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Well, good morning, everyone. 
You can turn with me your Bibles to the book of Philemon, chapter 
1. There's only one chapter in the 
book of Philemon, so we're going to look at verses 8 through 16 
this morning. Philemon chapter 1. We're going 
to read the entire chapter, so we'll begin reading at verse 
1. Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, 
and Timothy, our brother. To Philemon, our beloved friend 
and fellow laborer. To the beloved Aphia, Archippus, 
our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house. Grace to 
you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I 
thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 
hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord 
Jesus and toward all the saints, that the sharing of your faith 
may become effective by the acknowledgement of every good thing which is 
in you in Christ Jesus. We have great joy and consolation 
in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed 
by you, brother. Therefore, though I might be 
very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for 
love's sake I rather appeal to you, being such a one as Paul, 
the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ. I appeal to 
you for my son Onesimus, whom I had begotten while in my chains, 
who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to 
you and to me. I am sending him back. You therefore 
receive him, that is, my own heart, whom I wish to keep with 
me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for 
the gospel. Without your consent I wanted 
to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, 
as it were, but voluntary. For perhaps he departed for a 
while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, 
no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, 
especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh 
and in the Lord. If then you count me as a partner, 
receive him as you would me. But if he has wronged you or 
owes you anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, am writing 
with my own hand. I will repay, not to mention 
to you that you owe me even your own self besides. Yes, brother, 
let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the 
Lord. Having confidence in your obedience, 
I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I 
say. But meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust 
that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. Epaphras, 
my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, 
Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers. The grace of 
our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. Well, let 
us pray. Oh Lord our God, we are thankful 
for your amazing grace and we are thankful for your gospel. 
We're thankful for the changes that you bring in the hearts 
of dead sinners, making them alive. We're thankful that you 
take ones who are once unprofitable and you make them profitable. 
Thank you for the saving work. Thank you for the changing work 
that you bring by your spirit with the word to change hearts, 
to give new life, to give people everlasting life. Thank you that 
we see changes in our lives in this world by your grace and 
mercy in our conversion. And we long for the fullness 
to come in when our bodies shall be conformed to Christ's heavenly 
body. Thank you so much that we have 
a changed heart already, but we long for that heavenly body. 
And we're thankful that as we make our way to that celestial 
city, you remind us about your goodness. You remind us about 
what we have. You remind us about all the gifts and good things 
that you give to us. And we especially thank you for 
your forgiveness. Thank you for taking away our 
sins. Thank you for turning away your wrath by the work of the 
Son. And we ask and pray that we, 
your people, would be a thankful people. We ask and pray that 
we would be a forgiving people. So often we wish to exact exactly 
what people have done against us. We wish to exact punishment, 
but we're thankful that you have forgiven us. So help us to be 
gracious. Help us to be patient. Help us 
to be long-suffering with others as you have been long-suffering 
with us. And as we come to these words, we ask and pray that you 
would send forth your spirit, your spirit to illumine our hearts 
and minds, your spirit to save sinners, your spirit to enlighten 
the eyes of your people, your saints, that we might be uplifted, 
that we might be encouraged, that we might grow in the things 
of you. We ask you to feed us with your word. And we pray in 
all things you would be glorified. And we pray these things in the 
name of Christ. Amen. Well, when God saves a sinner, 
there are certain sins that people have a difficult time shaking. 
There are some pet sins that just don't go away right away. 
But there are also sins that when someone is converted, they 
change immediately. There is a manifestation, an 
instant change in one's life with respect to a certain sin 
that they used to commit, but now they no longer do such a 
thing. For me in my conversion, it was hard work. I did not show 
up to my final three weeks at sports check, and I was this 
close to being fired from my electrical apprenticeship. Then 
God saved my soul, and my work ethic changed. And certainly 
we see a change in the life of this slave, Onesimus, in the 
book of Philemon, one who was once unprofitable, but now is 
a profitable brother in the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is what 
Paul is trying to emphasize to Philemon. He's writing to his 
friend Colossae concerning his other friend Onesimus. He is 
writing an appeal for this one son that has been converted under 
the ministry of the Apostle Paul. That is the purpose and occasion 
of this letter. It's kind of unique because he's 
not just writing to a church, but he's writing to someone specifically. And so probably what happened 
is Onesimus was Philemon's slave. He ran away, and he's converted 
by the apostle Paul. Paul doesn't want to violate 
the slave laws at that time. You can't harbor a renegade slave. 
And so he's sending Onesimus back to Philemon with a request 
to then send Onesimus back to Paul. And so then Paul writes 
to him concerning this appeal, and we see some themes that emerge 
as he writes this letter. The themes of a shared faith, 
the themes of refreshment, the themes of one who was once unprofitable 
is now also a fellow laborer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Onesimus, 
Philemon, and Paul now share the same faith, and so Paul requests 
that Philemon would refresh Paul by Onesimus, as Philemon has 
refreshed others. So he writes this appeal, and 
we see this appeal proper in verses 8 through 16. Now there 
is a problem that we could glean from verses 8 through 16, although 
I admit it's a bit of a forced problem. Philemon is actually 
a loving and gracious man, but the forced problem is how bitterness 
can sometimes get in the way of forgiveness. how bitterness 
can get in the way of an appeal. Even God's people on this side 
of heaven, even the most forgiving person, can still struggle with 
bitterness, can still struggle with holding a grudge. And so 
perhaps he's appealing to Philemon, I know you're loving, I know 
you're gracious, but please receive Onesimus on my behalf. And so we see the gospel does 
change hearts, changes the life of Onesimus, but the gospel also 
changes relationships as well, which we see between Onesimus 
and Philemon. And so in verses 8 through 16, 
Paul is requesting forgiveness. Paul is requesting service. Paul 
is requesting that Philemon would forgive Onesimus, but then also 
send Onesimus back to Paul to minister to him. So we'll look 
at this request, we'll look at this appeal under two headings 
this morning. First of all, we'll see his, 
that is Paul's appeal for Onesimus in verses 8 through 11. And then 
secondly, we'll see Philemon's reception of Onesimus in verses 
12 through 16. So Paul's appeal for Onesimus, 
verses 8 through 11, and then we'll see Philemon's reception 
of Onesimus in verses 12 through 16. So let's first look at the 
appeal, or mainly the authority of the appeal, in verses 8 through 
11. But notice we see in verse 8, 
And so we see in verses 1 through 7 this thanksgiving. Paul gives 
a typical thanksgiving. Paul usually likes to start his 
letters with a greeting, but usually there's little nuggets 
in those thanksgivings that tell us something about what the letter 
is going to be about. We see language like prisoner. 
This is the only time Paul uses that specific language. It's 
a different word than bondservant that we see in verse 1. He uses 
the language of love, the language of sharing, the language of hearts, 
the language of refreshment, as he primes the pump to ask 
Philemon something and request something from Philemon. You're 
this nice guy. Thank you for refreshing them. 
Thank you for caring for the brethren at Colossae. Now, please 
do this one thing for me, Paul, as well. So therefore, Paul then 
goes on to start with his authority as one who is making this appeal. 
Now Paul does have that apostolic authority, and Paul says as much 
in verse 8, Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ 
to command you what is fitting, Paul has been appointed by God 
and given authority, and so he is free, and he has the right 
to command Philemon. Philemon, you must do this thing 
that I'm about to ask you. You must do what is right and 
fitting. You must forgive this one who is coming to you and 
asking for forgiveness. You cannot hold a grudge. You 
cannot be bitter against him. You must forgive this one. So 
Paul could say that. Paul could exercise his authority. But Paul does it for love's sake 
instead. And he says, I can command you 
what is fitting, yet, verse 9, for love's sake I would rather 
appeal to you. For love's sake, I'd rather plead 
with you. I love you, Philemon. You love 
me. I love Onesimus. Now please do 
what I ask." Bruce says, orders are liable to be resented, from 
whomsoever they come. But an appeal from a friend is 
difficult to resist, especially when it is made expressly for 
love's sake. So Paul's not going to exercise 
authority. He is asking and requesting that 
Philemon would receive anesimus. But Paul also likes to throw 
in his status again in verse 9, being such a one as Paul, 
the aged, Such a one is Paul the Honorable. Such a one is 
Paul Advanced. Such a one is Paul who has this 
authority. So he still likes to throw that 
in there. And now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus. One who has 
status, but one who also suffers for that status. one who also 
is in a lowly place. God has given him authority, 
but he's suffering for the cause of Christ. This is during his 
first imprisonment, and that's why he says that in verse 1, 
he starts it differently, a prisoner of Christ, Jesus. There needs 
to be sympathy for Paul, and as Paul requests that sympathy 
with his words, or implicitly asks it in his words, he also 
wants sympathy for Nicemas, as well. So Paul is appealing to 
him for love's sake. Paul is not commanding him. He 
is simply asking that you would do this very thing for me. Now we don't get to the appeal 
proper until verse 12, but we do see who the appeal is about 
in verses 10 and 11. And he says, I appeal to you 
for my son Onesimus. This is the runaway slave of 
Philemon. Now, slavery in the Graeco-Roman 
world was a major institution. I know a lot of modern readers 
get their bee in a bonnet over the Bible mentioning slavery 
and what that means and what that looks like. It was a huge 
institution, was not always man-stealing. Someone could be born into slavery. 
There's infanticide. What people would do if they 
didn't want their babies, they would just leave them on the trash heap, 
and so slave traders would go and they'd pick up these babies 
and raise them for slavery. Perhaps slavery was also a form 
of punishment as well. If you did something wrong, here's 
how you paid it back. You became a slave, or some people, 
because life was hard, they could actually have a good life as 
a slave. There was so many, there's a different spectrum on different 
types of slaves. Yes, slaves in the mines, slaves 
doing hard labor, but also slaves who basically acted like managers 
of their master's household. A slave could be a very good 
life in the Graeco-Roman world, but you cannot run away. And 
that's what Philemon does, or sorry, what Onesimus does. He 
runs away from Philemon. And so something happens as he 
runs away. Onesimus runs into the apostle 
Paul. And we see Paul's affection for 
this runaway slave, for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten 
while in my chains. Paul has great affection for 
those in his care, but especially for those converted under his 
preaching. He refers to Timothy like a son 
in 1 Corinthians chapter 4. And here he refers to this slave 
like a son, this one who was converted under his ministry, 
this one who he has great affection 4. This one who has been regenerated 
by God through the preaching of the Apostle Paul. We see the 
spiritual working through the preaching. One is begotten of 
God, not of the will of man, nor of the will of flesh, nor 
of blood, but of the will of God. Well, God changes hearts. God gives new life. God takes 
someone who is dead, and he makes them alive. And he does that 
through the preaching of his word, giving the gifts of faith 
and repentance. And that's exactly what God does 
to and for Onesimus. And notice we see the language 
of his change in verse 11. Who once was unprofitable to 
you, but now is profitable to you and to me. Now, there is 
a play on words here. Onesimus means useful or profitable. So he once did not live up to 
his namesake, but now he is living up to his namesake. He was once 
unprofitable, but now he is profitable. Now, notice something else as 
well. Notice throughout the letter, and I'm going to point out another 
place where Paul does this, Paul is very mild. with Onesimus' 
sin. Paul is very delicate, we could 
say. Paul, in a lot of ways, is covering 
a multitude of sins. What Philemon does is terrible. 
Sorry, I keep getting Philemon and Onesimus mixed up. What Onesimus 
does is terrible. Onesimus runs away. Onesimus 
leaves his master. We see in verse 18 that perhaps 
he stole, he engaged in thievery. But notice how Paul puts it. 
He's unprofitable. And later on he's going to say 
in verse 15, for perhaps he left for this very reason. Brethren, 
I understand sin brings shame. I understand sin is deserving 
of death. I understand sin must be dealt 
with, and I believe that. And what I'm about to say is 
not saying that we can keep on sinning that grace may abound. 
However, When someone is penitent, when someone is concerned over 
their sin, when someone is wondering what's going to happen, when 
Isimus, I need to go back, I understand that, Paul, but what if Philemon 
doesn't forgive me? What if Philemon exacts the punishment 
upon me that I deserve? And so sometimes we need to be 
gracious and patient. We need to be kind with those 
who are struggling with their sins, don't we? That's exactly 
what Paul is doing here. He doesn't say he's a thieving 
wretch, he says unprofitable. That does describe what he did, 
but nonetheless, it still is a bit more delicate than what 
he could say. Who once was unprofitable to 
you, but now is profitable to you and to me. He is now one 
who is useful in the kingdom of heaven. He is one who is useful 
now, who is going to be useful to Philemon, to help Philemon 
in his work as well. That's what the gospel does. 
It changes. One who was once unprofitable 
is now profitable. We see this change that God brings 
to Onesimus And now the swan who was once a renegade is now 
redeemed in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so the change in Onesimus 
is seen in his profitability, not just to Paul, not just to 
you, but also to me, so not just to Paul, but also to Philemon 
as well. See, Paul understands the slave-master 
relationship. Paul writes to the church at 
Colossae concerning that slave-master relationship in Colossians 3 
and 4, and what they're doing here is they're following the 
laws of the land to send Onesimus back to Philemon, and Paul is 
saying, Philemon, please receive this one who once was unprofitable, 
but now is profitable to you and to me. Now there's a lot 
of things we could take away from these verses, but the main 
thing, and I think the heart of the book, is really how the 
gospel does change hearts, doesn't it? How God changes lives, and 
you see this very radically with Onesimus. This runaway, thieving, 
possibly lazy slave is now a child of God. Even when you consider 
the hierarchy of status during the Graeco-Roman world, slaves 
didn't receive much. Yes, it could be a good life, 
but they really didn't have any rights. Now, here's this one 
who was once a slave, and now he is a child of God. Isn't that 
what God does when he changes hearts? Isn't that what regeneration 
is? taking out a heart of stone and 
God puts in a heart of flesh, or to use the language once dead 
and now made alive, or to use the language of Philemon, or 
Paul in Philemon, who once was unprofitable to you but now is 
profitable to you and to me. God can save the worst of sinners, 
and God does save the worst of sinners, and he gives them new 
life, and thankfully does so by the Spirit, with the Word, 
as the Word goes forth, and as we see in the life of this slave. Now, if you're an unbeliever 
here today, only God can save, but notice how one of the riffraff 
of society is now a believer. One of the riffraff of society 
is now a child of God. One of the blessed things about 
the gospel is that God can and does forgive all sorts of terrible 
things. He forgives all sorts of sins, 
and that's the blessedness of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ 
and believing that He actually does forgive sins. If you reject 
that, if you reject that truth that He forgives sins, then you 
are setting yourself up for a life of eternal misery, but there 
is a life of eternal bliss, and that's with Christ. If you believe 
on Him, you shall be a child of God by believing upon the 
Lord Jesus Christ. To as many as received Him, He 
gave the right to become children of God to those who believed 
in His name. So thankfully, even as Paul appeals, 
we see how the gospel brings change even into the life of 
Onesimus. And then Paul then transitions 
in verses 12 through 16 to make his request. Please receive Onesimus 
back. He's changed, he's profitable, 
I'm sending him back. And so we see Philemon's reception 
of Onesimus in verses 12 through 16. So Paul says in verses 12 
through 14, he gives the request proper. I am sending him back 
to you. You, therefore, receive him. That is my own heart. Receive 
in order to send back. That is the purpose. I don't 
think emancipation is necessarily in view here. I don't think Paul 
is asking that Onesimus be released. Although, I do think in verse 
21, I do think perhaps that is implied. I write to you knowing 
that you will do more than I, even more than I say. And most 
slaves were released at some point in their life, and so Paul 
certainly implies that in verse 21, but the whole request is 
not that. The whole request is that you 
forgive this one, and then please send him back to me to minister 
on your behalf. And so Paul is sending him back. 
We see the closeness. I'm sending my very own heart. Paul has this affection for Onesimus. Paul has affection for Philemon 
as well. Shows their love and care and 
concern. That's what heart means here. There's a different word 
for heart that is used in verses 7, 12, and 20. Referring to that love, 
referring to that care, referring to that affection, that tender 
affection, for one another. That's different than the typical 
word we see. So he says, I'm sending him my 
own heart. I'm sending my very self and love back to you. So I'm sending him, but I'm also 
asking that you release him to help me. Not release, emancipate, 
but to release and send him to help me. Whom I wish to keep 
with me, verse 13, that on your behalf he might minister to me 
in my chains for the gospel." Encouragement can come in many 
ways, sometimes financial, sometimes ordinary relief, and sometimes 
just with companionship. And I think that is what is in 
view here. Paul is in prison. Paul is under house arrest. Paul 
needs friends. Paul needs companions. And Onesimus 
was there for him, and now he's asking that Philemon send Onesimus 
to him. I want him to be here and help 
me on your behalf. Here's how Philemon can help 
Paul, even though Philemon is not anywhere near Paul. Here's 
how you can help me. Philemon, to minister to me in 
my chains for the gospel." Now, it could cover some sort of financial 
aspect. We have to remember in the Greco-Roman 
world, the government wasn't forking out $125,000 of taxpayer 
income to pay for prisoners. Prisoners had to rely upon themselves 
for sustenance. They had to rely upon others 
for sustenance. They had to rely upon friends 
for aid. And so that's another way that perhaps Philemon could 
help Paul while he is in his chains. Others had to provide 
for him. So he's asking this. I'm sending him back, but then 
please send him to me. But then in verse 14 he asks 
that this request would be voluntary. Verse 14, But without your consent 
I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by 
compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. Notice consent is needed here 
because Philemon owns Onesimus. Notice how Paul isn't trying 
to upend society. He understands the slave laws, 
and he is having Onesimus abide by them. And so he's asking that 
Philemon would then release him voluntarily. And it's one way 
he can show his good works and love for the saints. In verse 
6, Paul says to Philemon, I've heard of the sharing of your 
faith. I've heard, I pray, that it would become effective by 
the acknowledgement of every good thing which is in you. As 
we know how you share with one another, we know how you care 
for the saints, we see it manifested in your goodness. And perhaps 
the church at Colossae met at Philemon's home, and so Philemon 
provided much encouragement to the church at Colossae. And so 
now then, Paul is saying, here's another way you can manifest 
good works. You can manifest it by sending 
Onesimus back to me. As it were, voluntary, not by 
compulsion. But one thing is not lost on 
the Apostle Paul, and that is the divine purpose of God in 
all of these things. And he says as much in verses 
15 and 16. Notice we see the divine purpose 
for receiving a beloved brother. For perhaps he departed for a 
while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever." 
Notice again how mild he is. When Onesimus fled, it was of 
his free will. He ran away from his master. It is sin. It is wrong. He did 
it and rebelled, not only against his master, but against God Most 
High. But again, notice the language. 
for perhaps he departed for a while for this reason. He understands 
that God is providentially over all things. It is a New Testament 
way of saying Genesis 50 20. What man means for evil, God 
means for good. Or to put it another way, what 
you and I mean for evil, God means for good. Again, I'm not 
saying we go out and sin. Please don't take that. I hope 
that's not the thing you take away from this. But notice the 
kindness and goodness of God here, and the kindness and graciousness 
of Paul here as well. He understands it was God's purpose 
for this to happen. Henry says, Observe the wisdom 
and goodness and power of God, and causing that to end so happily, 
which was begun and carried on for some time so wickedly. Thus 
regarding a poor vassal, one of such low rank and condition, 
and so little regarded by men, working so good a great change 
in him, who was so far gone in evil ways, who had wronged a 
master so good, who had run from a family so pious, from the means 
of grace, the church and his house, that he should be led 
into the way of salvation, who had fled from it, and find means 
made effectual at Rome? who had been hardened under them 
at Colossae. What riches are here of divine 
grace! None so low, nor mean, nor vile, 
as utterly to be despaired of. God can meet with them when running 
from him, can make means effectual at one time and place, which 
have not been so at another. He would have sat under the preaching 
at Colossae, he would have been there, and yet it was his flight 
where God saved him. It was his providence to run 
into the Apostle Paul in Rome, where God shows forth his great 
and good providence, that you Philemon might now receive him 
forever. might receive a beloved brother, 
might receive someone and be part of the kingdom of heaven 
forever. That's probably what forever refers to here. Not just in this life, but in 
the life to come. In the kingdom of God, status 
does not matter. There's neither Jew nor Greek, 
slave nor free, male nor female. And so then in verse 16, he's 
no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, 
especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh 
and in the Lord. One who he'd still be a, hopefully, 
a faithful and good servant now in the house of Philemon, but 
also one who he would be in the new heavens and new earth with. 
someone he could stand on Sunday and sing praises to his God. That's what Paul is saying. A 
beloved brother, especially to me, how much more to you, both 
in the flesh and in the Lord. And since he is this, since you 
have received, since he has been saved, Philemon, forgive him. Philemon, you have been forgiven. 
Philemon, your sins have been taken away. Paul does actually 
say as much later on. He says, not to mention to you 
that you owe me even your own self besides. You see, God is 
so gracious and kind and forgiving and patient and long-suffering 
with you and I. Sometimes we are not that towards 
other people, but we should be. We should be gracious. We should 
be kind. We should be patient. Sometimes 
we should give people the benefit of the doubt, and Paul does this 
very thing. Still has to deal with, Saint 
Anisim starts to deal with his sin, but Paul is very gracious 
as he is sending him back. God has forgiven Onesimus, God 
has forgiven Philemon, and now that relationship has changed. Not only does God change hearts, 
but he does change relationships as well by the gospel, doesn't 
he? Now, I understand there is the sad side of gospel transformation. I understand that Jesus said, 
I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. And that's in the 
context of dividing families. And many of us have to endure 
that kind of sorrow. There is the comforting side, 
isn't there? There is the blessed side of that, and we see that 
here with the change in Onesimus. Those who were once enemies are 
now friends. We see an example of reconciliation 
and peace in the life of God's people. And certainly God has 
reconciled us to himself that we now have peace with God. Should we then not try to have 
peace with others, especially fellow brothers and sisters in 
Christ? If God has forgiven us, should 
we not be forgiving towards other people and seek to mend those 
relationships? Paul does say, as far as it depends 
on us, be at peace with all men. the gospel changes. The gospel 
brings new life, and the gospel does change relationships, sometimes 
for the worse, but sometimes for the better as well. And I 
think Onesimus' conversion is a great example of how the gospel 
brings change. One who was once unprofitable 
is now profitable, not just to you, but to me as well, as Paul 
says. That's what God does. That's 
where we can see God's gracious providence in the salvation of 
sinners. Well, let's pray. Our gracious God, we pray that 
You would forgive us for our sins, and thank You for what 
Your Word has said concerning this reality, that if we are 
in Christ, we are covered in His blood, we are washed in His 
blood, and our sins have been cleansed. And thank You that 
when we do sin, we can go to You and ask, and You are faithful 
and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. And 
one sin that we ask that you'd forgive us for now is the sin 
of being exacting, the sin of not being gracious and patient 
with others, the sin of being vengeful sometimes. We pray that 
you'd forgive us for these things and help us to know the forgiveness 
that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. and we pray that we would 
know how to speak with our brothers and sisters concerning sin, that 
we would be gracious, that we would be patient, that we would 
be mild as we do so, to know when to be firm, but to especially 
know when to be gracious. We know that we need wisdom in 
these areas, and we ask that you would give it, and we're 
thankful for your grace to such undeserving wretches like Anesimus, 
and undeserving wretches like us, and we ask and pray if there 
are any here today who do not know you, we pray that you would 
save them. We pray that you give them new life. We pray that you 
give them a new heart. We pray that you would give them 
everlasting joy, and peace, and hope, and that you would bring 
change to their life. Thank you for what you have done 
in the crosswork of Christ. Thank you for what you continue 
to do by your Spirit as the Word goes forth, and we pray that 
we would be a people who put our faith and trust in you, and 
that we would be a people who seek forgiveness, forgive us 
our debts, and help us to forgive others as well. Thank you for 
your grace. Thank you for your mercy, and 
we pray that you be honored and glorified, and we pray these 
things in the name of Christ. Amen. Well, we'll close by seeing 
the doxology. I don't know what it is in your 
hymnal, so you'll have to find it. Pardon? 568. So 568. We'll stand and sing together 
the doxology. ♪ Praise God from whom all blessings 
flow ♪ ♪ Praise Him, all creatures here below ♪ ♪ Praise Him, above 
the heavenly host ♪ ♪ Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ♪ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 
be with your spirit. Amen. Close with a brief time 
meditation. The piano's finished. You are 
dismissed.