Opportunities from Partnership in the Gospel

That phrase that we were just singing together I Called nothing when I fished all night that might seem strange for you, but that is an allusion to John chapter 21 It's been a long time since I've talked through John 21. It's one of my favorite chapters and That might be a good one for you to go study and see what it's like when you do ministry in the flesh Disconnected from Christ. I Appreciate that song brother Keith one of my favorites. Well, let's take our Bibles.

Let's turn back to the book of Ephesians I think I mentioned that earlier After we had our testimony, I will share with you some backstory with that testimony I thank Chris for sharing really last-minute Tommy was on schedule to share this morning But he texts me and he said that he was down in his back and I was gonna ask Chris to share this coming up Week and so I text him real quick It's last minute, but can you share and he said no problem?

So he was able to gather his thoughts together real quickly and I appreciate that and like I said, it's all about personalized and strategic world missions through our anchored and truth family and that's why I want you to hear from some of our people about How that is taking place. It's becoming more personalized and I'm very very excited Well, let's just have our Bibles open this morning to the book of Philippians I did say earlier that this is going to be really a part two kind of a continuation of what we looked at We're gonna look at a few verses in chapter 2 and in chapter 4 It'd be easy for you to look at those verses and then I'm gonna reference some others that you might want to note and go study To put all of this together in your own heart and mind Now last week or the week before last before we went to the true Church conference We looked at this unique relationship that we see in the book of Philippians between the Apostle Paul and the church there at Philippi in chapter 1 verses 3 to 5 We saw that Paul was very very thankful to God and he was very joyful in his heart and prayers For the Philippians and for the work that God was doing there More specifically he was very thankful to God and joyful in prayer for their partnership For their participation in the gospel that is where the title of our message came from It came right out of verse 5 you can look at your copy of God's Word Chapter 1 verse 5 you'll see the word participation You'll see the word partnership or the word Fellowship and that's what this was all about.

This was a partnership in the gospel This was a partnership in the gospel the totality of the gospel work And then we also saw the goal and we're gonna revisit that goal Now this morning I want us to see what I call the next step in the message This is kind of a part to kind of the other side to this partnership I want us to look at the opportunities that came about in this partnership The Philippian Church and Paul had certain gospel opportunities in this gospel partnership And this was all unique to them And there is much here that will speak to us today I think this might surprise you and this is right where we are in our day But before we look at the other side of this gospel partnership I want us to remember quickly what was happening in and around this letter now some of you were here So this will be kind of a review, but if you were not here, this will help get you up to speed Last week we saw that Paul and his companions Were the human instruments that God used to start the church in the city of Philippi The Philippi was a very important Roman city in the region of Macedonia And while Paul was on his second missionary journey God used some unique Circumstances to call Paul to the region of Macedonia and you can read about those unique Circumstances in Acts chapter 16 We see that God came to Paul and revealed himself in a dream and called him to change his plan That's why I call it unique circumstances Well Paul Timothy Luke and Silas traveled to Macedonia and on to Philippi Inobedience to God and there in Philippi God used them in a great way to evangelize the first converts to Christ there on European soil God converted Lydia First who was from the city of Thyatira and after Paul and his ministry partners were thrown in a Roman jail God converted the Philippian jailer who was guarding them And obviously there were others that came to Christ as well Although we do not have a record of who they were but ultimately Those first converts to Christ and Philippi were the first converts in Europe and ultimately it became the first church on European soil And we must remember the time frame of the letter About ten years or so after Paul had first been in Philippi He was writing this letter to the Philippians from a Roman imprisonment.

He was under house arrest Paul in the Philippian church had Reconnected after they had been separated for about ten years or so They had been separated about ten years and by many missionary journeys and miles and endeavors By the Apostle Paul and what I mean by that is it was more than time that separated them And last week we saw that Paul had several purposes in writing this letter to the Philippians In the beginning of the letter Paul was writing to tell them about his circumstances simply he was in prison We see that beginning in chapter 1 verse 12 and then in chapter 2 Paul was explaining that he was sending a faithful servant a papparditis back to them We're gonna talk about this man and these events a little later in the message in chapter 3 He was warning them about false teachers.

He was also urging them to Have these two well-known women in the church resolve their conflicts and come to harmony in the Lord That was in chapter 4 and at the end of the book Paul was thanking them for their generous Financial gifts that were delivered to him through this man a papparditis We see that in chapter 4 verse 10 and then Paul went on to brag about their generous financial gifts from the past But in chapter 1 verses 3 to 5 Paul calls their attention to what I believe is the most important purposes of the letter I Said this last week and it needs to be stated again What Paul is doing here is what I believe one of the most important purposes in the letter Paul says that he was thankful to God and he was filled with prayerful joy because of their partnership because of their participation in this gospel work and There are two words in verse 5 that are key These two words are the keys to understanding what this truly means First this word partnership the New American uses the word participation And the King James uses the word fellowship that just means that it can mean all three But this means the Philippians were true partners with Paul and they participated in his ministry They had a unique relationship They had a unique bond a unique fellowship in the gospel and for the gospel and for the gospel work But then this word gospel it is the second word we need to understand This speaks to more than the message of the gospel this speaks to more than evangelism This speaks to the totality of gospel work.

This speaks to the entire gospel enterprise This speaks to evangelism. Yes, and all that comes after evangelism Simply Paul was thankful to God and he was joyful in his prayer for the partnership that he had with the Philippians In the work of the gospel. He was thankful. He was joyful for their participation In the gospel enterprise a work in enterprise of which he had devoted his life And it was foreign because of this gospel work that he was in prison or under house arrest in Rome And this morning we will look at the second part.

This is what I see is the other side a continuation of this gospel Partnership and we need to see that the Philippian Church and Paul had a unique opportunity They had unique opportunities because of how God had united them in this partnership These opportunities started when Paul and his companions first evangelized and planted the church in Philip Philippi and about 10 Years later after they had been reconnected these opportunities will were still before them but in a fresh new way So that really just leads us to the title of the message the title of the message opportunities from partnership in the gospel Now I will go ahead and tell you that these opportunities will be seen from both sides what I mean by that is this We will look at these opportunities from the Philippian churches side and then from Paul's side And then we will look at these opportunities at the beginning of their relationship Before they they were disconnected and then we will look at them as they came back into their lives afresh and anew some 10 years later that would be when they Reconnected so you see the title and let me show you how we're going to approach the message we're going to look at the opportunities that they had in the beginning before they were disconnected and then we're going to look at the Opportunities that they had after that would be after they reconnected or their relationship was revived So I want us to see number one the opportunities that they had in the beginning This would be the Philippian church and the Apostle Paul Now we see two verses that speak to what these first opportunities look like The first is more general and the second verse is a little more specific in chapter 1 verse 5 Paul says that the Philippians participated in the gospel Work, and what does it say at first if you look at your copy of God's Word?

You can see that Paul says that the Philippians participated and partnered in this gospel work at the first In other words from the beginning they were participating and partnering But at the end of the book Paul gets more specific We see in chapter 4 verse 15 and 16 that he gets more specific I want us to read those verses turn over to chapter 4 verse 15 and 16 Paul says in you yourselves also know Philippians talking to the church there That at the first preaching of the gospel after I departed from Macedonia No church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone For even in Thessalonica you sent a gift.

This would be a financial gift more than once for my needs Now notice what Paul is referring to Paul says that they supported him financially and I want us to see the breadth and the depth of this financial support and I want us to try to get a Handle on what this looks like First they supported Paul as he evangelized other Macedonian cities in verse 16 Paul mentions that they sent him a financial gift When he was in Thessalonica now Thessalonica was a city in Macedonia like Philippi was in Macedonia In Acts 16 and 17 those chapters tell us that when Paul left Philippi He went to Thessalonica and things did not go so well for Paul in Thessalonica Paul had a rough time there, but a gospel work was started and then from Thessalonica Paul traveled to Berea Paul had success in Berea as well and the gospel work was not as tough and rough in Berea In Acts 17 verse 11 it says that the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians Now what is my point here?

The Philippians supported Paul and his companions as they left them and went to evangelize others in the region If you look on a map of the region from Paul's day, you will see Philippi Thessalonica in Berea right there together on the coast So we see that the Philippians financially supported Paul as he went to evangelize others in their region This would be neighboring towns.

You can say it like that but then second They supported Paul as the evangelized cities outside of Macedonia In Philippians 4 16 we read that earlier Paul says that the Philippians supported him after he left Macedonia And if we look into Acts 17 and 18, we see that after Paul left Macedonia He went south he went down south to Athens, which is in Greece and even to Corinth now. What is my point here?

The Philippians continued to support Paul and his gospel work even after he left their region When Paul left them in their region for cities in the south like Athens and Corinth Paul says that they continued to send support In 2 Corinthians 2 verses 8 and 9 Paul says even when he even that he received support from churches in Macedonia in order to serve the Corinthian church And then third they supported Paul when others did not They supported Paul when others did not we see this fact in Philippians 4 16 Paul was expressing his gratitude for the Philippians and their support He said that no other church shared in his gospel work by giving and receiving except them alone.

Do you see that? It is clear to see that they supported Paul and his gospel work when others did not And then fourth they supported Paul more than one time We see this fact in Philippians 4 16 as well Paul was thanking them and said that they supported him in Thessalonica and met his needs more than once Now what is what is that that what is it that we need to see by looking at these verses from acts and Philippians and even Corinthians think about that what is it that we need to see by looking and glancing at these chapters and acts and Philippians and verses in Corinthians we put these passages together To see that the Philippian Church supported Paul and his companions in his evangelistic church planning Gospel work and they did not just support him in the work What does verse 5 of chapter 1 say they participated in the work they partnered in the work again note chapter?

1 verse 5 what did we learn in our last message? They truly partnered they participated in the gospel work. So that's far more than just a gift That's far more than just a one-time or a two-time gift financially But here's where I want to go further What were the opportunities that Paul had and the Philippians had in this partnership? well for Paul Because of his partnership with the Philippians and their participation in the gospel work Paul was able to engage in this evangelistic church planning gospel work It's clear It is it's clear that because of this gospel partnership Paul was able to travel from Philippi To Thessalonica to Berea and then out of the region out of Macedonia He was able to travel south to Athens and on the Corinth Their partnership may have helped him be able to travel from Corinth back to the sending Church of Antioch Which would have been the end of a second missionary journey?

So from Paul side of things from Paul's perspective The gospel partnership was an opportunity for him to engage in this gospel evangelism in Church planning gospel work and if you put it all together You can see that this was a lot of work a lot of miles a lot of blood sweat and tears in this gospel work And they were engaged in this together But the Philippians from the Philippian churches side In this partnership they were able to participate in almost all of Paul's second missionary journey Let that sink in In this partnership they were able to participate in almost all of Paul's second missionary journey You go look go do some homework in your scriptures Study the the book of Acts and study Philippians and other scriptures as well and you will see that almost all of Paul's Second missionary journey was funded by the Philippians If I'm wrong It was the Philippians and maybe some of the other churches in Macedonia that were helping because of what?

Second Corinthians 2 8 and 9 says But in Philippians 4 16 Paul says that no churches shared with him when he left Macedonia and Get this The Philippians they were a very poor church They were a very poor church This was a very poor region all of the churches in Macedonia were suffering from great poverty in second Corinthians 8 Starting in verse 1 Paul said that the churches in Macedonia were in deep poverty deep poverty this would have been the Philippian church the Thessalonica church the Berean church and Paul says that they gave according to their Ability and beyond their ability Paul says that they were even begging begging to support the saints So from the Philippians side of things here They were able to partner with Paul and financially support a great part of his second missionary journey They were able to participate in that work.

It was their fellowship. It was their Union It was their ministry. It was his ministry. It was all of their ministries They were partners in that work poor. Yes, but rich in Partnership and listen folks their partnership and their financial giving Is very much needed for Paul in this work Now for us for me for you This just causes me to think about our partnership with anchored in truth in their partnership with us It's a two-way relationship with us think about Paul and the Philippians. That was a two-way thing. That was a two-way Engagement and relationship and I think about our partnership with anchored in truth.

It is a two-way relationship They support us financially and we support them financially We don't give much but once a quarter we give a small gift Why because we should? Years ago when we were making some drastic changes in the life of our church financially It was brother Jeff who advised me to make sure we give a certain amount why to just get the ball rolling But what I'm showing you is this it is a two-way relationship But here's the question this is the question that is right before us and we will have to ask very soon in the future When will we when will you when will we purposefully go beyond what we do give and when when will we? purposely give Even more to anchored in truth and the missions around the world through that network our family If you've been around the anchored in truth churches very long you will hear this phrase faith commitment offering Each church does it a little different but most of them have what's called a faith commitment offering once a year It's where the folks and the life of the church commit and pledge to give above the tide to what two missions To the anchored in truth missions around the world And so for us the answer of the question is when will we do that and that is coming very very soon You might say pastor.

Why haven't we done that already? Well, we haven't been financially able to As a matter of fact several years ago and some of my counseling with brother Jeff He was just saying it's not time. You've got too much work to do at home You've got a rebuild and y'all are moving and y'all are starting over and he said you need to hold all your resources as best You can with where you are because you're starting over But in some of my meetings even with brother Jeff this past week I was sharing with him that I felt like and we felt like we're past those days now and it is time and what I mean By that is it's right here before us as we get to know our anchored in truth family and we partner with him There's gonna come a time very soon when we pledge to give above and beyond what we give here Why to partner with brothers and sisters in the work of the church the gospel work?

So I'll say this I Ask you to pray and pray and ask God to begin to prepare your mind and your thinking in your heart as to what that Would look like for you personally But you know, there is a challenge for us We're a small church the Philippians gave out of their poverty But you know, we're not poor like they were We're a very rich people you go around the world folks and you're gonna see that we're very wealthy We might not be poor like the Philippians, but we're small And you know Paul said that they gave Wonderfully out of their poverty and I believe God could move in us in such a way where we could give them a great Way out of our smallness out of our smallness And you know for me as pastor I've been asking where is our Paul?

Where is our? Second missionary journey what I mean by that is this as these Passages and this book has been just coming to life for me the past few weeks I find myself asking where is our Paul and where is our second missionary journey? Because the Philippians funded Paul and I believe that they helped fund most all of the second missionary journey So my question is this where is our Paul and where is our second missionary journey? I believe it can be around the corner. Maybe it's a few years away as a matter of fact you even heard that type of Desire and heart from Chris as he gave a testimony earlier Well, let's move on.

I want us to see number two. I Want us to see the opportunities they had after I? Want us to see the opportunities? The Philippian Church and Paul they had after and of course I'm talking about after they were reconnected now for us to understand these Opportunities we must see that the Philippians had really been disconnected from Paul it seems that there had been a period of time where the Philippians were not able to connect with Paul and support him in his gospel work ten years or so look at chapter four Just one verse here verse ten Paul says but I rejoiced In the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me Indeed you were concerned before but you liked opportunity see that phrase you liked opportunity And Paul was not blaming them.

He was not blaming them for this disconnection He was not in any way accusing them of negligence. He was not implying sin or negligence on their part Simply the text says they lacked opportunity If we think about it, it is easy to see how this could happen For years Paul was a great distance from the Philippians traveling and all sorts of places and Traveling their time was long and difficult and dangerous Communication was very difficult If there were not individuals going between Paul and the church or Paul Was not able to visit a church They would easily lose contact with one another and no doubt that is how Paul and the Philippians were disconnected But things changed in their relationship a new Opportunity had arisen in verse 10 Paul says that their relationship had been revived.

That's a key word This word revived in verse 10. It spoke of something coming back to life that was not previously flourishing This was often used when describing a plant or a flower that was growing and flourishing after it had withered Well, that is what was happening here between the Philippian Church and Paul Their relationship had been revived their partnership in the gospel enterprise had been revived It was flourishing again as it had before but we will see that the way they participated in the work has changed Simply with the revival in their relationship They had new opportunities to partner in this gospel work and notice what takes place in these new opportunities to partner in the work First I want you to see that the Philippians sent a paparazzi You can just summarize that by saying the Philippians sent a man Here in Philippians, we see this man a paparazzi We do not know much about the man other than what we have in a few verses in this book But even though we do not know much about him.

We can see some wonderful things about the man First of all, he was sent by the Philippian Church to deliver the financial support to Paul We see that in chapter 4 verse 18 But then second of all, we see that he was sent to Paul as an encouragement and a help He was sent to Paul to minister to Paul and to minister with Paul in verse 25 We see that Paul gives us some wonderful descriptions about the man Look at chapter 2 verse 25 But I thought it necessary to send to you we're gonna talk about this sending he's sending a paparazzi I'm going to put this back but I thought it necessary to send to you a paparazzi My brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier who is also your messenger and minister To my need now notice how Paul describes him John MacArthur says that Paul gives him a list of titles.

I like that First he calls him my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier see that in the verse As a brother Paul was saying that he was close to a paparazzi This was an expression of love and Christian affection as a fellow worker Paul was saying that he was a companion in gospel work Whether he was describing gospel work in Philippi or the gospel work in Rome We do not know or maybe it was both either way Paul calls him a fellow worker in the gospel work and as a fellow Soldier Paul was describing him as one who fought hard fought hard and worked hard and fought well This would pertain to fighting against the enemy the schemes of the enemy and fighting for his Savior and fighting for his Lord Then second he calls him your messenger and your minister Paul was saying that a piperditis was a true messenger from the Philippian Church and he was sent to minister to his needs This means that a piperditis was sent to Paul with words of love words of encouragement From the Philippians to Paul and he was also sent to minister.

He was sent to serve One commentator says that this tells us he was willing to do common and mean you'll work for Paul and in the ministry But there is more Paul tells them that their faithful messenger and minister the one who had traveled some 700 miles or so to minister to Paul Paul says that he almost died Look at chapter 2 verse 26 in 20 on down to verse 30.

Let me read verse 25 again But I thought it necessary to send to you a piperditis my brother fellow worker and fellow soldier who is also your messenger and minister to my need Because he was longing for you all in distress because you heard that he was sick for indeed He was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him not on him only but also to me Least I should have sorrow up on sorrow Therefore I have seen him all the more eagerly in order that when you see him again You may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy and hold him like and hold me and like him in high regard Because he became because he came close to death for the work of Christ Risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me Ultimately look what Paul was saying about this near-death sickness In verse 30 Paul says that a piperditis almost died for the work of Christ Isn't that what the verse says?

Either from his long journey to Paul or from his work with Paul This man almost died in the work and for the work Now what do we need to see here? The Philippian Church had a new opportunity to partner they had a new opportunity to participate in the work with Paul and hearing of his needs and Situation in that Roman imprisonment.

They sent a piperditis to Paul as a partner with Paul and a partner in the work Then second Paul desired to send Timothy and to come himself We see this in chapter 2 verses 19 to 24 Here Paul tells the Philippians that he hopes to send Timothy to minister to them and notice if you look at the verse verse 20 Paul says that Timothy was his best young minister And that is in all on down in verse 24 Paul tells them that he was longing to visit them as well We do know that Paul was eventually released from prison But we do not know if he was able to visit the Philippians we can only Speculate but what do we need to see here?

Because of their revived relationship a new opportunity to partner presented itself Paul could Possibly send his best young minister that would be Timothy to the Philippians to minister to them and so as to know about them But then third Paul sent a piperditis back To the Philippians we see this in verse 26 to 30. We've read that but notice what's happening here because they had reconnected in the work and because the Philippians had sent one of their best men to Paul and because they knew that a piperditis had almost died in the work and because the Philippians were deeply concerned for a piperditis and a piperditis was deeply concerned for them Rather than keeping a piperditis with himself.

Paul sends a piperditis back to the Philippians Simply Paul was concerned for the church. He was concerned for a piperditis in their great heartbreak and concern for one of their own Paul was in a Roman prison, but he thinks of others you see rather than himself now What is it that we need to see here by looking at these verses by examining these verses?

We can see that in this second opportunity to partner after they reconnected the Philippian church minister to Paul by sending money, yes, but by sending men By sending men and Paul desired to do the same they sent a piperditis and Paul sent him back and Paul desired to send Timothy and ultimately to come himself and Here's where I want to go a little further again What are the opportunities that Paul and the Philippians had in this partnership?

We need to see we need to ask and we need to notice first for the Philippians Because of their renewed relationship with Paul and because of Paul's circumstance Being in a Roman prison They were able to send a man and monies to meet Paul's unique needs and not just any man They sent a very capable servant You could easily say and speculate that a piperditis could have been one of their best men now think about it Paul was in a Roman imprisonment under house arrest and we learned last week from chapter 1 starting in verse 12 That this imprisonment was not a bad thing But for the purpose of the gospel Paul tells them that in his new and difficult circumstances There was a greater progress and a greater advancement of the gospel in Rome with the Imperial Roman Guards So because of their revived relationship The Philippians were able to partner in this gospel work by sending not just money, but a man a man to assist Paul a man to assist in the work and they were able to participate in the Advancement of the gospel in this unique place But for Paul Because of this renewed relationship with the Philippian Church.

He was able to minister to them and notice He did this by letter Yes, this Philippian letter now think about this letter This must have ministered to these people these believers in this church in a great way And Paul was able to minister to them through manpower as well He ultimately sent a piperditis back for their own good and for the good of a piperditis And he desired to send Timothy and he desired to revisit them as well And so for Paul because of their revived partnership in the gospel work with Paul Paul was able to minister to them as well They ministered to Paul and he ministered to them and get this while Paul was in that Roman prison under house arrest He was desiring to send men to the Philippians.

He wasn't asking men to come to them And I wonder who had the dire circumstances You know in thinking about application I think about the phrase manpower Manpower and I think about us sending manpower I think about us being at a place where we can send others to other churches Maybe permanently maybe temporarily maybe for a particular trip or a particular time and what would it be far? It would be for encouragement. It would be for the for the help in the work. It would be for service It would be for building up the gospel work in that particular people in that particular church and in that town.

I Think about our growing ability to do that with our anchored in truth family And to allude to something that Chris said earlier in his testimony I pray that one day our church will have an anchored in truth missionary an anchored in truth plant Maybe in a very difficult circumstance, but they are ours. We are connected They are a part of our fellowship and we are a part of their fellowship But a little more closer to home I Have prayed this throughout the years.

Some of you have heard me pray this There are other churches even around us that are struggling They are like we once were and I wonder who's gonna come along beside them Who's gonna come along and help them what minister what pastor is gonna come along and mentor that pastor? See I believe God will give us an opportunity To do the very same thing with churches around us and maybe we send manpower to them Sometimes church you just don't understand even what encouragement does face to face Face to face Now before I move to how I want to challenge us at the end of this message Notice that we have seen this wonderful partnership in the gospel between the Philippian Church and Paul Theirs was a gospel work a gospel partnership This was a participation between both parties if I can use that language Between Paul and his associates and the Philippian Church and God enabled them in this partnership And through their partnership in the work of the gospel they had unique opportunities to serve unique opportunities to minister and to be used of God to further advance the gospel the Philippians had opportunities and they took full advantage of them Notice church they did well here Remember what Paul says back in chapter 1?

Verses 3 4 and 5 specifically verse 5. What does he say? I thank my God in all my remembrance of you always in every prayer of mine for you all Making my prayer with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now From the first day Paul is saying that they've done well. They've done well And then also in chapter 4 verse 10 Paul rejoiced in the Lord greatly and now what link you have revived your concern from me You were indeed concerned from me, but you had no opportunity. What is he saying you have done well?

Maybe you've never seen these opportunities in the Philippians and Paul before maybe you've never seen this partnership in the opportunities that come out of this partnership Maybe you've never seen this as you have studied and read the book But I hope and pray that you see them now and I hope and pray that this makes a great impression on you as it has Me now, here's our challenge as we close our message this morning This is a two-fold challenge First we must take advantage of our opportunities to do the same just like the Philippians You see they took advantage They took advantage of their opportunities.

They did well and we must take advantage of our opportunities We must be ready and able to see our opportunities and engage in the work of the gospel partnering with the ones that God has for us and Why would we do that? Well, it's obvious. It's for the glory of God for the glory of God But also the why is found in chapter 1 verse 12 the goal was for the greater Progress the greater advancement of the gospel.

Isn't that what we see and see that is our second challenge Our goal should be the greater progress of the gospel our ultimate goal should be the greater enhancement of the work of the gospel the total work here anywhere and everywhere that God would allow us and give us opportunity I'll say this and then I want to revisit the title of the messages that we've looked at I believe that our church is On the edge of being able to engage in this kind of work and what I mean by this kind of work We're already started, but we are right on the edge and I believe we're gonna see it unfold This partnership in the gospel.

Isn't that what we studied last week and then? opportunities from partnership in the gospel Let's do this as always I want to pray and commit these things to the Lord and As we pray and commit these things to the Lord we need to know that these are some subjects and themes This is some teaching that we're gonna come back to and we need to pray and ask God to sear these things in our hearts and Let this form us into the people that he wants us to be so let's pray and then we'll sing And close out our worship service Lord. Thank you for these chapters these verses