Sowing The Seed

Introduction

Good evening to everyone. Good to see everyone here this evening. Good to uh be with you and spend this time opening up God’s word and studying together and learning more and encouraging each other uh in the way of Christ Jesus our Lord. I want to express my appreciation uh to the elders and the time that we spent together this afternoon and really enjoyed being with them and the conversation uh that we had was very encouraging and uplifting and really appreciate that time that I had the opportunity to spend with you. And also I appreciate the confidence that you have to have me come and spend this time with you this week and studying uh from his word. Uh also like to express my appreciation to uh Ken and Deedra for providing uh the meal this evening as well and spending time with them and and getting to know them even more so and just re we just had a great time.

Uh and also just rem remembering uh those whom we have met over the years and never knew that uh we knew some of the same people. So that’s the way it is in God’s uh kingdom. And as you get to travel around and meet different people, uh that’s what uh happens. And it’s also good to see my good friend Danny uh and just uh uh really appreciate the work that he’s been doing. And uh one of the things that I really appreciated about Danny is when the lessons were ended and you were on your way uh back home, Danny, and people trying to get you to stay and leave early in the morning, and Danny would say, No, I gotta kiss an angel in the morning.

And I just really appreciated that, and and that’s exactly what the way it is. You you know, you uh after a meeting, you want to get home and see your your wife as you have spent time away from uh from her, and uh that’s the way it is, and really appreciate those kinds of thoughts and and the work that you do as well, Danny. So appreciate uh all of you and the uh everyone here and the efforts that you have put forth in uh trying to reach people in the area and to encourage each other uh in growing. And so tonight, as we uh continue our series of lessons, uh as we have talked about, we started out by looking at Ephesians chapter 2, verses 8 through 10, uh, where uh we are told that we have been saved by grace through faith and that we are God’s uh workmanship that is created in Christ Jesus for good works that He has prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

And your theme uh here has been growing together. And that growing together involves uh the uh learning and uh knowing each other, and then also as you grow closer to the Lord and then reach out to others to help them to realize how wonderful uh it is to serve God. And that’s what it’s all about uh in that. And so, in order for us to accomplish those uh things, as I have mentioned earlier this week, uh and our lesson, our theme, uh my theme has come from uh 2 Corinthians chapter 6, verses 1 and 2, and in particular verse 1, where it says, and working together with him. And so the theme has been working together with God. When we work with God and do what he says, we will accomplish this growing together, as well as spiritually, with each other, and also numerically as we reach out and encourage others to come to know him as the true and living God.

If I could tonight, if you have your Bibles, turn over to Matthew chapter 13. It is there that Jesus speaks of a parable of the sower. In that parable, as Jesus points out, he names several things in connection to the sower as he goes out to sow the seed. And he points out the different ground or area that the seed falls upon. It falls upon the road, roadside, and it falls on the rocky ground, and it also falls on the ground that has a lot of thorns and bushes there. And then he said it even fell on some good soil, good ground. And then, and it talks about the production of the good ground. And so as the disciples are wanting to understand what was going on, and they asked Jesus, and Jesus reveals to them this parable.

And in that parable, Jesus is pointing out to them concerning the ground. The ground represents the types of hearts that the seed would fall upon, where he calls the seed the word of the kingdom. And that concept of the word of the kingdom, God’s rule, God’s instructions there. And the word kingdom, you find that a lot written in the book of Matthew. And especially look at chapter 1, where it gives you the lineage of Jesus, and it mentions the kings. And then it’s no wonder that this term kingdom is used throughout the book of Matthew. Like in chapter 16, where Jesus speaks of the keys of the kingdom, as well as over in chapter 18. And then, as you look at all of this, it’s about the seed.

It’s about this word of the kingdom that the sower was sowing, that Jesus points out to the disciples. And then that takes us to Matthew chapter 28. It is there in Matthew chapter 28, where Jesus has died.

And he has his disciples, and he gives instructions to them, and he points out there, and we are familiar with these passages, there in verse 18, where he says that all authority has been given to him in heaven and on earth. So that relates back to that concept of the word kingdom again. And then he tells them, he says, You go, you make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And he says, Lo, I am with you, even to the end of the age, as the New American Standard reads. And we do, we emphasize this in verse 18 about the authority of Christ. And that’s rightly so. We also emphasize in this the disciples’ responsibility of making disciples, baptizing them the way that God instructs for this to be done in order to become a disciple of the Lord.

But so often we overlook a phrase, even though we read that phrase, and that’s the last phrase of the verse, where Jesus says, Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. And so I titled the lesson this evening, Working Together with God in Sowing the Seed. Isn’t that something? Working together with God and sowing the seed. And we can take from what Jesus said to the disciples there in Matthew 28 and verse 20, that he’s going to be with us as we are proclaiming his word, as we are sowing the word of the kingdom. Why is that? It’s because of the different descriptions that are given concerning the word of the kingdom throughout the scriptures. As I pointed out before, God tells us things, and it’ll be expressed in one way, and then you’ll see it again, but expressed in another way to help us to fully grasp what’s involved in all of this.

1. Sowing That Jesus Is the Son of God

You see, when you and I are sowing the seed of the kingdom, and God is with us, we’re also doing something else when that’s taking place. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 1. In 2 Corinthians chapter 1, as the apostle has written to these brethren, encouraging them to continue to do what they were instructed to do and live as they ought to, and also express to them his encouragement by them obeying some of the things that he pointed out earlier in the first letter. And the seeing their growth and to continue to urge them to grow in the grace and knowledge of God. So there in 2 Corinthians chapter 1, I want you to read with me, verses 19 through 22. I want you to notice, he says, for the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us, by me, Sylvania and Timothy, was not yes and no, but is yes in him.

For as many as are the promises of God, in him they are yes. Therefore also through him is our amen to the glory of God through us. Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge, as a guarantee, as a token that God is going to fulfill what He has promised. You will get the rest as you continue to follow His will.

From these verses that the apostle brings out to the Corinthian brethren, we are also sowing that the Son of God is Christ Jesus. That’s a part of the seed that is being sown when you and I are out there teaching God’s word. When we’re teaching the word of the kingdom, it’s going to include the Son of God, Christ Jesus. That’s the point that he’s bringing out to these brethren. And they need to understand that. And they need to be encouraged by that. And as they’re going out teaching his word, that it will impact the souls that hear it. And here in this letter that he’s pointing out to them, that is what they heard from their preaching of the word of the kingdom. The seed that was sown.

They learned about the Son of God, Christ Jesus. What did they learn? They learned that in Christ Jesus, the Son of God and that preaching that there is stability. That’s what they learned. They did not learn just wishy-washy stuff. Yes and no. They learned that it was yes. And they could have confidence in that. They also learn about the truthfulness of what it takes to serve and be one of God’s disciple. That’s what they learn. They learn about absoluteness when it comes to the Son of God, Christ Jesus. That there is no other standard that you and I are to live by. There is the standard of the word of the kingdom. God’s rule, God’s word. And that’s what these men preached here in 2 Corinthians.

And it’s what you and I should do as well. So when we are sowing the seed, we need to recognize that we are also sowing that Jesus is the Son of God. And giving people stability. I like the way that Paul pointed out here, and that it says, the many promises of God, they are yes. You see, our promises are kind of iffy, aren’t they? It depends on whether we are we live the next day or the next moment. We don’t know if we will. So our promises are iffy. But when it comes to the promises of God, there is no if and a buts about it. It is yes. That’s the confidence. That’s the stability that you and I can have in God’s promises. In Acts chapter 8 and verse 35, do you remember the conversation that Philip has with the eunuch there?

As he approaches the eunuch as the Holy Spirit had commanded him to do so. And when he gets there, he finds the eunuch reading from Isaiah chapter 53. And Philip asks him, Do you understand what you are reading? And he says, How can I accept someone guides me? And it tells us in verse 35 of Acts chapter 8, it is from that scripture that the eunuch was reading that Philip taught to him Jesus. And when you go back to Isaiah 53, what he learned, that there was a suffering servant that would come and die for the sins of mankind, and he did. And not only that, he was raised from the dead. And not only did Philip teach that, he taught about what they needed to do or he needed to do in order to be right with the servant who would come and suffer, die and be raised from the dead.

How do I know that? As they are traveling along, what does the eunuch say? See, here is water. What does hinder me from being baptized? What did Philip teach him? He taught about Jesus. He taught about the Christ, the Son of God. And the eunuch having confidence in what Jesus had done, brought him to respond to the Son of God and being buried with him in baptism. That’s how powerful the seed is. That’s why we preach the seed of the kingdom, which involves the Son of God, Christ Jesus. Turn with me to another passage, if you will. And that’s Ephesians chapter 1. Look there with me in Ephesians chapter 1, verses 3 through 6. Over there, the apostle writes to those brethren, and he points out about all the spiritual blessings, I want us to notice several things that are in Christ Jesus.

In that chapter concerning what he’s preaching here in those verses, verse 3, he says, Blessed be the God and Father.

If God is his Father, that makes Jesus the Son of God. And the Lord Jesus Christ, he says here, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ. Just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before him in love. He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself according to the kind intention of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the beloved. What’s going on here? What are we being told? What are those brethren being told? And that is the plan and purpose of God came to fruition. Yeah, it came about just as God said it would.

This plan before the foundation of the world took place. So no wonder when the apostle writes to those brethren in 2 Corinthians there, he says, the many promises of God are yes, because they were fulfilled. God did exactly what he promised. And he will continue to do so. And one of the promises that he’s made is that if we are buried with Christ in baptism, and we walk in this newness of life, following his will, that heaven is going to be ours.

That’s a promise made by God. It’s a yes. And we should have that kind of confidence. And we should be proclaiming that. Jesus also said over in John chapter 10 with his disciples, he says, I lay down my life for the sheep. I lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. And he did. He did exactly that. That’s why it’s so important for us to recognize that as we are preaching the words of the kingdom, that we are preaching the Son of God, Christ Jesus. Because we can make promises.

2. Sowing the New Covenant of the Spirit

But with God, they do. I appreciated the prayer about teaching about God’s word that we follow it. That’s why the apostles wrote and said these things. So that we would understand that with God it is yes. Here’s something else. Let’s go back to 2 Corinthians. We’re to look at chapter 3. In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, verses 4 through 12. In 4 through 12, here’s what Paul said to those brethren. He says, such confidence. I want you to notice that. We saw in chapter 1, with God is it is yes, concerning his promises. Now in chapter 3, Paul comes back and he says, such confidence we have through Christ Jesus toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.

God is the one that makes us adequate. We’re not adequate in and of ourselves. We’re not. Why is that? Our sins, our limited abilities. But with God, our adequacy has been multiplied tremendously. Why? Because of him, who has infinite power, infinite wisdom. And the apostle is bringing that to these brethren’s attention. They speak with confidence. And then he goes on to say, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit, for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death and letters engraved on stones came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face fading as it was.

How will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. When you and I are sowing the seed, the word of the kingdom, what you and I are sowing is this new covenant of the Spirit. And it is that new covenant of the Spirit, as verse 7 tells us that gives life. And that’s life in every sense of the word. You are not living until you are united with Christ. You’re walking around, yes, breathing, and you’re doing certain things and going about going here and there, but you’re truly not living until you are plugged in to the true source of life, and that’s God. That’s what he’s pointing out.

Your life is enhanced because of it. You see things differently. You conduct yourself differently.

And that’s when you’re truly living. Yeah, I used to think that I was. I went here and there. But when reality set in, and I realized I wasn’t living. In fact, as I even learned and I grew and I took on responsibilities of a family. I was enjoying life then because of God. And then when our firstborn was born and we brought him home, and I looked at him and said, What do we do now? And then you start learning responsibility of fatherhood. You know. My life is full. It’s because of God. You see, the apostle is bringing this to the attention of these brethren, bringing this to our attention, that this new covenant of the Spirit is about life. It’s about living for God. It’s also about liberty.

Drop down to verse 17. Look at verse 17. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. There is freedom. Freedom. We are no longer held captive by the destruction of sin. We are no longer guilt-written for the things that we have done wrong, knowing that if we die outside of Christ, we stand before God. God will condemn us to eternal damnation. We’re set free from that. Now we can serve God. That picture becomes even clearer when you look over in Romans chapter 6 there. Where the apostle writes to the Roman Christians, telling them what took place when they were baptized in the Christ. When they are united with Him. And as you continue to go on, and look at verse 7, that they are set free from sin.

Now they are alive to God. What is this doing? Why am I saying it this way? Because when you and I have confidence in the word of God, it’s going to change how we conduct ourselves among those who do not know the Christ. And we talk with them. We try to find out how we can help them. The song that we sang about a beautiful life. Each day I’ll do a golden deed. Helping those who are in need. The greatest need that man has is the saving of his soul. That’s the greatest need. We’re going to talk a little bit more about that as we go on in our lesson this evening. This old covenant, it was the ministry of death. How so was that? Well, you remember that the law that God had given, when you violated the law, all the law, it just condemned you.

It just says, you’re wrong. You’re wrong. You’re wrong. You’re wrong. You’re wrong. You’re wrong. You’re wrong. Wow. But see, with this new covenant of the Spirit, it not only points out that you are wrong, but it gives you the remedy of how to get rid of that wrongness. It gives you the remedy of how you can live again, you see. That’s the difference. And it’s because of the Christ. The resurrection is the foundation of this hope here. And so when Paul is writing and pointing these things out, he is helping them to understand that when you follow the new covenant of the Spirit, you’re going to be set free. And when we sow that seed, that’s what we’re sowing. That’s what we are proclaiming. We are proclaiming life.

It’s as though when an individual is walking, you know how we have our earbuds these days. And sometimes it causes us to forget where we are. And we step out into a line of traffic. About ready to be hit by a car. And then all of a sudden, the hand comes from out of nowhere and snatches you back from the danger. That is what this new covenant of the Spirit does. And it motivates us and cause us to want to share this so that individuals will have life. Look with me over in Ephesians chapter 2. Verses 11 through 15. In Ephesians chapter 2, verses 11 through 15, as the apostle pointed out concerning this ministry of death, in verse 11, he says, Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision, which is performed in the flesh by human hands.

You see, the covenant of circumcision, going back to the book of Genesis, was one of the identity or identifying aspect of being one of God’s children. God established that with Abraham. And so now those who would be outside of God would be called uncircumcised.

And strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. A dead life is a life that has no hope. God wants to give us life by restoring that hope. And so he says in verse 13, but now in Christ Jesus, you who formerly were far off have been brought near. They’re brought near to God by the blood of Christ. See, those things become very important for us to understand. For he himself is our peace, who made both groups one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall by abolishing in his flesh the enmity, which is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in himself he might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace and making you right with God.

3. Sowing the Good News of the Glory of Christ

That’s this new covenant of the Spirit. That’s what’s involved in all of this. So when we are sowing the seed, not only are we sowing the word of the kingdom, we are sowing the new covenant of the Spirit, which is liberty life. Let’s go back to 2 Corinthians. And let’s look at chapter 4. Chapter 4, verses 1 through 7. We’re working together with God. This is God’s doing in the preparation of all of this. And what he’s doing is he’s using us as instruments to go about sowing this message. So in chapter 4, Paul says, Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we receive mercy, we do not lose heart. I want you to look at those that terminology there. Confidence, boldness, and now not losing heart.

Why is that? It’s because of the seed. It’s because of this message. And he says, but we have renounced the things hidden because of the shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Notice verse five. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For God who said, light shall shine out of darkness is the one who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

And so what we are sowing when we sow the seed, we are sowing this good news of the glory concerning Christ. That’s what we’re doing. And then he goes on, and he talks about that in verse 7, as we mentioned earlier in the week. We have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves. What a great picture. Good news. We all want to hear good news, don’t we? Especially when it’s about time to get a raise. You want to hear good news, don’t you? You want to hear, well, we cannot give you a raise this time. You don’t want to hear that.

Why? Oh, that’s good news. And we get excited about that. But here on a higher plane, when it comes to God, this is good news concerning the glory of Christ. That this glory, this greatness, and this power is from God, who then wants us to work with him to help others to know this. In a world that is broken. This message is so needed. In a world where there is confusion. People don’t know up from down, left from right. The glory of Christ shines forth and shows us the direction we need to go. Turn off the lights. Take off your shoes and walk to your bed and then hit your toe. It hurts, doesn’t it? And what it does, it causes, you know, I should have turned the lights on.

You know, if I had some light, I would have seen that, and I would not have thubbed my toe on the bed. That thing hurts. Sometimes it brings water to the eyes. Especially if you hit that pinky toe. But the light of the glory of God shows us out of this confusion. Shines forth. It shows us how we ought to live. In fact, we are told about the image of God. Show us how to get back to where God wanted us to be when he first created us. It is interesting concerning this image that the Hebrew writer over in Hebrews chapter 1, verses 1 through 4, and in particular, verses 1 and 2, where he talks about Jesus being the exact representation of God. Looking at Jesus, we see God.

And when we look at the cross of Christ, we see love. Where I should have died. But he died in my place. He died in your place. That is this gospel, this good news of the glory of Christ that shines forth so that we can see how we ought to live. And how we can regain the image in which God created us.

Ephesians chapter 1, verses 7 through 8 talks about the riches of God. And he talks about how God just lavished on us the blessings in Christ Jesus. And this is where I usually get my preacher friends in trouble. And it’s like Did you and Ken comes home. He has another diamond ring for you. And he comes home again the next day, and he’s driving in that new car that’s yours. Comes home again next day, he lavishes on you beautiful bouquet of flowers. And he comes home the next day, and there you have a beautiful dress. Comes home the next day, a beautiful new pair of shoes. He’s just lavishing it on you. You see, that’s what God was doing with us in Christ Jesus. Lavishing these blessings on us in Christ.

This is this good news of the glory of Christ. And so Ephesians chapter 1, verses 7 and 8 tells us about what God is doing. And as you list and go through those blessings, that’s what you’re seeing. You’re seeing God lavish on us. Why is that? Why does he do that? This is what you and I are sowing when we proclaim the message of God when we sow the seed. And that should fill our hearts and our minds with this. And we should be, it’s sort of like giving my friend, giving my neighbor a gift. And you’re lavishing your neighbor with this gift that God has provided for you to give and share with others. Isn’t that amazing? Here’s a gift for you. Here’s a gift for your friends.

4. Sowing the Reconciliation to God

Here’s a gift for your brethren. Here’s a gift for your neighbor. You know, that’s really what you’re seeing here when we’re sowing the seed. Let’s go back to 2 Corinthians, chapter 5. We talked a little bit about this in our last lesson a little bit. And each time I just kind of skimmed the surface. There’s more to it than what I have stated. So there in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verses 16 through 19. Paul says, therefore, from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh, even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him in this way no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation or new creature. The old things passed away. Behold, new things have come.

Now all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed to us the word of reconciliation. And you begin to see what we’re sowing when we sow the seed. We are sowing the reconciliation to God. That’s what we’re doing. We’re proclaiming the fact that God wants to have a relationship with us. He wants us to be in fellowship with him. You see, we have been broken by sin. It has destroyed our relationship with God. And at times it will destroy relationship with others. And here’s something about that I want to mention. I know that some of us who have obeyed the gospel and we have become outcast with our families.

Do not we long for a reconciliation. Don’t we? What would cause this reconciliation is for them to hear of the seed of reconciliation given by God, and then we end up getting on the same page. Not only are we reconciled to God, made right, the enmity and the hostility removed and bringing back the harmony with God, but we also bring it back with each other. The sowing the seed is about relationship. A relationship with God and a relationship with one another throughout. Every aspect of this, you see that God, as even Paul points out, look with me there concerning these passages. In verse 20, he says, Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us. And Paul says, we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

There is this plea that goes out. God is appealing. God is standing there saying, I want to have fellowship with you, but you have to be right. And the only way that you can be right is through Christ Jesus. So when we are sowing the seed, we are sowing the seed that would bring back this harmony, this relationship that God wants us to have. That’s a powerful seed, isn’t it? That’s all wrapped up in that. And so when Jesus talks about this over in Matthew chapter 13, and you look at the rest of the scriptures, it is telling us that there is more to the seed.

Conclusion

So that you can be restored. With this treasure being an earthen vessel, we have our cracks. But what this message does, when we allow it to fill us up, it covers those cracks on the inside. Yeah, and you still may see them on the outside. But on the inside, it’s right. There are no cracks because of the message. Yeah, you see cracks. You see the gray hair. You see the vision going. You see the wear and tear of this life. But on the inside, it is spanking brand new. Because of the message, because of this seed. And so, as we are working together with God, let us have the confidence that we see that the apostle is bringing to the attention of the Corinthians here. Not only that, but let us have the hope in this message, the seed.

Not only that, let us see God’s eye of mercy towards us, so that we would have an eye of mercy towards our fellow man. May God be with us all. If you will bow with me in a word of prayer. Our merciful God, kind Heavenly Father, thank you for being with us this evening and helping us to see just a glimpse of what the seed involves. May we ever continue to learn about it. May we ever fill ourselves with it, and then share it with others. Give us that courage, give us that confidence, give us the boldness, fill our hearts with hope, fill our hearts with joy as we submit to your will, and may we shine forth in a world that is confused, that they may see the light of your glory and humbly submit to your will.

Forgive us, Lord, when we do like that, like confidence in you and your word. And forgive us when we allow the hope to wane in us. But have mercy on us to strengthen us as we recognize these things and turn to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

All things are ready for you to become a child of God. This seed that is to be sown is the seed of hope. And that hope is in Christ Jesus our Lord. There’s no one else that will be able to save you. That’s the truth of the matter. Only the Christ can do that. And that’s what the seed is all about. So what you have to do is you have to put your trust in the seed, the word of God, the things that God is saying. That’s where you have to place your trust. And as you put your trust in him, you’ve got to repent of your sins. You’ve got to turn away from sin because sin is destructive. It has destroyed you, it has brought you the relationship, the cracks.

The only way you can be healed is through Christ. And then you’ve got to confess Jesus is Lord. Because that’s what’s contained in the seed. He’s Lord now. He’s going to rule your life. And then you’ve got to be buried with him in baptism. That’s where your sins are washed away. And you’re raised up out of the water. Now you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. The inside, the inner man has been renewed. And it will constantly be renewed as you continue to walk in faithfulness with the Lord. And then at the end of the life, this life, you will continue to live in the glory and the hope and the praise of God. I hope that I have wet your appetite about that. I hope your heart is filled with delight, and I hope that you will give the Lord a try.

In other words, do what he says. Be obedient and live for Him who died for you. So if you’re subject to the invitation, I want to encourage you. You come and make it known. We’re here to help. We are your friends. That’s what we’re all about. We are sowing the seed of what we’ve just talked about. All of that is involved in it. And it can be yours. But you have to do your part in accepting it. And so if we can help you, come and make it known as we stand and sing the song that was indicated.