0:02
up the next section. I don't know. I was examining my uh my ambitious targets that I started off with and my uh number of weeks we have left. And I'm going to go ahead and guess we're looking at a two-parter at
0:13
this point. Maybe we'll make it out of Thessalonians before we're done. We'll see. Picking back up in chapter 4 of Thessalonians. I talked a couple of times about chapter divisions here. And
0:24
and again, I I don't tend to focus on them too much, but uh it occurred to me that almost here in in First Thessalonians, you you really could have done four chapters because I think you
0:36
could have done away with the chapter division at at the end of chapter 3 into chapter 4. And you could have made your next chapter division here at 13 and just gone on through the end um and had
0:47
only four chapters and it would have been fine. But we'll take what we have here. I'm going to read um I think certainly a larger section than we're going to manage today, but I think his thought here hangs
0:58
together as is common with Paul. There's more than we can get our hands around in one session, but the thought, the frame of mind carries through. So, I'm going to read 4 uh 13.
1:22
Again, I'm reading out of the New American Standard Version this morning. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as the rest who
1:34
have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say
1:44
to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven
1:54
with a shout and the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the
2:05
clouds and meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. Now, as to the times in the
2:15
epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying peace and safety, then destruction will
2:26
come upon them suddenly, like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief. For you are
2:38
all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness. So then let us not sleep as others do. But let us be alert and sober.
2:48
For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and of love, and as
2:59
a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us. So that whether we are awake or asleep, we will
3:11
live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another just as you also are doing. All right,
3:27
I'm going to pick up here. Um, this section obviously has to do with the idea of the second coming or what is often used in uh more technical terminology, the idea of the peruseia.
3:42
Is there anyone unfamiliar with that term or haven't seen that before? I think certainly if you've been in the Thursday night classes, this is not the first time you've seen this word. Um, the peruse it really means the
3:54
appearing. um often used in terms of the second coming of the Lord um took on a certain technical connotation later on. We've talked a little bit about this being one of the earliest letters. A number of the
4:04
commentators asserted this is the first time that this word appears in Christian literature in verse uh 15. Um I it it may well be um but obviously he
4:17
is talking about when the Lord returns. I don't think there's any dispute about that. Um, one of the commentators pointed out that this uh this section
4:27
here discussing the idea of the Lord's uh Lord's return follows on from the preceding section. He summed up the preceding section as how men should occupy themselves in the interval as in
4:39
what should you be doing while you're waiting for the Lord to return? Because we saw in the end of chapter one, he says um you know that you wait for his son from heaven whom he raised from the
4:50
dead. that is Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come again in chapter 2 he makes reference to the Lord's returning and in chapter 3 now here in four he seems to be picking up this in
5:00
particular focus and so this section that we had just looked at uh sort of end of three into four was the idea of what are you supposed to be doing while you're waiting for the Lord we talked about that idea of of the servant being
5:12
diligent in his action while he waits for his master to return so the Thessalonians as far as we can read here were in no doubt that this was
5:23
going to occur. Um he says here that they have no need for anyone to write to them of it. He says, "I don't want you to be uninformed about those who are asleep." As we pick up here in 13, there
5:34
doesn't seem to be any doubt that the Thessalonians thought that the Lord was returning. The question seems to be what about those who have already died?
5:50
They seem to have understood by the way he's addressing this. You have to sort of infer backwards what it was that he's addressing. They seem to have understood him then to have said those who believed would be alive to see the returning
6:01
because that seems to be what he's addressing here is some of them have died. This does not need to bother you. But it appears that it was bothering them. So the idea that some have died, does
6:13
that mean that they were not worthy to see the Lord's return? Or perhaps even Paul seems to be addressing that they don't even have a part in the returning? What is it that that is bothering them?
6:24
Does it discredit the whole idea of the Lord's return if they did not live to see it? Some assert that this is an early writing on the Peruia. And so perhaps
6:35
Paul did not have a fully formed uh theology of it here. and that's why we're having an issue. I really don't think that's it. I think there was perhaps an element of what he says earlier filling in what was lacking.
6:48
There was not a time to discuss all of these things in detail. Or perhaps simply the report from Timothy is there's some concern among them now that some of them have died. What does that
6:59
mean for us in terms of the returning of the Lord? What does that mean in terms of the Peruia? Um an interesting note for us here where he says I do not want you to be
7:10
uninformed about those who are asleep. The Greek is actually in the um the present tense here literally those which are falling asleep. It is it is active
7:22
not passive the way it is here that those who have already fallen asleep. He's saying those who are falling asleep. Um in the present participle
7:32
here his um his not ignorant is a phrase that he uses several times. He says we do not want you to be uninformed or do not want you to be ignorant. Uh depending on how you want to uh translate that. This is
7:45
used a number of times in Romans. He uses a number of times in Corinthians. He uses it also here. Seems to be a phrase that Paul has where he's filling in information. Um, I don't want to read
7:56
more into it than that. He simply seems to be saying you you're missing some information. Let me tell you what you're you're missing here. So, those who are falling asleep,
8:07
falling asleep, um, if you want a little bit of trivia as we get started here, I always find these things interesting. Um, the word here falling asleep is the and I'm I'm going to butcher the pronunciation here.
8:18
Um, maybe Josiah can help me. The the maybe. Okay. Um, which then became this word, which is where we get our English word,
8:39
sleep. So there you go. Same word here. He's saying those who are asleep. So the idea that it has a con connotation of death, I think, is very obvious. Uh, the context that's around here.
8:50
Um I didn't see really anybody suggesting or discussing this that this means anything other than those who have died. He even says later on in the verse um or rather in um
9:04
yeah he says in verse 15 he contrasts we who are alive with those who have fallen asleep. And then in 16 he says the dead in Christ will rise first. So he's clearly talking about those who have died but he's using this phrase sleep.
9:20
um why why is he using sleep here? Well, some of the uh the thoughts or the offered explanations is that um for
9:30
those who have believed he even says here in in verse 14 um it's significant the contrast I think 13 he says those who are falling asleep and yet in 14 he says that Jesus Christ
9:41
died and rose again. So he doesn't use a a softening term there for Christ. I think it's actually the the use of the idea of sleep here is because Christ's
9:52
death, burial, and resurrection has softened death for us. He has transformed death into sleep for those who believe. It is not a permanent
10:03
state. He goes on, I think it's tied in with his thought here, that you do not grieve as the rest who have no hope. Um, I actually think that this phrase,
10:16
well, I guess you guys tell me. This phrase, do not grieve as the rest who who have no hope. Or, um, some of your translations may say, do not sorrow as the rest who have no hope. Do you find
10:26
this particularly difficult? So, the more I thought about it, the more I find it somewhat difficult. Um, the the commentators seem to be split
10:38
5050. those who said um clearly Paul is saying you know we should not we should not grieve to the same degree as those around us because we have a a belief in
10:48
the resurrection we should not be as upset but of course men will be upset when people they love are dead and the others who said no Paul said what he said with no caveats don't grieve as
11:00
those who have no hope and so there's a there's there was a split down the middle of what what exactly how do we take This is it is it grieving at all or
11:11
is it grieving to degree? Um JB Lightoot said this Paul states his precept broadly without caring to enter into the qualifications that suggest themselves at once to thinking men. Um Paul isn't
11:24
concerned with the caveats here. He doesn't find it necessary to to explain himself in this
11:57
well I guess That would be the question. Jerry, you have your hand up.
12:46
one, right? So it should be an encouragement. Erin, you had your hand up. This is a little bit of my own personal opinion, but I I wonder given the current situation if
12:58
it isn't really important for us to understand right now. Everybody wants to do celebrations of life. I'm just going to say I personally have a huge problem with that. Someone has
13:09
died. I am sad. I am not there to celebrate their life. I'm missing right. And I it seems to me that it is possible
13:19
given our current situation to grieve as those who have no hope would possibly be to be a little too happy clappy about the whole thing as much as it could be
13:31
to be overcome by the sadness. Throw that out there.
14:32
Yeah, that one is an interesting case. Um, I don't know if I would draw the larger conclusion out of that one case, but it is an interesting point. I saw Chuck's hand and then I'll come back to
17:02
Yeah, that's a good that's a very good point of reference. Um, well, I appreciate those thoughts and and I guess this is what I wanted to examine here is
17:14
I think we've got a a data point here that helps us examine some of the other pieces of how is it that Christians are meant to to deal with death. And I think Chuck's exactly right. It is the enemy. Uh, you find so many people in our day
17:25
and age who say, "Oh, death is a fact of life." Um, and I actually think it's it's remarkable here. We've we've talked this a couple of times. Paul's references to the second coming. Um Paul
17:39
doesn't even really deal with death as a fact of life. He deals with the resurrection as a fact of life. Um he goes on here to say uh he he speaks of
17:49
the idea of of the returning, but I thought it was remarkable also here and I will remark on it. He says um
18:02
14 if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. So it is not as you might expect or someone like me might say well if you believe this then you should believe that. He says no if you believe in the
18:13
resurrection then as a matter of fact God will resurrect those who have died in Christ. If you believe that Jesus Christ died for you, as a matter of fact, the resurrection is coming.
19:06
That is a very good point. Um, you know, it is possible to be overcome or overwhelmed with grief. It is possible to grieve in a way that is um I mean in some respects not rational. Um
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it can it can certainly affect your brain chemistry and and things like that. Chuck, you had your hand.
19:50
Thank you. Yes. So, so he says um and I will use that. Yes. Um for for we since we believe that that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
20:00
Um, so I think this is this is trying to again the the very good point that was made earlier. We are we should encourage one another with these words.
20:23
Um the other thing I was thinking about with this which is is maybe not directly out of the passage here but I think is related thought to it. Um it was it was odd perhaps and maybe this
20:35
is the way you fill out an entire book to make a commentary. Um almost every one of the commentators offered some particular example uh either of ancient
20:45
writings contrasting the two or more contemporary contemporaneous to themselves of people's writings or thoughts on death and bringing these things in. And one of the things that I
20:56
thought was was curious that came up a number of times, and I'm sure most of you can think of them sooner than I can, but a lot of them would would cite some of the uh
21:07
perhaps large names in Christian missions who died young or various people who were doing work for Christ who died young. David Brainer, of course, being among those people. But
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but things like that where they they were um sort of uh I guess people use the phrase cut down in the prime of life. that kind of thing. And the idea that like, oh, this loss to us because
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they were doing this great work and then they were removed in a way that I found baffling because it completely ignores the providence of God in counting the number of our days. But also this, and
21:39
this is where I I I think I want to try to bring out is that kind of thinking to me betrays a misunderstanding of the resurrection. It betrays a misunderstanding of of the
21:51
world to come. It it this betrays a misunderstanding or or perhaps even a complete lack of consideration for what uh Peter and others tell us is is the reality of what is coming which is we
22:02
will be resurrected together. We have so much longer ahead of us. The fact that our brief candle here was somewhat briefer is irrelevant in the face of eternity,
22:13
is it not? And so there's another aspect in in that I think in in not grieving as those who have no hope. I am not grieved for what did not transpire
22:25
because there is so much more that will come. This was not the end. Does that make sense? Aaron in Isaiah he says that the in
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but He speaks of the life of the sinner even living is still considered cursed. Yeah. But the but the one dying young in that age is
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age is there's the contrast between the life of those who are not of that world of that new creation is and those who are is profound. Our
23:17
attitude towards the death is is I think figured in Isaiah 65 as being our life here is a very short part as you're saying of how of our total life I don't
23:30
know that's a funky way of saying it well whereas the sinner's life though it be long it
23:45
yes so so the the the shortness or length of of a s's life, you know, these things. How many theological points can I capture at one go? Um, I appreciate the reference there in in
23:56
in the prophets because there is that element of of effectively the longer that the sinner lives here, the more effectively they're heaping condemnation on themselves.
24:07
on themselves. Whereas, you know, being being a relatively short life of a of a Christian is again somewhat irrelevant in the in the face of eternity. I saw Chuck first and then Jerry.
24:24
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I mean I I I hope I can be that good of a carpenter when I'm 10 and something. Um you know that Noah building the Anyways, Jerry.
25:24
Yeah. No, I appreciate that very much because I I think it also speaks uh related to what what Chuck was saying that he he knew that he could resurrect him and in fact he was going to resurrect him right then, but he was still upset. It was his enemy had still
25:36
cut down one of his. Um I think that's an excellent point and so I appreciate this. I I hope this is helpful in this discussion. I I think sometimes as I was reading these things,
25:48
people people sort of steer straight into the the sort of prophetic nature of the second coming and want to talk about the second coming more than they want us to to to dwell for a minute here and
25:59
examine how are Christians meant to engage with with death and and how do we view that? Abigail
26:54
Yeah, that's it. We've summed you up in a couple of phrases. Yeah. No, I appreciate that. But I had not actually not even thought about the sort of the historical tracing of of the way we treat the dead or or the inscriptions
27:04
for the dead in in cemeteries. That's an excellent point. Um so yeah, I think it is very much a a thing that has largely transformed people's thinking and yet I
27:15
I think it was Aaron pointed out earlier on we we live in a time where that is is sort of falling away. Um, it's been years now, but it sort of struck me at some point the the shift in
27:27
language also in the news. There was something um something um something about one of the the ship disasters that happened some years ago and they said, you know, 900 and something people died, whatever it was.
27:39
And I thought, well, we used to say so many souls lost at sea. We don't say that anymore. We say, oh, those persons are dead. We don't even we don't we don't even use the terminology.
27:52
I guess you can make an argument either way about whether we should be using that terminology casually, but it used to be part of the thinking of our society, the idea of immortality. One of the commentators spent a while uh
28:03
looking at the the sort of historic uh letters because of course people in the ancient world wrote letters to each other when somebody had died and the fact that so few of them have any concept or reference to immortality at
28:15
all. Whereas immediately in the first and second century we have letters of Christians one to another encouraging one another with these words with an idea of immortality. Aaron
28:56
that's hard. It is hard. Again, I'm not I'm not trying to examine this from a standpoint of saying this is how you this is how you must grieve other than what Paul says here, which is you do not grieve as those who do not have a hope. Um and and
29:08
I appreciate mom's point that there is a difference and and I think it it goes to our witness our witness if we don't treat it as any different between those who are in Christ and
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those who are not. Um Chuck, you had your hand up.
30:43
If the person is old in the Lord, then I think it's think it's ceased their enter their master's presence. But presence. But killed in a car accident.
31:04
Yeah. Well, I I appreciate that. again say I don't think this is a this is to say that say that in all of these things there must be wisdom and discernment right that that we we recognize the reality of the
31:17
things that are lieus and this is really what Paul is getting at here is um since you believe in the resurrection there is a reality of the return there is a reality of seeing those people again and
32:03
And and I will say that's a that's a really hard one for us in the day and age in which we live. Um much more present I think to the to the people at the point that Paul was writing because we've we've already examined that in our study here in Thessalonians. What does
32:14
he say? You have become imitators of us and of Christ in what? In being persecuted, in being hated, in being pursued, you are imitating us in this way. And so we're not told, he doesn't
32:24
say here, were these who these who have fallen asleep killed in the persecution? Did they die of of illness? What was what was the manner of those things? He doesn't he doesn't touch on that. What
32:35
he is touching on here is the the matter of fact, the reality of the resurrection. Um, it reminded me, and it may be too late to throw in the thought here, as as Jerry was pointing out, the the way that Paul uses the idea of those
32:47
who who sort of confirm their wickedness or fill up the the the vessels, who fill up the measure, he he even said it here in uh chapter 2 of second uh sorry, of
32:57
first Thessalonians here uh speaking of the Jews, he says uh even as they did, they killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove drove us out. They are not pleasing to God but hostile to
33:07
all men hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they might be saved with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. So
33:19
those who are confirming their wickedness effectively in that way. Um, so, uh, a couple other points to look at here, uh, in these verses. And I I again
33:30
did not suspect that we were going to get through all of these today, but I do think his thought, as uh, James pointed out for us, carries on through here. This this idea of being soberminded, the
33:41
idea of treating the coming of the Lord as the uh, you know, not with an unawareness of it, but that we are children of the day. Um we're going to
33:51
talk probably more next week about the idea of imminence, but I want to speak uh briefly here to a couple of points. So verse 14, um we've already talked about the way he
34:03
uses this idea since we believe that Jesus died and rose again. Even so, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. Significantly also though he is centering that in the
34:14
divine action that has already happened, right? that he is not saying um you know there's nothing that depends on them. I guess I'll put it that way. He's he's
34:25
not giving them a sort of a you know good thing you were well behaved sort of thing. He said no since you believe that um Jesus died and rose again. Even so
34:36
matter of fact it's centered in divine action. It's not a a speculative uh theopo philosophy about these things. It is it is direct and and factual for him.
34:46
divine action allows for no doubts. Um we've already talked about the fact that he he uses the phrase died here um and that he has transformed then death. He
34:57
has defeated it in that way. Not that we don't die, but that we recognize that that is not the the terminus or uh an entrance into worse things, but it is in
35:08
fact a form of hope. It is a a sleep as we anticipate the coming of the Lord. Um I think what he's doing here and and I
35:18
want to speak to the context again for a minute is part of this is again addressing for the Thessalonians. There seemed to be some concern that those who died would not have a place in the Peruia or would not have uh a share in
35:31
the in the return and he's placing them very much in the center of that. um th those that sleep uh well I speak here and and Jerry I'd appreciate your
35:41
thoughts since you've got your um Greek testament with you. He says uh in 14 uh my translation says even so God will bring with him those who have fallen
35:53
asleep in Jesus. And I know the word order is subject to interpretation in the Greek, but it's literally them that sleep through Jesus will God bring. The the the the sleep seems to be tied
36:06
in the the phrasing as uh sleeping through Jesus or in Jesus God will bring them. Um am I am I misreading that?
36:28
Yeah. Yeah. So, so there seems to be a a a combination there of of the idea that that being in Christ um and God has committed to bring them when he brings
36:38
Christ or when Christ appears which he will go on to elaborate here in the rest of the phrasing um not as a matter of belief but as a matter of fact. Um then in verse 15 he says this uh again
36:51
significant I think in the context of Thessalonians as we've talked about a number of times the way Paul is speaking to them as a fellow speaks to them uh says you know I was with you as a father
37:03
he says these things and we've already talked about the way he does or doesn't lean on authority and yet here in 15 he says this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we who are alive and
37:14
remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. So he he makes it clear here. Yeah. Go ahead.
37:44
Yeah. Yeah. Oh, thank you for that. I I hadn't caught that when I when I looked through that that that he's very emphatic about it. So, I think he's he's almost got a double emphasis here. One that he's saying uh we will not perceive them. And
37:56
secondly, he says, you know, by the by the word of the Lord, um that he's very very clear again that this is divine action and that this is uh this is a matter of fact that those who have died
38:08
have a share and will be brought here. Um again, we we just briefly touched on it in the end of chapter 3 where he says um that he will um
38:20
I'm going to read verse 13 of chapter 3 so I don't misphrase it. so that he may establish your hearts without blame and holiness before our God and father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Many of your translations
38:32
probably say saints. It it literally just says his holy ones in the Greek. Um and we talked briefly about the way to interpret that. I think this is a preceding thought that Paul sort of has
38:42
in his mind before he gets to this section of yeah we're we're going to see everyone there. The the assembly of God's faithful Abigail
39:09
that is um and I I didn't spend a lot of time running that down. That is what I've read from from the commentators. This actually the word which I've now erased perusia came later um to or no
39:20
sorry before that even I clear my timeline here. The word perusia became a technical term in the New Testament. But preceding that, it already had a concept, the appearing of
39:32
the king almost like a state visit or a triumphal entry. Um that already had this idea of the king arriving with his train effectively um the appearing of.
39:42
So yes, thank you. Um, one more thought in the last couple of minutes as we have here, which again is somewhat debated and and maybe will wet your appetite for what we're going to
39:53
discuss next week on the idea of imminence, but there was a lot of ink spilled over this phrasing, we who are alive. Does that mean that Paul was anticipating it in his own lifetime? And
40:05
I think Chuck talked about this uh frankly in his sermon uh a few weeks ago uh where he pointed out, you know, the idea of the day and the fact that never do the apostles hang anything where you
40:18
would have to tie them down to say no, they were expecting it to come in their own lifetime. Um that's not there. I think uh it it is easily and correctly interpreted. It hardly maybe in some
40:30
sense needs explanation. He's saying we who are alive because he's not dead yet. He could hardly say um you know y'all who are alive will be joined with us who
40:41
are dead. Yeah, he's alive and he's writing the letter. So he doesn't, we will talk about this more next week because we've
40:51
already briefly touched on it. But second Thessalonians does seem to address the fact that the Thessalonians maybe again have misunderstood the perusia because he's having to to tell them don't listen to anybody who told
41:02
you that this has already happened. Um I had a professor in seminary who said if this is it I want my money back. Okay. So um you know the the idea he he he
41:13
kind of has to keep addressing this for them. But the fact that he says we who are alive, I find it more significant again that that Paul as he is writing through here, we are often and I'm as
41:23
guilty as anyone saying Paul, Paul, Paul. But Paul actually frequently here is saying we from the beginning on through he's including his companions with him. He is including those who are
41:33
with him on his missionary journey that we collectively. He has this thought of the church as this whole as this group and it's much less I personally. Um, so I probably should be more careful with
41:45
my language, but yeah. Um, I do want to to speak next week on this idea of imminence because we we even had a little bit of a conversation on Wednesday about this and and uh I told
41:55
Jenny I I had looked around this week and and had been searching for some some other ideas just broadly, not specifically out of Thessalonians of of what is the current writing or thinking
42:06
on the idea of of the imminence of Christ's return. And I said, I I I was searching to see if there was any help for me on the internet uh for the idea of imminence, and the answer is no.
42:19
Sorry. So, we'll have to talk about it next week. But I I frankly, everybody that I read, I came away from it going, "No, I don't think you've got it." Um it was it was particularly frustrating some
42:30
of the things here. Um, I read a number of people who talked about things including citing second Thessalonians where Paul lists signs that you must have seen before the
42:41
second coming and yet never once touched on either Christ's reference to the idea of the second coming as a thief in the night or first Thessalonians right here
42:52
in chapter 5 where Paul also says coming like a thief in the night. Um, so we will discuss that more next week, but I I do think it is central. Again, Paul deals with the peruseia, he deals with
43:04
the appearing of God as matterof fact for those who believe um and that we anticipate it. It has these these knock-on effects, but it is so central to his thought. So, as we're trying to
43:14
go through here and find out what is Paul's worldview for how we walk, uh, as I've sort of loosely termed it, the law of liberty, what does he mean when he uses a phrase like that? Um,
43:26
one of those things is the orientation of holiness, the orientation towards God and his purposes is his return. And his return not as a hypothetical future
43:39
theory thing that may or may not happen, but as a real event that he deals with in the way that we live and walk. So, let's close in a word of prayer as we prepare to go upstairs this morning.
43:56
Father, I do thank you for your word. I thank you for the instruction that we are given here. I thank you that we have this hope within us. That we recognize that for us, death is not the end, but that you have promised uh much better
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things for us as we anticipate your return. We anticipate the the new earth wherein righteousness dwells. We are eager, Father, to be there, to see your
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coming and to be joined with you and with those who have gone before us, to see you glorified properly. And yet, Father, we recognize that as we walk and
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as we stand, you have given us this work to do for the time that you delay. And so, Father, I ask that you would strengthen us to the work ahead. indeed
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that when you return we might be found faithful at our posts that we will have invested the talents that you have entrusted to us for the advance of your kingdom. Father, we ask these things
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that as we go together now to to worship you in song and in prayer and in the hearing of the word preached that all of these things would be magnifying your
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name and glorifying you as our Lord and our father. We ask these things in Jesus name. Amen.
