Sunday 30 March 2025

Today's scripture reading is from Acts 28, verse one to six. Once safely on sho, we found out that the island was called Malta. The Islanders showed us unusual kindness. I. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and as he put it on the fire, a viper driven out by the heat fastened itself on his hand.

When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, this man must be a murderer for though he escaped from the sea. The goddess Justice has not allowed him to live, but Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead.

But after waiting for a long time and seeing nothing unusual happened to him, they changed their minds and said he was a God.

Hello again. So we can put the, the first, uh, slide up. Thank you. So today we're gonna conclude our very long look, the Book of Acts, the story of us, and the title of our message today. Because that's the end I wanted to call it. That's all folks. Do you recognize that? Yes. It's not just me. Great. That was my childhood.

So let's pray. Father, we thank you that we've been able to journey through this story of us, how you work in the world through ordinary people, empowered by your spirit to testify to Jesus. Father, I pray one last time, speak through this story into our lives, for your glory we pray. Amen. Now I think we'd all agree it's important to finish well, yeah.

If you tell a story, you want to tell the story well because you know you have a story, you have a film. It's the last thing people remember. You wanna make sure you land the plane well. Now, who remembers this film? Anyone? A few of us. I'm crossing some generations here now. This is a boy, a film about a boy with special powers.

Anyone know what he can do? He can see dead people. Now, what people loved about this film is not, you could see dead people, but it had this thing called a plot twist. Okay? Something happens right at the very end of the film that changes everything. Yeah. Now, if you know, if you've seen, you know what I'm talking about now.

The plot twist is so good that what you want to do is go back and immediately re-watch the entire film. Yeah. That was my experience. It was a great way to end a film. Anyone seen this one? Oh, okay. You guys gotta live. This is a great film. It's called The Usual Suspects. Okay? One of these guys is actually a major crime, Lord.

Now this film too, has a twist in the tail. Literally everything changes in the final, probably not 10 seconds. The final three seconds of the film, everything, something happens just transforms the entire film. And just like the other one, what you want to do is you wanna go back to the beginning to see the clues you missed the first time round.

Now, let's flip this. Have you ever watched a film where the ending was so bad that you were left feeling cheated? Anyone done that? And you are thinking, why on earth did I waste two hours of my life on this film? That's two hours of my precious life. I'm never gonna get back. It's even worse when you go to the cinema and pay good money for it.

Now, the reality here is the end of the film, okay? You've gotta, you've gotta land. Well, everything can rise and fall on the ending. Anyone know who this guy is? Okay, you got grandchildren. You know who this guy is. Okay? This is Spider-Man. You guys know who this is? Yeah. Spider-Man. Now, in one of his films, some people were very disappointed by the ending.

So what happens is after beating the bad guys, Spider-Man's love interest, Gwen Stacey, she sent spiraling down an elevator shaft and you are thinking, but it's okay, even though she's in free fall, Spider-Man's got this. 'cause what can Spider-Man do? He can shoot webs and he can catch her and he does. And in true Hollywood style, he, he, he catches her with his web just at the, the very last moment, only millimeters from the ground.

Except as her body recoils, the head smacks back against the concrete and she's dead. And people are thinking, that's not right. This is not the way you end the film. Usually what happens is the good guy beats the bad guy. He saves the world, gets the girl, and they all live happily ever after. Yeah. We are conditioned to know how certain stories should end, and this story shouldn't end with the hero's love interest dead at the bottom of the elevator shaft.

Now today what we're gonna do is we're gonna wrap up our look at the Book of Acts, and what we're gonna see is that the ending is quite, not quite the ending we'd expect. Okay, so let's consider how Luke ends his masterpiece. In the last week, what did we see? We see Paul takes this very long boat journey to Rome, Jesus.

You must stand trial before Caesar. Jesus said it. That settles it. Okay. You think it's gonna happen smoothly and quickly, and what do we see? That's not the reality. Instead, what we get is a disaster. There's a huge storm, and Paul and his companions, they end up shipwrecked, but, and there's a very big, but there's a miracle.

Not a single man was lost that we saw this last week. Now in our reading today, we, we hear they've actually washed up on an island called Malta and Luke says. The Islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Now, what we see here is the people are friendly, but the snakes are not okay.

A viper jumps out of the fire, it itself onto Paul's hand, and the people there conclude, this man must be a murderer. This guy's guilty. He's escaped the sea, but he cannot escape the goddess justice. She's not allowing him to live. Now, this is his Greek superstition that I was talking about last week. In their minds, they're thinking, this guy, he's escaped the wrath of Poseidon, but he cannot escape lady justice.

He must be guilty of something. Every point of this long journey to Rome, we see this tension. God has promised to get him to Rome, and yet events seem to conspire against him. Okay, here we see he survives the sea only to be killed by a snake. No. Can I tell you if that's how the story's gonna end, it can't end like this.

Paul cannot die. In Malter that would not be a satisfactory ending to the story. Yeah, it'd be anticlimactic in the extreme. And what we heard in the reading from Sheba is, you know, he simply just shakes off the snake like he's swatting off a fly. And not for the first time. The people are in awe. They think this guy, he's a God.

Then in the next few verses, what you see is Paul heals one of the chief officials on the island, along with every single sick person they bring to him. And in return, Paul and his colleagues are blessed. They're furnished with the supplies they need to get to Rome. Luke says, after a few months they set sail and in verse 16, they finally get there.

Luke writes. When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live with himself, live by himself with a soldier to guard him. Then in the verses the follow, they push us to the end of Luke's story. Paul meets with some Jewish leaders. He speaks to them about the kingdom of God, and Luke writes from the law of Moses and from the prophets, he tried to persuade them about Jesus and.

Four, some believe some don't. And Luke says they're actually beginning to disagree amongst themselves. Now this is what Jewish rabbis do. They get together, they discuss ideas, something, something that, and they just disagree with one another. And then what Paul does, he quotes from the prophet Isaiah to show that even their refusal to believe has been predicted by God as if it's all according to plan.

And Luke wraps it all up by saying these words in verse 30 and 31. For two whole years, Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the Kingdom of God and talked about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. The end. That's all folks.

I. I was gonna do it the, the Porky Pig way. You know, believe that's all folks didn't do it so well. Now tell me, is this how to end one of the greatest stories told anyone reading this thinking this is a satisfactory end to the greatest story. We've spent a year and a bit looking at this and this is how we end.

Paul's banged up under house arrest. People come, some believe, some don't. The end. Let's think about this. This story, it begins with a bang, but it just seems to end with a whimper. Yeah. Think about it, chapter one, it starts with Jesus. He's been violently killed, and suddenly he's alive again. Jesus is alive.

Hallelujah. Then he ascends to heaven. He's exalted to the right hand of God. He's seated. There he is, Lord, over all the world. That's chapter one. In chapter two, we get panic. There's a sound of this violent wind. It's like a, a 7 47 descending over downtown or like a, you know, a a, a fleet of fighter jets flying through the sky.

And, and that violent, that sound of a violent, when it just draws everyone's attention. Then there's tongues of fire. You've got all these people from over, you know, the, the Roman world. They're from different places, understanding one another. 3000 people are baptized at very first day, and you're thinking, if this is the beginning, imagine how awesome the end must be.

No, not for Luke, it's just Paul under house arrest, preaching about God's kingdom. Some Jewish people come, they listen. Some believe some don't. Same old, same old. We've seen this before. Yeah. Why not write about Paul traveling to Spain? Anyone interested to know if Paul actually made it to Spain? I'm dying to know if he got there or perhaps Lou could tell us whether, you know, Paul actually got to stand trial before Caesar.

Did it get to influence the man who was seen all over the Roman world? Why end the story here? Anyone else disappointed? You know, God's doing all this great stuff throughout the Roman world, and Luke ends here with Paul under house arrest. Now you're probably old enough to remember that Clayton's ad back in the 1970s.

Anyone remember that? Clayton's, the drink you have when you're not having a drink. Now, this is the end you have when you're not having an ending. Okay? Why? Why end your story this way? Now what I wanna do this morning is I want to draw out how this ending is a fitting end to Luke's story, and then I want us to consider our place in God's bigger ongoing story.

So that's what we're gonna do today. So what I want us to do is I want us to go all the way back to the beginning of Luke's story, chapter three, verses one and two of Luke's gospel. I'll put it up. Listen to what Luke says. He situates his gospel in world history. He's the only gospel writer to do so. He says this, in the 15th year of the Reign of Tiberius Caesar, I've highlighted the names of the big guys.

15th year of the Reign of Tiberius Caesar. When Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod Tetra of Galilee during the high priesthood of Anderson Caiaphas, the word of the Lord came to John's son of Zechariah, where in the desert. Now notice all the big names that Luke drops. Okay. As I said, Luke's the only one who situates his gospel in world history, and what we see here is listing both the secular and religious authorities of his day.

He's got Caesar Tiberius Caesar. He's the guy who was Lord in the ancient world. The proclamation in Acts that Jesus is Lord is coming, you know, as a confrontation to the claim of the Romans that Caesar is Lord. Next, you've got Pilate. He rules over all Judea. You've got her King of Galilee, and then you've got the Jewish high priest.

These guys are major players in world history. You're with me. Luke then mentioned some little guy, some nobody named John son Zechariah. And Luke says the word of the Lord came to Who? Did it come to? The big guys. Did it come to Caesar? Did it come to the high priest? No, it came to him. Understand there's been 400 years of silence.

There's been no prophecy in Israel for over, you know, four centuries. And now the word of the Lord has come. The God of the universe is about to speak, not through the rulers of the Roman Empire, not through Herod the king, not even through the high priest, but through some nobody called John. And this little guy, this nobody, he gets the privilege of announcing the coming of the long awaited Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Are you getting this? God is about to do something new in this world. God's doing something new. He's about to tip the world upside down, and it's not gonna come through the corridors of religious power. It's not coming through the movers and shakers of the Roman world. Rather, it's gonna, you know, it's gonna begin here, right here through some, nobody in the desert.

Now think about this. If I asked you if you want to change the world, where would you start? If you could change the world, where would you start? I think most of us would say we start with the White House or maybe Hollywood. You know, rub shoulders with the rich and famous. If you wanna change the world, you'd naturally go to the people who matter.

Yeah. You go to the people with power and influence the people that can sway people. Can I tell you God doesn't work that way? God uses little people. Are you saying this? He uses people like you and people like me. I do that the opposite way. People like you and people like me. I was gonna say losers like me and losers like you.

God uses broken people who don't have it all together. Is that true? And what we see in Luke's gospel is that Jesus comes and what does he do? He spends his time hanging out with all the wrong people. He's with the marginalized, the poor women. Tax collectors, prostitutes, the people on the fringe. And it begins here in the desert of all places.

God's changing the world about to when it starts the desert through some nobody. And what we see is we read on it moves from the desert, you know, sorry, moves from the desert, and it moves to a place called Galilee of the Gentiles. Do you get that gal, not just Galilee, but Galilee of the Gentiles, A place that's considered what?

Unclean. It's full of those pagan pig dog, gentiles. People that don't know God. God's doing something new in Israel and it's far from the bright lights of Jerusalem and the religious power. Instead, it's in this place that people say Galilee unclean. Imagine if Jesus was born in Perth, we'd like to put him somewhere.

Which suburb would we put Jesus in if he was born in Perth? Armadale Gwin. I mean, we'd like to imagine he's hobnobbing with the rich and powerful in Apple Cross and Del Keith. But the reality is he's likely in Armadale in places like Ger Wang. And as you read through Luke, we see that this movement that begins on the fringe, eventually it makes its way to the center.

Okay, I'm gonna develop something here in Luke, chapter nine. Jesus begins a long journey to Jerusalem, 10 whole chapters. Jesus sets his face resolutely to Jerusalem. It takes him 10 long chapters to get there. Okay, it's in Jerusalem. He's gonna fulfill his mission of going to the cross, and Luke ends his gospel in Jerusalem.

He's the only gospel right to do so. Let me read his final words. When Jesus had led them out of the vicinity of Bethany, now Jesus has died. He's risen again. He leads them out to Bethany. He lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

They stayed continually at the temple praising God. So what we see is Luke's gospel that begins on the fringe of Israel in Galilee. It ends in the very heart of Israel. What we see here in this text, disciples of Jesus are worshiping him in the temple. Okay? The worship of Jesus has penetrated the place of influence.

Now I'm developing something here. Acts also follows this very same pattern. It begins in Jerusalem, which understand we look at Jerusalem, we say it's the city of God. It's an important strategic city. Not for them. It wasn't. If you are Roman, in the ancient world, it was just some insignificant place on the fringe of the mighty Roman empire.

It's nothing place for them. That's where it begins on the fringe and it ends in Rome, the place of influence. And just like Jesus, Paul also takes a very long journey to get there. The journey is dangerous. It's perilous, but God gets him to the place where he fulfill his mission, which is what penetrating the very heart of Rome with the good news about Jesus Christ.

Okay, now, for those who are having trouble visualizing this, let me show this PowerPoint. You can see the pattern that Luke follows. Luke's gospel starts in Galilee, which is the fringe. Jesus takes a long journey to Jerusalem. The center goes to the cross mission fulfilled same in Acts, starts in Jerusalem, the fringe of the whole mighty Roman empire.

Paul takes a long journey to Rome, the center he the kingdom mission fulfilled. Can you see this? This is how Acts Chapter 28 can be a successful ending for Luke's story. What we're seeing here is this movement that changes the world, it begins on the outside, begins on the fringe, and it makes its way to the center.

Have you got that? Is that clear? Have I made it clear enough now? I think there's a lesson here for us when we think about changing the world, how many of us would want to go straight to the top? I. Milton changed the world, and Milt says, yep, I'm going straight to the top. I'm gonna start big and I'm gonna work my way down.

Can I tell you, God rarely works this way in the world? Who's the most important man? Who ever lived? Jesus. He's the most important man who ever lived, and he spent most of his time with a handful of uneducated nobodies from the backwaters of Galilee. Let me say this in your bid to change the world, don't neglect the little people.

Yeah, don't neglect the little people and don't neglect going to little places, places that people might look and say, you can't go there, brother. That place is unclean. You're gonna get your hands dirty. Those people are too little and insignificant. If you think like that, you're going against the very way God works in this world.

Are you with me? There's no little people in God's economy. Jim Simla. I think some of us have heard of Jim Simla. I've written an awesome book. It's called Fresh Wind, fresh Fire. He's the pastor of a church in New York called the Brooklyn Tabernacle. Now he tells this wonderful story in his book. Now understand this is a church with over 10,000 members.

Two, three, few more than us. The auditorium sits 3000 people alone. They've gotta have multiple services throughout the weekend just to fit everyone in. Okay? Now, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, they've won six Grammy awards and they actually had the privilege of singing at the 2013 inauguration of President Barack Obama.

So we're talking about a group of people moving in big circles, and yet what we're gonna see is they don't neglect the little people who dwell in unclean places. So Jim Sinah tells this story. He says one of their ministries was to mail prostitutes on the streets of Manhattan. Some of us are already switched off.

Not me, Lord. Don't send me, send them. Okay. We're talking here. Men who dress in drag and sel themselves to wealthy professionals. Okay. Jim says most of them were raped as boys by male relatives. They usually hit the streets around age 16, but rarely make it past the age of 40. Okay. They either end up in jail or dead from a drug overdose or a sexually transmitted disease.

This is not a good life, okay? You don't go into this sort of life unless you've been dealt to, you know, a very rough hand. Jim Simba says most of the money they earned was used on drugs, and so they'd end up sleeping on the streets and switching through the, the, you know, the rubbish bins. The garbage bins for, for, for, for food.

And so they would send an outreach team, they'd supply them with food and blankets, and they try to share the gospel with them. At one point, Jim Simba's daughter says, dad, we go, we, we serve, we give them what they need. We try to share the gospel. We're about to make a breakthrough. Then a limousine pulls up, it's payday.

Some guy's about to earn some money by selling his, his body. We need a chance to share the gospel. So they go to them, but eventually they said, let's bring them to us. One day her bus brought 27 of them to church. Now, as you can imagine, they stood out, okay, imagine a male prostitute coming into this church.

He's gonna stand out. And he said, Jim says they, they didn't look like your average church go, and they certainly didn't smell like your average church goer. And Jim Sinis says, here I am. I'm walking down the center aisle of the church. And he, he bumped into what he thought was this attractive young woman in a black dress, fishnet stockings, and eye heels, except that it wasn't a woman was a transvestite named Ricardo.

Now, apparently he was the worst of the bunch. He was the one who supplied crack cocaine to the younger guys and then introduced them to prostitution. For months. He attended different church meetings. They said, you are welcome here to belong. Would we be okay with this? You're welcome to belong. You're welcome to come and hear about Jesus.

People were patient with him. People didn't judge him, and people prayed for him eventually. What appealed to Ricardo was this idea that the power of God was what he needed to break years of drug addiction and homosexuality. And Sinah writes, Ricardo had come out of Pitch Blackness and into the light.

Charles Spurgeon once said that when a jeweler shows his best diamonds, he sets them against a black velvet backdrop. The contrast of the jewels against the dark velvet brings out the lust of the shine. In the same way God does his most stunning work where things seem hopeless, wherever there is pain, suffering, and desperation, you'll find Jesus, and that's where his people belong.

Among those who are vulnerable and think that nobody cares, what better place for the brilliance of Jesus to shine? Can I hear an amen? Amen. I know there are people here that go out and, and are meeting with people in desperate need. Can I encourage you to do so more and more? That's where you'll find Jesus If you want to change the world, don't think you'll do it by starting big and starting at the top.

That's not where Jesus began. Okay. This Jesus movement, it began on the fringe and it slowly worked its way to the center. Okay? Don't be afraid of getting your hands dirty, okay? Because you're out in the fringe. 'cause that's where you're gonna meet and find Jesus. Yeah. Luke closes acts in a very interesting way.

He says, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God. And talk about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. Now look at this final word without hindrance. It's one word in the Greek text. Paul is under house arrest, he's in chains, and Luke says he's preaching unhindered. Are you picturing this?

Is that what unhindered looks like for you? I think Luke and I have very different, very different definitions of what this word unhindered means to me. Unhindered would be Paul arguing persuasively in the Roman Senate, that Jesus Christ is Lord in front of Caesar. That would be unhindered. So what's Luke trying to tell us?

He's telling us that Paul might be chained, but God's word is not. Yeah. Paul might be chained, but God's word is not. Because here's the thing, it's not about God's servants and their position. It's about God himself. Are we okay with this? It's not about God's servants. It's not about their position. It's about God and His work continues to this day.

Unhindered. You cannot chain God. I think that's what Luke's trying to tell us by putting this word last. Paul May be under house arrest. But he's still fulfilling God's mission. You can look at this picture and it looks like him is in control, but in reality, Luke is saying, God is. That's what this final word is telling us.

Despite all appearances to the contrary, Luke is telling us with his very last word, that our God reigns and that he's in control. Is that something you believe? Okay, you can look at this situation in the natural, and it's clear Rome rules. You're a messenger of God. You are chained up. We dictate where you go and what you say.

It looks like Rome is in charge. It looks like they rule, and Luke says, no, Paul May be in chained, but God's work is unhindered.

You know, as Christians, it can be so easy to see all that's wrong with this world and loose heart. Yeah. It can be overwhelming at times. We want the world to change and we want it to change now. Is that true? Let's be honest. Who doesn't have a heart for thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth now.

Jesus, do it now. I. Amen. You know, I remember being a young, naive Christian. I was so full of fire, but man, I lacked some zeal. And I thought, here I am, God, you've been waiting for me. I'm here to change the world for Jesus. And I'm thinking, I dunno how things got this far without me. But as time went on, I began to realize just how slow change can be.

And here's the thing, if change is this slow in me, how much more in the whole world? Do you know? It can be so easy. We can pray, we can see all the brokenness around us and just be completely overwhelmed. So many times I've thought the problems in the world are too big, they're too complex. What's the point?

Who am I? What can I do? I can't change the world, so why even bother? May as well stay in bed. What difference can I make in a big world with big needs when everything I have seems, you know, everything I have to offer seems so small and inadequate. Yeah. Do you ever feel that way? Who am I? I'm trying to make a difference, Lord.

But Willie am I. Let me encourage you with this story of the starfish on the seashore. Anyone familiar with this one? Let me retell it. There's a young boy walking on a beach. Thousands of starfish have been, you know, washed up on the, the shore because of a storm. When he comes across a starfish like this, he pick it up, throw it back in the water he's been doing it for, for some time.

Suddenly a man approaches him. Now children are innocent. Children think I can make a difference, and here's this man, and he says, little boy, what do you think you're doing? Little boy just looks up at him sheepishly and says, I'm throwing these starfish back into the sea. Can't you see the tides going out?

If I don't throw them back, they'll die. And the man says, but look at this seashore. Look at how wide it is. Look at how big it is. Look at how many starfish they are. You can't possibly save all these starfish. You can't possibly begin to think you're gonna make a difference. This poor little boy, he's crushed.

His innocence has been burst. Then after a few moments, he bends down. You know, what does he do? He picks up another starfish. He hurls it as far as he can into the sea. Then he looks at the man and says, well, I made a difference to that one. Let me say this. You don't have to save the world. You don't have to do that.

That's Jesus' job. He's the Messiah that job's already taken. Okay? If you have that burden, lose it. But can I encourage you? You can make a difference in the world. One starfish at a time. One Ricardo at a time. Believe that God is in control. Step out and do even little things do for one what you wish you could do for many.

Yeah. Paul's under house arrest and so he's doing all he can do. Remember what Jesus said? He said, the kingdom comes small like a mustard seed and it grows, and one day it will fill the whole earth. That's the promise Jesus is telling us right from the beginning that change takes time. But here's the good thing God takes, even the little things we do when he makes them grow.

Do you believe that? Because if you don't, you may as well stay in bed. You'll be crushed under the weight. Believe that God will grow those things we plant. Let me close with the real end of Acts, the beginning of our story. The disciples met with the res risen Jesus, chapter one, and they ask him. Lord, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?

Okay. They knew. They knew Jesus has died. They know that Jesus dying can't be the end of his story. So now that you're alive, Jesus, wrap things up. Restore the kingdom to Israel. You weren't meant to die. We didn't expect that, but it happened. Now you're alive. Bring about the end. Change the world, Jesus.

Change it now. That's what they're saying. Now this word restore that I've highlighted, it refers to fixing something that is broken, okay? And this is everything that the, the Hebrew prophets spoke about. They spoke of a time when Messiah would come. He'd put the whole world right and bring about this age of peace and justice, this everlasting age of peace and shalom.

And at that time, God's gonna pour out his spirit. He's gonna put an end to sin, sickness, and death. God will be king. And we, his people are gonna live happily ever after. Hallelujah. And that's what the disciples they're asking for, bring it about. Now, Jesus bring that change now. And Jesus basically says, you guys don't get this.

Okay. This is how the story ends, but the end is yet to come. Jesus then ascends to heaven. The Holy Spirit comes. And after Pentecost, you know, the one who leads them into all truth. We see this change in their thinking. In Acts chapter three, Peter heals a man who was lame from birth. And if you can probably remember when I shared this sermon, Peter explains how this miracle is a sign that God will one day heal all the brokenness in this world.

And, and Peter says. Jesus must remain in heaven until the time comes for him to restore all things as God promised long ago through his holy pro prophets. This is the real end to the story. God, God knows all the, the challenges, the trials, the struggles we go through, but we do it knowing that one day Jesus will come back.

And when the king comes, he will restore all things. Jesus is gonna come and fix all the brokenness we see and experience. This is good news. Yeah. All the brokenness in our lives, the brokenness in our relationships, in our homes, in the nations. Jesus will restore all things, will fix all brokenness. Okay.

This is an ending that is guaranteed not to disappoint. Until that time comes, God works. God's work goes on. That's what Acts chapter 29 is about. That's the unwritten story that's still unfolding us as we work and wait in light of that final day when King Jesus returns. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you that we can know the end from the beginning. Jesus will one day return and that day will be glorious. Every tear wiped away, sin and death and sickness destroyed, completely overcome. This world transformed into the place you want it to be. Our lives transformed into that which you want it to be.

Us being like Jesus. Until that day, maybe we continue to bear witness. Holy Spirit, come empower us to be your witnesses, not just in the the big places, the good places, the clean places, but out on the fringe where the spirit of God is at work in lives that are broken and need the, the glory of Jesus to be revealed.

Father, use us as a people. Use us as a church for your glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

That's all folks.