What Will You Leave Your Children?

Introduction

If you use the song book instead of the screen for the songs, our invitation song will be number two hundred and seventy-two. Two hundred seventy-two. If you have a new testament you like might turn with me to the reading found in Luke chapter fifteen, where in verses eleven through twenty-four, Jesus taught a parable, we often call the parable of the prodigal son. Luke 15, beginning in verse eleven. Where he said, A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine, and he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger.

And I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry. For this my son was dead and is alive again.

He was lost and is found, and they began to be merry. Indeed, this is a great parable, many wonderful lessons to be gleaned from it. But probably an unlikely text for our lesson this morning on parenthood.

And thus our lesson today likewise is going to be on that theme. And it’s not because we have ungodly children among us. We have many wonderful children in this congregation and many wonderful parents. But it’s certainly important that we be reminded of the principles that God’s wisdom has set forth of how to bring up children in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. And even grandparents that might be in this audience, or maybe brothers or those who certainly affect children around you. I hope that our lesson will be of great value to you as well.

And when he spent it all, and he finally the scripture says, came to himself. What did he remember? He remembered home. And what he remembered about home is that it was even far better than anything he knew and had observed where he was. In fact, he did not even ask to be a son again. Simply make me a servant in your home. The question really might be asked of each of us today, what will your children remember? Now put it in the form of a question. What will you leave your children? Now I know you may have seen that bumper sticker. I am spending my children’s inheritance. We kind of laugh about that when we see that people going down the road, and indeed they may be spending material things that would be their children’s inheritance.

And maybe even this question, what would you leave your children? You might first of all think in terms of a material wealth. You may say, well, not very much for me. But in reality, I hope that every Christian in this audience can say, I’m leaving my children something of great value. Great value because it has to do with eternal life, not simply the material things that this world may offer. I tell you, rearing children in this society, rearing God filled God fearing children is not easy to do. Satan has made such an attack on our homes, and that so many homes are dysfunctional, and they even have divided with divorce, and many children are paying a tremendous price as a consequence of it. That we need to come back to what the word of the Lord says and examine the very fact that as parents, being a parent is much more than just bringing a physical child in this world.

1. The Role of Parents Is a Serious Responsibility

The role of parents is a serious responsibility. The reality is that as a parent, you stand to have the greatest influence on that child for either heaven or hell. When you recognize that what is born is not simply a physical boy or a physical girl, but rather one whose spirit shall last even throughout eternity. In Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 9, in fact, the father is described as the father of our spirits. And therefore, what we have inside of us, each of us, even when we face physical death. We’re simply, as 2 Corinthians 5 would say, putting aside this tent, our physical body, and our eternal home is what we look forward to. Our spirit returns unto God who gave it. So when you stop and think about what am I doing for my child, that will affect not just simply is this child going to be prosperous in this world, is this child going to be a great athlete in this world, or is this child going to be really smart and have a doctorate degree or whatever in this world?

Think in terms of what will this child be? At the time of death, and especially the time of judgment. You see, the fact is you cannot lead a child closer to have eternal life, then you need to be preparing yourself for eternal life. The reality is you, as a parent can either lead your child to unfeigned faith. As Paul spoke to Timothy about his mother and his grandmother, that first in them resided unfeigned. That is no pretense, no hypocrisy about it. Sincere and genuine faith. So it also was in Timothy from his mother and his grandmother. He had been taught, no doubt, the word of God. And the fact is that each of us as parents do have an influence. We’re either leading our children to unfeigned faith in the Lord, or maybe we might be like those of the time of Judges.

Chapter 2 and verse 10. After Joshua had taken over when Moses, of course, did not enter the promised land, but Joshua led the people of God into that promised land. But after that generation passed away, Judges 2 and verse 10 says there arose a generation that did not know the Lord. And if you read through the book of Judges, you know over and over as they’re repeated the story of God’s people going into oppression and pleading with the Lord, and upon his mercy, of course, he would raise up a judge or a deliverer, and they would be brought back into peace and prosperity, and then given time it would repeat itself. Over and over. Why? They did not know the Lord. And what happened as described in Judges 21 and verse 25, they did that which was right in their own sight.

2. One Generation Plants the Trees, Another Gets the Shade

And when our children are left simply to do what is right in their own sight, they will live like the world and indeed find in themselves many heartaches and sorrows that eventually would be brought upon them and especially come judgment day. There’s a Chinese proverb that I think is quite enlightening in the attitude of parents. The proverb goes like this: one generation plants the trees and another gets the shade. Now you think about that. What kind of shade have you left for your child? The reality is our generation lives in the shade of many trees that were planted before us, planted by our ancestors. But even today, the life that parents lead will affect their children. And even their grandchildren, you stop and think about it.

The reality is that, as in Exodus chapter 20 and in verse 5, God promised to visit the iniquities of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. Now that does not mean that a child, even the grandchild or the great-grandchild, will inherit the sins of the father, for passages like Ezekiel chapter 18 and verse 20 indeed teaches that we do not inherit either the sins or the righteousness or the faith of our parents. The soul that sins, it shall die, and we will not bear the iniquity of the Father. The reality is every child will stand on its own to give answer unto the Lord. But the reality is the consequences of sin are often passed on to generation after generation. It is quite evident. An alcoholics’ families suffer shame and deprivation.

Children abused by parents will often abuse their children. Children whose parents divorced or more likely to enter marriage themselves with instability, that they too will divorce. What we as parents need to remember is that the patterns that we start may never be broken. And like a snowball that starts at the top, maybe of the mountain, and as it rolls down the mountains, it gathers, gathers and gathers mass and wait until finally it crushes everything in its sight. And so it is the patterns that you as parents may be setting with children may indeed have consequences to the third and fourth generation. Not just your life, not just your child’s life, but your grandchild and your great grandchild. If a different tree is not planted and a different shade is provided.

Indeed, it is a sobering thought that the depths of ungodliness may begin with what parents may seemingly think such a mild thing as to neglect worship. You mean that may affect our child. Or you mean because I don’t spend time at home in prayer and devotion with my child, that affects them. You often can see in children the reflection of what’s in the home. The fact is, as in Proverbs 22 and in verse 6, train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. That is not an ironclad rule. If it were even parents who are wicked, then would have children who would always be wicked. And that the fact is that every one of us stands as an individual, and we’ll have to give answer to God for our own faith.

3. Bring Them Up in the Nurture of the Lord

Just because your parent may not be a Christian doesn’t mean that you won’t be one. But on the other hand, just because your parents are faithful to God doesn’t mean you will be faithful to God. You’ll have to make that choice on your own. But the reality is that as parents we influence, and we must train up a child in the proper way that they should go. Our responsibility is that. The child’s responsibility is whether or not they accept that teaching. Indeed, as an individual, they stand for that. The reality is, though, that as at passages like Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 4, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord. What does that mean?

That’s the King James Version, the nurture of the Lord. If you’re reading a different translation, in fact, if you’re reading the New American Standard Bible, it will say, in the discipline of the Lord. Or if you have the NIV or even the New King James Version, it says, in the training of the Lord. You teach the respect for authority. In Hebrews chapter 12, the same word is translated, the chastening of the Lord. That’s four different words that really are all help us to understand. What does it mean? The nurture of the Lord. In Hebrews chapter 12, the scripture says, and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening or the nurture of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.

For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth and scourgeth every son or every every son when he receiveth, whom he receiveth. Indeed, the responsibility, therefore, as a parent really is to do some training, to do some discipline. Actually, this word nurture carries that which sometimes may even devolve with action. I know today that stay saying, you know, spare the rod and spoil the child. Well, that’s not so popular in our modern society, and those who think that, you know, just let the child pretty much raise itself, I think in some quarters. That’s what some parents are allowing the child to do. But throughout the book of wisdom, the book of Proverbs, there are just so many statements that talk about sparing the rod. Proverbs 13, 24. He that spareth his rod hateth his son.

But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. Now let me say, first of all, some of these passages in Proverbs sound almost like child abuse. To have the rod and to beat the child. Certainly conjures up to us in our society today, child abuse. And that’s not at all what the Hebrew meant by it. In fact, the word rod carries more the idea of a standard of authority. In fact, in some times the Bible even speaks as a rod as a unit of measurement. We’d say a ruler. We’d take a ruler or a yardstick and have a measurement by it. So in that idea is that here’s the rod. You teach the child the standard of right from wrong and the rule of authority. Chasten the child when he gets out of what is right and into that which is wrong.

Proverbs 22 and verse 15, foolishness is bound to the heart of a child. But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. Proverbs 23 verses 13 and 14. Withhold not correction from the child, for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shall deliver his soul from hell or from the grave, actually is the idea there. In Proverbs 29 and verse 15, the rod and reproof give wisdom. But a child left to himself brings his mother to shame. Indeed, the rod of authority indeed teaches a child. What that’s simply saying is, you know, there are times for punishment. It needs to be with love, of course, and it needs to be in a righteous way.

But even whatever method you may use, and different children need different types of chastening. I’ve often remembered, you know, of our own children. We had four children, and no two of them were alike. And what would work with one didn’t work with the other. One might need a scolding, and that’s all it took. And another needed a little bit of spanking sometimes. And one of them may need it simply to stand in the corner for a while or whatever, but different methods work, but the important thing is they needed to learn what no meant. No meant when you in that child picks up grandma’s favorite antique dish. No means leave it alone. And yes means sometimes what is positive and good, they need to learn the difference between right and wrong, good and evil.

And it starts with parents. I well remember one time some some years ago, a gentleman came forward one Sunday morning, and I really hadn’t met him before, but he said to me on the front row that Sunday morning that he had a problem with liquor. But he wanted to turn back to the Lord, and I was thankful for a man that would admit it that. So that afternoon I went to visit with him. We started talking about drink, and of course, I insisted that he needed to put away all of it. Don’t even do what is called social drinking today. The first drink is the worst one. You don’t have to wait to get drunk to be in sin. Just leave it all alone. But he began to challenge that because he didn’t want to really give it up completely.

And I began to say to him that really, when you do such as that, it’s the Lord who loves you, and the Lord has given you a standard of what is wise from what is wrong. And sometimes when we say no, it is out of love. It is because we care. He happened to have a little child that I think was probably age three or so, maybe four. And actually, the front door of his house was not very far from the street, probably about as close as I am to the back of this auditorium. And while we were talking, that little child pushes open the screen door and goes out the door and heads toward the street. And of course, the father jumps up and runs and gets the child and brings the child back.

And you know what the child does? Starts crying. Because the child wanted to go outside. And of course, in context of what we’ve been talking about true love, that sometimes you say no. I just said to him, to the father while this child was crying, don’t you love your son? He looked at me crazy. I said, He wants to go outside. Why don’t you let him go outside? And he got the point. The father had the wisdom to know the danger in the street and to say no to the child. Now the child may cry. And there’s some times where we as parents may have to make our children unhappy. But if we have the wisdom of God, our action will help teach them the rod or rule of authority.

They need to learn discipline. It needs to start with the respecting authority, first of all, with the parent at the earliest stages. And then, of course, as they come of age to understand something about God, the authority of God follows. The authority of your teacher when they get to school. The authority of the civil authorities in the law of the land. But you know, if they fail to understand even that authority with the parent, you can expect them to have problems than every one of the rest. Toward God, toward their teachers at school, and toward even civil authorities. Indeed, the rod and reproof give wisdom. But also the admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6 says.

4. The Admonition of the Lord

To admonish one. Whereas really the word nurture stresses more training by act. The reality is a child needs encouragement. A child needs some positive encouragement and information. So that a parent not only will sometimes say no, but also will say yes and encourage the child in what is right. Perhaps the meaning is best illustrated in Deuteronomy chapter 6. In Deuteronomy chapter 6, the scripture in verses 4 through 9, really, as Moses said before the children of Israel, here is what a father, what parents ought to do. It certainly applies even to our own time. In Deuteronomy 6, if you have your Bible, verses 4 through 9, hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength.

And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, shall talk of them when you sit in the house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. When you analyze those texts, actually, you’d have to say that as parents teach their children by example, word and reproof, as they do as Deuteronomy 6, there is first of all that personal commitment. You love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. The child sees in you whether or not you’re committed.

There’s that communication in verse 7, where you teach your child diligently. There’s personal example in verse 8. You bind them as a sign on your hand, they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. Indeed, finally, there is spiritual environment. What’s in the home? You write the will of God, he says, on the doorpost of your house, on your gates. I think perhaps maybe in a figurative way, but it carries the idea that as a parent, what your child knows from you is the Lord. And in every way.

5. Personal Commitment: I Know What I Believe

Now you may think in terms only, well, you know I have a will. Probably that’s good for you to have just from a civil point of view. But what are you thinking about your child from a spiritual point of view? Are you leaving them an example to be followed? From Deuteronomy chapter 6, there’s personal commitment. When your child looks at you and remembers you, do they remember you being a Christian? And that being a Christian was utmost importance? Do they see in you the attitude that says, you know what you believe and you know why. First Peter 3 15, sanctify the Lord God in your heart. Be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asketh you, a reason concerning the hope that’s within you.

Can you tell your children, here’s why I’m a Christian? And here’s why we go to worship on the Lord’s day. Here’s some scripture for it. In fact, and whenever error might be taught, you know how to answer error, how to bring people back into the truth, contending earnestly for the faith. Jude verse 3. Is that true about you? I think of the story in Daniel chapter 3. You remember when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the scripture says, built this golden image, some 90 to maybe a hundred feet tall. And then he commanded all throughout his kingdom to, at the sound of the musical instruments, they would all bow down and give honor and worship this golden image. There were three Hebrew named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

That when the musical instruments sounded, they did not bow down. And of course, they were reported, you know. The Chaldeans were always looking for ways to accuse these Hebrews, and so they reported this to Nebuchadnezzar. And perhaps almost as though unbelief. Nebuchadnezzar approached them. Don’t you know that the law of the king was that those who did not bow down would be thrown into the midst of a fiery furnace and they’ll be burned up. And you refuse to bow down to this golden image.

Now, if you will bow down at the sound of the musical instruments and worship this golden image, I’ll let you free. The answer to those three men was we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. That’s the King James Version. It’s another way of saying, we don’t have to think about it a second time. You don’t have to go through it again, because we are not going to bow down to this image. What that simply said is that these men knew what they believed, and that settled the issue. Your children see that in you? A kind of commitment that I know what I believe and I know why I believe it, and that settles it. It doesn’t matter what others may be doing. It doesn’t matter what may be popular in the world today.

I love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all my strength. And even if I’m tempted to do other things, I’ll run from it. Like Joseph in Genesis 39, when Potiphar’s wife tempted him more than one day, many times, no doubt, from the scripture. And finally, even he left his coat and ran. Even though it meant prison for him. He knew what was right from what was wrong. And therefore he would not do what he knew was against God. Is that what you’ll leave your children? That kind of an attitude they see in you, the spirit of right from wrong, and I’ll stand for square for what is right. What will you leave your children? Will you leave your children a single mind that puts God first, and your child knows that’s in you?

Matthew 6, 33, seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things, the material things shall be added unto you. You see, in the story of the prodigal son, he was given the material things, and he spent them like the world. But he soon came to think about the fact is that home was better. What his father had was better than what the world may offer. Can that be true of your child that they see in you that you provide something more than what may be popular out here? Can you say to your child, communicating to them, here are the rules and here are the values of our family? We’re not responsible for what other families may be doing. You know, probably the child’s strongest argument will be everybody else is doing it.

I’ll tell you that’s the strongest argument most teenagers will have to their parents. And we sometimes look around, and children not knowing the wisdom of God will use that as the excuse that, well, it must be the right thing if everybody else is doing it. But if we set our principle on passages like Matthew 6 and 33, yeah, there will be times when there are some gray areas. There’ll be some times when judgment is difficult. What movie to go to or not to go to? Even though everybody else may be going to a certain movie, you have a way of finding out what’s in it, and you can say, no, that’s not the right kind of thing to fill your mind with. There may be times where, whether it’s band trips or school activities, whether my child’s going to participate and forsake the assembling and doing it, the assembling of the saints.

Or maybe there will be times where they want certain friends, and the more you know about those friends, you think that’s only going to lead to ungodliness. And you’re not going to let that person be your close friend. Do you do that with your child? Do you sometimes look and try to simply say, look, I may not be right about everything. But at least as a parent, if I make my mistakes, you know it’s been with the intent and purpose because I want to do what God says. And I’m seeking God first. And there may be times where I have to tell you, I’m not comfortable with this. And until I get more information or more answers, we’ll handle it in a certain way. And the fact is, always lean in the direction that your children know your choices are based on a system that recognizes accountability before God and not simply what society deems is right.

6. A Life Without Hypocrisy and a Godly Home

Are you leaving that with your child? Are you leaving your child a life without hypocrisy? In Deuteronomy chapter 6 and verse 8, he said, you’ll bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontless between your eyes, figuratively speaking, so speak. But the fact is that your child knows you. Your child knows what you’re thinking. You cannot fool your children. Oh, you may be for a while. But as they grow older, they see in you whether or not you really are sincere. Your words are meaningless if your action doesn’t back it up. If you come to a service like this, what is your attitude as you’re going away? What’s on your thought and in your mind? Are you always critical? Always finding fault?

Or do you say, Boy, you know, I really appreciated that singing today, or the prayer led by Brother So-and-so. And I really enjoyed the reading of the scriptures today. It brought me closer to God. Or, you know, you can always criticize. And the child knows that the only reason you came was because, well, you had to. Which way is it? Do you pray with your child? Do you study your Bible lessons or their Bible lessons with them? Do you know whether or not they’re really following what is in the classes and being taught here? Is it important to you what they are learning? Do you worship at every opportunity? Or do they see in you that no, no, you just come when you want to, when it’s convenient for you.

Not because you’re really putting God first, not because you’re really concerned about, as Brother Josh in our lesson this morning from Psalm 27, the one thing I do is to be in the house of the Lord. Is that what you look forward to? Single-minded about it? Joshua 24 and verse 15. Joshua said before the children as he reached his own time of death, really? Choose ye this day whom you will serve. Whether the God your father served on the other side of the river or the God of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Is that the attitude you presented to your children? You mothers, for example, have you trained your daughters how to feel secure, even if they are not wearing the latest fad?

Even if they’re not running with the popular crowd? Do not submit to peer pressure of little Miss America, so to speak? You fathers, on the other hand, refrain from pushing your sons into the arena of the world. Your child may have forty trophies by the time he reaches his teen years. But if he loses his soul, of what profit will it be? What are you really leaving your child? Sincerely serving the Lord? And even again with Deuteronomy 6 and verse 9, what kind of environment will they feel? What do they find? Will it be the memory of a godly home? The prodigal son remembered home. What shade are you providing for your child? Will your child remember that the father as one who honored his wife?

Will your child remember your mother as one who loved and encouraged her husband? Or will your child remember a mother and a father that are constantly bickering and with contention going on? Will he remember that your main interest in life centered around business? Sports, politics, or religion? What’s the main interest in your life? What’s your goal in life? Will he view you as thinking Sunday is a necessity that you have to come at Sunday? And you need to spend a few moments attending church, but let’s get it over with attitude. Or does he see you as looking forward to this as a time? Because you know the Lord promised to be in the presence of others when those of like precious faith are gathered. A time of praise and honor of the Lord and in the process of encouraging brethren, one another.

Conclusion

Was it a time? Is it a time you look forward to as you praise God and encourage your brethren? Let me close by saying parenting is not for cowards. I think there’s a book written like that, and it’s quite true. It’s not an easy thing. You don’t just say, okay, we’ve brought this child in the world, and you know, we give all kinds of attention to the physical concerns while we’re we’re concerned about the prenatal care. We’re concerned about the birth care, the early childhood development, and as they get old enough to go to school and involve with sports or music or entertainment, and we encourage them to study their schoolwork and to prepare for university and even a career. But do we sometimes fail in the most important of all?

The spiritual education. And that’s the gravest mistake of all. If indeed we brought a child into this world and that child’s spirit is not prepared for eternity, then we failed as parents. It doesn’t matter what education you’ve given your child. It doesn’t matter what physical attributes your child may have. If that child faces death without God, indeed, you failed if it looks back to you as the reason the child didn’t know God. I’ll say to parents, maybe just a word. As your child reaches teenage year, changes will come, ready or not. It is true that during those first twelve years or so, almost all the authority and responsibility belongs to you as parents. But then changes begin to take place. Your child’s physical body to this point has been rather easily controlled by adults because adults were much larger and more powerful and hopefully wiser.

But suddenly, your child begins to develop the body of an adult. Hormones kick in. And they become aware of peer pressure. And as this change begins to take place, our children become a lot more difficult to control. You hear them say something like this, their perspective is, you know, I’m almost an adult now. Why shouldn’t I have more say in my life? Why shouldn’t I be allowed more privileges? Why should someone else always tell me what to do? And it is often that they assert you’re too old to understand anyway. And it becomes a difficult time. And it’s at this point that maybe parents may feel like we’re losing control, the child is slipping away. But it’s at this point, the early training becomes apparent. Don’t wait till then start.

But if you’ve already been training up your child the way he should go, it’s at this point that you began to rehearse some of the principles you taught them earlier on. Some of the things that you have restrained them from doing. You know, the Bible talks about Eli in 1 Samuel. Eli, indeed a judge and a high priest, had sons that were priests that sinned against Israel. Eli said the right things to them. Sons, you shouldn’t do this. But the Bible says he did not restrain his children. He suffered grief. Because both his sons were killed and the Ark of the Covenant was taken captive. And when the word came to Eli about this, he fell over and broke his own neck and died. What a sad finish.

Because he did not restrain his children. On the other hand, be like an Abraham. In Genesis 18 and verse 19, one of the reasons God chose Abraham to be the father of this great family through which Christ came was that God said, I know he will command his children to follow my commandments. And therefore, learn to command your children like Abraham. Be an Abraham. To teach them the will of God, that wisdom belongs with the fear of God, that they need to guard their minds and guard their activities, even as they’re careful in selecting their friends. Well, I hope the lesson this morning will cause us all to stop and ask ourselves, what am I really leaving? My children. And even if you don’t have children.

I hope you found some principles here that said, for every faithful Christian, I am a one who loves the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. And I will teach others the way of God. And I want others to know that I’m not a hypocrite at all. I’m sincere. And the example I live, I hope, will influence people toward heaven. Maybe there’s one in this audience this morning who’s not prepared for death or for judgment. And that’s why we sing a song. We call it an invitation song, to give you an opportunity, as such, to turn to the Lord in obedience. If you believe Jesus to be the Son of God, and you wish this morning to announce that to these your friends, having repented of sins, if you’d like to be immersed or baptized into Christ, we’ll assist you even at this hour if you’ll come forward while together we stand and while we sing.