What are we known for?

I'm looking forward to our study through this book. It is one of my absolute favorites in the going through it. Again, reading through the whole thing again this week and just taking time to pair just kind of is exciting to me, looking forward to what we're getting into. But today we're just going to try to cover versus 328 Colossians 1 verses 3 to 8 in the water. We known for, what are we known for panda? I guess I thought of this like Paul as we saw in the opening Paul. We know him. He's an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. That's what he's known for. Right? And we know the things that he did and what he stood for and that's the first thing that usually comes to mind and Timothy our brother we know is Timothy was a young man that that love the Lord and served alongside of Paul and Paul would send him out to visit these other cities like it Ephesus. And then we knew the people in the colossi said the God's holy people and classy, the faithful Brothers and Sisters in Christ Grace and peace to you from God our Father. And as we saw last week, they are God. Holy people again down Through the Ages. We don't know them personally, but we've heard of them because of this letter and we know that they were set apart by God for himself in the same way. That should excite us. Because that's what God isn't safe. For each, one of us that we are is holy people and for them they were faithful in Christ. They wanted to follow Christ. They wanted to continue to grow and that's where I can. As we talked about last week some of the heresy started coming in his people were coming and say all what you want to be a real Christian. You got to know these things. You got to start living this way and doing this and that and and party. Write this letter is trying to bring them back to the truth and he doesn't attack it head-on, as we said last week, it's Daddy. Just start sharing truth and write in. Introduction just setting him up with the truth. You're God's holy people already. You don't need to follow some set of rules or follow these different religious practices. You need to realize that you are God's holy people. And yes, you are faithful. You have received Christ and you are wanting to grow in him. That is fantastic. Well, as we go through here, we're going to to see that there were some other things that they were really known for. As I thought through this passage and thought of the application for myself. And it for all of us to consider is what we known for. Why do we known for? Again, it's a pastor. It's interesting for me because of doing funerals. I don't like doing funerals, but it's one of the few times and people's lives that are not Believers that they actually want to Pastor weddings and funerals. And so, it's our opportunity to share the gospel in the hope of the Gospel.

But it's interesting because I tried to spend time with, with the families and, and what tell me about this person. and if you start to hear what they were known for,

and I guess the question in my mind is, Wait, when I pass away, if Pastor comes talk to my family, what will I be known for? What will you be known for? What is it? That will come to mine? Or we don't even have to wait till we pass away. Right? If we were to go to neighbors, co-workers, just people who have seen you and said, hey, tell me about Justin, tell me about Steve. Tell me about that. Tell me about Bill. What would they say? What are we known for? Oh, he really likes to hunt. They are when it comes to hunting season. It's always talks about the pulpit. He like that. Relates to go out into the nature and do the camping trip and stuff. Is that what I'm going to be known for those things? What? What are you going to be known for? What is it? That's going to come to mind as people. Think about you. What did I say about you?

We have this little Glimpse and again, part of the background is Paul had never been to colossi as far as We Know. He said he didn't know them. Personally. Will he knew epaphras who apparently was saved under Paul's Ministry and who had gone? And told me the Colossians. And in a church was started. We, he knew Philemon because the church meant by Lena's house. Apparently, at some point, Paul had actually shared the gospel with Philemon and we read that in the book of Philemon traces, man. You owe me hear own life, even, you know, because I shared the gospel with you, is the sense that he knew these two guys, but other than that, he never really met anybody Acosta. That we know of

But he has some wonderful things to say about them. Why?

Because they were known for things, outside of even their immediate circles. They were no. For certain things.

I want you to pay attention. If you read through here, what were they known for? How's that compared to the things that you? And I are known for three Colossians chapter 1, and we're going to go ahead and read from versus 328 at this point. We always think of the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we pray for you, because we've heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and the love. You have for all God's people, the faith and love this spring from The Hope store top from you in heaven. And about what you've already heard. In the true message of the Gospel that is come to you. In the same way. The gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world. Just as is as it has been doing among you since the day you ordered it and truly understood God's grace. You learned it from half restored to your fellow servant, who was a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf. And who also told us of Your Love in the spirit. Who also told us to be loving this. Let's pray. They're going to start digging this a little more. What were they known for Lord? I do ask that you would use your word. Which again? I am just thankful that you inspired every single we're here. That it is useful for teaching for correction, for reproof for training Us in righteousness. And I ask that, you would use it that way today. Use it in our lives, that teaches here from cloth, repair this in Jesus name. Amen. Colossians 1:3, what were they known for Paul? Says, we always say God, the father of our Lord. Jesus Christ, when we pray for you. Why, why was he thinking? God will. Obviously, he, thanks God because God is the one who saves right? Again, is Paul. We just went through Corinthians and, and, like, Paul share their, you know, what one? So is one Waters, but God's, the one who gives the increase. So even though a path for sweat and shared the gospel with them, God, is the one who worked in your hearts through them in open up their hearts. That they would believe that they would be safe. And so he's like, man, we thank God the father of our Lord. Jesus Christ for you guys. Been at working. You were thankful. Which is interesting again with Corinthians, he was thankful for them too. But boy Corinthians was a far cry different than the people in colossi. Why? Well, because we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus. In the love, you have for all God's people. Not something. We we saw. We Corinthians did. We we saw the opposite in the Quarry at that? We had the right to them and off a lot about love because they certainly weren't loving. But he says to these people, he says, man, we've heard about your faith in Christ Jesus. Their faith. What is faith? What is faith?

Dead Silence, no. Really, when I ask a question, is a question. What is faith?

Hebrews 11, so it's it's evidence of things. Unseen it is, we may not have seen it but we know it's true. It's something that you really can put your full confidence in your full face in it. And I guess I like the illustration of a of a chair. Every single one of you came in today, and you sat down, didn't you? Why? Because you had complete faith. That Pastor Mike did not cut any legs off the chair this week. Hey years ago I did this and I actually had a chair up here where I cut the leg and have somebody sit on it. They collapsed, you know, I decided not to do that this time. But when we, when we have faith, that means we put our full. Trust our full Reliance in something. And you just had complete faith. That the chair was going to hold you and not collapse under you. That's what faith is. It's a it's a total belief that the total confidence one that you're willing to. Put everything in and you just act as if it's completely completely true. That's what faith is. Faith is not just okay, I believe it but then you go and live as if you didn't believe it. Kind of like I really believe a parachute would hold me but you don't see me getting in a plane and putting a parachute on.

I don't have that much faith in the parachute.

Faith. Actually, true faith. When you really have full confidence, something you will act on that Faith, you will act out of that Faith. You will do live based upon that truth because you're convinced. And faith in. And of itself is not the important thing that you think God for we, thank God, the father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, because we have heard of your faith. Because we heard of what? Because of your faith in Christ Jesus. Everybody in this world has faith in something in some way.

But what Paul was thankful for was their faith in Christ. Jesus. See the object of the face. What you actually put your faith in is important, isn't it? It's all important. Again, there's so many different religions in the world, to show me different things. That people try to do so many religious practices. And again, with Colossians. They already had people false teachers coming in who were saying? Okay? Yeah, you're a Christian but you want to be a real Christian, you want to do it. Right? Well, then you've got to start praying to the spirits these these other, you know, powers and whatnot. Because they're the ones that you're actually prayed through. They'll actually have the power. It said they were starting to say, okay. Well, maybe we should be praying to them. They will put their trust in those other beings or they said, okay, real question. You have to follow these rituals because if you don't follow these rituals God will not accept you. There's an awful lot of that goes on in the world. It so people are no longer having faith in Christ or having faith in the fact that I do certain rituals because I do this. God will accept me and that's why if you ask a lot of people. Well, do you know if you're going to go to to Heaven? Do you know if you're going to have eternal life and live with God while we can't know that because God will judge us based upon what we do. Well, as soon as they say that, you know, they don't have faith in Christ. They have faith in what they do. And that's a far cry from the true gospel. That is not the true gospel. In those people are lost because there's only one way to be saved. There's only one name under Heaven given to Men by which we must be saved. The true gospel. Is that Jesus Christ? None of us. None of us can be accepted by God because we all since we all fall short of the glory of God, but Jesus Christ died for us. He himself, took our sins in his body on the cross. He the one who knew no sin became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. The true gospel, is that not whoever does these rituals are does, the certain things will be safe, but whoever receives him. Whoever believes in his name. He gives a ride become children of God. It's simply by believing what Jesus did for you that saves you as soap, all her to the class and she says, you know what, we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and that's what we're thankful for, because that is the true gospel. The true gospel, that is something to Rejoice over, that is something to Rejoice over. And again, it's interesting, but in the original language, he uses a different form of in Christ of a dozen other places where it's hid. Really is kind of like, your, your faith Is Anchored In Christ. Nothing else. That's where the anchor is faith in Christ, but it wasn't just because of faith in Christ. He said, we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love. You have for all God's people. The other thing you were saying before it was the fact that you guys aren't as he didn't say that, but I wonder if that's kind of like through his mind. Oh, wow. These guys aren't like the others. That struggle so much with those self-centeredness and not worried about what other people but only think of what's good for me? What's good for me? What do I want? What I and he said it all these things he had to deal with the Corinthians. You know what, I hear of you. I don't hear of the disputes. I don't hear of the factions. I don't hear the fighting and the bitterness. What I hear about you. You are loving. Your loving all God's people. All God's people. And that's exactly where again if we go through the scriptures that the love is so important. Since by this everyone will know that you are my disciples. If you love one another and Paul saw that love that they had for each other for all God's people. He's like you are true Disciples of Christ. Do you have a love for all God's people? This is true of you and the season went on to say my command is this love each other as I have loved you? No greater love. Is anyone than this to lay down one's life for once friends and that one? That's what love is. Laying aside Bowl. This is what's good for me. This is what I want and laying that aside to say, what can I do for you? That's what he saw in these people that they had a law for all God's people. They were willing to to give up. Their own wants and Desires in order to minister to others. Greater Love, he's like, that's what we hear about you. And if it's John even put it, this is what love is. Jesus Christ, laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. This is what love is. And this is what Paul's has heard about the Believers in colossi. Where is John put speak to it? In first, John three sixteen and eighteen if anyone has material possessions seized a brother and sister Annie but has no pity on them. How can the love of God be in that person? Or dear children, let us not love with words and speech. But with actions and in truth. Do you know what we hear about you? We hear about the love. You have for all God's people. If not, just that you say that all God. Love you. I love you, but they actually put their faith in action. They put their love in action.

It was evident. They were known for having love. The only way that you're known or having a reputation of having love with people, that don't even see. You is as people talk about, you know what they did. Did you see what he did for that person?

They had a reputation because they were actually carrying out God's word. Jesus command. Not just saying. I love you. But doing it. They had a reputation.

It again, it's is John Road little bit later 1st. John 1st. John has a great book, you know, this theme of loving others, kind of goes throughout the whole Bible. But as John goes on their first Johnny says, whoever does not love. Does not know, God, because God is love. Cuz man we thank God for you because we heard of your faith in Christ and your love for all God's people, which is just evidence that you really are in God. You really are. And again, we love not because over so great. We love know we love because he first loved us. Baton also goes on the office that whoever claims to love God. God, hates a brother or sister is a liar. Whoever does not love their brother sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God. Whom they have seen. And that's something that's kind of convicting in the as I think of myself. And I have to say, Okay. Well these Colossians, they had a reputation that went out beyond their borders because people couldn't get over how they love each other. It must have been something, how they loved each other, that word of this spread.

And I have to say, okay. Is that something that is known of me. Is that something that's none of us as a church? That we love each other that we love all God's people and it's evidence because of what we're doing. We don't just say it. We're actually doing things putting feet to it and that we actually have a reputation for that. Or do we have the reputation of? Oh, wow. And they don't really like each other, do they? Look at that. Look at the fighting. Look at the big ring. Look at the factions. Look at the divisions. Well, that's what the Corinthians were known for, isn't it? And John supposed to say is, you know, what? If that's the case. It's the way you have a lot of God in you, you have to question your celebration. The basic they were John's going. Cuz you can't say you love God, when you don't love other people. And he's giving us this command. Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. But again, the Colossians we've heard of you, your faith in Christ. Your love for all God's people. This was what they were known for. This is what two thousand years later. They're still on for this. Known for. Why is that? Why is it that they had such strong faith? Why is it? They had such a love for all God's people that they had such a reputation. Well, Paul. Basically says it comes from their hope. He says, praise be the God and father of our Lord Jesus or sorry. I've skipped. The verse are wearing verse for, he says, because we heard of your faith in Christ used to love for all God's people, the faith and love that spring from The Hope store tough from you in heaven about what you have already heard in the true message of the Gospel. Man, you have faith in, you have loved because of the Hope store top for you in heaven. And what is that? Hold the Peter wrote about that? He's his praise. Be the God and father of our Lord. Jesus Christ in his great Mercy. He's giving us New Birth into a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. You know, it's it's because of that Resurrection we should get we just celebrated Easter because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I have hope you have a real hope. We don't follow some Prophet that is dead and buried and rotted away to nothing. Jesus Christ rose from the dead. This is true. This is the true message and we don't have to fear death. We not appear anything. I have in this world, any kind of sickness, anything, because what's a second after me, my body might die, so God can raise it up again.

There's nothing. For us to fear because we have all hope in Jesus Christ. There is nothing that they can do to us. That's a struggle. They had with the apostles. What are we going to do to him? They have hope.

We have that because of the resurrection and man not only that but we have an inheritance that can never perish spoil or Fades The Inheritance kept in heaven for you, man. I have hope with my Lord my king and I love that. He's also my father. It would have fathers like to do. When Mom is aware, we like to give gifts. We like to do good things for the kids. And that's the way our heavenly father as he says. I got an inheritance for you. I've got rewards, you. I have things that I have for you that I want to give you. I want to bless you with not just things here in this earth that always break and spoil and fade. How many of you have things? I believe hear of a lawn mower. Okay, how much time do you spend fixing a lawn mower versus mowing the grass?

Yeah, we can Rejoice. All I got this new mower is great.

How about the house you so excited to get your house, but then, what happens? so, excited to get that new car and then You name it, it's going on. It's going to rust. It's going to fall apart. But you know what we have hope because God has a great reward in inheritance for us that will never Perry. Spoiler faith. We have this hole and it's because of this hope I have faith because of the hope of the Resurrection, I have faith in Christ because of what God's great love for me and hope that he will never. Leave me alone. Never forsake me. Nothing can separate me from the love of God. He is love, is flowing through me because of that, I can love others. What are the reasons why we don't have love for one. Another is because while they might take what I have, or they might break what I have or they might. You know what, because everything I have is from God above, I can love. Faith. Hope and love have this interesting connection throughout the scriptures. And I'm going to go through this, he's quickly, but just a few verses to demonstrate faith. Hope and love are tied together in Romans 5. He says, man, we've gained access into faith into this grace in which we now stand and we boast in the hope of the glory of God and we see the Faith and Hope they are. But he goes on, he says now they sell. But we glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering, produces perseverance, perseverance character a character hope, and hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured out into our hearts to the Holy Spirit has been given to us. God's love sustains Us in miles is to keep going 1st Corinthians. We already read. We started 2 weeks ago. It says remain. These three remain faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love and in 1st Thessalonians. He also says man, since we belong to the day, since we belong to the Lord, let us be sober. Putting on faith and love is a breastplates and hope as a of Salvation as a helmet. And you see throughout the scriptures that faith. Hope and love are all interconnected tied together. In the way, he actually spells it out here is in 1st Thessalonians. He says, man. Remember that before our God and Father your work produced by faith. Your labor prompted by love and your endurance inspired by hope in Christ Jesus. It is there and that when he says man you start out working because you know what we have faith in Christ and he has saved us by grace through faith, right? But in the face is 289, but then it goes on the 1st and it says we are his handiwork created in Christ. Jesus. Do good works, which he prepared in advance for us to do, our fate leads to us working and doing the things that God has prepared for us to do. And he says, man, your faith makes you work. And then he says, oh, yeah. And your labor prompted by law because you know, what, doing what I calls us to do, isn't always easy because people are more like porcupines and teddy bears, right? And so it takes labor. It takes a lot of hard work. This is me and your labor prompted by love because you know how much God loves you as a porcupine. We need to love other people. It's so you have that and then he's goes on. He says, and the hope that's the hope. And so you have all three tied together and then he says, in 1st John, John wrote it this way. We know that we belong truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence. If our heart condemn us. We know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. He says, man, you know, what a struggle? Anybody ever struggle with Amanda's God, really loved it. Except me.

Since we are what our hearts May condemn us, but God is greater than our hearts. He's the one who promised and says, you know what, whoever receives Jesus Christ. They are my child. I love you. Nothing can separate you from the love of God. Not one thing. It's so mad. God is greater than our hearts. He knows everything in man. If I heard some knocking them as we have confidence before, God and receive from him, anything we ask because we keep his commands and do what pleases him and do, what pleases him. And what is this? Command? Believe, in the name of his son faith in Christ. And to love one another as he commanded us. And here, in this verse, we see, you know, what? Because we have faith in God. We have faith in God. He that he doesn't condemn us. Even though our hearts to man. We love we, follow his command to have faith in the sun, to love, and those things work together to give us. Hope I have hope even when my heart condensed mean, I feel like you got ever accept me, I go back to do. You know what he said. He accepts me. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He said that and then you know what it's command is to love others and as we love others, that also is a reassurance and gives us hope.

The three of them working together, faith, and love the spring from The Hope, store top for you and having classes 15. We see them all working together. We can have faith, we can have love, because of hope we have hope because of Faith In Love. They all work together.

He said it goes on. It says about what you've already heard. In the true message of the Gospel that's come to you. And again, he says, you've already heard the true gospel. These other people are coming in now, but You've already heard the true gospel that whoever believes in, Jesus Christ is no longer condemned, but it's crossed over from Death To Life. You've heard the true gospel. It again, how did they hear? Well, hearing comes from. Faith comes from hearing, hearing through the word of Christ. They heard about it from the very word of God. It goes on from there and I'm going to skip over to the next Mercy, says the next same way. The gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world, but pay attention this part. Just as it has been doing among you since the day, you heard it and truly understood God's grace. He was thankful that they had faith in Christ. He was thankful that they had love for all God's people but not only that they heard the true message gospel in, that gospel was doing two things. It was bearing fruit in them ever since they heard it. It's still bearing fruit. The gospel still have any effect and eyes. It wasn't just that we hear the gospel. And okay. I'm saved the moment to hear the gospel in every spawn in face. He says, no it goes on from there. The true gospel will bear fruit in your life. What's the fruit? What's it mean by bearing fruit? This is what Jesus talked about in John 15. Or he said, remaining me is I also remaining, you know, Brands can bear fruit by itself and must remain in the vine. Neither. Can you bear fruit unless you remain in me? I am the vine. You are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. What's the fruit he's talking about? What is the fruit? Again, this goes all the way through and I'm going to skip just for the sake of time, but I'm put it in the homework. You can read it.

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love. Just as I have kept my father's commands and remain in his love. How to remain in him. Keeping his commands.

And what's his command?

Love each other.

Exactly. He's like it's bearing fruit in you again. It goes back to love, doesn't it? They are loving all God's people. So obviously the gospel is having his fixed. It is still bearing fruit in them is still bearing fruit. Still bearing fruit in them. And again, for the sake of time. I'm going to skip over some of these verses. There's a whole lot in here again, where he says, I have appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last. And again, what is command love each other. You repeat that. Again, that same passage John 15 and keeps coming back to love. I think I repeats love each other so much because that's what we struggle with.

But again in Galatians, Paul's who wrote about the fruit. What's the fruit of the spirit as a spirit is at work in our lives? Love joy, peace, forbearance or patience. Kindness goodness, generals people of self-control against those things. There's no law fruit. He's at the gospel is bearing fruit in your lives, and it's evidence because man, you have got to love for all God's people, you have all this and not only that, but you're continuing to grow. He says man, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing all around the world. Just it has been doing and you since the day you work it wasn't that they received prices their Savior and then they just kind of live their lives. Know the gospel was growing. It was very proud of them as they continue to love each other and as they grew, what's it mean by growing? Again? The Bible uses a metaphor how when we are born again. It's kind of like a baby comes into the world. Full board, not fully grown, but as a baby and it grows, so in the same way when were saved us like we're newborn behaves and we need to grow. How will speaking the truth in love? We will grow to become in every respect mature body of him. Who is the head? That is Christ. Paul wrote the fusions about the same time you wrote Colossians. They really intermingle. Well, how do we grow? Speak the truth.

In love. Right. Speak the truth in love and that's how we grow. And again, he said in 2nd Thessalonians. He says, man, your faith is growing more and more and the love all of you have for one. Another is increasing. See, even rowing. There's a connection with love, isn't there.

The opposite of that is, as Peter, wrote rid yourselves of malison to seed, hypocrisy envy and slander of every kind. That's the opposite. That's what keeps you from growing. But instead of those things like newborn, babes crave, pure spiritual milk, so that by it, you may grow up in your salvation. Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Comes as we learn and grow in the knowledge of Our Lord. Again, we learn from the words, Pierce Pearson work milk of the word and as we actually obey it and love other people, that's where against Eatery says Mia. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, throwing the knowledge of him and ask her again where Paul said in Corinthians, and I'm just kind of its I'm throwing all these verses in here. I'm going to put them in the homework because the scripture is all United in this it's the same message over and over. That again, we need to behold price and it has unveiled faces contemplate. The Lord's Glory were being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glorious with comes from the Lord. Who is the spirit. As we behold Christ, as we have our faith Anchored In Christ, and we looked at him and say, man. How did Jesus live while he lay down his life for us. And so we ought to do the same thing for a Brothers. He lived a life of love. And as we Behold Him as we grow in our knowledge of him become more like him. We will be more loving. We will be more loving.

And again, it's all started when they heard and understood the gospel. It's been doing this in you ever since the day. You heard it. True lenders to God grace. You learned it from a Packers or dear fellow servant who is a faithful servant minister of Christ on our behalf who was told us of Your Love in the spirit. You see a theme kind of coming through this.

Again is I was looking at this pastor, I said, man. What is the application for this passage?

In the way Paul addresses and will. Again the primary the primary application that was given to them because of what they were facing with false. Teachers coming in, was that you know, what, the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, bears, fruit and continues to grow in faith. Hope and love. If you follow any other gospel, any other teaching. It's not going to give you faith in crisis. Going to give you faith in something you do. If you follow any other teaching, it's not going to give you hope. It's going to give you a question marks of why don't really know if God will accept me, because you're not trusting what crisis done, you're trying to look at what you've done. It. None of us. Is perfect or righteous as Christ is it's only in Christ. We can be holy and righteous and perfect accepted by God. And so you listen to any of the message, you're not going to find real Faith. You're not going to find real hope and you know what? You're not going to find real love. In any other message, but if you are following the true gospel. You're going to find faith. Hope and love which again is what they were known for. The secondary application is man, the Colossians they were known for faith in Christ. That you don't want no matter what was going on in the world. They had faith in Jesus Christ, the resurrected one and they were not afraid because they had hope and it came out as they loved one. Another.

The application process is, what am I known for? What are we as a church known for? Are we known for having the same fear as everybody else in the world around us? Are we known for fighting the same battles as everybody else in the world will just fighting a general?

Or are we known because we have faith in Christ. We have love for people, which is so uncommon in this world.

We're not known because we attack or belittle or try to make ourselves out better than somebody else. We're known because We lay down our lives for others. They seen us do it. They've heard about us doing it.

They know that we have hope. We all this world is hopeless. We're not caught unawares. We're not fearful because of the wars and everything else going on. We have hope. That we want. To share with this world. What are we known for? Let's meditate on that this week. If it came down to it. What are we known for Lord? I pray that you would work in our hearts that you would instruct us from your word. I thank you again for the real life examples. You gave us, you gave us real life examples, in Corinth of what it looks like to. Not be living in faith and hope and love and you've given us in colossi. In the book of Colossians, an example of what it is to live in faith. Hope and love that you would work in our hearts that we would develop the right reputation because we have faith in Christ. We act out of that faith and love others.

And we have hope stored up for us in heaven, make that be the defining features of our lives and pray this in Jesus name. Amen. This time, I'm going to ask the elders. Did to come forward. So we can prepare for.