Matthew chapter 24, I want to begin reading in verse 1, in just a moment I'll read our text verse, but just one, just to kind of introduce the message. In Matthew 24 in verse 1 it says, And His disciples came to Him for to show Him the buildings of the temple." Now just to sort of introduce the context, these were the days just prior to Jesus going to the cross to be crucified for us. So He's there in Jerusalem, He's with His disciples. And there's much in these chapters 24, 25 about the departure of Christ, Him dying for our sins, Him being resurrected, Him going away, and then Him coming back. And with that in mind, Jesus gives us some of this teaching that's very familiar to many of us, and I'd invite you to stand if you would for the reading of the Word of God, and then we'll pray together. I read verse one, Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, see ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. And he sat upon the Mount of Olives. And as he sat, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world." And Jesus begins to really tell them about future events and different things that are going to occur. In verse four it says, Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many and you shall hear of wars and rumors of war, see that you be not troubled For all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nations shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows." And then Jesus, I'm gonna skip down to verse 24. or verse 36, excuse me. And let's just read a few verses there before we pray. Jesus begins to talk to them in the context of His return about what the world is going to look like. Verse 36 says, but of that day and hour knoweth no man. No, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, this is how it was before the world was destroyed by flood. They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away. So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. Then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken and the other left. Jesus says, watch therefore, for you know not what hour your Lord doth come. So in the context of Jesus teaching about his return, which by the way is imminent, he could come at any moment. He tells them that if you could look at the world in Noah's day, you'll get a good picture of what it will look like when He returns. And you know in our secular world, the ark and the animals that fill the ark and all those things have been treated really like a fairy tale. And secular designers, they have capitalized on these images for children's decor. I've seen little baby's cribs that have a mobile there with little animals and an ark and things, and it's a very attractive thing. If you've ever visited the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, there's a display there where they have children's toys and puzzles and artwork all about Noah and the Ark. But these portrayals really fail to capture the basic and impactful truths about Noah's day and the flood. You might say, well, what does this have to do about missions? And I think if you'll bear with me, you'll see today that this is, there's some very valuable, very valuable lessons that ought to permeate our thinking when it comes to the fact, because I believe we're living in the last of the last days. The Lord's coming back, and it's going to be like, you say, what's it going to be like? It's going to be like it was in Noah's day. Let's pray as we begin. Father, thank you for your Word today, and we, our hearts are just arrested by just the power of your Word. And I pray that you'd help us as we gather in this place and look into the Word of God to be attentive, to be receptive, Lord, to be sincere about what Your Word tells us about Your coming and about what it's going to look like, and how those things should impact the way we look at our world in the matter of missions. And we thank You in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. So what is the ark? The story, the account, the narrative Noah and the ark and the destruction of the world have to say about the coming of the Lord. And I want to give you several things. The first one is this. The ark speaks of judgment. You know, a lot of times, like I said, people look at this and they fail to really understand what's happening in Noah's day. But look in verse 39. To me, these are just powerful words. It says, and they knew not until the flood came and took them all away. So shall the coming of the Son of Man be." Those are chilling words to me. God judged the world in Noah's day and destroyed everything that was in the world and all those that were in the world. It's like God finally said, enough is enough. And you know what? One of these days, I believe God's gonna say the same thing in so many words. Enough is enough. And you say, well, why would God do that? Why would God destroy the world? Now, we're gonna come right back to Matthew, but turn with me, if you would, to the book of Genesis, just kind of to refresh our minds about what the world was like in Noah's day. In Genesis chapter six, The Word of God explains why God determined that enough was enough. Genesis chapter six and verse five, it says, and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. What a description. of the thinking of the world, the men of the world in that day. Verse 6 says, And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air. For it repenteth me that I have made them, So that's really a synopsis of why God destroyed the world in Noah's day. Now I'm not going to come back to this passage, I'll turn to it, but I want you to read the next two verses with me or follow along because these two verses we'll refer to in a moment. It says, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Isn't that a wonderful thought? But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. And then in verse nine it says, these are the generations of Noah. Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations. And Noah walked with God. We remember that, we'll come back to that later. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and Noah walked with God. Now turn back with me if you would please to Matthew chapter 24, and just think about this teaching of Christ and this summary of what it's going to be like and what we're witnessing in our own world as far as the spiritual temperature of our world, the godlessness and wickedness of our day. When you think about human trafficking, When you think about anti-Semitism, when you think about violence and transgenderism and immorality and demonic activity and barbarism, it describes the world that we live in today. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's not getting any better. Thank God for that he's working in our day and age. But as a trend, the world is going in the wrong direction. really men are very careless about that. Look in chapter 24 in Matthew 24 and look what it says in verse 38, They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark. That's exactly the way it is today. People are acting like business as usual, no real concern. You know, everything is okay. But I'm telling you, we live in a perilous time. I want to read another passage. Hold your place there in Matthew 24 and go over to the Gospel of Luke. And Luke records the same teaching, the same subject, but he gives us an idea about another culture, Luke chapter 17. And again, he begins by talking about the days of Noah in verse 26, Luke 17, 26. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came," and notice these words, "...and destroyed them all." Verse 28, "...likewise also as it was in the days of Lot. They did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and the same description, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed." So what is this? What do we learn in Matthew 24 about the coming of the Lord? Noah's day was a time of great judgment. day when it rained fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah was a time of judgment. And the time of Christ's coming will also be a time of great judgment. You know the Bible promised God would never destroy the earth again with water, but it didn't say He'd never destroy the earth again. Second Peter says that it will be destroyed with fire. The elements will be burned with fervent heat. earth and his works shall be burned up." This is a sobering reality and it has to me direct relevance to this matter of missions. Great judgment is coming upon this earth. God is going to judge sin. There is a day of wrath coming. It will be like the days of Noah. I didn't say that, Jesus said that. It'll be like the days of Lot, and yet it'll be unlike anything the world has ever known. Matthew 24 again, we're still looking there, and verse 21 it says, for then shall be great tribulation. such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no, nor ever shall be." There is coming a time of tribulation on the world that is unlike anything this world has ever seen. You know, people like to believe things are just gonna get better and better, but that's not what Jesus said. That's not what the Bible says. And we're not gonna turn to it, but the book of Revelation described this outpouring of God's wrath. And why? Why will they be judged? Because they refuse God's salvation. because they turned to their sin and wouldn't turn to Christ. Now let me say this before I go to the next point. I just want to be very clear and direct. Every living soul is going to exist somewhere forever. Every person. This life is not all there is, and if you're saved, if you've been born again through faith in Christ, you're going to be forever in a place called Heaven that God is preparing for us even as we speak. But if you're not saved, and for all those in the world who are not saved, according to Jesus, they will spend eternity in a place the Bible calls Hell. You know, when I consider the mandate of our Lord regarding world missions and world evangelism, it might do us well to remember that there's a day of great judgment that's coming upon those who don't know Christ. You know, it's easy in our world to become cynical. It's easy to look at what's going on in people's lives and become critical. But I'm telling you, every person that causes us sometimes grief and frustration because of the way they live and the things they do, we ought to be remembered that that's an eternal soul that's going to live somewhere forever. So, first and foremost, This teaching of Jesus about Noah speaks of judgment. But the second thing, and I've already referred to this, it speaks of mercy. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Though God, think about this, God was about to pour out His wrath on the entire world. Not just a portion of the world, every living human being except those that were in the ark. God was going to pour out His wrath, but Noah found grace. Matthew 24 in verse 38, the Bible says, As far as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark. He and his family went into that ark. This narrative speaks of judgment. But thank God it also speaks of mercy and it speaks of grace. To me, the Ark is a foreshadow of Christ and salvation. There is a way to escape the judgment that is coming. By the way, there's only one means of escape in Noah's day. It wasn't like you could try the Norwegian cruise line or Holland America cruise line or Carnival cruise line. There was only one boat and you had to be on that boat to escape the judgment that was coming. And there's only one means of salvation provided to escape the reality of eternal judgment, and that means it's Jesus Christ. We heard these words in a song today about the open door. He's the open door. Twice, twice in the Gospel of John, chapter 10, Jesus said, I am the door. He's the only door, I am the way, the truth, the life. For us here in America, for people around the world, for people who are living in metropolitan areas, people who are living in remote jungles, there's only one way and that's Jesus Christ. Salvation is not in a church. Maybe you're here today as a guest, maybe this is your first time here, and you wonder about what this church preaches and believes and stands for as far as that's concerned. You'll never hear anyone behind this pulpit say that if you'll join our church you can go to heaven, or if you'll get baptized you can go to heaven, or if you'll become a Baptist you can go to heaven. No, there's only one way to go to heaven, and that's through Jesus Christ. Salvation is in a person. His name is Jesus. He died on the cross for our sins. He died for my sins, my sins, my sins. Every sin that I've ever committed was paid for by Jesus Christ, God's son, as he hung on the cross. And I'll tell you, it'd be good for us, thinking about missions, to take a glimpse at Calvary and realize that's why Jesus came. He came to offer salvation to us. He suffered for us, the just, for the unjust, that we could be forgiven. And thank God that He's a God of grace and mercy today. The only hope for our world that is on the verge of perishing is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why do we support missions? Why do families leave the comforts of this world, in this country, in this life, and depart for the regions beyond? It's because there's only one hope for those people, and that's the gospel of Jesus Christ. The only means, the only means of avoiding eternal judgment is found in the message of Jesus Christ. By the way, we're saved as Noah was saved, by grace through faith. And if you're here today and you're not saved, I'm telling you, I have good news for you. God loves you. Jesus died for you, and salvation can be yours by trusting in Christ as your Savior. God is a merciful God. Aren't you glad about that today? But I want to say very directly, it is presumptuous and foolish to tempt His mercy. because one day this open door will close. I'm not going to turn to it, but let me read what Genesis 7 says about when Noah and his family, Noah and his family, and the beasts and the birds and the creeping things, went into the ark, and here's the quote from the Bible, the Lord shut him in. God closed that door. When the door was shut, listen, the day of mercy was over. And it's very clear, by the way, I'm convinced, I'm thoroughly convinced from my research, my own personal Bible study, that for those who live in our day who refuse the Gospel, and they've heard the Gospel, they refuse to receive Jesus Christ, after He returns, their door has been closed as far as being able to come to Christ and to be saved. But Noah and his family were safe and secure. You know, there's a lot of things about, I've thought about this a lot, there's a lot of things about riding in that boat that probably weren't pleasant. But I'll tell you, he was safe and secure. And it began to rain and the floods came and covered the earth. And Peter wrote this in his second epistle, the world that then was being overflowed with water perished. Every soul, this is not pleasant to think about, but I think it's needful. Every soul outside of the ark was doomed. and every soul inside the ark was saved. How foolish for a person to reject the promise of eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. God forbid that this would ever happen, but imagine with me if you would, that somehow there was a massive fire that broke out in this building today, and we would be warning people, head for the exits, get out of this building, head for the exits. Would you want to sit in your seat and perish with this fire? And any sane person would say, never, never would I do that. Or if you fell overboard in the midst of a vast ocean, And someone came along to throw you a life preserver, a life jacket. Would you reject the offer of life and perish in the sea? I'll tell you, if you're not saved today, why would you reject the promise of salvation? Why would you reject the gift of eternal life offered to you in Jesus Christ? You know, Paul, we heard a lot about Paul in the Sunday school hour today. And Paul wrote to that church at Thessalonica these words. about those who are saved. Think about this. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. The ark speaks of judgment. The ark speaks of mercy. But I want to close with the final thought about the ark. Not only does it speak of judgment, not only does it speak of mercy, but the ark speaks of duty. The Ark speaks of duty. Prior to the flood, what was Noah doing? What was Noah occupied with? And I want to quickly give you three things the Bible says about Noah in those difficult times. I already read one of them. Noah walked with God. Noah was an upright man, the Bible says. He was perfect in his generations. Please hear this, Christian. When the world was extremely evil, and on the brink of destruction, Noah walked with God. Now this is a good thing for us to be reminded about. In times of unprecedented evil, apostasy in our generation, compromise, spiritual decline, we are to walk with God. We are to be faithful to God. We are to be servants of God. Listen, do not believe the lie that it is too difficult in our generation or our world to walk with God. Noah walked with God when the world, his whole world had given himself to evil and wickedness. Keep growing as a Christian. Keep staying faithful in church. Keep loving God. This is not a time for spiritual neglect or apathy. And our world, I believe, is on the brink of annihilation. And we ought to be walking with God in this darkening world. Noah walked with God. But not only did he walk with God, he worked. Noah worked. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 11, by faith Noah, think about these words, being warned of God of things not seen as yet. He knew some things were going to happen. By the way, we know some things are going to happen. By faith, Noah, being warned of God of things not yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of the house." Whoa, whoa, listen now, I'm not trying to be mean. I don't have to try, it just comes natural for me. Noah was not lazy, Noah was not passive, he watched, he witnessed his world turning away from the truth, turning away from God, turning to wickedness. And yet he gave his time, he gave his energy, he gave his life preparing the ark. May I encourage you today, we ought to be faithfully serving God while this world deteriorates around us. Noah kept building. When no one listened, he kept building. When no one cared, he kept building. When no one was converted, he kept building. Please hear me today. God has a work for us to do in these days prior to our Lord's return. Part of that work, of course, is raising our families. Part of that work, he prepared Howard for the saving of his house. Part of that work has to do with serving the Lord in our ministries. Part of that work has to do with world missions, evangelism, praying for missionaries, giving of our resources, sending people, going ourselves. Noah worked for God. The world needs the gospel. Now, more than ever, the world needs the Gospel. While this is all going on in Noah's day, keep in mind, Jesus said, it'll be like it was in Noah's day. While it was in Noah's day, people are just going about their business like everything is okay, when judgment was pending, and judgment is coming. Christian, let us not be weary in well-doing. We don't know when He's going to come. Jesus said that. I read it a moment ago. You may think you know when He's going to come, but I hate to burst your bubble, but you don't know when He's going to come. And I don't know when He's going to come. He could come today. But I know this. When He comes, I want to be found busy, doing the Lord's work. The time is now. So, yes, yes, nowhere in the flood is. It's a time of judgment. It's also a time of mercy, but it's a time of duty. We ought to be walking with God. If you're not walking with God today, if your Christian life is not what it should be, why don't you decide today, I'm going to get serious about this thing, letting my light shine. Noah worked for God. You ought to say, I'm going to find out what God wants me to do, and I'm going to do it. But thirdly, Noah not only was walking and working, he was warning. He was warning people. This is what Peter said in 2 Peter chapter 2. Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He was not just a builder, he was a preacher. For over a hundred years, while building this boat, he was warning people of their plight. He raised his voice of concern and caution. Pastor Bujak mentioned this morning, referring to Charlie Kirk, and one thing that stands out to me about that young man was he raised his voice as a voice of truth and reason in an ungodly place, in an ungodly world, in difficult circumstances, but he would not be silent. We ought to be speaking out for truth. You know, Peter warned his readers of wrath that was pending. Jesus warned of coming judgment. John the Baptist, this was a part of John the Baptist's message, flee from the wrath to come. I'm telling you, wrath is coming, and I think most people in this room would agree with that. Wrath is coming. It's coming upon our world. And what should we do about it? We ought to be warning. Judgment is coming. It's on the horizon. You know, we read these signs. I didn't read all this Matthew 24, but lots of people like to talk about that. Read about these different indicators. Surely we're living in the last of the last days. And I believe that and all that is good. But just talking about it is not all we need to be doing. We need to be warning people. We need to be getting the gospel out. This is what we learn from Noah's example. This is our duty. It's to warn people, to witness, to share the gospel. The coming of Christ to me challenges us with a sense of urgency. What would God have me to do? And again, I go back to the subject of our day and the subject of this month. What about this matter of world missions? What should we be motivated to do? What should we be urgent about doing? Is the world in a mess? Absolutely. Is the world going in the wrong direction? Absolutely. Do we live in a day when wrong seems right? Absolutely. What should we do about that though? Complain? I do sometimes. I complain about it. But complaining is not going to fix the problem. What we need to be doing is giving the people the gospel. Our commitment to the work of evangelism and missions and church planting ought to increase. Our commitment to pray for missionaries, to pray for God's work, to intercede for people around the world, to pray for laborers. Jesus said the harvest is great, the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labors into his harvest." There could be people in this room today that God wants you to give your life to taking the gospel to some place in the regions beyond. And if not going to the regions beyond, going to a nursing home, or a jail cell, or out on the street, or giving out the Bibles that the Bible hand out, but we've got to take this seriously. It's not just for some of us, it's for all of us to get the gospel out. I know how my flesh is, and I'm sure many of you could identify with this. We just want to sometimes relax and say, you know, I've done my part. But we can't afford to be careless. What if Noah would have been careless? What if Noah would have just said, you know, I've done my part? What if he'd have been uncommitted? I'm telling you, may God help us. May God help Metropolitan Baptist Church to decide, you know, I may not be able to do everything, but I can do something. And I want to do what I can to get this gospel out to the world. What will it be like when he comes back? Jesus said, Jesus said this, it'd be like it was in Noah's day. It was a time of judgment. I can't imagine what it'd been like for Noah to be on that boat. You talk about mixed emotions. To see his family around him safe and secure. but to look out those windows and see that the whole world is perishing. You know, it would be good for us to realize today that we stand, I believe, on the brink of the very time that Jesus said was going to happen. And it's a wonderful thing to be saved, is it not? It's a wonderful thing to be saved. And if you're here today and you're not saved, I highly recommend Jesus Christ today to you. He'll give you life and that life more abundant. And you don't have to earn it or deserve it. You can't deserve it. It's a free gift. Eternal life through Jesus Christ. You ought to receive Him today. And so I'm glad I'm saved, but shame on us. If in our pleasure of being saved, and our satisfaction in the Gospel in Jesus Christ, and our thanksgiving to God for salvation, shame on us if we don't realize the whole world is in peril. It speaks of judgment, it's coming on this world, but it speaks of mercy. In this wicked, wicked world, aren't you glad for people that getting in, they may be getting in at the last moment, but the door's still open. Thank God for that. It speaks of duty. We have a duty. Paul said, I'm a debtor. I'm a debtor to the gospel. Oh, a debt. Why? Because the gospel came to me. I didn't deserve it, but the gospel came to us. and we need to take it to other people, amen? May this be a time in the history of Metropolitan Baptist Church saying, Lord, it's just, yes, it's a time of judgment. Yes, it's a time of mercy, but yes, it's also a time of duty. Young person, would you be willing to say to God, what do you want me to do? What can I do? Those of us who are not so young, Lord, what do you want me to do? May God have his way in us and through us today. Let's stand together please with our heads bowed and our eyes closed, if you would please. Thank you so much for being so attentive today. Everyone standing with our heads bowed, if you're able to stand, our eyes closed. Would you just take a few moments with me today and think about this matter of this great judgment that's coming upon this world. and what we should do, how we should serve, how might God use us. You may be here today and you need the Lord, you're not saved. If you'll come today, somebody will take a Bible, take you through the Bible, show you from the Bible how you can know forgiveness of sins, how you could be born again, how you could know Christ as your Savior. And maybe you're today And you know you're saved, but like most of us, you realize, you know, I've been kind of coasting lately. Today would be a good day. Say, Lord, I want to do my part. I want to fulfill my obligation and my duty. Would you let God have His way? I'm going to pray, and then we'll have a song of invitation. But the important thing today is that you and I intentionally, purposefully say, Lord, hear my, how can you use me? Our Fathers, we pray today, we thank You for this very enlightening and yet convicting passage about Noah and his day. Father, we believe these things to be true. Would you work in our hearts today? Would you have your way in our lives today? And we'll thank you and praise you for that, in Jesus' name, amen. While we have the hymn of invitation today, would you let God have His way in your heart? Maybe you need to come, like others, just to come and say, Lord, I want to do whatever you want me to do to get this gospel to the world. Maybe it'd be a time of praying about your faith promise, Lord, what should I do? Maybe you need somebody to talk to you about your own soul. Would you come? While we sing, you come. Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling for you. Jesus is calling. Maybe you're here today and you're not sure what you're saying. Would you like to be sure? Why don't you come today? Let someone pray with you, talk with you. Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling. Calling us who have gone on. As we sing. Watch, we tarry, when Jesus is leaving. Beating for you and for me. Why should we linger and heed not His mercies? Mercies for you and for me. Come home. You are weary, come home. Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling all sinners from the cross. Time is running in the moment. I sing from you and from me. Shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming. Coming for you and for me. Come home. We who are weary, we who are strong. As the piano plays, we'll sing another verse in a moment. The pastor preached today about Noah walking with God, Noah working for God, and Noah warning people for God. I was thinking about a closing point there. You know what? Noah won. His walking, his working, his warning, he was saved in that boat. I was really thinking about that boat today, about how the ark was a representation of the safety of the Lord. As the water rose, the Lord was able to bear up above that. All the judgment, Jesus provided that safety. Now understand here today, we're not here to preach to scare you, but to warn you and encourage you. Let's do our part in the area of missions. If God saved you, you've got every reason to try to help other people not go to that place called hell and go to that place called heaven with us. Let's sing another verse. If God's spoken to you, you come. Oh, the wonderful love He has promised, Promise for you and for me. Mercy and pardon, pardon for you and for me. Come home. come home. Ye who are weary, come home. Mercy tenderly, Jesus is calling. Call thee, O Savior, come home. Amen. In all of God's peace. How many of you know that chorus called Thank You, Lord? Let's sing that chorus together. Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank You, Lord, for making me whole. Thank You, Lord, What a beautiful song. Great services today. Amen. Again, if you're visiting with us, thank you for being here. If you're a member of this church and you're thankful we have visitors, why don't you say amen? Thank you for coming, and please give us that visitor card. If you're visiting today, obviously we have Pastor Smith and Ms. Rhonda here. And Pastor Smith has written devotional books that are back on the table. I think he also has some copies of the Flaming Torch. You might find your pastor in the that made the paper this week for a good reason And so if you want to take one of those papers you can but he's those devotional books I believe are sold for $14 each and you could see him at his table those devotionals were written for families to read that devotion after your evening supper and It's just it's probably it'll take you less than five minutes to read these spiritual truths I have found that those devotionals are the the finest devotionals you'll ever find and are very effective for a family And so I want to encourage you to get those books in the back If you're visiting with us again today, please come back with us again. Tonight, we're having special services again. Pastor Smith will be preaching at 6 p.m., and then afterwards, we're gonna be having a fellowship over in the gym, and there's smoked meat, and there's a bunch of other great, you know, if you're having supper tonight, you might as well come do it here at Metropolitan. You will not be, you will definitely not be disappointed, and we'll feed you better than any restaurant in this area. Who smoked that meat? Who did it? I want to see, Mark Watkins did it. No, Brother Allen, you didn't do it? Brother Allen, he didn't care enough about me to smoke me. No, no, no. He's given me. It's okay brother Allen. He's given me so many ribs and good good meat We'll see if brother Watkins knows what he's doing. I kindly doubt it No, just kidding, but thank you for every I came yesterday and saw the ladies working in the kitchen and I want to say this sincerely for everybody who's doing something kind for me and my family Just know that I'm thankful for it. I'm humbled by anybody who's doing anything special for us. And you'll honor us with your presence tonight. I really hope you'll come back at 6. We'll have a good turnout, and we'll have a great time of fellowship afterwards. So I'm going to ask Brother Tim to come and pray and be dismissed. And I'll ask Brother Smith and Miss Smith. They'll be back at their table. They can be dismissed to their table. Make sure you come by and talk to the Smiths before you leave tonight. Brother Tim, you pray. Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you for allowing us to meet in your house today. Lord, we thank you for this great service. Lord, we thank you for allowing us to lift you up and honor you today. Lord, we thank you for each visitor, each friend, each person that came today, Lord. They're truly a blessing to us and our church. Lord, I pray that you'll continue to bless our pastor. Lord, bless our guest speaker. Lord, bless this time together as we meet. Lord, we appreciate our pastor and all that he does, and I pray that you'll bless him and his family today as we have the get-together tonight. Lord, again, we thank you for all the many blessings. Bless each one of us as we go our way and bring us back tonight. In Jesus' name, amen.