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[Music] well welcome everyone it's uh nice to see you I wasn't able to make it here last weekend and boy you know just missing out on one weekend you really feel that it's really nice to see you all and with that there's a couple announcements there's going to be a pro-life presentation this Wednesday here and so if you want to join us for that that's this Wednesday at 7 30 in the fellowship hall that'll be good to see and it's an important obviously we all know it's an important subject so again that's this Wednesday at 7 30 and also I got the AGM is a Saturday at seven so and everyone's welcome to participate in that so if you show up see how things are run and it's it's a very encouraging time actually the Lord is doing a lot of good things and we're able to see the money we've allocated for things like Honduras for our beloved John Molina and stuff and so come up see that it's good all right so for our call to worship let's turn to Psalm 133 for a call to worship Psalm 133 a song of a sense of David behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity it is like the precious oil upon the head running down on the beard the beard of Aaron running down on the edge of his garments it is like the Dew of Hermann descending upon the mountain of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing life forevermore amen it is it is a blessing to dwell in unity um if you'll turn with me there's some instruction to this him48a 48a and it'll be stanza's four to six [Music] thank you [Music] holy place [Music] I am gone [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] thank you it is a pleasant beautiful thing to uh other and it's also I mean is it not also true that it is blessed and a wonderful thing that in unity we can come to our Lord in prayer and we have a god a father in Heaven who listens to our prayer and what a blessed wonderful thing that is what a wonderful privilege so if you with bow your heads with me we will play pray to our God who does listen to us so bow your heads please our great Heavenly Father we thank you for this day we thank you for the privilege that is ours to come into your house uh to come into this place out of a long and busy week of work Lord God we thank you for the privilege that we get to focus ourselves on on what's important and that's uh praising and worshiping your Holy Name you are a great God and and Lord we just we feel so blessed that you are a God that listens to us that hears our petitions I hear hear our cries and Lord God and as we read you will ultimately wipe every tear and we will we will be with you forever in heaven and we will have the pleasure and joy of worshiping for all eternity and we look forward and we put our hope into that and Lord God we just ask that you might be honored in what we do here and what we say in our sing and what we sing and how we worship we just ask that you be glorified through that or God and also as we have read in your Psalm it is an important reminder it is a wonderful blessed thing to dwell in unity and as we look uh across the world and and and their ways of promoting uh inclusivity unity and and diversity we know Lord God these that diversity uh Unity that this is a spirit Rod exercise that you you have unified us underneath your Holy Name that all of us who call upon the name of the Lord that that have come under the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we are truly unified across the globe Lord God if every people tribe tongue and Nation we can find unity and it is a beautiful thing and so we pray for those congregations that we are in association with those in Surrey the congregation in Armstrong and and Dryden in in Honduras Lord God we thank you for this brotherly Unity that we have we we ask you to strengthen and encourage these brethren in different places we thank you for John and Elena and ask your special blessing among these to to people that are near and dear to us and we thank you for them and we thank you for them and they're working Honduras and and Lord God we think about those in our own congregation our own needs of we know that this and in this life there will be many trials and in Temptations and and the sin curls world that uh promote there's there's disease there's illness and so we think about those in our congregation Lord God that might be sick that might be depressed that might be uh diseased we just pray Lord God that you might give them a relief Lord God that in in all of this just as we we heard this morning Lord God that it not necessarily born out of sin but that you might be glorified in in our illness in healing or otherwise Lord God we just submit to you and we submit to your Sovereign Grace and we just ask for for these people and these trying uh situations that they might have your spirit of of peace and enjoy and Lord God we we pray for the Christians abroad in various lands persecuted for their belief in you and um and for the the promulgation of the Gospel we just asked Lord God that also that you might Supply them the spirit the spirit of uh Joy the spirit of sound mind of Truth and we just ask you on this day to all those who are captive or being persecuted that you might you might bless them this day and also we pray for our own land lord God we we know that your your throne is established from eternity that it was established on righteousness and justice and Lord God and that is those are the values we we seek and we desire to be over our land and we we see leadership that are not fitting of of their position of authority for taking life for for believing that life is in the power of their hand and how foolish and how Wicked of a thing this is we just ask you to Lord God that that you might convert these men in leadership the ones that would turn this nation astray that ultimately you might work in their own Souls that they might become children of your own or at least Lord God that you might contain them that they may no longer bring wickedness and wicked ruling Upon This land and Lord God and if you did not be your will to even constrain them we ask you to crush them and remove them Lord God we desire to live in a land that follows your law and that is according to your goodness and your righteousness and your moral law so we ask for this and Lord God we just pray that you be with us in the remainder of the service that this uh this congregation the unity that we have raising up our voices to you um calling out to all men everywhere that the Lord is good that you might be blessed by this and we pray in Christ's name amen okay now if you don't mind if you stand with me and we'll sing uh hymn 416 that's him 4 16 it'll be a familiar tune so if you are able please stand with me [Music] foreign [Music] and all this is always [Music] thank you baby [Music] shall be wrong foreign [Music] [Music] foreign in a way of as an adversary and he was riding on his dog servants were with us now the donkey saw the angel of the war John story and the donkey turned aside out of the lake and went into the field so they instructed on him to turn her back onto the road then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between The Vineyards with the wall on this side and the wall again and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to or to left and when the donkey said he Angel of the Lord she laid down on her nail so balanced anger was around then the Lord open the mouth what have I done and Baylor said to them because I wish there was a sign of your job printing ever since I became yours to this day was I ever disposed to do this class and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the Wake with his strong sword in his hand about is that it fell flat on his face and the angel of the Lord said to him why has the structure done I don't know what to stand against me your way is the donkey saw me and turned aside for me these three times if she had not turned his eye for me surely I would also ultimately by now that are living and Bale says to be able of the Lord I have sinned for I believe not know he stood in the way it was against me now therefore if it's pleased with you I will turn back ten millions of the Lord said to them go with them then but only the word now when they occurs that Veil is coming he went out of communities did I not earnestly stand to you calling for you why do you not come to me am I not able to honor you and Bailey said that they are look I have come to you have I any power at all to say anything the word that God puts in my mouth that I must speak so Balaam went with balak and they came to kerjath who's off then balak offered oxen and sheep and he sent some to Balaam and to the princes who were with him so it was the next day that balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Bal that from there he might observe the extent of the people okay what a great story a lot of a lot of principles in there that I'm sure Bible studying stuff will unpack and I'm sure that'll be exciting uh we'll just have a quick prayer before the last hymn In the preaching of the word so if you'll bow your heads with me Lord God before we come hear your word preached we just ask that you might be Among Us in spirit and Truth Lord God that you might guide us here that you might give us ears to hear Lord God that you might clear our thoughts and our mindset we might come and hear and be changed and be challenged and be ultimately conformed into your son Christ Jesus how blessed and pleasant it is to be in unity Lord as we have read and Lord God as a unified whole we come before you and we praise you we we see your son we see his work uh recounted there in John we see how merciful and loving you are and we praise you unified together all across the globe we just ask Lord God that you might be pleased to receive our worship as your people and for all those that do not bend their need to your Holy Name we just ask that you might you might give them a a picture an image that they might hear that they might truly understand that you were a loving that you were a gracious God and you will save all those who draw near unto you and so we ask you for your spirit's presence here that it might be as if Christ himself is amongst us and I pray this in Christ's name amen okay the final hymn will hymn 404 if again if you are able to stand sing with me hymn 404. thank you foreign [Music] foreign [Music] she grasses [Music] foreign [Music] oh there he is happy [Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] Glory [Music] you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians as we work our way through Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus Ephesians chapter 4 our Focus tonight will be Verses 4 to 6 but I did want to read the chapter to remind us where we're at in this wonderful Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the church in Ephesus so beginning in Ephesians 4 at verse 1. I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called with all lowliness and gentleness with long-suffering bearing with one another in love endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace there is one body and one Spirit just as you were called in one hope of your calling one Lord One Faith one baptism one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all but to each one of us Grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift therefore he says when he ascended on high he led captivity captive and he gave gifts to men now this he ascended what does it mean but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the Earth he who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things and he himself gave some to be Apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers four the equipping of the Saints for the work of Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head Christ from whom the whole body joined and knit together by whatever joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth of the Body for the edifying of itself in love this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind having their understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them because the blindness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over to lewdness to work all uncleanness with greediness but you have not so learned Christ if indeed you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that you put off concerning your former conduct the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and that you put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and Holiness therefore putting away lying Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor for we are members of one another be angry and do not sin do not let the sun go down on your wrath nor give place to the devil let a moose stall steel no longer but rather let him labor working with his hands what is good that he may have something to give him who has need let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth but what is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers and do not grieve the holy spirit of God by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption let all bitterness wrath anger clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be kind to one another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you amen well let us pray our gracious God and Father we thank you very much for this wonderful book of Holy scripture we thank you for this practical section we pray now that you would grant us ears to hear and hearts to receive your word we pray for the ministry and the aid of the holy spirit that he would guide us as the Church of the Lord Christ to a deeper understanding and knowledge of your holy word and may we hide that word in our hearts that we might not sin against you may you be glorified in our daily conduct may you be glorified in our families may he be glorified in this local church as we gather together and may it be the case that we would come to the father through the Son and the power of the holy spirit that God would be all in all in this place as well forgive us for our sin our transgression cleanse Us in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as we consider that statement in John 1 29 Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world we stand amazed almighty God that there is one a surety who took our place on that cross and received in his his own person the Wrath and the fury of God most high we thank you that he was raised again the third day we praise you for the current session at the right hand of the father and again we look forward to his coming and glory to judge the living and the dead thank you for fitting us for that day for not only forgiving us for our sins but clothing us and a righteousness not our own and we pray that you would be merciful to save others not just here but elsewhere throughout the Earth wherever there are sinners gathered under the proclamation of your holy word we pray the spirit would guide them we'll open their ears and hearts would show them their sin and their need for the Savior that one whose altogether lovely and chief among ten thousand God be glorified in the additions to the church and may it be the case that your church here on Earth would be indeed a worshiping body a body that adores and glorifies our great and Sovereign God and we pray these things through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well we have come to the Practical section in the book of Ephesians remember chapters one to three is doctrinal in nature so the doctrinal section having been completed the Practical section starts in chapter four at verse one we've already looked at those first three verses and the Practical section extends to chapter six you'll get really uh nuts and bolts eat with reference to the Christian Life in the various stations we find ourselves in as well he has told us how we walked prior to Salvation if you look back at chapter 2 verse 1 he says you he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked according to the course of this world well now that we have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus according to 2 8 there's a new mandate on how we ought to walk and that's one of the emphases in this practical section notice in four one walk worthy of the calling with which you were called notice in verse 17 this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk and then over in chapter 5 at verse 2 walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us chapter 5 verse 8 for you were once Darkness but now you are light in the Lord walk as children of light and then again in verse 15. see then that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Redeeming the time because the days are evil we're not saved based on our walk we are saved and called to walk according to that salvation so we see the emphasis on justification in the doctrinal section in terms of our mating having been made right in the sight of God through the finished work of our Lord Jesus now in light of that we're to live in a manner that is worthy of that high calling now in the section before us we've already seen verses one to three there was in the first sense an exhortation to walk in a worthy manner verse one I therefore the prisoner of the Lord beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called again live in a manner that is consistent with those who have been blocked but uh blood bought by the Son of God himself and then we saw the elements that are needed to walk in a worthy manner the virtues Associated are in verse two notice with all lowliness and gentleness and long-suffering lowliness gentleness and long-suffering in the hearts of God's people go a long way to promoting peace and love within the context of the local church and then two aspects concerning our conduct toward one another in verses two and three notice he says bearing with one another in love and then endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace so we're to bear with one another in love and we are to Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace now verses 4 to 6 function as the basis of that unity and that love it is the basis he's not arguing that I want these things to be the case in verses four to six he's arguing that these things are the case and as a result of that we're to Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace that which has already been produced by the Holy Spirit and so he gives seven ones seven things he marks off by one to show the basis for the believer's unity if you notice in verse 4 the verb is supplied we see there is and then he goes on to say one body one Spirit just as you were called in one hope one Lord One Faith one baptism one God and Father of all there is is supplied but it's a necessary Supply because in the Greek you didn't need that but in English it makes sense out of this particular sex shot so basically we're going to look at these seven ones that form the basis of the believer's unity and love within the context of the local church some suggest that the Apostle has taken a confession of Faith or that he himself has developed a brief confession of Faith to serve as the basis for Unity One commentator says in four four to six Paul composes or contextualizes a confession of faith that again emphasizes the unit Unity that Believers possess through the seven-fold repetition of the term one and you'll notice it's aspects with reference to the Christian life but it's also the trinitarian god of Holy Scripture so let's look at these seven ones in the first place notice there is one body and this is a very fitting and appropriate way to start as you grounds the church's love for one another and their Unity with one another he wants to show that there's one body there's one church one universal people of God our confession says the Catholic and the Catholic there doesn't mean Roman Catholic Catholic is a good word it simply means Universal it says the Catholic or Universal Church which with respect to the internal work of the spirit and the truth of Grace may be called invisible consists of the whole number of the elect that have been are or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head thereof and is the spouse the body the fullness of him that filleth all in all there's one body there's one church again Universal there's a lot of local expressions of that one church but this is foundational to our pursuit of Unity One with another and are bearing with one another in love the Nicene Creed we confess I believe in one holy Catholic church now Brethren I would suggest that relative to the Christian's Life The Church of Jesus Christ is absolutely crucial God didn't make us to be Mavericks God didn't make us to be Renegades God didn't make us to be individualists God saved us and brought us together in the one body which is the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ the church has fallen on Hard Times in the history of the church but if we have a proper understanding and we see it as the apple of God's eye then we will esteem her and we will respect her and we will fight for her and defend her and protect her at every step of the way the church is most valuable it is most excellent it is most wonderful it is something to be a part of that is by God's grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone now this isn't the only place where the Apostle references or highlights the body nature of the church if you turn back back to the Book of Romans Romans chapter 12 specifically at Verses 4 and 5. he says for as we have many members in one body but all the members do not have the same function so we being many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another and then turn to First Corinthians chapter 12. First Corinthians chapter 12 something you will observe As you move through the New Testament is that there is a high view of the church the church is Central and God's Redemptive plan the church is crucial in God's Redemptive plan it's the church that functions to make disciples to baptize those disciples and to teach those disciples now that doesn't mean that as private individuals you can't or you shouldn't go out and evangelize absolutely positively you should but it's the church's primary emphasis in this lower world to be that vehicle by which the word goes out that word without which men don't hear of Salvation and Christ so the church is crucial in God's extending of the kingdom of Jesus Christ Our Lord so notice in First Corinthians 12 at verse 12 for as the body is one and has many members but all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ for by one Spirit we're all baptized into one body whether Jews or Greeks whether slaves are free and have all been made to drink into one spirit and then over in verse 20 but now indeed there are many members yet one body turn over the book of Colossians Colossians chapter 3 Colossians chapter 3 specifically at verse 15 and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you were called in one body and be thankful and back in our epistle in Ephesians specifically at chapter one we see that Christ is the head of the body the church notice in 122 he put all things under his feet and gave him him to be had over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of him who fills all in all so this one body nest with reference to the church is the basis for our Unity it is the basis for our love for one another we are on the same team we have the same goal we have the same objective we have the same Master we have the same Lord now that doesn't mean uniformity it doesn't mean that everybody's always going to say and do the same thing when we drop down in Ephesians 4 we'll see there's a diversity of gifts for the maintenance of the unity of the church so he's calling us to Unity not uniformity but rather a Unity founded upon the Oneness of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ now before we move from this one body aspect there are two implications that I want to suggest relative to this statement first the believer is to comply with the exhortations of verses 2 and 3. remember we're to bear with one another in love and we're to Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace Brethren there are six things that Yahweh hates yea seven are an Abomination to him according to Proverbs Chapter 6. we all expect hands that shed innocent blood Yahweh despises abortionists why because they violate and transgress the sixth commandment but did you know that Yahweh abominates those that sow Discord among the Brethren again I'm not suggesting uniformity I'm not suggesting we can't ever disagree I'm not suggesting we can't have some you know uh spirited conversations of a theological nature and if we don't all you know check off the same boxes in exactly the same way we cry and we take our marbles home and we say no more I'm not suggesting that but to end ever to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace is crucial it is absolutely essential in the context of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ there are just way too many ways for us the people of God to destroy the very church that the Lord Jesus bought with his own precious blood now we can't destroy the church Universal obviously but we can certainly do great harm to the local church and then the other implication is that the believer is to understand that no one is insignificant in the life of the church drop down in our contacts notice after he says the giving of the gifts is for a threefold purpose in verses in verse 12 he then underscores that it's verse 13 so we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting but speak taking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head Christ now notice from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its share causes growth of the Body for the edifying of itself and love now I understand that this text is often or texts like these are often abused in the broader Evangelical world that you've got to find your spiritual gift and we've got to plug you into the life of the church well Brethren if you're here tonight you're plugged into the life of the church I've shared before that as school typically returns or as parents want to you know get their children into Christian Schools there's often a pastoral reference so I have to fill out these forms not have to I mean it's not you know it's not torture or anything but you know how do they how you know what do they do at your church they show up that really doesn't cut it for most about what Ministry are they part of what what aspect are they involved in they show up at church I've said that to you on many occasions I was quite refreshed to see that Martin Lloyd Jones said something very similar in his comment on this passage he says in the life of the church every member is essential to the harmonious working of the whole I have sometimes stated it thus that the mere fact you are a member of a church and sit in a seat is a great thing in and of itself we're plugged in Brethren what's the primary reason we come to church it is to worship and glorify our great God there is the emphasis on evangelism there is the emphasis on service there is the emphasis on trying to ameliorate the needs of the downtrodden and the poor but on the Lord's day as the Lord's people Gather in the Lord's house it is to Worship the Lord so the fact that you're here means you're plugged in it's a blessed and a wonderful thing Lloyd Jones Goes even further and I'm not saying this because I'm a preacher but it's kind of nice he says I have sometimes stated it thus that the mere fact that you are a member of a church and sit in a seat is a great thing in and of itself it helps the preacher because it is disheartening to a preacher to have empty seats in front of him in the church persons and actions all matter and therefore anything we do to cut across this idea of the interdependence is not only being false to the doctrine it is introducing an artificial division it is being guilty of schism in some shape or form and then in First Corinthians chapter 12 had we continued further in that context Paul's argument is exactly the same Paul's argument is the exact same emphasis we all have our function in the church there's eyes there's ears there's there's toes and just because you're a toad doesn't mean you're you're unimportant I guarantee you if any of us had our big toe sliced off we would notice that just like if a big toe doesn't show up at church or even a pinky toe there's an absence there you need to be plugged in and by plugged in I don't mean do this catalog us you know determine your spiritual gifts we'll create a Ministry for you so that you can function and serve now we can do that and we probably should do a lot more of it but the fact that the people of God are in the house of God on the day of God to Worship the Lord of the the house himself is a wonderful expression of this commitment to the one body but then notice he goes on to speak of the one Spirit now he uses the same order here and in First Corinthians 12. typically there's a taxonomy involved with reference to the Holy Trinity we typically think of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit we refer to Jesus as the second person of the Trinity we'll refer to the spirit as the third person of the Trinity we don't typically refer to the father as the first person of the Trinity but it would follow suit so with reference to that taxonomy that's not what Paul is doing here or in First Corinthians 12. why is that why does he start with The Spirit Well I think it's the spirit that is responsible the spirits appropriated with reference to the building of the church the assembling of the people of God together and I think the connection is tight here in verse 4. there is one body and one Spirit the spirit has been mentioned previously in the epistle as has the Holy Trinity chapter 1 verses 3 to 14 is a celebration of the Triune God in terms of the Salvation of Sinners chapter 2 the Apostle indicates that Jew and Gentile are now one new man under Christ Jesus he says in verse 18 and then in verse 22 that we come to the father through the son by the spirit so we have these references to the Trinity all throughout in fact it's not just like there's one passage in scripture Second Corinthians and then and then Matthew those are the the Trinity passages the Trinity is all over the Apostle just constantly Works in terms of Father Son and Holy Spirit but he speaks concerning the spirit because he's speaking concerning the church and with reference to the spirit he is active in terms of the new birth it is the spirit again all three persons of the godhead are responsible for all the works outside of God we call that Inseparable operations there's one true and Living God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit when we speak of creation when we speak of Providence when we speak of redemption it is inseparable operations all three persons of the godhead are involved with reference to those Works external to God but in scripture there are times when specific works are appropriated by specific persons in the Trinity so we could say that all three persons of the godhead saved us from our sin but with reference to the specific mechanics involved it was God the son who took on our Humanity who lived for us who died for us who was raised again for us so there is this doctrine of inseparable operations that everything external to God is owing and due to the one true and living God but then there's this doctrine of Appropriations there are certain things appropriated by persons of the Trinity so that we can learn more about those particular persons and I think that's what's Happening Here the spirit is connected to the one body or rather the one body is connected and comes from the one spirit and then this idea of hope it's the spirit involved in calling but with reference to the Holy Spirit he is active in the New Birth John chapter 3 verses 1 to 10. Nicodemus is sent as a delegate from the Sanhedrin he wants to speak to Jesus and Jesus says unless a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God now this work is appropriated by the Holy Spirit as you drop down in John chapter 3 Jesus emphasizes that you don't know where the wind comes from and you don't know where the wind is going and that's precisely what the work of the spirit is like he is Sovereign the effectual call of God comes as a result of the holy spirit in fact turn to Titus Chapter 3. you see that same sort of an emphasis relative to the spirit and his work in the salvation salvation of Sinners Titus Chapter 2 I'm sorry Titus Chapter 3 specifically at verse 4. but when the kindness and the love of God our savior toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ Our Savior that having been justified by his grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life so back to our particular passage the spirit is crucial in terms of disciple making the effectual call the granting of The Graces of faith and repentance such that the sinner who was dead and is now alive can believe the gospel can repent of their sin and can know the joy of being found in Jesus Christ the spirit is according to Paul in First Corinthians 12 13 we just read for by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body whether Jews or Greeks whether slaves are free and have all been made to drink into one spirit so the spirit is active in terms of the assembling of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ again Lloyd Jones says the church is the result of the activity of the Holy Spirit himself it is he who operates in the church in the production of the church and in the maintenance and the well-being and the life of the church in other words Brethren pray that God the spirit comes when we gather for worship each and every Lord's day without the spirit's presence we don't want to be here we're going to see that in our studies and accidents we're going to get to chapter 33 and God basically says to Moses I'm not going to go with you into the promised land and Moses says if you don't go with us we don't want to go this is the payoff this is the payer this isn't that the everything if you're not with us God then it's an exercise in vanity if the spirit does not come on the Lord's Day the preaching isn't going to be blessed the people aren't going to be Sanctified The Sinner isn't going to be saved and it'll be an exercise in religion it'll be an exercise is informalism it'll be an exercise in externalism but it won't be Spirit rot it won't be Spirit-filled it won't be the case that we know that presence and power of that blessed God and with reference to the next aspect he goes from one body one Spirit to one hope and again let's not lose sight of the exhortations we are to bear with one another in love or to Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of Peace why because we're one body together we serve one Spirit together and we share one common hope together and the Hope here isn't subjective it isn't my hope for something it's the objective content of the Christian's hope it is the the revelation of what God has for his people I quoted the hymn by Edward moat a few weeks ago he says my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness I dare not trust the sweetest frame but holy lean on on Jesus name so he's talking about my subjective hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness the hope of the Gospel our subjective hope is fed and grounded and built up by the object of hope that we have revealed in and through the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ so the uh the the the connection obviously we have this one hope of your calling going back to verse one he beseeches us to walk worthy of the calling and then he speaks of the one body the one spirit and then the one hope of your calling so there is this objective hope that the gospel holds out for us right now but there's this objective hope that the gospel holds out for us in the age to come go back to chapter one and notice what Paul prays in verse 18. the eyes of your understanding having been uh being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his calling what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance and the Saints they're the hope of his calling seems to be the present aspect but then this reference to this inheritance or the riches of the glory of his inheritance and the Saints it is looking forward it is prospective it is looking ahead to the reality that will enter into the presence of God most high we share that hope together Brethren when you look at this particular section of scripture it's almost constitutional it's almost that it's it's what binds us together it's what holds us together it's it's what keeps us together you take the body politic for instance you take Canada we have a charter of of Rights and Freedoms and there's certain things spoken there that that are to to guarantee the rights of citizenship well those things bind us together those things serve and function in such a way as to provide that Unity within this body politic when we come to the life of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ there is a Oneness that binds us together in such a way that we ought to appreciate it but in such a way that we ought to Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace we have this hope of calling now we have this Prospect of the hope of Heaven above the hymn writer moat goes on and that last stanza to say when I shall launch in Worlds unseen o may I then be found in him dressed in his righteousness alone faultless to stand Before the Throne the Saints share this one hope together this ought to Foster their pursuit of love with one a love to one another and they're endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace now notice he moves on to the Lord Jesus Christ so he goes one body one Spirit just as you were called in one hope of your calling now one Lord the use of this word Lord is usually a reference to the Lord Jesus Jesus Christ the Greek translation of the Old Testament scriptures typically applies this to God most high and Jesus Is God most high so it's an appropriate application of the term Lord oftentimes in context when you see a reference to God it's usually not always there are some exceptions blessed exceptions that attribute or demonstrate the Divinity of the Savior but for the most part god in the New Testament refers to the father Lord refers to Jesus again this is a general rule this isn't concrete airtight in every instance and of course Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit now thus far In this passage or in this book rather we see an emphasis on the lordship of Jesus in Ephesians 1 2 and 3 Ephesians 1 15 117 311 and again 4 1. notice I therefore for one the prisoner of the Lord see he does that to remind us that Christ is not only our savior but he's our Lord he's our Master he's our King he's our Defender he's our protector he's our commander so that when we are called upon to bear with one another in love and to Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of Peace we do so with reference to the headship of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ is the King Jesus Christ is the commander Jesus Christ is the one that we are to serve that we are to to please that we are to glorify now in this particular book we've seen that Jesus is the savior of his people notice in 1 7 in him Christ we have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and Prudence he is the head of his people we've already seen that I won't read it again but in chapter 1 verses 20 to 23. we see in Chapter 2 that he is the unifier of the Jew and the Gentile and again Brethren this is what the spirit has wrought he's taken these two groups Jews Gentiles and he's brought them together and made them one new man in Christ Jesus so we Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace the spirit wrought that Unity the spirit puts that unity in place it's our task our privilege our joy to pursue that unity in such a way that we don't disenfranchise the very people of God we're supposed to live in us in a specific way relative toward one another he is the one who calls us to love one another now not specifically here in Ephesians but remember in the upper room in the upper room in John 13 what does Jesus say by this all men will know that you are my disciples how if you subscribe to the second London Confession of Faith no it doesn't say that he says if you have love for one another love is that identifying Badge of the people of God that doesn't mean we're all going to be each other's BFFs that doesn't mean we're going to spend non-stop time with each other take a life and Ministry of our blessed savior he had 12 disciples but he had three specific ones that he would peel off with from time to time I think there's a doctrine of best friends in the Bible I think there is a doctrine of BFFs in the Bible now the scripture doesn't say that we all have to be each other's BFFs that's best friend forever by the way in case you're not hip with what the kids are saying today but with reference to this Pursuit what we want that Unity under the headship of our blessed savior and that manifestation of the love he says by which all man will know that you are my disciples and then the Savior prays in the high Priestly prayer for Unity he wants the people of God to be unified now I think there's a tendency in the reformed world to get all kinds of upset against what we see as The ecumenical movement now there's reasons to be upset with the ecumenical movement it's the manner in which they pursue that ecumenicism it's the manner in which they pursue that Unity it's oftentimes at the expense of truth it's oftentimes at the expense of any clear theology it's oftentimes at the expense of any clear definition of Christianity it's oftentimes can can you say the word Jesus yeah all right we'll come into our tent and we'll all just get along together there's there's certainly a reason to get upset about that but the pursuit of ecumenicism is a Most Blessed thing the early Creeds of the church were called The ecumenical Creeds why because they wanted to bind and bring God God's people together they wanted them to have Unity I believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church not a billion Expressions not a billion different bodies not a billion different churches but the one Church of our blessed savior and the Apostle uses these ones as the very basis or argument as to why we should bear with one another in love and Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and then notice the next one it's faith and of course this is connected to our Savior notice one Lord One Faith now look at chapter 2 and verse 8. chapter 2 and verse 8 speaks of subjective faith it is my hold it is your hold of Jesus by faith so verse 8 for by Grace you have been saved through faith not because of Faith you didn't bring the faith to the transaction table and God awarded you with salvation faith is instrumental faith in the language of our confession metaphorically speaking is the means by which we receive the Savior and by which we rest upon him so we receive him as he's freely offered in the gospel this is Faith and then we rest upon him for our Salvation so there is a subjectivity about faith so for by Grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God but I think that the one Faith he's speaking of in verse 5 that is the very basis of our Unity the basis of our love is the objective content of Christianity there's One Faith there is one truth there is one body of doctrine that reeks of God most high and that's what binds us together in terms of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ again we have this common hope so we fight for it we have this common Faith so we fight for it we have this faith that has brought us together it is this faith that is the very basis of our Salvation the very basis of our church the very basis of our our communion with God and with one another look at First Timothy chapter 4 and verse 6. a few places where we see it's the objective content of the Christian system it is revealed propositional truth First Timothy chapter 4 verse six if you instruct the brethren in these things you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ nourished in the words of faith and of the good Doctrine which you have carefully fall followed that's not Timothy's subjective hold on Jesus that's Timothy's use of the objective content of the Christian faith notice in first Timothy chapter 6 verses 20 and 21. oh Timothy guard what was committed to your trust avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith so there's this one Faith now again there's not uniformity it's going to be a little bit of difference from here to there we cannot disagree on justification by faith we cannot disagree on the nature of our God one true and living God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit and we cannot disagree on the person of our Lord Jesus Christ we see that in John's gospel if you do not believe that I am you will die in your sins John 8 24. so those are the non-negotiables the fundamentals the principles of our faith that we cannot disagree on this is what keeps Jehovah's Witnesses out this is what keeps Mormonism out this is what keeps sacks out because they don't embrace the faith the objective content of the Christian system we're going to disagree on eschatology I mean we're going to disagree on church polity I mean wow there's actually Presbyterians and and there's Baptists and there's congregationalists and there's the the the churches of of uh the Dutch reform persuasion that like the three forms of unity that's okay that's all right we all agree on the the glory of the one true and living God we all agree on who Jesus is we all agree on justification by faith alone Brethren this should promote and produce in us a charitable Spirit a genuinely Catholic Spirit a genuine Spirit of ecumenicism when we appreciate when we respect one another with reference to our belief in the Lord Jesus Christ but in terms of that content in terms of that truth we need to hold fast notice in Jude 3. I submit to you that if we were more about preserving uh the the the the truth of the Gospel if we were more about fostering loving kindness toward one another then we would be doing what is well pleasing to our blessed god notice in Jude 3 beloved while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly notice for the faith which was once for all delivered to the Saints now when we go back to our particular passage we'll see that's where he's going that's where he's heading that's where he's moving he wants the church to be mature he wants the church to grow out of that adolescent phase he wants the church to not be children tossed to and fro by every wind of Doctrine he wants the teachers in the church to function in such a way according to verse 12 that these three things happen for the equipping of the Saints for the work of Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to the unity of the faith notice that Brethren it's not wrong to be ignorant but it's wrong to stay ignorant it's not wrong to not know certain things but it's wrong to not ever investigate those certain things we can be children tossed to and fro like the wind or the waves of the sea there is that spirit in our own age well you know Theology and bible study that's for a select few in the context of the church no it isn't he says beloved I write so that you may contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the Saints I don't see in Jude's you know epistolary address to the pastors to the reverends to the right doctors to the Seminary professors he's writing to the saints of God and trusts and assumes that they're able to contend earnestly for the faith Peter assumes the same thing in First Peter chapter 3 set Christ apart in your hearts and always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within you in other words if somebody asks you a question about Christianity don't say just a minute let me go make a phone call and get my friend or Pastor here and then he can answer no Peter assumes that you're able to do that to give a reason for the hope that is within you and so specifically relative to this one faithness that binds us together we need to love the Christian system we need to love the truth as it is in Jesus we need to hold on to it we need to guard it we need to propagate it we need to defend it we need to impose our up assume rather the posture that Paul enjoins upon Timothy in second Timothy chapter one at verses 13 and 14. he says hold fast the pattern of sound Words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus that good thing which was committed to you keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and then in First Corinthians chapter 13 the great love chapter we all love that chapter don't we get it we love the love chapter just making sure everybody's awake here 13 4 love is and love does one of the things he says in verse six love rejoices in what it rejoices in the truth it doesn't rejoice in heresy it doesn't rejoice and departures from Biblical truth it doesn't rejoice in denying that God created the heavens and the Earth it doesn't rejoice in the denial of the Providence of God it doesn't rejoice in the denial of blood atonement by our Lord Jesus Christ no love rejoices in the truth it is the truth that binds us together there's one body there's one Spirit there's one hope there's one Lord there's one Faith now notice what comes on the heels of that one baptism this is Paul's point we are baptized into the body of Jesus Christ the spirit is behind this the spirit moves us into the this blessed place that the reference to the Lord Jesus and faith in him naturally leads to this statement concerning baptism now again I know there's a whole host of views on baptism I know there are a lot of different ways to approach the subject of baptism I'm not going to do that I'm simply going to tell you what the scripture says here there's one Lord One Faith one baptism our confession I think helpfully defines what baptism is it's an ordinance of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with him in his death and resurrection of his being engrafted into him of remission of sins and of giving up on into God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life again Brethren I don't know that that's a very debatable definition if you ask the Bible what do you say about baptism I think that's as good an accurate a statement as you're going to find it's a beautiful sort of compendium of uh the New Testament relative to baptism so whatever your persuasion all is you have to reckon with the reality that the Bible does Define the Bible does describe and the Bible does delineate for us what baptism looks like and when you move through the pages of the New Testament you'll see they believed and they were baptized who did they believe in the one Lord Jesus Christ they believed in him by grace and then as an expression of their obedience to him not so that they may be saved but because they have been saved they go into that water and identify with their blessed God it is a most glorious and a most wondrous thing in fact FF Bruce shows that connection he says it is not difficult to understand why one faith and one baptism are attached to one Lord he is the object of his people's faith and it is into him that they have been baptized Romans 6 3 Galatians 3 20 seven a recent commentator Stephen Baugh makes the similar observation he is simply saying that Believers enter into Union with Christ by faith which is sacramentally signified and sealed through baptism again Galatians 3 First Corinthians 12 Romans 6 Colossians 2 there is only one baptism because there is only one Lord who has brought all together in one United body that's the emphasis the Apostle again is not loading all of this up with all of the articulation and detailed sort of explanation of each and every jot and Tittle of the doctrine but he is assuming that we are somewhat conversant with the rest of the Bible on these particular issues and if this is a sort of a Creed or a confession that he either Built For This use or it was something extant at the baptism of new Believers it does have that flavor of a confession that the church would make or that a person would make in terms of identifying with our blessed God and then he ends finally with the one God and Father so again we have a reference to the Holy Spirit we have a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ we have a reference now to God the Father now again it would be difficult to show how many times just in this epistle that the Trinity is there Trinity's all over it's not one place here or there it's not just Matthew 28 not just second Corinthians 13. our God is Triune our God is Father Son and Holy Spirit in this Divine and infinite being there are three persons the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit they are distinguished by their relations one to the other the father's unbegotten the son is begotten by the father and the spirit proceeds from the father and the son these are called Eternal relations of origin and they distinguish the persons of the godhead we're not civilians we're not modalists we're not those who have no doctrine of the Trinity we see personal distinction among the persons of the Trinity that the god that the Bible tells us in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God so there's that distinction and yet there's that Unity they are unified at the level of essence or being they are trying noon at the level of person or subsistence so he ends now with a reference to God the father and notice what he says he references the one God and Father verse six one God and Father this isn't contrary to biblical trinitarianism this is absolutely consistent with Biblical trinitarianism this hearkens back to Deuteronomy chapter six hear o Israel the Lord Our God the Lord is one and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart soul mind and strength turn over to First Corinthians chapter 8 which is something similar to that Shema from Deuteronomy 6 4. look at First Corinthians chapter 8 specifically at verse 5. for even if there are so-called Gods whether in heaven or on Earth as there are many gods and many lords yet for us there is one God the father of whom are all things and we for him now notice and one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all things and through whom we live what side is Jesus on Jesus is on the side of Creator Jesus is on the side of the father Jesus is on the side of God most high in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God there's distinction and there's Unity we see the same thing here back to our particular text he references this one God and Father of all and when he says the one God and Father of all I think he's speaking about the church I think it is the god and father of all in a creational sense acts 17 even as one of your Pagan poets said in him we move and live and have our being We Are The Offspring of God creationally God is or we can say he is Father we need to be very careful typically the fatherhood of God over all man is used in a Redemptive sense the Bible does not teach that he is the god and father of of our Lord Jesus Christ he is the father of his church the father of the blood bought and in this particular context when he says one God and Father of all most likely he's talking about Jews and Gentiles that has been the subject of his discussion up to this point it's no longer Jews here and Gentiles here but it's one new man under Jesus Christ you see that same emphasis in Chapter 2 verses 13 to 22. you see it in chapter three notice in verse 14. for this reason I bow my knees to the father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in Heaven and Earth is named again Brethren he's not talking about creational categories he's talking about churchly categories he's the God and Father of those Redeemed by the Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ so there is this reference and then there is this special presence of this God who is of all but then notice he goes on to say that this God is Sovereign notice one God and Father of all who is above all now this does not mean over Jesus and this does not mean over the spirit John Gill says who is above all which may denote the superior Excellency of his nature not above his son and spirit who are of the same nature with him but above angels and men and the extensiveness of his government over all creatures in general and over his church and people in particular so when it speaks of God being above all you're not to assume that he's the biggest god of the three and the other two are subordinate to him no in this Divine and infinite being there are three subsistencies they all have the whole Divine Essence it's not carved up the father doesn't have an extra poor shed but each of the persons of the godhead has the entirety of the Divine Essence so there's no gradation there's no big G God little G God this is not tri-theism with the spirit and the person of the sun subordinate to the father he is speaking of God's Supremacy one God and Father of all the Jew and the Gentile in the context of the church who is above all in his Providence wherein he governs all his creatures and all their actions and then notice he is in the midst of all and through all now that doesn't mean pantheism or panentheism but it does mean omnipresence it does mean God's omnipotence it does mean God fills all places there is an immensity about God such that whatever transpires in the world is according to his purpose and his plan he's overall many passages in the Old Testament our God is in the heavens he does whatever he pleases what's Nebuchadnezzar learn after his bout out in the in the the grass when he you know grew the long fingernails and he was you know beside himself with Madness what what does he come to conclude there is none who can stay thine hand or ask what do us thou God most high is Sovereign and in a context like this we bear with one another in love we Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and we do it with the conscious recognition that our God is over us our God is in the midst of us our God is calling us to function in a way that is appropriate with the people of God and then notice that last Clause so he says one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all and I think this is the provision of God for his people and I say this based on 3 8 218 for through him we both have access by one Spirit to the father 222 in whom you all also are being built together for a Dwelling Place of God in the spirit and then notice in chapter 3 verse 19 that last petition that he prayed days he says that you may be filled with all the fullness of God all of the benefits that God secures yeah that's in view but I think the language is the language a temple in the Old Testament when that Tabernacle is built in Exodus 40 the Shekinah Glory of God comes down and fills the Tabernacle when Solomon comes to dedicate the uh the temple the glory of God fills the temple when we see that Visionary Temple and the prophet Ezekiel we see the glory of God fill the temple so when Paul says that all the fullness of God would be yours or would fill you he's speaking about when the church gathers together the god the god of Heaven and Earth comes to gather in our midst the god of Heaven and Earth is that provision for his people that is the chief aim that is the chief Boon the chief blessing there might be someone here tonight or there may have been somebody here this morning that maybe didn't say eye to you boy I didn't get a chance to catch up with sister whoever I didn't get a chance to talk with brother so and so but you know what God was in this place Brethren that's what we're here for now that doesn't mean we shouldn't be nice doesn't mean we shouldn't be kind doesn't mean we shouldn't try to talk to each other but the idea is is that God is the provision for his people and the Apostle Paul uses this to underscore the very basis for that love and unity that the people of God have so the one body the one Spirit one hope one Lord One Faith one baptism and one God and Father in conclusion we've got exhortations in verses one to three and then we have the basis for that and the basis again he's not saying this is what I hope one day will obtain in the life of the church no he's saying this is what the spirit has wrought in the production of the church Now function in a stewardship capability function in such a way as you Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace in other words don't be the guy don't be the girl that comes in and wrecks what God the Holy Spirit has done again Brethren if there is a need for discussion and a need for argument a need for all that the church is filled with big boys and girls and we ought to be able to do that without getting our noses bent out of shape and crying and going home but for the most part we need to remember that it's our task to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace that the spirit has put in here so he's not commanding what must be but he is stating what is true as the basis for our compliance in other words don't deviate from the Constitution don't depart from these ones and try to do it on your own or to try to do it without regard for these ones but rather see yourself as blessed immeasurably by our God and then the emphasis on Unity again lots to be discouraged about in the modern ecumenical Pursuit but it's also discouraging to not want to have an ecumenical pursuit to not want to have the unity of God's people and again we ought to be able to appreciate those minor differences we shouldn't hate each other if somebody's a Pato Baptist we shouldn't hate each other if somebody's a Baptist we shouldn't hate each other if somebody's a presbyterian we shouldn't hate each other at all we're supposed to bear with one another in love we're supposed to Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace now some will say well why don't you jettison your notion of baptism and you know just let potatoes be a part well there's another argument we try to rally around as many doctrines as we possibly can I think it does provide a helpful a way for us to do church together so that's a different argument a different thing but the argument's never uh Pato Baptists can't be saved patobaptists can't go to heaven oh no absolutely positively they can be saved they are saved and they are Heaven bound now with reference to our Pursuit we need to seek by God's grace to do what Paul calls us to do unity and then when one last thought in terms of his appeal to the Trinity here there's something called social trinitarianism I don't want to bore you or you know press my luck because we're coming up to 6 30 here uh but there's something called social trinitarianism and basically social trinitarianism is that view that the Trinity exists as a model for Human Relationships the Trinity exists as a model for human relationships that is bad okay the Trinity does not exist as a model for our relationships the Trinity is from Everlasting to Everlasting the Trinity is Ultimate he's it's God most high Father Son and Holy Spirit Paul is not saying one Spirit one Lord one God and Father in a social trinitarian context because of that you do this that's not how this functions I think the invocation of our Triune God and each of the distinct persons is rather to underscore what our confession says in its statement concerning our Triune God at the very end it says which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God and comfortable dependence on him so the Trinity is not a model for our relationships the Trinity is and in this particular context the Trinity is in such a way as to provide the basis for our love and for our Unity One with another and to show us that this blessed and glorious God is not just some abstract thought out there but rather our blessed god father Son and Holy Spirit is active within the context of local churches Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus and the church in Ephesus has access to the father through the son by the spirit this doctrine of the Trinity is the very Foundation of all our communion with God and comfortable dependence on him I said that was final this is final if you're not a part of the one body by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ guess what I'm about to say believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you want to join the church that's a great perspective that's a that is a great Endeavor but in order to join a church you have to first be saved you have to come to the Lord you have to look to him in faith and then get baptized and then get put on the church's rolls and then live in a manner that is consistent with the exhortations of verses two and three bear with one another in love Endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of Peace we'll never do that we can never do that apart from the grace of God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the people of God are the people of God not because they decided to be but because God saved them and the means by which we enter from death into life is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ one Lord One Faith one baptism so go to him and he will save you that's his promise that's not me making it up that's not me adding to the Bible I didn't say John 6 37 I can repeat John 6 37 but I didn't make it up all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will in no wise cast out or Matthew 11 come to me all you who are weary and have you Laden and I will give you rest or Hebrews chapter 7 he's able to save to the uttermost all them that draw nigh unto God through him it is the Lord God most high who in his grace and in his Mercy save Sinners Look to Him in faith and you will be saved well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for this emphasis on not only our responsibility one toward another but on that sort of Constitution that binds us together these seven ones what a blessed and glorious God you are in the in the the giving of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ for your people we thank you for that promise that Christ has given that he will build it in the Church of or the gates of Hades will not Prevail against it help us to love the bride of Christ help us to defend her help us to indeed imbibe those things that Paul says relative to the people of God in their relations with one another I thank you for this local church I thank you for all of these brothers and and sisters I pray that you would go with us now that we would know your nearness as our good and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of Medicine