In this sermon, Pastor Babij investigates Jesus’ teaching about being His true follower in Mark 10:28-31. This teaching comes right after Jesus’ conversation with the rich young ruler. Pastor Babij explains that true discipleship to Jesus 1.) has a cost, 2.) has a reward, and 3.) has an irony.
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okay let’s take our Bibles this morning and turn to Mark the gospel of Mark chapter 10 the gospel of Mark chapter 10 beginning at verse 28 through 31 this morning let us pray Lord this morning as we come before you as your people we are appreciative lord of the word of God that we have available to us and I pray Lord that as we continue to study through the gospel of Mark that it would really take hold of our heart so Lord that we would understand what it means to follow you and then what it means to be be a true disciple and what it means to serve you and I pray Lord that you would become our ultimate example and I ask you Lord that you would make us all people who have servants hearts and I pray this in Christ’s name amen as we come to this section here in in Mark chap 10 ver 28 what we give up as a sacrifice in this life because specifically because of following Jesus is actually given serious consideration by the Lord himself after the Rich Young Ruler walked away and the disciples were faced with the impossibility of Salvation by works of any kind knowing that only God could do the impossible the disciples concern now shifted to assurances of eternal life and reward for the sacrifices made by them in order to follow Christ see the disciples had left their homes they left their families they left their communities they left their businesses in order to follow Jesus Christ now this morning Christians must never forget that real discipleship is both costly and yet rewarding it’s costly and yet rewarding so this morning I want to look at that from our text and flesh that out so we can get a better understanding of how the disciples the original disciples understood it and how we can understand it today in our daily lives and the first thing I want you to notice is that there is a cost connected with real discipleship meaning that it is costly discipleship trumps are priority and demands actually new ones in verse number 28 of Mark 10 it says Peter began to say to him behold we have left everything to follow you now Peter of course is emphasizing we have left everything to follow you the disciples have been following Jesus now for over two years since their original call that Jesus gave to them and of course remember the original call was a radical call to obedience if you take your Bibles back and and you go back to Mark chapter 1 I want you to turn there because that’s where it all started in Mark chapter 1 this is the original call in verse number 16 at least of some of the disciples it says as he was going along the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen in verse 17 and Jesus said to them follow me and I will make you become Fishers of Men and then in verse number 18 of chapter 1 it says immediately they left their Nets and followed him now Jesus saysf follow me and become my disciples become my Learners be my students become servants and I will cause you to be Fishers of Men In fact in verse number 19 it says follow me and I will make you become fishes of men going a little farther he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother who were also in the the boat mending Nets now the fact back then that James and John were Partners in their father zeb’s business shows he must have had a profitable business if he could hire workers so the departure of sons did not necessarily impoverish him but it sure did bother him at least seven of our Lord’s disciples were professional fishermen that means they made their living by fishing in verse number 20 of Mark chap 1 it says immediately he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with his hired servants and went away and followed him now so Peter Andrew James and John and met Jesus and trusted him some months before but this was their call to full-time ministry as disciples and the process of becoming a disciple is to show how slow and painful and heart-wrenching the process actually is the Lord has to take a sinner and make them into one of his followers so Christ called them away from their boats away from their Nets away from in somewhat a lucrative family fishing Enterprise and Luke and also Mark record that they had left everything to follow Jesus that is the demonstrated authority of Christ took precedent over the authority of the father and the demands of a family business they’re for the fisherman fors forsook all to follow Christ now notice then that Jesus call to discipleship is really disruptive it is a call it is really an allout call Jesus wants priority over careers he wants priority over family and then Jesus wants or demands new priorities so Jesus is saying knowing me and loving me and resembling me and serving me must become the Supreme passion of your life if you’re going to be a real disciple and then everything else come second in fact you know the passage of scripture Luke records it like this in Luke chapter 14 if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters yet even his own life cannot be my disciple whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple so how is Jesus calling us to hate because he is well comparatively he says I want you to follow me so fully so intensely so enduringly that all the other attachments in your life all the other relationships in your life all the other commitments in your life should look like hate by comparison in other words a disciple is someone who grows to the place that he has such an intense love for Jesus Christ that everything else looks like hate everything else looks like second place and that’s exactly the way it should look so see that’s the costly part of being a disciple now if you are thinking listen I’ll I’ll obey Jesus when I get every all my ducks in a row or I’ll obey Jesus when I have good health or I’ll obey Jesus when I finish you know doing what I’m doing in my life going to school or working you know I’ll serve Jesus when I find a a spouse and get married I’ll serve Jesus when I get my family all together well if someone’s thinking like that then their real master is not Jesus their real master is really themsel Jesus is actually in second place not in first place and and don’t ever forget this when we think about discipleship Jesus left his father’s home in glory Jesus had no place on Earth to call him uh to lay his head down and call home Jesus At The Cross was ripped from the presence of the father one of the darkest moment in all human history in all history history as far as eternity is concerned and Jesus was crushed for us in every way possible so we can be saved so Jesus is really not asking us to do anything that he has not already done for us Jesus is still saying follow me become my disciples be my students learn from me become my servants and of course I will make you what you never thought you could be and only as Jesus is followed can he be known to learn learn and to do can only be learned and be done as we follow Jesus Christ there’s nothing that will make you grow more than following Jesus every single day of your life where he’s first where he’s the reason why you’re living so today Jesus Christ still extends that call to us he still calls us to believe he calls us to repent he calls us to follow him he calls us to make this commitment following Jesus Christ will always be accompanied by some level of sacrifice all right now if you look back at Mark chapter 10 you’ll notice in again in in what Peter asked Jesus after the Rich Young Ruler walked away he said this behold we have left everything to follow you now that means there their costly disciple ship really presents a dilemma for all of us if we’re serious about following Christ and here’s the Dilemma is it worth it to follow Christ in the long run is it worth it to follow Christ see the us Peter is saying us disciples did not walk away like the Rich Young Ruler we left many things to follow you and we are still following you so there’s a question in other words in the statement he’s making what’s in it for us have you asked ever asked that question as a Believer what’s in it for you being being a believer were coming to know Christ and some of the changes that happen when you do come to know Christ have you ever asked a question is it worth it what’s in it for me matter of fact the gospel of Mark records this same section this way it says then Peter answered and said to him behold we have left everything to follow you what then will were what then will there be for us see there’s nothing wrong as I look at it with that question in fact from time to time many disciples of Jesus Christ have asked that same question and I know that you have because I have is it worth it to follow Jesus that’s what Peter was really saying to Jesus he’s asking the question question and he’s asking it from the depth of his heart in fact the question has some urgency to it and what how does Jesus answer him and this this has becomes the very unique thing in scripture how does Jesus answer that question well look how he answers it he really says to this to Peter and his disciples there is reward connected to real discipleship and look how he anwers so Jesus assures his faithful followers that there will be great re reward beyond all computation there’ll be compensation for your sacrifice look what it says in verse number 29 of Mark chapter 10 and Jesus said truly I say to you there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or Farm Ms for my sake and for the gospel’s sake and then verse number 30 but that he will receive and let me just stop right there now notice that these sacrificial departures have been made for very specific reasons and there’s two of them but there’s actually one of them that you leave something for jesus’ sake and then you leave something for the gospel sake that’s the reason why you leave something or depart from something that you may even love for the sake of following Jesus and it shows that the outer Act of separation from people and others other things was because the inward Act of loving Jesus and his message was of Greater significance than anything or anyone else see that is key to understanding True Discipleship now remember that Christianity is not advice it’s good news so if you treat it as advice well then you can take it or leave it but if you take Christianity as gospel as the good news of of God to man that that actually brings Joy to us than news that is lifechanging and future altering then cannot be ignored the gospel is that God connects to you not on the basis of what you’ve done or haven’t done but on the basis of what Jesus has done in history for us see that’s how Jesus connects himself to us so see Jesus is a good master and so so we should serve him Faithfully so that means that there is Jesus said there is reward for service there’s reward for following me all right now let’s look at that in verse number 30 all right now he says actually three things here in verse number 30 about reward he says number one there’s present reward look what it says in verse uh number 30 but he will receive a 100 times as much now in the present age now that’s encouraging uh and what what does he say in verse number 30 he’ll receive in this present age houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and Farms now of course this is a hyperbolic statement a hundred times is really it’s going to be a vast amount that if you have left this or that houses brothers sisters mothers children farms and Matthew and Luke include wives nobody will leave everything but every disciple will leave or lose something when they follow Jesus Christ the Jews often refer to time as this age and the age to come so that was definitely in the minds of the disciples that the the Jews as they thought of time the reward Jesus is talking about has a present aspect to it a local aspect to it in this present short season of Life there will be a replacement of what was lost to the highest degree and there is now there is no one now or at any time who after making the sacrifice shall not receive jesus’ abounding reward now what is he talking about see Christianity for example brings with it a far greater and wider family in which we have all have Christ in common we as members of the family of God have far more spiritual family relationships than we ever had before just think of it you and I must admit that our Christian family is much larger and often much intimate and more deep than we have even with our family our biological family right our physical family in fact I know more people because I’m a Christian than I ever would if I got stuck in my little town and never left I know people all over the country all over the world because I’m a Believer and I can go there and we have a common ground a common Bond and that common bond is really twofold Jesus and the gospel right so it it’s amazing that the Lord is saying listen you may have lost some of your family members when you became a Believer some of them matter of fact in my case many of them uh didn’t have much to do with me when I mentioned I had trusted Christ as my Lord and Savior and I’m no longer doing what you’re doing religiously I’m following Christ it was it was quite an earthquake in my family in fact I was so excited about it I shared it with all my friends well I they don’t talk to me anymore they haven’t since and I shared the gospel with them but you know how that goes right so we do lose something when we become Believers uh sometimes spouses walk away because people become Believers sometimes children walk away because we become Believers sometimes people lose their jobs because for one reason because they’ve become a Believer uh more so in other countries than our country but in nonetheless it is the case that that’s what happens so we have more family when we become Believers and we have a worldwide family and an eternal family than we would ever have if we did not become Believers in fact if if we look through the scriptures go back to Mark chapter 3 for a minute and I want you to notice I want you to look at this passage in in of that what what Jesus actually said to the crowd in Mark 3 and notice in verse number 31 it says and his mother Mark 3:31 and his mother and his brothers arrived and standing outside they sent word to him and called him verse 32 and a multitude was sitting around him and they said to him behold your mother and your brothers are Outside Looking For You Verse 33 answering them he said who are my mother and my brothers and looking about at those who were sitting around him he said behold my mother and my brothers for whoever does the will of God he is my brother and sister and mother see those are the ones that become our real connection when we become Believers we do lose something but we gain way much more as far as our family is concerned in fact in other passages without turning there in John 19 it says he said to his disciples that John said behold your mother remember at the cross from now from this hour the disciple took her into his house Jesus said take my mother Mary into your home John and he did all right and then in Romans 16 it says greet Rufus a choice man the Lord also his mother and mine Paul was saying that rufus’s mother was like my mother so see many things happen like this Paul said to the young Timothy to Timothy my true child in the faith all right and then he said about philimon I appeal to you for my child whom I have begotten in imprisonment Paul witnessed to onimus or or phiman and he became a Believer and so he’s writing to the owner uh of phiman saying listen I want him to Christ you know me and he’s making a reference to that but see there’s a connection both physically and spiritually and a blessing that comes because we’re Believers all right but a second thing Jesus go back to Mark chapter 10 notice that Jesus adds something to the reality of our own present situation as disciples yes he said there will be present reward but notice in verse number 30 he says this but that he will receive a 100 times as much now in this present age houses brothers sisters mothers children Farms along with persecutions along with persecutions now why does he put that there well well this is the Paradox the reality and the honesty of the call of a real disciple Jesus right up front never offers his disciples an easy Road he never says listen come on and ride this wave with me and we’re going to have no problems until we get to the beach no he said listen as a disciple you will have reward but you it will be coupled with persecution right we live in a sin-filled world a dying world a world that needs Christ needs the gospel and so Jesus he puts before those who will repent of their sins and believe in him as their lord and savior he says there will be a CA some loss some suffering some un un comfortable uneasiness some humbling of yourself some killing of your passions and desires and personal goals you’ll have some loss because you’re my disciple so don’t think it’s strange when fiery Trials come into your life James says right don’t think it’s unusual when the rug is pulled out from underneath you all has not been lost eternally nor in your relationship with Christ but the trouble the circumstances could get difficult but it’s always a test for our faith it’s the test to find out who we are how much do we know how much do we love Christ how much have we left go of our possessions and the goals and the desires that we have for this life see how much have we done that that’s what trials will do and once we come out of those trials and we’re Tried by those trials we’re going to come forth is gold and all the dross and the impurities in the gold are going to be skimmed off because of those trials and we’re going to continue to walk with Christ we’re going we’re going to continue to serve Christ so there will be present troubles matter of fact uh don’t forget that of the three conditions that of the path of True Discipleship that were already covered in the gospel of Mark chapter 8 where Jesus said uh in chapter 8:34 and he summoned the multitude of his disciples and said to him if anyone wishes to come after me what what would what was he supposed to do well the cost of discipleship was to deny himself all right that’s the cost of discipleship that means to turn off or disown yourself your sinful self the person who has their own interest at the center and not God’s interest and that’s all of us when we before we become Believers so self-denial really takes shape in many ways and I back then I mentioned some of those ways for some it may be leaving job and family as disciples have done or it could be for the proud it may mean renouncing the desires uh the desire for status and honor for the greedy it could mean renouncing the appetite for wealth for the complacent it could mean renouncing the way of ease for the fainthearted it could it could mean abandoning the craving for security or for the violent person it may mean repudiating any desire or any uh action for Revenge because they’re a Believer they’re changed and then Jesus said then take up your cross take up his cross and follow me and remember the cross was always meant that someone was going to die it was a place of crucifixion it was an instrumentality of death uh and dehumanization and shame that’s what the cross was about so like his Lord each disciple must bear his own cross and it is the shame and the suffering a disciple assumes because because of his relationship to Jesus Christ so Jesus goes to his death and all his disciples who follow behind him must also face death to self if you want to follow me do not expect an easy time Jesus is saying so a Believer follows behind Christ and bears the cross and as they bear the cross they feel the weight of the cross the pain of the cross the conflict of The Cross and when they learn and are willing a willing disciple of Jesus Christ they’re going to learn very quickly soon as they Endeavor to hold fast the truth they’re going to have a problem soon as they Endeavor to practice putting off sin and mortifying the Deeds of the body they’re going to have a problem soon as they Endeavor to live righteously in the middle of a wicked and immoral and willful generation they’re going to have a problem right soon as they Endeavor to hold the faith which the world ridicules and as too restrictive and and too narrow and too foolish soon as they do that they’re going to feel the weight of the Cross they’re going to feel the cost of a discipleship when they Endeavor to put on the Armor of God and stand up against the Ws the schemes the deceptions of the devil they’re going to feel the weight of the Cross see when they Endeavor to live differently that is a Godly and a holy life than the normal standard of the world they are going to feel the weight of the Cross when they Endeavor to lose their lives and if needful for the sake of Christ in the gospel they’re going to feel the weight of the Cross and maybe the sharp blade of a sword because they will not they will not deny the one they truly love and the one that they truly have followed with their whole heart so see the Lord is saying listen there’s going to be reward but along with that reward is going to be persecutions sufferings trials all right he tells us that upfront and you know what many people they get to a point in their Christian Life say I didn’t sign up for this I I had my my life was way more peaceful as an unbeliever I had more fun as an un unbeliev unbeliever I I didn’t sign up for this stuff right but see a real disciple un sees past all that all right and not only that because a real disciple has a future perspective of life that’s what he does in fact that’s what Jesus says look at back chapter 10 verse number 30 the last part of the verse it says this and in the age to come look at the last part of verse 30 in the age to come eternal life he says yes you’re going to have present reward in the multiplication of your Christian family you’re going to have persecutions while you live in this world but you’re going to have the peace and the joy of God too and then in the age to come you’re going to have eternal life with Jesus Christ which is really this vast unending season of existence distance with God with all the without all the hindrances that we experience here with no persecution no crying no death all those things like it says in Revelation see eternal life is not a reward for forsaking outward relations or inward affections or enduring difficulties for Christ’s sake eternal life is always and only out of the mercy and the pure grace of God everywhere you’re looking scripture it always gives that sense like in Romans chapter 6 it says now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God to derive your benefit resulting in sanctification and the outcome eternal life and then the next passage which we all know for the wages of sin is what death the free gift of God is what eternal life through Jesus Christ so this is not a gift that this is not something earned by us is something given to us freely and so again we serve God as a disciple with gratitude with thankfulness we didn’t deserve this gift but we have it because Christ bring the gospel to us opened our eyes granted us faith faith of repentance and we followed him and has it been difficult to follow him yes it has but don’t think that’s strange because there’s a lot the flesh the world Satan you’re swimming up Street man as a disciple of Jesus Christ and it’s really I don’t know if you ever swam against the current of the ocean or when you go around a pool and you make that whirlpool and then You’ turn around and go the other way it’s not easy to swim against the current but remember we’re swimming against the current with the power of God with the Holy Spirit indwelling us see we already have the Victory and so that is where the blessing comes comes from so the reward is certain during our Earthly lives and will be fully paid out in the life to come that means the full reward and payment to Believers is not going to happen now we have to wait for that we have part of it that comes to us but we have to wait for it it’s going to come and the Lord’s actually this is a promise here he is saying listen this is important for you to know yes future reward in the yet future Messianic age when the fullness of the kingdom of God is going to be realized by all of us and we’re going to be there and we’re going to be there in resurrected bodies and we’re going to be there enjoying enjoying the Lord that’s what we’re going to be there doing matter of fact if you think about that for a moment one of the most intriguing things things about being a disciple of Jesus Christ is that there is a glorious future for all his followers that our future specifically will include things only jesus’ disciples will hope for and enjoy the world doesn’t hope for enjoy these things and what are they here’s one of them to be with Christ why would any anybody want to be with Christ in eternity if you don’t want to be with them here doesn’t make any it doesn’t connect right in fact it says in scripture in John 14 remember what he told his disciples if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself and where I am there you may be what also see that is the hope of a believer that Christ will be there I am looking forward to seeing him and not only that when we get there we want to behold his face it says in Psalm 17 you may have missed this Psalm while reading it it says as for me I Shall Behold your face in righteousness I will be satisfied with your likeness When I Wake we will be satisfied with the face of Jesus Christ because believe me if you made it into the presence of Jesus Christ that means all the condemnation and all the obstacles to prevent you from being there have been removed and you are going to be there forever and then there’s another thing is that we’re going to be there to Behold The Glory of Christ you know right now all the glory of God is is veiled somewhat we only see the glory of God in in a in a glimpse in a shadow but someday we are going to see Jesus Christ in all his glory and I believe we’re going to be blown away it says remember what Jesus prayed in John 17 father he said I desire that they also whom thou has given me be with me where I am in order that they may behold my glory which you have given me for thou this love me before the foundation of the world world see we are going to heaven to behold the vast glory of God in its fullness in resurrected bodies and not only that the Bible also tells us we’re not only going to see that Glory but we all we’re going to be glorified in him where it tells us in uh another passage of scripture in Romans 8 it says and if children heirs also Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with him in order that we also may be glorified with him and then not only that but we are going to heaven to reign with Christ for it tells us in Timothy we shall also reign with him and then we’re going to inherit all things because we are in Christ Acts chapter 26 tells us that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been Sanctified by faith in me and then of course Daniel says that all those who have been made righteous will shine like the brightness of the Stars see all these things are in scripture for for a very specific reason so that we would get this sense yes discipleship has a cost to it but it is worth it there is a future and a glory for us that can’t even literally be fully Divine uh defined by us as in terms there is there is a waiting for us and as God tells us the truth then we are of course anticipating that truth every day of our life as the pressure bills and as Trials come we are continuing to allow the Lord to teach us what it means to be a disciple and then there’s one last thing I want you to notice in Mark chapter 10 in verse number 31 and it’s this that there is an irony surrounding real discipleship an irony all right and what is that irony look what it says in verse uh 31 but many who are first will be last and the last first see the results may be quite different than anyone would expect and the reason why is because God is the final judge God’s judgment is going to upset the cart when we get there so what we think we should hold on to we should not see we Disciples of Christ need to distinguish between what is necessary to hold on to and what is not necessary to hold on to we need to see things from God’s perspective we need to ask ourselves from God’s perspective to hold on on to Pride and to hold on to stuff and to hold on to status and to hold on to our positions would actually be foolish in the light of being a true disciples and maybe having lost many things but the offer he gives us for reward Shadows all those things there was a story written by a woman named Annie Dillard about an ill-fated Franklin exposition to The Frigid Arctic in 1845 and really this story displayed how foolishly and Ill prepared people could be about the future because they want both The Best of Both Worlds see this particular Expedition prepared for the the cruise with extravagance the Explorers made rooms uh that explorers actually made room on their ships for a large Library a hand organ China play settings cut glass wine goblets sterling silver flatware was engraved with individual officers initials and F the family crest when the ship got into trouble in the ice of The Frigid Arctic uh search parties found clumps of bodies of men who had set off to walk for help on the ice when their supplies ran out one skeleton wore this fine blue cloth uniform edged with silk braid hardly a match for the bitter arctic cold another apparently chose to carry with him a play setting of Sterling silver flat wear we must have what must that person have been thinking to take sterling silver flatwork after to get some help what must have that person been thinking to set take sterling silver table wear to search for food see one cannot imagine that any of these sailors any any of these adventurers would have said as they near death on the Frozen landscape I wish I had brought more silver play settings see it sounds foolish but i’ say this that very many people prepare for eternity just like that they don’t prepare actually at all they live their whole lives accumulating stuff in Gathering wealth and doing things that they always wanted to do and yet Christ if Christ was was even in the mix at all was always second third fourth place never first so see our hanging on to things that are ultimately useless will look no less foolish if we do the same many cannot Envision life without things that they cherish they they really can’t Envision it but those same people are in danger of losing the only life that really counts and that’s life in Jesus Christ so see yes real discipleship is costly but it is also rewarding and the bottom line for us would be simply this to be faithful when we look at the gospels we find that there are sections in the gospels that show that people who were faithful with a little that God gave them God gave them more but what he really gave them it says listen you shall enter you shall not lose your reward Come Thou good and faithful servant enter the joy of your salvation we find these scriptures to be encouraged ing to us that lesson it is worth it to serve the Lord it is worth it to follow Christ it is worth it to lose things for Christ it is worth it to suffer some persecution for the sake of Christ it is worth it because our reward is so vast and so great and that is what we look forward to but specifically our reward is Jesus Christ himself and we can get to know him now and serve him now and know when we close our eyes death he is the reason why we lived and along with that God gives us many blessings it was RC spru who mentioned in the end he said there will be surprises in the Kingdom some who are now first the rich the powerful the beautiful will be last while the lowly in this life the poor the weak the undesirable will be first in the Kingdom the only thing that will matter is faithfulness to Christ that’s it and everybody is qualified to be faithful everybody when you are not faithful faithful you choose not to be everybody can be faithful with what God’s given you to follow Christ every day day and and day out yes imperfectly but that will be the direction of your life and believe me it is a life life filled with joy it is a life filled with peace but it is a life filled with tur turmoil too and it’s sometimes I feel like I’m on a roller coaster I don’t know is around the next Bend you know I might I may lose my stomach on this one but it’s worth it when you come to the end and you go year after year and you live your life and see how much God has grown you and the gifts that he’s given you and you realize how much he’s protected you and how much she’s transformed your mind to know what is the good and the acceptable and perfect will of God that is the greatest blessing that we can ever ask for in the end right let’s pray Lord thank you again for the greatness of your word your word is so ex is so that it can’t even be exhausted passage like this can be preached again and still see things that were not mentioned before but Lord I Thank you this morning that you truly tell us that when you call us to follow you that being a disciple will be the most rewarding Adventure that we’ll ever have on this Earth but it is costly things we may lose that other people work their whole life for we may lose relationships we may lose possessions but Lord one thing we cannot lose is our Eternal Soul because you bought it for us you fought the greatest battle that was ever fought for our soul and you won and so now Lord we’re on the winning side and thank you for that so encourage us every day put in our mind this understanding about discipleship and reward and persecution and future reward and I pray Lord that we would live with those things on our minds so we can be faithful to the things you’ve called us to to the Ministries that youve called us to to the Ministries that we’re yet involved with that we should be involved with in the future to minister to your people thank you Lord for the broader family that you’ve given us all over the world the Believers thank you Lord Jesus so much for you and the gospel we praise you for it and we give you honor and I just ask this in Christ’s name amen