Matthew 22, verse 1, Jesus answered
and spake unto them again by parables. What is a parable? So often the Lord Jesus taught
this way. It's important for us to understand
what it is and why He did. A parable is a story of earthly
things that teaches divine and spiritual truth. The story will
involve people and things of this earth. But it's important
that we understand that spiritual truth is being taught. If this
was just an earthly story, it'd be a very unusual one. It'd be
strange for people to kill somebody for inviting them to a marriage
supper. But that's exactly what we do spiritually. You see, it's
got to be understood spiritually, doesn't it? When God sends message
concerning Himself to us in this life when we're unregenerate
and in our proud self-righteousness, we murder Him in our hearts.
And we murder the one that comes with the message. We hate. And
Christ said, to hate in your heart is to be guilty of murder.
We hate God. And we hate those who love Him
by nature. So you see the spiritual nature
of it. Why did the Lord Jesus Christ
teach by parables, turn to Matthew 13. He answered that question.
His disciples asked him that very question, and I think it's
important that we see that before we enter upon this parable before
us. Matthew 13, verse 10. And the
disciples came and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them
in parables? He answered and said unto them,
Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. Who gave it
to the disciples to know? Christ said to Peter, Flesh and
blood hadn't revealed this to you, but my Father, God Almighty
revealed it to you. It is given to you by God to
know the mysteries, but to them it's not. For whosoever hath,
to him shall be given. If you have some understanding,
if God has given you an understanding, He'll give you more. And he shall
have more abundance. But whosoever hath not, if you
don't know him, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
The knowledge that we think we have by nature will be revealed
to be nothing but foolishness. Therefore, speak I to them in
parables, because they seeing see not, and hearing they hear
not, Do they understand? And in them is fulfilled the
prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and
shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. Why? Because it's not given to
you. Well, that's not fair. You might as well find out right
now that your sense of fairness has nothing to do with the justice
of God. It has nothing to do with the
gospel. You don't want what's strictly
fair. Let me ask you a question. If God put every one of us here
this morning in hell right now, would that be fair? Our sense
of fairness is foolishness and vain. Verse 15, For this people's
heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and
their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should
see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand
with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal
them. But blessed You know what that word means? Highly favored
of God are your eyes. Not better are your eyes, blessed
are your eyes. For they see in your ears, for
they hear. For verily I say unto you that
many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things
which you see and have not seen them. Why? Because it's not given
to them. And to hear those things which
you hear and have not heard them Hear ye therefore the parable
of the sower." Now this is important. He tells them the parable over
again in more detail, in more condescending language, in more
explanation to their natural understanding, and shows them
the spiritual application of it. Why is it important that
we see that? These disciples had no more natural ability to
understand the parables than the Pharisees did. You see that? They didn't get it either. He
repeats the parable in Matthew 13 to His disciples with a detailed
explanation of what was represented in the original version. Christ
said He didn't do that to everybody. He didn't explain it like that
to the others. Christ said it's given to you.
And as He taught them and explained it and condescended to their
foolish understanding, just as foolish as the Pharisees was.
No better equipped naturally to understand the things of God
than anybody else. And then the Father revealed
it to him, as he revealed to Peter who Christ was. In the
account of this same passage in Luke chapter 8, we're told
that the disciples asked him, saying, what might this parable
be? When he taught the parable of
the sower, as he did in that Matthew 13, where we just read,
they said, What might this parable be? What does it mean? They didn't
have a superior intellect to others, nor any natural insight
into spiritual things. The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God. But the blessedness that the
Lord spake of manifested itself in an interest in the things
of God. He said, Blessed are your eyes
and your ears, blessed art thou, because These things have not
been revealed to many who have desired to know them. Those to
whom it was not given to understand the things of the kingdom of
God, they heard the words of Christ. They heard the same parable
that the disciples heard, and they were baffled by it, just
like the disciples were baffled by it. And then they walked away,
ignorant, knowing no more than they did before they got there.
But His true disciples said this, Tell us what this means. Tell
us what this parable means. I've heard some say, well, I
just don't understand the Bible. It's just too difficult to understand. How much time have you put into
trying to understand it? How important is it to you to
know what God said? I'm not saying that your effort
or an increase in effort to understand it will make you able to understand
it. Only hearing ears and seeing eyes from God will make you able
to understand it. But I am saying this, those to
whom it is given to know the mysteries are the ones that are
interested in the mysteries. What meaneth this parable, Lord?
Instead of just walking away not knowing anything, he said,
what meaneth this parable? Mary, while Martha was busy about
many things, what did she do? She sat at the feet of Christ
and heard his word. You're not going to understand
it if you don't hear it. And the Lord Jesus said, She
hath chosen that good part that will never be taken from her.
One thing is needful. You need to know who God is.
And if you're going to know, somebody's going to have to tell
you. And God's going to have to give you understanding. Hearing
ear and a seeing eye. And that's why He spoke in parables.
He answered the question, didn't He? Look at verse 2 of our text
in Matthew 22. He spake unto them in parables,
and the masses had no idea what he was talking about, but those to whom it was given
to understand learned and heard. Verse 2, the kingdom of heaven
is likened to a certain king which made a marriage, and the
theme of this parable is established at the outset in these three
words, for his son. Everything that God does that
you know anything about, that he has revealed in this book,
he's done it for his son. All of it. Everything. This king
desired to honor his son by making a great marriage for him with
many guests there. He was determined that many would
come and honor his son at this wedding feast. And in the kingdom
of God, God's preeminent purpose in all things that he's done
is to this end, to honor and glorify the Son. Look at that
in John 5. Turn to John 5 with me. John
5, verse 20, For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all
things that Himself doeth. And He will show Him greater
works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raised
up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom
He will. For the Father judgeth no man,
but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. Why did he do that? That all men should honor the
Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son
honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. Philippians 2.9,
Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him, and given Him a
name which is above every name. Why did He do that? That at the
name of Jesus every knee should bow. And of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every
tongue should confess, Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ
is Lord. To the glory of God the Father.
You see, to honor the Son is to honor the Father. Revelation
5.11, John said, And I heard the voice of many
angels round about the throne, the voice of the beasts and the
elders, and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 and thousands
of thousands. Have you ever heard that many
voices? The closest we ever would come to that would be some kind
of a sporting event or a concert of some kind. You hear maybe,
what, 40 or 50,000 voices, right? Oh, my. That's something to hear.
10,000 times 10,000 and thousands of thousands, all shouting with
a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb! What is this all for? What's
the end of all things? That was slain. Worthy is the
Lamb that laid down His life and took it up again. Worthy
is the Lamb that gave His soul an offering for sin. Worthy is
the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and
strength and honor and glory and blessing. And every creature
which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such
as are in the sea and all that are in them, heard I saying,
blessing and honor and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth
upon the throne and unto the Lamb forever. God has done all
things for the glory of His Son. And throughout all eternity,
we're going to shout the glories of His Son. This marriage is
for His Son. And the church, God's people,
are referred to as the Bride of Christ. Turn to Revelation
21. Revelation 21.2, John said, I,
John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem. That's God's true
people. He chose the Jews, the earthly
nation of the Jews, to picture His election of His people through
Christ, in Christ, by Christ. The new Jerusalem coming down
from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. God Almighty has made a marriage
for His Son. Are you in on that? Turn back
to Revelation 19. A few pages back to chapter 19
and verse 5. And a voice came out of the throne,
19, 5, saying, Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that
fear Him, both small and great. And I heard, as it were, the
voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters,
and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Hallelujah! Praise the
Lord! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice and
give honor to Him for the marriage of the lamb is come you see that
that's what happens at a wedding honor is given to the groom and
his bride give honor to him for the marriage of the lamb is come
and his wife hath made herself ready you know how they did that
they didn't come dressed up you know in their best clothes they
put on what he provided for them that's how you get ready for
him for his marriage. It's all provided for you. There's
nothing for you to do. He's done it. And when you acknowledge
that and bow to him and submit, as Paul said, to his righteousness
and have him before God as your only sin offering, then you're
ready. You're ready for the marriage.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white. It was given to her. The wedding
garment was provided as it was in this parable. For the fine
linen is the righteousness of saints. What is the saints' righteousness? The saints proclaim, His name
shall be called the Lord our righteousness. The righteousness
of the saints is Christ. And we profess Him to be so.
We call Him the Lord our righteousness. And He saith unto me, Write,
Blessed are they... Why? Because it was granted that
they be arrayed in the very righteousness of Christ. Blessed are they which
are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. Blessed. Highly favored of God are they.
John said, Blessed are they which are called unto this marriage
supper of the Lamb. So let's talk about that call
for a minute. How is it that you're called
unto the marriage supper? And how do we come? Look at our
text, verse 4. Are you interested in being one
of these blessed ones? Look at verse 4. Again, He sent
forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold,
I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and my fatlings are killed,
All things are ready, prepared, done, finished, ready. Come. Come unto the marriage. Number one, come just like you
are, empty-handed, nothing but a black-hearted, rebellious,
God-hating sinner. Come to Christ just like that.
He came to save sinners, not the righteous. Even the garment
worn by the guests was provided by the groom. And in Jewish weddings,
it was always that way. They wore that garment that the
groom provided because that honors the groom. I'm here for him. And it shows that. I'm here because
he called me. I'm one of his. I'm his guest. That's what that garment signified.
And in spiritual terms, it's the righteousness of Christ.
We come in his name. by His righteousness, by His
precious blood, by His sin offering. We come boldly before the throne
of grace, not because we have any righteousness or worthiness
in ourselves we're about to come boldly, but because we have a
high priest that came there before us on our behalf. Paul said we
come boldly in Him, because He came in our stead. That garment,
the very righteousness, when you come to Christ, Don't you
come with any goodness of your own? He said, I didn't come to
call the righteous. If you're good enough to come,
then you're not invited. He didn't call you. We come to
Christ for righteousness, not with any. Don't even come with
your faith. Come to Him for faith. Faith
is the gift of God. Don't bring your faith to the
Lord Jesus Christ, but come to Him for faith, just as I am. without one plea, but that thy
blood was shed for me, and that thou bidst me come to thee."
O Lamb of God, I come. I come. Everything's ready. Come.
Can you come like that? Or are you coming with the works
of your hands like Cain? I've been a good Christian all
my life. You're not invited. You're not invited. Number two,
come for the glory and honor of the Son. As we've noticed
already, it's for His Son. And if you're not in on that,
don't come. He didn't prepare this feast so that you'd have
something to eat. He didn't throw this thing so
that you'd have a good time. Though you shall eat and you
will enjoy it. But He did it for His Son. That's
important. If you come to Christ because
you want to go to heaven when you die, you're not coming to
Him yet. You don't know what it is to
come to Christ yet, you see. Come for the glory and honor
of the Son. Those that are chosen and called
unto this supper are blessed and happy and joyous. But the
primary consideration of God's people is not going to heaven
when they die, but to honor the Son. You come to the Son because
you love the Son and because you know that all glory is due
unto the Son. And in heaven, The saints are
not sitting around enjoying all the decadent luxuries of heaven
that men describe with angels feeding them peeled grapes and
walking on streets of gold and living in gold-plated mansions.
They're singing what we just read, worthy is the Lamb. You
see, this thing is for His Son, not for you. I'm glad I'm in
on it. But it's for His Son. And if
you're in Him, it's for you too. You see that? But He's preeminent.
Well, I come down the aisle because I wanted to go there. The preacher
said, don't you want to go to heaven before you die? That's
not salvation. Salvation is not wanting to go
to heaven when you die. Salvation is coming to Christ
and honoring the Son, that all men should honor the Son. Thirdly,
let me say this first before we look at number three. Those
bidden in verse 3 would not come. It said they would not come.
You know what that would mean? They didn't have the will to
come. They said, I will not come. Why? Because this is a feast
in honor of the Son. And men hate the Son. Well, I
don't hate the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you bowed to Him? Do you
believe on Him? Then He said, you hate Me. John
15, 18, if the world hate you, you know that it hated me before
it hated you. Who's the world? Everybody that
hadn't bowed to Christ. Everybody that hasn't believed
on the Son of God and bowed to Him, come to Him to honor Him.
They hate Him. They honor Me with their lips,
Christ said. The Pharisees did that. They
talked about the Messiah and all that and Jesus called him,
you know, rabbi, teacher, that rich young ruler, good master.
But he hated him in his heart. John 15, 24, If I had not done
among them the works which none other man did, they had not had
sin. But now have they both seen and
hated, both me and my father. What a commentary upon the depravity
of man that we hate the Son of God. and murder him in our hearts. The Lord Jesus Christ came into
this world and said that he went about everywhere doing good.
And we killed him for his trouble. And spit on him while he was
dying. If you don't see yourself doing that, you don't know what
you are before God. Look at verse 6 of our text. And the remnant took his servants
and entreated them spitefully and slew them. The only thing
that people hate more than God's law is His gospel. God's grace, sovereign, free,
effectual grace in the sovereign Savior is the most hated thing
because they hate Him. They hate His gospel. Who then
will come? If the whole world hates, all
of us by nature hate the Lord Jesus Christ, then who's going
to come? Hold that thought. We're going to get to that in
a minute. Number three, come at all costs. Leave all hindrances
behind. Those that wouldn't come, they
had many reasons why they couldn't come. They had some excuses. Don't look back. He that put
his hand to the plow and looks back is not worthy of me, Christ
said. Not worthy of me. If you can
do without Christ, you will. You will. and you'll die in your
sins. Look at Luke 14. Turn over to
Luke 14. This is another account of this
same parable in Luke. And the language is a little
different there, and I wanted you to see it. Luke 14.17, He
sent His servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden,
Come, for all things are now ready. And they all with one
consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have
bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it. Ah, the business, the cares of
this world choke out the word, don't they? I pray thee, have
me excused. And another said, I have bought
five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them. I pray thee, have
me excused. And another said, I have married
a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came and
showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house,
being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets
and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed,
and the halt, and the blind." Is that you? You see the spiritual
nature of this? Go call the poor to come in,
and they'll come. Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom. If you see yourself bankrupt
before God, and then you see Christ, you're coming to Christ. And the maimed, the halt, and
the blind, Christ told those Pharisees in John chapter 9,
if you were blind, you'd be able to see. That doesn't make any
sense, does it? It does if you understand spiritual
things. Go tell the blind to come, and
they'll come. Because if you're blind, if you realize before
God that you know nothing, are nothing, have nothing, can do
nothing, you'll come to Christ. When Christ is revealed to you,
you'll come to Him. Christ told that rich young woman,
go and sell everything you have and give it to the poor. Can't
do that. Can't do that. You see, these
all had things keeping them from coming. And it's true spiritually
too. There's something in there. the
gods that we've set up before Christ. Thou shalt have no other
gods before me. You're going to have to sell
them. You're going to have to get rid of them. And you notice Christ
didn't say, go sell everything you have and bring the money
to me. He don't need your money. Give it to the poor. And you
come with nothing and follow me. And notice the manner in
which those who refuse to come receive the call. Look at verse
5. They made light of it. They made light of it. They had
better things to do. It just didn't mean anything
to them to attend this marriage supper. The gospel call comes
to the center, and it's like that seed falling on stony ground,
isn't it? There's just not any ground there
to take root in. The preaching of the cross is
to them that perish, Paul said in 1 Corinthians what? Foolishness. They made light of it. They made
light of it. And I see sinners making light
of the gospel. As a preacher, I see that often.
But His people, what a blessing. God's people don't make light
of the gospel. Notice that one went to his farm
and another went to his merchandise. Busy about many things. Got to
make a living. Here's what you've got to do.
You've got to come to Christ. You've got to do that. Come at
all costs. That's number three. Leave it
all behind. Anything that keep you from coming
to Christ? What shall a man profit if he
gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what would you
give in exchange for your soul? What a question. Number four.
On what basis are we bidden to come? He said, My oxen and my
fatlings are killed. My dinner's ready. My oxen and
my fatlings are killed. Listen to 2 Samuel 6.12. For
time's sake, I'll read it to you. 2 Samuel 6.12, it was told
King David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-Edom
and all that pertaineth unto him because of the ark of God.
So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house
of Obed-Edom. That ark is Christ, the mercy
seat. God said, I'll meet you there.
I'll commune with sinners there at the mercy seat. They brought
that ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom into the city of
David with gladness. And it was so that when they
bare the ark of God and had gone six paces, they took six steps,
and David said, stop. And they sacrificed oxen and
fatlings to God. The king said, my oxen and my
fatlings are killed. On what basis? On the basis of
the shed blood of an innocent victim. On the basis of a sacrifice. on the basis of an offering unto
God for sin. There's one way a sinner can
come into the kingdom of God and have a right to sit at this
feast of the marriage supper of the Lamb. And that's by, in,
and because of an acceptable sacrifice satisfactory unto God
to redeem you from your sin. And that's what the oxen and
the fatlings pictured. When David offered those animals,
he was saying to God, I know that I have no right to come
into your presence or even be considered by you except in wrath
and justice, judgment, except on the basis of the blood of
the lamb, blood of an innocent victim, the blood of the substitute,
the blood of the offering that God said, when I see that blood,
I won't judge you. I won't kill you. Number five, when you come, come and put on
the garment that's been provided for you. There was one here that
didn't do that. The garment provided for sinners
at the marriage supper of the Lamb is the perfect spotless
robe of Christ's righteousness. There is no other garment in
which you can stand before God. None. To be in the presence of
the King, you've got to be as holy as He is. And there's one
way that can be. In Revelation 7.13, one of the
elders answered John, saying unto me, he said, What are these
which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said
unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are
they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed
their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. There's
only one thing that can make you white before God. Though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. How?
Washed in the blood. Unto him that loved us, John
said, and washed us from our sins in his own precious blood. Ezekiel 16, 9. Listen to this
language. We'll be through in a moment
here. God said, Then washed I thee with water. Yea, I thoroughly
washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed you with oil.
I clothed you also with broidered work, and shod thee with badger
skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered
you with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments,
and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck,
put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in your ears, and
a beautiful crown upon your head. And you were decked with gold
and silver, and your raiment was of fine linen and silk and
broidered work. Thou didst eat fine flour and
honey and oil, and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou
didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among
the heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through my comeliness,
which I had put on thee, saith the Lord." You're going to have
to come before Him in His comeliness, which He has put upon you. Look
at verses 11 and 12 of our text. When the king came in to see
the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment.
And he was speechless. He saith unto him, Friend, how
camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? And he was
speechless. Why didn't the guest say in response
to that question, Lord, give me one and I'll put it on? The question was, how did you
get in here without one on? Because everybody that come in
was given one. Well, I know why. Sinners will
not put on the righteousness of Christ. I know the spiritual
truth of this. I know why sinners will not submit
to the righteousness of Christ. Do you? It's because they have
their own. This man had some clothes on,
and he was satisfied with that. Romans 10.3, Paul said, They
being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God." The Lord Jesus Christ is our righteousness
before God. All of it. And when you submit
to Him in that, you'll know something of the righteousness of God.
And you'll have on a wedding garment. Everything's ready.
Christ is our food and our drink. You can't have a wedding feast
without food and drink. Christ said, flesh is meat indeed,
and my blood is drink indeed." He's our garment. Put on the
wedding garment. The righteousness of Christ.
He's our sin offering. The oxen and fatlings are killed.
Everything that God requires of the sinner is provided in
Christ Jesus. All things are ready. Come. Oh, everyone that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters. And he that hath no money, come
ye, buy and eat, yea, come. Buy wine and milk without money
and without price." Don't bring anything with you. Well, Brother
Chris, you've told us about coming to Christ and how to come and
about this call to come, but the text says that God bid men
to come and nobody came. Nobody came. That's exactly right. That's the spiritual truth of
it. Psalm 53, 2, God looked down from heaven upon the children
of men to see if there were any that did understand, if there
were any that did seek God. Is anybody coming to God? Every
one of them has gone back. They are all together become
filthy. There is none that doeth good,
no, not one. They would not come. They would
not come. Now look at verse 10. So those servants went out into
the highways and gathered together as many as they found, both bad
and good, church-going folk and thieves and criminals alike. And the wedding was furnished
with guests." The wedding was furnished with guests. Now listen
to Luke 14. Back to the text in Luke 14.
of this same parable. I'll read you from verse 21.
So that servant came and showed his lord these things, that they
wouldn't come. Then the master of the house, being angry, said
to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of
the city. Bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the
halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it
is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the
lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges.
and compel them to come in. You see, again, in earthly terms,
this would be a very unusual story, wouldn't it? Go out and
get them and bring them. I don't care what they're doing.
You compel them to come in. That doesn't make much sense
in an earthly story, does it? That's exactly how you came to
Christ, if you came. He said, I've loved you with
an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness
have I drawn thee. No man can come unto me except
the Father which hath sent me. Draw him." You're not coming
otherwise. God sent His messengers to go
out and He, by them, by the message that they bear, He compels sinners
to come to Him. I had somebody say to me one
time, well, what you say is not very flattering to the Lord Jesus
Christ. You're saying that God has to
force you to come. Your Christ must not be very
desirable. Oh, you don't understand at all.
You don't understand. You know how God forced me to
come to Christ? He showed Him to me. He opened
my blind eyes that I might see Him. That's how He forced me
to come. He opened my heart, as He did
Lydia's, to embrace the Son of God. And He said unto me, Look
and live. He said unto me, Behold, your
King. And I did. And I saw Him. And I've been
His ever since. He is from eternity. But now,
with all of my heart, I'm His. I'm His. Let's bow in prayer. Lord, thank You for compelling
sinners to come to the marriage feast of Your Son. Thank You
for purchasing us a seat at that table with your own precious
blood. Thank you, Lord, that when you
looked down upon us and saw that we were all together become unprofitable,
and every one of us had turned to our own way, that you didn't
leave us to ourselves, but you compelled us to come to your
Son, caused us to bow to Him. Blessed is that man whom thou
choosest and causest to approach unto thee. what debtors we are
to your free grace and may we realize it and rejoice in and
honor and glorify the son we see that you've done all things
for the glory of your son and lord by your grace we want in
on that we want to spend and be spent for his glory we pray
that you teach us reveal him to us more and more and cause
us to fall more and more in love with him And more and more desire
to honor Him in all that we do, every aspect of our lives. May our every consideration be
for His glory. And Lord, if there are those
who have not seen Him, that You've brought this way in Your good
providence and purpose, we pray Thy will be done, Lord, in it.
But we desire to see the Son honored and glorified in the
saving of sinners. We pray that you'd call them
out of darkness into your marvelous light, that you would compel
them to come in, and they'll praise you forever for it, Lord,
and we will too. In Christ's precious name we
pray, amen.