The Many Sides of Prayer

Introduction

Okay, you know, we many times begin with a question, and this is one of those times. And so by a show of hands, how many of you like to talk? Now come on, you’re in the church building. All righty, then of all of us. When you do talk, do you like to be heard? Surely that’s all of us. Talking is not just a form of communication, it’s a primary form of communication and a necessary part, not just of communication, but of our interaction with one another in our lives. We like to talk. Even those who would say we don’t. We like to be heard when we talk. And why is that? Why do you like to talk, or why do you like to be listened to when you do talk?

Well, it’s because you’ve got something to impart. There’s some information, maybe some important, necessary information that needs to be imparted and understood by the receiving party. Maybe you like to talk or like to be listened to because there’s something you just need to get out. We have an expression, I need to get this off my chest. I need to tell somebody. We like to talk and we like to be listened to because it helps us make a connection to someone. Can you think of somebody who’s a close friend of yours that you’ve never talked to? No. Because talking is not just a form of communication, but it’s a form of bonding. Talking and being heard. It’s not just important, it’s vital to our social interactions and to our lives.

1. Prayer Has a Lot of Parts

And so this morning I want to talk about talking. Not just talking, but being heard. And not just any kind of conversation or form of communication, but we’re going to talk about the highest form of communication. And of talking and of being heard when we talk. Let’s spend a little time talking about prayer. The many sides of prayer. Prayer is not just one-dimensional. It’s not just one thing that can be done one way and can be answered one way. There’s a lot of facets to prayer. And let’s talk about the many facets of prayer. First of all, prayer has a lot of parts. Just like our normal communication does. We don’t just talk one way and say one thing. There’s a lot of parts and facets to our communication and our conversations, and so it is with prayer.

Prayer should be comprised, prayer properly offered, should be comprised of many different things and different parts. You may have heard this acronym before of regarding to prayer of Acts. A C T S. And I don’t want to use that’s not original with me, but I want to borrow that and say that those are some components to prayer. Acts, A C T S, the A in Acts is adoration. Jesus, when he taught, turn with me to Psalm 48. Jesus, when he taught his disciples to pray, said, pray this way. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Adoration should be a part of our prayer. We hold God in reverence. That’s fundamental to our relationship to God. Always has been. The whole concept behind bowing before God, that concept that’s fundamental to worship, is this of adoration, of respect.

So many components of the old law, as well as the new covenant, deal with that idea of adoration. You shall have no other God before me. You shall not make any graven image. You shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. God and his name, which stands for his person, is to be held in reverence. Look in Psalm 48. Did you turn there with me? Psalm 48, just look at verse 1. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God in his holy mountain. Great is the Lord. Prayer should involve adoration. And by the way, we might make this comment in passing. All of our communication should bespeak of our adoration to God. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

God and his name is to be treated with reverence. Flippantly, lightfully using his name as just an expression, whether it be the name of the Father or of the Son. It’s not hold his name in adoration and in reverence. The sea of Acts of prayer is confession. What better use of prayer than to confess our sins and to seek his forgiveness? Look in the book of 1 John, chapter 1. This avenue of communication. Once this avenue of communication has been opened up between us and our Father, certainly it should be used to seek to restore the relationship between us and our Father, and that is done through confession. 1 John 1, verse 9, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We’ve talked about this ad nauseum. Confess means own up to, accept the ownership. I have sinned. And by the way, confession should be full and honest. Be honest with God about your sins, your faults, your shortcomings, and even your doubts. He knows them already. Pour them out before Him. Confess your sins, and He’ll forgive you. Acts ACT. T stands for thanksgiving. Again, once this avenue of communication is made possible, what better use of it than to thank God? 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. God is worthy to be praised, to be adored, and to be thanked. 1 Thessalonians 5 says, begin in verse 16. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 16, beginning says, rejoice always, pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. God is to be praised. He is to be thanked for all that He has done for us. And again, be open. Be honest and be specific in your adoration, in your confession, and in your thanksgiving. And we complete the acronym with the S is supplication. We thank God for what He has done for us. Turn it with me to Philippians chapter 4. We thank God for what he has done for us. But God does not view it as being selfish and greedy to in the same voice where we’re thanking him for what he has done to ask him for more. In fact, God wants that of us. Philippians chapter 4. And by the way, supplication can take two forms, can it not?

I can ask God for things for me, but also for others. They can be spiritual or physical. But prayer is an avenue of communication, and a part of that avenue of communication is asking God. Philippians chapter 4. Look at these familiar verses, verses 6 and 7. Be anxious for nothing. But in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. With thanksgiving, we make our request known to God. Ask God for the physical things that you need, for the physical things that others are lacking. Ask God for His spiritual guidance and help. You see, prayer has many parts. And our prayers should be made up of these parts.

2. Prayer Also Takes Many Forms

Now, we might say this as we’re going to get on to the different types of prayers, that I don’t know that every prayer has to contain every one of these, but most of our prayer should. Contain adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication, because prayer has many parts, but prayer also takes many forms. There are different parts to prayer, but there are different types of prayer. And maybe we haven’t focused and talked about that or understood that completely. That not all prayer is the same. That prayer is not just some cookie-cutter conversation that we have with God, that has to follow some formulaic ritual or rite. But there’s a lot of different types of prayer. Let’s think of some.

That is, we’re praying for something specific. Turn with me, if you will, the book of Romans, chapter 15. I think we have examples of that in the New Testament. In Romans chapter 15, look beginning in verse 30. Paul, the apostle makes a request of the church, the saints in Rome. In Romans 15, verse 30, read with me. Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me. Now notice the purpose, the specific thing he’s saying. In other words, he’s saying, pray for me, verse 31, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you.

Do you see the specifics? Paul doesn’t just say, Hey, pray for me. Now there’s nothing wrong with saying that, I don’t think. But Paul says to these Christians, pray for me for this. And that that might happen. And that this might be accomplished. He was specific in his request for their prayers. And sometimes prayer can be that way. In other words, prayer doesn’t have to be again this formulaic, I pray for everything. Prayer can be very purposeful. Bow your knee if there’s something on your heart, some need that you have, or just some praise or thanksgiving that you need to express. Just bow your knee and purposefully pray for this thing. Prayer should never be offered just because it’s supposed to be offered. It can be purposeful.

Look over in John chapter 6, the Gospel of John, the sixth chapter. And look at verse 11. Jesus, the famous story of the feeding, he says, uh John chapter 6, verse 11, Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to the disciples. And the disciples, uh the disciples to those sitting down, and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. He gave thanks before they ate. That’s a purposeful prayer, isn’t it? It was for one specific purpose and need. And prayer can take that form. Prayer can also be scheduled. Now, just because it’s scheduled doesn’t mean it’s just ritualistic with no feeling and no emotion or even no purpose. But prayer can be scheduled. You remember the example of Daniel?

Turn over in your old testament to Daniel chapter 6. That’s the conclusion that I draw from the life of Daniel. You remember Daniel chapter 6, the plot against Daniel? They tried to dig up skeletons in Daniel’s closet to get him in trouble with the king. They couldn’t find anything. But the only thing they could find, they said, if we’re going to get him in trouble, it’s going to have to be in regard to his relationship to his God. And so, you remember they concocted this silly scheme. Let’s make it illegal to pray, basically, they said. To bow down to anybody else. They knew that would get Daniel. And notice what it says in Daniel chapter 6 and in verse 10, you know this story that led to his salvation from the lion’s den, Daniel 6, verse 10.

Now, when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, that is the law that would have prohibited praying, he went home, and in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since his early days. So he didn’t just pray three times that day in defiance of the king. It says that was his practice. Now I don’t know that Daniel had an alert set on his phone and his apple watch that beat at a certain time and that he did it at a certain time every day. But do you not get the picture that Daniel, that this was a routine? That this was somewhat of a scheduled practice of his that he would three times a day.

Pray to God. Making time for God was a practice. But I don’t think any of us would draw this conclusion, would we? That all because it was scheduled, Daniel just had these things scheduled, and he just kind of spoke those prayers, and they weren’t really meaningful. They were just kind of like a habit of going through. That’s not the picture we get of Daniel. And so what I learned from Daniel, a lot of things I can learn from Daniel, but in this context, one thing I see from Daniel is that my prayers can be organized, scheduled, planned, even a habit, but can still be meaningful communication to God. Can still be pouring out my heart in talking to my Father. So prayer can be scheduled and should be scheduled.

But prayer can also be spontaneous. Look at another New Testament example, or Old Testament example, excuse me. Think about Nehemiah. Go back to Nehemiah chapter 2.

You remember the context of Nehemiah, Nehemiah chapter 2. Nehemiah had not returned with the captives after the Babylonian captivity. He was still there in the Medo Persian empire ruling under the king. In fact, he was the cupbearer to the king. And he had heard of reports of back home that they had done some things, but they hadn’t rebuilt the wall. And so he was troubled and moved by that. He wanted to go back and help this. And so he makes his appearance before the king. Look with me in Nehemiah chapter 2. Verse 2, the king said to me, Why is your face sad since you’re not sick? Just a little bit of context there. If you’re the cupbearer to the king, you usually wanted to be in a good mood.

As you were offering him food and drink that might otherwise have been poisoned. You didn’t want to look like you were up to something. Why are you sad? You’re not sick, Nehemiah. There’s nothing but sorrow of heart, verse 2. Then Nehemiah says, I became dreadfully afraid. The king who at one snap of his finger could say, off with your head, and here I am acting differently before him as I’m offering him his drink. And so I was dreadfully afraid. Verse 3 said to the king, May the king live forever. I’m not up to something. I’m not trying to poison you. May the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my father’s tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?

Then the king said to me, Nehemiah 2, verse 4, what do you request? Now let’s think about this. Nehemiah is nervous and scared and sad in front of the king. He stills up his nerve and has the courage to blurt it out what he wants and why he is in this foul mood. And the king says, What do you request? What does it say next? Verse 4. So I prayed to the God of heaven. And in verse 5, and I said to the king, if it pleases the king. Now I’m drawing two conclusions here. See if you agree with my conclusions. Number one is this was a spontaneous prayer. I don’t think Nehemiah had this one scheduled. This wasn’t one of the three times a day that he, like Daniel, would have prayed.

This one was a special. This one wasn’t on the books. It was spontaneous and it was needed. But another thing I think I can conclude safely from this, that it was probably a pretty short prayer. The king was waiting. The king that I was already dreadfully afraid of is ask me a question. I don’t picture Nehemiah bowing down on his knees and praying a 30, 45 minute prayer while the king waited. I don’t have proof, but I imagine this was probably a pretty short prayer. It may have just simply come. Again, I don’t have any more insight into what Nehemiah said than you do. But it may have been simply, God give me the courage to say what I need to say. Amen. Or God be with the King that He might grant my request.

Amen. You see, prayer takes many forms. Do we neglect this type of prayer? Do we have the scheduled, purposeful prayers? We pray before our meals, we pray those separate times of the day. But do we neglect the times that just in the middle of the day? I need to talk to God. I need to ask God something. I need to praise God for something. In just a short, spontaneous, almost outburst of prayer. Prayer takes many forms. Prayer can be both private and public. We pray in our assemblies. We won’t turn over there, but 1 Corinthians chapter 14 sets the example that the first century church did that. They prayed in their assemblies. In fact, it would say the context there is one person stood up before the congregation and prayed for everybody else.

Remember in 1 Corinthians 14, he was dealing with the idea of getting up and praying in tongues, and he’s saying that was worthless because nobody could say amen because they couldn’t hear you and understand you. We’ll make a couple comments about that. Number one is men who lead us in prayer need to recognize you’re praying for everybody. And so pray with that in mind. That it might be understood and others might be able to say Amen to that prayer. Those who are listening need to be engaged and listening and praying, saying that prayer with others. And so there’s public prayer. But then there’s also private prayer. Do you know the New Testament has a whole lot more to say about private prayer than it does public.

In fact, it says about that much about public and that much about private. What does that tell me? This shouldn’t be my prayer life. This should be just a slight percentage of my prayer life. And then I’m going to warn against another trap I think we can get into, and that is modeling our private prayer after our public prayers. I don’t think that serves our prayer life well. Because the man who’s leading us in a public prayer is at a disadvantage that you’re not at when you’re praying privately. He’s at a disadvantage because he’s having to pray for everybody. And he doesn’t know everything. Not once in my life as a Christian has the man who prayed a public prayer and assembly prayed for absolutely everything that was on my heart.

3. Prayer Is Talking to God

And that’s not his fault. He just doesn’t know. And so in my private prayer, I shouldn’t just echo back what Brother So and so said in his public prayer with those limitations. Private prayer is a time for me to speak to God one to one. And share with him things that brother so and so didn’t even know was on my heart. Private prayer is different than public prayer. And with a little bit of fear of being misunderstood, I would argue that private prayer is more important than public prayer. So prayer has many parts, it takes many forms, but at this point I want to remind you what prayer is. It’s a form of communication. To put it simply, it’s talking to God. Now it’s a different form of communication.

It’s a higher, holier form of communication, but it’s still communication. It’s still, in fact, here’s a sentence I’m going to say to you twice. Prayer is talking to God. Don’t ever forget that. It’s a communication, but it’s not some flippant light form of communication. You are speaking to the creator of this universe. Treat him as we talked about with the adoration and reverence he deserves. And so prayer is talking to God. But remember this. Prayer is talking to God. Don’t let your reverence and your fear of the creator of this universe threaten or hamper your communication. You’re talking to God. So talk to him. Be honest with him. Be open with him.

4. Prayer Has Many Answers

And talk to him. Lastly, prayer has many parts, prayer takes many forms. And we know prayer has many answers, doesn’t it? Let’s think of some of those answers. Sometimes God answers yes. 1 John chapter 5, verses 14 and 15 says, if we ask according to his will, he’ll grant our prayers. God will say yes to your prayers. That’s one reason we want to pray. That’s one reason, like Paul, I would solicit your prayers because God answers prayers.

Sometimes, though, he says no. Do you remember in the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul said, I prayed very specifically, very purposefully about my thorn in the flesh. And Paul says, paraphrasing, God said no. God said no. That’s hard. But two things about that. Number one is God has the right to say no. And secondly, God always knows more and knows better than I. Sometimes God might answer my prayer otherwise. We won’t turn back there, but you remember the story in Numbers chapter 21 of one of the many times the children of Israel murmured and complained and sinned against God in the wilderness and God sent punishment. This time you remember he sent poisonous snakes. And the poisonous snakes were biting people and they were dying.

And so Moses and the people prayed to God. And you remember what their prayer was? God take these snakes away. Pretty good prayer. I think I’d have prayed for the same thing. And God answered their prayer. But he didn’t take the snakes away, did he?

He says, Moses make this brazen serpent and set it up, and when you’re bitten, if you look at that, you’ll be healed. He didn’t answer their prayer the way they ask it. He answered it a different way. And by the way, that’s not the only example in the Bible of God answering a prayer that way. Because God knows more and knows better. And so God may answer our prayer, but in a different way. So God can say yes, God can say no, he can answer my prayer differently than what I requested. But there’s another way that God can answer prayers. And that is silence. You know, I’ve always heard my whole life that God always answers prayer, but sometimes he says no. I’ve done a little research, and I don’t know that that’s exactly right.

I think God is held up to my sayings. God doesn’t have to answer prayer. God can be silent. Now, you might argue silence is no, but I would also argue that I’ve never heard God say no to my prayers, and so every no is silence. And sometimes God can not say yes, not say no. God is not bound to answer. And sometimes that’s troublesome. Turn over to Acts chapter 12. Look at the example of a time in which God did answer prayer. Peter had been put in prison. Peter and the Christians were afraid that Peter was going to be put to death. And he says in Acts chapter 12. Verse 5. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

So Peter’s in prison. They’re worried that he’s going to be put to death by Herod, but the church is praying for Peter. You know the rest of the story, don’t you? God answered that prayer. Peter is released from prison. They’re shocked. Another lesson there. They’re shocked that what they’re praying for was answered. But Peter shows up at the house. First he’s not let in, but finally he’s let in, and they rejoice that their prayers have been answered. Can you imagine? I want you to think of that scene. That here they are, they finally, it took them a while, come to the realization God’s answered our prayers. Peter’s not dead. He’s been released. Herod’s not going to get him. He’s been released. We get Peter back. Those brethren must have been rejoicing.

The only one rejoicing louder than those brethren would have been Peter’s phone family. But have you ever thought of this? Back up in chapter 12. Verses 1 and 2.

Now, about that time Herod the King stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James, the brother of John with the sword. You ever think of that gathering when they were praying for Peter? And Peter shows up, and their prayers were wonderfully answered, and Peter’s alive. Everybody’s rejoicing.

Tears of joy. It’s possible that somewhere in the back of that room were some of James’ family. Weeping different kind of tears. God saved Peter. What about my James? God didn’t answer that prayer. I prayed for James just as hard as you prayed for Peter. Prayer is a communication to God. It’s a time to ask, to even beg for things that we need in our lives. Sometimes God will say yes. Sometimes he’ll say no. Sometimes he’ll turn things around and answer my prayer in a totally different way and bless me far more than I even knew I was asking for. Sometimes I’ll pray and I’ll pray and I’ll pray. And all I hear is silence. But I don’t stop praying. And I don’t start trusting. And I don’t stop praising.

Conclusion

Because God knows more and knows better than I. The many sides of prayer. Do you like to talk? Do you like to be heard when you talk? Pray to God and trust in God. It may be that you’re here this morning and you need to render obedience to the gospel. And in some way, rendering obedience to the gospel is a prayer. It’s a supplication. You’re asking God. That’s what Peter says in 1 Peter chapter 3, verse 21. It’s the request of God for a clean conscience. It’s a prayer in itself. In fact, I would argue that’s the sinner’s prayer. That’s how I pray to God for my sins to be washed away, is I come to him believing, confessing, repenting, and being baptized. I’m asking God to wash away my sins.

Would you make that request to God today? Do you need to come back to Him and render obedience to Him through your confession and return to Him? If we can help you in any way, if we can pray for you in any way, let it be known right now, as together we stand and as we have in Jesus.

Come a few hours later. Some, you remember, only worked for one hour in that vineyard. And you remember the illustration, they lined up to get paid at the end of the day. The people in the front had only worked an hour. The people that worked all day were in the back of the line. They hear the person in the front getting a full day’s wage. Oh, if they get a full day’s wage, I worked a full day. I’ll get more. Maybe they even did the math. I’ll get that was the hourly pay. And so I worked eight, twelve hours, and so that times that. Well, but they got up there and they all got the same pay. Everybody, whether you worked all day or whether you worked just one hour, got the same pay.

We’re all workers in the vineyard. Now, it’s important to remember what prompted this parable in Matthew chapter 19. Peter and the apostles said, We’ve left all to serve you. What will we get? Peter and the apostles were the ones who’d worked all day long. Now, don’t get hung up on length of time. Sometimes we see this and we think this is a length of time parable. And so we talk about somebody that obeyed the gospel when they were like 16 versus somebody who’s 89 and on their deathbed obey the gospel. It’s not really about length of time. It’s about sacrifice and contribution. Compared to the apostles, I’ve worked one hour in the kingdom. Unless things change drastically, I won’t be crucified hanging upside down. I won’t be beaten and stoned and shipwrecked and imprisoned.

I haven’t done the again. I haven’t done the math. I don’t know how many cities I’ve preached in. But it wouldn’t compare to Paul. How many churches he founded. I didn’t do the math, how many people I’ve baptized. But it wouldn’t compare to Peter’s one sermon on the day of Pentecost, would it? And so they gave it all. They’ve done so much. And oh, by the way, you know how many of New Testament epistles I’ve written? Same number as you. None. Look what they did. And so Peter is saying, what are we going to get? And Jesus says, on payday, judgment day, you’ll get the same as that 21st century Christian at South Bumby who did just a little in comparison to you. And so the expression in there, by the way, I know you maybe you’ve heard me say this before, the first shall be last and the last shall be first, is not talking about a reversal.

It’s talking about an equality.

Yeah. It’s like the widow’s mind. It’s the the equality is not in the amount, but in the fact that it was given in faith. And so the first shall be last and the last shall be first that’s quoted before and after this parable is explained by the parable, and the parable doesn’t say that we’re going to switch places in line. It’s going to say basically, in fact, I’ve used this illustration. You remember getting in line? I don’t know how it was when you went to elementary. Elementary school, all I remember was standing in line. I don’t remember much of math and science and grammar. But it’s not like we always had to get in line. And in elementary school, it probably changed in high school and elementary school.

Where did you want to be in line? You wanted to be first in line. And so sometimes that would be given out on a reward. You behave, you get to be first in line. If you do good on the test, you’re going to be first in line. I’ll let you guess where I usually was. But let’s say the teacher says, you do good on the test, you’ll get first in line, and then we’ll sliding scale of how bad you did on the test. And so they all line up, and it means something in elementary school. And the teacher says, All right, now turn around. That’s now the front of the line. This is the back of the line. You could hear the hows of protest, couldn’t you?

Wait a minute. I studied for that test. I did good. I was in the first of the line. You reverse it. The first shall be last and the last shall be first. That’s not fair. That’s not what Jesus, that’s not what the parable illustrates, is it? Here’s the illustration. Take that line, and the teacher says, All right, everybody swing this way. Now we’re all first in line. And we’re all last in line. I think that’s what the saying, first shall be last, last shall be first. That’s what the parable is showing, isn’t it? We’re all equal. In the kingdom.

This same Peter, who in Matthew 19 said, What shall we get? We’ve given everything. That same Peter, when he wrote his letters later, would write to those Christians in the pew and say, to those of a like precious faith with us. The New International Version translates that to those of an equal standing with us. Peter got it. And so we’re workers in the vineyard. Now this is going to hearken to this body analogy, isn’t it? The more presentable parts and the parts that do more. And I think that is seen in this workers in the vineyard parable. Ken. You’re going right back.

Alright, Galatians 6, verse 10. Someone read that or turn over there. And somebody that gets there first, read Galatians 6. And verse 10.

And if we’re honest, we have far more opportunities than we take advantage of. That’s not an excuse to get out of doing it. Do we understand that, don’t we? Well, I didn’t have opportunity. No. That’s an urging to do more. As we have opportunity, let us do good to all men. And especially, some translations say, particularly those of the household of faith. Here’s the point I want to make here. Household of faith, you know that’s a word that just means family. Household means family. It doesn’t mean the physical structure ever, I don’t think, in the New Testament. It means people, the family. Let’s do good to all, especially those of the family of God. We are family. We are branches in the vine, we’re living stones, we’re working in the vineyard, but more important than that, we’re family.

Now, a point I want to make about this, and I think that’s the point here and throughout the New Testament, is that, and don’t misunderstand my point. But family takes priority, doesn’t it? That doesn’t mean we neglect others. But unapologetically, my family takes priority.

I’ve never even bought her a necklace. In fact, I’ve never even bought her a coke. But Deedra’s got all of those things. She’s got a coke, a necklace, and a ring. You’re all jealous, aren’t you? And that’s fine. And Melanie’s okay with that because she understands family takes priority. Now that doesn’t mean I can mistreat Melanie and I need to do good to her and it, but she’s not my family. Family takes priority. My kids are going to take priority over your kids when it comes you know again, that doesn’t mean I’ll mistreat and neglect your children, but we understand that, don’t we? When I get my paycheck, that budget works kind of in degrees there. And so let us do good to all men, but especially those of the family of God.

I have an obligation to everybody. Again, don’t take what I’m saying to some ridiculous extreme. I have an obligation to everybody. But you’re my priority. And I’m unapologetic about that. I love you more than I love the people of the world. Now I can’t become Pharisaic about that, and you know what the Pharisees did about that. No. The Good Samaritan teaches me, I’ll stop and help anybody. But you’re my family. And so family comes with obligations and duties and priorities, doesn’t it? And so I’m helping everybody. But my particular focus is going to be on you. Because you’re family. Just like it is with my own physical family. I’m helping everybody, but my priority and my primary obligations are going to be with family. We are family.

We’re members of one another. And so that places some obligations, some responsibilities, and I would argue some priorities as well. That’s who I put first and and foremost. Ephesians chapter two. Maybe we’ve got time for the buzzer. If not, we’ll we’ll pick up Wednesday night, remember, online, Zoom, and Facebook Live, Wednesday night. We’ll continue lesson one. Someone read Ephesians two, verse 19 for me, please of metaphors. Citizens in the kingdom, but members of the household. That’s again family. But the idea here is it’s not just some kind of cold analogy that you’re citizens of a kingdom. You’re a part of a government. Because we think of that in almost in cold, impersonal terms. Here it’s just the opposite. This is very personal. This is the idea of belonging.

You were without citizenship, and now you’re a part of something. You’re a citizen of the kingdom. You have a place. That’s the idea there. And that’s the wonderful idea of being a part of the citizen of the kingdom of God is that we’re now something. We are a people. There is a connection. There’s a belonging. There’s a relationship where one did not exist before. All right, we’ll pick up there. And I know what you’re thinking. We didn’t get very far. But we did. We got I hope we got very deep here. So anyway, we’ll pick up there Wednesday night, seven o’clock, Zoom and Facebook Live only. And remember, no Sunday night Bible class online tonight. We’ll see you next Sunday morning or Wednesday night for our online study.

And again, if you’re watching the live stream, uh short intermission, the stream will continue, and our worship assembly will start at eleven A.M. Thanks, everybody.