Luke 7:18-35 - When Jesus Doesn't Live Up to My Expectations

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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Let's pray together.

Father, even now as we come to your word and to your table that you've set before us,

I pray that we would hear that voice that Logan just sang about.

We would hear the voice of sovereign grace crying to us that we would hear you speak as we open your word.

We come as those coming in the midst of a battle that we're constantly engaged in.

Fighting the spiritual forces of evil.

Struggling with our own sin.

Dealing with our own weaknesses in our flesh.

And we come because we need to hear from you.

We need direction.

We need help.

And we've come to your word.

And so, Father, would you speak?

Would you speak so clearly to our hearts that we would know we have heard from you?

We give you glory and we ask for your help.

In the name of Jesus.

Amen.

When we moved to St. Louis many years ago to begin seminary training,

we had some expectations for what was going to happen.

We were pretty sure that we were following God's call into some sort of pastoral ministry.

That we'd be in school for a few years and then take a call to a church somewhere and see what God had next.

Three years later, I walked across the stage at graduation with no job plans.

A wife and a nine-month-old baby to provide for.

Really no realistic opportunities out there on the horizon.

No idea what to expect would happen next.

I had friends and classmates who were making plans to start with this church or move towns to build that ministry.

And they had lots of plans.

The only plans I had for the near future were to move in with my in-laws.

It was not part of the original plan that I had when I headed to St. Louis.

I was sure I was following Jesus.

But this is not what I'd expected it to look like.

I remember feeling anxious, confused, wondering if I really understood Jesus.

Have you felt like that before?

I was talking with an old friend last week who'd been following Jesus for many, many years.

He's had some relational and professional challenges along the way.

But in the midst of those struggles, some possibilities were really starting to come together

that had the chance to smooth things out in a number of different areas of his life.

And then all of a sudden, the rug got pulled out from under him again.

This time by his church.

He didn't expect that.

Of all the places he thought that would happen, he didn't expect it.

It was the last thing he thought would happen at church.

And so frustrated and confused right now.

Life seems to be just spiraling downward and God seems distant.

The church has pushed him away.

Have you felt like that before?

Maybe you feel like that right now.

John the Baptist knows that feeling.

The last time we've heard from John in our study of Luke's gospel was back in chapter 3.

Right after John baptizes Jesus, we're told that Herod throws him in prison.

Well, he's still there.

Still in prison and beginning to get confused.

Luke 7 at verse 18.

We're going to follow along with the story as we go this morning.

This is Luke 7 at verse 18.

The disciples of John reported all these things to him.

Being John.

All these things.

What's been happening?

It's been Jesus healing, right?

He's healing people.

He's just raised a young man from the dead.

Jesus is doing wonderful things and they tell John about them.

And John hears and he has a question for Jesus.

John calling two of his disciples to him sent them to the Lord saying,

Are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another?

Are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another?

Now, for you to understand how strange that question is,

remember that John is not just one among many of Jesus' followers, right?

John is the one who was sent ahead to prepare the way for Jesus.

The prophet who declared that here was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

He baptized Jesus.

John has professed Jesus to be the promised Messiah, the one who was to come.

John's whole life has been centered around that reality.

But now he's confused.

Jesus, are you really the one?

This is not seeming right.

And we might wonder why.

What is it that's causing John's confusion?

And we don't know for certain.

But perhaps, some say, John is hearing a little less judgment on the godless nations

than he anticipated from Jesus.

Jesus has been healing Romans and other Gentiles.

And he was supposed to pronounce that there was judgment coming on those who rejected the God of Israel.

Joel, John hasn't heard much of that judgment so far.

Another possibility, perhaps John is hearing all of these amazing miracles.

Things he knows are marks, are signs of the promised messianic deliverance to come.

And yet, he's not experiencing them himself, is he?

What about that whole thing about setting the prisoners free?

That one's in there, if I remember correctly.

Doesn't feel very good from the prison cell.

This is not how it was supposed to go.

I seem to remember prisoners free was part of the plan that you announced.

When do I get that?

Have you ever sat in church and felt that way before?

People are excited and they're praising God.

He seems to be doing great things in their lives, great things in the Huntsville community.

And yet, I don't feel him doing anything in my life.

What about me?

What about the mess I'm in?

Jesus is really not living up to my expectations here.

This is not what I thought it would be like.

The psalmist Asaph felt that way.

He records in Psalm 73 how he looked around and saw the prosperity of the wicked.

And he envied them.

God didn't seem to be judging their sin at all.

They had it easy.

They got all the breaks.

And he began to think that all his time and effort following after God were just a waste.

He was confused by the circumstances around him.

You could certainly add Job to that list.

Suffering and tragic circumstances and time and again unable to explain why this is happening.

Why these terrible things to someone who trusts in God.

God?

Where has it happened in your life?

Where has Jesus not lived up to your expectations?

And left you confused?

Frustrated?

Doubting?

Struggling with unbelief even?

Has it been when your spouse lets you down after all these years that you've been faithful?

When a close friend or a beloved church disappoints you after years of love and investment?

When a child grows up and wanders away and pushes you off after all you've done to point them to Jesus

and they don't want anything to do with him or you.

When he took a step of faith to serve God.

This is what he's calling me to.

And then you just got hurt.

And wished you'd never tried.

You can understand John's confusion.

Can't you?

After all, again, this is not one of the people in the crowds following Jesus.

Here's the one who of all people has understood what it is Jesus is coming to do.

I know what the kingdom's going to be like.

I'm telling you ahead of time.

And here comes the king.

John's confused now.

As confused as John is about who Jesus is,

Jesus is equally clear on his messianic identity.

He doesn't merely say yes to answer John's question,

but his answer will provide even more clarity perhaps than we would expect.

Verse 20,

When the men had come to him, they said,

John the Baptist has sent us to you saying,

Are you the one who is to come or shall we look for another?

In that hour, Jesus healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits.

And on many who were blind, he bestowed sight.

And Jesus then speaks.

He answers them.

Go and tell John what you have seen, what you have heard.

The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear.

The dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them,

and blessed is the one who is not offended by me.

It's as though they come to Jesus and Jesus says,

Hang on, just watch for a minute before I answer the simple question.

It may be unfolding a little bit differently than he expected,

but I want John to know that this is the same kingdom he preached about that was coming.

And the kingdom of Jesus, as we've seen time and again,

is coming in word and in deed, right?

Verse 22, Jesus says,

First, let me show you.

Here's what you need to tell John about.

Blind receiving sight, lame walking,

lepers cleansed, deaf hearing,

dead being raised up,

poor having good news preached to them.

Watch it happen, Jesus said.

This is what the kingdom was going to be like, right?

They watch and see,

and then they listen,

and they hear Jesus quoting,

you may not recognize these,

but John would have every one of these in the list I just read.

Quotations from the prophet Isaiah.

Quotations when Isaiah is talking about

what's going to happen when the Messiah shows up.

And Jesus says,

Here they are.

Let me tell you,

because I know John knows these verses.

It's happening.

In word and in deed,

the kingdom is coming.

The chosen deliverer is here.

He ushers in a new kingdom,

and here's what it's going to look like,

and feel like,

and sound like.

Jesus is very clearly claiming to be the Messiah.

And he's also,

at the same time,

he's anchoring John's faith

in the promises of God,

and the way he's displaying the reality of them day after day.

Remember how Isaiah said it would happen?

Here's what God said.

Here's what God said.

Here's what God said.

Now watch me.

The same thing.

The same thing.

Watch it happen.

See,

John.

Hear,

and see,

and believe.

I'm the one.

Jesus wants to build up John's faith.

In fact,

he finishes with a blessing that is true in general,

but being sent specifically to John.

Blessed is the one who is not offended by,

who doesn't fall away on account of me,

Jesus says.

The opposite of falling away,

or being offended by Jesus,

is of course to believe in him,

to stand firm in trusting him.

That's what Jesus wants for John.

Jesus says,

you've got the right guy.

Being for God's kingdom is first and foremost about your alignment with me,

and you knew it,

John.

You knew you needed to know who the king was.

I'm the one.

You weren't confused.

You can rest easy,

John.

This is the kingdom and the king you were born to promote.

I am he.

I want to say it to you,

and I want to show it to you,

so that your faith can be built.

How many times have I said,

you can't have the kingdom without the king?

That's what's at the heart of this here.

Jesus is saying that believing in him is the path to blessing,

even when it doesn't look or feel like it.

That because he is the king,

and because he's bringing the kingdom in ways you didn't expect it to come,

you can rest.

You can trust him.

That's his message for John and for us.

It's a gracious gift from Jesus

to build up the faith of his confused and imprisoned follower.

Do you see Jesus' heart in that?

But what Jesus says next is even more amazing.

My favorite part of this passage.

Verse 24.

But think with me for a minute first.

Would you say that this has been John's finest hour of his life?

His greatest day as a follower of Jesus?

Is this his strong moment?

It's not really, is it?

He's confused.

He's doubting things that he even preached to others just last year.

And in the midst of his struggles,

Jesus found out.

And if it could be any more embarrassing,

in front of a crowd of people that all heard about him,

they're chuckling, snickering.

John, what kind of question is that?

Are you really, you were so excited last year,

so sure of yourself, not so sure anymore in prison, huh?

John at his lowest, struggling.

So Jesus sends John's disciples back to him to build up his faith.

And then listen to what happens next.

When John's messengers had gone,

Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John,

talking behind his back.

Jesus is going to get him now, right?

What did you go out into the wilderness to see?

A reed shaken by the wind?

What then did you go out to see?

A man dressed in soft clothing?

Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing

and live in luxury are in king's courts.

What then did you go out to see?

A prophet?

Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet,

this is he of whom it is written,

Behold, I send my messenger before your face

who will prepare your way before you.

I tell you, among those born of women,

none is greater than John.

Yet the one who's least in the kingdom

of God is greater than he.

Let's get this clear, Jesus says.

John was no weak man without convictions,

a reed swaying in the wind.

He was no fancy royalty avoiding the struggles of life

as you know them.

No, not at all.

He was a prophet,

a true man of God.

More than that, Jesus says.

There have been lots of prophets,

but no one who has ever lived,

born of a woman,

is greater than John.

That's how wonderful John is.

You want to know more about John?

Nobody's greater than him.

Greatest guy ever.

What gracious words.

Do you hear Jesus' charity in that?

The way he treats his fearful,

struggling follower?

Doubting John?

Confused John?

There's no one in the crowd snickering

about John's question anymore, is there?

Jesus doesn't crush his wounded follower

when he has the chance.

No, he wants to build him up.

Listen, follower of Jesus.

Do you know how Jesus speaks about you

when you're not listening?

He doesn't roll his eyes,

whisper to his Father in heaven

or to the crowds gathered around in heaven.

There he goes again.

What a flake that will guy is.

Calls himself a pastor.

He forgets the most basic things about me.

He didn't even pray this morning.

Does he even remember how much he needs me?

Man, what a disappointment.

It's not what he says, is it?

It would have been well deserved

for John and Will.

It's not what Jesus says.

No, on the days we have stopped listening,

distanced ourselves from him

and our confusion and our struggle,

when Jesus hears about it,

he's saying of us,

that's my beloved brother.

My beloved sister.

Isn't he great?

Isn't she wonderful?

Jesus is so much more gracious

than we deserve.

I'm not sure what his purposes are

in your life right now,

in the midst of your struggle

even to know who he is,

but I know this,

as you bring your doubts

and your questions

and your hurts to him,

he will be so much more gentle,

so much more gracious with you

than you imagine him being right now.

When he hears how his fearful,

struggling, doubting follower is doing

and you come to him,

you will find him gracious

and loving beyond what you deserve

and well beyond what you feel.

hear him saying proudly to you,

my beloved servant John,

my beloved servant Judy,

my beloved servant James,

maybe God has you here today

just to hear his benediction,

his good word of blessing

pronounced on you again

in your weakness

and your failing.

He wants you to hear

that it's true today.

Even the weakest of his followers today

is greater than John

than we just praised.

We'll come back to that thought

in just a moment,

but this interaction

that Jesus has with the crowds

closes with some more challenging words

from Jesus.

He's going to rebuke the Pharisees

for their childishness.

Verse 29,

when all the people heard this

and the tax collectors too,

they declared God just

having been baptized

with the baptism of John.

But the Pharisees and the lawyers

rejected the purpose of God

for themselves,

not having been baptized by him.

Jesus speaks again,

to what then shall I compare

the people of this generation

and what are they like?

They're like children

sitting in the marketplace

and calling to one another,

we played the flute for you

and you did not dance.

We sang a dirge

and you did not weep.

For John the Baptist

has come eating no bread

and drinking no wine

and you say he has a demon.

The Son of Man has come

eating and drinking

and you say,

look at him,

a glutton and a drunkard,

a friend of tax collectors

and sinners.

Yet wisdom is justified

by all her children.

Notice here the contrast

between John who comes to Jesus

in his weakness

and struggles and doubts

and the Pharisees and lawyers

who fend Jesus off

with their excuses

and their self-sufficiency.

The gracious words of Jesus

are for the struggling one, right?

And the challenging,

strong words of warning

are for the certain,

self-confident ones.

Jesus says in fact,

verse 30,

they've rejected the purpose

of God for themselves.

Yikes!

You don't want that said of you.

The warning is that

if you found certainty

or confidence

anywhere else

than Jesus,

watch out.

Jesus compares them

to children

who refuse to be pleased.

You've never seen a kid

in that kind of mood,

I suspect,

where you can't do anything

to please them.

You know,

grapes or strawberries?

No.

A book or a movie,

which one would you like?

No.

I don't want to do

either of them.

You can't make me happy.

I've got a complaint

about anything you suggest.

Y'all don't have kids

like that, do you?

Neither do I.

These children

that Jesus is describing,

they don't want to play

a happy, energetic game.

They don't want to play

a sad, calm game.

John is too conservative.

Jesus is too liberal.

Why?

Because the only thing

that can satisfy them

is what?

My way.

Doing it just the way

I want it done.

You can't make me happy.

I want my way.

So it's their refusal

to repent.

That's what John's baptism

is about

and Jesus' call, right?

It's their refusal

to repent

and an insistence

on self-sufficiency

that Jesus is warning against.

They're using any excuse

they can come up with

to keep Jesus

at arm's length.

To avoid actually

coming to Him

and trusting Him

rather than self.

In that generation,

the excuses were

that John was demon-possessed

and Jesus a drunk.

That's what they'd said

to keep them away.

What explanations

do people make

in our generation

that keep Jesus

at arm's length?

There's certainly many

we could say.

I'll give you one

on each end.

One on the too sad

or too little side

and one on the too happy

or too much side.

First, we sell Jesus short

when we craft

our own version

of the real Jesus.

If you've not taken

a college religion class

in the last,

well, long time,

or if you've not read

any major magazine

the week of Easter

in the last decade or so,

then you may have missed

that this has become

our MO as a culture.

It's apparently what sells.

This is what we're all doing.

We've decided

we know better

what the historical Jesus

actually said

and what He actually did

than about 2,000 years

of secular history

and Bible study

and things that people

have known and learned.

We've decided

we've got a better picture of it.

In particular,

if you read many

of the new books,

many of the things

being taught

in our college classrooms,

you'll read a denial

of Jesus' self-awareness

as God.

They'll tell you

Jesus really didn't

think of Himself that way.

He didn't really

make claim to deity.

And I can't describe to you,

I don't have the time

this morning

and I'm not even going to try,

the historical

and literary gymnastics

you have to play

to take passages

like this one

where Jesus

abundantly,

clearly

sees Himself

as the promised

Messiah King,

Savior

coming

and to explain

that away

in the face

of Jesus'

clear words,

His explicit references

to the Old Testament,

His tangible miracles

performed before thousands

and to say

that's not what Jesus

is saying

and yet say

but Jesus still existed.

He was still there,

things still happened,

just not any of

those things.

It takes a lot of work

but that's what's happening

everywhere you turn

these days

and we must be careful

because these things

sound interesting.

They'll be out

on the newsstands

in the next couple of weeks

and they'll be appealing

to you

because you're not used

to seeing spiritual things

on the newspapers

and magazines

and you'll think,

oh,

that's interesting.

Time magazine

has something about Jesus.

That's so Christian.

I'd love to see

what they have to say

and it's dangerous.

I don't know what time

is going to write

but I'm just telling you.

It's new spirituality

to us

in a secular age.

It can be appealing.

What it is

is a way to keep

the real Jesus

at arm's length

because I only have

to deal with

the one who does

and says things

that make sense to me.

Historical

is defined

as believable

to me

and that's how

we craft

what really happened.

I make a Jesus

in my own image

and it's dangerous.

On the other end

of the spectrum,

this generation

both in the U.S.

and around the world

is missing Jesus

by equating

his promises

with temporal prosperity

and there may be

a lot of

struggles with that.

one of the biggest

and most devastating

problems in doing that

is that we remove

Jesus from our

real struggles.

That's the one

in this passage

that concerns me

because there's a

follower of Jesus

with a genuine struggle.

John's confused.

He's not certain

who Jesus is

and there would be

many today

who would come

to John

and just imagine

if John had listened

to friends

like we may have

and instead of

sending him to Jesus

they would say

John listen

if Jesus is the Messiah

and if you really

have enough faith

you wouldn't be in prison.

Don't go talk

to that Jesus guy.

Look where he got you.

Life's hard.

And if John

hadn't come with that

to Jesus

if he bought that lie

and stayed away

in his struggle

from Jesus

he never would have

heard Jesus'

gracious words

of reassurance

building his faith

back up.

By setting up

faulty expectations

we set ourselves up

for disappointment

and for walking away

from Jesus

when life

is hard.

I found in particular

that those of us

who grow up

in the church

and then

at some point

struggle with

doubts

and confusion

we have a really

dangerous tendency

in us

and it's to say

that we're searching

we want to know

what we believe

and that's okay

but the way

we do it often

is we go read books

and websites

and blogs

and we say

we're searching

but the one person

we've left out of the search

is Jesus.

We're not interested

in him

we think we've heard enough

we move away

from God's word

and from anyone

who trusts it

and go on our search

and end up

where we set out

to end up.

Several I've watched

walk away

from their faith

in Christ

have hardly given

Jesus a second glance

in their doubts

and their struggles

they want to be searching

but they quit looking

in God's word

and pleading

for Jesus' help

in their weakness.

Southwood

we have to be

a place

where it is safe

to ask questions

where it's safe

to have doubts

where it's safe

to struggle

where your kids

can come

to you

and ask

things they don't

understand.

Why do we have

to be a place

where you can

wrestle together

with hard things

like that?

You know why?

Because Jesus is.

Because he's a place

where it's safe

to come

with those struggles

and doubts.

He welcomes

bringing those

to him.

This passage

is crying out

that's what it's

calling for

for us to come

to Jesus

with our confusion

rather than avoiding

him in our

self-sufficiency.

It's his promises

and his actions

that confirm

we can trust him.

He wants to show

himself faithful

and trustworthy.

There's another

biblical character

who experiences

disappointed

expectations

and also lands

in prison

like John.

Joseph has

good reason

to believe

God's plan

for him

is to be ruling

over his brothers

but where does he

find himself?

Instead,

looking up

at them

from the bottom

of a pit.

Languishing

in an Egyptian

prison.

I suspect

he had many

moments of

confusion

in his life.

What are you

doing, God?

How is this

the way it's

supposed to go?

But at the end

of his life

we find Joseph

explaining to

those brothers

how God was

working all of

this for good.

We find Joseph

telling them

to trust God's

promises.

He's going to

come and deliver

you out of Egypt

and take you

to the promised

land.

You can count

on it.

How?

What sustains

Joseph in his

confusion and

struggle?

It's God's

words and

God's deeds.

Isn't it?

It's what

Joseph has

heard and

what he's

seen and

experienced.

It's the

promises of

God that

Joseph has

seen God

fulfill time

after time

when it

didn't look

like there

was any

way that

God was

going to

even save

my life

and now

I watch

him use

me to

save,

oh my

goodness,

the nation.

The nations

are being

blessed.

My family

is being

spared in

famine.

I have a

glimpse at

what God's

doing.

Genesis

says God

was with

Joseph

just like

he promised

and eventually

Joseph who

was confused

and didn't

know how

God was

working saw

God be

faithful and

so he clung

to the promise

that God

would do it

again.

Jesus is

saying here

again,

I am the

promised

Savior,

King,

come to

me.

Don't keep

me at

arm's length.

Hear

my

words.

See

my

deeds.

Trust

my

love

for

you.

Once

again in

this whole

story,

Jesus

is at

the

center.

The

issue

is whether

we come

to him

in our

confusion

or avoid

him in

our

certainty.

Jesus

concludes

by saying

wisdom

is justified

by all

her

children.

My

translation,

God is

experienced

as faithful

by all

those who

trust him.

You know

who vindicates

God?

Who declares

him to be

right and

just in

this passage?

It's humorous.

It's people

declaring

that God

is just.

In fact,

it's not just

the crowds.

Verse 29,

all the

people,

even the

tax collectors

pronounce

God

just.

Not the

religious

leaders,

the crowds

and the

tax collectors,

the rabble

who have

repented.

Isn't that

crazy?

The tax

collectors are

the one who

see God

be faithful

and say

he comes

through,

you can

trust him.

Jesus

says even

the least

of them

is greater

than John

the Baptist

because they're

part of the

new kingdom

kingdom,

with the

new king.

That's how

incredibly

glorious

Jesus is.

All of that

is only

possible

because of

him.

Even the

tax collectors

see God's

faithfulness.

They're called

God's

children.

Verse 35,

because they're

connected to

him,

to his

son,

the king.

He makes

all the

difference.

Y'all,

what's happening

is Luke is

showing us

again why

the gospel

is good

news of

great joy

for all

people.

Because the

weakest of

his followers

hear gracious

words from

their strong,

perfect king

in their

lowest moments.

If you're

confused and

doubting today,

come to

Jesus as

you are.

Hear his

promises again.

Remember how

faithful he

has been.

Ask him to

show himself

strong again.

Let his

words of

grace to

you drown

out your

self-accusations,

the accusations

of the devil

in your

heart.

His words

and his

deeds

confirm

his love

for you.

This is

exactly what

God has

given us in

the Lord's

Supper.

God has

given us

to his

church,

to his

followers,

because he

knows that

we're going

to struggle,

that we're

going to

doubt,

that we're

going to

be confused,

and his

heart is to

strengthen our

faith.

So he gives

this to us.

He wants you

to taste again

his promises.

He wants to

come and to

whisper in your

ear again this

morning,

do you remember

my promises?

I promise to

love you.

I promise to

redeem you.

And then he

wants you to

see what he's

done.

The greatest

deed that he

has done to

show you that

you can trust

him, he went

to the cross

and laid down

his life for

you, and he

wants you to

see it again

this morning.

Remember what

he said to his

disciples.

The night he

was betrayed,

the Lord Jesus

took bread, and

when he'd given

thanks, he

broke it and

said, this is

my body, which

is for you.

Do this in

remembrance of

me.

In the same

way also he

took the cup

after supper

saying, this

cup is the

new covenant

in my blood.

Do this as

often as you

drink it in

remembrance of

me.

For as often

as you eat

this bread and

drink the

cup, you

proclaim the

Lord's death

until he

comes.

Y'all, this

is not the

table of

Southwood or

the Presbyterian

church.

This is the

Lord's table.

And he

invites all

those who

trust in

Jesus to

come.

Listen, if

you don't

know Jesus,

if you hear

me saying

these things

and you

think, I

don't know,

I still

don't know

what to

think about

Jesus, I'd

encourage you

not to come

to this table

this morning,

but rather

come and talk

with us about

Jesus.

Jesus, we'd

love for you

to know

him.

But if you

know Jesus,

you may be

struggling with

that this

morning, you

may be in a

place in life

where you're

confused and

you're not

certain what to

think about what

God's doing or

even if he's safe

to trust right

here because it

doesn't feel like

it.

If you're

doubting,

this is not a

table where you're

pushed away in

your weakness.

Jesus says to

his struggling,

weak followers,

come to me,

let me build

your faith.

Taste and

see and

remember I

love you.

I have great

words to

speak over

you, words

of gospel

truth.

I think of

you in terms

of my son,

God says.

That's how you

come to this

table, through

his body,

and his

blood.

He loves

you because

of Jesus.

Come to

him.

Taste and

see that the

Lord is good

and have your

faith built up

in Jesus.

Let's pray and

then we'll come

together.

Father, how

kind of you

to meet us in

our weakness,

to give us

something we can

hold in our

hands and taste

on our lips

that reminds us

you love us

enough to send

your son for

us.

That reminds us

that today,

no matter how

we feel,

the way you

feel about us

has not

changed.

Because it

was purchased

on the cross

by your

son.

And your

love is

unwavering.

Might we

know it

again this

morning.

Set aside

these elements

from a common

purpose to that

sacred use in

our hearts,

we ask in

Jesus' name.

Amen.

For more

information,

visit us

online at

southwood.org.