Humble and Needy

Amen.

Well, every good story. Has. A beginning. Middle. And and and every good sermon has the same. Today. We're going to wrap up the middle portion of Jesus's sermon the then get to the ending to you're coming up towards the end of the month. Saturn with me in your Bibles to Matthew Chapter 7. As we began really the final push. A Jesus sermon in terms of the body of the sermon and in terms of the main thrust of his sermon, let's see that last portion together today for Matthew 7:1 to 12. Then the next two weeks. We're going to see him land the plane, so to speak and conclude his sermon after this morning, and it's fitting. But Jesus is main emphasis here. To be wrapping up the sermon would end on the topic of humility and then contrast humility with pride. Friends, we've been seeing throughout the whole entire sermon. The Jesus has been riding to believers who are already in the Kingdom to reveal to Believers to reveal to even us what that Kingdom living is all about. And we seen it over and over again. The contrast between the full Kingdom living. With the prideful. Self-righteous Hypocrites. Haven't we? The Fakes are the Shams those Pharisees. We seen that contrast throughout the entire sermon. It's as if Jesus is over and over again saying, hello, Earth to all the Christians out there everywhere live and think and act. Like Kingdom citizens. He sang Live. Like Me. Think Like Me. Jesus is saying be humble like me. Don't live, like the religious. Hypocrites, don't live like those Pharisees, those proud, and judgmental Pharisees. Let's see. This even more and by way of review, and you can see it on the outline on the screen for what we've seen so far, and the sermon in his introduction. As we saw it right off the bat. Jesus, is proclaiming and proclaimed right at the beginning Kingdom character. And what kingdom witness looks like for us, right? We saw the Beatitudes and then the Salt and Light witness that Christians are in a fallen world. And then, in the main body of his sermon that middle portion of the sermon and end if Jesus use sermon points, like I sometimes do or other creatures, have done historically, his three sermon points may have looked something like this. And first Kingdom wall of Christ, as you see there on the screen, second Kingdom religious, motivations and third which were missing today as Kingdom. Humility. Remember in chapter 5, Jesus Dove right into the deep end and confronted the religious leaders and their misinterpretation of the law. Remember? You said, you have heard it said, but I say to you over and over again, dealing with many things and then in chapter 6, that we've just recently been addressing Jesus double-clicked and zoomed in to expose the inner motivations of people who are drawn towards hypocrisy and who are Earthly or worldly minded compared with believers, who are Heavenly minded. Remember we saw that and now he's getting to that last Point here in terms of Kingdom humility right before we wrap up and he wraps up the next few weeks with an urgent appeal to the exclusivity of the Kingdom threw himself. And I want us to see the bookends really, of the, the body of his sermon right here side by side. I think it can be helpful for us to see where we're at in the sermon. And if you remember he starts the body of the sermon in Matthew 5 in verse 17, and he says, Jesus says, do not think. Can you can see it on the screen to look in your Bible? Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. And then see here the clothes here and Matthew 7:12, which is the final verse of our passage today. The very famous Golden Rule that we're all familiar with. He said, so whatever you wish that others would do to you do. Also to them for this is the law and the prophets. Do you see that? Jesus is the authoritative interpreter of the law and the prophets. Jesus is the best preacher there ever was. And Jesus begins and ends his sermon with the law and the prophets to show us that. He fulfilled actually in explains gonz, Eternal Plan of Redemption, starting with the Old Testament and finding its culmination in the New Testament in Christ himself. So now that we've seen this overview, let's get into this for our first point of the sermon. And Jesus is really last Point here in The Sermon, on the Mount, in our sermon Title Tumble. And median. Number one. We're going to see judgmental religious Hypocrites from the tax. Look with me and Matthew 7, verses 1 to 4. He says, judge not. that you Be not judged for with the Judgment you pronounce. You will be judged. And with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the spec that is, in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye or how, how can you say to your brother? Let me take the speck out of your eye. When there is a log in your Oh, no.

The problem with judgmental people. Is like the problem with greedy people?

They'll never notice it and admit their sin. It's not true with greedy people. The most miserly tight-fisted clothes pocketed. People are blind to the problem that they have. It's always someone else. The millionaires. The other really the bad ones. I'm just Frugal. They might say, they just don't see it. Because they're in the midst of it. Same with judgmental, people. Their judgmentalism, blinds them to their own problem because they see everyone else as the problem.

There are eyeglasses so to speak. Have zoomed in lenses. To see what they perceive to be wrong with everyone around them. And here's the thing, there are tons of things wrong around, all of us. And around these particular people, but that is all they see. And they don't see the glaring things that are wrong with them. They're proud.

Over the years. I've got really burnt out. Over superhero movies. Starting with Spider-Man, 1, 2 and 3 in one character and then later another one or two with another character and then later another one or two or ten. I don't know of another character. It's just hard to keep off. And it just seems like the same old thing in the same old thing. And then you got the cartoon novels, and then you got, you know, the Marvel movies in the DC initiative, so much oversaturated in my estimation. And I stood at this point until recently. When my kids got interested in watching them with us.

And you know, what, kids just make everything so much more exciting and better. I think we've all experienced that. So my cynical, this is just the same old thing over and over again. That attitude about the superhero. Movies has now turned into something, that's really fun and entertaining to enjoy with my children.

You see judgemental people. It's like they have a superpower that makes everything wrong in themselves invisible.

And then magically makes all the wrongs and others.

Able to see so clearly and to criticize magnifies it.

And I hope you could have noticed the humor and what Jesus just shared and his illustration. He says that the hypocritical person basically is the same thing that I shared about here and the superhero illustration. He says that they have the really intuitive power. To see the itsy bitsy teeny tiny Speck of a problem. In other people's eyes. All the while being blind to the humongous log in their own eye.

This is a hilarious picture.

What? It's not funny. At all. How sad to be prideful and judgmental like this? What did sad sing The miserly Scrooge type of person. Whose dark eyes only, see the darkness in her soul brainwashed by their greed that it influences their whole life. In a similar way, the judgmental person is so selfish sieved in their own self righteous and proud ways that they can't even see the log of sin and their own Hearts because they're too busy noticing, but the minor sends in other people's lives.

This is poison.

This is damning. The Pharisees had the attitude of Pride that even provided, they're very prayers. As we saw her before, in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee prayed thinking that he was not, like, the thinning tax collector. Thank you that. I'm not like that sinner over there. That is prideful. And in his prayers. Thank you, God. He says that I give and pray and fast that is wicked. I want you to see how wrong that kind of thing is, how evil that kind of sin is. Sometimes me, overlooked the sin of Pride. God doesn't In fact, I don't know if there's a better diagnosis of what, genuine Christianity is other than this test of pride. If someone tells you that they love God. What? They put their noses up at everybody else, around them thinking that they're just this wonderful religious model for everybody else to live up to and they're just judging everyone. They see, I think that that kind of thing.

Reveals quite the opposite of what they're saying. It reveals maybe more than anything else, the evil and Dad and unbelieving and deceived and Godless heart of a Pharisee of a wasp person.

Are you a proud person?

You look down your nose at others.

Do you have the superpower of seeing the problems of everybody else's sins? While all the while, ignoring your own.

Here's a little diagnostic question for us to think about. Do you find yourself talking to other people about the issues and problems and sins of others?

If you're just prone and given to gossip like that gossip is seeking to discuss other people's wrong with them.

Whether the person you're talking about is wrong or not, is not the issue here. It's you discussing your perceived wrongs in a judgmental way with other people to talk about their issues. If that's true of you and your heart of hearts and you're inclined to that that way, then not only are you a gossip, but you are a prideful judgemental. Self-righteous Pharisee. And maybe, just maybe you might not even be saved. If that is where your heart is. And I say may not because I want to guard and be caring to the sensitive conscience is here in this room that are believers because I realize and know that Believers struggle with sin and various ways including gossip. But the difference is that Believers will see it and recognized it and repent of it. The judgmental heresy will not they'll do it with Reckless abandon. They thrive on it. They live for it. If you're given over to a harsh critical and judgmental Spirit like this, so you're not repentant and not trying to change. If that is you then you have this superhero or rather this villain super power judging. Others and you won't stop biting and devouring and having hard Hearts towards those around. You until that is you experience the grace of God and the gospel to transform you and to make you humble.

But if you're a Believer here with us, if you're a Christian, if you trust Jesus, this first point of judgmental, religious Hypocrites, it's not describing you. If you're seeking to repent of any hint of sin, that's not describing you. And in fact though, the religious Hypocrites, the Pharisees may not be describing you if you're Christian. Do you know what it is to struggle with sin in various ways. You may be tempted in this various in this ways at times and your life. So we should be encouraged here in this first point to turn from repent. Say sorry, in the change from any Tried any judgmentalism that might come in our hearts, as we put ourselves on a pedestal and tear others down. So my encouragement to all of us, does the sea to repent of this kind of thing and this leaves us now to our second point. And number to Humble Christian counselors see with me. And your Bibles, Matthew chapter 7, verses 5 and 6. Jesus. As you hypocrite, first, take the log out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's. I not give to dogs. What is Holy and do not throw your pearls before pigs lest. They trample them, underfoot and turn and attack you. Notice here from the scriptures that the antidote to Pride and judgmentalism is just looking at yourself in the mirror.

Because when you honestly, look at your heart of hearts in the mirror, you'll notice the huge log in your own eye.

It's only when you see your own, send that you will be able to help other people with their own sin as well.

There's nothing more disarming when helping someone else with their personal issues and sends than a humble person who's been there, done that. They know their own faults. They're humble. They've been humbled by the round since they are lowly in heart, as the Beatitudes describe realizing their faults, not thinking that they're perfect. A Christian. Should be the most humble person in the world. Because Christians know their sin. Christians, admit their faults. They see in their own Hearts, their problems. They know their propensity towards evil and send their struggles. Their humbled by it themselves. That's what Christians.

Christian's that are able to be an encouragement and a help and even a counselor to others who are struggling with the Sens themselves.

You will never be a humble Christian counselor and help to others. When you don't see the log in your own eye when you don't notice and recognized around sin. And as Believers, the waiting is of our sin. Is even greater than Pride or conversion? Because now we know God's word. We believe it. We read it. We know what we ought to do and yet we still thin. That should ruin our pride and should humble us and eradicate any hint of Pride that we might be tempted towards. Instead of The Proud person superpower. Blinding you to your own sin and zooming in like a magnifying glass to others the Christian superpower that we all should have here for believers is the exact opposite turning that microscope around at our own hearts and lives to see the inner inclinations in Tendencies and selfish motives and lasts and anger and covetousness that resides Within. This will create will create humble recognition about rounds sin and faults, and it will actually draw us to deal with and repent of our sins and our lives. When we see the plank or log, in our own eye, that huge send the reality of sin. You will seek to deal with and address. And repent of it. I'd only just noticed that, although I saw that issue. No, but actually seeking to change in a deal with it turned from it, seek help with it. Replacing those sinful motives and attitudes with Christ like attitudes and actions. Christian actually changing your believe you've experienced that kind of thing. You work on your anger problems? Or you're lost problems, or your laziness, or your critical attitude, or your little white lies, or your selfish Tendencies or your boasting, or your fill in the blank, you work on those things? And once you work on those things yourself not becoming perfect. But addressing it thinking change and growth and repentance. When you deal with your problems, you are in the best situation to then help others with their problems as well. You see the problem in the solution to the problem. Why? Because you seen it in your own heart. So then you can help your brother or sister or your spouse. In these things as well, and humility.

You've noticed it in yourself first sought to repent, first. You're not prideful. You're not judging and I was looking at him down your nose or looking at it with compassion because you've been there too.

Only in a situation like that. Can you help others with their similar problems?

Do you see how self-awareness and personal humility and repentance in your own life? Can help you be more useful to others? Your children, your spouse. Your friends, your coworkers. This is a Monumental principle. That should be changing Christians lives every single day. It can and does and will, and you've experienced. If your believer, transform your life. It's a principle that will transform our church, and just transforming, and courage, and give help to marriages here in this church who may be struggling in various ways.

Pride kills. And stops any change and growth in your life. Because in your own eyes, you have it all together and you don't need to change or at least you think that you don't need to change. Humility. On the other hand, not only forces you to deal with your own problems and then seek to change, but it also set you up to be a gracious, Christian friend and spouse and parent, and counselor to those who are struggling with the same or even similar sins. That you've sought to work on yourself. So here's the question. Where are you in this continuum?

Are you mister or missus judgy judge? 410?

Are you humble? Seeking to help and encourage rather than judging and condemning the US RC Sproul Health. We put it, have the Judgment of Charity or the judgement of condemnation. Charity, meaning that you interpret other people's actions in the best possible of Lights, condemnation that you interpret other people's actions and motives in the worst possible of Lights. This is relevant. With the political turmoil and everything going on in our world. That's relevant all the time, but it's relevant. Now. Do you see people who grace, even if they differ than you as a relates to the pandemic, do you see people with grace? Even if they do it different than you politically, this is true for whatever side that we're on. People in the best possible lights means being encouraging and and in being patient with people, this is not only going to tell you a lot about your spiritual state is also going to tell us all a lot about our spiritual maturity.

And can we all be challenged to grow in Grace and humility in this way? We all have opinions. We all have strong convictions about things. I'm not saying that we just put those aside and ignore it. And that way, I'm not saying that. But I want us to be humble helper counselors. Not judgmental critics. Where are you this morning?

I think it's quite clear just built in in the text already did. This passage is not. And anyway, telling us that we cannot make judgments or disturbance about things or people. It's not saying no to any discernment of Judgment at all. It's so obvious here, even in this sermon, and it's clear throughout. The Bible is evangelical Heritage Study. Bible says, the command stop, judging does not mean that we should never make a proprietary. Judgments. It does not mean that civil courts and judges should not do the work that God has entrusted to them. And it does not mean the churches should not carry out. Loving inappropriate your discipline. We're going to see this even here in our conclusion that we must judge spiritual fruit and distinguish between Believers and unbelievers. First John, the whole books about that. We saw that already there are false prophets. There are religious Hypocrites. We can make judgments and be Discerning about that. and even in the sermon already, Jesus is already made so many judgments as it relates to these things in terms of his Discerning type of of conclusions that he's making about genuine Believers and those who are not And he tells us even here and verse 6 right here in this context that we are to judge certain people being like mangy, dogs are unclean pigs? If they're acting like that, see it at first six? Again, do not give the dogs. What is Holy and do not throw your pearls before pigs or other translations Before Swine. We know this, when I left, they trample them underfoot and turn and attack you.

Do this verse. If we think about what's things that here? It seems so controversial and judgy in a world and a culture. But just wants everyone to just get along. Hold hands. And sing Kumbaya. Can't we just all get along? Everything is relative, which true for you is true for you. It's true for me is true for me. Leave me alone. Something like that, could be quite judgy. Canton. And then the earlier passage here, even just a few verses before that says, judge not in our culture, is so grossly misinterpreted, many have pointed out that this is like one of the main passages that unbelieving Heathen all over no. And they could just respond back. Who are you to judge judge? Not even Jesus says, that it can be taken out of context tolerance at all costs. And we can't make any judgments or discernment or anything like that. And that's certainly not at all with this passage is revealing. What is getting at is, as we seen the kind of judging or judgmentalism that we've seen Jesus against the hypocrisy of the petty, or harsh judgmentalism. Spirit of nobody can ever do anything, right? I've got it all together. That's what Jesus is going against. He's not at all against Godly wise, Discerning judgments, like what we see throughout the rest of this sermon. And even here he's not against us, withholding gospel pearls from certain obstinance and abusive. Even unbelievers irate unbelievers that we might run into.

We should give Godly counsel and encouragement to other believers who need help and who need the change. After we've looked at herself in the mirror. And we should be regularly sharing the gospel and being Salt and Light in a fallen world. But if they bite and devour and attack and show evidence of Simply being just too far gone. In some senses, Jesus would pick up and leave areas when he was being persecuted. For instance. The Apostle Paul. The Apostle's in different examples of knew when it was to move on and that wave to better pasture. So to speak and you pray for all people, even the really obstinate ones, but I think there's something here that's being brought out that just wise in a fallen world to be live, counselor. Jay Adams. I think really helpfully explains this point and sums it up in a really nice way. I'm going to read it for us. He says, Jesus was saying, you should not have come to remove specs from the eyes of unbelievers. You will only unnecessarily aggravate them. They will not appreciate it. You will lose your witness to them. Is not your task to try to reform unbelievers. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 5:8 says and he points to helpfully Adams goes on and says, why waste effort and turning them from one lifestyle that pleases him to another. That displeases him when you're trying to help an unbeliever, and they're not converted yet. You're not trying to share the gospel with him. You're just trying to help them with, you know, their little problems or issues that you're seeing. You're just helping them along in their unbelief, maybe to be a little bit more moral or something, or more acceptable. In a situation Adams, the saying that kind of thing.

Is not what we're called. You your task with the unbeliever is never to council. But only Dupree Council them, that is evangelize them. So counselor. He says our Christian spend your time correcting Believers correctly, which would mean being humble first and then helping others look to the unbeliever, but you need to live like the Bible's morality. what they're going to do is they're confused already. They're not even converted. They don't have a new heart. You're not going to be drawn to that kind of stuff. You catch that a humble heart, recognizing our own sin to do other good to other believers, helping them with the spec. after we noticed that the log of our sinful beam, And we should also evangelize unbelievers and pray that God would change them. and if they remain in their unbelief, And you persist in giving them, these pearls in this wife, some will and you've experienced this in your life. They will turn against you and they will attack you. Isn't this a wise principal to come after you? And many Christians have had certain people come after them and their family. Jesus. They wanted to kill him and multiple situations and he had to go to slip out and go to another town. This is just wise and helpful for us to to see not being cold and heartless towards unbelievers even really aggressive ones, but just being really why continuing to pray for them, but realizing that certain things and certain pearls are reserved for the kind of care that you're going to give to genuine Believers and not these obstinate aggressive unbelievers. Be careful selective and wise I think that's what verse 6 is getting at. And speaking of Prayer of the necessity to pray for unbelievers and things of that nature. This quite nicely leads us into our final point and number three needy, childlike prayer. See with me and Matthew 7 verses 7 through 12, but Jesus says here again at prayer as he wraps up. The body of his sermon he says, ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and it will be open to you for everyone who asks, receives or the one who seeks finds the one who knocks it will be open for which of you. If the son asks, him for bread will give him a stone or if he asks him for a fish. Give him a Slurpee. If you got one for evil, know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your father who is in heaven? Give good things to those who ask him. So whatever you wish that others would do to you do. Also to them for, this is the law and The prophets. Did you catch that?

As Christians, we should. Of course, be humble. It's clear In this passage. We've already seen that and Jesus is driving that home in the sermon. And part of that humility is not just realizing our own sin and seeking to help others with theirs, as well. But also humility is like being childlike in our dependence and our prayer to our Heavenly Father. That kind of dependence is seen no clearer than when we pray.

People who are proud and self-sufficient, go It Alone. Don't ever ask for help from others and they don't ever pray to God for help either. If you think that you've got it all figured out on your own, you can just take care of business all the time and your own life for yourself. You will not know what it is to go to your father in desperation for need and help in a humble way. Because she Melody before God leads to dependence on God. Humble, Christians know, just how much they need their God. Their Heavenly Father, like a child needs, their parents. Now, I've mentioned this passage about a father, giving good gifts to their children before even in the series. To really bring out in contrast, how much better God, our father gives good gifts to those who ask him. Because God is the best. Father, none compares. Not even close.

But this week I decided to try out this illustration myself. On my little son's and yesterday, while Stacy. And the girls were here at the church for the baby. Shower for our son, who's on the way, Dad was at home with his boys causing Mischief, okay. My boys were asking me to open up a container that has little cookies in it. you seen those containers, the little number shaped cookies that I don't taste very good, but they happen to like them. The boys can open that plastic lid. So they're asking their dad for help. I just so happen to remember and make a connection in my mind earlier in the week. Where I came out to the deck and saw a cash eating something, and I had to give him anything to eat. He happened to be eating these Little Rock Pebbles, that the kids have brought to the deck and he was eating them. Our dog is not too bright, if you've ever met. we love them, but I had to shoo cash away. The stop eating. Those little Pebble rocks. And his defense, I guess they kind of do look like dog food a little bit.

So as my boys said they're with their plastic numbered cookies and wanting it to be opened by their dad. I went outside and grab the two of those little rocks and gave them to my boys. Instead. My oldest son, Jeremiah whose for quickly took it and threw it across the kitchen. Knowing I was joking. Of course Mike. I was only to just about put the Rock in his mouth and I had to stop and nobody. Nobody. Verse 9. Are which of you if his son's asking for bread will give him a stone or stent or if he asks for a fish will give him. A serpent other than this little prank that I played on them. I would never do that. I just wanted my heart to do that for them. It's not in God's heart, to do that for you either. Some of you relate to God, in a way that you think it's in his heart to do that, to you. He's not harsh with you. He's loving to you. He wants you to come to him. Even as evil parents to, in comparison to God, every last one of us in this room. I don't care how wonderful of a parent. You are. You're evil in comparison to the holy Majestic, perfectly. Perfect and sinless. God, you just are the text says it. That's what this passage means you're evil. And you know how to give good gifts to your kids, how much more your heavenly father would give give gifts to you. He's not going to give you something to crack your tooth on. He knows, you have daily needs. You ask him for a fished. Some of you think that he's going to return look like, a great white shark to eat you up. You're afraid of God in that way. I don't want you to feel that way towards your heavenly. Father. I want you to come to him. I want you to pray to him. I want you to go to him to see that he wants you to come to him. Ask him, not as a genie in the bottle of the grantor every wish. But As we see in the spirit of the Lord's Prayer.

In submission to the Heavenly father's will and reveal throughout the rest of the scripture. And we know the throughout the Bible we have the will of God revealed all over. He wants us to be more like Jesus. He wants people to be saved. He wants his name to be glorified. He wants to provide for your needs. He's there to provide for your needs to be anxious. Pray to your heavenly father when you feel anxious. He wants you to go to him to pray, according to his will to ask to pray, to seek to not press 1st. John 5:14 subs, and this is the confidence. That we have towards him that if we ask anything according to his, will he hears us? Humble Christians, ask. Humble Christians know that they're needy. They pray. They ask they seek, they knock. And unlike the Babel and repetitive droning on, and on, and Mindless, empty phrases, that unbelievers do in their prayers that Jesus told us not to pray, like them in the Lord's Prayer. We must though be ever so persistent, and continue to ask and knock and seek the Lord in prayer because we are his children. And the father wants his children to come to him. He's your heavenly father. Do you believe that he will open that cookie container for you and feed you. Do you believe that he's a good and loving father. I don't care. How terrible your experience with your Earthly father is, I mean I do care, I really care and I'm sorry and God does care and he really cares and he's sorry and he's enraged that you would relate to God's the father that way because of Earthly sinful father's. I know that there are some fathers who will not feed their kids, who will not love their kids, who will not encourage their kids will not set the tone in their homes, to be gracious and wonderful, but God. Oh, I hope you can see, he's not like that. You could come to him, you can pray to him. He wants you to come to him. So be humble in needy in prayer.

And that was even cause us as Christians.

Seek to pursue God and humility will also cause us to keep the so-called Golden Rule that everybody knows about in our world is a lot of famous passages here in this section and verse 12 States. So whatever you wish that others would do to you do. Also to them for this is the law and the prophets.

Only Christians can do this kind of thing. Genuinely unbelievers, do nice things, and unbelievers, make care for their kids and unbelievers, but we're talkin about loving and caring, and being self-sacrificial, and a christ-like way. Christians who love and pray for their enemies. For instance, as we've seen Christians who live and do all things for the smile of God before an audience of one seeking Treasures in Heaven, not worldly Treasures Christians humbly, sing their own sin in the log, in their eye. First seeking to help others, they do to others, what they would want done to them because they're humble, and they're needy. They actually do righteous things from a transformed heart. They do righteous and good things to those around them, as opposed to the hypocritical fake phony, kind of living of the Pharisees. Christians love and they bear the burdens of one another. Those around them and so fulfilled the law of Christ. So, ask yourself this very important question here and closing Mi humble and needy.

if you are, Jesus has been pointing out to you and Austin, various ways Through The Sermon on the Mount. As he describes the way that Kingdom living is as believers. How they live and act and think, as Christians. What if you are end? Humble and needy turn and believe, the gospel of Jesus Christ today. That is the only thing that can do, transform your heart and cause you a proud person. To be humble and needy. Let's pray. Father, we do pray. that you would cause all the Believers here in this room to grow in their humility and to grow in their desperation before you That we would come to you as children and that we would love you and that we would not be afraid of you, but that we would go to you with all our needs and humility.

Help us all the see the importance of that, humble every single last Christian here in this room. And then also, I pray the Lord for unbelievers, that may be here as well. Who may have realized that they are not humble and needy, because they do not know the gospel, because they have not yet been transformed and their hearts by the gospel. Would you save them today? Would you transform their hearts and lives? That would be evident to everybody around them? Would you call them by your grace to be humble and needy? We say this in Christ thing.