own words in John 14, no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me. So you can't add Jesus to your

religions if you're going to worship and serve Jesus.

He is your exclusive Lord and Savior.

And lastly, in point number six, Jesus is Lord of all.

He's Lord of all. Let's look at Philippians

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2 verses. 10 and 11 says that at the name of.

Jesus, every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in

earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue

should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the

Father. Now because of the sacrifice

that Jesus made, he did what no one else could do.

God exalted him highly, exalted him above everything else to

give him a name above every name.

And God. So it so pleases God to say, at

the name of Jesus I want every knee to bow, I want every tongue

to say he is Lord. That is just incredible.

That shows us that Christ is magnified beyond just this

humble servant, beyond doing good and doing miracles, even

beyond his death and resurrection.

He's. Magnified above.

All things, and as we'll see, he will be the judge of all things

in the book. Of Ephesians it.

Tells us. Which he wrought in.

Christ, when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own

right hand in the heavenly places, far above all

principality and power and might and dominion, and every name

that is named not only in this world, but also in that which is

to come. And I've put all things under

his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the

church man. Jesus is so highly exalted the

Jesus of the Bible. And if you.

Come to Bible study. This week you're going to see

some more stuff about Jesus in Colossians chapter one.

It just says so many wonderful things about how supreme he is

and matches the this kind of language far above all

principality and power and might and dominion.

But if you. Go back to the.

Beginning and we. Think about the different.

Forms of the Jesus that we see in this world.

That is stark. Contrast to what most people

would identify as who is Jesus? The question for.

You is Who do you believe Jesus is?

Jesus said to his. Disciples, who do you say that I

am? I can't make you.

A Christian. We can't force convert anybody.

Jesus willingly died for the possibility that you would

receive him and be saved. But I put it to you this way in

your notes, you can confess Jesus as Lord now.

This is something that. You must do in order to be a

Christian. You can't be a pluralist and a

synchronist or try to make another way that you just call

it, just don't call it Christianity, call it something

else. Christianity makes Christ the

Lord and it's this simple. It doesn't have to be

complicated. In Romans chapter 10, the Bible

Romans 10 · chapter mention

says that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus

and. Shall believe in thine.

Heart that God raised him from the dead.

Thou shalt be saved. We'll talk in.

A few weeks about. What that word saved means, and

we'll look at biblical salvation and what a Christians believe

about heaven and hell and how to be right with God and that sort

of thing. But for now, the Bible's really

clear. You can confess with your mouth

the Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus, I believe in you.

I believe you're God. It says here I believed that he

was raised from the dead. That's the Jesus of the Bible.

That's the real Jesus of Christianity, A resurrected

Christ. But it's not just your mouth.

It says in verse 10 with. The heart.

Man believeth unto righteousness, you know?

We've all been forced to pray prayers and say things like if

you've ever had to apologize to your siblings, but you didn't

mean it, you're like, I'm sorry. You know, you've had those spats

before. You've had, maybe you've had to

apologize to a teacher or a coach or no, I'm sorry.

That's not Christianity. We're.

Not talking about some kind of like orthodox creedal profession

where you became a member of an organization.

We're talking about you with your heart and your mouth,

agreeing with the Bible to say I believe Jesus is who the Bible

says he is and I. Want to begin that?

Relationship by just calling on him to say I need to be saved I

I I I need what you have help I. Want to follow you?

It's that simple, so you can. Do that now you.

Can do that today. We'd love to help you

afterwards. Pray.

It's not weird. There's no like moaning and

shaking or anything, you know, just you just pray.

I mean, you talk to the Lord, He understands English.

Praise God, man, or whatever your language is, he knows it.

It's all good. Just call on Jesus.

That's all you got to do. But if you.

Won't do that. Now there.

Will be a time. Later.

That you will. Call him Lord.

And it won't be. To your salvation it will be to

your condemnation. Because as we saw those.

Verses in Philippians. If you look at verse. 11

Philippians 2 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus

Christ is Lord, to the glory of the father, if you.

Look at verse 10. Every knee will bow.

It says if things in heaven and things in the earth and things

under the earth, we don't have time for the study of the things

under the earth, but even demons, fallen angels, all

wicked people will at some point all agree with God.

You're right, He's the Lord, but if you.

Wait until. It's too late.

After you're dead. When you can no longer with your

heart, make that decision you'll.

You'll still say it. It just it won't save you.

Second Timothy, chapter 4. I charge thee, therefore before

2 Timothy 4 · chapter mention

God and. The Lord Jesus Christ.

Who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing in his

Kingdom? Romans 2. 16 in the day when God

shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my

gospel, so you can't hide from your secrets, and if they're.

Not covered by. The blood, the shed blood of a

crucified and risen Savior. They will be your.

Condemnation. So I put it to you this way.

Your last point is that your eternity is determined based on

who you believe Jesus to be. It's not how good.

Of a person was I, Did I walk enough old ladies down the

street? Did you do enough religious

things? It's literally.

Who do you say that I am? And it can be simplified just

like this by the Apostle John. He says, he that hath the Son

hath life, and he. That hath not the.

Son hath not life. It is quite that.

Simple. So today I'll ask you, what

Jesus do you believe in? If you're a Christian.

Is there one of those things that you needed reminded of?

That he really was. Human in a physical body, he

understands the the human experience or.

Perhaps that he is. Exalted Lord of all, and maybe

we take for granted that He is our Lord.

I need to bow my knee every day. OK Lord, what do you want?

What do you want me to do? Or if you're lost.

If you've never made a decision, if there's never been a time

that you believed in your heart and confessed with your mouth,

man, today can be that day. Don't wait until it's too late.

We'd love to help you with that. Please let us know how.

I want to start with just a moment of prayer.

Prayer is simple. It's just you talking to God and

He knows your heart, so you don't have to say anything out

loud. You can just take a moment now

and respond to Him. I'm going to give.

Us about 1. Minute of silence, I'll come

back up, I'll lead us in a prayer, and then we're going to

have one more song. So let's pray.