I can't think of a better introduction
than what we had when Brother Richard read from Galatians chapter
2 as to what I have to say, and so I'm going to get right to
the message. In 1 John chapter 4, it's going
to be my text. And I certainly reiterate what
Brother Richard has just said. It's been a sweet and blessed
fellowship as the Lord has brought us together, and I do rejoice
in the message that your pastor preaches, the message that Brother
Bill preaches, and certainly we enjoy a sweet fellowship together
in the gospel. I want to preach to you from
1 John chapter 4 with this title, Try the Spirits. Try the spirits. Now when I say that or when the
scripture says that, it's not talking about a seance where
you sit down and we're going to see what kind of spirit is
filling this room. You've heard preachers do that.
I've seen some of these hucksters on TV that all of a sudden it's
like they got a telephone call from God and they just, yes Lord,
It's a mockery. It's a mockery of anything that
resembles or would purport to be the gospel. And I would hope
that none here would even be, if you happen on a channel like
that, wouldn't stay more than a second and then move on. But,
that being said, we are given the instruction here in the Word
to try the spirits. As Brother Richard said in reading
Galatians chapter 2, there's just far too much trifling in
the world with regard to the things that pertain to the glory
of God and the honor and glory of the Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ. And I would have to say, and
I say this very respectfully, but I'd have to say that it applies
to anybody, not just people that you think of in far out religion.
but even those who purport to be sovereign grace believers."
See, it's always easy to put it out there, but bring it home.
Those that are under this banner called sovereign grace, we need
to try the spirits. And why do I say that? Look at
1 John chapter 4. Who is this addressed to? It
says, This is not a warning given out
to the world. This is a warning given to those
who profess to be the Lord's and who say, just as boldly as
any of us standing here today, that I believe that I am the
Lord's by election. Because when you look at that
word, beloved, that's the only way that you can understand it,
is that God loved sinners that he chose out of
fallen humanity, or Adam's race, beloved, loved above all, a special
love. I liken this to what Joseph's
father did with him, in that it stirred up the hatred of his
brothers. Remember that back in Genesis? What was the issue? He was the beloved. His father
made him that coat of many colors, and his brothers hated him for
it. The brothers in the flesh. And
I find the same sort of reaction with people today. When you get
talking about God's particular love for sinners that He chose,
and He passed by others, and you make it plain, and you say
those that He chose are beloved, people get their backs up. Get upset. But that's who's being
addressed here. Beloved in election. Beloved
in redemption. When Christ laid down His life,
He didn't lay it down to try to save everybody. There is a
particular seed for which Christ died. And that seed is every
one that the Father chose, that He loved in eternity. Those are
the ones for whom Christ came and laid down His life. They're
beloved in his death. And that's why his death is so
precious to those that the Lord has been pleased to reveal Christ
in. The Christ of Scripture. That's
why we can't trifle with it, because it is a special redemption. It is a particular redemption. It is a satisfying redemption. It is a completed redemption. It is a justifying redemption. He didn't redeem in order to,
at some point, justify his people. Romans 3 and verse 24 says, being
justified through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. When
was I justified if I'm the Lord's? I was justified when He died. I know people argue with it and
they say, well, we shouldn't argue over when. Take your concordance
and look at how many times the word when is used with regard
to our salvation, with regard to our redemption, our justification. It's when Christ died. When Christ
died. Let me just give you an example
over here in Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 3. Are these things
vital? Absolutely. Absolutely. You see this? In Hebrews chapter
1 and verse 3, who being the brightness of His glory and the
express image of His person, that's talking about Christ as
God coming in the flesh and upholding all things by the word of His
power. Now, when were the sins of God's
people put away? It says here, when He had by
Himself purged our sins. Does one matter? It sure does. It's not when you believe. It
wasn't when God chose me. My sins weren't put away before
they were imputed in Adam. Righteousness was not imputed
back there in eternity before it was worked out. Election has
to do with God choosing out sinners and purposing to save them. But how? Through the death of
the Lord Jesus Christ. And when Christ came, He fulfilled
all righteousness. When He died and laid down His
life, He didn't say, it is affirmed. That's what you would say if
it was just an affirmation of what was already done. He said
what? It is finished. It is finished. You see, that's the vitalness
of being careful. with regard to the scriptures.
I'll tell you, when were my sins purged? It says here, when he
purged them. In his body. On that tree. That's where they were put away.
And you minimize that. You look anywhere else. You are
one of those that needs to be careful of trying the spirits.
Beloved? I was loved in eternity. No question. But I was beloved there at Calvary.
Because at that time, my sin was put to the Savior, and His
righteousness put to my account. I wasn't even around. I wasn't
even around. But that's what makes it grace. I didn't have a thing to do with
it. It's all in Him. All in Him. And you know what?
I'm beloved when the Spirit of God comes in regeneration. and
awakens this otherwise dead soul. Gives me life. Caused me to see
that I was born lost and wandering. But it wasn't me that found the
Savior. It was Him that found me. People
talk like the Savior is lost. The Savior isn't lost. I'm lost. He went out and found the lost
sheep. People say, have you found Him? He was never lost. He found
me. And that's the indication of
being beloved. You see, it all works together in this way. So come back to 1 John chapter
4. This is who John is addressing here. Now, notice he gives two
commands here. And this is what I want you to
see. One is a negative, and the other is a positive. The first
thing he says here is, believe not every spirit. This is why
we have to be careful in reading Scripture in the context, because
when you first read this, you think, oh, he's talking about
people out in the world. No, he's talking about those that are the beloved
that I've just described. And here's interesting too, the
tense of this word believe could be translated, stop believing
every spirit. In other words, there had come
into the midst of these that had heard the gospel under the
preaching of these apostles, But already, back in the first
century, there had come into their midst those who were not
to be trusted. Now, we're not talking about
televangelists out there. We're not talking about people
running the world and doing all these, what one popular singer
called, traveling salvation shows. Just like the gypsy wagons. Pull
in and do things and then move on. Collect the money, pickpocket
the people while they're watching the show, and then off they go
with their offerings. That's not who's being addressed
here. If I read this correctly, it's addressing people just like
us sitting right here, who profess to believe a sovereign God, believe
that it's by His death alone that they were saved, and believe
that they had nothing to do with their salvation, but it was all
of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet He says, stop believing
every spirit. I'm not trying to chew anybody out, because
I know I've been in this position myself, but I run into people
all the time, even those who profess to believe the gospel
of grace, who kind of make excuses for people that don't believe
the gospel. Relatives, acquaintances. You
know, this is where the rubber meets the road many times, doesn't
it? Because if it's somebody else, it's easy to just draw
that line and nail it. But when it comes down to people
you know and respect, and loved ones, acquaintances, those that
are close to you, and they don't quite line up with the Scriptures,
I'm not saying line up with you, but they're not lining up with
what the Scriptures say about God and Christ and giving Him
all the glory. Let's be honest, in your flesh,
don't you tend to kind of try to smooth it over a little bit?
And that's why I appreciated what Brother Richard read. I
didn't tell him what to pick, but when he sat there and talked
about how Peter, Paul withstood Peter to his face. Don't you
know that would have been one of the hardest things to do?
Think about preachers that you know and respect. And yet, because
of that respect, you hold your tongue whenever they preach something
that's not lined up with the gospel. And we're facing it in
our day. We're facing it. But we dare
not back down. People say, well, it's unkind
or unloving to say anything. It's not what the Scripture says.
The most loving thing that Paul could have done was to address
Peter. And even as you read there, didn't
he say, because he walked not according to the gospel? He wasn't
saying that he was a reprobate, but he called him to attention. And dear friends, may we be of
such a spirit, and I am addressing myself, that if ever I say anything,
even implication-wise, that is contrary to what this Word has
to say with regard to God's glory and Christ's honor, you say something
to me. You say something to me. I don't
want anybody to think, well, he's a preacher and he's been
at it a long time. You know what it's like even
driving down the road. You lose focus a little bit.
Next thing you know, you're hitting those little bumps over there
on the side. You come away. It doesn't mean
you're a bad driver. Well, it could be. But you're called to attention.
And there's been times I'm thankful those things are there. I think
about that afterward. Where would I have been had not
that noise been there? Or you're coming down a hill
and you're not aware there's a stop sign, an intersection,
and then all of a sudden you hit those bumps. It brings you
alive and you look ahead. Okay, I've got to be breaking
here. These are important for all of
us. Because I'll tell you, more important
than your reputation or the reputation of any man is the glory and honor
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's why it says here,
stop believing every spirit. And it's in the present tense.
Is there ever a time that we can let our guard down? No. Not with regard to myself, not
with regard to anybody. And so this is the vitalness
of this. That's the negative. And then
the positive is where John says here in the second part, try
the spirits. Try the spirits. That word try
is the word that's used of a jeweler. Who, I don't know how many real
jewelers there are yet today, but when they got a certain lot
of gold or silver, the first thing they'd do is heat it up.
Because all of the dross and everything else in it would come
to the top. And then they would take and scrape it off. And then
once that's done, they could work with the rest. That's what's
left. That's what this word is. Try the spirits. Why should we
be afraid to question people with regard to what their belief
is in regard to Christ, His salvation, the cross? Especially since this
is what is the very basis of our hope of salvation. What Christ
accomplished there in His death. And so we're instructed here
to try the spirits, whether they are of God. You know, I pray
this even for myself. I had other notes ready to go
this morning. I went down at the computer there
at the hotel with my little jump drive, and I put that thing in
there, and this little warning thing popped up immediately on
the window, said that this USB drive is not recognizable. Please
remove. So I removed it. Guess what?
It wiped everything out on it. So I'm standing up here, without
notes, preaching to you what the Lord has laid on my heart.
I can't think of a better lesson. Try the spirits. Whether they
are of God. I had some things down there
I can't remember, but that's probably a good thing. Maybe
they weren't of God. That particular point which says,
you know, scold here. It's God. We get in the flesh,
don't we? We get some thoughts and we think,
boy, that's a good one. I'm going to nail that one. And the Lord
takes it away. I'm thankful He does. I'm thankful
He does. Because this ought to be the
way that we live our lives day in and day out. Don't ever get
self-confident with any kind of profession you've had to this
point. There have been many that have made professions and gone
another way. We don't look back to an experience. I believe that's
why the Lord in the wilderness, that manna dried up in a day.
Became worms. They lived day to day depending
on that manna that the Lord would give that day. That's a picture
of Christ. If I ever wake up and feel somehow
that I don't need the blood and righteousness of the Lord Jesus
Christ as much today as the day when He caused me to first believe,
I'm in trouble. And you are too. We constantly
come to Him who is seated upon the throne, knowing our need,
sensing it, and aware of it. and come in crying just like
we always have, Lord, be merciful to me, the sinner. I can't think
of a worse position than coming in any other way. And so, try
the spirits, whether they have God, you see. Well, there's a
lot to be said here, but just let me give you some thoughts
that I can remember. And as the Lord brings them to
mind, why are we to try the spirits? Well, first of all, verse 1 tells
us many false prophets are gone out into the world. Some people
may take exception to what Brother Richard said again in his introduction
when he said there are few of us who are preaching the gospel. I remember being up in northern
England one year in a little town up in Ripon, and it was
supposed to be a missionary meeting. That's what they had. And so
I had stopped off on my way back from Africa, and they had some
people from different churches. And I remember standing up and
making this comment that there are many people out there who
profess to be sent of the Lord, but there are really very few
who are sent of the Lord. And you know that pastor, from
that, I mean, they'll just shut him down. He was upset, couldn't
hear the rest of what I had to say, wrote me a stinging letter
afterward, and for a few years would not have a thing to do
with me. How can you make such judgments? Was his question. Well, he came around later, because
I asked him, I said, you tell me some men that you think are
out there that you know that are preaching the gospel, and
I'd like to talk to them. I'd like to find out. I'd like
to test the spirits. I'm not in the mindset of thinking
I'm the only one preaching the gospel. That's not it. But we
are to weigh every man by what he says. Not by what he says
he says, but by what he says. I've run into so many when you
question me, well that's not what I mean. Well then what do
you mean? Getting to the point. Because
if there's confusion in what comes out of a man's lips, there's
going to be confusion in the hearts and minds of those sitting
listening to him. And know that there are many false prophets.
Let me ask you this. What does it take for a man to
be a false prophet? Does he have to dress up in a
red suit with horns and a pitchfork and a long tail? That's not how
he's recognizable. Let me show you this over in
2 Corinthians chapter 11. What does it take for a man to
be a false prophet? Look at verse 13. 2 Corinthians 11 and verse 13. For such are false apostles,
sent ones, deceitful workers, look at here, transforming themselves
into the apostles of Christ. In other words, we're transforming
voluntarily, changing their message for the convenience of the situation. Now you stop and think how many
people do that. I've run into some who say they believe what
I'm preaching, but I've heard them say they wouldn't dare be
able to say it as plainly in their congregations for fear
of getting kicked out. or for fear of losing their congregation. Transforming themselves into
the apostles of Christ, their pretenders. Oh, to have the spirit
of Paul, and I will say of Peter as well. What was the evidence
that the spirit of the Lord was in Peter? When Paul addressed
him, he repented. He repented. That's what I look
for. I don't look for perfection.
I don't have perfection. Not in me. My perfection is Christ
and His imputed righteousness. And that's why I would pray that
if in any way what I have to say is not lined up with the
glory of Christ and what's revealed here in this Word, that when
a person speaks to me, as I weigh it prayerfully in the Word, I
would bow. I would bow. I don't pretend
to know everything or see everything. Things that I know of Christ
and the gospel right now and even my justification fully accomplished
there at the cross. has been taught in my spirit
and heart over time as the Lord has been pleased to open my eyes. My aim by God's grace has always
been toward the cross, but as He gives you eyes to see, it
becomes ever more clear and plain that this salvation could not
have been done in any other way or any other place than in that
finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, period. Period. Even to see election in any other
way is to miss the cross. Because election had in view
the cross. When Christ stood as the surety
there from eternity, it was in view of His coming, doing, and
dying that God might be the just God and the Savior. And even
the Spirit's work of regeneration in a heart of a sinner for whom
Christ died, where does the Spirit cause that sinner to look? To
the cross. and what Christ accomplished
there. But many false prophets have gone out into the world.
You see that word, many? Don't be surprised. The true
are few, but there are many. And that's why we try the Spirit.
We try the Spirit. I got one this past week, an
invitation from a missionary to come preach in my church.
They send these letters out and invite themselves. And that's
why I say I got an invitation from the missionary to come preach.
But he gave me a website. I went to it and looked at it.
I don't see anything even close to it. And I wrote him and told
him so. I haven't heard back. But I try in the spirits. We don't support what we can't
have right here in this pulpit. And that's why I appreciate Brother
Richard. I know I'm here because there's a oneness in what we
have to preach, and he's welcome in our congregation. I know I'm
welcoming him up in Ashland for the same reason. Brother Bill
and I have that blessed fellowship in the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. But it comes through trying the spirits, doesn't it?
Trying the spirits. Many false prophets, that's why.
Secondly, look in verses 2 and 3. We try the spirits because truth
is remarkable, observable by what the object of one's confession
is. You know, people talk about faith
all the time, but that's where we have to stop them and try
the spirit. When you say faith, what do you
mean by that? Oh, I mean when I was a little
boy at six years old, I bowed my head and said a sinner's prayer.
And by that, I know I'm the Lord's. Really? That's your hope of salvation? See, that's why we try the spirits.
Is that the hope of the faith that's revealed in Scripture?
The faith of Christ? As you read in Galatians chapter
2? Absolutely not. It's not in what we do that we
earn salvation, gain it, or maintain it. It's what Christ did. He earned it. He established
it. He obtained it. And He imputed
it. By His death there at Calvary.
But that's what it says here in verses 2 and 3. Hereby know
ye the Spirit of God. That's why it refers to try the
spirits up in verse 1. It's talking about the spirit
of error. It's not like demons floating around, but the spirit
of error that is already in a depraved heart. Compared to the Spirit of God,
verse 2, hereby I know you the Spirit of God. Every spirit,
notice it doesn't just say that confesseth. Oh, I'm a Christian. No, every spirit that confesseth
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. Now, there's a lot
of people out there who profess to be Christians and say, well,
I believe He came in the flesh. That's not what this verse is
saying. You see, there was an error already predominant in
the first century that John is addressing here. And that was
that when Christ came, these people were of the persuasion
that God could not take flesh. Because He's God. And so, the
notion was, He must have appeared as a man. Or He came spiritually. as a man. And they compared him
to the angels in the Old Testament who would appear and take a body
for a while, but they weren't really men. And this was the
notion that was going around. And some were beginning to think,
yeah, you're right, God couldn't take a body. And the bodies corrupt,
so how could God become a man? Well, you see what happened over
time. Pretty soon, what's it undermining? It's undermining
the very foundation of what is essential to the salvation of
a sinner. Because in order for Christ to be the substitute,
he had to be both God and man. Now, some at that time may have
just shrugged their shoulders and said, well, let's don't really
argue. All we know is Jesus is Jesus. Don't we get that kind
of thing today? Can't we just agree that there was a Jesus
that came and you can see Him how you want to see Him, we'll
see Him how we want to see Him, and let's just all get along?
How many times have we heard that? No, we're talking about
vital issues. That's why we try the spirits.
Let me ask you this. If Christ was not actually God,
Could he save? Simple question, isn't it? Absolutely
not. Only God saves. So all these out there saying
he wasn't God, he was an angel that was created, they're trying
to defend in their minds the honor of God, but in reality
they're dishonoring him by that very doctrine. Well, let me ask
you this. If he were not a man, could he
have saved? Same answer, no. He had to be
both. God and man. Because only God
can satisfy God. And only man can represent man. I'm thankful it's both ways.
I'm thankful it's both ways that in the Lord Jesus Christ there
is that one who came and took on a body Just like I have a
body. But here's the nice thing about
it. Without sin. You notice how many
times the scriptures say, without sin. He was tempted in all things,
yet without sin. That's vital. That's vital. Here's again where we need to
test the spirits. Because it's being stated in our day that
he had to actually be made a sinner. And what do they do? They quote
2 Corinthians 5.21, a scripture verse that has been precious
to me ever since the Lord opened my eyes. Go over there and look
at it, 2 Corinthians 5.21. Remember I said this isn't just
out in the world. This is among those who profess
to believe sovereign grace that this very doctrine is being purported
and proclaimed. Because they say, well, it says
here, for he hath made him. And they say, well, to be is
not in the original, which it's not. So they say, see, it says,
for he hath made him sin for us. And they say that that word
made means to create. And they say that what it means
is he was actually created a sinner on the cross. I can show you
the documentation. I'm not making this up. Is that
what that verse says? It's not what it says. Try the
spirits, whether they be of God. Let me ask you this. If Christ
was made to be a sinner, there is a word in the original language
for sinner that's not used here. It says he was made sin. But
it also says what? Who knew no sin? So it's very
clear that that could not be the definition to say that at
that moment when God poured out His wrath on Christ, He was actually
pouring out His wrath on a sinner. You can read it in some of the
old Reformers writings. Martin Luther is the first one
to come up with that term. He was the greatest sinner to
have ever lived addressing Christ that way. That's blasphemy. He
was not a sinner. He was not made a sinner. God
could in no way accept a corrupt sacrifice. It had to be a sinless
lamb. Even back there in the Old Testament
when the priest would lay their hands upon the scapegoat, it
wasn't that that scapegoat all of a sudden was transformed into
a sinner. No, what it's showing is this
was imputation. He was made sin by imputation. Just like I'm made righteous
by imputation. I'm not righteous in myself,
even with what I am now in Christ. There's no righteousness in here,
but I am by imputation. Just as righteous and just as
holy as God Himself. That's my stand because of the
death of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's where I rest. all
the while knowing in here there's nothing good in this flesh. But
oh, when I look, where's my righteousness? Seated in glory right now. He's
my righteousness. He was made sin. That word means
He was made a sin offering. And by a sin offering, it means
that all of my guilt and all of the merits and debt of my
sin was put to Him. The word is like a mass of sin
laid upon Him. And he bore it. He bore it unto
death. And it says that we might be
made the righteousness of God. Not sometime later. See, this
is the thing with regard to our justification. When were we made
the righteousness of God in Him? When He died. I wasn't even born
yet. And I was born in this world
a lost sheep, wandering, dead in sin. But when the Spirit came
and revealed Christ in my heart, it caused my eyes to look where
He caused me to look. Back here to this one who died
and rose again and whom God is satisfied. It's done. It's finished. And as the Spirit
gives you eyes to see and you behold it all the more plainly
and clearly, you continue to bow. and to see more plenty. It couldn't be anywhere else
but in Him. Down here in verses, you see,
that's why we try the spirits. Many false prophets, and truth
is remarkable by what the object of our confession is. It says
here in verse 2, every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is of God. Great is the mystery of godliness.
God was manifest in the flesh. It's not just that He came in
the flesh, but why He came and what He accomplished. how Christ
died, not just that He died, but how that He died according
to the Scriptures. That's why we keep coming back
to the Word, coming back to the Word, coming back to the Word.
Let me just leave you with this final thought here in verses
4-6. The line of distinction between
truth and error. I'm not the one drawing it. A
lot of people say, well, you're just drawing that line too tightly.
I'm not drawing the line. The Scriptures draw the line.
That line has been drawn already. Can you imagine showing up at
a football game? The lines are already drawn, aren't they? Can
you imagine someone saying, I think I'll like this a little bit in.
I'm going to get that little talker out before everybody gets
here and draw a new line. If they see you doing that, they're
going to arrest you. You're not the one drawing the lines. It's
been set. You play within the parameters of what has been drawn.
And that's exactly what we see here. The line of distinction
between truth and error is already drawn. How? By the Word of God.
We better be in it. We better be reading it. Better
not be like that man and say, well, what do you believe? And
he said, well, I believe what my pastor believes. So he said,
well, what does your pastor believe? And he said, well, my pastor
believes what I believe. A lot of people in that vicious
circle. That makes no sense at all. The line of distinction
between truth and error is already drawn by the Word of God. We
just stand where God has drawn it. And that's where I'm telling
you to stand. Where God has drawn it. Where
has He drawn it? In His Son. And in His death. That's where He
put all of His glory and honor. And that's where satisfaction
is made. And that's where sinners look. That's where sinners look.
It says, Verse 3 says, "...and every spirit that confesseth
not that Jesus Christ is come into flesh is not of God." It's
not that He's just a little... He's not of God! Not of God. And this is that spirit of antichrist. So it's not just your opinion
versus mine. Whereof ye have heard that it
should come, and even now already is in the world. Ye are of God,
little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that
is in you than he that is in the world. Why do we stand alone,
if need be? I don't particularly like to
fellowship in small numbers. I'd love to have greater numbers,
but not at the compromise of the gospel. And that's why it
says here, greater is he that is in you than he that is in
the world. When the Spirit of God is pleased
to open your eyes to Christ and who He is and what is to His
honor and glory, you wouldn't want to be anywhere else but
where He is faithfully set forth in truth. Even if it means cutting
ties and associations with people you've known for years, but who
won't walk with you. You've got to go with what the
spirit is teaching you and what this word has to say. That's
how he leads. It says, they are of the world.
Therefore speak they of the world and the world heareth them. People
love popular preachers. They're always asking you about,
have you read the latest book? And you just shock. It's like
throwing cold ice water on somebody when you say, well, that man's
not even preaching the gospel. What? Well, let's go back. But people don't even want to
take that. Once you've said that, you've just sent them away. They don't
even want to open the Word. Even if you say, let's take the
Word and look at it. Why say that? I'm not just spouting off.
I've got to go. I've got to go. And you never
hear from them again. They won't talk to you. You write, they
won't communicate. Alright? They are of the world. Therefore,
speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. But we
are of God. They and we. It sounds cocky,
doesn't it? That's why people come back to
you and say, well, you think you're the only one saved? Well, I hope not. But if this is where the line
is drawn, here I stand. Here I stand. We are of God.
He that knoweth God, heareth us. Who's he talking about? He's
talking about the apostles. Heareth us. Those that Christ
Himself taught. Let me ask you this. If you come
down to a question of doctrine, are you going to look to the
Word? Or are you going to look to men's commentaries? See, a
lot of people following tradition say, well, that's not what the
Reformers taught. Or people will say to you, I'd like to see where
some other men have preached this. Well, you've got 40-some
authors right here. That makes a pretty good quota
right there. That their word is the inspired
word of God. That's who I'm going to. That's
who I'm going to. and let everything else line
up with it, because it says, hereby know we the spirit of
truth and the spirit of error. May the Lord make us such students
of Christ, students of his word, and so be taught by his spirit.
Amen.