The Solemn Truth

[The following is a full manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 20th of May, 2018.  Look for the video of the service on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

I recently concluded a little series on how Jesus described Himself using “I am” statements He made and how those descriptions can be applied to us in our daily walk.  And then I summed it all up with a couple of “you are” statements Jesus made that tells us more of what He expects of us.

Now if we consider our Bible as God’s word – holy, inerrant, and true – then we should be able to believe what it tells us, and specifically what Jesus tells us.  So I am going to spend a few weeks looking at points Jesus made that were important enough to Him that He proclaimed them right up front to be solemn truths.

I normally prefer to use the New King James Version of our Bible, but for this series, the main scripture will come from the New English Translation, because in it Jesus clearly states these to be solemn truths that He shares with us.  So please listen and follow along as I read from the 1st chapter of the Apostle John’s Gospel account, verses 43 through 51…

43 On the next day Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.) 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and exclaimed, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael asked Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth — you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

--John 1:43-51 (NET)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your Son Jesus always spoke the truth.  We can believe in everything He said, in all that He told us, about Himself and about what we should be.  Help us recognize and understand the solemn truths He shared with us.  Speak to us now with the message we need to hear this morning.  Help us to be more like what Jesus wants us to be.  In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


Writing letters of recommendation can be hazardous--tell the truth and you might get sued if the contents are negative.  Robert Thornton, a professor at Lehigh University, has a collection of "virtually litigation-proof" phrases called the Lexicon of Intentionally Ambiguous Recommendations, or L.I.A.R.

Here are some examples:

- To describe an inept person: "I enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever."
- To describe an ex-employee who had problems getting along with fellow workers: "I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine."
- To describe an unproductive candidate: "I can assure you that no person would be better for the job."
- To describe an applicant not worth consideration: "I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment."


What’s the old expression – the devil’s in the details?  In this case, the real meaning is a bit hidden.  To describe someone by saying that “no person would be better for the job”, could be taken to mean that the applicant is the ideal candidate for the job.  Or, as is more likely in this context, it could mean that it would be better to hire no one, no person at all, rather than have this applicant fill the position.  An intentionally ambiguous recommendation such as this would be deceitful and untruthful, wouldn’t it?  It would not be relaying the whole truth.

One of my brother pastors shared some updated statistics recently that deal primarily with ministers and some of the struggles they face.  One of those statistics held that an average American will tell 23 lies a day.  23 times a day, the average person tells an untruth.  How average are we?


One thing we can be sure of is that Jesus always told the truth.  We can be sure of that because everything He ever said, everything God ever said, everything our Bibles says has come to pass or been proven true time after time, every time.

In our scripture reading, Jesus says, “I tell all of you the solemn truth”.  The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  Even those people who intended Him harm recognized that Jesus spoke only the truth.  One time the Pharisees sent their underlings to Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth”.  And indeed, Jesus tried His best to get them, and us, to fully see and understand the truth – the truth about God, the truth about salvation, the truth about Himself.  He knew how important it is for us to grasp the truth.  Further on in John’s Gospel account, we read in chapter 8, verses 31 and 32…

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

--John 8:31-32 (NKJV)

And the first part of that solemn truth that sets us free may seem a little difficult to understand.  Jesus told Nathanael, “You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”.  First we need to remember that Jesus referred to Himself as the “Son of Man”.  So He is saying that God’s angel ascend and descend to and from heaven on Him.  This gives us the image of Jesus as a stairway, a stairway to heaven.

This emphasizes one of the “I am” statements we looked at recently, where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  The truth is, the only way to heaven is Jesus, by His blood sacrifice, through our belief in Him and accepting Him as Lord.  Understanding this indeed sets us free.


Now if we accept that Jesus always told the truth, in all He said, what do you think He would expect of us?  Do you suppose that 23 lies a day, on average, would be acceptable to Him?  King David tells us what our Lord expects of those who would live with Him in heaven, in verses 1 and 2 of Psalm 15…

1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart.

--Psalm 15:1-2 (NKJV)

If we want to take advantage of the way to heaven, through Jesus, we must walk uprightly, work righteousness, and speak the truth, not only with our mouths but also in our hearts!  Sometimes it’s easier to give someone lip service than to actually speak the truth that is in our heart.  But then we’re not telling the whole truth, nothing but the truth.  And if it’s not the whole truth, then it’s a lie.


Jesus tried to get across to us just how important the truth really is, to Him and to God as well as to us.  In chapter 4 of John’s Gospel account, verses 23 and 24, Jesus says…

23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

--John 4:23-24 (NKJV)

Our spirit is that which gives our flesh life.  It is strengthened by God’s Holy Spirit to help us through this life on earth.  It is the very core of our living being.  It is from that very center that we must worship our Father God, with everything that makes us alive.

And we must worship in truth, in the truth that we are, our being, our essence.  We can’t just say the words and hope to fool God.  He sees straight through to our core.  He knows if we are truthful – in our thoughts, in our words, in our worship, in our lives.


Jesus spoke the truth.  He expects no less of us.  If we are His disciples we will abide in His word, we will live His truth, we will worship in truth.  I tell you all the solemn truth.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You are righteous and holy, and want us to be righteous and holy too.  You are truthful, and expect us to be truthful, not only in our words but in our thoughts, in our feelings, in our hearts.  You gave us Your own Son Jesus as our way into heaven by His cleansing blood.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to honor You by not being fully truthful.  Please help us to understand all of Your truths.  And help us to share Your truth with others who desperately need to see it.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, You always told the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth.  We have, saved for us in our Bible, a number of times when You told us that there is only one way to eternal life in heaven, and that one way is only through You.  You knew how extremely important it is for us to understand this, so You repeated it more than once and in many different ways.  Help us, please Lord, to fully grasp this truth.  And please help us to share this truth with others, that they too might understand and be saved.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

Behold Your Mother

[The following is a full manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, Mother's Day, the 13th of May, 2018.  Look for the video of the service on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

I mentioned to the kids that there was a time, very early in Jesus’ ministry, when He came really close to sassing His mother, Mary.  He was actually a little disrespectful of her.  Basically, He let her know that what concerned her was of little interest to Him.

Please listen and follow along as I read a short passage from the 2nd chapter the Apostle John’s Gospel account, verses 1 through 5, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

--John 2:1-5 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your Son Jesus was probably a little preoccupied as He was just beginning His ministry here on earth when His mother asked Him to do something to help the wedding feast host.  He was a little short with her, and questioned why her concerns should bother Him.  But in the end, He did what needed to be done, and what fit in with Your great plan for mankind’s salvation.  Help us do what needs to be done as we try to fill our role in Your plan.  Speak to us now with the message You need us to hear and understand this morning.  Help us better serve You and continue Your Son’s mission on earth.  In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


Here are a few things I doubt you’ll ever hear a Mom say…
- “How on earth can you see the TV sitting so far back?”
- “Let me smell that shirt — Yeah, it’s good for another week.”
- “Go ahead and keep that stray dog, honey. I’ll be glad to feed and walk him every day.”
- “Well, if Timmy’s mom says it’s OK, that’s good enough for me.”
- “The curfew is just a general time to shoot for.  It’s not like I’m running a prison around here.”
- “I don’t have a tissue with me... just use your sleeve.”
- “Don’t bother wearing a jacket — the wind-chill is bound to improve.”
- “Just leave all the lights on... it makes the house look more cheery.”


Can you relate to those?  How many of you mothers have ever said any of those, and meant them?  I’m willing to bet it was just the opposite - that’s what I pretty much heard all the time.  Jesus’ mother, Mary, might have added one to the list:  “Don’t worry about something I’m concerned with.  You just go ahead and do your own thing.”

The trouble is, when we did or do anything on that list or that runs contrary to what our mother’s wanted us or told us to do, then we were not respecting them or their wishes.  We were not honoring them.  There’s a commandment from God concerning this, generally considered the Fifth Commandment by the Reformed Church.  Here is how Moses explained it, in his Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 5, verse 16…

16 "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you."

--Deuteronomy 5:16 (NKJV)

On Mother’s Day each year we try to honor our mothers, but what about the other 364 days?  If we stop and think about it, we can come up with a whole bunch of reasons why we should pay respect to our mothers, can’t we.  Here’s just a few reasons wise King Solomon gave us, in his Book of Proverbs, chapter 31, verses 26 through 28…

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her.

--Proverbs 31:26-28 (NKJV)

Husbands: do we offer praises to our wives, the mothers of our children?  Children: do we rise each morning and call our mothers blessed?  Do we truly understand just how much God blessed us by giving us the institution of motherhood?

Because of our sin, because of the fall of man, women are promised that childbirth will be a painful experience.  Our mothers knew this going in, yet they chose to endure any pain and hardship so that we could be brought into this world.  And once given birth, we are offered eternal life with God in heaven.  Our mothers sacrificed to give us life.  Jesus sacrificed to give us eternal life.


We started out this morning by looking at a time early in Jesus’ ministry when He could have shown His mother a little more respect up front.  Of course, we know that Jesus did follow through on Mary’s concern, and the servants did as she told them and carried out Jesus’ orders so that the wedding feast could go on.

Now fast-forward to the end of His ministry, as He hung on the cross, where He showed just how much He loved her, how He honored her with nearly His last breath.  Listen to what John recorded for us, in the 19th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 25 through 27…

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

--John 19:25-27 (NKJV)

“Behold your mother.”

We don’t know what happened to Joseph, Jesus’ earthly “Dad”, but we do know he is no longer in the picture.  So His mother Mary is about to be left alone.  In those days, a woman without a husband or child to help see to their needs would be in dire trouble.

Jesus looked down from the cross, spotted His mother’s tear-streaked face, and honored her by making sure her needs would be met for the rest of her life.  He turned to the disciple He loved and told him he was to treat Mary as if she were his own mother, and told Mary that John was now going to be a son to her.

Now John could easily have ignored this little scenario, knowing Jesus was about to die and would never know if His request was actually honored or not, had Jesus been a normal human.  But John did indeed honor Jesus’ command, and took Mary into his home and treated her as if she were his own mother, from that day forward.

This act stands as an example for all of us who call Jesus our Lord.  It’s kind of an extension of the Golden Rule.  We should treat all mothers in the same way we would treat our own.  And not just on Mother’s Day but on every day.

Our congregational reading this morning spoke of the pain and horror of war.  In it we admitted our feelings of helplessness and prayed that God teach us the ways of peace.  You may wonder why I chose that particular reading for Mother’s Day.  I did so because mothers very often suffer the most from the effects of wars.  They watch their husbands and sons go marching off, knowing they may only return in a flag-draped casket.  Mothers who serve are themselves separated from their families, from their children, as they don their uniforms and take up arms.

War is devastating, and especially for mothers.  So it is right that, on this day honoring mothers, we should pray to God for His help in making and keeping peace.  Pray that He will help us abandon foolish pride and hungers for power, so that war will leave the face of the earth.  And we need to extend that prayer for peace to cover not only wars, but all other senseless acts of violence throughout this world.  So many news reports of killings include scenes of brokenhearted mothers wailing in grief over a slain child.

Let’s honor our mothers and pray for peace.  Let’s treat all mothers as if they were our own.

Behold your mother.  In the beautiful name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, everything You have done throughout the history of Your creation was for our benefit, for the benefit of mankind.  You gave us mothers, to bring us into this world and care for us and teach us how to survive on our own.  You gave us Your own Son Jesus, to offer us salvation and life eternal through His cleansing blood.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to appreciate Your gifts, when we disobey Your command to honor our mothers, when we don’t fully respect their sacrifice.  Please help us to not only honor our own mothers, but all mothers in this world.  Help us to see to the needs of all mothers, even those who have no children of their own but who still provide motherly care and help to others.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, even though You seemed a little hesitant to help in an area Your mother saw as important, and maybe even a bit disrespectful at first, You did finally honor her by doing as she requested and helping out the wedding feast host.  And then, Jesus, as Your earthly life neared its end, You saw that the remainder of her days would be attended to by one of Your followers, the disciple You loved, so that she would not want for any need.  Help us, please Lord, to act in the best interest of others, especially mothers everywhere.  Help us see to their needs that they might be honored.  And in this way may we glorify You and our Father God.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

Jesus Said We Are

[The following is a full manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 6th of May, 2018.  Look for the video of the service on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week we finished up our series based on some of the “I am” statements Jesus made during His ministry.  And I actually used a “you are” statement from scripture to do so, where Jesus told Peter he was the rock upon which the church of our Lord would be established.  We need to be firm, unshakeable, and steady, like a rock as we add to the foundation Peter began.

Today I want to look at a few more points Jesus made about what we should be.  Please listen and follow along as I read from chapter 5 of the Gospel account of the Apostle Matthew, verses 13 through 16, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

--Matthew 5:13-16 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You glorified Your Son by raising Him from the dead after He had spent His time on earth glorifying You.  And while He walked this path, Jesus told us that everything we think, do, and say should also be to Your glory.  Show us how best to glorify You, please Father.  Speak to us now with the message You need us to hear and understand this morning.  Help us better serve You and continue Your Son’s mission on earth.  In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


Several centuries ago in a mountain village in Europe, a wealthy nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople.  He made a good decision. He decided to build them a church.  No one was permitted to see the plans or the inside of the church until it was finished.  At its grand opening, the people gathered and marveled at the beauty of the new church.

Everything had been thought of and included.  It was a masterpiece.   But then someone said, "Wait a minute!  Where are the lamps?  It is really quite dark in here.  How will the church be lighted?"

The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls, and then he gave each family a lamp, which they were to bring with them each time they came to worship.  "Each time you are here'" the nobleman said, "the place where you are seated will be lighted.  Each time you are not here, that place will be dark.  This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God's house will be dark."


Isn’t that a lovely way of telling us why we should come to church and worship together?  This little story also paints a clear picture of what goes on in the daily life of a Christian.

We have been given the lamp that sheds the light of our Lord.  When we carry it with us, the corner of the world where we are is brightened by the light of Jesus.  When we leave it at home, or here in the church building, the part of the world where we go is left in darkness.

It is up to us to carry that lamp.  It is up to us to spread the light into the world.  It is up to us to dispel the darkness and let the light of Jesus shine.


Our scripture reading this morning comes from what we call Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where He pretty much tells us what it means to be a Christian.  Jesus said we are the salt of the earth.  Salt adds flavor, doesn’t it, makes things taste better.  Someone who is the salt of the earth is a good person that makes the world a little bit better.

Jesus said we are that person and also that we are the light of the world.  The Apostle John tells us that in Jesus was life, and the life was the light of men.  The life of Jesus lives in us, through the indwelling Holy Spirit of God, and that makes us the light of men!  What an awesome responsibility!

We are that city built upon a hill that can be seen from any side, from any angle.  We are visible to the entire world, so that they might see the life of Jesus, the light that is Jesus, within us.

Why is it important to be light?  Hear what Jesus instructs us to do, a little further on in Matthew’s account, in chapter 10, verses 27 through 31…

27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” 

--Matthew 10:27-31 (NKJV)

Jesus said we are of such value to our Father God that He knows even how many hairs are on our head.  Granted, for some, that’s not too big a number.  But there’s two things I don’t want you to miss.

First, we are to “preach from the housetops” what we have heard and read and been told about Jesus.  Now preaching doesn’t necessarily mean standing in the pulpit on Sunday morning delivering a sermon.  It simply means telling others about Jesus.

And the second point is that we should not be afraid to do so.  We should not fear preaching the Gospel.  Sure, the world hates Jesus and the Good News He brings, so much so that it kills many who try to do what Jesus commands us.  But all the world can do is take our mortal life – our eternal life, our soul, is safely in God’s hands and cannot be killed.


What we have looked at so far was told us by Jesus while He walked the earth during His short ministry.  But He also instructed us on what we should be, what we should do, how we should act, after He rose from the grave but had not yet ascended into heaven.  Hear His words as recorded by the Apostle Luke, in the 24th chapter of his Gospel account, verse 44 through the first part of verse 49…

44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you..." 

--Luke 24:44-49a (NKJV)

Jesus said we are witnesses of all the things He spoke to us, all that was fulfilled through Him, His life, His ministry, His death.  And what is a witness expected to do, but to testify.  Jesus didn’t say we are to be a witness – we are a witness.  Now it is our job to testify to the truth of what we have been told.  Because Jesus sent the Promise of His Father God upon us.  That Promise is God’s Holy Spirit, living within us, guiding us, speaking for us when we can’t seem to find the words, showing us we don’t need to be afraid.


Our responsive reading this morning contains the scripture that clicked on the little lightbulb over my head back around 2007.  Let me read to you from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 10, verses 13 through 15…

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

--Romans 10:13-15 (NKJV)

You see, I had been teetering back and forth about whether to fully commit to the ministry of our Lord.  I struggled with doubts about how could I, of all people, even think about becoming a preacher, a minister, responsible for a flock of my Lord’s sheep.

One day while thumbing through an old book in our church library, written specifically for those in the ministry, I happened upon that scripture.  I wasn’t really reading the book, just flipping through it, stopping to read a phrase here and there to get the gist of it.  But that passage stopped me cold and I had to keep reading.  God spoke to me right there.

Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.  But how can they call on Him if they don’t believe in Him?  How can they believe in Him if they’ve never even heard of Him?  How can they hear about Him if no one tells them?  How can someone preach this Good News to them unless they are sent?  That very moment, my mind and my heart were settled, and you see the result today.

But it doesn’t stop here.  Family, God, through His Son Jesus, has sent us out into the world to shine the beacon of hope, to spread the Good News of salvation, to preach the Gospel so that all might hear, and in hearing, might believe, and in believing, be saved.

Jesus said we are His rock, each of us a foundation stone in His church.  We are the salt of the earth, an agent that adds flavor to the world.  We are the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, shining the light of Jesus for all to see so they can find their way to salvation.  And we know we are all this because Jesus said we are!

We must not let Him down.  His church depends on us.  The world depends on us.  Let’s be all that Jesus said we are, to the glory of God our Father.  In the beautiful name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You have a role for each of us to fill in Your great plan of salvation.  We have been saved through the blood sacrifice of Your Son Jesus.  Now it is our turn to help others be saved.  Forgive us, please Father, when we hesitate to do Your will.  Forgive us when we are too timid to share Your word.  Please help us be better servants.  Help us glorify You.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, You ask so little of us in return for Your great sacrifice on our behalf.  Help us, please Lord, to be Your witness, to testify to the truth, to spread the Good News of salvation You bought and paid for us.  Help us be Your church, a church on the move, a church with a mission, a church with a purpose.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.