How to Effectively Follow Jesus Together (John 17)

In His prayer for all believers, Jesus emphasizes the importance of unity, love, and shared fellowship. Join us this Sunday as we look at John 17:20-26 to discover how we can effectively follow Jesus together. Learn why Jesus prayed for unity, how we can reflect Christ’s love to the world, and His plan for us to personally experience God’s glory through the church. By living out these truths together, we can be a powerful testimony of God’s love.

NOTES:

Rockwell Church     Sept 15, 2024     Pastor Chris Teien
How to Effectively Follow Jesus Together John 17:20-26

#1  PONDER your lineage in Jesus family/church (John 17:20)

#2  PURSUE the unity with other believers that Jesus prayed for (John 17:21-23)

#3  PERMIT Jesus love to flow through you as we follow Him together (John 17:24-26)

The WELL Faith Podcast offers encouraging, Bible-based messages from Pastor Chris Teien and guests. New sermons are released every Sunday. Replay episodes are marked with an asterisk. Find us online at ChrisTeien.com and Rockwell.Church in Virginia, MN. Email comments to wellfaith24@gmail.com

Transcript

Chris T 0:16

All right. Well, I did not know in the men's Bible study that uh the first question was going to talk about remembering how you came to Christ. And that was actually my first point in my message was on pondering how you came to Christ. So I've been going through the book of John, and Jesus is praying, uh, praying to the Father. He's praying for himself, he's praying for believers, he's gonna pray um for others. And so, and he as he's praying this, um he talked about being glorified and God being glorified, and that's what I talked about last week. Then he talks about being sanctified, which is what I'm gonna talk about next week, and he talked about unity, that believers would be unified. And since we're having a business meeting, a church meeting today, I thought I'd just flip that around on the schedule because that is an important thing. So think about how you came to Christ. Think about how you started even coming to this church. Think about how God moved, what people were involved, what those people did. Did they give you something? Did they say something? Were they maybe they were fearful, but they stepped out in faith and they they presented Jesus to you somewhere along the way. Maybe God's Holy Spirit used multiple people because you're very stubborn and you wouldn't listen, the first person. So ten people later presenting Jesus to you, you're friendly like, okay, yes, I need Jesus. And you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Ponder who you are in Christ and how you got there. Ponder as, you know, think about dwell on. Think about not only who brought you and how you got here, but think about who you could influence, who you could bring to Jesus, and who you might even be able to come have fill this seat with you or help you serve in your area of ministry. All right. So Jesus in John 17 through 20. So we're gonna go 1720 through 26. Jesus says, My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message. So Jesus knew it was more than just the disciples and the people that he was influencing, but that they were gonna carry the message and that many people was were going to believe upon Jesus, including you and me. So Jesus was praying for future believers, Jesus was praying for the future church, Jesus was praying for people like you and me who would hear the message, receive the message, receive Jesus, and move forward in the Holy Spirit's power to help build the church, to help grow the kingdom of God, to be believers on this earth that make an eternal difference. So um Satan wants to do everything he can to make you fearful, to make you confused, to think that you don't matter, to think that you don't have anything to say, to make you think that society is going to reject you if you stand for Jesus. But it seems that those who are faithful to stand for Jesus are the ones that are really the world changers that can make a difference. And I mentioned this too in our Sunday school class, that sometimes in a group of people, if one believer stands up and says, you know, I'm gonna follow Jesus and do his will and be a great worker and be a great team player and glorify God and all that I do, while they think that everybody is against them, they find, wait a second, there's other people that are now stepping up and saying, Thank you for saying that. I believe that too. I agree with you, I will do this with you, I will, I will live for Christ together. And so be one of those bold people who stand up in faith and pursue Jesus. Pray. Pray for you to have, pray for you, for pray that you would have an opportunity to make a difference. Pray for the people around you. Think about where God has planted you, who you have for your family, extended family, neighbors, relatives, um, co-workers, classmates, uh, pickleball competitors, or whatever you do, and pray for them and pray that you might have an opportunity to clearly share your faith in Christ to make a difference. That's a good thing. And Jesus was praying because he knew that this was gonna be a thing. He knew that there was going to be believers not just here, but all around the world. So, especially on Sundays, but any day of the week, there are believers in Christ gathering together, praising his name, um, proclaiming scripture, trying to live out his word, confessing their sins, being baptized, and everything else that goes on with that in every language all around the world. And so, but we are responsible for what we do in this local church right here, as we have resources, as we have time, as we have opportunity, and we need to make it work. So we need to make sure that conflict doesn't divide us. That number two, that we pursue the unity with other believers that Jesus prayed for. Unity. Just a few, just a few stories of churches and a lack of unity. There's an old story about a church that decided to paint its picket fence. The fence went around the church property and was in desperate need of a fresh coat of white paint. The problem was everyone in the congregation had their own ideas about how to do it. One group thought they should brush it by hand to be more meticulous. Another insisted it be spray painted for efficiency. A third group wanted it done as a church fellowship event, complete with a potluck. After weeks of back and forth debates, nothing got done, and the fence remained unpainted. That didn't totally happen in the church. So in McGregor, there's a Bible camp, Big Sandy Camp. And so I heard from the director at the time when they were building the new chapel that they were, as money would come in, they'd buy materials and volunteers would come and put up stuff, that there was a controversy among the Christian men, and it was kind of heated, about if the sheetrock should go on vertical or horizontal. And it was a big deal until they put somebody in charge to say this is the way we're gonna do it. So, and he said, if you ever do a project, put somebody in charge. That says how it's done to avoid controversy. And I know that when you heard the word potluck in the fence story, that you're like, oh, I love potlucks, we just had a potluck last week. Oh, we're having a meeting today. How come we're not having a potluck today? So, and I have an admonition. If we have a potluck again, would you please clean your plate totally clean? Because we got the bear on video. He's on YouTube right now. 15 minutes of the bear going through the chain garbage can, eating whatever you did not eat in the potluck. So maybe we should not throw food in the garbage can. But um, some people are like, Yeah, I saw your bear video. I wonder how many people are gonna start coming to your church because they saw a bear video. So I don't know, but please don't feed the bear. And my wife, she's so compassionate and kind. We had to go clean up all the garbage. So we're cleaning up all the garbage and everything. She's like, Oh, he bit into a plastic fork. I hope he's okay. So, all right, but potluck, okay? Just one more controversy, I'll get back to Jesus Scripture. Potlucks aren't immune to conflict. In one small evangelical church, a conflict arose over whether the church should continue hosting potlucks after services. Some members felt potlucks fostered fellowship, while others thought they were a distraction from worship and put too much pressure on people to bring food. The breaking point came when the church leadership proposed buying food from local restaurants instead, which led to accusations of losing the church's identity and not being frugal. The issue was finally resolved, but not before a lot of heated discussions and some hurt feelings. This totally can happen in a church. So don't let that happen to you. I've heard of people that got upset and left to church because they wanted one color carpet and the church chose another color carpet, and therefore they're not going to the church anymore because their opinion wasn't valued. I, when I planted the church that I was at before, I dreamed of building a building, went to many building seminars, went to um, you know, I if I had the money in hand, I have great ideas on how to get a church built. So, but it didn't happen, and I came here and actually three years ago, like this week, I candidated here and you picked me. Thank you. So we all make mistakes. No, no, God's not done with me yet. So stick in there. But anyway, um, they said at the building um how to you know build a building. They said that when you um present it to your congregation, everybody's gonna have different ideas on what they want in this church you're gonna build. So, what you want to say is we are building the first phase of the building, and we hear all of your ideas. Um, we can only afford the first phase and do this part, and then as time goes on, maybe we can incorporate some of your ideas. We'll see. But right now we're gonna focus on this main part, and that is a way to avoid controversy. Okay, so John 17, 21 to 23, Jesus prays for unity, that all of them may be one, Father. So Jesus is praying this, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. In them, I in them, and you in me, so that they may be brought to complete unity, then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. So to have this unity among believers, so it is great when you have unity in the church, um, but unity among believers. Now I know, and I'm gonna mention uh this towards the end of this message, that people believe a lot of different things in all of Christianity across the city or the state or the nation or the world, that there are different branches, different denominations, people that believe different things than we do. And therefore, there are different types of churches that people go to, and some people that believe certain things wouldn't fit in this church because of what they choose to believe. And so um somehow we have to rightly divide the word of truth, and as Baptists, we are 100% confident that we have done it rightly and everybody else is wrong. Just kidding. Well, not really, that is what Baptists think. That's what everybody in different denominations thinks. But sometimes we need to figure out what are the major things that we believe in and what are the minor things that don't matter as much. And figure out if we can fellowship with them or not, see if we're in agreement or not. So there's a certain group of pastors that get together twice a month for the range pastors that I go to, which was just there on Thursday. Um, so it's like the second and fourth Thursdays, we gather together to encourage each other, and we are pretty theologically like-minded. And I think that some people that were to come might not fit because they're not of the same theological persuasion and it works for us. But when people see that church people can't get along, if we are fighting here and the police come and you know there's some kind of conflict between members or whatever, and then the people that live on the other side of the parking lot are sitting there with their cameras, gonna post it on their on their social networking, you know, oh, the Baptists are fighting each other again. That is not gonna do anything to glorify the cause of Christ. I guarantee you that if you are in church for any period of time, someone in the church or me is going to offend you. Um, maybe say something that was misunderstood, or just say something that was plain rude, or um, and you need to do everything you can to let the person know that your feelings were hurt, that you were offended, um, and you know, try to get some kind of reconciliation to keep unity. So there's too much difficulty out in the world of people turning against Christians. Christians don't need to turn against each other, Christians don't need to shoot their wounded, Christians don't need to be so offended and so unforgiving that they walk out of the church and they never return to this church or any other church, and it happens all the time. So, what can we do to bring unity? What can we do to be peacemakers? What can you do to let your pain, sadness, offendedness, or whatever be known so that there can be some kind of reconciliation and forgiveness? Because that's something we all need to work on. To the point that we actually have a brochure out there, the peace, the paths to peacemaking that give a like a numerical list of what you can do to bring peace, to find forgiveness, to offer forgiveness, to be forgiven. Um, what can you do? The world that the world may know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. The world is watching. Satan wants to do everything he can to divide us. Satan wants to do everything he can to get you to leave, to get you to walk out of here for some reason and never come back. He would so much rather have you at home watching the Vikings pregame than in this church. So, yes, we are aware that there is a football game today, but please stay for our meeting and trust God to help you with your addiction to football. No, um, as we walk through this world, um just be aware that while there's all sorts of people around us that are rude and inconsiderate, it's really a spiritual battle that you're in. It's really a spiritual battle where Satan wants to do anything he can to get you away from your Bible, to get you away from Christians, to get you to quit serving Jesus, and to get you to just go home, be quiet, and forget this Jesus stuff. So, but in Ephesians 4, 3 it says, make every effort to keep yourselves united in the spirit, binding yourselves together with peace, that we would be peaceful, that we would be kind, that we would be caring, that we would be loving, that we would see ourselves as ambassadors for Christ, and this is our embassy, and we leave it all of the time to go reach other people out there. But when we come to Sunday, when we come to Sunday, go to meet in time, and we worship one another with one another and we care for each other, that um we would see that we're on a mission. We are on a mission to make new friends. We are on a mission to encourage each other and build each other up. We are on a mission to connect other people with others in the church so that together we can be the family of God. So my slide got cut off there. Oh no. Okay, on the back wall here, I've got a screen and it's cut off, but you can see it. I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church, rather be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. And that is a good thing. You remember in Acts chapter 2, I'll put it on the screen. I won't read the whole passage, but you remember that when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost and um all these believers are gathering together, and um people had come from all over. Um they're here now hearing about Christ. So the church, the church was in like high-speed disciple mode, doing everything they can to train people up. But it says believers had everything in common. People were selling houses and real estate to bring money to help feed the people and train the people up, and um, they were worshiping, and there was great generosity and all of these things. And it says each day the Lord added to the fellowship those who were being saved, to added to their number those who are being saved, um, because God was at work and God was moving people to train up the people that were there before they went to their faraway land so that the gospel would spread. It was totally a God thing. And when God moves, we should be ready to respond. Uh John 13, 35, by this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. And again, no one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us. Unity is a big thing. Unity is so important. Unity will help us to be stronger, to help us be more effective, and to allow us to be a church that God can bless. You know, sometimes when there's sin in the camp, sometimes when there's division, when there's gossip, um, when there's backbiting, uh, God can't bless that, and God won't bless that. So let us be a church that is not only unified, but let us be a church that is preparing for what comes next. Let us be a church that looks at what we do and how we're doing it to be ready for the next group of people that comes in. Everyone that teaches anything here should find somebody to train up on how to do it. So uh you should like have a trainee that you're training to do something, so that if God brings growth to this church, we're ready to handle it. Because I'm pretty sure if like 20 new families walked in this door today, um, we might not be able to handle everything that they're looking for, everything they need if we're not prepared and ready, outward focused and unified and loving each other, um loving Jesus so much that we just want to be part of what he's doing.

SPEAKER_00 18:38

What is the church? The church is the people of God, powered by the Spirit of God, guided by the Word of God, working for the glory of God. This is the church. The church is not just a place, the church is the people. The church is not just a monument, it's a movement. The church is not just a building, it's a body. The church is not just an accessory, it's a necessity. This is the church. The Bible says the church is the hope of the world, the salt of the earth, and the city on a hill. The church is the family of God, the body of Christ, and light in the darkness. The church is God's plan A, and there is no plan B. The church is where all kinds of people, from all kinds of places, come together to forsake their sins and to worship their Savior. Where chains are broken and broken hearts are put back together. Where prodigals come home and captives are set free. This is the church. Where blind eyes are opened and good news is preached, where the low are lifted up and the prouder proud. Where the loft are found and the helpless find help. Where brothers and sisters can find love and acceptance from each other and from their father in heaven. This is the church. Where the disciples of Jesus are built up in their most holy faith. The church is where the God is placed. The church is where Christ is. The church is where God is. The church is you. The church is me. The church is all.

Chris T 21:23

Together we are following Christ. So I thought that it was interesting as I was going through all those church records of the past. I knew Ken Davis was up here with Youth for Christ. So um, Ken Davis is a Christian comedian, Christian leader, Christian author. Um, you know, he's he's a big deal. We even had to use one of his books for one of our preaching classes. So if you don't like my storytelling preaching, then blame Ken Davis. So, but anyway, um, I was looking through and I'm like, huh. Ken Davis was on the roll. And I asked, was Ken Davis a member here? And I heard yes. So pretty amazing. But my question to you is as we do this, as we are unified, as we are working together next week, we be we learn about being sanctified, as we are doing all this together. Hopefully, we're going to see the fruit of our labors. It is going to be so exciting for us to be able to say, I remember when Billy was in Sunday school, and then, you know, God got a hold of his life, and then he felt a call to ministry, and we helped him go to Bible college, and now he's preaching at this church over here. Or maybe someday we'll even plant a church, and maybe Billy will plant the church for us. But to think about this chain of people that we are raising up, because every kid in that Sunday school down there is going to grow up to be an adult, and who knows what leadership role they will have or what career they will have, but we need to get them ready and prepared to be influencers for Jesus to make a difference in the world. Everybody in this church matters. So when I came to this church three years ago, it was suggested that they put my name on the sign like the other pastors, and which I mentioned that the churches where I come from don't really put the pastor's names on the sign anymore. So instead of the name, it says the church for all ages. So as far as you know, your pastor's name is a church for all ages, I guess. But on the sign there, and we mean it, we have to figure out a way to minister to every age group because everybody matters here. So the kids matter and the seniors matter, and everybody in between. And so as we are praying about it and thinking about it, think about what Jesus did in your life to get a hold of you and how you can be involved in that in someone else's life. So back to Jesus' prayer. Jesus says, Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, to see my glory, the glory you've given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know you that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and they will continue to make you known, in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and that I myself may be in them. And we have this love flowing from the Father to Jesus to us, and it flows out of us to others. As we treat people better than they deserve, as we show the grace of Christ, as we do everything we can to show our love in action. Romans 6. I'm sorry, Romans 8, 17. Now, if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. If you are persecuted, if you go through hard times because you are loving Jesus and trying to love others, that's just part of the deal. God actually rewards that. And those who have gone before us have experienced that. And I'm I can't tell you what the future holds, but it seems like the further our culture goes away from Christ, the more chances we will have to be persecuted for our faith. Colossians 3:1, since you've been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all of his glory. You know, it's easy to think about, you know, where you live, what you have, what the future holds here today. Um, but we are called citizens of heaven, and we need to, you know, be effective in this world and have what we need to, you know, cover uh, you know, our our needs and to be generous and uh you know help others. But really, we're focused on heaven. We're focused on heavenly reward. We know this world is not our home. We're just passing through, and it is a good thing. So in Hebrews 10, 24, let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Now you can spur people along without being mean, um, still being unified and caring. Um, so it doesn't have to be, you know, something. It's supposed to get the person to move in action, to be more, to be more excited. Sometimes it's tough love, sometimes it's words of encouragement, sometimes it's just telling somebody that you see in them something that they could be doing in the kingdom of God and you're praying for them. Um let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day approaching. So, and those are good things to do. Good things to do. So, with the time that we have left, I would like to um well, Acts 244 says, and all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. So, okay, I would like to just look at in your bulletin. I printed out the Rockwell Constitution Church Covenant. And since I've gotten here, um your church constitution amazes me. So at first, when I came here, I'm like, nobody has time to deal with that thing. Um, because what it is is a compilation of a constitution and things, bylaws that were made for a much larger church over a period of time. And I think there's ways to simplify it and make it more effective as time goes on, but to do so very slowly and wisely, um, making sure that it doesn't cause conflict. But we have a church covenant. And to my surprise, I found some members that were here for a long time who said, We have a church covenant. And I'm like, Yeah. And so when people come to the membership class, I need to share with them what this church covenant says. And it says some pretty great things. And it also is a historic document, a Baptist confession, if you will, that started in the 18 mid-1800s. It was carried on, and many churches change it. So I found some other converged churches, even a newer church in uh Duluth, Converged Church in Duluth that was using it. Um, but it is it is kind of long, but a good thing. So it is suggested that churches with membership covenants read the membership covenants whenever people become new members. Uh, one church reads it every time they have communion. So ours is kind of long to read, but I'm going to read it. Maybe you you can follow along. Having been led by the Holy Spirit to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and to confess him as Lord, and on confession of this faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God in this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully covenant with one another and as one body in Christ, to lead lives worthy of the Lord and fully pleasing to him. By the Holy Spirit's aid and power, we promise to work and pray faithfully for the advancement of this church in biblical knowledge, wisdom, and holiness. We promise to regularly attend worship, participate in the ordinances, and abide by the doctrines of this church. We promise to walk together in Christian love and continually seek the peace and unity of this church. We promise to forsake the ways of sin and walk in the paths of righteousness. We promise to maintain our relationship with God by faithfully praying and spending time in his word. We promise to faithfully apply the principles of God's word to our lives. Five, we promise to be faithful stewards of our time, talents, and money according to the measure God has given so that the work of this local church and its responsibility in fulfilling the great commission shall faithfully and effectively be carried out. So this is on your bulletin. We promise to faithfully teach the Bible to our children as we lead them toward a personal relationship with Christ. We promise to pray for and seek the salvation of family, friends, acquaintances, and associates. We promise to be trustworthy and just in our communication and transactions. We promise to be exemplary in our behavior, avoiding unkind words and unrighteous anger. We promise to abstain from those things that would defile our bodies in which are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We promise to pray for each other and to help each other in sickness and in distress. We promise to be sympathetic in our feelings and speech. We promise nine. Number nine. We give, we promise to give and receive admonition with the meekness and affection. We promise to be slow to take offense and always ready for reconciliation, seeking it without delay. We encourage one another in the blessed hope of our Lord's return. We promise to honor, esteem, and love our pastoral staff. We promise to pray fervently and regularly for them as they exercise their spiritual office and to demonstrate a tender regard for their reputations. And 11, we promise that when we move from this place, we shall unite with some local church as soon as possible to carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles principles of the Word of God. So that all you know stems from something in the 1800s. So it's interesting that they added a line not found in anybody else's. So I don't know what happened here. I really like it. Probably should just leave it alone. We promise to honor, esteem, and love our pastoral staff. So that is not found in the 1800s document, but it is good. And also, I believe in the original Baptist confession there was a line about abstaining from alcohol and prohibition, and somehow that one got removed from this church. So don't know if that's an iron range thing, but nonetheless, so that is the church covenant in the church constitution. Now, in the bylaws, Article 1, section one, it says the responsibilities and duties of membership, which they list seven things. Certain responsibilities and duties come with the privilege of membership, and they are enabled by God, church members. As they are enabled by God, church members shall pray regularly for other church members, pastors, and ministry staff. Two, be supportive of all ministries of the church. Three, regularly attend worship services and business meetings of the church. Four, use their spiritual gifts to minister within the body of Christ. Five, refrain from propagating any scriptural interpretation which differs from doctrines set forth in the statement of faith of this church. Six, give of their tithes and offerings to support the work of this church. And seven, keep the church office informed of their current permanent address. So as time goes on, I would like you to consider the horse historic document and the seven things in the bylaws. And not anytime very soon, but sometime, I think together as a body of Christ that is forward thinking and moving forward. That was redundant, forward thinking and moving forward. Sorry, if you could edit that, cut that out. So, anyway, that we can make it clearer, that we could make it simpler, that we could make it shorter, that we could make it uh something that is, you know, easy for us to read through and to share and to live. You know, we have worshiping, encouraging, learning, and loving. Um, that is a good thing too. But so the covenant has been important to the Baptist church for the last almost 200 years because what happens is when people step out of line in the church and they no longer do the things that are in the covenant, you can bring the members back to it and say, Hey, you remember when you became a member of this church and you signed the covenant and said that you were gonna be seeking peace, that you were gonna be living for Christ. You're you're not doing that. You're you're out of bounds. You're gonna spur one another on towards love and good deeds and help them through that. So pray about that, think about that. Know that's something that's on my heart and mind. So our online membership class at rockwell.church forward slash membership talks about our purpose statement, our belief statement, salvation, baptism, communion, and then there's a sixth section that's password protected, it's a simple password, to watch the videos, which are actually from a different church ministry that we have licensed for in questions that gives a general idea on why people want to become members. So that is something that we should be focused on because you want to train up members to be effective in the church and to know what they're getting into. And in some books that I've read about church membership and membership matters, uh, when you high have a high expectation of your members, you get a high degree of success with those members, and that is what we need in an effective church. But um Converge, the denomination that we're part of, has more documents and policies on their website, converge.org.about. I'm sorry, forward converge.org, forward slash about, forward slash documents, dash policies. But then they have what we believe about human sexuality, what we believe about all sorts of different things, and that is part of who we are also. And then I want to mention a book that's pretty good by Erwin Lutzer called Doctrines That Divide and Why They Should. And so um I use part of that book when people have questions about infant baptism. So part of the, he's from Moody, he was uh pastor of Moody Church for quite a while, a well-known author. So uh infant or believers baptism, that's a question. Once saved, always saved. That's a divisive question. Predestination, things like that are covered in the book. So, with that, I'm out of time. I was going to mention that Gideon, 300 men in the Bible in Judges chapter 7, if you remember that story real quick. Um, so Gideon was told to go fight the Midianites, didn't think he had enough people, and God whittled this big army down from like 20,000 to 10,000 to 300, and the 300 were all in agreement as they went to the enemy's camp with their with their jars and um their torches and their swords, and so they didn't even have to fight. All they had to do was in unison follow the plan, be unified in agreement by breaking the jars, screaming, I don't know what they what'd they scream, a sword for the Lord in Gideon, and uh shouting, and uh all the enemies flee, they fled. And so, but I don't have time to go into depth on that, but that was how I was gonna close. But next time we get together, we're gonna talk about how to experience the joy of sanctification. So the worship team is gonna, I'm gonna pray. The worship team is gonna come up and sing, and then we are gonna get our kids from children's church and all that, and then we're gonna come back for a business meeting. So, Lord Jesus, I thank you so much that you have made us part of your church. We are part of the body of Christ. We have brothers and sisters in Christ in this room and around the world. Lord, help us to be a significant player in your strategies as you seek to bring your message and build your kingdom and defeat Satan and make a difference in the world. Lord, teach us, help us to grow, help us to encourage each other and build each other up. Let us be a church that uh moves forward without compromise. Uh, help us to be a church that makes a huge impact in people's lives. And we ask us all in Jesus' name. Amen.