Our Heavenly Father, Lord, we are thankful to be amongst Your people. Lord, we're thankful for this church. We're thankful for Your Word. We ask, Lord, that You would draw near to all of us Lord, we ask that You would own the time. We ask that You'd give us the Spirit to make real these truths. Lord, we ask that You would speak to us. Father, I ask Your help in preaching. Lord, I pray You would to protect against anything of the flesh. And Lord, just that Christ would be exalted. Lord, that Your name would be made great. Lord, that You would bless us today in this time. Bless our fellowship, Lord, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Okay, well, I want you to open your Bibles to the book of Philippians in chapter 3. And we'll begin reading in verse 8. Actually, verse 7. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake, I've suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this, or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own, but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward, to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us, for many of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their belly. And they glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, even by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself. Amen. Well, the title of my sermon this morning is Heavenly Citizenship. an invitation and exhortation to live as worthy citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven." It's not quite as long as Jonathan Edwards' title for the bondage of the will, freedom of the will, Anyways, by way of introduction, I want to begin with some context from the book of Philippians. Paul is writing the Philippians from prison. If you look at chapter 1, verses 12 and 13, I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. So Paul's in prison. And what does that tell us about Paul? What does that tell us about Christianity? Paul is in jail. Philippians is one of the prison epistles. Does anybody know what the other prison epistles are? There's those books of the Bible that Paul wrote from prison. Colossians is one. Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. I had to look it up too. I didn't know what the prison epistles were. But what does that tell us about Christianity that Paul's in prison? And Paul wasn't the only apostle put in prison. Who else was put in prison? Peter? James? Well, actually, history and tradition tells us all but John were martyrs, and John himself was imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. So what does that tell you about Christianity? That these Christians suffered. They suffered for what they believed. So Paul's writing to the Philippians from the midst of much suffering. And not just any suffering, but suffering for Christ. And what a privilege it is because we read in v. 29, it's been granted to you that for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in Him, but also suffer for His sake. Suffering is a gift in the Christian life. It's been granted not just to believe, but also to suffer from Christ. And so, in the book of Philippians, what Paul does is he's all the time, he's pointing them to the future. He doesn't want these Christians to lose hope in the midst of this situation. They'd been suffering for Christ just as he was. It's likely they could have lost hope. They could have grown discouraged. They could have been downcast. Paul wants to remind them of what lies ahead. So that's what we see in the book. So, how does this apply to us? That's the question. That's what we want to get out of this is, you know, Paul's writing to them, but what does this have to do with us? Paul's writing to these Philippians how they ought to live in the present world. But what does it say to us? How are we supposed to live in this world? What does it mean for us to be Christians? What does it mean that our citizenship is in heaven? We don't just want to read the text and think, you know, that was for them, and yeah, our citizenship is in heaven, but what does that really mean? Don't you want to hear from God when you read the Bible? I know I do. Do you want to hear God speak to you in the words of Scripture? Amen. Well, He speaks through the Word. So, what does it mean to be a citizen of heaven? Here's my first point. To be a citizen of heaven means you're a stranger and an alien in this world. The Christian life is compared to a pilgrimage. It is a pilgrimage. We as Christians, we're traveling, we're moving, we're sojourning all the time toward the heavenly Jerusalem. In this world, we don't have rest. We're compared to pilgrims. were compared to the Israelites who were rescued out of Egypt and had to wander through the wilderness for 40 years before they finally entered into the land of Canaan. Peter, when he starts his letter, he writes this, to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion, in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. And in chapter 2, verse 11, he says, Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against the soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Peter calls these Christians elect exiles, sojourners. That has reference to the Israelites who were exiled from the Promised Land into Babylon. A Jew wasn't at home unless he was in the land of Canaan. He wasn't at home in Babylon, and so it is for us as Christians. We're not at home in this world. We're strangers in this world. We're aliens in this world. Who are the true Jews of the Bible? Romans 2 says it's not those who's a Jew. He's not a Jew who is one outwardly, but he's a Jew who's one inwardly. Circumcision is a matter of the heart, of the spirit, And even in Philippians 3, Paul tells the Christians, we're the circumcision. We're those who've been exiled out of our homeland. We're those who aren't at home in this world. And Hebrews 11, you can turn there. It says, by faith Abraham obeyed, verse 8, when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise as in a foreign land. Living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. Abraham wasn't even at home in the promised land. He lived in the promised land itself. as though he was in a foreign land. Well, he was in a foreign land from Ur of the Chaldees. But even there, it says, he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. And then he sums up these other people in verse 13. These all died in faith. Not having received the things promised, but having seen them, and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they're seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country that is a heavenly one. So Christians are those who are aliens and strangers in this world, and we're looking for a heavenly country. We're looking for the new Jerusalem. We're looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. We're strangers and exiles in this world. Psalm 39 says, Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry. Hold not Your peace at my tears, for I am a sojourner with You, a guest like all my fathers." We're merely guests in this world. We're just passing through. And what does that mean? What does it mean we're guests in this world? We're strangers. We're aliens. It means we can't call this world our home. Is this vile world a friend of grace to help me on to God? No, the Bible tells us that this world is under the power of the evil one. It calls it this present evil age. The Bible calls the devil the prince of the power of the air who rules over this present age. That this age is an evil age. And if you're a Christian, you don't belong to this age. You've been born again. You belong to the heavenly Jerusalem. You belong to the city that has a builder. It was built not by human hands. It was built by God. You belong to that city. If you're a Christian, this world is no friend to Christianity. People hate. Christianity in this world, people hate to be told that there's only one God. You know, I'm sure you've experienced this in your workplace. You profess that you know the only true God. You believe there's only one God. You're telling the Muslims that they don't have, that their God's just totally wrong. You know, the Muslims believe just as much as you do, that, you know, they're just as convinced as you are. Yeah, but Muslim, the Muslim religion, Islam, it's all based on the Quran. The Quran has holes. But anyways, the only heresy in this world is to say that you actually believe something. You profess to believe in the one true God, the world hates you. The world hates that. They hate the God in whom you believe. People hate to be told Christianity is the only true religion. What about the Buddhists? What about the Hindus? What about the Muslims? You know, in America, it's so shunned to say you've got the only religion. You've got the only one that's real. Christianity is the only truth. And every other religion, it's false. The world hates that. The world hates to be told that the Bible is the Word of God. You profess not only to believe in the only true God, Christianity is the only religion, but you believe your book is inspired, inerrant, there's no errors in that book. You're telling me that I've got to submit to this book and do whatever it tells me? And that if I don't listen to this, I'm going to hell? Well, Jesus said, in the parable it was Abraham, If you don't believe Moses and the prophets, you won't believe even if somebody rises from the dead. And even if somebody rises from the dead, you still won't believe Moses and the prophets. You've got to believe the Bible is true. And if you believe that, you're shunned by the world. Everything in this world is hostile toward the Christian faith. Everything in it is set to destroy your faith. Believer this vile world is not a friend of grace to lead you on to God. It's not a playground You can't kick back and just call this world your home. We're not at rest in this world. We don't have Final rest in this world. Are you a follower of? The lamb are you like Peter Lord? Where else can we go? Are you one of those who've left lands and for the kingdom of God. You've left things behind for the kingdom of God. You can be sure the world is no friend to you. So don't get comfortable in this world. You're just a pilgrim. You're just a sojourner. You're just in exile in this world. John 17 and verse 14. Jesus said, praying to His Father, I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. To be a citizen of heaven certainly means that you're not of the world. So, here's a quote from Matthew Henry just on that passage, Christ does not pray, that they might be rich and great in the world, but that they might be kept from sin, strengthened for their duty, and brought safe to heaven. The prosperity of the soul is the best prosperity. He pleaded with His Holy Father that He would keep them by His power and for His glory, that they might be united in affection and labors, even according to the union of the Father and the Son. He did not pray that His disciples should be removed out of the world, that they might escape the rage of men, for they had a great work to do for the glory of God and the benefit of mankind. But he prayed that the Father would keep them from evil, keep them from being corrupted by the world and the remains of sin and their hearts, and from the power and craft of Satan, so that they might pass through the world as through an enemy's country as he had done. They are not left here to pursue the same objects as the men around them, but to glorify God and to serve their generation. The spirit of God in true Christians is opposed to the spirit of the world. The world has hated them, and the world can't stomach true Christianity just as it can't stomach Christ. As Christ was in this world, so also are we. Never forget that the cross is to the world foolishness. And as soon as you try to make it not foolish to the world, you've lost the power of the cross. It's the cross of Christ. It's supposed to offend. God has deliberately designed it so that the cross would be offensive to the natural man. And a servant's not greater than his master. If they persecuted Christ, he says, they'll persecute me. If the world hates you, know that it hated me first. So, do you desire a better country than this world? I mean a world free from sin. A world in which the dwelling place of God is with man. A world where you'll walk with the Lamb in white. It says, God is not ashamed to be called their God in the book of Hebrews. Alright, so now my second point. That was the first. We're strangers and exiles in this world. This is the second point. Heavenly citizenship has to do with our manner of life. The kind of life we live. Citizenship has to do with belonging to a certain country. It has to do with calling that country your home, having the rights, privileges of that country. But it also has to do with the kind of life we live. Christians. Don't live. As the rest of the world, listen to this verse from Isaiah. Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom give here to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah. Who's the prophet talking to there? He's not talking to Sodom and Gomorrah. He's talking to Judah and Jerusalem, who had become so corrupt, they're indistinguishable from Sodom and Gomorrah. And have you ever read this in the book of Judges 12, where the Ephraimites could not pronounce shibboleth? They could only say sibboleth. And so they gave away that they were actually Gileadites, and then the Ephraimites would kill them. And so it's like that. The way you live, your action, your fruit, it shows where you really belong to. It's a tell of where your citizenship really is. So our citizenship has to do with our manner of life. And to prove that furthermore from the text, over in verse 27 of chapter 1, Paul says, only let your manner of life Be worthy of the gospel of Christ. This is one of those places where it pays to know Greek. I don't know Greek, but if you have an ESV, in the footnote, it tells you. The Greek says, only behave as citizens worthy. It's another translation that works. It's basically the same word. Only let your manner of life. It's the same word from which we get citizenship. Only let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ. And over in Acts 23 1, Paul says, brothers, I've lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day. I've lived my life. It's the same word from which we get citizenship. He says, join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us, for many of whom I have often told you and now tell you my tears walk as enemies of the cross of Christ." There's plenty of enemies of the cross, but Paul wants us to keep our eyes on those who walk according to his example. To the example that they have in those who are seeking to imitate Christ. In the book of Philippians, Paul gives us three examples of the kind of life Christians are to strive to live. And he begins with Christ Himself. Over in chapter 2, verse 5, he says, "...have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant. Being born in the likeness of men, being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death." Paul says, Have this mind among yourselves. The mind that was in Christ Jesus. And then he uses the example of Timothy. I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. But they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know Timothy's proven worth. I was a son with a father. He served with me in the gospel. I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me. and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also." He says, I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. All seek their own interests. But Timothy, he was concerned about the interests of Christ. He was genuinely concerned. He had that mind that was in Christ Jesus. And then he talks about Epaphroditus, he says, Honor such men, for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me. Epaphroditus risked his life for the saints." Paul says, honor such men. He nearly died. And then Paul gives himself as an example. Join in imitating me. And Paul had the mindset of pressing on to know the Lord. And counting everything as loss that he might know Christ. Paul gives these examples for us. These are the kind of examples that we should follow and strive to imitate. The example of having the same mind of Christ. Putting others before ourselves. Striving to live this Christ-like life. Being genuinely concerned for the interests of others. Putting our lives on the line for other people. Laying our lives down for other people. And Paul says, join in imitating me. It's one thing to give somebody a Bible and just say, here, follow this. You figure it out. You're on your own. It's a completely different thing to say, follow me. I'll show you how it's done. You know, one dear brother, he told me, he said, real men lead by example. And it was a rebuke, and it hit hard. Real men lead by example. That's what Paul does here. He says, follow me as I follow Christ. Strive to imitate me in leading this life of being a citizen of heaven. The difference between a non-Christian and a Christian should be as great as the gap between heaven and hell. In Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan, in his allegory of the Christian life, he said about this when Christians came to Vanity Fair, he said, As they wondered at their apparel, so they did likewise at their speech, for few could understand what they said. They naturally spoke the language of Canaan, but they that kept the fair were men of this world, so that from one end of the fair to the other they seemed barbarians each to the other. So Christians, you're supposed to be different from the rest of the world. We're supposed to have a different kind of life from the rest of the world. We seem barbarians each to the other. The Christian, he's a different breed. of person. He's not just a mere man. You've read that where Paul says you're acting like mere men? Christian, you've got the Spirit of God in you. You've got the Spirit of Christ in you giving you life. You have the Maker of heaven and earth entwelling you, causing you to walk in a manner pleasing to Him. What is a Christian like? Jesus said this, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Do you mourn over sin? Do you mourn over evil that you see in the world and that you see in yourself? He said, Blessed are the meek. They shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." The Christian has the law of God written on his heart. You know, I never met a co-worker who told me, I just need more righteousness. You know? I'm just hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. The Christian wants to see God. Do you want to see God? It's for the pure in heart. I never had a co-worker or classmate or any lost man told me, I just need more purity in my heart so that I can see God. I just want to know God more. That's not their idle conversation. Purity of heart. Freedom from sin. Fellowship with the Lord. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you on account of Jesus Christ. Christians are those who have their treasure in heaven. They don't lay up treasure in this world. Jesus said they're the salt of the earth. They're the light of this world. They're those who pray. They're those who fast. They're those who give to the needy. They're those who forgive their enemies. That's the character of the Christian. And it's true, sometimes Christians look too much like the world. I wonder it a lot. I think we all would question whether Lot was really saved unless the Bible itself told us Lot was a righteous man. What was Lot doing in Sodom? Why did Lot move down to Sodom? Move into that city? A citizen of heaven living in Sodom? Becoming like that city when he should have been dwelling in tents with Abraham? If you remember the story, his wife ends up dying. turned into a pillar of salt because she looked back. A lot living in that city, it had its consequences. True, Abraham lied about his wife. David committed adultery and he had a man murdered. Moses struck the rock. Instead of speaking to it, he failed to uphold God as holy, and Peter even denied Jesus. But these people were saved in spite of all this. They weren't saved because of it. They were saved in spite of it. God had mercy on these. Right? Sometimes Christians look too much like the world. But Abraham, he was called a friend of God. He's called a prophet. David, he was called a man after God's own heart. Moses was the meekest man in all the face of the world. He spoke face to face with God. Peter, Jesus said, feed My sheep. So the character of the Christian is different than the rest of the world. The Christian has a different manner of life than the unbelieving world. Now my third point. Isn't it true that we all at some point were enemies of the cross? Paul says, many walk as enemies of the cross. Weren't we all at some point enemies of the cross? How is it we went from being enemies of the cross to citizens of heaven? If you would turn to Luke 15. There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, Give me the share of property that's coming to me." And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country. There are some people trying to get as far away from God as possible. And there he squandered his property in reckless living. When he had spent everything, severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into the fields to feed the pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything." Isn't it true we all had pigs to feed? Isn't it true we were all there? At one point, starving. Maybe you're still feeding your pigs. What are your pigs? What pigs are you feeding if you're out there and you're not saved? What pigs are you feeding? But when he came to himself, he said, how many of my father's hired servants Have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger." See, the goodness of God is meant to lead us to repentance. I'll arise and go to my Father, and I'll say to Him, Father, I've sinned against Heaven and before You. I'm no longer worthy to be called Your Son. Treat me as one of Your hired servants. And he arose and came to his father, but while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his servants, Bring quickly the best robe." and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found." And they began to celebrate. See, when we come to ourselves and we say, what am I doing here? What am I doing feeding these pigs? What am I doing running from a God who loves me? I'll arise and go to my Father, and the Father says, put the best robe on him. Put a ring on his hand. Put shoes on his feet. And Christ, He's the best robe. He's the ring on the hand. He's shoes on the feet that the Father gives to this lost sinner. Everything they could ever need. He welcomes them in. He says, you're home. You are dead, but you're alive. You were lost, but you're found. Kill the fattened calf. You know, but the older brother stayed at home. He said. These many years I served you and I never disobeyed your command. Yet you never gave me a young goat." That's the attitude of self-righteous religion. You know, you never gave me a young goat! All these years I've slaved away serving you and what did you ever give to me? You know, but the Christian, he's the one who was there feeding pigs. He was in the pigsty longing to be fed. He comes home. It's a celebration. And the father tells this one, it was fitting to celebrate and be glad for this. Your brother was dead and is alive. He's lost and is found. He said, son, you're always with me and all that is mine is yours. It could all be his. You see, that's what Paul experienced in Philippians. He was the one who was pursuing that righteousness. He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, zealous for the law, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, but he counted it all loss that he might have Christ. And that's how we've all come to be citizens of heaven. We've been brought near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2. Therefore, remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise. There was a time when we were strangers and alienated from God, having no hope. and without God in the world. But now, in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one, Jew and Gentile, and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And He came and preached, Peace to you who are far off, and peace to those who are near. Peace through the cross. Peace through Jesus Christ. Peace through the blood of Christ. We've been brought near to God and made citizens of heaven. Now, my final point. As citizens of heaven, we await a Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says, But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body. Hebrews 9, 28, And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him. Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. 2 Thessalonians 1 says, The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven in flaming fire with His mighty angels inflicting vengeance on those who don't know God and don't obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. The Lord's coming back. If Jesus Christ came back today, how would you feel about the life that you've lived? I can tell you this, we'll all wish we'd given Him more. We'll all wish we had known Him more. The Bible doesn't tell us when He's coming back. Pre-meal, post-meal, it doesn't say, or you can have different opinions on that, but it does tell us this, He's coming back. You remember how it was in the days of Noah? People were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, but Noah was building the ark. And the Christians, as Christians, we await, we eagerly await the return of the Lord. And He's our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. It says, Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared, but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him. Because we shall see Him as He is, and everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies himself as he is pure. We are purifying ourselves, waiting for the coming of the Lord. Therefore, beloved, since you're waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish and at peace. We're waiting in this way. Finally, my last point, we await. We await him as savior. The Lord Jesus Christ, he's savior. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. They're all gone aside. They're all together become filthy. There's none that doeth good. No, not one. But we're all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness as filthy rags, and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away. For my iniquities have gone over my head like a heavy burden, they're too heavy for me. My iniquities have gone over my head. Are you drowning in your sin? Then call out to Him as Savior. Call out to Him. You know, if you're going to be saved, it's got to be through Christ. There's no other Savior. Recently, I heard the testimony of Duncan Campbell. Somebody was talking about him. He was a soldier in World War I, and he was left badly wounded, near to dead, and he lay on the ground just groaning. And he prayed, God, make me as holy as a man, as a saved sinner could ever be. He was already saved at that point, but he was dying. And a man came by on a horse and all he could manage to do was groan. And he took note of where he was and he came and he picked him up and he took him to the medical tent and later that Duncan Campbell used by God mightily in the Hebrides Revival. What's my point in this? Duncan Campbell. Make me as holy as a saved sinner can be. You can't be half and half. You can't be half in and half out. Ryan and I were downtown. and we're preaching the gospel to this guy and just explaining to him, and he's, well, can I be half in and half out? No, you can't be half and half. You gotta be all the way in. He's like, so I can't do one? No, you can't be lukewarm. You've gotta be hot. You can't be half and half. So there's only one thing for you to do. If you're lost, and if you're saved, it's to know Him. If you're lost, you've got to know Him. You've got to know Him. And if you're saved, you've got to, like Paul, press on to know Him more. Because He's coming to save, to transform us. Alright. Amen. Father, I pray you'd use what was shared. Lord, use it for your people. We ask your blessing on the rest of our time today. In Christ's name, Amen.