Parting Words

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 25th of May, 2025.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, I’d like you to think for a moment about what you would do if you knew you only had 40 more days on this earth, 40 more days to do stuff you’ve put off, 40 more days to enjoy special times, 40 more days to maybe fix a wrong or get something right.  What would you do, what would you say?

40 days seems like a long time, especially if we’re waiting for something we want.  That’s almost six weeks, but I bet it would pass quickly.  Time can really go by fast when we have something we need to do.

This coming Thursday, the church will observe Ascension Day, when Jesus left this earth and returned home to heaven.  This occurred 40 days after His resurrection on Easter morning.  So as of this morning, we are still within that 40 day span while the risen Jesus walks among us, appearing in the flesh to His followers and hundreds of witnesses.  He had 40 days to finish His work on earth, 40 days to show God’s intent, 40 days to establish the foundation of His church, 40 days to get His chosen Apostles to finally understand what He had been trying to tell them for three years.

Now while we only have a few days left of the 40, I’d like to reset the calendar back to that first day, to Resurrection Day itself.  Jesus has risen from the dead and left the tomb empty.  He appeared to Mary Magdalene first, and a little later in the day, He appeared to two disciples who had left Jerusalem and were walking on the road to Emmaus.  His identity was hidden from them as they walked and talked about the events of the last few days and the death of their Rabbi. This gave Jesus the opportunity to explain why the things that had happened had to happen.  He started with the prophets and reminded them of all that the scriptures said must happen to the Messiah.

When they got to town, the two disciples invited their walking companion to join them for dinner.  It was only then, when He blessed the meal and broke the bread, that the men recognized Him.  And immediately He vanished from view.  They were so excited to see their Master alive again, they got up and walked the seven miles back to Jerusalem rather than stay the night in the inn.  Please listen and follow along as the Apostle Luke tells of what happened next, which includes some of the last things Jesus said and did, His parting words before going back home to heaven, as recorded in the 24th chapter of Luke’s Gospel account, verses 35 through 53, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible this morning…

35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized Him as He was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus Himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” He said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

38 “Why are you frightened?” He asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at My hands. Look at My feet. You can see that it’s really Me. Touch Me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40 As He spoke, He showed them His hands and His feet.

41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and He ate it as they watched.

44 Then He said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And He said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as My Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting His hands to heaven, He blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped Him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

--Luke 24:35-53 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, thank You for Your loving mercy.  Thank You for sending Your Light into the world to show us the way to salvation when we were stumbling around in the darkness of our sin.  You arranged for our sin to be redeemed and provided a path to eternal life.  Father, we hate to admit it, but we don’t always show appreciation for the gift You’ve given us.  We don’t act in ways that distinguish us from the world.  Too many things in life distract us, demand our attention, keep us from doing what we should do in service to You.  Please forgive us these times, Father.  Strengthen our faith, and our resolve to grow ever closer to You and Jesus.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying times.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Our parting words can not only convey our final thoughts, but also reveal our true inner character.  Samuel Clemens, better known as author Mark Twain, might best be described as agnostic in his belief.  Although he grew up in a Christian household, he became quite skeptical of organized religion and expressed doubts about conventional Christianity, especially in his later writings, when he became morose and weary of life.  Shortly before his death, he wrote, "A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle; ... they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; ... those they love are taken from them, and the joy of life is turned to aching grief. The release comes at last - the only unpoisoned gift earth ever had for them - and they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence, ... a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever."

That’s such a tragically sad view of life.  This sounds like someone who apparently never really knew Christ Jesus.  Contrast this to the last thoughts of Herman Lange, a German Christian who was to be executed by the Nazis during WWII.  In his cell on the night before he was to be killed, Lange wrote a note to his parents.  He said two feelings occupied his mind: "I am, first, in a joyous mood, and second filled with great anticipation."  Then he made this beautiful affirmation: "In Christ I have put my faith, and precisely today I have faith in Him more firmly than ever."  Finally he urged his parents to read the New Testament for comfort: "Look where you will, everywhere you will find jubilation over the grace that makes us children of God.  What can befall a child of God?  Of what should I be afraid?  On the contrary, rejoice!"

And then there’s Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission, who, in the closing months of his life, is quoted to have said to a friend, "I am so weak.  I can't read my Bible.  I can't even pray.  I can only lie still in God's arms like a little child and trust."

What else can we do, when we are too weak to go on, but snuggle up into the loving arms of our heavenly Father, trusting in Him for all our needs?  There we will find safety and solace, unlike Clemens, who shunned God’s embrace and found only cold bitterness and darkness in life and in death.  What have we to fear?  Man may be able to hurt us and take away our mortal life, but God will heal us and give us eternal life.  So let us rejoice.

Now, over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at the visits Jesus made to His disciples using the Gospel account of the Apostle John as our source.  This morning we’re using the report of this Resurrection Day visit as provided by the Apostle Luke in his Gospel account.  If you were paying close attention, or are familiar with the Gospels, you’ll notice some differences between these two accounts.  And that’s OK, it’s understandable.  Each of the four Gospel authors wrote from a slightly different perspective, seeing Jesus and His works just a little differently.  It’s just like if we were to ask any four witnesses to an accident what they saw, we’d likely get four slightly different stories.  So this time we’re looking at what Luke reported as Jesus’ last moments.  In this account, there are no 40 days, or hundreds of witnesses mentioned.  Luke has condensed it all, as if everything occurred this one day, when Jesus rose from the dead.

What I find interesting about this is that Jesus, in what would be His parting words, is still reminding His followers what the scriptures say about Him, still telling them what was going to happen next.  And here He gives us the promise of yet another great gift from God: His Holy Spirit.  “Wait here in Jerusalem”, He instructs, “and I will send the Holy Spirit who will fill you with power from heaven.”

We know that the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and that anyone else will receive Him the moment they accept Jesus as Lord.  But that meant that Jesus needed to leave us so that the Spirit could be sent.  So He led His followers out to Bethany, where He lifted His hands to bless them.  These would have been His last words while on earth in the flesh, but Luke did not record them for us.  As Jesus was giving His blessing, He ascended into heaven.

Luke's Gospel account was his first book written and sent to Theophilus.  The Book of Acts was the second.  He opens this second book with a recap of the ending of the first, giving more detail and recalling a few more of Jesus' parting words.  Please hear the account Luke wrote for Theophilus in the first 14 verses of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles…

1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day He was taken up to heaven after giving His chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after He suffered and died, He appeared to the apostles from time to time, and He proved to them in many ways that He was actually alive. And He talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

4 Once when He was eating with them, He commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift He promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking Him, “Lord, has the time come for You to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After saying this, He was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see Him. 10 As they strained to see Him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday He will return from heaven in the same way you saw Him go!”

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. 13 When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying.

Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the zealot), and Judas (son of James). 14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

--Acts 1:1-14 (NLT)

So here is a repeat of how Luke closed his Gospel account, but with a bit more information.  For one, he now mentions that 40 day span between Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension.  Luke also adds that Jesus told the disciples that they would soon be baptized by the Holy Spirit.  This would be in fulfillment of the Spirit being sent to them.

And this time we hear more of Jesus’ parting words, spoken just before He is “taken up into a cloud”, spoken to all His followers, then and now.  “You will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Our parting words are the things we say as we are leaving a place, or leaving a person.  Jesus was preparing to leave earth, to leave us.  He had only walked this sod for 33 years, but now it was time to go.  He had accomplished what He had been sent here to do, He had already died and conquered death, and He had made a way for mankind to be saved.

And after all that, what did He determine was the most important thing to tell us as He was leaving us?  “You will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.”  This is our job: to tell other people all about Jesus, about the things He taught and did, making more disciples as we continue our walk through this world.

If we follow those words, when our time on earth is finished and we meet Him face to face, we’ll hear His welcoming words: “well done, good and faithful servant”.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for all the gifts You have blessed us with, and especially for Your Son and Your Spirit.  Through Jesus, we have been redeemed of our sin, and through our faith and belief in Him, we have been granted eternal life.  Thank You, dear Father.  It saddens us when we think that there are so many souls who will never accept Jesus as Lord.  And there are many who have not heard of Him, have not been told of all He did and taught.  We admit that we have not done as good a job as we could reaching out to these people.  Too often we find excuses not to carry out our mission of making more disciples.  Sometimes we’re too busy, too distracted.  Sometimes we’re just too hesitant, too afraid of getting it all wrong and doing more harm than good.  Please forgive us those times, dear Father.  Please help us reach out to the lost, to anyone who does not know Jesus as their personal friend.  Help us be more like Your Son in our interactions with the world.  Help us show Your love to others by giving of ourselves, giving of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, just as Jesus gave of Himself for us.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, Your parting words to us were that we would be Your witnesses, telling people all about You, helping to lead them to You and to salvation.  This is what You felt most important to impart to us.  Thank You, Jesus, for giving us so important a job.  Lord, we’re ashamed to admit it, but sometimes we struggle carrying out this mission.  It's so hard to love all people enough to want to see them rewarded with eternal life in heaven.  It hurts to admit that too often we hesitate to witness to You and the Gospel.  Please help us in our struggle to be better servants.  Help us be more like You, loving all others, even those who hate us and wish us harm, without any concern for reward or recognition or even being loved in return.  Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

We Will Follow

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 18th of May, 2025.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, through the Lenten season and Easter and even the last few weeks after Resurrection Day, I’ve mentioned how Jesus kept trying to tell His disciples what would happen soon.  Right up to the very end, at the last supper they all shared together, He gave hints and glimpses of the near future, even clearly stating His upcoming fate.  They just never could seem to get it.

For one thing, they couldn’t understand when He talked about Him having to die.  From their questions and actions, it seemed that they were still waiting on Him to destroy the Romans and end their subjugation, restoring the nation of Israel.  I feel that maybe they had fully embraced that Jesus was the Son of God, was God in His authority.  But they lost track of the fact that Jesus was also human - fully God, yes, yet fully Man, too.  Surely God couldn’t die.

At that last meal together, there in the upper room, Jesus again tried to impress His followers with the truth of what was to come in the next few days.  As He passed a cup of wine for all to share, He mentioned that this would be the last time they would eat and drink together, until the kingdom of God comes.  He foretold of the cruel beating and execution He would suffer when He broke the bread and told them it was His body, broken for them, when He again passed the cup and said it was the new covenant with God, sealed by His blood which would be shed for them.  And He spoke those words to us across the span of time – His body broken for us, His blood shed for us.

Then Jesus claimed that one of them – one of His chosen twelve – would betray Him over to the authorities.  He didn’t name names, but Judas Iscariot suddenly left the room, going to make a deal with the Pharisees and chief priests.  Please listen and follow along to the Apostle John’s reporting of the discussion that followed Judas’ departure, between Jesus and the remaining eleven, as recorded in the 13th chapter of John’s Gospel account, verses 31 through 36, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible this morning…

31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into His glory, and God will be glorified because of Him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son, He will give His own glory to the Son, and He will do so at once. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for Me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”

36 Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are You going?”

And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with Me now, but you will follow Me later.”

--John 13:31-36 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, we thank You for making sure that we would have Your Son’s life story to read and study, even after all these years.  Thank You for inspiring the men who recorded the events in Jesus’ life, especially during His ministry.  But Father, we admit that we usually don’t take the time to study what has been saved for us.  Too many things in life distract us, pulling us away from what is really most important.  We’re more like Martha, busy and worried and troubled about many things, than Mary, who chose the good part, to listen to the word of our Lord.  Please forgive us these times, Father.  Strengthen our faith, and our resolve to grow ever closer to You and Jesus.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying times.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Back in 1994, the little “Our Daily Bread” magazine had a story about Eli Black, a brilliant businessman best known for two events in his life: one, that he masterminded the multimillion dollar takeover of the United Fruit conglomerate, and two, that he jumped to his death from the 42nd floor of the Pan Am building in New York City.  The story went like this:

In the book An American Company, an executive described a business lunch he had with Eli Black.  When the waitress brought a plate of cheese and crackers as an appetizer, Black reached out and took them, placed them on the table, blocked them with his arms, and continued talking.  The executive hadn't eaten for hours and hinted that he would like a cracker.  But Black acted as though he hadn't heard him and went on with the business meeting.  After a while, Black placed a cracker and cheese on the tips of his fingers and continued to talk.  Several moments later, Black placed the cracker on the executive's plate and then blocked the rest as before.  It was clear that Black was in charge, manipulating others as he pleased.  When you play "follow the leader", check to see who is at the head of the line.  Eli Black, for all his power, ended up in suicide. Jesus Christ, in all His humility, ended up the Savior of the world.

A number of studies over the years have found that Christians tend to be among the happiest people.  They are among the most content with their station in life, better able to deal with tribulations.  And it kind of makes sense if you think about it.

For one thing, we take it as truth, a promise that will be fulfilled, when Jesus said we will have life eternal through Him.  He also said we’d have trials and tribulations in this life, so we expect them to happen, we are mentally prepared to deal with them.  Which all means that all we have to do is get through this life so we can enjoy the next, with Jesus.  Knowing what awaits us keeps us strong, content, and happy.

Eli Black apparently believed only in himself.  He was power hungry, always had to be in control, pulling strings and manipulating people for his own benefit alone.  Without an anchor, a solid foundation, he ultimately had no hope, no tomorrow, no reason to continue walking through this life.  So he threw himself out a skyscraper’s window.

Then we see Jesus.  Although God in the flesh, He acted as the most humble of men, seeking only to serve others rather than to be served.  And though His life on earth was short, His impact on humankind has endured for 2000 years, and will continue to endure forever.

Brothers and sisters, we are the called.  At the start of His short ministry, Jesus called twelve men to follow Him.  He has called us as well, called us to follow Him, to be His disciples.  And He promised that we will follow Him, follow Him to heaven once our life on this earth is finished.  Follow Him to live with Him forever.

This is just one of the ways Jesus promised us everlasting life with Him and God in heaven.  Another time He assured us of this wonderful future was spoken not to one of His twelve, but to someone who had just come to believe in Him, in the last minute as it turns out.

Jesus was crucified alongside two common criminals.  One of the two joined in with the crowd mocking Jesus, while the other defended the Lord.  Jesus’ words to this man include the promise that heaven awaits those who believe, even if they turn to Christ with their last breath.  Listen to how the Apostle Luke relates this brief back-and-forth in the 23rd chapter of his Gospel account, verses 39 through 43…

39 One of the criminals hanging beside Him scoffed, “So You’re the Messiah, are You? Prove it by saving Yourself — and us, too, while You’re at it!”

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this Man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”

--Luke 23:39-43 (NLT)

Add this to what John recorded in the 14th chapter of his Gospel account where Jesus said, “...that where I am, there you many be also” (John 14:3b (NKJV))

Now this man understood that he deserved his fate, but he also saw that Jesus didn’t.  And more than that, he also recognized that Jesus was more than just a man.  Before his own death on the cross, he accepted that Jesus was Lord, and was saved.

I’d like to briefly look at one more time we are promised that we will follow Jesus to heaven, to live there with Him for all eternity.  This comes from the last book in our bible, when Jesus revealed to John what will happen at the end of the age.  In the first 7 verses of the 21st chapter of the Book of Revelation, John reported…

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then He said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And He also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega — the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be My children.”

--Revelation 21:1-7 (NLT)

All who are victorious, all who get through this life with their faith intact, will share in the inheritance with Jesus of God’s heaven and all His blessings.  God will be with us, and we – His children - will be with Him, forever.

We follow Jesus now, as we walk this broken road.  And when our time comes to leave this sod, we will follow Jesus again.  We’ll follow Him to heaven, and eternal life.  Stay strong, and keep the faith.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our King.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for sending Your Son to the world, that the world might be saved through Him.  Through Jesus, through our faith and belief in Him, we have been redeemed of our sin, freed from our chains, ransomed even from death.  Thank You, dear Father.  Sadly, though, there are so many souls who will never accept Jesus as Lord.  And there are many who have not heard of Him, have not been told of all He did and taught.  We admit that we have not done as good a job as we could reaching out to these people.  Too often we find excuses not to carry out our mission of making more disciples.  Sometimes we’re too busy, too distracted.  Sometimes we’re just too hesitant, too afraid of getting it all wrong and doing more harm than good.  Please forgive us those times, dear Father.  Please help us reach out to the lost, to anyone who does not know Jesus as their personal friend.  Help us be more like Your Son in our interactions with the world.  Help us show Your love to others by giving of ourselves, giving of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, just as Jesus gave of Himself for us.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You promised us that if we will follow You now, we will follow You to heaven when our days in this life are at an end.  And we see this promise repeated, in different forms maybe, throughout our bible and especially in the New Testament, including in the letters to the early church.  Thank You, Jesus, for assuring us of a blessed future.  You also promised that in this life we would have trials and tribulations.  But it’s the promise of a greater future, of everlasting life in paradise, that is our hope, that makes this life bearable.  Lord, we’re ashamed to admit it, but sometimes we struggle to do as You commanded us.  It's so hard to love all others.  And too often we hesitate to witness to You and the Gospel.  As the Apostle Paul said, we seem to do the things we shouldn’t do, and we don’t do the things we should.  Please help us in our struggles, Lord.  Help us be more like You, loving all others, even those who hate us and wish us harm, without any concern for reward or recognition or even being loved in return.  Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Our Living Lord

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 11th of May, 2025, Mother's Day and the third Sunday after Easter and Resurrection Day.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Well, Family, today is Mother’s Day, and we celebrate our mothers, those alive and those gone on before us.  Of course, not all mothers are good mothers, and not all women were, are, or will be mothers.  But we all have or had a mother, so today we honor the woman, or her memory, who gave us physical birth into this world.  Happy Mother’s Day, to mothers everywhere!

Today is also the third Sunday since Jesus conquered death and rose from the grave.  After His resurrection, Jesus walked the earth, in the flesh, for 40 days.  Counting Easter itself, today would be the 22nd day.  So in His time, Jesus would still be among us, not yet ascended into heaven.  Last week we looked at two times that Jesus visited with His disciples, the eleven, hiding there in the locked upper room, during this 40 day timeframe.

Now I want you to think back to what the angel told the Mary’s when they came to the tomb that first Easter morning and found it empty.  He said for them to run and tell the disciples that Jesus “is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him”, according to the Apostle Matthew’s account.  We don’t know the exact timing that this meeting occurred, but it was definitely within the 40 days after the resurrection and before the ascension.  Please listen and follow along to the Apostle John’s reporting of this third time that Jesus appeared to His disciples after being raised from the dead, from the 21st chapter of John’s Gospel account, verses 1 through 14, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”

They answered Him, “No.”

6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. 9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”

11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” — knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.

14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

--John 21:1-14 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, we thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to redeem us of our sin, and then resurrecting Him from the dead to show us we too can have everlasting life through Him.  Thank You for loving us this much.  But Father, we admit that we sometimes just don’t understand all the things You do, or why You do them.  And there are times we even have doubts, like Thomas.  We don’t always have the strongest faith, nor faith in the right thing.  Please forgive us these times, Father.  Strengthen our faith as You guide us along this broken road we tread.  Help us be better, more obedient servants.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying times.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

A taxi passenger tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him a question.  The driver screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, went up on the sidewalk, and stopped mere inches from a shop window.  For a second everything went quiet in the cab, then the driver said, “Sir, please, don't ever do that again. You scared the daylights out of me!”  The passenger apologized and said, “I didn't realize that a little tap would scare you so much.”  The driver replied, “Sorry, it's not really your fault. Today is my first day as a cab driver - I've been driving a hearse for the last 25 years”.

I guess life can be a little scary when you've been dealing with death for so long.  Driving a hearse, one would not expect a tap on the shoulder from behind.  And that could be a hard habit to break.

I think this is much like the experience of the disciples.  All their lives, and their parents lives and pretty much throughout human history, when someone died, they didn’t get up and walk around again, popping  up unexpectedly here and there, even into a closed-off, locked room.  Except for the people that Jesus Himself raised from the dead – which I’m sure surprised and probably scared everyone who witnessed the events – this just didn’t happen.  But here was Jesus, walking around just like before, like you and I, showing off the nail holes and spear wound in His flesh, proving that He lived yet again.

Do you remember when, after feeding the 5000, Jesus walked across the waters of the Sea of Galilee to join His disciple in their boat?  The first thing they thought when they saw Him approaching was, “It is a ghost!”, and they screamed in fear.  Sounds kind of like our cab driver.  But generally speaking, ghosts – if they truly existed – don’t eat.  In our scripture reading, Jesus prepared a breakfast of fish and bread over a fire of coals and invited His disciples to join Him.  What more proof could He give?

What more proof should any of us need?  We have the sworn accounts of the men who knew Him best, who walked with Him, and hundreds more who witnessed His renewed life after death.  Our Lord lives!

Now to me, that whole thing with breakfast was a cute touch, and something that obviously stuck with John.  But then, so was the fishing trip.  It quickly brings to mind the time that Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John had a similar experience.  In the Apostle Luke’s Gospel account, the four had fished all night and caught nothing.  The next morning, after using Simon’s boat as a speaking platform, Jesus told them to cast their net out again.  Simon protested a little at first, but then did so.  And they caught more fish than they could easily haul in, almost sinking the boat.  I love the way how everything ties together in our bible, and it all points to Jesus.

Christians, we have no reason to think that Jesus is not still alive today.  We serve a living God, and our Lord lives and sits at the right hand of God.  Jesus was raised to life in the flesh after being crucified, dead, and buried, and hundreds of people saw Him alive and well, with the wounds to prove it.

Jesus not only still lives after death, but He still works, too, and His work continued even after He returned – in the flesh – to heaven.  Listen to how the Apostle Luke tells of an event that happened to a young Pharisee named Saul, as recorded in Luke’s Book of the Acts of the Apostles, from chapter 9, verses 1 through 19…

1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”

Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”

Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”

And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”

13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

--Acts 9:1-19 (NKJV)

Of course we now know that former Pharisee as the Apostle Paul, arguably the greatest missionary the world has ever known, and the author of about a quarter of our New Testament.  He certainly fulfilled the mission Jesus gave him, bearing our Lord’s name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.  And he suffered greatly for the sake of Jesus’ name.

But the thing is, this life changing event happened after Jesus had ascended into heaven.  It just proves – to we who have the faith to believe - that our Lord is still living and still working, even today, alive and active from His heavenly throne.

What does it mean to be living, to be alive?  Is life only physical?  I've heard it said that no one is truly dead as long as someone remembers them and holds them in their heart.  We know Jesus was restored to physical life before ascending back into heaven.  We know He still lives.  And He also lives in the hearts of believers.

Let’s show Him to others, and especially non-believers, by showing them our hearts, our love.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our living Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to us in the flesh.  He could have come in a blaze of glory, the conquering hero everyone expected.  Instead, You sent Him as a humble servant, and He turned the world upside down.  Thank You for having mercy on us poor sinners.  Father, we admit we sometimes only think about Jesus as the miracle working preacher of the Gospels, fully God, yes, but also fully Man.  Too often we only think of the Man part, who died and rose from the dead to live again.  We just don’t always also consider the spiritual, God part, who still performs miracles  Please forgive us those times, dear Father.  Please help us keep in mind everything in our Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, because everything points to Your Son and Your plan for our salvation.  Help us do our part of Your new covenant with us by being more like Your Son in our interactions with the world.  Help us show Your love to others by giving of ourselves, giving of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, just as Jesus gave of Himself for us.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You came to us as one of us - just a small, vulnerable baby.  And You lived like us, although You never sinned, something we do all too often still.  Thank You, Jesus, for showing us how to please God with our lives by how You lived.  Lord, we’re ashamed to admit it, but sometimes we struggle with trying to figure out all that You taught us, all You said and did.  Sometimes the “why” of what You did alludes us.  We seem to constantly battle with the Holy Spirit within us, rebelling at His guidance, thinking we know a better way.  Please help us in our struggles, Lord.  Help us be more like You, loving all others, even those who hate us and wish us harm, without any concern for reward or recognition or even being loved in return.  Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

What Has Jesus Revealed?

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 4th of May, 2025, the second Sunday after Easter and Resurrection Day.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

One of the definitions our dictionary gives for “epiphany” is “a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience”.  It’s an insight brought on quite suddenly, out of ordinary circumstances.

A number of years ago, four or five or six of us EA pastors would get together for a few days at a lakeside house down in Montgomery County, on Badin Lake.  It’s not that any of us owned a home on the lake, but there was a lady who did own that house who would let Christian groups, especially pastors, use it for a few days at a time.  We’d socialize a lot, fish a bit, eat meals together with shared chores.  And in the evenings we’d spend time studying the bible and discussing theology.

Part of that devotion time was for silent meditation, focusing on a verse we’d discussed, or even on just a word that caught our attention, individually.  We began calling this place our Epiphany House, because one or more of us would have an epiphany during our stay.  While in this moment of contemplation, suddenly, through no extraordinary outside influence or source, God would reveal something of Himself, or of His will for us.

It happened to me once, when I had just begun doing pulpit supply and was unsure how far I wanted, or dared, to go in the ministry.  God revealed His will for me when He spoke through His Spirit within me and said, “Preach My word”.  Over and over, three or four times, I heard the words as if they were spoken directly into my ear: “Preach My word”.

While not necessarily epiphanies, although some were, Jesus often revealed something of Himself, and definitely of His Father’s will.  He shared these insights with His followers while He still walked this earth in the flesh, both before and after His resurrection.  By God’s wisdom and grace, these revelations have been saved for us to this day, recorded by our Lord’s own apostles.

Reading the Gospel accounts, we can see numerous times when Jesus tried to tell His disciples what was going to happen soon, revealing the near future to them, even though they often failed to understand.  He even told them how He would be betrayed, arrested, and tortured, dying on the cross, only to rise from the tomb on the third day.  He revealed to Peter how he would soon deny even knowing Jesus.  And of course, all of that came to pass, exactly as Jesus had revealed.  He was betrayed, arrested, denied, torture, and executed.  But death could not hold Him, nor could the grave.  He rose from the dead and walked among us again, for 40 days, as witnessed by over 500 people.

During that brief period before He ascended back into heaven to be with His Father God, Jesus appeared in the flesh, primarily to His disciples but also to others, and again revealed Himself and His will, His intent, His plan, God’s plan.  Please listen and follow along to the Apostle John’s reporting of two of those times when Jesus appeared to His disciples after being raised from the dead, from the 20th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 19 through 31, and I’ll be reading from the Easy-to-Read Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

19 The day was Sunday, and that same evening the followers were together. They had the doors locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them. He said, “Peace be with you!” 20 As soon as He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. When the followers saw the Lord, they were very happy.

21 Then Jesus said again, “Peace be with you. It was the Father who sent Me, and I am now sending you in the same way.” 22 Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of anyone, their sins are forgiven. If there is anyone whose sins you don’t forgive, their sins are not forgiven.”

24 Thomas (called Didymus) was one of the twelve, but he was not with the other followers when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We saw the Lord.” Thomas said, “That’s hard to believe. I will have to see the nail holes in His hands, put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side. Only then will I believe it.”

26 A week later the followers were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. Look at My hands. Put your hand here in My side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to Jesus, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “You believe because you see Me. Great blessings belong to the people who believe without seeing Me!”

30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs that His followers saw, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you can believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Then, by believing, you can have life through His name.

--John 20:19-31 (ERV)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, we thank You for those times when You reveal something of Yourself or of Your Son to us.  Thank You for making Your will known, not only in our Bible but also in the whisperings of Your Holy Spirit within us.  But Father, we admit that we don’t always understand what You’ve shown us or told us.  And even when we do understand, we don’t always follow through with Your will for us.  Please forgive us these times, Father.  Give us an extra nudge to do what You would have us do.  Help us be better, more obedient servants.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying times.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

In his book, The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis relates that, “Nature never taught me that there exists a God of glory and of infinite majesty.  I had to learn that in other ways.  But nature gave the word ‘glory’ a meaning for me.”

The source is unknown, but the story is told that after Helen Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, had given her the names of physical objects in sign language, Miss Sullivan attempted to explain God and tapped out the symbols for the name “God”.  Much to Miss Sullivan's surprise, Helen spelled back, “Thank you for telling me God's name, Teacher, for He has touched me many times before.”  Helen Keller knew something of God's signature from nature, but it was wordless.

God reveals Himself in many ways, sometimes even with words.  The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Rome, tells us that God has made Himself known since the very beginning in the things He has made, in and through nature.  Miss Keller sensed those cues from nature, from God’s creation, and through nature He touched her.

How has He touched us?  Through what means has God made Himself known to each of us, as individuals?  What has Jesus revealed to us personally?

After the horror of the crucifixion, the disciples still in Jerusalem were hiding behind locked doors, fearful of their lives, when Jesus suddenly appeared among them, revealing that He had truly risen from the dead and was alive again, showing His wounds as proof.  But Thomas wasn’t among the group during this visit, and when the others told him of what happened, he was doubtful and disbelieving.  “I’ll have to see it myself before I believe.”, he snarled.  “I’ll have to see the wounds, feel the holes, and maybe then I’ll believe what you just said.”

Well, a week later Jesus popped in again, this time while Thomas was present.  And Thomas saw, and felt, and believed.  Jesus reminded Thomas that the reluctant disciple only believed when he saw Jesus with his own eyes, and then He blessed all those who would believe without ever seeing – or needing - physical proof.  That’s us, in case you haven’t figured it out.

John closes his Gospel account by noting that Jesus did many other miraculous signs that were not included in his book, but that he recorded what he could so that anyone would reads it could come to believe, even without seeing, believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and in believing, have eternal life.  The Pharisee Nicodemus admitted that only someone sent from God could do all the things Jesus did.  Through these wondrous signs, these miracles, Jesus revealed Himself as sent from God, the Messiah, the Christ, come in the name of God to carry out God’s plan for mankind.

The resurrected Jesus revealed Himself alive again.  Over 500 people witnessed Him risen from the dead.  And He revealed what is yet to come to His disciple John after He had returned to heaven.  Listen to how John opened his Book of the Revelation of Jesus in the first eight verses…

1 This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must happen soon. And Christ sent His angel to show it to His servant John, 2 who has told everything he saw. It is the truth that Jesus Christ told him; it is the message from God. 3 Great blessings belong to the person who reads the words of this message from God and to those who hear this message and do what is written in it. There is not much time left.

4 From John,

To the seven churches in the province of Asia:

Grace and peace to you from the One who is, who always was, and who is coming; and from the seven Spirits before His throne; 5 and from Jesus Christ. Jesus is the faithful witness. He is first among all who will be raised from death. He is the ruler of the kings of the earth.

Jesus is the one who loves us and has made us free from our sins with His blood sacrifice. 6 He made us His kingdom and priests who serve God His Father. To Jesus be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

7 Look, Jesus is coming with the clouds! Everyone will see Him, even those who pierced Him. All peoples of the earth will cry loudly because of Him. Yes, this will happen! Amen.

8 The Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the One who is, who always was, and who is coming. I am the All-Powerful.”

--Revelation 1:1-8 (ERV)

Jesus wanted all of His followers to know what will happen – what must happen – at the end of the age; all followers, those still alive in His day and those who will believe throughout all time.  So He revealed the future to His beloved disciple, John, with the strict order to write it all down and save it.

This is the truth that Christ Jesus told Him, a message from God.  And we truly are blessed to have this message, Jesus’ revelation, still to this day.  Because in this book, Jesus reveals to us what is to come, so we can be better prepared, mentally and spiritually, when it begins.  The future that is painted for us in this book is both horrendous, and beautiful.  If Jesus doesn’t come to take His church home before it starts, believers will suffer at the hands of the wicked, but the wicked will suffer more at the hands of God.  And at the end, Jesus will set everything right and we will be saved the horrible fate of the disbelieving world.

This truth has been revealed for all the world to see.  All anyone has to do is open this Book of Revelation and read the words John recorded.  And if this sparks any interest, they can read what John and the others saved for us in their accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus.  They can read of the miraculous signs, so that they might believe.

This is why God revealed Himself through the entirety of His creation.  This is why Jesus revealed Himself and the future to anyone and all who would believe, that all might be saved.  And this is why He gave us the command to go into the world telling everyone about Him, all that He did, and all that He taught.

This is our mission, as the body of Christ left on earth.  God sent His Son into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world – the whole world - might be saved through Him.  And now, Jesus has sent us into the world to continue that work, that all might be reconciled back to God and be saved.  Let’s do our part to reveal Jesus to a world that does not know Him.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for revealing Your plan for humankind in the words of our Holy Bible.  Thank You for making sure that the things Jesus said and did would be saved for us, kept throughout these nearly 2000 years so that we could read and believe, even without having witnessed Him with our own eyes.  Father, we admit we don’t spend as much time in Your word as we should, missing out on some of Your revelations.  Too often we don’t fully understand what we do read, but we’re too busy or too embarrassed to ask for help in understanding.  Please forgive us those times, dear Father.  Please help us look deeper into all that Jesus spoke during His ministry, every message He delivered, whether by words or by acts.  Help us grow closer to You by growing closer to Your Son.  Help us show Your love to others by giving of ourselves, giving of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, just as Jesus gave of Himself for us.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, from the very start of Your ministry, You revealed so much of God and His kingdom to us, through Your words, Your teachings, Your deeds, and even through the examples You set, such as when You showed us how to resist temptation when You Yourself were being tempted in the wilderness by Satan.  Thank You for giving us so much good information to go by, to live by.  Lord, we’re ashamed to admit it, but sometimes we struggle with this life, with doing things we know we should do, things You’ve shown us.  We’re not always very righteous in our daily walk and interactions with others.  There are pieces of our old life, of the world, that we just can’t seem to let go of.  Please help us in our struggles, Lord.  Show us how to love.  Help us be more like You, loving all others, even those who hate us and wish us harm, without any concern for reward or recognition or even being loved in return.  Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.