(BONUS EPISODE) October 12, 2025 - Sunday Evening Bible Study with Larry Walker - Who Does God Call the Greatest - Mark 9:33

Alright, so the first lesson was the need for

prayer and dependence on God. Okay, we're now

coming to the end of our second lesson to them,

which is which God considers great versus what

man's consideration of great is. But before these

instructions, instructs them on this again, he

reminds them that he is is the model of the truly

humble person. One that puts others above self.

And that was a great example we just had. Right?

I mean, to get up, to give your seat. For Erica

to take a back seat. But that was a great example.

Perfect timing, right? The son of man is willingly

giving himself for them. The cross, which he

has not declared how he would die yet, was the

most humiliating, the most humble way to die.

Jesus did know that the cross was coming. He

knew the way. Should the disciples have known

that? Probably, because the Old Testament talked

about the crucifixion. I think it's in Psalms.

where it talks about the crucifixion. So they

should have known that, but it was something

that they weren't even thinking about. Something

that was way above what they were thinking about.

In verse 30, Mark tells us that they travel through

well -known areas and he wants to be quiet or

secretive when he goes through. So he's making

this trip, and that again is where he's wanting

to spend his time with these disciples. He's

not wanting to draw the crowds or anything. So

most scholars believe that he is going on the

outskirts of Galilee as he makes his descent

down. And it says in Mark 9 .30, he did not want

anyone to know. Another clue to a private ministry.

So on the trip from Caesarea to Philippi, they

come to Capernaum. They had been arguing about

who would be the greatest. And again, Capernaum

said they came to a house, more than likely this

was Andrew and Peter's house, because that was

the main hub where they ministered. Before it

was a well known, so that was a good place to

kind of stop off on his way through. Again, we

see these He's moving through and as he mentions

these areas he won't mention any more until after

the crucifixion. So these areas are the last

time and I'm sure that had an impact on Jesus

moving through these areas knowing that he wouldn't

see these people again until after the resurrection,

the ministries that he had had here. So I think

these places are mentioned. sometimes because

of that. They were talking about, so yeah, ask

what are they arguing about. They were arguing

about who would be the greatest. That was another

clue that they believed Jesus was setting up

his kingdom at that time. You know, they're coming

to Jerusalem and they're discussing. It could

be even Peter. James and John that brought up

this conversation because if you remember they

were just on that mountain trend transfiguration

not to Probably not too many days before this

maybe a couple weeks before this So they're kind

of maybe still on their high horse They've seen

that something that these others have not seen

but they weren't able to tell you know select

There's all kinds of possibilities, but anyhow

that was that was the discussion It wasn't talked

about with Jesus, but he probably overheard.

A spirit ordained time. Again, Jesus capitalized

on the opportunity to talk about who is truly

great in God's eyes. He doesn't bash them for

thinking, but instead he's going to give a visual

lesson or an example. He doesn't bash them for

thinking about Who is the greatest? And something

else. Does God condemn greatness? No, He doesn't

condemn greatness. He redefines greatness. What

greatness is in God's eyes. It's not what, it's

not what man's. Yes, Eddie. Can you hear? Yeah,

I can't hear. I can hear everybody. Did you see

there's a fly over there? No, no, no. I'm fine

because I cracked them up. I'm good. I'm good.

I'm telling you. We can put you right here. I'm

telling you. You don't want me to do it. OK.

You can hear that. Thank you. I can hear fine.

I turned it up. I'm good. Thank you. All right.

So he's going to give them a visual lesson. So

let's read our text. In verse 30 of Mark 9, it

says, they went on from there and passed through

Galilee, and he did not want anyone to know,

for he was teaching his disciples, saying to

them, the Son of Man is going to be delivered

into the hands of men, and they will kill him.

And when he is killed, after three days he will

rise. But they did not understand the saying,

and were afraid to ask him. And they came to

Capernaum, and when he was in the house, he asked

them, what were you discussing on the way? But

they kept silent, for on the way they had argued

with one another about who was the greatest.

You know, again, You can it's it's almost like

this person was there It's almost like a personal

testimony You know and we know again that Peter

Mark Mark is is got his information from Peter

who was actually there and witnessed all this

so that's why it sounds like it because mark

never really Walked with Jesus. He's probably

seen that he never really walked with, and he

wasn't one of his disciples per se, but he got

all his information from Peter. Why do you think

Mark wrote this gospel and not Peter? Because

Peter had his own gospel to write. Not gospel,

but his own letter. I don't know, that's a good

question. I don't know the answer to that. What

you're saying is that the writer here was eyewitness

of this. He was writing from what he saw himself.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It seems like that, yeah. And

Dory's asking why did he not write this instead

of Mark. Yeah. Maybe he couldn't see very well.

He was older. Possibly. It's in the thought that

this is close to the first one of the first first

uh gossips let's do it i mean historians think

so relations was probably the first book yeah

but this would be yeah it was closed and uh so

i don't know right now either peter is already

dead no no this was written no it was still alive

One of the reasons we think that is it's not

until John that we learn that Peter was the one

that actually went and cut Malchus' ear off and

almost certainly because Peter was dead by that

point they already John says that at the end

of his gospel in chapter 21 that the Lord prophesied

his death right so his death was already known

in the church. He was already dead by the time

John wrote his Gospel. So he could publicly say

it was Peter, whereas these Gospels don't say

it. Because they didn't want you to know. Because,

yeah, he's still alive. He could get in trouble

for that. Only the people there in the gardens.

I mean, at that time, I saw him. Those who were

close by. They weren't worried about him at that

point. He was a little bit healed. Oh, you're

correct. I think another point about that is,

I think that was somewhat of a rhetorical question,

him asking that. He knew what they had been talking

about. Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah, he did. But he was

just trying to see if they would admit it. Yeah,

that's right. Bring up that conversation because

it's a good teaching. And the Spirit does that.

I think the Spirit orchestrated a lot of these.

Yeah, like the Spirit orchestrates, oftentimes

He'll orchestrate times when we can bring Christ

into the conversation. And a lot of times, if

it's with unbelievers, we shy back. But I think

the Spirit orchestrates. I was thinking about

when we do communion a lot of times. We don't

meet before that, but we start talking about

it, and next thing you know, a lot of our minds

is going towards the same point, the same. But

this is a great opportunity for Jesus to teach

on greatness. It's also, I think, interesting

that Mark, who at first was kind of at odds with

Paul about this. the second missionary journey,

Paul said, you're not going to take it. This

doesn't mean that Mark was cast away and never

used, because he was used to write one of the

gospels. I think Paul wasn't very fair to Mark.

I don't think he did that situation very well.

In the end, he reconciled, and the scripture

gives us reconciliation. Paul asked for John

Mark. I think he asked for John Mark toward the

end of his life. So that shows us that he had

reconciled with Mark. And it is easy to put people

up on pedestals. especially Paul. It was easy.

And he was admitting, I think, there that he'd

made a mistake in doing that. You know, I mean,

they make mistakes. You know, Peter, Peter's

one that's known for making the most mistakes,

probably, because he was the most vocal, right?

one of the loudest voices about who was the greatest.

And he wasn't totally baseless either. I mean,

he's one of the three. I thought one of the favorites.

Yeah, there was four of them that were really

close to Jesus. You know, he often talked about

favorites. I know. You know, and Peter was one

of them. He's always mentioned first. You know,

yeah. I'm sure he had a... I'm sure he had a

big head. He was the first one to speak, you

know, when, I'm not, you know, you're not gonna

wash my feet. You're right, Peter. You know,

all of them have the same idea, but Peter's the

one that vocalizes. So. He had to speak on the

mountain. I was chugging when I said, he said

this because he didn't know what else to say.

Yeah. We would all be quick to drop the dead

weight though. We'd all be quick to drop the

dead weight. These guys were on a mission. You

rely on everybody. And yeah, Mark was a young

man. Not totally committed to the cause. Yeah,

he pooped out and dropped out. And that was some

serious stuff, man. And these guys need to get

moving. They had stuff to do. And you're dead

weight. You're not reliable. And I really don't

have time for foolishness. And that was just

flat, young, young kid. foolishness right there.

And then you have a true mentor, you know, who

saw what needed to be done and slowed their self

down and said, I'll take Mark with me. Now that

didn't keep the first guy from getting them,

you know, what he needed to get done because

he got moving like he usually does. But then

the second guy is like, okay. Come on in here.

Let's try this again. You know? Mark was Ken

to Barnabas. So that's who he went with. And

I can see the connection. Barnabas wanting to

include him in the ministry. I mean, you know,

I want to encourage Brian in his teaching. And

Matt and Nick, I want to encourage them. I can

see Barnabas kind of kind of pushing his way.

I mean, that's our human nature, you know? And

you can see Paul not wanting to wait around.

Yeah, yeah. He needed to get boogey. Paul seems

like, to me, he was kind of a hard man. He had

to be. He had to be, kind of, for all the abuse

that he took. He was very serious. Oh yeah. He

was serious. Real serious. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,

but he'd been taught by Jesus. I never understood

that. Why was Paul, why did Jesus come to him

later in life? I mean why was Paul so special

that he got all this extra time with Jesus by

himself and the 12 disciples? had to fight over

who could get attention with Jesus. Why was that?

Because of the Gentile people, I think. His ministry

was specifically to the Gentile people. These

other Jews had their ways. If you remember Peter

over toward Acts 11 or 12, when Peter gets this

vision, he don't want to have anything to do

with... With the Gentile people remember that

Jesus I already died before Paul came on the

scene Yeah, because yeah, so that doesn't make

sense I mean he doesn't do that with us. He doesn't

come and Paul was called being a possible and

one of the qualifications of a possible Since

the Lord had already died, he couldn't be. So

the Holy Spirit wasn't good enough? Sending the

Holy Spirit like the rest of them? He was called

for a special purpose. But he did go to the Jew

first. I mean, he made that qualification because

the Jew was first, and then the Gentiles. But

his ministry was to the Gentiles. There's no

doubt. And the others, I don't know if they didn't

have a heart or couldn't get a heart for that.

Yeah. Yeah, it was a culture. It was built into

the culture. And Paul, I think, had a, what was

it, a Gentile grandmother? He was both Jew and

Gentile. Somebody, somebody. Which makes which

makes his ministry to Gentiles Maybe that two

years he spent in the desert. There's a lot of

wrassling. I'm sure there's a lot of wrassling

going on there. Because he not only gave Barnabas

a hard time, but he gave people a hard time.

Oh yeah, he called them out. That takes a lot

of... It's all in the name of the study group.

That's right, we're inquiring. I'm inquiring.

Now we're listening, you teach. Well, I'm inquiring,

yeah. Okay, I think we got down to first, what,

34? 31? 34. I didn't finish the text yet. And

he took a child and put him in the midst of them,

and asking him, and taking him in his arms, he

said to them, whoever receives one such child

in my name receives me. And whoever receives

me, receives not me, but him who sent me." So

that was all review. That's all the things that

we've talked about. We talked more in depth as

we went through, starting in verse 35. It says,

and he sat down and called the twelve. Notice

first that it's not a casual conversation. So

Jesus is sitting down with him and what's he

talking about? What's he talking about? He's

talking about this awareness. Because this was

the question, if you remember, that he asked.

You know, what were you discussing on the way

down? He knew. He knew what they were discussing.

Somebody said that. Bob said that, I think. So

he sits down. So this is no casual conversation.

Jesus makes it clear that he's going to teach.

because he sits down. That was the proper thing

for a rabbi to do. So when he got ready to teach,

he would take his seat. Now, I don't know if

the disciples would sit or they would stand.

I couldn't find anything on that. They would

stand around him or they would sit around him

or whatever. But rabbis would often sit symbolizing

their authority. as would a king sit on his throne

to impart wisdom. That was a common thing. And

I also noticed Jesus singles out his 12 disciples.

It says that he sat down and called the 12, signifying

their role in his ministry or his leadership.

I would not have noticed that if I had not been

brought up by R .C. Sproul, which was a good

point. He called the 12, which again, that talks

about his private ministry that he had there.

But also we know that there was kids running

around in that house, because we're going to

see where he pulls one of them. The disciple

of the rabbi often lived with them, learning

their ways of studying, working, and living.

They would try to imitate the rabbi and to come

like him. just as we do with Jesus. It's an interesting

note from what I understand through Jewish history.

There were no women rabbis. That would be when

Jesus was and before. But in 1935, there was

the first woman rabbi that was ordained in Germany.

And in 1972 in America, the first woman right

rabbi was recognized I thought that was that

was interesting because I I wondered about that

you know so I looked at it but anyway that's

just a side note that's interesting just as these

disciples lived with Jesus we live with him too

for he lives with us and we learn from him right

we read his word And we try to imitate him, right?

I mean, that's why we read the scriptures, to

learn to be more like him, to imitate him as

much as we can, to try to think like he would

think. Now, there's no way possible, right? We

understand that we can't possibly think like

God thinks or like Jesus thinks, but we try to

get that. That's the main point though, isn't

it? Through the Holy Spirit. I mean, constant

growth to get to that level. When you have God

withdrawing, you know, withdrawing you. That

is the main point, is to absolutely get the 100

% emulation of the mindset of Jesus. Yeah, and

when we do that, we can share with others. Not

only share, but people will see that in us. People

watch you whether you know it or not. People

watch you. All things are possible, right? That's

right. All things are possible with Him. That's

right. We live with Jesus. We study His words.

We try to do what He would do. We want to please

Him. And He knows our heart. That's what he's

looking at. He's looking at the heart. He's not

looking at the outside He wants to look at he

wants to he wants to see a heart change not an

outside change we we judge people by what we

see on the outside most of the time and Hopefully

what's on the inside will come out eventually

it will be it will be made known Yeah, eventually.

We can fool people for a long time, but we can't

fool God, and He's the one that looks on your

heart. We come before the throne to be taught

and to ask questions for better understanding,

like we were talking about this morning. To mill

over things, to meditate over things when you

read the scripture. That's so important. I'm

learning that. how important that is more and

more. And just in my, just in songs that I hear

on the radio, I play 106 .9 a lot. Just in the

songs and the words of the songs and I'll say,

now how scriptural is that? How, you know, it

makes you really think. It seems the disciples

would sit also indicating their eagerness to

learn. And I don't know if that, it seems like

that they would. I couldn't imagine the disciples

standing around. Maybe they did, in honor of

the rabbi. Well, I think that Martha and Mary

said she sat at his feet. Yeah, yeah. Up a room,

he actually laid right up against them, right?

Yeah. Well, he was climbing at the table and

things like that. Just to listen to his words.

Yeah. So all eyes were cast upon the rabbi. And

then here comes the teaching. If anyone would

be first, he must be last of all and servant

of all. Again, Jesus doesn't condemn them for

wanting to be great, but he tells them how to

be great. He redefines greatness. They are to

strive to make each other great. That's hard

to do. We want to be great. And you know, I've

mentioned in a couple of our other Bible studies

about the upside down kingdom. And that's where

this idea comes from. Everything that is counterintuitive

to this world is what Jesus is teaching. This

being great, making the other person great, that's

not what we want to do. That's not our natural

way. We want to make ourselves great. We want

to be great. That's why I said, Pastor Peter

said that Jesus actually turned this world right

side up. The world don't see it like that, but

we know that's the way it is. But it's still

hard even though we know it. That's what we're

to strive for. That's hard because we want to

be great and in charge. True greatness of Jesus'

followers is found in humble service. Humble

service. to the downtrodden, to the weak. And

listen to this, to those who can't return the

favor. To those who can't return the favor. And

again, God looks at the heart. We can't see the

motives of people. You know your motives. We

know our motives. I know my motives when I do

things. But God is looking Look, why do we do

things? Matthew 20, 25, it says, you know that

the riches, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles

lord over them, and their great ones exercise

authority over them. It shall not be so among

you, but whoever would be great among you must

be your servant. and whoever would be first among

you must be your slave even as the son of man

came not to be served but to serve and to give

his life a ransom for many. Humble service for

others who we may not think deserves it or even

needs it. Humble service, that's what we're to,

and I think most of us, Most of us do that, especially

in church and things when people come. I mean,

you know, sometimes I think we run people away

because we're too friendly. You know, I mean,

I don't know. Don't only do good for God's people.

You know, and we can be guilty of that, only

doing good for God's people. but do it for the

undeserving. That's what Jesus did. Jesus did

that many times. He healed lepers. I mean, they

didn't even thank him. These days that he would

spend healing people and teaching people, most

of them did not thank him or appreciate it. You

know? Do it. Do it because you have a love for

Jesus. That's why we do it. And a love for people.

Bruce Walker said one time that this life is

the only thing that some people will get. So

he thinks they oughta just live it up. Because

this is the best thing they're gonna get. And

we ought to be gracious to people like that,

thinking of them. You know what I'm saying? Maybe

it's not coming out like it should. Yeah, kind

of like that. But be nice for them, pray for

them, earnestly pray for them. Matthew 5, 46

to 48. For if you love those who love you, what

reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors

do the same? And if you greet only your brothers,

what more are you doing than others? Do not even

the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must

be perfect, and that means complete or mature,

as your Heavenly Father is perfect. There's a

reward for the humble service, Luke 22, 27. Jesus

asks the question and then answers it. For who

is the great? One who reclines at the table or

the one who serves? It is not the one who reclines

at the table, but I am among you as the one who

serves. The one who reclines is the world's view.

Here again, Jesus states, he is the one who serves.

In contrast to being served, Jesus again gives

himself as the example. You are those who have

stayed with me in my trials. Again, this is Luke

27, 28. You are the ones who have stayed with

me in my trials, and I, assigned to you as my

Father, assigned to me the kingdom, that you

may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.

Sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel

It seems as they drove as they drew closer to

the cross Very close Jesus assures them of a

reward awaiting for them for their steadfastness

to the end So there's a reward at the end So

don't don't think this life is all that there

is. There's a reward in this life. You don't

have to wait till the end. What is that reward?

That reward is peace. Peace and joy. And things

like that. Those are rewards in this life. He

gives us peace here. Peace. You don't want peace

in this life? I said I don't. I don't have a

lot of peace in this life. There's always problems.

Yeah, there's gonna be problems. But you can

have peace in knowing where you're going. A lot

of people can't sleep in the night. That's another

reward. You can have peace. You know, Debbie

has. Where's she at? I oftentimes tell her when

she can't sleep, I says your conscience is bothering

you. That helps you sleep better, doesn't it?

That helps me sleep better. She has to work on

her servitude though. It seems they could have

not understood this physically. They have endured

and they will have places of honor in this physical

world. They will not have places on in this physical

world that they were thinking, like they were

thinking. So maybe they were thinking when Jesus

says that, that they're going to be judged right

there. It wasn't talking about a judgment, judgment

there. It was the judgment to come and the peace

to come. We should diligently look for opportunities

to help the unbeliever or the downtrodden. If

you don't have the desire to do this, pray God

gives it to you. Jesus was our example. In Mark

2, 17, and when Jesus heard it, he said to them,

those who are well have no need of a physician

but those who are sick. I came not to call the

righteous but sinners. Jesus came to serve the

sick or the sinner who will repent. So again

in verse mark 9 35 because the 12 and said to

them if anyone Would be first he must be last

of all and servant of all This is not a suggestion.

It's the only way to true greatness in God's

eyes It did not come to, that the Gentiles warded

over you. Yeah, okay. Twenty -seven, I think

it was. Anyway, that's in the upper room. And

that's, you know, we've been studying that. That's

that passage where Luke is the only one that

makes it clear they were, here we are, you know,

and this isn't the upper room yet, but this is

a lesson that they had to learn repeatedly. My

point is that as they were getting closer to

the cross, especially after, it seems to be especially

after the triumphal entry, they were, you know,

the resurrection of Lazarus two months before.

There's a lot of prominent Jews in Jerusalem,

wealthy, well -connected people that are putting

their trust in Christ and spreading the word.

All these God -fearing Jews coming to Jerusalem.

Passover, and they have this huge welcoming party,

you know. They've decided that in several days,

Jesus hammering those lawyers, hammering the

Pharisees, hammering the Sadducees, putting them

all in their place, you know. Yes, it's coming.

Our reward is coming. Our reward is coming. What's

interesting is in that context, what I haven't

mentioned is that what you just read is that

he does say, he does acknowledge, there are going

to be twelve... 12 thrones if you're going to

sit on them. There is a reward, it's just not

right now. That's right. They were thinking it

was right now. Their context was right now. And

I put you're very close to the cross. You're

right. They're very close to the cross. They

didn't understand that physically. They were

that close to the cross. They were thinking they

were that close to their kingdom. To the kingdom

being established to them. And them being sitting

up there judging. Yeah. You're right. You're

right. Very good. I think that's what we're going

to end, because it's almost this time after.

So we'll pick up. You know, there's one other

thing that struck me. I don't know if we can

get to 36 yet, but they took a child and sent

before them. And I've been thinking a lot about

that lately, that God loves the people that we

look past. And there's a lot of them. there's

a lot of just people undeserving people that's

right well all of us children children are some

of the some of the easiest not lily i don't ignore

her at all honey i don't know what your problem

is yeah there's a just i'm saying in general

there was a there was a cultural difference too

because children had a very high And it was not

a lot of, and we'll talk about this next time,

but there's not a lot of emphasis put on small

children because they wasn't beneficial to the

family. That was the reason, really, to have

large families. I mean, they had large families

to where they could be beneficial, right? To

work the stove. Right. We were talking this morning,

and that's what made me think of it, about the

war for women. You know, I was talking this morning.

We won't go into that conversation again. We'll

talk about it. We're just property. You already

got the gist of it, of our conversation this

morning. Anyhow. Anyhow. What did you guys say?

Yeah, you're worth two pounds. Alright, yeah,

sorry. Okay. But be careful. Through wisdom,

I mean, you can try to get up every morning and

say, I'm gonna be the lowliest. I'm gonna be

the servant of all. I'm just gonna really...

Don't exhaust yourself on the swine. I mean,

be wise in your decision. See if there is some...

desire from the person. Because after a while

you can just exhaust yourself on somebody who

is not worthy of your time. I mean, I've seen

it, where you just exhaust yourself. I'm making

a little servitude, you know, servitude. There's

many lost souls out there who need to hear the

gospel. And that person is rejecting. Move to

somebody else and cast the pearls to them. It

takes a lot to see that in a person. When do

you see that? Well, that's up to the Holy Spirit.

But don't just go into everything thinking you're

going to be the lowliest. I don't think. Just

slowly walk all over me lowly. I mean, you've

got something precious that needs to be shared.

And there's a certain amount of time that you

share it and you see no, you know, nothing coming

back at all as far as the desire to learn this

move. The thing I think is pointed out here though,

we've got to have a heart, a humble heart. You

know, it's not that we've become a doormat or

anything like that, but where is your heart?

You know, some people... Some people don't have

a heart of service. They want to be served all

the time You know and it was like these disciples,

you know and they were growing Something Jesus

had you know, there's other areas in our lives

that Jesus needs to needs to point out when you

read the scriptures or something like that Yeah,

we don't we don't want to waste our time But

we want to have a heart of service You know,

that's That's what he's looking at. He looks

at the heart. He knows, he knows our hearts.

I think I'm kind of like the disciples at the

well, you know, I have to go eat. Yeah. You know?

Yeah. Where it takes that real maturity. Yeah.

To, to battle the flesh. Yeah. Beat your flesh

and style for that woman at the well. Yeah. It

just comes through a lot of maturity. All that

was, all that was teaching. And that's what we're

learning as we read these stories. And as we

put them into practice every day. And Jesus wasn't

a doormat. Many times he'd present the gospel

and if somebody didn't like the rich young ruler.

Time to go. He turned around and walked off.

There was a hack about it, but he knew there

was no response there. He said he was very sad

about it. It doesn't beat a dead horse, so to

speak. You know, if it's not there, it's not

there. He presents it, and then he moves along.

That's right. And that's the way with us. We're

to build relationships, you know, like we're

building relationships with our neighbors, especially

this one back here, Pauline and Josh, and the

kids. And we're working on that. You've got to

work on that. Even sometimes if it's rejected,

you know, you just... She told us she didn't

want to have anything to do with the gospel or

anything like that. Didn't want anything to do

with church. Okay, we can live with that. Let's

just be friends. And now we see, after two years,

we see a softening. You don't have to push the

gospel down. You just have to be the example.

And that's what God... It's cool to see them

at priority. That's what God wants us to be the

example. He wants us to be a living testimony.

And that's what we do. Not for our own glory,

right? Because we can very easily say, okay,

they don't want it. Let's move on. Nice. We've

got a heart for people, especially people that

is right around us. So, Jesus looks at the heart.

I think that's what this whole thing is, the

humility. Not being uppity -up, oh, I'm better

than you, you know. Anyhow. Yes, Heavenly Father,

what a bonanza of a weekend. I'm just so thankful.

I know everybody here is just so thankful for

the fellowship, the people that we're trying

to connect, trying to bring to you. I've often

heard her say it, but I'll say it now. I can't

recall where it was, but God wants us to bring

the heart to Him, and then we're to let God do

the work. We're not there to try to push what

we think a person should be doing. I just get

on my knees and thank you for all this wonderful

fellowship, connection, good preaching, good

preaching this morning. That is joy. I've had

a lot of joy speaking. I just thank you for that.

I think so many times people miss the little

snippets of joy that if they had their eyes open

and maybe did some more study in the scripture

or whatever, they would recognize that you're

just, you're bountiful with your joy. Just thank

you so much. Thank you for the learning. I had

a woman that I... We did an AB class together.

She had four or five people in Charlotte and

she talked about the scholarship of the study.

There's a lot of scholarship here. I'm so appreciative

of the hard work that people put in and then

they're willing to give to us. So I just praise

you for that. And again, we just ask for guidance,

ask for safety, and ask to do your will. And

we ask this in Christ's name on that. Amen. Thank

you.