WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.259 wine on the sign by the way it's ralph did that 00:00:03.259 --> 00:00:04.860 and then he left and we can't change the signs 00:00:04.860 --> 00:00:08.220 it is justin wine and i first met justin actually 00:00:08.220 --> 00:00:11.919 through john paul and the wines and the pattersons 00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:14.320 became very good friends and they moved to gallipolis 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:16.899 and were attending faith baptist where john paul 00:00:16.899 --> 00:00:20.039 was pastoring there and so john said hey you've 00:00:20.039 --> 00:00:22.120 got to meet this guy justin you guys have a lot 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:24.800 in common i think he just meant the haircut was 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:28.219 what we had a lot in common but um So I got to 00:00:28.219 --> 00:00:30.160 know Justin. He's true. He's a like -minded brother, 00:00:30.359 --> 00:00:33.119 a dear friend. And he had served as a chaplain 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:34.719 in the Air Force, and he retired from the Air 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:37.079 Force. He is now serving as a chaplain at the 00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:41.079 VA. And he's also, he and his family are members 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:43.600 there at Vinton Baptist. And so it's a real treat 00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:45.780 for us to have this morning Brother Justin Wine, 00:00:45.899 --> 00:01:00.670 if you would come. Good morning. It's okay about 00:01:00.670 --> 00:01:03.909 the Jason thing. My grandma has called me Jason 00:01:03.909 --> 00:01:06.719 over the years, too. I don't take any offense 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:11.560 to it, but man, it is good to be here this morning. 00:01:13.900 --> 00:01:21.799 Mamrie feels like home, and like Ryan said, Mamrie's 00:01:21.799 --> 00:01:25.659 played a significant role in my spiritual journey, 00:01:25.859 --> 00:01:30.359 mine and my family's, in a large part through 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:32.879 John, Paul, and Katie and their family, but also 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:36.840 through Ryan. Sandy and their family as well. 00:01:37.060 --> 00:01:40.359 And so it's just a joy to be here this morning. 00:01:41.019 --> 00:01:44.719 And Ryan, I just thank you for inviting me and 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:48.280 giving me the opportunity to open God's word 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:50.780 with you all this morning and worship him together. 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:59.590 So thank you. As I was coming in, I heard the 00:01:59.590 --> 00:02:03.209 music playing in the background. It was great 00:02:03.209 --> 00:02:06.969 is your faithfulness. Great is your faithfulness, 00:02:07.030 --> 00:02:10.050 O God our Father. There is no shadow of turning 00:02:10.050 --> 00:02:13.800 with thee. All I have needed thy hands have provided. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:18.840 Great is your faithfulness, Lord, unto me. And 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:21.639 that goes right along with the message this morning. 00:02:22.060 --> 00:02:26.919 And I pray that you're able to say that with 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:31.340 sincerity of heart. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:37.439 O Lord God, in the wilderness you gave your people 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:41.020 bread from heaven for their hunger and brought 00:02:41.020 --> 00:02:43.680 water for them out of the rock for their thirst. 00:02:44.449 --> 00:02:48.210 Feed your people today with your word and satiate 00:02:48.210 --> 00:02:51.590 their thirst with living water. Strengthen us 00:02:51.590 --> 00:02:55.129 with your presence. We ask this in Jesus' name. 00:02:55.310 --> 00:03:00.460 Amen. We're going to be in Psalm 131 this morning. 00:03:00.659 --> 00:03:03.939 I'm going to go ahead and read that if you want 00:03:03.939 --> 00:03:08.250 to turn there. And I'm reading from, I'm preaching 00:03:08.250 --> 00:03:13.610 from the KJV today. So Psalm 131, a song of degrees 00:03:13.610 --> 00:03:19.469 of David. Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor 00:03:19.469 --> 00:03:23.150 mine eyes lofty. Neither do I exercise myself 00:03:23.150 --> 00:03:26.629 in great matters or in things too high for me. 00:03:27.590 --> 00:03:31.349 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a 00:03:31.349 --> 00:03:35.080 child that is weaned of his mother. my soul even 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:39.900 as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the Lord 00:03:39.900 --> 00:03:44.800 from henceforth and forever. May the Lord bless 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:49.909 the reading of his word. The title of the sermon 00:03:49.909 --> 00:03:55.370 this morning is The Weaned Soul, Humility, Quietness, 00:03:55.509 --> 00:03:59.759 and Hope. There's something special about homecoming. 00:04:00.250 --> 00:04:03.150 It's not merely an annual gathering or a sentimental 00:04:03.150 --> 00:04:06.650 tradition. But it's a moment where the people 00:04:06.650 --> 00:04:10.550 of God pause to reflect. We remember where we've 00:04:10.550 --> 00:04:14.490 been. We celebrate God's faithfulness. And we 00:04:14.490 --> 00:04:16.790 renew our commitment to journey forward together 00:04:16.790 --> 00:04:21.259 as a family of God. Even if we aren't all members 00:04:21.259 --> 00:04:23.920 of the same local congregation, we belong to 00:04:23.920 --> 00:04:28.089 one body, the body of Christ. And that creates 00:04:28.089 --> 00:04:31.500 an immediate sense of belonging. We just went 00:04:31.500 --> 00:04:35.100 on vacation to Florida not long ago. Kristen 00:04:35.100 --> 00:04:39.660 and I and the girls visited a church there on 00:04:39.660 --> 00:04:43.079 the Sunday we got there. And man, it just immediately 00:04:43.079 --> 00:04:47.529 felt like home. It's brothers and sisters in 00:04:47.529 --> 00:04:50.910 Christ. We have everything in the world in common. 00:04:51.689 --> 00:04:55.170 That's why I feel at home here among you at Mamre. 00:04:55.509 --> 00:04:58.949 You're my brothers and sisters in Christ, joined 00:04:58.949 --> 00:05:01.810 together by an unbreakable bond that guarantees 00:05:02.589 --> 00:05:06.110 a final homecoming celebration that no one will 00:05:06.110 --> 00:05:10.110 ever depart from. Scripture reminds us that right 00:05:10.110 --> 00:05:13.769 now we are sojourners. We're pilgrims in a foreign 00:05:13.769 --> 00:05:18.350 land headed toward a promised home. John Bunyan, 00:05:18.490 --> 00:05:21.050 in his book, The Pilgrim's Progress, called it 00:05:21.050 --> 00:05:24.189 the celestial city. It's a place where we're 00:05:24.189 --> 00:05:27.470 told in Revelation that God will wipe away every 00:05:27.470 --> 00:05:30.310 tear from our eyes and where there will be no 00:05:30.310 --> 00:05:36.160 more death or mourning. or crying, or pain. But 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:39.180 until then, God has given us the church, the 00:05:39.180 --> 00:05:42.959 body of Christ as a refuge, a place of comfort, 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:48.079 support, correction, encouragement, and fellowship. 00:05:49.310 --> 00:05:54.290 The songs of ascent, Psalms 120 to 134, were 00:05:54.290 --> 00:05:57.529 pilgrim songs for travelers heading up to Jerusalem 00:05:57.529 --> 00:06:00.870 for worship. They reflect the journey of faith, 00:06:01.129 --> 00:06:05.579 trouble and deliverance, Sorrow and hope, community 00:06:05.579 --> 00:06:10.589 and praise, Psalm 131 stands out among them. 00:06:10.949 --> 00:06:15.410 It's short, quiet, humble, and yet deeply profound. 00:06:16.310 --> 00:06:19.389 Charles Spurgeon referred to this psalm as a 00:06:19.389 --> 00:06:24.160 ladder that we climb slowly and notes that though 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:27.860 brief, it takes a lifetime to learn its quiet 00:06:27.860 --> 00:06:31.740 wisdom. He likens it to a pearl that's simple 00:06:31.740 --> 00:06:36.079 and small but of great worth. And in this small 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:40.189 psalm, God invites us to three things. One, to 00:06:40.189 --> 00:06:44.970 humble our hearts. Two, to quiet our souls. And 00:06:44.970 --> 00:06:49.079 three, to foster a community grounded in enduring 00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:56.149 hope. David starts off this psalm in verse 1 00:06:56.149 --> 00:06:59.920 by saying, Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:03.709 mine eyes lofty. Neither do I exercise myself 00:07:03.709 --> 00:07:06.509 in great matters or in things too high for me. 00:07:07.730 --> 00:07:12.050 David begins with humility. He's not pretending 00:07:12.050 --> 00:07:16.850 to be humble. He's not performing humility. We've 00:07:16.850 --> 00:07:20.269 all probably seen that at some point. Maybe we've 00:07:20.269 --> 00:07:27.649 done that at some point. But instead, David is 00:07:27.649 --> 00:07:31.389 confessing before God, with God as his witness, 00:07:31.529 --> 00:07:35.449 that his heart has been softened and lowered 00:07:35.449 --> 00:07:40.639 under the hand of the Lord. I think humility 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:44.420 is so often misrepresented and misunderstood 00:07:44.420 --> 00:07:49.959 today, much like the word love. So often love 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:55.870 is bantered about as something that's just a 00:07:55.870 --> 00:07:58.949 warm and fuzzy feeling, butterflies in our stomach. 00:07:59.639 --> 00:08:02.040 But we know that that's not what Scripture says 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:05.259 that love is. In fact, I think there's a lot 00:08:05.259 --> 00:08:09.939 of overlap between... the definition that Scripture 00:08:09.939 --> 00:08:14.740 gives us of love and really the definition of 00:08:14.740 --> 00:08:19.240 humility. Humility is not weakness. Humility 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:23.560 is not being a doormat. Humility is not never 00:08:23.560 --> 00:08:27.819 speaking up and never standing firm. Humility 00:08:27.819 --> 00:08:31.769 is not cowardice. And I think we see probably 00:08:31.769 --> 00:08:34.269 our greatest picture of humility, well, no doubt 00:08:34.269 --> 00:08:37.070 our greatest picture of humility in our Lord 00:08:37.070 --> 00:08:41.590 Jesus Christ. Certainly he was meek and mild, 00:08:41.870 --> 00:08:45.129 but he was not weak in any sense of the word. 00:08:45.850 --> 00:08:49.629 And so as we go, I want to look at 1 Corinthians 00:08:49.629 --> 00:08:54.269 13, a familiar passage, but as we think about 00:08:54.269 --> 00:08:58.129 humility and what it is, I think it's helpful 00:08:58.129 --> 00:09:01.669 to think about these words of the Apostle Paul. 00:09:02.330 --> 00:09:07.429 He says, charity or love suffereth long and is 00:09:07.429 --> 00:09:13.669 kind. Charity envieth not. Charity vaunteth not 00:09:13.669 --> 00:09:18.870 itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself 00:09:18.870 --> 00:09:23.250 unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily 00:09:23.250 --> 00:09:29.000 provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:33.620 iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth 00:09:33.620 --> 00:09:35.980 all things, believeth all things, hopeth all 00:09:35.980 --> 00:09:40.779 things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth. 00:09:44.779 --> 00:09:48.940 According to Scripture, humility is rightly seeing 00:09:48.940 --> 00:09:54.000 oneself in light of who God is. Proverbs even 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:57.519 equates humility with the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 00:09:57.519 --> 00:10:01.919 22 .4. It's the recognition that God alone is 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:06.549 sovereign, wise, and worthy of trust. Humility 00:10:06.549 --> 00:10:10.590 says God's wisdom is better than mine. God's 00:10:10.590 --> 00:10:14.929 timing is better than mine. God's evaluation. 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:21.750 is more accurate than mine. God's plan, no matter 00:10:21.750 --> 00:10:25.710 what that plan looks like to us, is safer than 00:10:25.710 --> 00:10:32.700 mine. Humility says, not my will, O God, but 00:10:32.700 --> 00:10:37.139 thine be done. David demonstrated humility through 00:10:37.139 --> 00:10:40.649 integrity. Integrity means doing the right thing 00:10:40.649 --> 00:10:44.389 before God, even when no one is watching, even 00:10:44.389 --> 00:10:47.389 when no one understands, even when no one approves. 00:10:49.960 --> 00:10:52.480 Integrity means fearing God more than fearing 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:56.600 people. Brothers and sisters, when we fear men 00:10:56.600 --> 00:11:00.320 more than God, sin and all of its consequences 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:05.669 abound. There's a great book by a biblical counselor 00:11:05.669 --> 00:11:08.370 named Ed Welch. It's called When People Are Big 00:11:08.370 --> 00:11:13.559 and God Is Small. It's a great book. I'd encourage 00:11:13.559 --> 00:11:18.639 you to consider getting it and reading it. David 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:22.090 didn't appeal to his reputation among men. He 00:11:22.090 --> 00:11:25.870 appealed to God who sees the heart. David says 00:11:25.870 --> 00:11:28.429 that his eyes are not lofty. He's not looking 00:11:28.429 --> 00:11:34.820 down on others. Humility ultimately helps us, 00:11:34.820 --> 00:11:39.399 I think we see in Psalm 131, avoid at least three 00:11:39.399 --> 00:11:45.470 things. The first is arrogance. Thinking of oneself 00:11:45.470 --> 00:11:49.230 as superior. Thinking of oneself as deserving 00:11:49.230 --> 00:11:52.759 more. Thinking of oneself as being self -made. 00:11:54.029 --> 00:11:57.549 Thinking that you're better than you are. This 00:11:59.629 --> 00:12:02.309 could be contrasted with confidence. Sometimes 00:12:02.309 --> 00:12:05.549 people who are confident get accused of being 00:12:05.549 --> 00:12:08.190 arrogant. The two things are very different. 00:12:08.830 --> 00:12:11.570 The person who's acting in confidence is acting 00:12:11.570 --> 00:12:14.809 with faith, confidence, confide, with faith. 00:12:16.289 --> 00:12:20.100 They know what they know, they know how to execute 00:12:20.100 --> 00:12:23.860 it, and they do it with faith, with confidence. 00:12:24.220 --> 00:12:27.559 They don't think that they're better than what 00:12:27.559 --> 00:12:30.929 they are. but they do recognize their God -given 00:12:30.929 --> 00:12:34.129 gifts, and they want to be good stewards of those 00:12:34.129 --> 00:12:39.029 gifts and use them. The second thing that humility 00:12:39.029 --> 00:12:45.710 avoids is envy, resenting others' blessings as 00:12:45.710 --> 00:12:50.049 though God has somehow failed us, thinking that 00:12:50.090 --> 00:12:53.509 they don't deserve the blessings that God has 00:12:53.509 --> 00:12:56.309 given them, that we deserve them more. We're 00:12:58.669 --> 00:13:03.399 not to envy. It teaches us to avoid disdain. 00:13:04.549 --> 00:13:08.269 Looking down on other people. Arrogance is looking 00:13:08.269 --> 00:13:11.850 up. Arrogance is looking so far up that you don't 00:13:11.850 --> 00:13:17.190 see any other people. Disdain is the opposite. 00:13:17.450 --> 00:13:19.970 Disdain is looking down upon other people and 00:13:19.970 --> 00:13:23.909 judging them according to our own standards and 00:13:24.909 --> 00:13:30.590 placing ourselves above them. Listen, David recognizes 00:13:30.590 --> 00:13:35.610 that everything he has, his talent, his calling, 00:13:35.830 --> 00:13:39.519 his anointing, and even his breath comes from 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:44.179 God. I think David can say with the Apostle Paul, 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:51.120 what do you have that you did not receive? The 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:55.299 answer is nothing. We have nothing apart from 00:13:55.299 --> 00:14:01.779 God. Our only boast is in Jesus Christ. David 00:14:01.779 --> 00:14:04.620 continues by saying, I do not exercise myself 00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:08.149 in great matters. He's saying, I don't try to 00:14:08.149 --> 00:14:11.509 run the universe. I don't insist on answers that 00:14:11.509 --> 00:14:15.570 God has withheld. I don't try to control what 00:14:15.570 --> 00:14:20.350 God has reserved for himself. Brothers and sisters, 00:14:20.490 --> 00:14:25.629 how often do we carry burdens that God never 00:14:25.629 --> 00:14:29.960 intended us to carry? Self -inflicted burdens. 00:14:32.370 --> 00:14:38.490 Listen, I'm preaching to myself often. We spend 00:14:38.490 --> 00:14:41.230 hours worrying about national events we cannot 00:14:41.230 --> 00:14:44.799 change. political conflicts that we can't resolve, 00:14:45.019 --> 00:14:48.279 or controversies that do not belong to our sphere 00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:53.100 of influence. Meanwhile, the things that God 00:14:53.100 --> 00:14:56.629 has placed within our reach, the things that 00:14:56.629 --> 00:15:00.450 God has put within our sphere of influence, our 00:15:00.769 --> 00:15:06.259 marriages, our children, our church, our own 00:15:06.259 --> 00:15:11.639 spiritual walk, receive far less concern and 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:15.950 are often altogether neglected. Think about this. 00:15:16.009 --> 00:15:18.429 As I was preparing for this, even in the small 00:15:18.429 --> 00:15:21.610 things, the Scripture teaches us that all authority 00:15:21.610 --> 00:15:24.669 comes from God. That He has ordained all authority. 00:15:25.129 --> 00:15:28.690 Yet how often are we always trying to overstep 00:15:28.690 --> 00:15:31.730 the bounds that God has put us within? I just 00:15:31.730 --> 00:15:34.460 think about the speed limit. The speed limit 00:15:34.460 --> 00:15:39.500 is 55. But what do most of us try to go? 60, 00:15:39.820 --> 00:15:47.809 maybe 64. And then when we can't... Pay our bills 00:15:47.809 --> 00:15:50.490 because we got a speeding ticket. We wonder why. 00:15:50.710 --> 00:15:56.409 And we gripe and we complain. I think about debt. 00:15:56.769 --> 00:16:02.970 How often do we burden ourselves with debt? Because 00:16:02.970 --> 00:16:05.950 we're not content with what the Lord has provided 00:16:05.950 --> 00:16:13.929 us. And so we burden ourselves with worries that 00:16:13.929 --> 00:16:17.559 we were never meant to have. God knows what his 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:20.580 children needs. He provides what his children 00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:23.320 needs. The scripture says, and I think this is 00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:26.980 one of John Paul's favorite verses, I hear him 00:16:26.980 --> 00:16:29.960 quote it often, probably because they have so 00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:34.779 many kids, but the Lord's people have never been 00:16:34.779 --> 00:16:38.419 seen begging bread. The Lord provides what we 00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:44.000 need. Spurgeon warned that too often we try to 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:49.110 run the world from our bedroom. When we humble 00:16:49.110 --> 00:16:52.230 ourselves and accept our limits, something beautiful 00:16:52.230 --> 00:16:57.509 happens. The soul begins to quiet down. That's 00:16:57.509 --> 00:17:00.210 what we see here from David in verse 2. He says, 00:17:00.309 --> 00:17:04.049 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a 00:17:04.049 --> 00:17:08.099 child that is weaned of his mother. My soul was 00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:12.470 even as a weaned child. David uses one of the 00:17:12.470 --> 00:17:15.569 most tender images in Scripture. A child weaned 00:17:15.569 --> 00:17:19.289 from his mother's milk. An unweaned child is 00:17:19.289 --> 00:17:22.839 restless. demanding, crying for immediate comfort. 00:17:23.579 --> 00:17:27.480 But a weaned child has learned trust. The relationship 00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:31.480 is no longer about craving nourishment, but instead 00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:35.509 it's about resting in presence. Just think about 00:17:35.509 --> 00:17:38.769 your kids when they get to the point where they 00:17:38.769 --> 00:17:42.109 just want to be around you. They don't need anything. 00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:45.119 They ask you to play. They really don't want 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:47.420 you to play. They really just want you to sit 00:17:47.420 --> 00:17:50.730 there and watch them play. Why? Because they 00:17:50.730 --> 00:17:54.849 find comfort in your presence. And that's what 00:17:54.849 --> 00:17:56.950 David is saying that he's found here. He's just 00:17:56.950 --> 00:18:03.049 found comfort in the presence of God. He's found, 00:18:03.170 --> 00:18:05.650 he's recognized that God has met his every need. 00:18:05.869 --> 00:18:11.799 And he's resting in God's presence. David is 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:15.480 saying, my soul used to be restless. My soul 00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:19.079 used to crave control. My soul used to demand 00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:23.660 answers. But now... I've learned to rest in God. 00:18:24.099 --> 00:18:28.359 The picture of David in this psalm is not a picture 00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:32.470 of a weaning child, but a picture of a weaned 00:18:32.470 --> 00:18:35.589 child. There's a big difference between the two. 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:41.480 David was anointed to be king. He had a promise. 00:18:42.349 --> 00:18:45.730 And we see in 1 Samuel 24 that he had an opportunity 00:18:45.730 --> 00:18:50.009 to seize that promise early by killing... Saul, 00:18:50.089 --> 00:18:52.289 I'm going to turn there and read just a brief 00:18:52.289 --> 00:18:57.119 portion of 1 Samuel 24. It says, And it came 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:59.680 to pass when Saul was returned from following 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:02.240 the Philistines that it was told him, saying, 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:04.779 Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi. 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:09.180 Then Saul took 3 ,000 chosen men out of all Israel 00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:12.619 and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks 00:19:12.619 --> 00:19:15.960 of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepcoats 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:19.710 by the way where was a cave. And Saul went in 00:19:19.710 --> 00:19:23.250 to cover his feet, a .k .a. to use the restroom. 00:19:24.029 --> 00:19:27.710 And David and his men remained in the sides of 00:19:27.710 --> 00:19:30.390 the cave. And the men of David said unto him, 00:19:30.450 --> 00:19:32.910 Behold the day which the Lord said unto thee, 00:19:33.069 --> 00:19:35.609 Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine 00:19:35.609 --> 00:19:38.710 hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall 00:19:38.710 --> 00:19:42.789 seem good unto thee. And then David arose, and 00:19:42.789 --> 00:19:46.250 he cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. 00:19:47.089 --> 00:19:50.789 And it came to pass afterward that David's heart 00:19:50.789 --> 00:19:55.099 smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:58.660 And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that 00:19:58.660 --> 00:20:01.420 I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's 00:20:01.420 --> 00:20:04.640 anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:08.940 him, seeing that he is the anointed of the Lord. 00:20:09.660 --> 00:20:13.059 So David stayed his servants with these words, 00:20:13.259 --> 00:20:16.880 and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:19.819 Saul rose up out of the cave and went on his 00:20:19.819 --> 00:20:23.750 way. Again, at this point, David was anointed 00:20:23.750 --> 00:20:28.109 to be king. He had a promise. And he had an opportunity 00:20:28.109 --> 00:20:31.869 to seize that promise early by killing Saul. 00:20:32.230 --> 00:20:34.690 But brothers and sisters, just because we have 00:20:34.690 --> 00:20:36.990 an opportunity doesn't mean that we should always 00:20:36.990 --> 00:20:41.029 take it. If taking the opportunity causes us 00:20:41.029 --> 00:20:44.089 to compromise our integrity, then it's not the 00:20:44.089 --> 00:20:48.690 time to seize the opportunity. Wise words that 00:20:48.690 --> 00:20:51.130 I have received are just, and just because you 00:20:51.130 --> 00:20:53.769 can do something does not mean that you need 00:20:53.769 --> 00:21:00.269 to. And that is true. If David had been spiritually 00:21:00.269 --> 00:21:05.039 unweaned, he would have taken matters into his 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:07.940 own hands. In fact, in a sense, he kind of did, 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:12.480 and he immediately repented of it. Cutting off 00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:15.319 the corner of Saul's robe, which represented 00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:20.099 Saul's authority, really was... Already David's 00:21:20.099 --> 00:21:23.119 stepping out of line with God's will. And he 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:26.299 repents of that. He seeks forgiveness for that. 00:21:28.819 --> 00:21:32.990 His men even encouraged him to do this. And maybe 00:21:32.990 --> 00:21:35.650 we have people around us who are encouraging 00:21:35.650 --> 00:21:40.279 us to take the shortcut. To look out for number 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:46.240 one. To get what's coming to us. But David's 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:48.799 soul was quiet enough to trust God's timing. 00:21:49.630 --> 00:21:53.460 He refused to grasp. what God had not yet given. 00:21:54.210 --> 00:21:57.849 He could say, far be it from me, because his 00:21:57.849 --> 00:22:03.480 soul was at rest. We're born craving comfort, 00:22:03.619 --> 00:22:08.339 recognition, affirmation, control. We're born 00:22:08.339 --> 00:22:11.059 with sinful natures that have carnal desires, 00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:16.240 just like an infant craves milk. And so what 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:21.990 does God do? God lovingly weans us from those 00:22:21.990 --> 00:22:26.609 things, sometimes through disappointment, Sometimes 00:22:26.609 --> 00:22:31.640 through unanswered prayers. Sometimes through 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:37.599 loss. Sometimes through closed doors. And sometimes 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:42.960 through seasons of waiting. Why? Not because 00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:48.170 He's cruel, but because He's good. Because milk 00:22:48.170 --> 00:22:50.630 is not enough for us, and He knows it. And He 00:22:50.630 --> 00:22:56.900 knows that solid food is coming. We're told in 00:22:56.900 --> 00:22:59.539 Scripture that God chastises and disciplines 00:22:59.539 --> 00:23:03.589 those whom He loves. Why? so that He can conform 00:23:03.589 --> 00:23:08.170 us to the image of His Son for our good and for 00:23:08.170 --> 00:23:14.450 His glory. As Matthew Henry said, God often puts 00:23:14.450 --> 00:23:18.259 wormwood on the breast so that we stop clinging 00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:21.079 to lesser comforts and begin to cling to Him. 00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:26.039 I was thinking even Garth Brooks touched on this 00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:29.509 truth when he sang what? Some of God's greatest 00:23:29.509 --> 00:23:34.440 gifts are unanswered prayers. And what we know 00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:39.359 is that God is praying for us. I mean, in a sense, 00:23:39.539 --> 00:23:42.440 there's no such thing as an unanswered prayer 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:46.329 for the believer. God, the Holy Spirit, is praying 00:23:46.329 --> 00:23:50.529 for us when we don't know what to pray for. And 00:23:50.529 --> 00:23:52.630 we're told that Jesus Christ is seated at the 00:23:52.630 --> 00:23:54.690 right hand of the Father making intercession 00:23:54.690 --> 00:24:00.309 for us right now. He knows what we need way better 00:24:00.309 --> 00:24:04.069 than what we do. Are we trusting Him for that? 00:24:04.150 --> 00:24:08.660 Are we resting in Him? A quieted soul trusts 00:24:08.660 --> 00:24:13.079 God's character. This is so important. It trusts 00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:16.940 God's character when God's ways are confusing. 00:24:17.589 --> 00:24:20.710 Scripture says that the secret things belong 00:24:20.710 --> 00:24:23.609 to God. We're not meant to understand everything. 00:24:24.890 --> 00:24:28.049 But what He has revealed to us is His character, 00:24:28.250 --> 00:24:31.650 His love, His grace, His mercy, His sovereignty, 00:24:32.049 --> 00:24:38.410 His providence. And that is never changing. Again, 00:24:38.490 --> 00:24:40.569 going back to the psalm, great is thy faithfulness. 00:24:40.769 --> 00:24:46.769 There is no shadow of turning in him. A quieted 00:24:46.769 --> 00:24:51.180 soul trusts God's character. It rests in God's 00:24:51.180 --> 00:24:56.059 timing, even when waiting is painful. It finds 00:24:56.059 --> 00:25:00.970 contentment where it once found agitation. It 00:25:00.970 --> 00:25:03.950 lets God lead rather than insisting on its own 00:25:03.950 --> 00:25:08.849 way. Again, there's parallels here over and over 00:25:08.849 --> 00:25:11.890 again to what Scripture tells us is the definition 00:25:11.890 --> 00:25:15.890 of love. And if humility is the fear of the Lord, 00:25:16.029 --> 00:25:18.990 what does the fear of the Lord ultimately look 00:25:18.990 --> 00:25:21.910 like? It looks like loving the Lord our God with 00:25:21.910 --> 00:25:23.769 all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength and 00:25:23.769 --> 00:25:33.049 loving our neighbor as ourself. It stops fighting 00:25:33.049 --> 00:25:37.160 providence and it starts submitting to it. Brothers 00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:41.230 and sisters, this is Psalm 23 lived out. I'm 00:25:41.230 --> 00:25:44.829 going to turn there and read that. Psalm 23, 00:25:45.049 --> 00:25:48.109 a Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd, I 00:25:48.109 --> 00:25:51.369 shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green 00:25:51.369 --> 00:25:54.650 pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. 00:25:55.170 --> 00:25:58.829 He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths 00:25:58.829 --> 00:26:02.529 of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though 00:26:02.529 --> 00:26:05.009 I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 00:26:05.170 --> 00:26:08.490 I will fear no evil. For thou art with me, thy 00:26:08.490 --> 00:26:12.500 rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest 00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:15.000 a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 00:26:15.900 --> 00:26:18.799 Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:23.630 over. Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow 00:26:23.630 --> 00:26:26.549 me all the days of my life, and I will dwell 00:26:26.549 --> 00:26:31.190 in the house of the Lord forever. That is our 00:26:31.190 --> 00:26:35.190 promise. That is our hope. A quiet soul no longer 00:26:35.190 --> 00:26:38.910 demands what God has withheld or clings desperately 00:26:38.910 --> 00:26:44.390 to fading comforts, but instead it says, my soul 00:26:44.390 --> 00:26:52.049 be still. God is enough. But there's one more 00:26:52.049 --> 00:26:57.230 invitation in Psalm 131. David doesn't stop with 00:26:57.230 --> 00:27:02.049 his own soul, and neither should we. He now turns 00:27:02.049 --> 00:27:05.529 outward toward the people of God, and we too 00:27:05.529 --> 00:27:08.369 are invited to foster a community grounded in 00:27:08.369 --> 00:27:13.690 enduring hope. Verse 3, let Israel hope in the 00:27:13.690 --> 00:27:18.950 Lord from henceforth and forever. When God quiets 00:27:18.950 --> 00:27:22.569 David's soul, David immediately encourages others 00:27:22.569 --> 00:27:27.059 to hope. A humble, quiet soul strengthens the 00:27:27.059 --> 00:27:32.329 people around it. A restless, proud soul, however, 00:27:32.430 --> 00:27:35.950 unsettles the people around it. I'm sure that 00:27:35.950 --> 00:27:41.269 we have all experienced this. Ask yourself, do 00:27:41.269 --> 00:27:45.690 people encounter peace when they encounter you? 00:27:45.910 --> 00:27:53.779 Or do they encounter agitation, complaint? Fear, 00:27:53.980 --> 00:28:00.500 frustration. We cannot call others to hope in 00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:10.140 a God that we don't hope in ourselves. Our children, 00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:14.259 our friends, our co -workers, our church, they 00:28:14.960 --> 00:28:21.019 notice our posture toward God. David was able 00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:24.880 to extort the nation to hope because he himself 00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:33.819 hoped. And that was evident in his life. Brothers 00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:36.779 and sisters, let us not be a stumbling block. 00:28:37.430 --> 00:28:45.980 to those around us. When the people closest to 00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:54.440 us see a lack of humility and a lack of quietness 00:28:54.440 --> 00:28:56.900 in our soul and a lack of hope in the Lord and 00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:59.559 they look at our lives and they see as much sin 00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:02.759 there as they see in their own and sometimes 00:29:02.759 --> 00:29:06.920 even more, how can we call them to hope in the 00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:16.569 Lord? It's important to say that this is not 00:29:16.569 --> 00:29:21.700 about perfection. David was not perfect. You 00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:26.599 and I are not perfect. The only one who has ever 00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:28.839 been perfect that has walked this earth is the 00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:38.440 Lord Jesus Christ. That being said, the trajectory 00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:41.799 of our lives should be one of increasing Christlikeness, 00:29:42.019 --> 00:29:45.240 of increasing obedience to the Lord and trust 00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:48.750 in Him. I even think about the Apostle Paul. 00:29:48.970 --> 00:29:52.210 I think when we read this psalm, we get a sense 00:29:52.210 --> 00:29:56.829 that David is coming to this. He's learning it. 00:29:57.269 --> 00:30:00.650 And I think about Paul when he says, man, I don't 00:30:00.650 --> 00:30:02.869 do the things that I want to do, and I do the 00:30:02.869 --> 00:30:05.410 things I don't want to do. Wretched man am I. 00:30:06.250 --> 00:30:09.470 And I think about Paul in Philippians 4 when 00:30:09.470 --> 00:30:14.480 he says what? He says, I learn to be content. 00:30:15.430 --> 00:30:18.109 I think we see the same thing from David here. 00:30:20.059 --> 00:30:22.859 But again, what is the trajectory of our lives? 00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:28.309 What is our desire? Matthew Henry encourages 00:30:28.309 --> 00:30:32.109 us that even if we cannot yet recite this psalm 00:30:32.109 --> 00:30:37.210 with full sincerity, we can recite it as instruction, 00:30:37.589 --> 00:30:41.890 and we should, admonishing ourselves toward humility, 00:30:42.089 --> 00:30:50.039 quietness, and hope. We sing it not because we've 00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:53.720 arrived, but because we want to arrive, because 00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:59.089 it's our heart's desire to arrive. In Pilgrim's 00:30:59.089 --> 00:31:03.430 Progress, Christian, the main character of that 00:31:03.430 --> 00:31:10.329 story, loses his burden at the cross. And soon 00:31:10.329 --> 00:31:14.480 after, he reaches a hill called Difficulty. And 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:17.380 there he encounters two characters, one called 00:31:17.380 --> 00:31:20.700 Formalist and one called Hypocrisy. And those 00:31:20.700 --> 00:31:23.180 two characters are trying to convince Christian 00:31:23.180 --> 00:31:27.329 to take a shortcut, to leave the narrow way. 00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:30.740 And that's exactly what they do. They take shortcuts 00:31:30.740 --> 00:31:34.519 and they perish. They didn't humble themselves 00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:38.220 before God. They weren't obedient to God. Instead 00:31:38.220 --> 00:31:40.519 of staying on the narrow way, they went to the 00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:43.559 broad way that leads to destruction. But Christian 00:31:43.559 --> 00:31:47.319 climbs that hill faithfully. Despite challenges, 00:31:47.680 --> 00:31:52.789 it is the hill called difficulty. At the top 00:31:52.789 --> 00:31:56.049 is a palace called beautiful, symbolizing the 00:31:56.049 --> 00:32:00.430 church. And there Christian is encouraged, equipped, 00:32:00.910 --> 00:32:04.470 armed. and giving companions for his journey. 00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:10.900 Brothers and sisters, we need each other. We 00:32:10.900 --> 00:32:14.599 need encouragement. We need correction. We need 00:32:14.599 --> 00:32:20.630 fellowship. We need shared hope. People are looking 00:32:20.630 --> 00:32:25.690 to you for hope. Ultimately, we know they look 00:32:25.690 --> 00:32:28.579 to Christ for hope, but we are a representative 00:32:28.579 --> 00:32:32.369 of Christ here. We are the body of Christ. We 00:32:32.369 --> 00:32:38.200 are Christians, little Christs. David turns his 00:32:38.200 --> 00:32:41.160 personal experience into communal exhortation. 00:32:41.759 --> 00:32:45.319 Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and 00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:50.500 forever. This isn't a temporary hope. It's not 00:32:50.500 --> 00:32:54.299 a circumstantial hope. But it's an eternal hope 00:32:54.299 --> 00:32:58.500 that is grounded again in God's unchanging character. 00:32:59.380 --> 00:33:03.509 Regardless of circumstance, can we say that we 00:33:03.509 --> 00:33:06.490 trust in the Lord? that we've humbled ourselves 00:33:06.490 --> 00:33:09.710 before the Lord, that we're content in the Lord, 00:33:09.750 --> 00:33:12.089 that we have quieted our souls before the Lord. 00:33:12.349 --> 00:33:20.460 In conclusion, Psalm 131 gives us, again, a simple 00:33:20.460 --> 00:33:26.170 yet profound invitation to humble our heart, 00:33:26.289 --> 00:33:29.309 to let go of pride, to let go of comparison, 00:33:29.869 --> 00:33:35.009 to let go of the illusion of control, to quiet 00:33:35.009 --> 00:33:40.569 our souls. To let God wean us from lesser comforts 00:33:40.569 --> 00:33:45.329 and teach us to rest in Him. And then to strengthen 00:33:45.329 --> 00:33:49.349 the hope of others. To let our life become a 00:33:49.349 --> 00:33:53.069 testimony of trust that draws others into deeper 00:33:53.069 --> 00:33:56.109 faith. And so as we leave here this morning, 00:33:56.230 --> 00:33:58.569 I want to encourage you to reflect upon these 00:33:58.569 --> 00:34:05.559 questions. To meditate on this psalm. And to 00:34:05.559 --> 00:34:07.440 ask the Lord, what is He showing you? Listen, 00:34:07.539 --> 00:34:10.500 the Lord tells us that His Word doesn't return 00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:14.539 void. It doesn't go out in vain, but it accomplishes 00:34:14.539 --> 00:34:17.219 everything that He set it forth to accomplish. 00:34:17.699 --> 00:34:21.480 And so there is no doubt in my mind that this 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:24.960 Word that we've heard this morning has pricked 00:34:24.960 --> 00:34:28.920 your conscience in some way or another. I know 00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:31.639 it certainly has mine, so please consider these 00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:35.119 questions. Where do you sense God calling you 00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:44.570 to humility? What is God weaning you from right 00:34:44.570 --> 00:34:53.579 now? What makes quiet trust in the Lord difficult 00:34:53.579 --> 00:35:03.280 in this season of your life? Are you hoping in 00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:11.489 the Lord and in Him alone? Are you encouraging 00:35:11.489 --> 00:35:17.750 others to hope in the Lord? Brothers and sisters, 00:35:17.849 --> 00:35:20.949 may we be a people who walk with humble hearts, 00:35:21.230 --> 00:35:26.889 with quiet souls, and with enduring hope, journeying 00:35:26.889 --> 00:35:29.889 together toward our final homecoming with Christ. 00:35:30.250 --> 00:35:35.460 And I'll leave you with these words from Psalm 00:35:35.460 --> 00:35:43.039 133 and Psalm 134. Behold how good and how pleasant 00:35:43.039 --> 00:35:46.260 it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. 00:35:47.019 --> 00:35:50.039 It is like the precious ointment upon the head 00:35:50.039 --> 00:35:53.139 that runneth down upon the beard, even Aaron's 00:35:53.139 --> 00:35:56.699 beard, that went down the skirts of his garments. 00:35:57.460 --> 00:36:00.420 As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended 00:36:00.420 --> 00:36:03.889 upon the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord 00:36:03.889 --> 00:36:08.010 commanded the blessing, even life forevermore. 00:36:08.309 --> 00:36:17.719 I read Psalm 134. Let me say this. We heard it 00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:21.480 in the song that we sang this morning. I don't 00:36:21.480 --> 00:36:24.159 know everyone's heart in here this morning. But 00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:27.599 what I do know this is, regardless of who you 00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:30.980 are, the invitation is the same. Matthew chapter 00:36:30.980 --> 00:36:36.090 11, our Lord's words. Come unto me, all ye that 00:36:36.090 --> 00:36:39.429 labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you 00:36:39.429 --> 00:36:43.889 rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. 00:36:44.110 --> 00:36:47.670 In other words, humble yourself before me. For 00:36:47.670 --> 00:36:50.730 I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find 00:36:50.730 --> 00:36:55.630 rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and 00:36:56.170 --> 00:37:03.099 my burden is light. If you find yourself this 00:37:03.099 --> 00:37:06.199 morning, believer or unbeliever alike, with pride 00:37:06.199 --> 00:37:09.349 in your heart, and a restlessness in your soul, 00:37:09.429 --> 00:37:13.909 and no hope, or your hope is weaning, it's lacking, 00:37:14.230 --> 00:37:22.300 repent, confess. We're told that if we confess 00:37:22.300 --> 00:37:24.519 our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive 00:37:24.519 --> 00:37:28.090 us our sin. He says, Come unto me, all ye who 00:37:28.090 --> 00:37:30.070 are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you 00:37:30.070 --> 00:37:32.750 rest. And that's my prayer for you this morning. 00:37:34.079 --> 00:37:37.099 Psalm 134, Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye 00:37:37.099 --> 00:37:39.539 servants of the Lord, which by night stand in 00:37:39.539 --> 00:37:42.550 the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in 00:37:42.550 --> 00:37:45.670 the sanctuary and bless the Lord, the Lord that 00:37:45.670 --> 00:37:48.769 made heaven and earth. Bless thee out of Zion. 00:37:49.369 --> 00:38:07.059 Amen. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father, 00:38:07.139 --> 00:38:10.429 if we would grow in our understanding and have 00:38:10.429 --> 00:38:14.050 perfect knowledge of who you are, we would have 00:38:14.050 --> 00:38:18.139 completely contented souls. There would be nothing 00:38:18.139 --> 00:38:20.480 disquieted within us at all. Lord, there would 00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:23.989 not be a restlessness. Lord, we wouldn't feel 00:38:23.989 --> 00:38:27.969 an angst. Lord, we live in an anxious culture, 00:38:28.510 --> 00:38:34.750 fearful, polemical fighting, Lord, and brings 00:38:34.820 --> 00:38:37.059 distractions, particularly inwardly, Lord. And 00:38:37.059 --> 00:38:39.380 we have a very difficult time of centering ourselves 00:38:39.380 --> 00:38:42.500 and stopping and being still before you, Lord. 00:38:44.230 --> 00:38:46.670 Father, fighting for the illusion of control. 00:38:47.230 --> 00:38:49.889 But Lord God, if we would stop for just a moment 00:38:49.889 --> 00:38:53.559 and realize, Lord, we can trust the one who has 00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:58.940 given your son for us, Lord. You delivered him 00:38:58.940 --> 00:39:04.139 up. You did not spare your son. Lord, out of 00:39:04.139 --> 00:39:08.019 love, you allowed your son to suffer the punishment 00:39:08.019 --> 00:39:12.239 that was due us. He suffered. And Lord, in love, 00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:14.960 Lord, if we could understand, Lord, this is the 00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:17.679 God that we serve, whose ways are perfect, whose 00:39:17.679 --> 00:39:20.960 wisdom is perfect, whose plan is perfect. Lord 00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:22.900 God, if we would rest in that, we would have 00:39:22.900 --> 00:39:29.400 complete peace in our souls. But we don't. And 00:39:29.400 --> 00:39:32.159 so, Father, forgive us, Lord. Forgive me for 00:39:32.219 --> 00:39:37.849 the fear, the anxiety, the control, Lord, that 00:39:37.880 --> 00:39:41.659 I so desperately cling to. Would you help us 00:39:41.659 --> 00:39:44.119 to learn to lean into you, to trust you more, 00:39:44.219 --> 00:39:47.079 to follow the example of our Savior Christ, who, 00:39:47.159 --> 00:39:49.719 Lord, absolutely rested in your plan and therefore 00:39:49.719 --> 00:39:53.440 completely content. Lord God, would you teach 00:39:53.440 --> 00:39:55.980 us, help us. Father, help your people, Lord. 00:39:56.019 --> 00:39:57.539 There are many who are suffering, Lord. God's 00:39:57.539 --> 00:39:59.659 suffering because, Lord, they're fighting, Lord, 00:39:59.699 --> 00:40:01.940 emotionally, Lord, so very much because they've 00:40:01.940 --> 00:40:05.460 not yet learned to really rest in you. Let us 00:40:05.460 --> 00:40:08.340 hope thou in the Lord and be like that weaned 00:40:08.340 --> 00:40:11.000 child. that has learned to be content. Father, 00:40:11.079 --> 00:40:13.440 we ask this, Lord, as we prepare to go to communion, 00:40:13.659 --> 00:40:15.900 that, Lord, we commune with the risen Christ. 00:40:16.119 --> 00:40:18.420 We see there again the body of our Lord that 00:40:18.420 --> 00:40:21.159 was given for us, the blood that was shed for 00:40:21.159 --> 00:40:24.059 us. And there, Father, not only do we find salvation, 00:40:24.280 --> 00:40:28.139 but we find peace. Lord, produce that in us, 00:40:28.179 --> 00:40:31.460 we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Deacons, if you 00:40:31.460 --> 00:40:34.500 would come to the table and prepare for communion.