We, as I've mentioned before, we're pretty well concluding our study in redemptive history of all these years. Of course, that will probably never leave us as we seek to expound texts because everything points to Christ, but I did think to spend a couple of weeks before the new year, looking at some specifics within the first advent, the first coming of Christ, and how it brings a lot of things together. And I hope the connection isn't artificial, but got the scowl. from even our text today and even how the book of Exodus concludes. So I did plan to initially to sort of make this the final, what we see in Exodus 40 at least, our final lesson in redemptive history because it kind of gets us to where we launched off in it years ago. So, we'll look at Exodus 34 verse 9, which is where we came to last week, and then we'll read, I'll put it on the screen so you won't have to turn there, we'll read this excerpt from Matthew chapter 1, and then we'll pray. So, God's word says, and he said, If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance. Then Matthew chapter 1, 21 through 23. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God with us. Oh, I'm sorry. Hopefully you heard it. Let's pray together. Father, as always, we ask for your help and blessing. Be gracious to us. Please, we pray, give us understanding and conform us to the image of Christ. Grant us repentance and faith in what we see. We praise you for your marvelous works. In Christ's name, amen. So Tim, was my thing not working? It was going good. It's just I think you had multiple verses on that one spot. Oh, OK. All right. OK. My apologies. All right, so back to verse nine. Remember from last week what we had seen. We had finished up that revelation of the glory of God that Moses had asked him for when he said, show me your glory. And he reveals both his kindness and his severe attributes to him. And we saw that marvelous tension within the nature of God himself that necessitates the cross in order for him to be fully known, where those attributes come together. In our verse today, in verse 9, it appears that Moses is assuming that because of the fact that God has revealed his glory to him in the proclamation of his name, that this is evidence that the favor of God rests upon him. And as the covenant mediator, as the representative of the people, he then promptly appeals to that favor on behalf of the people in whose place he stands there. And notice what he petitions. And it's of primary importance to our study today. Essentially, you could summarize it as he petitions for the covenant relationship to continue But look at the particularities, specifically, he says, oh Lord, excuse me, please let the Lord go in the midst of us. So the first thing he petitions, the thing that's, and I've said this a hundred times, most important part of the covenant, and of any covenant, and of any blessing of God, is that God would be with you. And so, remember how this all started, that led us up to where we're at in Exodus 34. The people had sinned, and God had said, I won't go with you. because I'll consume you. And so everything we've been looking at for weeks and weeks now after that has been Moses attempting to intercede on the people's behalf and get the suzerain, get Yahweh to once again establish his presence in their midst and be with them. And the consequences of that is what you see in the rest of the verse, that they become God's inheritance. But see, those can't be separated. they're only a holy people if God is in their midst. And Moses recognizes that, and Moses appeals for that and intercedes for them, and in fact says, if you won't go up with us, we looked at, then let us just stay here. That was the heart of Moses, and that was beautiful. So, in any event, what I want you to see is the prominence that God's dwelling in the midst of his people serves in redemptive history. And we've looked at it a lot, but I want to connect it to those passages about the advent and trace, kind of trace the thinking out, trace the progression out somewhat in what little time we have through redemptive history. Now, consider this. As you get to the end of the Book of Exodus, he gives instruction on the ceremonial aspects of the covenant in the interlude between 34 and 40, gives further civil and ceremonial laws, mostly ceremonial, and it concludes with the construction of the tabernacle. Now, why is that so important? Because remember that the tabernacle is the visible expression of God's dwelling with the people. Remember, where was the tabernacle located? Yeah, right smack dab in the middle of the camp. And see, in the inner parts of the tabernacle was where the glory of God was to dwell, and where access to God, measured access, was to be had. So when the book of Exodus ends with the construction of the tabernacle, I mean, in its original setting, that's ending on a joyous note because it's saying that God is still with them. And in spite of their rebellion, God has graciously condescended to, in some degree, remain in their midst. But what I want you to see, and notice the language that Moses uses, the tabernacle of the Ten of Meeting. Hopefully we won't go over all that because we covered the Ten of Meeting before. But connecting the now tabernacle in the center of the camp to the Ten of Meeting that was far off from the camp to protect the present. So see how that's moving inward now. Like this is positive progression. in our journey back to the garden, back to the presence of God from which we were expelled because of our sin. See, it's moved to the center of the camp. But even at the outset here, there were significant limitations, and we don't need to forget those. It's subtle. But in all this joy, there's also, you shall put in the ark of the testimony, that's where we meet with God, the mercy seat on top, and you shall screen the ark with the veil. The word that the ESV translates screen there is like a barrier or a fence. It's to keep people out. So even though the presence of God is In their midst, there's still a barrier between them. And remember what was on the curtain of the temple? Do you remember? Yeah, that's right, the cherubim. Where did we see that from? What protected the entrance to the garden? Cherubim and flaming sword, right? So there's a reminder to us. of the garden temple and from our expulsion even here as God is in their midst. And we see that, don't want to spend a lot of time there, but we're continually reminded of that throughout. Remember when Nadab and Abihu approached the Lord in an improper way by offering unauthorized incense or something, I think, and God the fire came out and killed them. And the Lord says this to Aaron, the high priest, the only one who did have access, says, tell Aaron, your brother, not to come at any time into the holy place inside the veil. That doesn't mean he could never come. What does that mean? That's right. You can't just come whenever you want. You can't do this however you want. You only come on the Day of Atonement once a year the way that God has told you to come with the proper sacrifices and that sort of thing. If you come at any time, what happens? Siri went off. Yeah, you die, right? And that's what you see in there, so that he may not die. Why? Because I'll appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. You see that? So the presence is still guarded, even though it's in their midst. But positively, at the end of Exodus 40, see this. The tabernacle's constructed. It says, then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. That's very important imagery. Remember that as we trace this out. The glory of the Lord fills the tabernacle. That's him attesting to it that he's in it, and that he's in relationship with them, giving his approval. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Now watch this. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. What's the point in that? The point is what Moses said. If you're not with us, let us stay here and die in Sinai. So if God was there, they remained. If God's presence, went out from the temple and they saw the pillar and the cloud go, they followed it. What it was meant to convey is, where is your life and blessing found? Where's covenant blessing realized? See, it's in having communion with God. and relationship with God, we follow him. But as you all know, the tabernacle was never meant to be a permanent dwelling. By nature of its design, it was meant to be taken up and moved and put down really quickly. It was very temporary. It lacked permanence. So think of the implications for the covenant. If the goal is God to be in our midst, do you see how unassuring, or how much lack of assurance is given by temporary dwelling for God? And we see that, actually, remember, Like before David is enthroned as king of Israel, even the Ark of the Covenant, the Ark of the Testimony is given over by God into the hand of heathen, I think maybe the Philistines. And they have that representation of God in our midst, and the people aren't worshiping in the, if I remember correctly, they're not even worshiping in the tabernacle. They've kind of settled into the land, and just all of this stuff is wrong, and you see the symbol of God departing, in a sense, when the ark leaves. But as God anoints David as a righteous king, and the kingdom's restored, and the ark is brought back and that sort of thing, then I want you to see something that I think David started to connect these things and he starts to petition God to allow him to do what? Do you remember? Huh? Yeah, to build God a permanent house. The people are settled in the land, they've got their land inheritance. David himself, he says, is dwelling in a house of cedar, but the Ark of God is in a tent. See, that's mobile, that's temporary. The civil nation is established. in permanence, at least from their perspective. We know better now, but from their perspective, for the king to now have a house, to have a palace, means they're no longer nomads, wandering, conquering in the process of conquest. It means that the kingdom's now been established. See, there's permanence. They're taking up residence in their inheritance now. And David says, let's branch that out and let's build a house for God. that he may be in our midst permanently. And I'm sure you can remember what the Lord says to him. At first, Nathan says, yeah, do it, that's good. But then, almost immediately, the Lord came to Nathan and says this, go and tell my servant David, thus says the Lord, would you build me a house to dwell in? That's really significant that we pay attention to this, okay? David means well here, but he grossly underestimates who God is. Look at what Yahweh says, I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I've moved about in a tent for my dwelling. In all the places where I moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel saying, why have you not built me a house of cedar? Do you see this? And I think Solomon's going to understand this a lot better. But the point is, I infer that God is going to provide the permanent presence that David desired. Okay, and there's, I think, probably multiple reasons for that, but look at what he goes on to say in verse 10. I'll support that here. He says, This is still the Lord speaking to David through Nathan. And I will appoint a place for my people, Israel, and will, look at the language, plant them. You see, David's wanting to make this happen. He has, God has given him military victory over his enemies. Now he's wanting to make this thing permanent. God says, I'll take care of that. I'll appoint a place, remember at this point they're not even in Jerusalem, and he'll plant them, he'll establish them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more, and violent men shall afflict them no more as formerly. He goes on to say, this is very important for our Advent text that we hope to come to. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, so it means he's dead, kids, I will raise up your offspring after you who shall come from your body and I will establish his kingdom. God will establish his kingdom. Look, this has a dual fulfillment here, I'm convinced, because if you read all of this and we don't have time, he's clearly referring to Solomon. But also, if you read all of this passage, he's clearly referring to things that Solomon cannot fulfill. that cannot be fulfilled in Solomon. And in fact, our New Testament writers refer back to this, referring to a greater than Solomon explicitly. So, near and far, already not yet, as we see so often in biblical prophecy, he says, of David's offspring, he shall build a house for my name. and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." So see, the permanence that the tabernacle didn't deliver and the permanence that David sought in God dwelling in the midst of the people and establishing them as his inheritance for his name was not going to come through the hands of men, even kings per se. God, through David's offspring, was going to make this a reality, was going to build a house for his name to dwell in and establish his kingdom forever. Let me not jump ahead. Solomon builds a magnificent, David's son, a magnificent house where God could dwell in their midst. It was a wonder of the ancient world. People came from all over to behold its natural glory. And at first glance, you would say, oh, now this is befitting. a befitting house for the God of Israel with such grandeur and such splendor. And now, now we have permanence. This isn't sticks and animal hides that decay. This is stone, right? and granite and gold and precious metals that endure for generations. We're established in the land. God is now in our midst forever. That's the thinking, I'm sure, of the thinking Israelites. But Solomon himself acknowledged this problem. It's very important. Let's look at a little bit of it. He says, this is as Solomon is dedicating the temple. And if you've never read this thoroughly, you should. It's beautiful. But I want to point out a few things from it. He says to God in his prayer of dedication, as best I can recall, now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, Let your word be confirmed which you have spoken to your servant David. What word is that? Yeah, it's like the word which we've just read in the previous slide. He's saying, here it is. See, Solomon's seeing this as the fulfillment. This is going to be God dwelling in our midst forever. This is going to be God establishing a kingdom and a house for his name forever. Solomon's saying, let your word that you spoke to my father in the consecration of this temple be fulfilled. But look at this. Why Solomon, at least in his youth, interestingly enough, says, but will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? See how Solomon. least at this point, had a greater comprehension of the essential glory, being of God than his father did? Will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I've built." Guys, this thing paled in comparison. Like, even to date, and we'll talk, hopefully talk about that in a minute, but This was a wonder. And he says, no, heaven is your throne. The earth is your footstool. This house cannot contain you. He recognized this was insufficient, even here, for God to dwell in their midst fully. But look what he goes on to say, acknowledging the problem of sin, And that sin is what's caused God to depart from them in the past. And he prays to God and says, look, if we, when we sin, we respond the way you've told us in the covenant to respond by repentance, by turning from our sin and sackcloth and ashes and turning from you. He says, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, their prayers and their pleas. and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. Now, oh my God, let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayer of this place. And now arise, watch this, arise, oh Lord God, and go to your, are you reading it with me? To your, resting place. So still he acknowledges this, the divine transcendence, but then he still appeals for the imminence that God would come to this temple and that he would, that would be his resting place, that he would dwell there with the people forever. Consider the language of the covenant, the language of his father. That's what he said he was going to do through David's son who would build him a house. Right? Like it's natural for him to think this is it. Even though, you know, your essential being is too great to be confined by time and space. Nevertheless, this is what you've said you're going to do. Now come and fill your resting place. Abide with us forever. Be in our midst. You and the arc of your mind. Let your priests, oh Lord God, be clothed with salvation and let your saints rejoice in your goodness. Oh Lord God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one. Remember your steadfast love for David, your servant. See what he's appealing to. As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, watch. Fire came down from heaven, consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. Where did we see that before? The tabernacle, right? When God takes his abode, there's this display of glory. And here we see he fills the temple, fills the temple. He doesn't just go in the room and sit on the mercy seat, right? Like Isaiah saw in Isaiah 6, the train of his road filled the heavenly temple. The priest could not enter the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord saying, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. You see the desire there for permanence. But as we've looked at before, and I won't necessarily read and cover these, I was just trying to work our way to our text in Matthew. In Ezekiel 10 and 11, remember the setting of Ezekiel. Ezekiel, like most of the prophets, Israel's apostate, and these are warnings of judgment, and they're calls for repentance. calls to return to covenant faithfulness. And they also contain predictions of future glory and a fulfillment of the promises to Abraham and to David that appear to be in all these judgments being forsaken. They appear to be. But here we see Ezekiel, you see the glory of God being, it seems like to me the imagery is the cherubim, which are the guardians of the glory of God, right? Remember, they overshadow the Ark of the Covenant. They stood at the gate of the temple garden. They were embroidered on the curtains of the temple, right? Those are the guardians of the glory of God. The imagery appears to be them loading up the glory of God and systematically taking it out from the inner place of the temple to the threshold of the temple. Then they move out, the scene keeps changing and developing, and I won't read all that for sake of time, but until the glory of God not only departs from the temple, but it departs from the entire city. And then not just the temple, but the entire nation is left Ichabod. What does Ichabod mean, kids? Do you remember? Yeah, that's right, good job. The glory has departed. That means their house is left to them desolate. God is no longer in their midst. So the point is, and what's the cause? This is important for us to remember, why? Why is what Solomon prayed that would happen, why did it not happen through this magnificent temple? It's one word, starts with an S. Has three letters. Sin, thank you. Right? It's because sin. God with you, God dwelling with you, God in your midst indicates relationship. The thrice holy God cannot have intimate fellowship and nearness with sinful creatures. No, bear with me. I'll definitely qualify that later. But that's that that's why Adam and Eve were other reasons, too. But that's why Adam and Eve were thrust out of the garden. That's where they met with God. That's where they enjoyed the presence of God in the cool of the day. They were banished from that intimate presence of blessing because of their sin. So to hear. regardless or irregard, that's not a word, regardless of the majesty and splendor of the kingdom and their military and the king and the wealth and the temple of Solomon's time, it all falls apart and the glory departs because sin has not been dealt with. But Ezekiel prophesied this too. Like I said, this is like very similar throughout most of the prophets. Judgment, wrath, vengeance, glory. And only the cross reconciles all of this, like everything else. So remember the glory had gone out from the east. Now we see the glory of the Lord I'm skipping ahead. Ezekiel prophesies about the reconstruction of a temple. The temple is destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, or will be. I can't remember the time frame here. It's going to be just absolutely, utterly decimated when the Babylonians sack Jerusalem. But Ezekiel prophesies the rebuilding of a temple, and the temple that Ezekiel prophesies Like, it makes Solomon's Temple look like a Lego house. Like, the dimensions, the grandeur, like the, it's going to have like water come out of it that fills the whole world. I mean, like, it's just mind-blowingly glorious and grander. And after the temple's constructed, you see the glory again entering the temple by the gate facing east, the way it had gone out. He says, The Spirit lifted me up, brought me into the inner court. Behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple. While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple. And he said to me, Son of man, look at this regarding this temple. This is the place of my throne and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel. following along forever. So the glory would return to God's people in this temple that Ezekiel saw being rebuilt and it would be there forever. The permanence would come through this future temple. And the house of Israel, now look, Remember the thing that caused the first temple to fail and God's presence to depart from the first temple. Look at the change. The house of Israel shall no more defile my name, neither nay nor their kings, by their whoring and by the dead bodies of their kings at the high places, that's idolatrous worship, et cetera. Now consider these things quickly. Was the temple rebuilt after this? Not a trick, right? We call it Zerubbabel's temple. Do you remember when the elders looked upon Zerubbabel's temple after it had been rebuilt? I wouldn't even say that. What was their response? They like wept bitterly. Why do you think that would be? Now, if you had read Ezekiel's prophecy, of a temple that was literally exponentially more grand than what you'd seen in Solomon's. And then you'd seen Zerubbabel's little temple. It's like looking at a tiny house in the parking lot of the Biltmore, right? What are you going to think if you've got this in mind? Yeah. Or at least this isn't it, right? Like something's wrong here. This isn't what we're looking for. And even this temple's renovated and Herod, the wicked Tetrarch, Herod adds to it and still pales in comparison to Solomon's, but it still becomes quite magnificent by the first century. by the time that our New Testament is written, you now have a much more, a much grander temple sitting on the Temple Mount. And these things have been like sacrifices and things have continued, but the people are under Roman rule, and there's still all these problems. And when was the last time God had came out of heaven and spoken with the people. Or that his glory had been seen. We know it's at least 400 years where he didn't even speak, didn't even utter like a prophetic oracle. But the temple stand, there's a lot of history there. I just want you to see the setting when you come to the New Testament. And you see the prophecies like we're going to look at. Remember how the angel greets Mary? Would the Israelites, well some arrogantly did, but would it be right to say they are living in the favor and blessing of God in the first century? They're ruled by Romans. They can't carry out their law. We see that many times. Arrogantly, they think they are often, but the judgment still remains upon them. And the angel comes to Mary and says, greetings, oh favored one, one to whom the Lord has imparted grace. The Lord is with you. Think about this. God has been gone and silent for hundreds of years. Now, the angel comes and says, God is with you, you know, teenage poor maiden. But she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, now think about this and the language that we saw in verse nine regarding Moses. Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. It's been a long time since we've seen this, but there's more. Behold, You will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus. What does Jesus mean? Hebrew, do you remember? Yahweh saves or Yahweh is salvation. He will be great and he will be called the son of whom? Not rhetorical. The most high. Who is that? It's the one who Solomon said can't dwell in a temple made by hands. OK, now he goes on and says what? And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his what? Father. David. So the one that Mary would bear, OK, would be the son of God. and simultaneously the son of David. Why is that significant? Remember, when would the kingdom be permanently established and God's presence be permanently established with his people? Through whom? Through David's son, right? That's why I said it had a dual fulfillment there. Okay, so this son of God and son of David will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of his kingdom, there will be no end. This is the permanence finally come that Solomon had looked for and David had looked for and longed for. Oh, I think I'd better skip over this. I hate to in a bad way. That is Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. His insight, maybe we'll cover that some in two weeks. Now look, look at this. In the same region, there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. We hear this so much it becomes rote to us. Try to snap out of that. Slap your face and splash cold water. And see what's in it. It says, and an angel of the Lord appeared to them. And look what returns to shepherds. Oh, I'm sorry. Thanks, babe. Look what returns to lowly shepherds. The glory of the Lord shone around them. The glory of the Lord, think about this, that had marked the presence of God indwelling the tabernacle. The glory of the Lord that had shown the face of Moses saying God was with Moses. The glory of the Lord that had filled the entire temple in the presence of all the people that marked his dwelling with them. The glory of the Lord that had been loaded up and taken back to heaven because of the people's idolatry. And as far as we know, that for hundreds of years has been notably absent from the people. The glory of the Lord now reappears to these lowly shepherds, it shines around them. Naturally, they were filled with great fear. And the angel says to them, fear not. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy. That will be for all the people. For unto you. You see that language unto you, what does that mean? See, that doesn't just mean in your presence or in your awareness. For you, unto you is born. Why is this good news? Because this is God's gift to you. For unto you this day in the city of whom? of David, notice the constant and continual reference, a savior who is Christ the Lord. Of course, you know Christ means the anointed one. What had Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple? You remember, we read over it briefly, but he's like, don't disregard your anointed one. He pointed to the anointed one. He was referring to David, but here it applies to David's greater son, to whom the promises made to David have actually come upon the people. That's the Messiah, the anointed one, who is himself the Lord. There are great mysteries here. And then we get to Matthew 1. It says, going back now to the prophecy, she will bear a son whose father is God, whose father is David, fully God, fully man. And you shall call his name Jesus. Here, Matthew defines the Hebrew. He says, for he will save His people from the Romans. Is it the Romans? Or let me say, was it the Assyrians or the Babylonians or the Persians or the Grecians that caused the glory to depart from the temple by destroying it? Right? That's their greatest enemy. And that's the enemy that must be defeated for what we saw in Ezekiel's temple to occur, for God to come in and dwell forever and the people no more profane him. And here we see the son of David that says he will save his people from their sins. And that's what the work of Christ on the cross is what was the foundation for the building of the temple of God that we see spoken of in Paul's letter to the Ephesians and in Paul's letter to the church of Corinth and in many other places. Revelation 21 is a city and all those things. I'm jumping ahead a little, but it says, for he will save his people from their sins. He says all this took place to fulfill what the word that the Lord had spoken by the prophet He quotes Isaiah, Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel. What did they call his name? Jesus. See, these are connected. What does Emmanuel mean? Yeah, that's right. Matthew defines it for us, the Hebrew. God with us. What's it been all about from the beginning? Ever since the expulsion from the garden. Yeah, that's right. It's been trying to get back to that presence somehow. And measured access and measured access, but sin always driving it out, driving it out, separating, separating. And now the angel says, now Emmanuel has come. God has come through the greater son of David. He's going to establish his presence with his people forever. How? By saving them from their sin. And that's what we see as we see this building metaphor in the book of Revelation. When we see the holy city, the New Jerusalem, which he later defines as the bride of Christ, that's the church, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, adorned for her husband, More explicitly, it's defined later. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, look at this, this is how God's self-revelation ends. It ends where the pursuit began. Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them. They will be his people. And God himself will be with them as their God. Don't miss this little phrase. God himself will be with them, not in a temple in their city, He will be with them. You see the eminence of the presence. Not even access to God all the time. He will be with them. And of course, that mystery is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, right? We see that now. And we won't go there, but remember what John goes on to say in Revelation. But the city will have no need of the sun. Why? Because, yeah, the light of God will be it. And it just goes on and on. The lamb will be in the city. It has no need of a temple. Because Christ himself is there and on and on we see. In any event, let's pray and I'm over. Lord, thank you for your mercy, for being in our midst and graciously granting to us your presence. taking away our sins so that you can dwell in our midst and within us. Please give us faith and help us to live for you. In Christ's name, amen.