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good morning to everyone welcome to free grace baptist church all of our regulars welcome back for those who are visiting us from other places near and far we welcome you to our church it's a joy to be on the Lord's Day in the house of God so welcome just a couple announcements before we begin worship this morning sure reminder a pastor Butler's traveling Jim and Rebecca are traveling over the next couple weeks they'll be back sometime around the 27th I believe we can keep them in prayer that they'll have a good vacation a gym is actually preaching this morning at pastor Marcellus's church grace reformed baptist church of the antelope valley so we can pray for him and that church as they gather a little bit later and but just a reminder that then the bible study wednesday bible study i'm off mute wednesday bible study is postponed or canceled while pastor butler is gone so it will reconvene wednesday the first wednesday in august so not the wednesday he gets back but the wednesday after that as well fellowship luncheons are no longer just for the summer they'll reconvene in September so no fellowship luncheon this month no fellowship luncheon in August if you do feel compelled though on the third week of every month to make dishes of food you can drop them off at my house for 369 Callahan could know that's why first first or the third week Sunday in September will be the next fellowship lunch and I believe well let's move on then to sacred things as we approach our Lord now in worship if you'll turn with me in your Bibles to psalm 32 psalm 32 that will be our call to worship this morning psalm 32 this is the word of the living and true God a psalm of David a contemplation blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit when I kept silent my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for day and night your hand was heavy upon me my vitality was turned into the drought of summer seyla I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I have not hidden I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin seyla for this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found surely in a flood of Great Waters they shall not come near him you are my hiding place you shall preserve me from trouble you shall surround me with songs of deliverance seyla I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go I will guide you with my eye do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding which must be harnessed with bit and bridle else they will not come near you many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he who trusts in the lord mercy shall surround him be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous and shout for joy all you upright in heart amen well let's stand and sing our next him is going to be him 87 him number 87 will stand as a church and sing holy holy holy Oh Oh you let's be seated we'll go to our Lord now in prayer just a reminder this this Lord's Day morning we had a prayer meeting where we have a good hour to pray for many things bring many things before our Lord in prayer we do that every second Lord's Day the other lords day is going through our confession of faith so if any of you didn't know that now you do sometimes during the time of prayer we can't pray for everything we would be here until wed nez day if we did so there are some things that we cannot pray for but if you do have things that you would like prayed for please send me an email or call me we do pray throughout the week of course as we ought we send announcements out we gather Wednesdays and and sunday mornings to pray for the concerns of the church not only ours but the church at large worldwide well let's go to our great God in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you that we can now gather as the states of Christ in this place to worship you Father Son and Holy Spirit we thank you that we have the freedom the Liberty to gather in this place we can come in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ to render unto you worship that is most certainly do your high name we do pray that you would help us to render worship properly that we would do so biblically and with great joy we pray Lord God as Christ instructed that your name would be hallowed in this place and throughout the earth we pray that church is gathering on this your Lord's Day would gather together and that they would hallo your most precious name that they would sing your praises and that they would truly worship you in spirit and in truth we do pray for that here in this place so we would ask for that measure of your Holy Spirit where our souls might be lifted to a high in reverent worship of our triune God we do pray Lord that you would help us that you would give us aid that you might be the one who receives all honor and all praise in this place we thank you that we can gather knowing that we can only gather by virtue of being saved by such a god through the Lord Jesus Christ and that by amazing grace we thank you that you did send your son in the fullness of the times born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those who were under the law that we might receive adoption as sons we thank you for that most blessed truth that Christ Jesus came into this world sinners to save we know that our salvation is not by works of righteousness which we have done but much rather according to your mercy you saved us we know that salvation from first to last midst and throughout is of a triune God who saves without a helper and in that we rejoice and in that we know that we rot we rely solely on alone upon you for continued Grace's for increase in faith that you might by your spirit lift us up too high in heavy thoughts of our Savior each and every day and especially on this your Lord's Day we thank you for bringing us forth by your grace and for your glory from darkness the darkness of sin from deadness and sin and trespass to life and light in Christ Jesus the Lord we do pray that you would help us in light of so great a salvation to sing your praises and to rejoice in our precious Christ we would ask God that you would be with those whom we prayed for this morning those many who are suffering physically with illness with disease with injury recovering from surgery we just pray that you attend to each and every one that you would lift them up that they would know reprieves from pain physically but in the midst of affliction Lord that you would lift them up and that they would be be able to resign holy unto your will and all things that even in the midst of physical travail that they would rejoice in their God knowing that the judge of all the earth does right we would pray Lord that you would be with the persecuted Saints our brothers and sisters around the world there are our fellow Christians in many nations Lord who suffer under the heavy hand of oppressors and who incur much violence by those who are your enemies we do pray that you would uplift our brothers and sisters in Christ that you would watch over them and protect them Lord we would ask that they would know the abiding presence of their God in the midst of trial and in the midst of affliction we would pray that you would cause them not to be anxious in anything I know that's easy for us to say and to pray but we would ask that you would help them not to be anxious in anything but with prayer and supplication mingled with Thanksgiving that they might make their requests known to you and that they would find the peace of God which surpasses all understanding through Christ Jesus our Lord and we do pray that you attend to their persecutors that you would save them by your grace and for your glory like soul so many years ago who sought to destroy the church at by amazing grace you conquered his heart and and saved him and put him into that place where he was a bold proclaimer of the gospel of Jesus Christ we pray that you would do this many times over for those who are in for those who persecute your people that those who formerly persecuted them might be found among them singing the praises of Christ we do know that there will be some who will remain in rebellion against you and we do pray that you attend to them temporarily we do pray that you would remove them from out of the way by whatever means that you may ordain Lord God we do pray that you would remove them away from these places where they bring violence upon your people that are Saints that our fellow brothers and sisters might know peace we do pray Lord that you attend to those who rule over us we are called in the scriptures to pray for kings and those in authority and we do pray for those who govern over us that you would conquer wicked hearts and turn them from the madness of sanctioning sin and all manner of abominations in our lands and turn them on to righteousness and the equity that is found in the Word of God we pray that they would rule justly and no longer put down the good and lift up the wicked and we would ask God that you would take from positions of power those who would seek to pervert the land with injustice and lawlessness and that you would raise up those who would order it according to your righteousness we would ask Lord God that you'd watch over pastor Butler as he travels and Rebecca and be with them and watch over them help them to have a time of much refreshing we do pray that as he preaches down in palmdale that you would give him aid that he would proclaim the riches of Christ in that congregation and that our brothers and sisters there in that church would be richly blessed by your this day we do pray father that you would now be with us help us as we worship to worship you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by your spirit we pray that we would be marked by that true in biblical worship so steal away anything that would hinder proper worship those thoughts that we might have that can intrude thoughts of the past week thoughts of this upcoming week help our minds not to wander but help them to be gathered by your spirit that we might render unto you joyful worship and we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen let's stand and sing our next team is going to be in the red Trinity salter we're going to stand and sing Psalm 9 in the red Trinity salter this to a familiar tune just a note will be singing psalm 9 verses 1 to 10 let's stand together and sing you you please be seated in turn in your Bibles to the book of Matthew our New Testament scripture reading is from the book of Matthew as we continue to read through the New Testament Matthew 13 we did read verse from verse 12 verse 23 last time so we'll pick up reading in verse 24 Matthew 13 24 the Word of God another parable he put forth to them saying the kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field but while men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way but when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop then the tears also appeared so the servants of the owner came and said to him sir did you not sow good seed in your field how then does it have tears he said to them an enemy has done this the servant said to him do you want us then to go and gather them up but he said no lest while you gather up the tears you also uproot the wheat with them let both grow together until the harvest and at the time of harvest I will say to the Reapers first gathered together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them but gather the wheat into my barn another parable he put forth to them saying the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field which indeed is the least of all the seeds but when it is grown it is greatest it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches another parable he spoke to them the kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened all these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables and without a parable he did not speak to them that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying I will open my mouth in parables I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house and his disciples came to him saying explain to us the parable of the tears of the field he answered and said to them he who sews the good seed is the son of man the field is the world and good seeds are the sons of the kingdom but the tears are the sons of the wicked one the enemy who sow them is the devil the harvest is the end of the age and the Reapers are the angels therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire so it will be at the end of this age the Son of Man will send out his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness and will cast them into the furnace of fire there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth then the righteous will shine forth as the Sun in the kingdom of their father he who has ears to hear let him hear amen Christ has not yet got to the promise of building his church though of course of course it is in seed form here he he brings forth the reality that with the growth of the kingdom there will be those whom the enemy has planted that will be intermingled if you will with the wheat there will be those tears those wickedly sown grains that grew up among the wheat we need to understand though that Christ brings comfort to to the hearts of his people though with the reality that even though that is the case nevertheless the kingdom of God will grow from this mustard seed to this large tree that even the bird's nest in the kingdom of God is like leavened bread it starts out small the leaven starts out small but it leavens the whole lump we can be comforted that in this lower world why the while the tears of the enemy seek to choke out the wheat nevertheless Christ is victorious and will be victorious he's promised to build his church the gates of Hades not prevailing against it and we can rejoice that even though we seem at times to be beset on all sides by wickedness and evil nevertheless Christ will gain the day and we will be it will be true this verse 43 reality then the righteous will shine forth as the Sun in the kingdom of their father he who has ears to hear let him hear blessed words for the saint of Christ might we rejoice in the god of this parable Heavenly Father we thank you for this time together in your word we rejoice that we can read from your scriptures we thank you for what it discloses concerning the glory of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and the growth of his kingdom here on earth that Kingdom which is not of this earth but that comes from above and that permeates throughout we thank you for the advance of the gospel for the fact that Christ is proclaimed from sea to sea we do pray this day that many would come that a thousands of newly redeemed tongues would be made such as singing the praises of their Savior by you our God and by Amazing Grace bring forth dead sinners to life in Christ this day that you might further grow your kingdom and that Christ may be owned by multitudes of tongues we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen our last him then before the preaching if you'll stand with me one more time is him number 89 come thou almighty King let's stand and sing 89 together you you can turn in your Bibles to the book of Galatians Galatians chapter one while you find your way there or before we read from Galatians 1 James Montgomery Boyce says this with regards to the book of Galatians and its significance its importance he writes not many books have made such a lasting impression on men's minds as the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians nor have many done so much to shape the history of the Western world the Protestant reformers had this as something of a flagship book because it lifts up the doctrine of justification by faith alone before the eyes and the minds of men and it brings forth the reality of Christian Liberty stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage the Apostle Paul is the author as we'll look at in a number of minutes here it was written probably in the year 47 48 ad Paul's most likely Paul's first epistle he's writing this to the churches of Galatia these would have been the southern galatian churches that he preached the gospel to in acts 13 1 through acts 14 28 he goes through pacinian Antioch Iconium Lystra Derby preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ he comes back through and follows up that Proclamation with a checking in on the churches and then eventually he writes the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians the theme of the book is a glorious one it is simply the defense of the gospel of sovereign grace with special emphasis on justification by faith alone and that was necessitated by those who were perverting the gospel of Jesus price these Judaizers these most likely Jerusalem Jews who had gone to Galatia to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ the danger is as ed writes putting partial or complete trust in legal observances this is why Paul time and again exalts justification by faith alone apart from the works of the law because if justification comes whether partially or completely by trust in legal observances then that sets aside the grace of God and it renders the cross of Christ is empty and vain much is at stake here in the letter of Paul to the Galatians well let's read verse 12 verse 10 and then we'll have a look specifically at the first three verses and then verse four and five this evening this is Galatians 11 Paul an apostle not from men nor through man but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead and all the brethren who are with me to the churches of Galatia grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father to whom be glory forever and ever amen I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel which is not another but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ but even if we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you let him be accursed as we have said before so now I say again if anyone preaches any other gospel to you then what you have received let him be accursed for do I now persuade men or God or do I seek to please men for if I still pleased men I would not be a bondservant of Christ amen well let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for this now the preaching of your Holy Word we would ask that you would bless this time of worship help the preacher to proclaim rightly the things of your holy scriptures we do pray that you would by your spirit 10 done to those gathered we would ask Lord God that those saints of yours would be well instructed and lifted up edified encouraged in your word and by your Christ and for your glory we pray that they would leave here equipped well equipped to go into this upcoming week to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of your glorious gospel and we do pray as well for those who entered in these two doors outside of Christ in unbelief we would ask Lord God that you would save them from on high that you would send your spirit that by amazing grace they would turn from their wickedness that you would make them alive by sovereign grace and caused them to leave this place rejoicing in our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we do pray that all that is done Lord God would be unto your glory we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well we're going to look at verses 1 to 3 this morning and it's perhaps verses that sometimes can be overlooked in a reading of an epistle some you know in with human minds can well those are the only sorts of minds that we can come to the Bible with but with our minds we can come to the beginning of a letter and we can kind of think the tradition of letter writing and just sort of skip past some of the letters that that are some of the words that these letters begin with you know when we read hopefully this isn't the case but sometimes when we read letters written by human authors uninspired you know dear so and so I hope this letter finds you well we can kind of just mumble that in our minds and skip past it and go to the good stuff you see there is much in the opening words of these epistles by the Apostles and by those inspired of God to the various churches as we find them in the New Testament and we ought not to simply skip past these things we ought not to think light of these introductory words as if it's just the apostle yawning and writing an introduction and then getting to the meat and potatoes no we have the Apostle Paul introducing this letter and it does us well or we are well served two key on some things why certain wording is being used and what certain wording means the we're simply going to look at three things this morning and those are first the author second the audience and third the benediction notice first the author it's very simple first off we want to observe Paul now this is one of those it's one of those things where many reform preachers could come to the word Paul and that could be the stuff that will launch a four sermon series on what that means you know Paul before conversion Paul after conversion Paul in his calling to the apostleship etc etc but very briefly let's consider the author of this letter here for a moment Paul we've said it before from this pulpit I know I have that when you come to a book of the Bible or a particular portion of narrative in your Bibles never just skip past a reflecting upon the person under focus or concern in this case it's Paul it's an amazing thing that Paul is writing to the churches of Galatia and that he opens up Benedict orally with grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ why because we know what Paul was we know who Paul was it's a testament to the grace the Almighty and amazing grace of God that this Paul once Saul is taking pen to parchment and penning these words again we've done this before but let's go through this exercise consider the psalm that we read this morning psalm 32 never skip past psalm 32 without a solemn and joyful reflection upon who is penning these words a psalm of david a contemplation blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity those those words in and of themselves are glorious because truly blessed is the man who has his sins covered and truly blessed is the one to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity but this is David penning these words the one who lay with Bathsheba the one who to cover that up set uriah into the forefront of the hottest battle to be murdered this is David penning those words never skip past an opportunity to reflect upon who is penning certain words think of the Apostle Peter in his first letter other places to be sure but the Apostle Peter in first Peter 1 rights to those who believe he is precious writing of the Lord Jesus Christ to those who believe he is precious don't just skip past those words move on to the next without reflecting for a moment on who is penning those words Peter the one to whom the Lord said you will deny me three times but I will restore you I will restore faith to you and you will strengthen your brethren he cast Peter did his eyes upon Christ rate after denying thrice before a servant girl his eyes caught the gaze of his master and he broke down but post-resurrection Christ comes to him and he doesn't berate him he doesn't rebuke him he doesn't lean in on him with a strong arm he feeds him breakfast gives him a bible study and restores him well here we have the Apostle Paul that one who sought to put an end to Christianity now penning the blessed words of this epistle just look at what Paul says of himself notice in verse 11 but I make known to you brethren this is Galatians 1 11 but I make known to you brethren that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man nor excuse me before I neither received it from man nor was I taught it but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ now notice for you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it see the Apostle Paul doesn't shrink back from rehearsing his former conduct as a sinner outside of christ in damning activity and engaging in multitudinous wickedness he says i persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy verse 14 and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation being more exceedingly zealous for the tradition traditions of my father's this was Paul prior to being confronted wholesomely by sovereign and victorious grace and this is the one that is now writing this letter because verse 15 but when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace to reveal his son in me that I might preach him among the Gentiles notice as well in verse 21 afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia and I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ but they were hearing only he who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy and they glorified God in me see brethren this is where we ought to take pause though 2,000 years removed from these Syrians and Cilicians and these rejoicing that God had saved Paul we should take pause to likewise glorify God because he really is a God rich in grace to take a Paul who was seeking to put an end to Christianity seeking to destroy the church dragging men and women from out of their houses off to prison even unto death unto murder he stood by and welcomed the heavy robes of those who were crushing Stephens head with large rocks and he did so approvingly and yet by amazing grace thats all is turned into this Paul the greatest propagator of the Christian faith ever to walk the earth save our Lord Himself we have such a rehearsal that can be engaged in at just the word Paul never skip past an opportunity to reflect upon the author of a particular letter now notice is well an apostle paul an apostle now this might you know to the to the quick mind that's reading through these words to the mind just saying Paul an apostle ok n you moving on to churches of Galatia etc I just think okay that's just the the Apostle Paul identifying himself I'm Paul the Apostle and then and then that's it there's something very important in what he is doing when he says Paul an apostle first off he is stressing the reality that he comes to them and he writes to them as one with an official office he's not just Paul you know a citizen of you know our shared earthly community that wants to share some things with the Galatian churches he's Paul an apostle and not just a small a apostle a messenger one cent generally speaking but a capital A apostle one officially sent by a king sovereign in order to bring a message bearing the authority of the sovereign sending he is a commissioned apostle it is you know there is a general sense in which we can see apostle as just a messenger in fact the greatest messenger that ever walked the earth the Lord Jesus Christ is called apostle in the book of Hebrews apostle can refer simply to messenger but here Paul is using the word and employing it to identify himself in order that they might understand that this letter comes with authority you see what was happening in the church was this as e denotes the apostles standing had been challenged by a faction in the Galatian churches in order that his distinctive teaching might be disparaged or set aside you see that was one of the issues not only was it a perversion these people coming into trouble to trouble the Galatians not only was it a perversion of the gospel but it was an O surfing of the authority of the Apostle Paul has one sent by God preaching the riches and the excellencies of price what better way to to pervert the gospel by saying that the one who came to preach the gospel was not officially sent and is not a valid messenger of the gospel of Jesus Christ to undermine his doctrine he goes on to write they denied or explained away his apostleship seems to have been alleged against him that as he had not been a personal disciple of Jesus he could not claim the inspiration enjoyed by those on whom he breathed as he said receive ye the Holy Ghost that his gospel had been communicate communicated to him through a human medium and therefore was not primary and authoritative truth so Paul rightly doesn't just say Paul he says Paul an apostle but you see he then underscores that and bolds it by this bracketed qualification not from men nor through man but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead you see he's underscoring the reality that his Apostleship isn't some earthly established reality he wasn't commissioned by men he was not sent into action by earthly figures but rather by the triune God he or his Apostleship or rather the Apostle Paul comes to them and he writes to them as one divinely Commission he has been commissioned by God to bring his Apostleship that's why he writes again not from men nor through man but through Jesus Christ and God the Father and note who raised him from the dead his very apostleship comes from the power of God that same God who threw great divine power raised again the Lord Christ from the dead he wants to stress that it's not these it's not the Apostle Paul that is the error wrist that is one preaching error it's not the Apostle Paul that is not divinely that is not divinely commissioned it is these who were seeking to pervert the gospel of grace who come not with the warrant of God but rather with the stamp of the devil himself seeking to pervert such a glorious gospel what's at stake brethren when Paul writes here an apostle and when he punctuated that by this qualification divinely commissioned apostle what's at stake is the eternal salvation of souls the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ you see remember in the book of Lygia there's the letter to the church in Ephesus and one of the commendations that the Lord Christ gives to that church is that they tested those who said that they were apostles and were not and found them to be liars it is absolutely necessary for the Church of Christ to mark those who do bear the stamp of approval as being commissioned by God and those who are not and one of the ways that that can be established not the only way but a chief way is which gospel do they preach that's why we have verses 8 and 9 even if we are an angel from heaven come preaching any other gospel let him be accursed he says it twice to underscore to punctuate the absolute importance of protecting the gospel of saving race not through not from men nor through man but through Jesus Christ notice the language that he uses in verse 15 just a reminder or excuse me verse 11 but I make known to you brethren that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man for I neither received it from man nor was I taught it but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ you see that's not just Paul rehearsing how he came into his Apostleship or sort of giving a narrative of when the Lord Christ commissioned him but he's defending the reality that his Apostleship comes by divine Commission he was sent by God through the Lord Jesus Christ by the Lord Jesus Christ from God the Father who raised him from the dead he comes with the authority of god most high just before we move on to our next point i think we need to take away a few things from these things first i think you should we should enrich our bible reading when we're reading certain portions of the bible by reflections on the characters involved and when I say characters I mean the real persons that the Bible is telling this story about in this case the Apostle Paul never read net not never that's that's perhaps binding your conscience but when you read Galatians when you read Ephesians when you read philippians when read colossians when you read all of these books perhaps at some point go back to the book of Acts and find those portions of the book of Acts that deal with the very things that those books are dealing with remember that the Apostle Paul isn't just writing a letter to the Galatians having never dealt with them before and having never spoken to them before and having never preached to them before you go to acts 13 1 through acts 14 28 and therein you find that chunk of the book of Acts dealing with the very churches that he's writing to hear you read through the book of Galatians or perhaps even before you do read acts 13 1 through 14 28 you see the background of what Paul is getting had here and actually threw two through chapter 15 with regards to the Jerusalem Council the very matter that is being dealt with here was dealt with at that Jerusalem Council as well so enrich your Bible reading by reflecting upon the author as often as you have occasion to do so secondly don't count persons beyond the reach of divine grace do I mean by that don't count persons beyond the reach of divine grace Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ Paul wrote you see we I think we can in our Christian lives we can very often become anxious and frustrated we've spoken to friends and family members of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that the holiness the perfections of our triune God the sinfulness of man the glory of Jesus Christ in saving men from their sins they they will have nothing of it it's folly it's madness it's ridiculed it's mocked we get frustrated and we can figuratively or maybe for some of us literally bang our heads against the wall should never do that why because the god over those things is the god of the Apostle Paul this man was seeking to put an end to Christianity to put it down he shed the blood of men and women in order that he might bring an end to the Christian faith and yet God comes upon the wings of Victoria grace and brings that wretch to salvation in Jesus Christ the Lord never count persons beyond the reach of divine grace pray for them remain diligent there is sufficient biblical warrant to stop at some point preaching if they're coming at you with guns and knives but insofar as they're still breath in their lungs and they're not railing out right against the things of the kingdom keep with diligence proclaiming the gospel of saving grace because there are none beyond the reach of amazing grace the thirdly respect the persons God has ordained to bring the gospel of peace there is in this letter even in just these well in the in the entirety of chapter 1 where Paul is arguing for his Apostleship there is sufficient warrant that extends to us in our own day that we are to respect those who have been commissioned to proclaim the gospel of peace we are not to exalt men but we are to respect those whom God has put in places of influence to proclaim the gospel of saving grace well let's look let's move on to the audience who's the audience here in fact before we do we ought not to skip by the first part of verse 2 and all the brethren who are with me so the Apostle Paul is the author of this letter he gives this qualification respecting his Apostleship that it is by divine Commission and then he says and all the brethren who are with me there's something important in this too well first off who are all these brethren that are with him it's probably not the congregation of Christians that he found himself among that I mean that's fine if you if you would hold that to understanding of that portion of the verse its most likely certain people in his inner circle that bear the same recognition of the proper gospel of saving grace in other words it's not just Paul alone who is the proclaimer of justification by faith alone without the works of the law not by the works of the law but all these brethren that are with him it's not just Paul this rogue apostle running around preaching a gospel of saving and victorious race but rather the Brethren that are with him bear the mark of a stamp of approval upon the legitimacy and the veracity that means the certain truthfulness that the gospel of Jesus Christ is such that were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone and not by the works of the law for if righteousness comes through the law then Christ died in vain so who is the audience he writes to the churches of Galatia and two things we ought to note here first off who these churches are I know I've already alluded to it briefly but in engaging in that exercise that was just recommended let's turn to acts 13 for a moment we're not going to read the whole portion but just to make a note of who these churches in South Galatia are acts 13 we want to make two observations from the text speak to the populating if you will of the churches of Galatia by amazing grace through the Gospels proclamation but notice that in acts 13 we have the ministry the ministry of the Apostle Paul we have the apostolic ministry going out to many churches and you'll notice first we have pacinian antioch there is the Antioch in pasilla that they go to they preach the gospel there they go to Iconium they go to Lystra they go to derby etc those are the churches that populate South Galatia notice a summary report in acts 13 verse 48 now when the Gentiles heard this they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed so at the preaching in pacinian Antioch they preached the gospel of glorious and saving grace and there are those gathered who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ having a forehand been appointed unto faith as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed and then notice in verse 1 of chapter 14 now it happened at Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews of the Greeks believed but the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the Brethren therefore they stayed there a long time speaking boldly in the Lord who was bearing witness to the word of His grace granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands so you see there that if you read through that narrative you see how God is populating if you will these churches in South Galatia he preaches the gospel of Christ and many Jews and Gentiles are brought into the church by amazing in victorious grace and these are the churches of Galatia that Paul is writing to now a second thing we ought to observe here is the fact that Paul only says or only writes to the churches of Galatia he doesn't write to the churches of God in Galatia called to be Saints he doesn't write to my beloved brethren in Galatia grace to you early right does say grace to you but he doesn't say to the churches beloved of God in Galatia and there may be a reason for that there may be in here a subtle rebuke notice in the book of Romans verse 7 of chapter 1 notice what we find there this is the Apostle Paul to all who are in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints then he uses the same benediction grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ but you see what is present here that is absent in Galatia he says beloved of God called to be Saints and current in first Corinthians chapter 1 what do we find there we find to the Church of God which is at Corinth to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints in 2nd Corinthians 1 we find this to the Church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are who are in all aquella and just bear with me in Ephesians chapter 1 notice what we find there to the Saints who are in Ephesus and faithful in Christ Jesus Philippians to all the saints in Christ Jesus you are in Philip I with the bishops and deacons and finally but not even to really exhaust the examples notice in Colossians 1 to the Saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colossae so now we get back to Galatians 2 here to the churches of Galatia there's probably hear a possible rebuke you see because verse 6 says I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel you see what's at stake here in Galatia is dire it's a grave situation in Galatia in the churches of Galatia so paul is very quick and he leaves out a reflection upon commendable things that it's the church of god that their beloved of God that they're Saints in Christ Jesus it's the only instance where he just says to the churches of Galatia now believe that or don't believe that that there is a rebuke in there but i think what follows immediately strengthens that understanding because he doesn't go off on you know we're thankful to God for you for we've prayed for you etc etc he launches immediately into a rebuke he marched he launches immediately into this wholesome astonishing that they're turning away from the gospel of grace to a perverted gospel which is no gospel at all now notice then thirdly the benediction the benedictions we know the author we know the audience notice the benediction verse 3 grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ we need to observe and we need to appreciate that these aren't just mechanical words it's not just an apostolic formula again of the Apostle Paul wasn't sitting down you know just getting this introduction out of the way yawning is he says grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ heaven forbid this is rich with pastoral love and care what is the answer to the issue in Galatia what is the answer what is the remedy to the perversion of the gospel well it certainly that the triune God would bring to the hearts of the churches of Galatia grace and peace we'll see why in a moment but we need to appreciate that at large this is not simply a formulaic beginning to the letter but it represents the genuine pastoral heart of the Apostle Paul and it reflects an immediate need that the Galatian churches had very rightly not by formula but rightly into a to a designed purpose he writes these words grace to you and peace from God the Father in the Lord Jesus Christ so just generally then what does it mean when he writes grace to you in peace what what is he getting at there probably what's not in view is salvific grace and peace he is writing to Saints he is writing to believers he is writing to those who are the recipients of the verse for reality who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil age according to the will of our God and Father so the grace and peace that's in view is probably not that salvific grace and peace that God effects in the hearts of his elect for his own glory now no doubt the Apostle Paul preaches that elsewhere and we ought to understand that for persons who are reading this letter hearing this letter in the churches that are outside of Christ God can own such words unto the saving of their souls but the grace and peace and view is most likely not that salvific or saving grace what is it then well first the grace this can be described as an increase of grace as to its degrees acts and exercise as gill an increase in grace growth in the grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ you read that in Peters epistles don't we grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ that is a reality for Christians we are saved by grace and then by grace we grow in that self-same grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and so the gray sets in view is again an increase of grace as to its degrees acts and exercise one of the places that we find that is in Hebrews 4 in Hebrews for this idea of grace again not being a saving grace but a grace that comes from God to saints and usually in times of absolute need not that we're never outside of the need of God's grace but very often in time of in time of need in time of gravity and seriousness in Hebrews 4 15 what do we have we have these blessed words for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need the Galatians were in a time of need the Galatians were in a time of of they were in a very needy time these people were coming in tossing away the the apostleship of Paul saying it was through men that it was by men saying he was not commissioned by God and so this gospel then that this Apostle Paul was preaching to you it's not of God you see this is the gospel the different gospel the perverted gospel which is not another that they were preaching that the error ists that the heretics that those troubling the Galatians were preaching Christ Jesus yes you know he's enough he did a B and C but you see you need to do do d through Z I said that for any Americans in the crowd and because it rhymes with see you need to do d through Z because Christ didn't do enough to affect your salvation Christ yes you need to believe in Christ that's good but you also must be circumsized according to mosaic institution and you must adhere to mosaic precepts in order to be justified before God you see Paul doesn't just roll into town and say oh let's just you know let's just all live together they can have their gospel will have ours and we'll just sing Kumbaya around the i er no Paul speaks to that perverse gospel and calls it such a different gospel a perversion of the gospel one that is to receive anathema a devotion unto destruction it incurs the curse and the wrath of God that's what's at stake here they need grace they need to obtain help from the throne of grace from Father Son and Holy Spirit so that grace in view is just that an increase in grace in the John ed speaks of it this way that grace in this case is that many sided favor that comes in the form of hope to Saints and despondency of joy to them in sorrow of patience to them and suffering a victory to them under assault and a final triumph to them in the hour of death we ought to pray we we may never come under such things as many of our brothers and sisters of Christ have and do and will come under but we ought to always pray for such grace that we would have hope in times of our own despondency that we would have the strength from on high given to us to endure through these trials through afflictions that we would have victory under assault final triumph in the hour of death grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ what does the peace mean then if grace is not necessarily that saving grace but rather that growth in grace that strengthening of grace that increase of grace what then is the piece being spoken of well again it's probably not that saving reconciliatory peace between God and men but there would needs be a chase inning taken away by a correction back to the proper gospel if these were being if these were if Paul is marveling that they were turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel then they would need that peace restored in the sense of the chase inning of the phone other casting a chase inning I upon a wayward saint but the piece that's in view is probably and will list a few descriptions or a few definitions of what the piece and view is mental tranquility and I'll bear with me with that one I'm not talking about a Buddhist mental tranquility where they're just supposed to meditate somewhere in the Iconium desert and you know just empty their minds of all thought and Hum mental tranquility perhaps further defined this way the felt enjoyment of the favor of God peace in the conscience and as ed says that form of spiritual blessing which keeps the heart in a state of happy repose why do they need peace why do they need this happy state why do they need an inflamed conscience calmed and restored why do they need the waters of peace to wash away the flames of mental in tranquility well because they are being taught to assume they are being taught to believe that they need to engage in obedience to the law of God in order to merit his favor if if we if any any man woman boy or girl ever under a system that says that you must strive unto perfection in order to merit justification and divine favor they would we would never be at peace under such a system never at peace what is the autobiographical report of Martin Luther he was tormented tormented in this task that he thought he had to go through you know he had to do XY and z perfect obedience to the law of god this righteousness that avails with god in that system was a righteousness that he had two perfect through his life obedience to precept after preset purification law after purification law institution after institution of the Roman Catholic Church in order to maybe at the end of that laborious journey maybe hear words enter the bliss of everlasting life but probably not even that enter purgatory where for an indeterminate amount of time you'll have to go through purge after purging until God lets you into the bliss of everlasting life what a what a what a piece lyst religion that is so you see these were in a these were in a state where they were being taught that it is not justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone there is a Christ element but you see we also need the act of circumcision we also need to adhere to mosaic institution after institution in order to finally hear those words enter ye faithful to the bliss of everlasting life they would have been taxed stressed burdened down with things that never entered into the mind of God this is why Paul writes in Galatians 5 at verse 1 stand fast therefore in the Liberty by which Christ has made us free and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage it's hard for me to it's hard for me to read that verse without thinking of Alan Cairns I think he with his Irish accent I listen to a sermon when I God first saved me he was preaching on the Reformation then he and he's in the King James I can't say it without the King James English do that is in there but stand fast thereby in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with a yoke of bondage you see that's what's at stake here being entangled in a yoke of bondage oh the gospel of amazing and victorious grace casts off all bondage casts away that chases away all manner or institution of religion that would say yes we can add yes we must add whether partially or to completion things to the finished work of the lord jesus christ may that never in enter into the Churches of Christ may that never enter into a true church of the Lord Jesus Christ to argue that Christ is not enough horror and affront to the gospel of saving grace is any such thought Paul writing at the end of Galatians 2 writes these words and this is what is at stake ultimately I do not set aside it verse 21 the grace of God for if righteousness comes through the law then Christ died in vain the cross of Christ that blessed though horrible act wicked act of wicked men delivering Christ up to death though in the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God an event for ordained unto the salvation of multitudes that no man can number but that glorious event that glorious glorious event is rendered as vanity and is rendered empty and is rendered as no effect if we can be justified whether in part or completely by adherence to the law Christ came in vain then Christ died in vain then you see why you some you know some look at the you know the present landscape of of you know religion Christian religion and those who would say that they are Christian but are not you know there's this idea that we just need to seek peace you know it's been 500 years since the Council of Trent and the Protestant Reformation can't we all just you know can't we all just grab a guitar grab some Oscar Mayer wieners and sit around a fire sing Kumbaya and just disregard the gospel of Jesus Christ at the point of justification of course we can't you see what's at stake here oh you mean Protestants oh you mean adherence to confessions of faith throughout the years that have upheld justification by faith alone apart from the works of the law why are you so mean to those who are preaching a little different gospel it's not just a different gospel it's know gospel but at all it's the perversity of true and proper and holy religion to say that Christ coming into this world giving his life a ransom for guilty sinners perfecting the saving work that God the Father sent him to do that's not enough to look at the bleeding wounds the Lord Jesus Christ in in effect obviously not looking literally at the but to look upon the bleeding wounds of the Lord Jesus Christ a massacre body upon gall gatha's jib it and to say you know that's that's that's not enough to dwell upon a victorious Redeemer arising from the tomb victorious in his saving work ascending to the right hand of the Majesty on high where he receives Dominion and glory and a kingdom in to say now it's it's not enough I need to I need to tape stones to my knees and walk up stairs to a statue of the Virgin Mary in order to possibly get into heaven I need to do XY and z in order to merit everlasting life no Christ paid it all all to him I owe nothing in our hands do we bring but simply to Christ's cross do we claim that's what's at stake and this is all to get back to peace brethren peace in your souls you will not have if you're seeking to merit the favor of God by obedience to the law if you're seeking justification if you're seeking salvation and redemption by your own doing you will never find peace to have peace you need to be resigned by grace unto this reality that jesus paid it all all to him I owe but a blessed gospel it is Christ who worked perfectly is Christ who obeyed perfectly it is Christ who died a perfect death upon Calvary's tree so as to secure the salvation of a multitude that no man can number not an atonement of maybe not an atonement of perhaps not an atonement that needs supplementation by the deeds of the sons of men perfect atonement perfect saving work and a glorious march from death's tune a glorious march from that tomb victorious was our Savior we not not we cannot god forbid that anyone would cast him under the dirt of a religion of salvation by works whether in part or in completion grace to you and peace the felt enjoyment of the favor of God peace in the conscience that form of spiritual blessing which keeps the heart in a state of happy repose we find that in this benediction perhaps you've maybe you haven't but maybe you have when you read these benedictions sometimes for example this one notice what it is in its fullness grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ there's noticeably someone a person of the Trinity absent from this benediction grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ perhaps the question has a as arisen arised in your Bible reading where's the Holy Spirit for it for example if you read Paul in other portions of his letters we have that same benediction identically grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ in Romans 17 first Corinthians 13 second Corinthians 12 Ephesians 1 to Philippians 1 to Colossians 1 2 2nd Thessalonians 12 the Apostle Paul really like to place that in verse too didn't he there was no versification when he when he wrote 2nd Thessalonians 12 Philemon I said that for those who don't like the way I pronounce Philemon Philemon 13 and other variations as well that have just a little bit different language grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ make no mistake that this is still a triune benediction a triune benediction this is Ambrose a brother of old from the late 4th century and peace is good and necessary that will excuse me that's that's Ambrose but not the right one you see then that we are told that the grace of the Father and the son is one and the peace of the Father and the son is one but this grace and peace is the fruit of the Spirit as the Apostle taught us himself saying but the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace patience what we have here is a triune benediction and that is simply seen in this at the Holy Spirit though not explicit is implicit as the one who brings grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ this is a triune benediction this isn't some example well you know the the early apostolic church wasn't fully flowered yet in its Trinitarian doctrine the Apostle Paul hadn't yet realized that the whole course not we see a Trinitarian Trinitarian theology throughout but the Grace and the piece is brought from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit make no mistake this is a Trinitarian benediction in fact are what we have in view here or we can see this later in the book in Galatians for a turn there we're going to close in a couple minutes here but turn to Galatians 4 for a moment just so that we can see Paul's trinitarianism simply in one verse benediction even though the Holy Spirit while not mentioned is present by virtue of being the one who brings grace and peace to the hearts of believers notice in Galatians 4 beginning in verse 4 but when the fullness of the time had come God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who were under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons verse 6 and because you are sons God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying out Abba Father therefore you are no longer a slave but a son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ you see the sending forth language there of of God pertaining to the spirit god has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts our confession of faith that chapter 14 paragraph 1 says that that grace of faith whereby the elect are enabled to believe unto the saving of their souls is the work of the spirit in their hearts and is ordinarily wrought by the Ministry of the word and also Lord's Supper in the baptism prayer other means ordained by God it is increased and strengthened the Holy Spirit is not absent from the benediction though not explicitly there he is implicitly there as the one who is sent forth by God and the father and the son to bring grace and peace to the hearts of believers it's important to see that it's important as it feeds our trinitarianism we Christians are Trinitarian let us never hold to a conception of God that is just ambiguously the one and only true God who is not also 31 God in three persons Blessed Trinity we are Trinitarian Father Son and Holy Spirit we worship one God in three persons Blessed Trinity our confession speaking about this sending forth language and in fact the early church at Galatians 4 and verse 6 used this sent forth from God into your hearts to backup the language of procession of the Holy Spirit in this divine and infinite being there are three subsistence 'as the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit of one substance power and eternity each having the whole divine essence and the essence undivided the father is of none neither begotten or preceding the Sun is eternally begotten of the Father and the Holy Spirit proceeds from the father and the son grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ it is a Trinitarian benediction and notice this language from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ we should see there the origin of all blessings is God in times of despondency where do we go do we go to ourselves do we go to help from other people well that's good sometimes we need the Saints to help to build us up in our most holy faith very often we do need each other but you see ultimately and finally the peace and the grace the origin of all blessings these come from God these come from the throne of grace that God that triune God who helps us in time of need so we need to understand we need to appreciate we need to glory in this that in times of need every time but in times of need when we need supplies of grace and peace we go to Father Son and Holy Spirit the Equality of the Sun with the father again is brought forth here grace to you and peace from God the Father and our lord jesus christ the son is not somehow inferior to the Father the Son is not somehow in some sort of a Bertie structure submitted or subordinated to the father who doesn't also dispense grace and peace but rather he has divine equality with the father grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ brethren in closing just two things that we ought to take from this single benediction first seek after growth in grace and peace to seek after gross and growth in in great in grace and peace that's hard sentenced to say growth in grace and peace brethren this is what we ought to seek after let it never be the case that we seek after stagnancy in the Christian faith let's just let's just float in the water and you know and just bask in the Sun we've arrived no need for growth and grace no need to swim no need to blast through those waves coming at you no need to pray for strength in order to swim unto that great day we need grace to endure we need peace to endure we need strength from on high to endure seek after growth in grace and peace how do we do that how do we how do we seek after growth in grace and peace one thing that hopefully you never roll your eyes at in this church the way to grow in grace and peace first off is to attend unto the means of grace come to church you know it's you know you don't need to seek after a book you'll need to go home in Google okay pastor Porter said grow it I need to grow in grace and peace I need to find a book series I need to you'll find a conference say you know how to grow it grow in grace and peace how do you like how do I grow in grace and peace the preaching of the word of God the administration of baptism and the lord's supper prayer and other means ordained by God by those things we are strengthened we are nourished from on high to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Christ Christianity isn't a rogue religion of isolationists where we all just go about and do our thing and we come back into these pews on Sundays but you know it's still just me there and I'm going to leave and forget the rest of you you know you know that when we stand and when we sing hymns our confession says the Bible says our confessions summing it up that we are singing to each other Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs you don't open up that hymn book flip to the page and sing to yourself or for yourself you're singing for the glory of God and horizontally you're singing for each other building each other up in our most holy faith singing back to each other the words of God in the glory of the gospel you come to church and you hear the preaching of the word of God that particular and a special place where God blesses his people through the proclamation of his word through cracked pots that's where by you're going to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Christ by coming into church by sitting down and by hearing the Word of God proclaim and by God's grace faithfully not by pervert or of the saving grace of god and the perfection of the saving work of christ but by those who uphold the true and saving doctrine of the true and saving gospel baptism and the lord's supper prayer you know it's not just church we hammer a lot from this pulpit the need to be in church to be here you know sunday in and sunday out and attend unto the means the lord's supper you see as well in your own private homes there is a place for private worship as well in your homes how can you grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Christ by a book by so-and-so well there's some books out there that might help you but open up your Bible there's a book that will help you open up these 66 books of the Old and New Testaments and avail the grace of God through the spirit by taking in the revelation of the living and true God feed your mind and your soul with the blessed words of Holy Writ brethren one thing that we need in this lower world when we're beset on all sides by wickedness by maybe not even wickedness maybe by our own wandering hearts the attacks of the devil whatever it may be we need grace and peace to endure pray to our triune God for daily supplies of such things in times of ease sometimes we're never brought to contemplate these things but there are those times where hardship comes and will you fall apart maybe you're brought together by the god of grace and peace though but prepare your hearts for those times of difficulty by attending unto the means of grace and private worship whereby you can be strengthened by God in Grayson and peace if you're here this morning in your outside of Christ this growing in grace in peace will not help you because first you need that saving grace from on high that you might own the name of the Savior and rejoice in the king of kings and Lord of lords if you're here in your outside of Christ you don't believe in this Jesus you've put him off you've mocked him you've just said perhaps another day perhaps you're young you're you're with your parents they bring you to church and you you know you cross your your arms and you know you don't really care if the preacher finds you you know with your head down looking at your watch or whatever you're looking at because I'm going to leave soon anyway you need to understand or your old or your middle-aged or what however old you are boy girl man woman you're outside of Christ know that that is a horrible lot it's a horrible place to be there is one who saves why do we need salvation because of the holiness of God the sinfulness of man the fact that God cannot look with approval or cannot simply look away from depravity and wickedness and the breaking of his law minute after minute hour after hour but must wholesomely with wholesome severity punish wickedness you stand under the curse and the wrath of God for breaking his law time and again and for rejecting his Christ but you see there is that blessed good news Christ Jesus came into this world sinners such as you sinners such as us to save the glorious gospel that's the gospel that was at stake that there's one who lived in obedience that there's one who died a perfect death that there's one who rose again and all this to save sinners from their sins look to this Christ believe on this Christ and you will have everlasting life and you will rejoice along with Paul giving the triune God glory for such a glorious gospel let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your word we rejoice in your revelation to men and what disclose it discloses concerning the perfect work of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we do pray Lord God that you would keep us protect us from any perversions of the gospel we pray that we would not entertain for a second anything that would seek to sully the finished and perfect work of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray that you would help us as a church to be unified around these blessed truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ and salvation by grace alone through faith alone in him and protect us from the attacks of the devil and from the attacks of wicked men who would seek to pervert that we do pray Lord God that you go with us now help us to rejoice in you help us to sing the praises of Father Son and Holy Spirit and we do pray God that you would just go with your Saints into this upcoming week strengthening them and giving them daily supplies of grace and peace that they might order their lives after the gospel of Christ that they might conduct themselves that we all might conduct ourselves and the manner worthy of our calling by grace and do save sinners or God is even as we're praying and as many are contemplating the things spoken as many are contemplating the things read aloud we do pray that you would conquer the hearts of those who are outside of you you would come by victorious grace and bring them from deadness to life and light in Christ Jesus the Lord and it's by his name in his name that we do pray amen let's all stand together and sing the doxology if you don't know the doxology it's Roman numeral 16 in the larger hymn books let's stand and sing the doxology together Oh may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen please be seated we'll have a brief brief time of Prayer when the piano is finished playing you're free to go you