 The title of our sermon this morning is the command to believe the command to believe and we're in John chapter 14 Verses 7 through 14 and we've been working through John 14 and now as we've come to this section in the Gospel of John the primary concern in John 14 of the Lord Jesus Christ is the faith of his disciples The primary concern of the Lord Jesus Christ as we come to John 14 is the faith of his disciples Now as the disciples are gathered together with the Lord in the upper room They are facing tremendous difficulty tremendous adversity They have by faith left all to follow Christ They've given up everything to follow him and they've been sent now to the front lines of a raging battle By virtue of their union with Christ by grace through faith the disciples in John 14 and all Disciples after them will suffer trials Will suffer persecution will suffer difficulty Paul said in the fellowship of his sufferings being Conformed to his death as we consider this text this morning Let's remind ourselves of what they're facing and why the Lord's charge to believe is so critical and pressing We need to remember the context of what we're studying here Okay, first Judas one of their inner circle has departed into the night to betray the Lord Jesus Christ The betrayal of Judas is scary it sets events in motion that will inexorably lead to the cross The Lord Jesus Christ is going to die He tells them the Son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes and they will condemn him to death And they will deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify in Luke chapter 22 The Lord tells Peter that Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat in Matthew chapter 26 the Lord tells them that all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night for it is written I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered and then Looking into the future beyond the cross the Lord warns them They will deliver you up to tribulation and will kill you and you will be hated by all nations For my name's sake These men these disciples and all disciples after them are going to face fierce ongoing Intensifying trials and for these disciples they will be trials that will eventually lead to their own deaths Now the Lord prays in Luke 22 He says I have prayed for you that your faith Should not fail. The Lord knows they're gonna need faith They're gonna need faith to get through the difficulty The Lord knows that Faith is going to have to endure assault The Lord knows that faith is going to have to weather Raging storms persevering one vicious attack after another As we consider these things think about it with me. What are we doing? We're giving context to the Lord's instruction in John chapter 14 That context is important and it's gracious provision from God to us for us to understand these things Let me tell you why all right as we consider What these men faced and as we consider how they persevered So we consider the testimony of their lives to the grace of God in Christ We're to remember that these men are men with a nature like ours We are to be spurred on by their example. We're to learn from their example now their example It's not a perfect example. I'm grateful for that right? We see their warts if they were a perfect example Then their perfect example might not be an encouragement to imperfect people like us, right? But the fact that their Example is an imperfect example is an encouragement to us. They are men with a nature like ours If you know your Bible, you remember James speaking about that in James chapter 5 of Elisha Elisha James says was a man with a nature like ours and he prayed he exercised faith That it wouldn't rain and they had a drought for three years and six months So considering context then I want to set the stage for what we're talking about in John 14 Considering context turn with me to Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews chapter 11 We need to understand the faith that the Lord Jesus Christ is explaining in Hebrews in John chapter 14 We're gonna get some information about that in Hebrews 11 We're gonna talk about faith. We're gonna talk about examples of faith Well, let's go to the great hall of faith in Hebrews 11 Now bear with me as we go through this. I want to develop a point That's gonna be important for us to understand back in John 14. Okay? Look at Hebrews chapter 11 Look beginning with me at verse 1 Here the Bible reads now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of Things not seen that word for substance there is who apostasis who apostasis that word refers to the the underlying reality Behind things that we see the underlying reality behind what has appeared us the appearance of things It's an underline underlying reality behind something in other words. It's not ethereal, right? It's not nebulous. It's not subjective or Undefinable it's objective and it's real Faith stands behind what we're gonna see here. It is the substance the reality the substance of things hoped for You fight right you yell someone cuts you off in traffic. You lose your temper What is the hoop of stasis? What's the reality or the substance behind what you just did? It's anger right anger is the reality behind your reaction in traffic when somebody cuts you off Anger is the hoop of stasis now in Christ. We have a great hope. We have a great hope We hope to be with him. We hope to be in heaven. We hope to be free from sin one day What's the substance? What's the reality? Reality behind those things that we hope for in Christ. What's the reality? It's faith Faith faith is the substance of things hoped for but he goes on now think with me How does James say that we show or demonstrate that faith? By works James says that we demonstrate or we show our faith by our works Faith then Must be the hoop of stasis must be the substance must be the reality behind the works that we do Okay, faith is the substance of things hoped for look back at verse one our faith then With all its accompanying works with all its accompanying fruits, then is the elan cost the evidence or the proof or the demonstration Of things not seen now. What are those things that are not seen? One God is not seen God is invisible immortal right God is invisible not seen The Bible says doesn't it that Jesus Christ whom having not seen what? You love you love the word Jesus Christ you've not seen you've not heard his voice with your ears You've not seen him with your eyes yet. You love him heaven is invisible. We don't see heaven But the proof or the demonstration or the evidence of those things is what? faith faith an active thriving working obedient living faith all that is a proof as an evidence of demonstration of those things which we don't see Our faith is the reality behind our hope Our faith is the proof of things unseen now listen look at verse 2 by that faith The elders obtained a good testimony and what that means is they gained approval and here gained approval specifically from God I want you to see that drop down to verse 4 How did they obtain a good testimony in what way did they obtain a good testimony? Look at the example of Abel in verse 4 by faith right by faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than came It doesn't say that by faith Abel offered his faith by faith Abel in an expression of his faith Offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than came through which he obtained witness witness from whom? Fruit witness from God right witness from God he obtained witness that he was righteous God himself testifying of his gifts and through it he being dead Still speaks now. What was the underlying reality the hoopa stasis behind Abel's sacrifice faith faith true Authentic practiced exercised obedient living thriving faith Through I want you to get the point okay follow along with me through his visible act of offering his sacrificed It was witnessed. It was observed By God who gave testimony to it that Abel was righteous Do you see but God knows the heart? The Bible says that God doesn't look on the appearance the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart, right? But God looks at the evidential work of Abel by faith To confirm to affirm and to give testimony that Abel had Righteous saving genuine authentic living thriving true faith James says doesn't he I'll show you my faith by what? By my works by my works What does it incidentally? What does James call the so-called faith that is not demonstrated by works? Calls it dead. That's right dead James calls it dead unsaving Fake counterfeit you're on your way to hell kind of faith right is a faith It's not accompanied by works and by the way another incidental here If you're going to a biblical church, you're gonna be in the Bible, right? We spent our preparation for worship in Exodus. We're preaching through the Gospel of John's. We're in Hebrews talking about James Right, that's what a biblical church does. We're in the Bible and if you're a Christian you love the Bible verse 5 look at verse 5 by faith Enoch When he was taken away Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death and he was not found because God had taken him for Before he was taken he had this testimony that he pleased God now think about that statement for a moment, right? Enoch didn't say I believe right and click his heels three times. There's no place like heaven There's no place like heaven. There's no place like heaven and then just mystically disappear into heaven That's not the way it worked Before he was taken before God took him. He had this testimony He pleased God now. What do we do to please God? How do you please God? That's right. You obey you keep his commandments first John 5 3 for this is the love of God That we keep his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome. His commandments are our delight How many of his commandments do you keep all of them all of them, right? Yeah, I'm keeping this one over here So it's just not as important for me to keep all those over there, right when the Bible tells you to obey in Faith out of a love for the Lord Jesus Christ. What do you do you obey? But listen? I'm a sinner I'm just trying as hard as I can No, if the Bible tells you to obey you obey and you obey in faith and that obedience is your delight You delight to please God that was Enoch's life Enoch had this testimony before God that he pleased God look at verse 6 Now without You could say this kind of faith without this kind of faith It is impossible to please him And let that sink in for a moment without this kind of evidence producing fruit Producing obedient healthy thriving living your life kind of faith. It is impossible to please him I was talking to somebody the other day Witnessing to him and he says I believe God. I believe God had absolutely no impact whatsoever in his life But I believe I love God. I even go to church every now and then Listen without this kind of faith the faith of Enoch the faith of Abel the faith of Abraham the faith of Moses without that kind of faith you have a Dead faith it is impossible to please him Listen to verse 6 without this kind of faith. It's impossible to please him for He who comes to God must believe that he is Believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who what? Dilligently seek him diligently seek him now look at these examples Lord gives us great examples here in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 7 by faith Noah Being divinely warned of things not seen what did Noah do he moved with godly fear What did Noah do that evidenced his faith? He prepared an ark for the saving of his household by which he Condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness, which is according to faith We have the imputed righteousness of Christ through the means of faith in Christ by the grace of God He prepared an ark look at verse 8 by faith Abraham obeyed When he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance and he went out Not knowing where he was going Abraham acted in faith and he obeyed God without this kind of faith It is impossible to please him drop down to verse 17 verse 17 says by faith Abraham When he was tested he offered up Isaac now if you remember that story He trusted God by faith. He took his only son the son of promise He took him by the hand led him to the top of Mount Mariah He had the dagger in his hand and he had the dagger raised to obey God in faith And he was gonna take the life of his son and sacrifice him as the Lord had commanded and he did this by faith He says he was when he was tested he offered up Isaac and he who had received The promises offered up his only begotten son. That's important to think through Abraham Received the promises from God God made a covenant with Abraham and Abraham believed the promises and Abraham's belief in the promises His belief in God is trust that God would keep his word Was the motivation for Abraham to obey God and to follow God in obedience with his son Isaac on Mount Mariah verse 18 of whom it was said and Isaac your seed shall be called Abraham verse 19 concluded That God was able to raise him up I think about the faith of Abraham right in that moment God's able to bring him back to life God's able to raise him up Even from the dead verse 19 says from which he also received him in a figurative sense The Greek word for faith Comes in a noun form and in a verb form I want this to make sense for you All right, the noun form a noun is a person place or thing all right faith The Greek word for faith comes in a noun form and comes in a verb form a verb is an action word You're gonna take action a verb okay The noun form of the word is often translated faith. It's translated faith. It's a it's a noun. It's a thing It's faith okay in English in English. There's no verb for faith. I'm gonna faith you or I'm gonna go faithing There's no there's no verb for faith in English And so often the verb form of the Greek word for faith is translated as believe I'm gonna believe or it's translated trust or it's translated Exercising faith. Okay. That's the way the Greek verb is often translated now what we see What we see in Hebrews chapter 11. This is important for us to understand we see in Hebrews 11 Examples of people who are verbing their noun Okay, let this that that sink in If you're not verbing you don't have the noun Hebrews 11 full of examples of godly men godly women who are verbing their noun If you don't verb the noun you don't have the noun Verbing the noun goes with the noun. Okay, they are Showing their noun by their verb. Okay, they're demonstrating their faith by their faithfulness their faith acting exercising working in faith obeying drop down to verse 24 drop down to verse 24 By faith James might say to Moses Moses show me your faith and Moses is like How do I show you my faith? He's gonna have to work. He's gonna have to demonstrate his faith So so what does Moses do in verse 24 by faith as an evidence of faith? Moses when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter Choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin and Moses had it pretty good didn't he in Pharaoh's household Had it pretty good pretty comfortable life Moses chose he sought out he decided to suffer affliction Difficult terrible hard affliction With the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin That's an evidence of Moses's faith and that's why Moses is in the Hall of Faith Look at verse 26. He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater Riches than the treasures in Egypt for he looked to the reward. He had faith He looked to the reward verse 27 by faith. He forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king for he endured as Seeing him who is Invisible by faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land Whereas the Egyptians attempting to do so were drowned Why am I laboring on this point? Why am I laboring on this point? Because most churches do not teach this and most Professing Christians and I intentionally say professing Christians. Why? Many of them are not Christians. All right Most professing Christians don't believe this They don't live like this. They don't make these decisions. They don't have this kind of faith Most churches don't teach it. Most professing Christians don't believe it Most professing Christians think of faith as little more than Belief in or agreement with or acknowledgement of a list of biblical facts That's what faith is to them. It's just agreement with or belief in a set of facts. Yes Most pastors today. Yes, most pastors about faith. You've witnessed to him. I've witnessed to him. I've talked to him They'll say do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe this about Jesus or that about Jesus? Do you believe that you're a sinner? Do you believe that Jesus died for your sin? Well, then you're saved and Where is Jesus right now? Well, he's in your heart and Don't doubt it. If you doubt it, that's Satan making you doubt That's not the biblical gospel That's not what the Bible teaches and yet it is a rampant ever in churches today It is everywhere. You've seen it. I've seen it They've turned biblical faith. They've turned biblical faith into nothing more than mental ascent Intellectual ascent. They've sucked the heart out of the biblical gospel They've sucked the heart out of genuine saving faith and it's nothing more than just Disney pixie dust princess belief in something there's no trust. There's no commitment If you think about the world in which we live, right? Everyone everyone Everyone is walking around with terminal cancer and they are going to die the medicine That is being doled out by most churches The medicine that they are only too willing to suck down their throat themselves is The medicine that doesn't heal the cancer it only numbs them It just numbs them You talk to them you try to witness to them you try to share the truth of God's word with them And it's like oh listen, I'm fine. I'm good. I believe in Jesus The real medicine the real cure It's often painful isn't it? There are times it's gonna make you throw up. It's gonna be difficult It's not gonna feel good It's sometimes painful. It's often uncomfortable. Listen. It's real It is the saving balm of the gospel Moses chose He chose to suffer Affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy that numbing fake counterfeit false Snake oil kind of faith and he did that as a fruit as an evidence as a demonstration of his faith Like Moses like Moses you and I must choose that kind of faith Like Moses we have to choose That belief we have to demonstrate our faith by it's not a Let go and let God right I believe in Jesus and so whatever happens God's gonna do You know beside I'm a sinner listen. I don't have any control remember witnessing to a guy in his driveway He was about divorces the divorce his wife. He had been committing adultery and his excuse was I can't do anything about it Well, yes, you can stop committing adultery repent of your sin and don't divorce your wife Evidence your faith by your obedience to God if it's a genuine thriving healthy living faith It's going to produce these fruits Moses chose To suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin The brothers are out preaching Christ in the parks Brothers brothers are out laboring at the abortion mills going door-to-door preaching the gospel at work preaching the gospel at school And where are you? Where are you? maybe you're Suffering affliction with a demanding boss at work How are you gonna respond? How do you work? How do you labor in that circumstance? What do you do? Maybe you're suffering affliction at school Around your friends. Maybe you're suffering affliction in your marriage. How are you to respond? Choose to suffer affliction as a Christian Rather than sin to get your way out of it Choose with Moses to exercise this kind of faith Everything else is a a wicked counterfeit Everything else is a numbing fake Look dropped down to verse 35 Others were tortured. Listen to this not accepting deliverance Remember hearing the story about John Bunyan in prison? His little girl sick. She was gonna die We said of John Bunyan And all he had to do is get out of prison was to renounce his faith To renounce his faith. It would have let John Bunyan go. He could have spent the last years of his life with his daughter but he chose to stand for the faith if it meant prison to him and His daughter died choosing To suffer affliction with the people of God Rather than compromise the gospel rather than compromises convictions take the easy way out cheat So they can indulge himself These others verse 35 were tortured not accepting deliverance So that they might obtain a better resurrection Still others had a trial had trials of mockings and scourging. Yes, and of chains and imprisonment They were stoned. They were sawn into they were tempted. They were slain with a sword They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the world was not Worthy now listen They chose this It wasn't as we've got to get out of this mindset that these things always and only Passively happened to us They chose that Think about the brothers and sisters who go down to the abortion mill You're out there you're suffering affliction That's there's just no way around that they chose to do that Can't always think about Faith is something that passively happens to us God's people choose with Moses to sluphor affliction with the people of God They choose to go into the fray they choose to fight the fight, right? They battle sin they battle enemies from within and enemies from without and they choose that life I'm gonna wage war Against my sin because I would rather suffer affliction for Christ Then die in my sin and go to hell I'm gonna choose to get out there with the people of God and serve Christ Because I'd rather do that and take the ease the flowery beds of ease Right the broad road that leads to destruction These men those who wandered in deserts and mountains and dens and caves of the earth These were men with a nature like ours Men with a nature like ours If you're a genuine Christian Then examples like this Should convict you and spur you on right spur you on to greater Obedience greater faithfulness to Christ look at chapter 12 verse 1 therefore This is his charge to us in light of these truths therefore We also Since we are surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses, right? All our brothers and sisters over the centuries who have lived and died for Christ Since we're surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses. Let us lay aside every weight Lay aside that apathy lay aside that indifference lay aside that laziness Lay aside that passing pleasure lay aside that sin lay aside that compromise, right? Lay aside all that weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run With endurance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith Who for the joy that was set before him? endured the cross Despising the shame and it sat down at the right hand of the throne of God You know it's interesting in considering the example of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Lord Jesus Christ exercised faith in going to the cross He trusted the father in going to the cross God the father is going to race him up Back in John 14 That's the introduction Back in John 14. I Want to give you context. I want to set the stage If you think about the disciples in John 14, and then you think about the Lord's concern for their faith in him It's important to understand that context. They are facing tremendous difficulty All right, and in facing that tremendous difficulty that will last from now until the rest of their lives the rest of their lives, right? The disciples were all killed for their faith. They went to their deaths preaching Christ John Boiled in oil right and then exiled on Patmos before he died the rest of the disciples all martyred for their faith Considering what they're about to face the primary concern of the Lord Jesus Christ in John 14 is their faith in him The quality of that faith the maturity of that faith the nature of that faith the Lord knows What the hoopastasis is? behind endurance The Lord knows what the reality is the substance is behind faithful perseverance The Lord knows what the substance is the reality is behind faithful obedience behind the preaching of the gospel behind They're Facing a hostile world the reality behind That which we see as the persevering of these disciples is faith a healthy thriving living faith in Christ now the Lord knows That his disciples need a well-informed noun They need a well-informed noun an informed mature faith the content of their faith who he is what he's done what they've been delivered to they need a well-informed noun and Once they have the well-informed noun he knows that they must verb that noun they must commit They must obey they must endure they must trust they must follow so look at with me at John chapter 14 and look at verse 1 John 14 verse 1 Three sharp staccato commands from the Lord in verse 1 3 imperatives here. They are don't be troubled You believe in God Believe also in me and we talked about that last week. Those are three imperatives in the scripture Doesn't necessarily read that way in some of your English translations. It's not You believe in God? Well, then believe also in me. That's not the way that this is to be viewed. These are three imperatives Don't be troubled believe in God believe in me three commands Now look down drop down the commands in verse 1 are Followed by another urgent command in verse 11. Look at verse 11 The Lord says believe me Believe me that I'm in the father or else believe me for the sake of the works But believe me now those commands are then interspersed as we've been working through the text, right? They're interspersed with trust in Christ hope in Christ following Christ knowing Christ praying to Christ But those commands indicate what the Lord the Lord's major concern is for them in John 14 their faith Not just faith to get through a tough time Not just faith for that individual circumstance. This is the kind of faith. They're gonna need to make it to heaven This is saving genuine faith and the Lord is concerned with your faith this morning also He's concerned with the kind of faith that you have that you're exercising the kind of faith that you possess all right now first on your notes Saving faith must be rightly rooted. It must be Biblically grounded you've got to have Biblical content for your noun all right and saving faith is rooted and grounded in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ We see first on your notes the object of faith explained in verses 7 through 9 the object of faith Look at verse 7 with me If you had known me the Lord says Then you would have known my father also and from now on you know him and have seen him The Philip said to him in verse 8 Lord Show us the father and it is sufficient for us Jesus said to him in verse 9 have I been with you so long and yet you have not known me Philip He who has seen me has seen the father So how can you say show us the father? Our knowledge of God right if you think about The knowledge that you possess of God our knowledge of God Consists entirely In what God himself has revealed to us God must reveal himself to us now certainly God has revealed himself to us in his word. We have an awesome Irreplaceable Glorious revelation of who God is what God has done Redemptive history this book is sufficient for life and godliness. It gives us everything that we need all right Certainly the Bible Reveals God to us But now think about it God has revealed himself to us in creation Psalm 19 one right the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork so that the Heathen Romans 1 are without excuse they can look at creation and from creation they know that there's a creator God reveals himself to us in creation If you think about it further God has revealed himself to us in man Man was made in the image of God in the image of him. He made them right Genesis God has revealed himself in man and man with the law of God written on their hearts man's Conscience accuses him right cries out to him that man is going to be accountable to his creator Your conscience bears witness that there's a God That one sense God also reveals himself in history The Lord God omnipotent reigns and he reigns over all the affairs of men He reigns over history. He directs all things according to his will He directs all things according to his eternal purpose and even in history We can see a revelation of God but preeminently preeminently God has revealed himself in the person of his son God became flesh and dwelt among us right and that was John says in the prologue for 33 years He walked the dirt of our existence and displayed his glory among us revealing God to man and Leading man to God Paul in Colossians 1 says It's a Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God God incarnate is the image Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God So if you think about the Lord Jesus Christ now in his perfect life We see God's holiness. Don't we in his teaching We know God's wisdom in his selflessness in his sacrifice. We see God's Kindness we see God's mercy. We see God's grace and so on we see the invisible God in the incarnate view perspective of his son now It's this kind of revelation that the Lord is referring to in verse 7 if you had known me You would have known my father also verse 7 is the subject of our revelation the subject of revelation is God the father in the perfect person and work of his son the Lord Jesus Christ if you think about the grammar in verse 7 look at verse 7 Based on the grammar don't read verse 7 as a correction or as a rebuke you can read it like this Well, if you had known me Right, you would have known Don't read it like a correction or a buke. This is an assurance on the part of the Lord Jesus Christ We know that from the grammar it better to be read like this If you have come to know me which they have You will know my father also That's the sense behind the statement if you've come to know me then you'll know my father also in other words the knowledge of Jesus Christ is Knowledge of God the father. Do you see if you go on in verse 7 now? the from now on in verse 7 Translates to Greek words to Greek words now if you read the Greek We know there's no spaces. There are no spaces between Greek words So if you take those two Greek words and they put them together no space between the two the word is translated assuredly assuredly So the idea is this the idea is this if you have come to know me then you will know my father also Assuredly you know him and have seen him and we can know from the disciples the Time they have spent with the Lord Jesus Christ that at one level the disciples know the Lord Jesus Christ they followed him around for three years in ministry and In the son in the Lord Jesus Christ They both know the father and have seen the father. They don't quite fully understand that yet This is still difficult for them. They've not fully grasped the incarnation all that's gonna come after the cross That's gonna come when the Spirit comes they're gonna more clearly understand these things It won't be until after the resurrection that they begin to make those Connections right after the resurrection if you remember Thomas The Lord Jesus Christ is resurrected. He appears before them in the room. And what does Thomas say my Lord and my God Thomas got it. All right. All those connections are made more clear later after the resurrection here in John 14 They don't have this whole picture yet The Lord is working with them to put it together. They need more understanding But it's that lack of understanding that prompts the statement of Philip in verse 8 look at verse 8 Philip said to him he doesn't understand. He doesn't get it. And he's showing his ignorance here Philip said to him verse 8 Lord show us the father and it is sufficient for us So now we've moved from the subject of revelation and we're talking about the sufficiency of revelation in verse 8 Philip raises a question About the sufficiency of the revelation that God has given to them in his son Right now think about this for a moment and be gentle with Philip Apparently the teaching Right the miracles Jesus walking on water Feeding five thousand with little bread and loaves and fishes Giving sight to the blind preaching with power clearing the temple raising Lazarus from the dead All of that has been insufficient for Philip and Philip says to Jesus listen show us the father and it'll be sufficient for us He's asking for a visible display. Have you ever run anybody who's asked that question before maybe I was out on campus The most recent time that I've got that question Had a college kid say listen if God were real Why don't he just show himself and we'd all believe in him Display the father to us is what Philip is saying and that will be enough for us to believe that'll be enough for us to Exercise faith. We've got to see him Philip is saying I need a vision. I need a vision. I Don't think I can do this by faith alone. I need to see something He's asking for a visible display a visible presentation of the invisible God Give us proof. Give us proof is what Philip is saying seeing is believing Right. That's his motto here. Now as the Lord responds to that As you can imagine in verse nine, there's a tone of exasperation He says in verse nine, have I been with you so long Philip? And yet you have not known me I've instructed you I've fed you I've fellowshiped with you. I've encouraged you. I've strengthened you. I've given you a hope And yet you have not known me The Lord here Reasserts the supremacy Of the revelation that God has given in his son He was seeing me as seeing the father. So how can you ask for any other revelation? I Am the supreme revelation of God What does that tell us? As we consider verses seven eight and nine the subject of revelation The sufficiency of that revelation and the supremacy of that revelation We must you and I you and I must As fully and as completely and as biblically as possible know The glorious subject of revelation. It's that knowledge of our Object of faith. It's that knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that provides the fuel and the content of our faith Which leads to verbing the noun The more that you know Christ the more that you know the word of God the more In faith you'll be able to act and live and move and obey Paul said listen to paul's response Paul said I count all things to be lost In view of the surpassing value of what? Knowing Christ Knowing Christ Knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but Rubbish so that I may gain Christ The revelation of God and Lord Jesus Christ is graciously And lavishly Sufficient we don't need to go looking for signs and wonders Right, we don't need to go looking for other displays special manifestations of God Visions and voices you don't have to look for that stuff God and God's glory is revealed in the person in work of his son the Lord Jesus Christ Peter Remember Peter on the mount of transfiguration Peter on the mount said that they saw he was an eyewitness to his majesty They saw his glory They heard the the audible voice of God And Peter said but we have the prophetic word which has been confirmed which you do well to heed We have the word we have the word of God Jesus Christ The word right from John chapter one Jesus Was the word the word was with God and the word was God He is the word of God the revelation of God Now where do we see This revelation He is the supreme revelation of God. Where do we see this revelation now today? In your bible You've got a bible in your lap. This is the revelation of God to us. This is where we see and know Jesus Christ. This is where God is revealed The bible I've never seen Jesus Christ with my eyes And you haven't either and neither have any of those charismatic that claim they have None of them have seen the Lord Jesus Christ with their eyes, right? I've never heard his voice Never heard his audible voice. I haven't like John says in first John. I've not handled him with my hands I'm not looked upon him with my eyes, right? But I believe I believe with all my heart with all my soul with all my mind with all my strength all the time That God is And I believe that christ is I believe the holy spirit is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him Why do I believe why I believe because I have this book And this book is true. This book contains the evidence. This book contains the proof. This is the revelation of God. This is where we know christ It is sufficient It is supreme If you don't know your bible As many professing christians don't right if you don't know your bible Then you end up worshiping Or putting your faith in or following some disfigured corrupted or perverted version of who christ is It's not The jesus christ of the bible jesus analogy before but if you if i was out somewhere And uh someone came up to me and said hey uh mark i met your wife last week And i said oh really get a chance to meet karen. Yes. Yes. Her name is karen. That's right She was you know, I didn't realize how tall she was So, you know 5 11 And she's got a new jersey accent That platinum blonde hair Instantaneously right like you're you're talking about some other lady. It's not my wife. It's not my wife the the jesus That most in the listen. I'm not exaggerating I'm not exaggerating the jesus that most a vast majority of professing evangelicalism Catholicism and Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses and everything else in between The jesus that most people conceive of is not the jesus of the bible He is this wimpy pathetic Compromising wreaking of hand soap wimp It's not the biblical jesus The god That most people conceive of is not the god of the bible. It's the it's a It's a corrupted disfigured god that they've been fed by false teaching We must know the god of the bible We must know the jesus christ as he has been revealed to us on the pages of god's word If you don't know your bible, then you end up with a blasphemous and idolatrous version Of god or christ and your faith is empty. Your faith is empty Your faith your faith increases and matures proportionately to your knowledge Of god's word of the lord jesus christ as he's revealed in this book As you understand christ from the bible as you know god from the bible Your faith will mature if you're in christ if you're in dwelt by the holy spirit and your faith will mature and progress proportionately to your understanding Of jesus christ and god as revealed in scripture You know remember this story a while back about a guy and the guy had a He found this lump of rock right beautiful like he thought it just it looked beautiful this lump of rock right Found this lump of rock thought it was so beautiful so cool that he took it home with him and he used it as a door stop He Put it I want to say it was the bathroom door. He put it in front of the bathroom door to keep the bathroom door from closing This beautiful rock just thought it looked nice, right? Somebody had visited him And when they saw that lump of rock and they saw that it was being used as a door stop this person Being a little shrewd and maybe a little deceptive said i'd like to buy that rock from you And so he offered him what the man thought was some ridiculous sum I don't remember what it was to say five hundred dollars This ridiculous sum to buy that lump of rock in front of the bathroom door So he bought the rock he took the rock home man who had the rock was rejoicing got all this money for this lump of rock that he was willing to part with That lump of rock Ended up being at that time the largest uncut diamond in existence The man who bought it from mere hundreds of dollars went away with this enormous treasure And the man who had it as a door stop in front of the bathroom door was oblivious Now there are two grievous errors That you can fall into with respect to your faith One One error is this Treating the knowledge of christ like a door stop Like you know, it's a nice thing it looks nice But you got it in front of the bathroom door It's not the treasure hidden in the field that you would give all to purchase to acquire It's not the pearl of great price. It's just a door stop in front of the bathroom door, right? There are many christians who Can fall into the trap of treating their faith like that The other grievous error that you can fall into The other grievous error that you can fall into Is purchasing right it's purchasing taking home to you This thing that you You put in a beautiful ornate glass case, you know in front of black felt You've got a light shining on it. It's not a pedestal. You put a plaque above it It's the only thing on the wall. It's the focus of everything on that wall It's this thing that you have displayed And come to find out it's nothing more than a lump of coal That's the way that others They have this thing that they believe will take them to heaven and it's not the real thing It is a lump of coal Both errors occur Because you don't know the christ of the bible So we don't know the word of god, right? We need the the subject of our the content of our faith informed that comes from the bible Point two on your notes We've looked at the Now faith let's look at the evidence for faith in verses 10 and 11 the evidence for faith versus 10 and 11 Verses 10 and 11 The lord gives us now evidence for faith in him. We see evidence in his words We see evidence in his works And we see evidence for his worth or his worthiness To be the object of our faith Now specifically all three Are precisely because of the lord's special and intimate unity with god the father All right, look first at the unity of god the father and god the son with respect to his words in verse 10 His words in verse 10 He says there do you not believe that i am in the father and the father in me The words that i speak to you and i do not speak on my own authority But the father who dwells in me does the works now The question in verse 10. Do you not believe that i'm in the father and the father in me? That question Presupposes that they should believe and why they should believe because of the words that he's spoken to them All right, we have god's word. We should believe you have no excuse We have god's revelation. You should believe you have no excuse Now what specifically are they to believe now certainly verse 10 there to believe the words that he speaks Right there to believe the words that he speaks, but also There to believe that christ is perfectly and intimately and uniquely and completely In unity with the father you look at verse one john 14 verse one you believe god The lord jesus christ says believe also in me Believe also in me Okay, he is to be the object of our faith the lord jesus christ Chapter 10 verse 30. Jesus says i and the father are one i and the father are one There's this perfect complete unity of god the son with god the father now notice in verse 10 That it's also the father Who dwells in me? He says i am in the father And the father is in me and that's an amazing statement a profound statement d. A. Carson said No mere envoy right no mere man Would refer to the one who sent in as his father the jews wanted to kill him for that because he made himself equal with god And that no one would claim that whoever has seen him has seen the father Can you imagine a man saying that well if you've seen me you've seen the father No And no not one mere man would affirm mutual indwelling between himself and the father who sent him So at the end of verse 10 This perfect unity this perfect complete unity with the father Jesus says he does the works that he does at the end of verse 10 Who is it that jesus says does those works that he does? It's the father It's the father there's a unity reflected in his words. There's also here a unity reflected in his works Now the work where that is most gloriously displayed displayed is the cross You see the work of god the father you see the work of god the son in perfect unity at the cross Securing and purchasing the salvation that he has from before the foundation of the world decided would come about God most clearly reveals himself in the sun at the cross Now the disciples don't fully understand these things, but they will when the spirit comes the spirit's going to illumine their understanding They're going to see more clearly that which they only see dimly at this point So the lord commands them in verse 11. This is a command. It's an imperative verse 11 Believe me that I am in the father and the father in me or believe me for the sake of the works themselves verse 11 you see a unity in worth A unity in worthiness Believe me jesus says put your faith and trust in me. He's emphasizing his unity with the father But in emphasizing his unity with the father. He's emphasizing his worthiness of our faith in him It's this unity if you think about the unity of the lord jesus christ with god the father That unity ensures to us that jesus christ is Properly and rightly and perfectly revealing god the father to us This unity with the father demands Our faith christ is no mere man He is fully man and also fully god And lord says if you have trouble with what i'm saying here at the very least Believe on the evidence of the works that i've done I heard a quote this week that should make you think right? It's a quote that should make you think Quote goes like this It's one thing to believe in god Right, it's one thing to believe in god. It is quite another to believe god I think about that for a moment. Let that sink in It's one thing to believe in god. It is quite another to believe god. I can believe in abraham lincoln Right, I believe in abraham lincoln, but my belief in abraham lincoln doesn't change my life Doesn't transform my heart right? If I believe god That belief is going to govern my life And the lord jesus christ what god has done from eternity past for me in christ in the gospel that Will govern my very existence in him. I live and move and have my being When the bible reveals god As perfectly holy right demanding holiness without which no one will see the lord When the bible reveals god as perfectly holy And then you or I come across a passage like aphesians 4 Where god says this 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 Listen for a moment It's one thing to believe in god. It's another thing to believe god When you believe god with saving faith and you come across Any number of passages where you see a command such as Ephesians 4 let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth. But what is good for necessary edification What do you do? That's a pivotal question What do you do? If you have the faith of moses Or if you have the faith of abraham if you have a genuine authentic saving faith You believe God you put your head in your hands You weep over having offended god with that foul mouth and your dirty jokes And you mourn over the fact that you have grieved the spirit with your profanity In other words, you repent you turn from your sin to serve the true and living god with a sanctified tongue in your mouth Because he is worthy to be obeyed worthy to be trusted and he is commanding That kind of faith believe me. Do you see? Now he's saying Believe me believe me and as a fruit of that belief you're going to act and walk And live in accord with that faith with that belief You know the the scholars theologians often talk about faith in three parts. I know we mentioned this before here One part the initial part of genuine faith is what they call noticia noticia It's a knowledge of the facts, right? It's a knowledge of the facts the content of our faith It's the the substance of what we believe in right? We must know The object of our faith the lord jesus christ It's noticia noticia a knowledge of the facts The second part of genuine living thriving healthy saving faith is a census a census it's believing The evidence that's been given for our faith one thing is to know it The other part is to believe it. All right. It's the settled conviction that those facts that you know It's the settled conviction that those facts are true I not only know it But I believe it okay, you can know it and believe it the third part of genuine saving faith is fiducia fiducia fiducia refers to commitment It refers to trust Listen to me, okay knowing and believing The content of our faith is not enough Knowing and believing Is not enough Demons have that kind of faith James 2 19 right Demons know the truth And demons believe the truth faith is only savingly effectual if knowledge and conviction Result in the conviction to obey him in all things commitment to obey trust Trusting him for all he is and all he's done and trusting yourself to him in all your circumstances in your life fiducia refers to commitment So now we've discussed the necessity of knowing the object of our faith Believing the evidence for our faith. Let's look at point three the evidence of faith There's an important distinction there evidence for faith, but now the evidence of faith if you look at verse 12 This refers to that idea of fiducia Jesus has been appealing for And commanding faith in these verses He's emphasizing the fruits of faith the fruits of faith. Look at verse 12 Most assuredly I say to you He who believes in me the works that I do He's gonna do also And greater works than these he will do because I go to my father Whatever you ask in my name that will I do that the father may be glorified in the sun Now verse 12 look first at the promise of works the promise that the lord makes of works He begins most assuredly amen amen truly I say to you listen the one who actually has saving biblical god-given faith in me Will do the works that I do and that is a strong statement The lord jesus christ did a lot didn't he They're gonna do the works that I do now that's followed by And greater works than these he will do because I go to my father and that's even stronger statement Now what is he talking about here? He's gonna do greater works now. We can be very sure We can be very sure That he's not talking about what most crazy charismatic wants you to believe that he's talking about The way that they would say that this verse goes is see look We're going to do the works that the lord jesus christ does we're gonna heal the sick We're gonna perform miracles. We're gonna cast out demons and you got to keep reading keep reading He says and greater works than these he will do now Supposedly healing some guy of a hangnail Is not greater than raising Lazarus from the dead All right supposedly giving a guy 20 20 vision From 2040 vision is not greater than giving sight to a man born blind. All right Those are liars and snake oil salesmen You notice these guys don't hang out in hospitals, right? So now here's one thing we know we know this for sure He is not referring when he says you're going to do greater works than these He's not referring to more spectacular works. He's not referring to more supernatural works There's nothing greater nothing more spectacular nothing more supernatural than raising Lazarus from the dead It's not going to get greater than that The lord jesus christ in his own resurrection his own ascension Nothing is more spectacular or more supernatural. So it doesn't mean that okay Secondly greater works here does not mean more works Right now jesus christ was one person and now the the church throughout the ages They're going to perform so many more works that those works are considered greater because there's just a lot of them There are far better ways of expressing that in the greek if that's what he intended to say All right, that's not what he's saying here We have two clues To his meaning here. You're going to do the works that I do And even greater works and these things you're going to you're going to do because I go to my father The first clue to the meaning is that phrase at the end of verse 12 because I go to my father Jesus's disciples jesus's disciples will perform greater works Because for the reason that he is going to the father It's not that they're going to have Greater scope to do works because finally the lord jesus christ is out of the way so we can get you know It turns the turf over to us and we can do all these works. That's not what that means The very basis the very foundation the ground of the greater works Is his going to the father the works become greater Precisely because of the new situation that comes about on his going to the father now What is that? What does it mean when he goes to the father? What's going to happen when he goes to the father? The spirit of god comes we're gonna look at that next week He sends the spirit the spirit of god comes all right So the greatness listen the greatness of the work The greatness of the work has everything to do with the work of the holy spirit With the work of the holy spirit turn with me quickly to john chapter five A few pages back to the left john chapter five. Let me give you the second clue to his meaning here First clue because I go to the father The works the greater works are going to be entirely Everything to do with the work of the holy spirit In john chapter five drop down to verse 16 in verse 16 john says this For this reason the jews persecuted jesus and they sought to kill him Because he had done these things on the Sabbath Now jesus answered them verse 17 and said my father's been working until now And I have been working now what his father's been working until now working doing what? He's working through fulfilling his redemptive plan in history The father is working on fulfilling his redemptive decreases redemptive plan in history And the lord jesus christ is doing the same thing. What did jesus christ come to do? Came to seek and to save that which is lost right? So the father's been working until now and I have been working look at verse 18 Therefore the jews sought all the more to kill him because he not only broke this habit But also said that god was his father making himself equal with god Then jesus answered and said to them most assuredly I say to you This is speaking of the unity with the father again, right the son can do nothing of himself But what he sees the father do for whatever he does the son also doesn't like manner For the father loves the son and shows him all things that he himself does and he will show him Greater works than these that you may marvel That you may marvel How does that happen look at verse 21 for As the father raises the dead and gives life to them Even so the son gives a life to whom he will the greater works than these In fact the father raises the dead and gives life to them even so the son Gives life to whom he will Look at verse 22 for the father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the son That all should honor the son just as they honor the father. He who does not honor the son does not honor the father who sent him here The greater works that the father will show the son and the son will show his disciples are works of resurrection life and judgment It's what's being spoken of here resurrection life salvation Look at verse 24 Most assuredly on the heels of this statement most assuredly I say to you He who hears my word And believes in him who sent me has ever lasting life And shall not come into judgment but is passed from death to life and that is a great work Right, that's a great work most assuredly verse 25 I say to you the hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the son of god And those who hear will live now think about it this way Lord Jesus christ is god incarnate He is a a physical person constrained to a physical place a physical location at a a specific point in time ministering to a specific and a physical group of people in judia How many were saved And in the upper room before pentecost 120 120 disciples 120 disciples When the spirit of god came at pentecost When the spirit of god came how many were saved at pentecost? 3 000 That's a greater work. Do you see? This is salvific. This is life-giving work done clue one Because I go to the father by the spirit of god clue two we see that here in john chapter 5 beginning in verse 16 By his going by the lord jesus christ going to the father The lord makes the spirits converting work possible I'm going to send the spirit of god and when the spirit of god comes There will be men and women from every tribe every tongue and every nation Saved and converted 3 000 at pentecost from Jerusalem to judia to samaria and to the uttermost ends of the earth. That's a greater work, isn't it? The greater works refer to the spread of the gospel Now who's going to back in john 14 Who's going to do those works? his disciples And greater works than these you're going to do now listen jesus says verse 12 Most assuredly i say to you he who believes in me listen the works that i do He will Do also and greater works than these he will do Reminds me of ax chapter 1 verse 8 Right, but you shall receive power When the holy spirit has come upon you and you will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all judia And samaria and to the end of the earth Now what if you don't have the power in your life? That both compels you and empowers you to share the gospel with the lost What if you don't have that power? You're not compelled You don't do it. You're not empowered It means you don't have the spirit It means you don't have the spirit You shall receive power when the holy spirit has come upon you When the holy spirit comes the works that i do you're going to do also and greater works than these When the holy spirit has come upon you you will be witnesses to me But what if you're not witnesses to him? You don't have the spirit Having being a witness Is the fruit of having the spirit do you see? It may be because you're too ashamed You're too ashamed You're too fearful of man. You're just fearful fearful what they might think fearful of the confrontation fearful of hostility Too lazy Too apathetic just don't have a heart for it. You're just not burdened Right didn't paul say that knowing therefore the terror of the lord we persuade men Maybe it means you just don't know the terror of the lord You don't know the terror of the lord so you don't persuade men if you know the terror of the lord You're gonna persuade men. They're on their way to hell If this isn't true of you Then you're not his Most assuredly listen amen amen truly i say to you he who believes in me he who has this kind of faith He who has this saving faith the works that i do He will do also. I don't know how much clearer the lord can make it When the holy spirit comes upon you you will be witnesses to me Some do it and they don't have the spirit You know they do it in their own effort You get the jovis witnesses and Mormons. They do it all the time The spirit isn't the basis and foundation of that work But if you're in christ, then you do it empowered by the spirit And the one who disobeys god in that grieves the spirit They need to repent of that sin and go out choose Like moses to suffer affliction with the people of god rather than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin The theological teaching of most churches today Drives a wedge Between faith and its fruits They drive a wedge they divorce faith from its fruits Fruits of faith were purchased at the cross by christ as faith was Your sanctification purchased by christ at the cross in the same way that your justification was The issue here is determining the biblical marks of authentic saving true faith Here the lord is concerned with the fruits of faith verse 12 The bedrock of those works Is because I go to my father look at verse 12 because of the coming of the holy spirit It's not because you are greater that you're going to do greater works No, it's not that it's because he goes to his father, all right And it says in verse 13 whatever you ask in my name that I will do One foundation One level of the bedrock of our works is the holy spirit the work of the holy spirit But another bedrock another foundation of the works it will do is because he answers our prayers He says in verse 13 and whatever you ask in my name that I will do it presupposes that the people of god pray It also presupposes what the people of god pray for They're praying in accord with god when you pray in jesus's name You're praying in accord with all that he is With all that he does and with all that he intends to do you're praying in accord with a person in work of the lord jesus christ So when you pray Lord, please I need that Bentley to be able to share the gospel more effectively Lord I I feel called by god to be a missionary on cruise ships to bermuda Because those people need the lord if you're praying for some People in bermuda need the lord. Yes, they do people on cruise ships need the lord. Yes, they do But when you pray With some self indulgent or selfish motivation You're not praying in jesus's name when we stand up when we pray In jesus name. We pray amen We're saying That we are praying in accord with all that jesus is all that jesus Does all that jesus intends to do we're praying in accord with who he is as the object of our faith And your selfish desires are not in accord with who he is It's the bedrock of our works and when he says whatever you ask in my name that will I do It's asking in his name there that is critical What are the source of that works the source of those works who's going to do them in verse 13? Whatever you ask in my name. Who does it? I will do he says do you notice that it's interesting Mediatorial work of christ didn't end at the cross it continues And his mediatorial work leading men to god and revealing god to men Continues to this day through whom? His people that's right His people right lastly Verse 13 and 14 the aim of this faith Learned a lot about faith today. What is the aim of all verse 13? Whatever you ask in my name that I will do So that the father may be glorified in the son You ask anything in my name. I'll do it and he does it to glorify the father He does it to the glory of god the father And it's done by his people to the glory of god the son the aim of faith is the glory of god now In the splendor of the lord jesus christ's exaltation in the splendor of his exaltation The son's purpose does not change He enables his own to do greater things in order to bring glory to god the father Listen to this from first peter. We're going through first peter in small groups Let's uh look at this with application here first peter chapter one verse three Blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ Who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead To an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that does not fade away Reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of god through what? Through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time in this you Greatly rejoice though now for a little while if need be you've been grieved by various trials You've been grieved by various trials so that The genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes though. It is tested by fire May be found with this aim to praise honor And glory at the revelation of jesus christ Whom having not seen you love though you do not see him yet believing you rejoice with joy Inexpressible and full of glory receiving the end of your faith a salvation of your souls Faith is an awesome thing, isn't it? Faith authored by god and finished by god jesus christ the author and finisher of our faith Faith is the only means by which you or I can lay hold of the righteousness that is in lord jesus christ That righteousness Is the ground the lord's righteousness is the ground of our right standing with god. It's imputed to us When we trust christ alone to save us The father then in that justification Declares us righteous in his sight and enables us to inherit eternal life And it's entirely accomplished accomplished entirely apart from any works That we do anything that you can do however That faith if it's real faith will produce fruit works You're here this morning and you're living in a pattern of sin and rebellion against god If you've never been born again by the spirit of god and given a new heart Then the lord's primary concern for you this morning is that you would turn from your sin And put your faith in him cast off living any longer for yourself And trust christ put your faith in him if you're here this morning and you claim to be a christian Then the lord's concern for you from john 14 this morning is your faith in him Is your faith in christ a genuine biblical saving faith? Is it a healthy thriving persevering enduring to the end to be saved kind of faith? We're not talking about mature faith versus immature faith. We're talking about saving faith versus non saving faith. You see There are elements which differentiate between the two Many of us have not fully understood that when we first set out to follow christ over time you do You know many of us come to christ. We're ready to storm hell with a squirt gun Until we get our front teeth knocked out by some trial that comes along We've got to learn. We've got to learn how to trust christ. We get knocked down. We got to learn how to get back up You know like peter, right? I'll never be made to stumble I'll never be made to stop. I'm ready to go to prison into death with you. It's like Cock-a-doodle-doo, you know We need to learn how to trust christ, right? But that's the concern of the lord here this morning trust him trust him follow him Choose like moses right to suffer affliction with the people of god rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin You can do that now You can do that now. Amen Let's pray Father in heaven god, thank you for this time. Thank you for your word. Thank you for the example of christ Thank you for the person of christ. Thank you for the work of christ. Thank you for the content of our faith Thank you lord for the illuminating and empowering and enabling work of your spirit Thank you for the revelation that you've given us god Thank you for your grace and your mercy to us help us lord to understand these things Transform our hearts and minds by them And strengthen us by your spirit to live wholeheartedly for you as paul said You know as a good soldier of the lord jesus christ Not entangling himself with the affairs of this life so that he may please him who enlisted him Help us to live for you for your glory for your ultimate glory and exaltation. We pray these things. Amen